The trick is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable

Foster Grant 70.3 World Championships - 11/13/2010

2010-11-13T14:35:00.001-05:00

“23”

I don’t believe there has ever been a number that has generated more buzz than the number 23. And since I know that this number will be the topic of many conversations during our “off season”, I have decided to research this otherwise arbitrary number to see just what it has meant throughout history.

The Lord is my Shepherd is stated in Psalm 23.
Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player in history, wore 23.
Lebron James wore 23 in Cleveland and switched to 6 in Miami as it is the product of 2 and 3.
Adam Sandler wears the number 23 in the movie Happy Gilmore.
The hit song What’s My Age Again by Blink 182 claims that “Nobody likes you when you’re 23”.
It was the 23^rd Amendment that gave the District of Columbia the same voting rights that were outlined for states in the 12^th Amendment.
The 23^rd letter of the alphabet is W. Coincidentally, A W is a W!
The letter W is located between the 2 and 3 on your keyboard.
Telegraphers use the number 23 as the code for ‘break the line’.
The first two moon landings were on Apollo 11 and 12. Do the math.
Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 and died on April 23, 1616.
Kurt Cobain was born in 1967 (1+9+6+7=23) and died in1994 (1+9+9+4=23).
The band U2 is significant as well. U is the 21st letter in the alphabet added to the number two will give you 23.
The axis of the Earth’s rotation is tilted at roughly 23 degrees.
It takes 23 seconds for blood to circulate through the human body.
Caesar was stabbed 23 times when he was assassinated.
The Birthday Paradox states that a group of 23 randomly-selected people is the smallest number where there will be a probability higher than 50 per cent that two people will share the same birthday.
Dr. Pepper has 23 flavors in every drink.
Dan Arnett won the Tri The Parks Series with a combined score of 2.962. Lauren Cortjens placed 2^nd in her age group with a total of 2.732. The difference is .23.
The average bike speed for Dan Arnett today at the 70.3 World Championships was 23.68 mph.
Brett Alison came in at 23.61 mph.
Dan Arnett’s total time today? 4:31:23.
Brett Alison’s total time today? 4:31:00.
I will let you do the math

Congratulations to Dan Arnett, Brett Alison, and Scott Gentles for a great race today and a better season. I will meet you at Bat and Ball for the customary cold beer when y’all get back. Until then, let the smack talk begin!

Nashville Ultra Marathon - 50 Mile

2010-10-31T13:08:00.000-04:00

Starting Line of the Nashville Ultra Marathon - Chuck Mathison, Steven Leeb, Jason Overbaugh

Since I started training and competing in endurance sports, I have always been on the look out for the next challenge for myself. And after Ironman, I truly thought there was nothing out there that could peak my interest. But after a number of Google searches and a few talks from other athletes, I stumbled upon the world of Ultra running so I signed up for my first Ultra Marathon. A 50 mile running race in Nashville, TN.

This race was going to be great for a number of reasons. It would be my first run longer than 26.2 miles and I had 2 good buddies running along side of me. Steven Leeb, always a duathlete, had finished his first triathlon this year and had yet to complete a running race longer than 13.1 miles. Jason Overbaugh has yet to say no to any race he is challenged with. To that point, he raced a 50K 7 days prior to heading out with Steve and I on this 50 miler. Most would say a little nuts but once you meet this guy, you will understand just why he does what he does.

This race also scared me. My coach had never prepared an athlete for an Ultra Marathon and I had never ran longer than 26.2 miles. I thought this a reason of concern but he felt that he was up to the task and I knew I was going to finish this race no matter what.
My goals that day were simple. Maintain a 10 minute pace, finish the race, and come in at the 8 hour 20 minute mark. My training had been going very well and I thought all 3 goals were attainable.

Race day was beautiful. OB, Jason Overbaugh, rolled out ahead of Steve and I at the start and we both thought that was the last time we would see him again that day. My plan was to stay with Steve until mile 16 when his wife Yvonne would take him the remaining 15 miles and I would get into the heart of my 50 miler. Steve was a little upset because I didn't talk to him during the run. All of my long runs were done alone therefore I had trained myself to mentally checkout and just get through the miles. That is all I was doing for the first 16. The run went according to plan and I even had a couple of minutes in the bank as we were, at times, faster than the anticipated 10 minute pace. I rolled into the aid station, swapped out my empty bottle for fresh nutrition and looked at the 34 miles I had remaining.

