Ironteam Fundraising 101

Ironteam is all about going long and staying strong. No matter what we are involved in, the length of the season, the intensity of the workouts, or in this case the fundraising, we are all about doing more that what most would consider normal. My fundraising minimum was $8,000.00, nearly 3 times the amount I needed to raise on the run team. Thanks to most of you that read this blog, I made it. However, some of my teammates have not been so fortunate, and with the deadline looming, drastic measures need to be taken. Richard is one of these teammates. He needed $2,000.00 to reach his minimum and he had an idea. He put out an email telling people that if they pooled together $2,000.00, he would do this...

Just in case you had any doubt in your mind about how crazy people on the Ironteam are, there you go. Richard made his minimum that day and he lives to talk about it.

Go Team!

Nice Weekend

Edgewood & Canada Roads, Woodside

Not much new to report on this week. The weekend was the usual, spending most of it with the Ironteam proving to anyone and everyone of what a bunch of bad-asses we are. On Saturday I completed my longest swim to date, 2.4 miles in 1:29 followed by a 10 mile run. Sunday was a 75 mile bike followed by yet another 10 mile run. The folks doing Lake Placid and Vineman Full did their "triple brick" which consisted of a 2 hour ride and a 5 mile run, 3 times.

One of our teammates, Jenn Sussman completed her event in France today. Our first Ironwoman of our team! Her accomplishment reminds us all that our events are right around the corner, no longer this far away thing that we would do someday. I have 71 days before my event, not that I am counting... I truly feel that I am ready and I know they have prepared us well, but there still seems to be that anxiety that I haven't felt since the first marathon I trained for. The not knowing of what to expect motivates me to train harder. Nothing drives fear like the unknown. Once again I find fear as my biggest motivator, it simply works everytime. And if this is how I feel 71 days out, I am going to be motivated like a mo fo come raceday...

More Milestones

I am going through Milestones like they are going out of style... Saturday was a Swim/Bike, Sunday was a run.

2.1 mile swim - 1 hour 14 minutes

98 Mile Bike with 10,000+ feet of elevation including Hwy 9, Old La Honda Road(hi Amy), and Tunitas Creek Road - 8 hours 06 minutes

Sunday we ran 15 miles which made for 15,000 calories burned for the weekend.

We are so bad ass, we should be wearing capes....

Milestone

80 Miles, 5 hours 13 minutes, holy shit my ass is sore.

Hanging up the Whistle

Next Thursday is our last Track workout on the run team, and it will be my last day as a coach on that team. I have been a part of the TnT run teams for over 5 years so to say this isn't going to be easy for me is an understatement. I really didn't think it would be tough for me. But I have to say, everytime I start thinking about next Thursday I feel a bit of sadness.

The above picture is the Coaching staff at kickoff minus Amy Chang who was probably in China at the time. Ken is on the far right, Carl the head coach is holding the flier, and in between us is Shamal who actually thought we were going to run that day. Greenhorn....

As a coach you wear many hats on the Run team. You are a healer, motivator, psychiatrist, cheerleader, teacher, and the role I ended taking on, taskmaster. I was the "core strength" coach which didn't earn me many friends early on but as the team got stronger they really impressed me. I would take the Ironteam core workouts, dial them down to about half speed, and still be told afterwards that I was too hard on them. Whatever...

At the end of the set I would give them words of running wisdom or things to think about for the upcoming run that weekend. It never ceased to amaze me what a captured audience they always were, hanging on every word. Eyes wide open and zero background chatter. Almost to the point where it was spooky. I really loved that. It really did feel like I was helping them accomplish this massive goal that I at one time thought was impossible. There really is something to helping people do what you love to do. The reward is the look on their faces when they complete their goal, you can feel the happiness beaming off of them. Knowing you had a hand in that is a powerful thing.

I'll definitely miss seeing my friends like Amy. With them I could always count on having some laughs on Thursday. I could get all mushy about all the friends I've made and the amazing experiences, incredible highs and devastating lows that I came to encounter by being a part of the TnT run teams over the years but I won't. Over and over again in my life the same occurrence of one door opening as another closes continues to pace me through my life. As much as I have to look back on, I have way more to look forward to. I refuse to sit around and mope about this, life is just way too short for all that.

Speaking of which...

So when I first bought my bike back in September of last year I took it to Mt Eden road. When I reached the top of the hill I required a 5 minute rest break to catch my breath and gather myself before it was safe for me to head back. Last Wednesday the team went to the same spot for hill repeats. We went up and down that thing 7 times, doing drills each time all the way up. I couldn't help but think of how far we have all come. 80 mile ride tomorrow and my biggest concern is making it back home in time to watch the horse race. How cool is that?

This is me after my 2nd trip up and down the hill when Coach Dan told me to go back up standing the whole way. This explains the "you have got to be shitting me" look on my face.

The worm has turned...

Southbay Triathlon

Uvas Reservoir
Morgan Hill, CA
5/18/08

Today we received the next and last batch of workouts in the training schedule from the head coach. This latest "phase" is called RACE PHASE. This segment is geared to get us ready for longer days and harden us to the misery that comes with endurance racing. Mainly what it means is that we will be required to spend even more time working out and even less time with anyone or anything outside of the Ironteam. We all knew this was coming, we have been told over and over but I guess the reality of it never settled in until we all saw it in black and white.

