I made up my mind. I will do an Ironman triathlon... This will push myself physically beyond what I have ever experienced. Right now it is not much more than a crazy thought. But with enough resolve, I know my dream can become reality.
I started running in 2010. I was preparing my first race ever, the 2010 Salt Lake City marathon.
Running a marathon had been on my bucket list for a while and I cannot pinpoint exactly what triggered my decision to run one. Perhaps the obvious pride that my coworkers displayed after successfully running one. Maybe "the marathon challenge" documentary on the Nova TV show, showing how just about anybody could finish a marathon with the proper training. Maybe the feeling of not getting any younger (I will be 40 in 2013). Or maybe it is just the desire to do something exceptional. Something that seems almost impossible...
I remember my first training session at the Gold's Gym where I optimistically started the treadmill at 7 mph. It almost immediately felt uncomfortable. After about 4 minutes, I was completely out of breath. I slowed down the infernal machine to 6.5, then 6 mph.. Still unbearable! I stopped running altogether after about 10 minutes, sweating profusely and realizing how bad a shape I was in.
As a teenager I used to run fairly regularly. Not really as a well structured activity but as an occasional hobby. I used to take my run to about 8 to 10 miles in the mountain forests of central France. And I remember the elation, the effortless feeling of running freely for hours at a time. The feeling of the endorphins kicking in after a hard run.
Still... A marathon would be something else. Something I had never even been close to attempting.
I quickly set up a goal for this fisrt marathon. I wanted to run it in less than 4 hours. This seemed reasonable yet challenging enough for a first marathon. After my first few training sessions at the gym, I started improving quickly and the goal felt increasingly accessible.
After a month, training 2 or 3 times a week I could comfortably run on the treadmill for an hour at a time with no major discomfort. I continued to improve until about 2 months before the race when disaster struck. A running injury!
Not having any prior experience with this type of injuries, I was mostly concerned about not making it worse and decided to completely stop the training until the pain would be gone. Needless to say I entered the race with a serious lack of preparation.
I remember this first race clearly. The chilly air of the early morning, the electric atmosphere at the starting line, the excitement of things to come...
The beginning of the race felt amazing. I was flying, not feeling any pain, my breathing was effortless and the mile times were so much quicker than my during training! Astonishing really! I would never have guessed that a marathon could feel so easy.
Mile 5, I was passing everyone! Inspired by my mp3 music I was unstoppable...
Mile 8, no problem, I didn't need that much more prep after all...
Mile 10, just a bit of heaviness on top of the hills, a bit tired but nothing to worry about..
Mile 13, Ouch... Somehow I am really getting tired now..Hmm half way there!
Mile 15, This is survival mode. Running is really no fun at this point. What am I doing here? Obese people are passing me. Walk - Run - Walk
Mile 18 Walking about 20% of the time at this point.
Mile 20 Listening to music is too much effort. I remove the headphones to be able to concentrate on putting each foot in front of the other. The 4 hour time mark passes by. Oh dear.. Now this is embarrassing.
Mile 22 - 25.. just walk with a rare slow jog. A grand mother passes by.. I don't care anymore.
Mile 26 If I don't hurry, I won't make the 5 hour mark
26.2miles 4 hours 58 min.. Yeah I don't think I hit my goal...
That feeling of missing the mark, of failing really, has haunted me long after the end of the race. After a few months break and a thorough mental debrief of what went wrong, I was more determined than ever to start over. Do the same race in less than 4 hours. This had always been the deal!
While analyzing this first race and the associated training I realized that I had managed to make most of the possible mistakes a beginner marathon enthusiast could make:
I had failed to learn information about the event and how to train for it;
I had rushed to establish an end goal without designing a realistic training plan;
I had increased my training volume too fast resulting in training injuries which in turn prevented an adequate volume of training;
I had trained only on a treadmill, which is not representative of race conditions;
I had failed to learn my nutrition and hydration needs for the race;
I had not established a pacing strategy and let my enthusiasm and lack of experience dictate my pace on D-day.
This time it would be different I thought. I learned, bought books, listened to podcasts, designed a detailed training plan (see below), made no excuses and never skipped a training day.
In 2011, I completed the same race in 3:40. I also signed up for the Utah Valley marathon which I completed in 3:30. I still though I could do better.
In 2012, I signed up for 6 marathon races. My objective this year is to qualify for the Boston marathon.
My best time this year has been 3:10 at the Provo City marathon. Still a few seconds more than needed for my BQ. But with a few more races remaining I am hoping I can manage it.
I can still do better I know it. But beyond this thought, I think I want to do more.. I know marathons. Can I find enough fulfillment in getting quicker and quicker, race after race? Sure..But how about tackling a yet even more formidable challenge. How about doing a full day of exercise before doing a marathon? Wow, now that is inspiring. There are so many challenges for me to do this...
I don't have a bike and I have never biked seriously in my like.
I can't swim properly (just breast strokes) and have never been good in water.
It sounds perfect! I can't wait to meet the challenge.
I know from my marathon learning experience that this will take tremendous determination, knowledge. It will require so much learning that my head is spinning just thinking about it.
I would like this blog to be an open journal of my Ironman journey, learnings and tribulations. I would like input comments, participation, advice from anyone reading this journal who has a contribution to make.