Something got into me and I started feeling better than I thought I would at that point. I took off and strayed off of my 10 minute pace and found myself putting down 8:40's. I got to the aid station at mile 21, drank a little water and started to talk to the volunteers. They were writing down the time of day when the runners would come through the station. I suddenly thought that since I was feeling good, I would check to see just where my buddy OB was out on the course. She said that he had been through that station just 7 minutes ahead of me and I was quickly on my way. I had a carrot out in front of me and I would be lying if I said that I didn't care about beating him after he has been kicking my ass all year long.

I rolled into mile 26, changed out bottles, and picked up my training partner, Brett Alison, for the next 10 miles. He had a 12 mile training run that he needed to get in and I really needed the company at that point. We stayed on the sub 9 minute pace when off in the distance, we could see OB. Around mile 31 I had successfully made the pass and was still feeling good. So good that I was actually thinking that I might be able to break 8 hours on my first Ultra Marathon. The "good" feeling I had was short lived as I hit the proverbial wall around mile 38 but I still felt that I would hit my target time.

As I came upon mile 40, I started thinking that I could still turn in a sub 8 hour Ultra but it would take 9 minute miles for the remaining 10. On paper, it sounded great so I started rolling out. The next 3 miles were sub 9 and I had a little in the time bank so I let off a little. But it turned out to be too little too late. I started thinking of all the 6 mile runs I had done and thought that it would be a breeze getting through the last 6. It was not as easy as I had thought. Yvonne came out to pick me up for the remainder of my race and then Brett found us out on the course as well. At 3 miles, Yvonne threw out her favorite line of "anyone can run a 5K". Although I would agree with her on most accounts, I was hurting, tired, hungry, and quite frankly didn't want to run a 5K. The two of them ran me into the finish line where Steven was waiting and running with me to the finish. I finished the race in 8:11:37 and that was good enough for 11 place out of the 41 that finished.

After the race, I had the mandatory handful of Newcastle Brown Ales and ate what could have been the best Little Ceaser's pizza I have ever tasted. Although I am pretty sure you could have given me liver and onions and I would have said the same thing.

I look back on the race and wonder how I could improve going into the next Ultra. Could I go out a little faster? If I eased up in the middle, would that allow me to finish stronger than I did? My nutrition was spot on so I have no questions there. Should I have trained longer than the 2 months that I dedicated to taking on this challenge? Is my triathlon coach getting the hang of preparing me for the Ultras? I sure hope so as I have a 50K coming up in January and the the Umstead 100 mile run in April.

Thank you to Brett Alison, Steven Leeb, Yvonne Bedell, and Jason Overbaugh for the friendship, training, motivation, and for sharing with me the most unbelievable experience. I especially would like to thank Danielle Grabol as she was out on the course crewing for us. I am certain that I would not have been able to make it through without her help. I know that Jason was her first order of business but she would wait for me to pass through and make sure I had ample nutrition until the next aid station and always had a smile on her face throughout the race. In those dark moments out there, a smile goes a long way. So thank you Dani, even though you bagged me at mile 36. My guess is that you pissed the remaining excellence at the 31 mile mark.

One more thing...... Ultra... Bitches!

Alcatraz Triathlon - San Francisco, CA 5/2/2010

2010-05-03T23:18:00.014-04:00

This is how I chose to start my escape!

Most triathletes believe that Ironman is the end all be all of the triathlon world. I am not sure that particular race exists for me, the end all be all, but I do know that Alcatraz could be one of those races for me. I have seen this race on television for years and thought it was the toughest race out there. I understand that the distances are not Iron distance, but the terrain that you cover in San Francisco is more like Norseman terrain rather than Ironman.

My nerves were rather calm going into Alcatraz. We, Steve, Yvonne and I, got to San Francisco on Thursday afternoon and had a little while to see the sites and ride a little of the course before race day. We sat through the pre-race meetings that covered the elevations of the bike, the sand ladder of the run as well as the currents on the swim. Still, not nervous.

5AM - Sunday morning - Race Day!
I had a good night sleep and awoke to the nerves settling in. I have swam a good bit in my life but for some reason, that is the part that spooked me the most about this race. People always say that in a triathlon, if you get tired on the bike, you can coast. If you tire on the run, you can walk. But if you get tired on the swim, you drown. Couple that with being in the middle of one of the busiest shipping channels in North America, water temperatures tipping out at 55 degrees, strong currents, the theories of sharks, the realities of curious seals, and I was freaking out rather quietly. The great thing about traveling with Steve and Yvonne is that they are just as goofy as I am and usually find a way to make me laugh and ease the tension.

