What to wear

A triathlon is a collection of 3 different disciplines.  While many choose a Tri suit for both biking and running, I'm more comfortable in a bike jersey and running shorts.  And isn't that what completing an Ironman is really about - being comfortable?  While there isn't much I could do to the wetsuit, I had the bike jersey and run shirt special made from my own designs.

For those that need a reminder of what Malört is, I present this video reminder:

Malört

Stats time

It's no surprise that this has been my most active year ever.  I've put in pool time, trainer time, biked throughout the burbs, and run every street in my area.  This is what I've accomplished in 2016:

Count: 367 Activities

Distance: 3,168.37 mi

Time: 234:45:36 h:m:s

This the culmination of what started when Jenny died.  With her as a living inspiration, I started running and completed a couple of 5k's.  With her passing, I became a runner, and eventually a triathlete.  The numbers below really bear this out.

In the 10 years before Jenny passed:

Count: 40 Activities

Distance: 142.16 mi

Time: 22:41:38 h:m:s

In the 3.5 years since:

Count: 1,005 Activities

Distance: 6,233.18 mi

Time: 520:28:33 h:m:s

All of those hours are leading up to next Sunday, and I'm nervously excited.  I've done the work, and now it's time to enjoy the race.  

Donate if you can.

Tim

Swimming in the wide open water

What am I the most worried about for next Sunday?  THE SWIM.

What do you do when open water swimming makes you nervous?  You go swim in Lake Michigan.

Friday afternoon I donned my wetsuit and headed out into the choppy water.  The waves weren't crushing, but this was NOT flat water.  I put my face down and started my swim.  Exactly 2 minutes later, I paused my watch so my mini panic attack would not count against my time.  I calmed down, and set off again.  2 minutes later, repeat same thing.  This was not boding well.  I set off a third time, and instead of stopping, I flipped to my back and finished a half mile loop in backstroke.

At this point, I was having serious concerns about next week.  Another swimmer then finished her lap, and complained how bad the water was.  She said she was going to do 2 miles, but was now just hoping to finish 1.  This helped - it wasn't just me.  I decided a need to to at least do another half mile, so down my face went again, 10 yards behind the other swimmer.

Things went much better this lap.  I could breathe steadily, and my wetsuit didn't feel like it was crushing my chest.  Things went so well that when the woman turned at the quarter mile marker to head back, I kept going.  I finished a mile lap at a much faster pace than the first lap.  More importantly, I know that I can complete the swim next sunday, as long as I get my panic attack out of the way before the cannon goes off.

Ironman Wisconsin for Girls on the Run

I've been procrastinating this post for a while, and my blog was basically shut down while avoiding writing it.  It's a bit long, but I hope you take the time to read it.

CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO GIRLS ON THE RUN

On January 23rd, 2013, the world lost an amazing person.  Jenny Carter Boyce was taken from us in an unspeakable act of domestic violence just days before her divorce was to be finalized.  Now, three and a half years later, I am going to complete an Ironman in her honor.

When I met Jenny, she was small and quiet, kind and unassuming.  As she went through life, she found strength in herself that was beyond expectation.  When she could no longer rely on her husband, she began to rely on herself.  She started participating in endurance sports to push her limits, and push she did.  She spent her 30th birthday, with a few thousand people watching her, crush the Ironman Wisconsin.  She took something that seems impossible and unimaginable for most, and used it declare her strength and fortitude as a strong modern woman.  

A year later, she was in Chicago running the marathon.  I was there to cheer her along, and as she was leading yet another 100 day burpee challenge (that I failed to finish), she stopped to do a burpee with me.  I wished her luck, and she said it was my turn next year.  I laughed and said “sure”, but there was zero intention of actually doing that.  The longest I had run was a 5k at that point, and only a couple of those.  I never really liked running, but thats because I never had anything to run for.

Four months later I received the call that many of us will never forget.  We were devastated; it simply didn't make sense.  2 days before her divorce was to be finalized her estranged husband came to her home in the middle of the night and ended her life.  As all of her work, college, and high school friends gathered for her funeral, I think the one thing we all felt along with our deep sadness was a feeling of helplessness.  Jenny was 31, with new found personal strength, and her entire life ahead of her, and now she was gone.  There was nothing we could do about that.