If I had to sum up how I feel about my feelings right now in one word it's selfishness. Next weekend we have two big workout days and I am going to miss most of them due to my having to lead a long run for the Run team on Saturday, and Sunday being my Mom's birthday. In any normal situation I would just blow off the workouts and make them up later, and not think twice about it. But these workouts are so long and intense, you simply cannot make them up on your own later in the day. Not only that, my event is 14 weeks away and I actually fear falling behind at this point. The selfishness rears it's ugly head when I find myself not only fighting the guilt of not doing the workouts, but also fighting the resentment of the events that stand in their way.

I guess when I signed up for this I understood this side of training for an Ironman as much as I did every other part of it, little or nothing at all. As much as people try to explain to you or even warn you at times, until you actually go through it, you cannot imagine how much you ask of yourself, and ultimately of others when you spend 20+ hours a week working out. This is as selfish an endeavor as I have ever undertaken.

Now here is the part that might concern some. When the coaches email went out and the new schedule was unveiled, there was actual shock expressed from the group. Some sounded like they were astounded while others seemed to even fear it. But to be perfectly honest, when I opened that email and read that schedule I thought to myself.... "RIGHT FUCKING ON!!!!"

I am having the time of my life. God help me, I love this Ironteam...

WILDFLOWER 08

This weekend was the Wildflower Triathlon and for a lot of us, our first official event. The long course or half Ironman was held on Saturday while the Olympic (or as Ironteam calls it "short course") was held on Sunday. We arrived on Thursday afternoon and set up camp, went to the expo to register, and mainly just relaxed. The race starts in waves based on age group. Each age group is assigned a different colored swim cap so that the officials can ensure that people are starting in their proper waves. Of all the colors in the spectrum, Men ages 40 to 45 drew neon pink...

The morning of the race started at 5:30am. Breakfast was coffee, oatmeal, and fear served by Trista!

This is me getting ready to head down to the starting area. How stressed out do I look here? The roads are closed to cars which means the only way to get down there is pack your tri bag on your back and ride on down...
Once in the starting area we found our assigned spots, set up transition, and got body marked. With a felt tip marker they put your race number on both hands, arms, thighs, and your age on your calf. For some reason I was able to relax and be more my usual self the closer we got to the starting gun. Weird...
We had about an hour to kill before the start which we used by eating, drinking, and having some laughs to stay loose.

When it was nearly time to start, we put on our pink caps and headed down to the boat ramp.

I started in the middle of the pack and got bounced around a bit, slapped a few times, and did some slapping of my own but I never got kicked as I feared. 40 minutes later I was running back to my bike. Man do I look silly in that cap...
I tried to get through transition 1 quickly but I sucked. 10+ minutes to eat, put my cycle shorts and shirt, gloves, helmet, Garmin bike computer, and give Jerald shit because he was beyond ridiculous in his transition. He got out of the water 4 minutes after I did and just look at him. I'm ready to roll and he is putting on Oil of Olay.
This is on the infamous "Nasty Grade" which really isn't that big of a deal to us on Ironteam because we have a cycle captain who takes us on insane rides from hell on a weekly basis. I saw people walking their bikes up that thing. Crazy...
3:28:27 later I am back in the transition area, hauling ass to my running shoes. This time my transition time was a bit better at 6+ minutes.
This is Jerald and I just before we headed out to run. He is faster on the bike than I am. Even after his makeover in T1, he caught me at mile 36 on the ride. I did manage to catch him in T2 before he left, apparently the showers ran out of hot water.
Finishing the run was a great feeling. 2:23:32 is a long time to run a half marathon, but not on that run course and after riding 56 miles and swimming 1.2. I am really happy with my finish time of 6:52:35

Jesus and I celebrating

Myself, Jerald, and Jesus

By far the happiest of the 4, Renee finishes with a huge smile on her face.

Half Ironpeople!!!!

The next morning we had pancakes, eggs, and sausage.

Later that day we all went to the expo where Jesus and I bought some kick-ass helmets!!!

It's becoming increasingly apparent that what we on Ironteam are doing is beyond what most athletic people would call normal. Just about everyone at Wildflower trained for that event, while for us it was a training day. We have covered these distances and then some, just not in an actual race setting which was a huge wake up call for me. I have a lot to learn about racing and nutrition on the course. I can't tell you how rewarding it has been to be going from being the guy expected to know everything to being a student with so much to learn. The relationships I have made along the way only grow stronger. As these workouts get longer and harder, I realize more and more that joining this team is one of the best things I have ever done for myself.

PS Jesus and I didn't buy those helmets, but I did keep my swim cap. It's kind of growing on me...

70.3

I received a lot of questions as to why I didn't post anything about the actual long course event when I wrote about practice weekend. I guess even I am getting sick of posting about this stuff. But some folks asked and I do have pics, so here we go.