Setting up for transition was rather uneventful other than the fact that I couldn't figure out just what equipment to put in what bag and really couldn't figure out where to put it once it was all together. Thanks to Yvonne for all the help with that. My mind doesn't think like that.

We got on the bus to head out to the docks for the boat ride to Alcatraz. People were talking, laughing, and admiring their latest conquest in the realm of triathlon as we sat down. Looking out the window we could see Macca smiling while talking and getting pictures with the age group athletes. The TV cameras had microphones in his face and he just took it on the chin with a smile as he answered the same questions that were posed to him the day before. We were fortunate enough to run into him the previous morning at Denny's of all places. It was great to see that the grand slam breakfast is on the menu of even the most elite triathletes. Not that I had any intentions of cutting Denny's out of my diet. He was very approachable and likable at breakfast. Much as he was on race morning. The bus pulled out and off to the dock to board the ferry to The Rock. Andy Potts was walking around like Macca. Just talking to folks and posing for pictures. We boarded the boat and had a seat directly next to the exit door and within a stones throw of the pro section. The boat circled Alcatraz as the pros made their way to the side they would soon be exiting. They climbed the guard rail, hung on with one arm, and waited for the horn to blow. Then they were off. In a matter of minutes, we would join the melee on our way to the swim exit stationed 1.5 miles from a perfectly good boat hovering between the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges. The para-triathletes were next as we caught a glimpse of Rudy Garcia Tolson run on his hands and leap into the bay. Please click on the link to see a great story of strength and determination. After Rudy, the masses started in 6 or so at a time. Yvonne was first in and I got blind sided by a Clydesdale tipping off the camera man that he was going to do a cannon ball. Nice but it had nothing on the front flip I did to enter my most challenging swim to date.

The sea was angry that day my friend. Like an old man trying to send soup back in a deli. It really didn't go that way. The meetings told us to site on the Fontana Towers then the radio tower as the current will push you toward your desired destination. I found that the more I aimed at Fontana, the closer I actually go to the Fontana Towers thus realizing that I need to go ahead and site on the radio tower then the landing area. I stopped a couple of times to clear my goggles and once to just turn over on my back to see Alcatraz, San Francisco, the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate. It is quite a sight from the middle of the bay! Once I was done sight seeing, I took off in search of the swim out area where I knew we would all arrive to much fanfare. I came out of the water and started to the mini transition area to peel off my wettie and grab my shoes for the .75 mile run to T1 where I would mount the bike. I felt bad for Trey Prophater, a teammate of mine at All3Sports, as he had to make the nearly mile run in bare feet over a not so forgiving road full of gravel. Turns out he kicked this race square in the teeth and didn't suffer from the run.

I grabbed my bike and was off into the hills that make up San Francisco along with the nearly 1700 feet of climbing required to finish. The scenery on the bike was nothing less than beautiful. It was full of blistering up hill climbs and some downright screamers for the descents. I was rather disappointed that my max speed was just below 41mph on the down hills and even more so of the 17.5mph I turned in for the entire 18 miles I was on the bicycle. Heading into T2, my quads and hamstrings were cussing my name as I let them each know individually that we still had 8 miles left to run. None of us were too happy about that.

I rolled out on the run with my video camera in hand and just in time to see a 30something male dressed in a pink tutu putting down 7 minute miles. The crowd went nuts! The run was going just fine until the first set of stairs that cooked my legs. Then came the undulations as well as the carnival tunnel that starts at 7 feet tall and finishes around 4 feet tall. We ran primarily on trails through Golden Gate Park then to Baker Beach (click for video). The running on the sand while the waves crashed on the beach was not only a great site, but it hurt like hell as the sand gives when your foot strikes. I tried to run along the beachfront at the top of the incoming breakers so I could get a little kick back from the sandy surface. Then I reached the infamous Sand Ladder (click for video). I had told my coach and buddies that I would take those bitches 2 at a time until I gave out. I quickly found out why the pros walk the ladder and not high tail it up. I got 30 seconds into the two at a times and fell out! At that point, Yvonne reeled me in and told me that we only had 3 miles to go! She was very quick to remind me that anyone can do a 5K. And then we were off. Seeing the pros on the run that day was amazing as you can actually see how hard they work to maintain that 5:35 mile towards the finishing chute. Yvonne and I ran the remainder of the race together and finished as A3S teammates. That is what made the trip worth while. Her hip had been bothering her and we just wanted to get out there to have a good time. Looking back on it tonight, I did have a good time out there. But without the Leeb's it would have been just another race with georgous scenery. Thanks Steve and Yvonne. For all you both do to make racing fun again for me.