In the end, nothing is certain but I will give it my best shot.
I started running in 2010. I was preparing my first race ever, the 2010 Salt Lake City marathon.
Running a marathon had been on my bucket list for a while and I cannot pinpoint exactly what triggered my decision to run one. Perhaps the obvious pride that my coworkers displayed after successfully running one. Maybe "the marathon challenge" documentary on the Nova TV show, showing how just about anybody could finish a marathon with the proper training. Maybe the feeling of not getting any younger (I will be 40 in 2013). Or maybe it is just the desire to do something exceptional. Something that seems almost impossible...
I remember my first training session at the Gold's Gym where I optimistically started the treadmill at 7 mph. It almost immediately felt uncomfortable. After about 4 minutes, I was completely out of breath. I slowed down the infernal machine to 6.5, then 6 mph.. Still unbearable! I stopped running altogether after about 10 minutes, sweating profusely and realizing how bad a shape I was in.
As a teenager I used to run fairly regularly. Not really as a well structured activity but as an occasional hobby. I used to take my run to about 8 to 10 miles in the mountain forests of central France. And I remember the elation, the effortless feeling of running freely for hours at a time. The feeling of the endorphins kicking in after a hard run.
Still... A marathon would be something else. Something I had never even been close to attempting.
I quickly set up a goal for this fisrt marathon. I wanted to run it in less than 4 hours. This seemed reasonable yet challenging enough for a first marathon. After my first few training sessions at the gym, I started improving quickly and the goal felt increasingly accessible.
After a month, training 2 or 3 times a week I could comfortably run on the treadmill for an hour at a time with no major discomfort. I continued to improve until about 2 months before the race when disaster struck. A running injury!
Not having any prior experience with this type of injuries, I was mostly concerned about not making it worse and decided to completely stop the training until the pain would be gone. Needless to say I entered the race with a serious lack of preparation.
I remember this first race clearly. The chilly air of the early morning, the electric atmosphere at the starting line, the excitement of things to come...
The beginning of the race felt amazing. I was flying, not feeling any pain, my breathing was effortless and the mile times were so much quicker than my during training! Astonishing really! I would never have guessed that a marathon could feel so easy.
Mile 5, I was passing everyone! Inspired by my mp3 music I was unstoppable...
Mile 8, no problem, I didn't need that much more prep after all...
Mile 10, just a bit of heaviness on top of the hills, a bit tired but nothing to worry about..
Mile 13, Ouch... Somehow I am really getting tired now..Hmm half way there!
Mile 15, This is survival mode. Running is really no fun at this point. What am I doing here? Obese people are passing me. Walk - Run - Walk
Mile 18 Walking about 20% of the time at this point.
Mile 20 Listening to music is too much effort. I remove the headphones to be able to concentrate on putting each foot in front of the other. The 4 hour time mark passes by. Oh dear.. Now this is embarrassing.
Mile 22 - 25.. just walk with a rare slow jog. A grand mother passes by.. I don't care anymore.
Mile 26 If I don't hurry, I won't make the 5 hour mark
26.2miles 4 hours 58 min.. Yeah I don't think I hit my goal...
That feeling of missing the mark, of failing really, has haunted me long after the end of the race. After a few months break and a thorough mental debrief of what went wrong, I was more determined than ever to start over. Do the same race in less than 4 hours. This had always been the deal!
While analyzing this first race and the associated training I realized that I had managed to make most of the possible mistakes a beginner marathon enthusiast could make:
I had failed to learn information about the event and how to train for it;
I had rushed to establish an end goal without designing a realistic training plan;
I had increased my training volume too fast resulting in training injuries which in turn prevented an adequate volume of training;
I had trained only on a treadmill, which is not representative of race conditions;
I had failed to learn my nutrition and hydration needs for the race;
I had not established a pacing strategy and let my enthusiasm and lack of experience dictate my pace on D-day.
This time it would be different I thought. I learned, bought books, listened to podcasts, designed a detailed training plan (see below), made no excuses and never skipped a training day.
In 2011, I completed the same race in 3:40. I also signed up for the Utah Valley marathon which I completed in 3:30. I still though I could do better.
In 2012, I signed up for 6 marathon races. My objective this year is to qualify for the Boston marathon.
My best time this year has been 3:10 at the Provo City marathon. Still a few seconds more than needed for my BQ. But with a few more races remaining I am hoping I can manage it.
I can still do better I know it. But beyond this thought, I think I want to do more.. I know marathons. Can I find enough fulfillment in getting quicker and quicker, race after race? Sure..But how about tackling a yet even more formidable challenge. How about doing a full day of exercise before doing a marathon? Wow, now that is inspiring. There are so many challenges for me to do this...
I don't have a bike and I have never biked seriously in my like.
I can't swim properly (just breast strokes) and have never been good in water.
It sounds perfect! I can't wait to meet the challenge.
I know from my marathon learning experience that this will take tremendous determination, knowledge. It will require so much learning that my head is spinning just thinking about it.
I would like this blog to be an open journal of my Ironman journey, learnings and tribulations. I would like input comments, participation, advice from anyone reading this journal who has a contribution to make.
In the end, nothing is certain but I will give it my best shot.
