The Iron Geek

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

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It Should Have Been Impossible: Ironman 70.3 Augusta

Have you ever done something that gave you such a sense of accomplishment that it was emotionally overwhelming?  Something that two years ago you wouldn’t have dreamed was even possible?  

While this race was on my schedule merely as a tune-up for Ironman Florida in November, I can’t tell you how much it means to me to complete it.  Ask anyone that knew me two years ago, anyone at all, if they thought I could complete a 70.3 and they would have told you “No way.”  

This guy, the guy that most of my friends in Boston remember, just finished a 70.3 Triathlon.

A little over a year ago I competed in my very first triathlon, a Sprint race at Crowes Lake.  Roughly 200 yards into a 400 yard swim, I had to float on my back because I thought I was going to drown.  It took every ounce of my energy to swim across that catfish pond to the other side.  I struggled on the bike, and basically walked the entire 5K.  I was something like 3rd from last in the entire race.  It was so upsetting, that I didn’t attempt my next triathlon until almost a year later.

Yesterday afternoon I stood in the rain at the finish line in disbelief that I had finished it.  That halfway through the run I was at such a low point emotionally that I had thoughts of cancelling my race in Florida, if not walking out on this race itself.  

But I didn’t.  I pressed on.  Walking a LOT more than I had ever thought would be necessary, but putting one foot in front of the other was all that mattered.  18 months of training 6 days of the week cannot prepare you for the mental fatigue that you go through, and I was surprised by it.  I marched on even though most of my body and mind told me I was INSANE for doing what I was doing.  Let the blisters scream.  Let the legs ache.  Let the back hurt.  That is why they make Aleve.  Keep moving forward. 

Take. It. Down.  TAKE. IT. DOWN!

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