The brownies after the race were pretty solid as were the medals. I would love to say that this is one of those races that I do year after year but really think that once is enough. Kind of like jumping out of an airplane. Time to cross it off the list and look to the future to see what's next. Mountain Mist Ultra Marathon in January with Steve Leeb could be just the challenge I am looking for.

John Tanner Sprint Triathlon - Carrolton, GA 4/24/2010

2010-05-03T23:17:00.003-04:00

ING Half Marathon - Atlanta, GA 3/21/2010

2010-03-23T16:04:00.001-04:00

This is one race that I have been looking forward to since I began the winter of my discontent by focusing on my run. I have been pretty impressed with how my run has progressed in the last few months and wanted to see what I could do on a challenging course. I also wanted to prove to myself that if I hit a pace, I could hold on. Which is going to be vital going into a season that is now going to be riddled with Half Ironman distance races with the ultimate stretch goal of qualifying for 70.3 World Championships in November down in Clearwater, FL. It was also going to be fun since we had a good portion of our team running as well as a newcomer to the running world in Rovi Oliver. Oliver used to tip the scales at 330 and is now around 190lbs. Very impressive since he has to be around 6'5" tall. An believable person with a better story.

Brett, Oliver, and I got down tot he start line and went to find our corral to begin the race. The endurance sport community is rather small and tight knit so Oliver thought Brett and I were running for Mayor with all of the people we knew down there. Brett went up front with the other billy goats and I started in the middle of corral B. The gun went off and 9 seconds later, I was crossing the starting line and off to the races. I always love the beginning of races. Most are so brimming with adrenaline that they take off down the road at a pace they never thought they could hold. And most of the time, they are right. For as fast as they run past me, they start coming back even faster before the 3 mile mark. I can always count on a good laugh from that.

The first 2 miles were down hill so I knew that I could get a little time there. Keep the heart rate in check while maintaining a swifter pace was the game plan and one I was able to stick to. Once I started the rolling hills around mile 3, my watch was buzzing every 10 seconds. A few days earlier I was out on a Zone 3 tempo run and set my watch to tell me when I was out of that zone. I forgot to turn it off and my watch was going apeshit! It is tough to try and forget about running when your are being reminded every 10 seconds that you are, indeed, running. I tried to reset the alert but didn't have my glasses on and can't see the menus. I finally got it worked out but ended up turning off my heart rate monitor all together. The weather called for rain in the morning and it started to drizzle which turned out to be a great way to cool down.

The race was going to plan as I averaged a 7:12 through the first 9 miles. Then it SUCKED! I was feeling pretty good at the 9 mile mark. My hamstrings were talking to me a little on the uphills but nothing major. A teammate of mine, Andrew Dollar, came up on me and said "let's go!" He surged a little and I went with him. Trucking along until the first of what was a number of hills. I made it up the first with little room between us but there were more. The distance between us grew as he battled the hills. I just tried to increase cadence with smaller steps and power my way up but at this point, my hamstrings were screaming at me. The hills seemed to last forever. I went from a 7:12 average through 9 to a 7:40 average per mile over the remaining 4.2 miles.

Coach Dan wanted me to give it what I had once I hit the Georgia Tech campus. I saw the Tech campus and all I had was enough to reach my goal. I crossed the finish line at 1:37:08 and saw Dollar who put 2:05 between us in just over 4 miles. Joe Whitwell, the animal, was there with us when Yvonne came across the finish line like she always does. Smiling! It is always great to race with her and her husband (read my Ironman entry to see how Steve and Yvonne are). The energy just oozes from them both. Albeit in different ways. She smiles as he cusses. Steve came across the finish line with a personal record and cussed the whole time. We waited for a minute and here comes Oliver. In his first Half Marathon, he turned in a 1:43:47! I think we can get him in a full sometime soon.

The race went great! The only rub I found was that I did not take on as much nutrition as I should have. It was a little chilly out and under those circumstances, I have to remind myself to drink. It's easy when it is hot out. Get thirsty, drink! I utilized the aid stations for water and had a fuel belt filled with Infinit for carbs, calories and the likes. I couldn't have run any better and truly feel I left everything I had out on the course. Coach Dan was proud that I contemplated quitting the sport all together. He thinks when those thoughts come to you during an event then you truly are racing. Normally I just go out for a long run. Sunday I had my first long distance road race.

