Wife of an Ironman

Looking back I didn’t know how Thanksgiving 2010 would change the summer of 2011, I do now.  When Brad decided that the full distance Ironman was what he wanted to do, I was in.  I know when he goes after a goal it is 110%.  What I didn’t know in the spring of 2011 was the amount of time Ironman would require.  I was fully in support of Brad following the triathlon training plan, I wanted him to be prepared to compete at the mind boggling distance of 140.6 miles!   

The summer went by quickly his training time steadily increased.  We planned weekends and family events around training, we were both working towards Ironman.  Brad followed the daily training plan except for a few days.  On those days he didn’t follow the plan and we took the evening off!   We needed a normal evening of just us, thank you babe!

The week before REV3 was full of excitement and list checking.  It takes more to pack for a triathlon than a camping trip.  The morning of REV3 started at 3 a.m.  I was calm until we walked on the beach towards the start line.  Brad gets calm and focused at the start.  I looked at lake Erie and my stomach went in knots.  Having friends at the start was like a hug and that hug meant more than all of you will ever know.  I gave Brad one last kiss and his adventure began.

 Greg, Dee, us, Rabbit and John

I tend to worry, OK if you spent the day with me at REV3 that is an understatement.  I can’t help it, it’s a genetic defect.  I don’t do calm when Brad is competing, especially at this distance, this was unknow territory.  Brad knows I worry (and he still loves me) so before every event he tells me his predicted split times.  I always carry this list with me, REV3 was no different.  He was either exactly on time or a few minutes off over the 140.6 miles. 

 I carried this all day

The last hour before Brad finished seemed like a week, I just wanted the day to be over for him, I was worried he would be hurting from 14 hours of competing, I needed to make sure he was OK. I want to thank Brian, Ann Marie, Dee and Greg for being there for the entire day.  Dee and I walked toward the parking lot to try and spot Brad as soon as he turned toward the finish line.  When we saw him my heart started pounding he was still running and he was smiling.  He grabbed my hand and we took off.  Running in with him was a moment in time I will never forget, I am so proud of what he has accomplished he is my Ironman!

Thanks to Brian Coon for taking photo's!

Journey Complete

Thanksgiving Day 2010 started my journey to Ironman 140.6.  After enjoying a meal with friends Jason told me he was going to do the full Iron distance triathlon at REV3 next year.  He said “if I do it and you don’t you are going to wish you did.”  He didn’t know I had been thinking about the full REV since I finished the half distance at Cedar Point the previous September.  I had been going back and forth between yes I will do the full and no that’s crazy.  The yes part of my brain won and I registered for the full REV in December 2010.  I called by wife to tell her I was going to do it and then sent Jason a text.  As Jason says “game on!”

 Off season conditioning began January 1, 2011.  I ran all winter with the Y Run Club, spinning classes and swimming at the Y. I work best when I have a plan, training for a triathlon is no different. I down loaded a plan specific for this distance.  I started following the plan in April.  There is a science to training so I wanted a plan that was written by a coach, I did not want to try to coach myself.  Also part of preparing my body to compete for 140.6 miles was proper diet.  But nutrition to fuel my body during the event was a different challenge.  In June Rick a biking friend told me about Infinit a new nutrition supplement he was using on long bike rides.  Infinit is mixed specifically for each person, it is not one formula made for the masses.  I began using Infinit for nutrition when riding or running.  At REV3 Infinit, one Cliff bar, 3 gels was my only food intake during the 14 hour event.  I was never hungry, no stomach problems and no leg cramps, Infinit worked.

September 11th was my first Iron distance triathlon. I had been training for this race for months, I had been thinking about it for years. It all started when I ran my first sprint triathlon in Shelby in 2007, I was hooked. And now I was standing on the lake Erie shore at 7 am. My friend Jason and I shook hands and wished each other luck and waited nervously for the gun to fire. I knew Jason would do well, he had been training hard and he was ready. I didn’t know if I was ready. But I was about to find out.

There is not much to say about the swim, bike and run. I followed my plan for nutrition and pacing. My arms and shoulders got tired during the swim, my legs got tired the rest of the race. The volunteers were great, the spectators along the route were eager to lend encouraging words and the weather was wonderful. The unique thing that stood out about this event was competing with Jason again, and seeing my wife and friends John, Rabbit, Brian, Dee, Greg, Ann  Marie and Rick cheering me on at various places along the course, I have great friends and my wonderful wife!

As the sun was setting I was running my last 3 miles, I could see the lights from Cedar Point getting closer and closer soon I would begin to here the crowd cheering for the runners as they passed in front of the stands. I knew it would only be a few more minutes and I would be running in front of those stands and I would be an Ironman. I rounded the last corner and headed toward the cheers, as I approached I saw Teresa smiling. I grabbed her hand and we ran together across the finish line. In honor of 9-11 the runners were handed an American flag to carry across the finish line.  Other good friends Dee, Greg, Brian, Ann-Marie and Jason were waiting on the other side. It was a very good day. 

In the end I finished only 9 minutes after my goal of 14 hours and finished 4th in my age group. I missed third place by less than 10 minutes but this race wasn’t about the finish time or how I placed this race was about finding out if I could do it.  I did it, I have completed the journey from Fatman to Ironman, and will do my best to avoid a return trip.

Photo's by Brian Coon