What we could do was make sure the world knew who Jenny was, and what she accomplished.  Jenny proved that she could do anything, and in turn, inspired countless others to prove to themselves that they could too.  The day of her death, I started my own 100 day Burpee Challenge.  I completed it, along with 2 more that year.  I also ran my first Chicago marathon.  It was during this year that, while running for Jenny, I learned something about myself. I learned that I was good at distance running, and I learned that I could accomplish so much more than I thought.   Things that seemed impossible  suddenly weren’t.  With Jenny as my guide, I no longer had limits.  

Before she died, she had planned on being a coach for Girls on the Run.  After her death, #teamjenny was formed, and fundraising runs for Girls on the Run were formed.  I happily drove up to Madison to participate, and it was there that a plan was formed.  While talking with some of Jenny’s friends from Endurance House, I mentioned that I was considering doing an Ironman (I did not own a bike at this point).  They pointed out that the 2016 Madison Ironman was the same race Jenny completed, on the exact 5th anniversary of hers, and on what would have been her 35th birthday.  Done.  There was no thinking or contemplating - it was meant to be. 

As I’ve trained this year, I’ve been swimming, biking, and running for Jenny, but I’ve also been doing all of these things for myself.  With Jenny’s help, I’ve become a stronger and better version of myself.  I want to be part of her legacy; she wanted to help others and make the world better.  She succeeded with me.

Ironman Wisconsin is looming.  I’ve trained, and I’m waiting to do her proud.  I now ask that you help me strengthen her legacy, and donate to Girls on the Run.  Every dollar donated helps to empower girls through running.  I've paid for this race and all the expenses out of pocket, so every dollar donated to straight to Girls on the Run.  Every dollar helps to give the strength Jenny found to a young girl that needs it.  Every dollar makes the world a better place.

Please donate if you can.

Becoming a pool rat

I'm not a swimmer.  Technically, I know how to swim, but instead of being able to get from point A to B and back quickly, I just know how to not drown slowly.  I have less than 9 months to change that, so it's time to get started!

Obviously I can't swim in the lake when there's floating ice chunks.  Luckily, the gym in my building at work has a nice 3 lane pool, and its always free at lunch.  I've been a few times in the last couple weeks, and thats a start.  I'm going to try and do at least 2 swims a week for the next couple months, and then 3 starting in march.  2.4 miles is a long way, and I need all the practice I can get.  I'm going to see if I can get a swim coach as well; it's painfully obvious that my technique sucks.

Swimming is harder for me to get into than the running and biking for a few reasons:

1. It's hard to jump into water that's not warm.  And when the open water Lake Michigan practices come, oh man am I going to whine.
2. I'm still trying to figure out how to not hyperventilate in the water.  I'm still learning to breath smoothly, and it's harder than I thought i would be.
3. My crappy breathing makes me swallow air (aerophagia), and that sometimes leads to crippling cramps for an hour or so.  I wish I was exaggerating.
4. I can't get the damn'd smell of chlorine off my skin.  I shower after, and let the soap soak in for 10 min, but still smell like Miami pool boy.  It's gross.  

All of these reasons add up to me wanting to just put in some time on the treadmill instead, doing what I know: miles while watching bad TV.  Let's hope I improve with more time in the water, and let's hope it's quick.

This is my lane; I will get to know this place well. 

2015 in review

It's finally here - the Iron year!

2016 is the here, and I'm officially signed up for the Ironman Wisconsin on Sep 11. I've neglected this blog for a year, so before I start whining about how hard the training is, and how excited I am about my new gear, lets do a 2015 race review.

• 2/22 - Hustle up the Hancock - 94 stories of fun! This is one of this "Why did I do it? Because it's there!" kind of things.

• 4/25 - Race to Wrigley - Finished this 5k in 20:33 (6:38 mile). I didn't crack 20 min like a wanted, but still, thats pretty damn fast for me!

• 5/21 - JP Morgan Corp Challenge - 3.5 miles in 22:39. Thats a 6:29 mile. Getting faster!

• 5/17 - Chicago Spring Half Marathon - I bought a red shirt to match my 666 bib number. Finished with a 1:34:00 (7:11 mile). It was a solid run, and I was happy with it

• 9/27 - Chicago Half Marathon - I ran like the freaking wind!!! Crushed my goal with a 1:28:49 (6:47 mile). Also, I received that largest metal known to man.

• 10/11 - Chicago Marathon - I've never been so upset about a PR. Ran a 3:13:38 (7:24 mile) when I needed a 3:10 to qualify for Boston. It all fell apart in the last 5 miles, and I lost 2 toenails to boot. The quest for Boston continues...

I leave you with a pic of that ridiculous medal from the half