(Insert Doogie Howser sign off music here)

Gainesville Sprint Tri - Waldo, FL 2/7/2010

2010-03-02T22:41:00.011-05:00

Thanks Mom for everything you did for us this weekend!

This is one of those early season races that you can find out just what I have and haven't been doing in the off season. I can think of at least 10 other things I would rather do that Sunday than drive to Florida and race in 36 degree weather on Super Bowl Sunday. But I was able to see Mom and Taylor so that made it worth while for me.

We, Michael Gallow, and I drove to Palatka, FL on Saturday to stay with my folks the night before the race. It is always nice to get a home stay as they are free, you get a home cooked meal, and you get to sleep in a house rather than in a hotel bed. All a bonus if you ask me.

We got to the race site a little early since we didn't check in early and needed to get set up for the race. All went rather smooth. People sizing you up and staring down your bike. Makes no sense to me but I have seen it is as much as part of this sport as is the swim, ride, or run.

The water temperature was about 55 degrees with the air temp hovering at 38 and rising by the hour, or so it seemed. We got in the water and the gun went off. The swim was just 750m and I started off on the left side headed directly for the first buoy. As far as I could tell, I was in the lead until the halfway point of the swim when some fella thought that he needed my line more than I. So I let him get by me and grabbed on to his feet to draft a little coming in. It is also nice that I didn't have to continually spot the buoy as I was following him now. We turned what I thought to be the last buoy and headed into shore. Upon arrival, the race director told us that we missed a buoy so we had to swim out to the last one, touch it, and swim back in. I knew that there wasn't a way for me to get back into the hunt with the additional swim leg us two idiots tacked on. Got back in and headed into transition.

It is now about 40 degrees and I am soaking wet out of the water running into transition. I yanked off my wetsuit grabbed my gear, my bike, and headed out for what was now to be a 12 mile sprint as I am currently in last place. I turned myself inside out trying to catch anyone. And one by one, they started to come back. A half mile before the turnaround, I saw the leaders and found out I was in third place. The bike was going well until the halfway point when I turned around and was directly in a headwind. That tailwind is why I felt so good on the way out. I kept after it trying to catch a glimpse of the leaders and only saw them once, and it was out in the distance. I came into T2 ready to see what the run had in store for me.

The run was rather uneventful and actually went pretty well. I had a goal of coming in under 22 minutes and accomplished just that. I finished my run in 21:30 and averaged just under 7 minutes a mile. Quite a feat for me! I thought that if I let up on the bike a little more, I might be able to get faster on the run. Either way, my running has been coming along and I couldn't be happier about it.

The race was over and we had to shag back to Atlanta for the Super Bowl festivities. I was excited and disappointed all at the same time. I was super excited that my Mom came out to watch me race! Once she saw Ironman, the race and not the movie, she has been hooked on triathlon ever since. Disappointed because I took the overall win last year but this year I was 3rd Overall but 1st Age Group. That is great as I qualified for Age Group National in September but I wanted to win with Mom watching. I am certain that she doesn't even know that I took 3rd. She made some new tri friends that day.

Gainesville is a fun race with a great support crew. There aren't any timing chips, wetsuit strippers, or chicken broth at the aid stations. But there is a man and a woman, who just happen to be the Mother and Father of the staff that is out helping the athletes in 30 degree weather. It truly is a family affair and a great kick start to anyone's triathlon season.

I listed my times at the top from 2009 and 2010. A year in and I can finally compare myself to myself at these races. Aside from the extra swim, the rest was better than 2009. I beat my 2009 total time even with being an idiot. Not too shabby!

THANKS MATT. I BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT YOU WROTE ABOUT!

2010-03-02T00:42:00.010-05:00

The Ironman Experience

Through The Eyes of Matt "Junior" Mathison

Growing up, I had a very close relationship with my brother and sister. The oldest of three, I was the one they both looked up to and confided in when they needed me most. Over the last couple of years, things changed. Not for the worst, but we just seemed to have a distance that was growing more and more apparent. That distance was a result of my selfishness. Simply put, I was a selfish person.

Life has a very interesting way of turning the tables. As my selfishness seemed to run its course through the distance that I was placing between and me my siblings, it’s safe to say that our relationship had pretty much hit rock bottom for the last three to five years. My selfishness had finally caught up with me with the realization of just how important my family was to me. It was a staunch reality.

