The Iron Geek

My personal journey of going from an overweight IT leader to an Ironman.

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6 posts tagged imfl

My 140.6 Mile Journey

“They say that finishing an Ironman is a life-changing experience.  I really hope that they weren’t referring to losing a pinky toe, because I’m not sure mine is going to make it through the day and that would suck.”

This is the conversation that I am having with myself as I plod through the dark and deserted streets of Panama City Beach.  I am competing in my first Ironman Triathlon.  It’s just after 9:00 p.m. and I have been propelling myself forward for more than fourteen hours.  I am exhausted and my body is breaking down.  What started out as aches and pains has evolved into a full-on civil war between my mind and my body.  My mind is winning, and my body is paying the price.

I try to keep myself focused on the task at hand.  I must keep moving.  I must finish what I started.  Today is the culmination of eighteen months of training and preparation.  It’s not about an event, it’s about my life. 

I am not the same person I was two years ago. 

That person couldn’t run a hundred yards without being winded.  That person couldn’t do a lap in the pool without stopping.  That person carried around fifty-five more pounds.  That person drank too much beer and ate way too much fast food.  That person couldn’t keep up with his kids when they were playing. 

That person couldn’t commit to this type of goal and see it through.

That person wasn’t the real ME.  This is ME.  This journey has proven that I am still here.

Unfortunately, none of that is any consolation to my feet, which are damaged goods.  They feel as if they have been beaten with a hammer, especially my left pinky toe.  Every step sends a jarring pain up my leg.  And in a cruel twist of cosmic irony, it hurts more to walk than it does to run.

But when I run, I am slammed with the realization of how exhausted I am.  There is just no more gas in the tank.  I make a mental commitment that the next person that casually mentions that they are “exhausted” will get a full-on beat-down from me on principal alone. “You don’t know what exhausted is,” I think to myself.

Snapping out of this negative mental place, I think about my day.

I have survived a 2.4 mile swim with 2500 of my “closest” friends through a jellyfish-filled ocean.  I have endured the never-ending winds on my 112 mile bike, and I have been running, walking and shuffling for just over 23 miles.  “Just over 3 more miles to go,” I say to myself.

“Then you can call yourself an Ironman.”

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Don’t You Dare Tell Me There’s Something I Can’t Do

I heard “Hey Todd! You’re an Ironman!” 15 hours and 16 minutes after my day began. What an amazing day.

I cant believe how much my feet hurt. I’ll send out more tomorrow. Right now I need to eat all the things at Waffle House.

Have a good night. I’m going to spend the night sleeping with a smile on my face.

TOOK. IT. DOWN.

“Going to the bathroom outside of the porta-potties is not only rules for disqualification, it is also grounds for being arrested. If I were you, I wouldn’t be thrilled with the idea of spending the night in jail with shaved legs, wearing lycra. Just sayin.”

Run Race Director at IMFL

[Flash 10 is required to watch video]

Ironman Florida Bike Course is FLAT!

Just got done with our drive around the 112 mile course. Very surprised by how flat it is. This two minutes of video is an example (soundtrack brought to you by Bob FM). There are several long, straight stretches for miles and miles.

I’m getting excited!

The Road To Florida…

On this Saturday, November 5th, I will compete in my first Ironman Triathlon.  I will swim 2.4 miles, ride my bike for 112 more and then slug it out on a 26.2 mile marathon. All in less than 17 hours.

I will do this.  

I will take it down.

The last 18 months have been an epic journey.  When I started out, I could barely run 100 yards or swim even the length of a pool.  I’m not going to lie, I am nervous about this event.  It’s hard to believe that something I have worked for so long for is only a few days away (We leave for Florida in the morning).  

But as my coach recently reminded me, I have accomplished every goal that I have set out for myself:

  • Complete a 5K (check)
  • Complete a 10K (check)
  • Complete a 13.1 Half Marathon (check)
  • Complete a Marathon (check)
  • Complete a Sprint Triathlon (check)
  • Complete an Olympic Triathlon (check)
  • Complete an Ironman 70.3 (check)
  • Complete an Ironman (Saturday, November 5th, 2011)

This goal will be no different.  Because I am ready.  I am focused.  I will take it down.

For those interested, you can track my progress online at www.ironman.com.  I am Bib# 1336.  On race day (the race starts at 7:00 am Central Time) they will offer an athlete tracker that will provide you with my split times as well as a live video stream of the finish line (for those who are up that late).

I am really going to need all the good vibes that you can send my way on race day.  Any you can spare, please send my way.  =)

A flyover of the Ironman Florida Bike Course.  I found this on mapmyride.com.  It requires the Google Earth plug-in to see.  

I think it’s pretty cool to get a glimpse into the ride before actually going there.

I’ve never been to Panama City, or that part of  Florida before.  I am surprised by how much of this ride is in farm country.  I didn’t really know what to expect, but it is somewhat different that I had imagined.

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