I met the caravan at noon on that Friday for lunch at Baja Fresh. Sitting to my right is Trista. I know she is my friend because she enjoys mocking me and calling me names.
The morning of the event was spectacular, high 50's, sunny and no wind. The water was so nice, not cold at all.
For those of you scoring at home, I did the 1.2 miles in 42 minutes.

This is me in the second transition after finishing the 56 mile bike segment. No headwinds and beautiful scenery, it was a fantastic ride. The infamous "Nasty Grade" which is a hill at mile 42 or so, wasn't as advertised. It was hard but we have done much harder. The downhill after was incredible. I hit 46MPH! (don't tell my mom...) Bike time was 3:48
Nothing could have prepared me for that run. I have ran after riding before but this was really fricken hard. Not to mention the fact that there are about 30 hills on this damn "run". I ended up walking half of the 13.1 miles in an otherwise embarrassing 2:35.
And this is what I looked like after completing the half Ironman distance on the most difficult course in the country on a 90 degree day. I didn't cramp up or feel bad which meant my nutrition worked and I drank plenty. Dazed, confused, and pretty damn happy I must admit. As a team we stuck around till the last member got in and we were ripe for celebrating, hence the first practice weekend post.

Next week we go back and do it for real, and I can't fricken wait!!!

14

Today is the 14th anniversary of the day I decided to quit drinking, but I don't count it as the actual Anniversary, that's tomorrow when it will have been 14 years since I spent my first sober day. Even though I don't normally celebrate it like a birthday I do feel pretty good about making it this far. Some people don't like to hear me speak on this in terms as if it's a potentially temporary situation, but to feel as if I am cured is the first step towards falling so it's really a much better way of thinking of it.

With each passing year you would think it would be harder to remember what life was like back then but it really isn't. I can still remember that apartment in Campbell with the La-z-boy chair and that horrible carpet. The place always smelled like stale beer and cigarettes. That must have been a tough place to be if you didn't drink or smoke, which really wasn't a problem given the company I kept back then. A steady diet of day old pizza that my roommate would bring home (he delivered for Domino's) and canned food is probably as much to blame for my drinking's demise as the alcohol itself. Top it off with a pack of cigarettes and a can of Copenhagen a day and it's absolutely mind blowing that I actually lasted like that till I was 26. I lived on the second floor and some days my legs would burn walking up those 16 steps. I was in such horrible shape physically that my skin was yellow, my eyes were pink, and I weighed about 150lbs. That was my life 14 years ago. Not many friends, suspended drivers license from my second DUI, I spent most of my time inside that apartment in and out of consciousness. Looking back on it now, I guess it shouldn't have come as a surprise when the Dr. at the emergency room at Valley Med (no insurance back then) told me that if I didn't stop I would be back within a month... In a bag.

The first couple years living sober were tough but at the same time so much easier than the previous 10. I still find I have good and bad days, it's part of the deal and I learned how to handle it a long time ago. There are subtle differences that I must be aware of at all times. If I feel myself getting depressed or saddened I have to deal with it and not dwell in it. That's were exercize comes in. It really is the cheapest shrink in the world. Whenever I get frustrated or depressed, I know I can go for a run or lift weights and things are just easier to deal with when I am done. The temptation to drink never comes from being in a bar or at a ballgame. For me it always was about masking pain and worry, and it still does to this day. Funerals, uncertainty with job security, getting my heart broken, letting my temper take over... These normal life events and things like them are my triggers. But I can see them coming a mile away, I am never surprised by them which is key to dealing with them. But the one aspect of my life that I will always credit to my lasting sobriety are my friends. I cannot adequately express the importance of surrounding myself with great people, I simply cannot afford not to. If I were to hit a rough patch and become vulnerable while being with the wrong person, that could be the day I fall. And the search for friends never ends. As I get older, I find friends come in and out of my life like bus boys in a restaurant. However I also find as I experience new things and step outside my comfort zone, new people come into my life and become unwitting saviors.

So if you are reading this right now, chances are you are one of the many reasons why I have stayed sober and alive for the last 14 years. Most people want to give me all the credit, but this thing is way bigger than I am. There is no way I could have done this alone. You all have allowed me to live my life and achieve great things, experience so many beautiful happenings in life, and without you I would have missed so much. For that I am forever grateful.

Thank you all very, very much.

Practice Weekend

Halfway to Ironman is our practice weekend at Lake San Antonio, home to where the Wildflower Triathlon is held. I won't bore you with the details of the practice Tri itself, although we all did well on hot day and a tough course, the real story here is what happened after the event. This weekend is typically when the Ironteam bonds and friendships become very strong. But for our team this had already taken place, and the fact that we had an opportunity to do this made our team that much stronger.

Coach Mike gave a speech after dinner that started out about how well he thought we did, but then he went into how proud he was of us that we all seemed to really care for each other and were all so supportive of each other. Each Coach took their turn to echo the same sentiments and before you knew it, other participants we standing up to do the same. The coaches then busted out gifts for the team, among them were white dri-fit hats with IRONTEAM 08 on them. From that point forward the love-in turned into a rager that rivaled my days in Chico. The tunes started blaring, the booze and wine was flowing, drunk white people were dancing, and the poor tri team across the way(who kept us up the night before) was in for a long night themselves.