Needless to say, the damage had been done. It was so bad that I had not taken the time out of my selfish schedule to meet my only niece. The relationship that we all once shared was on life support and was in drastic need of a defibrillator. I was looking for the paddles and knew where to find them; the question was how was I going to use them. I was the one that had to use them and prove once and for all that I wanted my life to change and change for the good. It was up to me to use the paddles and more than anything I needed to find a catalyst.

It was Saturday, November 7, 2009. I got up at 4:45 in the morning to catch a 7:00 AM flight to Panama City, Florida. It was there where I was set to meet my entire family. Not just my brother and sister, but my mother and stepfather, as well as my niece and nephew. The reason we were all brought together was to support my brother as he participated in arguably the most stringent endurance test ever put in front of the human race. It was the Ironman Triathlon.

I wasn’t able to get in early and spend time with the rest of the family. As a result of my schedule taking me to the last minute to finally arrive, the doubt was beginning to set in as to whether or not I was really going to be there. There was no way I was going to miss this. Not for anything. It was far too important to me to be there with my family and support my brother.

An Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4 miles swim, a 112-mile bike ride, concluding with a 26-mile run. A grueling event and one the he had been training for the last year and a half. I sent him a text around 5:00 AM telling him that I was thinking about him and wanted to wish him the best of luck. I sent it knowing that he had already been up for about an hour as he was preparing for his race. I also sent a text to my sister and let her know that I was on my way and couldn’t wait to see her and her family. Due to my flight itinerary, I knew that I was not going to see any part of the first leg of the race, which was the swim. She told me I could track him on the Internet and provided me with his bib number.

I had a connecting flight that morning and knew that when I landed in Memphis that he would be well into the swim portion of the event. My heart was beating as I checked the Internet. And there it was, out of nearly 3,000 participants he was 196^th out of the water as he headed to the bike. He was at the beginning of a 112-mile bike ride and I was on the final leg of a flight.

Landing in Panama City, I got in my cab. Constantly checking on my brother’s progress, I suddenly was overcome with emotion. Thinking about how our once very close relationship had faded due to my selfishness. I was also thinking about the amount of hard work my brother had put into preparing for this event. Words can’t begin to describe what these athletes put themselves through. It was his commitment that got to me the most. I just wish I had made the commitment years ago to always be the brother I once was.

I finally arrived at the hotel to meet the rest of my family a little after 12:00 PM. There, I was greeted by my family and provided my “Team Chuck” t-shirt. There were hundreds and hundreds of people, all of them there to support someone in the Ironman Triathlon event. It was time. Time to head out to the street and see my brother conclude the bike ride and make his way into transition before he began the 26-mile run. I was there at the bike finish line. Standing there with my iPhone just waiting to catch my first glimpse of him as he crossed the line. The second I saw him, tears were pouring down my face. There was my little brother and he was 26 miles from being an Ironman and I was 26 miles from a relationship rekindled.

He didn’t see me standing there at the line. Quite honestly, it would have been a bit difficult for him to see me with all that was going on and I would venture to say that he didn’t think that I was going to be there. I walked about a hundred yards over to an area where I could easily be seen as he began his run. Five minutes later, there he was, running out of the transition area and headed right towards me. If it weren’t for my sunglasses, he would have seen the tears coming down on my face. I couldn’t help but think how proud of him I was and all of this was coming to me as he was rapidly approaching where I was standing. He spotted me and gave me a high five. As he passed by me, he turned back at me and said, “thank you, thank you bro!”

I wouldn’t get to see him for the next five hours but I couldn’t wait. Tracking him online as he tackled the marathon course just made me more and more proud of him. The day went faster for us than it did for him. Before we knew it, it was time to head to the finish line. I made my way to the finish line fighting my way through the thick crowd of people that lined both sides, but I made it and was ready to finally see him. After 11 hours, 47 minutes, and 50 seconds, there he was. Crossing the finish line with both arms in the air. I gave him a hug and told him that I couldn’t be more proud. The last year and a half of training and sacrifice paid off. My paddles had been charged and were ready to be administered.

I can’t explain exactly why this event had such a profound effect on me emotionally. I’ve talked to a number of people who pretty much shared the same outlook as I did. That outlook screamed that the Ironman is more than an event. It’s an experience. An experience that touches people in various ways. To say it was emotional would be the understatement of my life. It was overwhelming to say the least. It was if the past that once haunted our relationship had suddenly faded away. It wasn’t just me. It was my entire family. It was as if we had all just been born again and hadn’t missed a beat. It seemed like my brother had somehow brought us all together for this one reason. I’m not sure it was really for him because my brother is not selfish; I think he did it for all of us. His hard work and countless hours of training were his sacrifice to bring our family back together. I was the selfish one and to be forgiven by everyone in my family for my selfishness was like the weight of the world being lifted off my shoulders.

My brother inspired me and taught me a very valuable life lesson. He taught me that it was okay to be humbled and to wear your heart on your sleeve. He taught me that I can do anything I put my heart into and as a result he has inspired me to begin training for an Ironman of my own. I may not be ready this year, but I will definitely be ready next year and hope to cross the finish line with him, together as brothers. In the meantime, I look forward to my training and continuing to build on my relationship with my family. My selfishness is gone and I have been humbled. It’s because of the Ironman Experience that our family is close again. The fact is this, my brother is an Ironman and no one will ever be able to take that away from him. For me, he is my brother, and no one will ever take that away from me.

SIDE NOTE FROM CHUCK:

I am truly lucky to have a family that cares for me the way they do. All of us have strayed from time to time but the family is the unit that wants to understand and strives to be cohesive again. Families aren't there for you to lean on, they are there to make leaning unnecessary. I was truly touched by your words and thank you for them. I told Cayce that for Christmas, all I wanted was for the family to be together and put all the bullshit behind us. My gift came early because on November 7, the family was there at Ironman. Next time I get an idea to get us together, I would rather do it over a couple of beers and not over 140.6 miles on my own two feet. I will even pick up the bar tab! I love you guys.

Resolution Run - Kennesaw, GA 1/1/10

2010-01-05T00:40:00.002-05:00

The race season started out again this year with the AT Resolution 10K Run in Kennesaw, GA on New Year's Day. And, as it always happens, it is a time trial for all of the Endurance Concepts athletes under the tutelage of Coach Dan Arnett.

I'm not going to lie, I was WRECKED on New Year's Eve and the very thought of a noon run sounded like it was going to hurt. A lot! As soon as my alarm went off at 10:30, I knew that run would suck. But we got there and most of the team was there feeling the aftereffects of the night before as well as succumbing to the realization that we have all had maybe 7 runs under our belts since Ironman in November.

My goals this race?
1. Finish! I had not run 6.2 miles in any fashion since November.
2. PR over last year's 49:50.

I did finish the race without walking and came in a little over 46 minutes. Steve Leeb's training is paying huge dividends as he beat me in this race. He ran like Liberace on his was to an N Sync concert. I tried to reel him in and then found myself throwing up as I entered the chute. Great job to Steve and keep it up.

One key takeaway from the run is this. Last year I would red line at 170 BPM. That is the point where I knew that I was going to vomit. This year, my HR was at a steady 174 and only when I reached the 180s did start to throw up. My take away is that my heart is working harder but has been conditioned over the last year to perform at a higher rate. A rate that I am now able to build on.

I was pleased with the results and excited about the upcoming year. I think that my run will progress rather well now knowing that I am able to sustain a higher BPM while still having my legs underneath me.

Congratulations to all of the participants in the 5K and 10K races and especially to all of the Endurance Concepts athletes. I believe everyone of us had a PR over last year! Great Job!

Training is not yet in high gear but it has started and I couldn't be more excited about the 2010 race season. Now I just need to win the Alcatraz Lottery in late January to race in May to make my season complete.

As they say at All 3 Sports, Dream Big and Dream Fast!

Family: Couldn't do anything without them!

2009-11-14T16:53:00.003-05:00

My Niece Graycen and I Pre Ironman

My Nephew Patrick and I at Pre Ironman Dinner

Post Race The Two Ironman Finishers - You can't tell us shit right now!
How are you today Ironman? I am doing well Ironman. Thanks for asking.

Finish what you start

2009-11-14T16:46:00.001-05:00

My Ephinay

2009-11-14T16:28:00.006-05:00

I had once heard that an epiphany is the realization that storks do not bring babies.

One week ago I was running with Steve and Yvonne around mile 24 of IMFL and swearing on everything Holy that I would NEVER, under any circumstances, do another Ironman. I am also pretty sure I tried to sell my bike to some guy for $20. I slept off that ridiculous notion and have come to terms with the fact that I am a junkie and will have to do another Ironman next year. Much like Lance Armstrong thought that he left a little something on Mt. Ventoux, I feel that Panama City needs me to whip its ass next year.

I have swam a few times this week. No more than 2000 yards each time and still trying to keep my T-Pace. That felt pretty good and I even started lifting weights again. Something I haven't done but a handful of times this year. Today I went out on my first post Ironman run and it kind of hurt a little. It was a short 2.84 mile run in 23:03 which is an 8:07 mile. Time was not so bad but the pain was something else. I feel like a kid that is out on summer vacation but really wants to get ahead for next year. So my "summer reading" is going to be running workouts. I have set some lofty goals for myself next year and truly feel that they all hinge on my run time.

Dawgs are fixin to play Auburn so I am going to drink beer. The most important part of recovery is cold beer. Don't let ANY coach tell you otherwise.

Ironman Florida

2009-11-11T12:59:00.003-05:00

I have to start off by saying that this was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The one thing that I have learned from multiple races is that by finishing the first, the next will improve from the knowledge you have gained. That being said, I am certain that I can have a better showing next year although I am looking at IM Lake Placid rather than IMFL.

In transition before the swim start, my front tire was flat. I pumped it up, came back 10 minutes later and it was flat again. I took my bike to the mechanics and he changed out my front tubular and reracked my bike while I went to the swim start. Not a good way to start off the day.

Swim (1:03:33)

This was the one area that scared the daylights out of me. My swim has been consistent and actually got a little better over the year but the mass start was a little unnerving. The Pro cannon went off and I nearly had a heart attack on the beach. Then the 10 minuted wait added to the nervousness. We were talking to the folks up front and I found that they were looking to turn in around an hour. Hearing that was nice as I was scared I didn't belong up front. I started front left when the gun sounded and just grabbed on to some feet and swam. It was a 2 loop course and it was more physical than I thought it would be. I traded blows with a number of people that were trying to get in my line but the herd started to thin out around a mile in. Then it was clean water. I made the turn and walked a little ways out as the sand bar allowed it and most were trying to conserve some energy. I had a swimming buddy for the second lap that helped me stay on course and offered a little competition to the timing mats out of the water. I was very pleased with the swim although I think that I could take a few minutes off for the next race.

Bike (5:33:09)

Drafting seems to be a part of this race as there were pelotons everywhere. I stayed on the right shoulder of the road, except to pass, and it seems to have suited me well and kept me out of trouble with the officials. There would be packs of 20 and the officials would start at the back of the pack showing that rider a red card, run to the front showing them, and then hit the ones in between. I was benefiting from the slipstream but not directly in it so I turned out alright. The hammerheads got out early as I started taking a mental inventory of odd names to see if they would eventually come back. I got through the halfway point and started seeing those names come back to me. At mile 85, my rear tire went flat. I know NOTHING about changing tubulars but could probably figure it out if I had to. I had one fix-a-flat with me and one in my special needs bag just in case but was long past that bag. I stopped and filled the tire with fix-a-flat. And that seemed to work for 10 miles or so until the next flat. I had a spare with me but it would have taken entirely too long for me to change it out so I used one of two CO2 cartridges that I had. This was also a temporary solution as it went flat again around mile 105. Using the last of the CO2, I has on my horse trying to get close to the transition area. I thought that I could either get close enough to a volunteer that could help, find a SAG wagon, or be within a mile or 2 to run in the bike. I did make it into transition albeit on another flat.

Run (5:00:00)

I started out on the run with a couple of friends of mine that were there watching it and telling them about the 4 flats. Looking at my watch I was at 7:15 miles and that was not going to be a pace that I would entertain for the marathon. They peeled off and I settled into my 9 minute miles. I thought that if I could hit a 4 hour marathon, I would be able to finish my first Ironman in the 10 hour zone and I would be elated. The socks I had on were compression socks but just around the arches of my feet. Although they have done well in training, my feet were already swollen and every step from mile 8 - 13 was very painful. I had put an extra set of socks in my special needs bag so I changed and refilled my nutrition at that time. But by then, I had already gotten a taste of what it felt like to walk and couldn't shake it. I started to pick up the pace around mile 22 only because I was so tired of being out there and my head was in some strange places. I would have given someone $20 to get my bike out of transition so I would never have to do another triathlon again. Steve and Yvonne jumped in with me again at mile 24 and they ran the rest of the race with me which was great. My heart rate was not over 130 for the back half of the run until the chute when it spiked to 155 due to seeing and experiencing the finish.

Contrary to my thoughts of never doing another Ironman, I think IMLP is the goal for 2010. My goal was to finish this long day without a time in mind. Although I had a time in mind, and missed it, I reminded myself on the run that the aim is to finish and I am very pleased with that. My nutrition was spot on although I was a little reluctant to believe that I could finish that race on liquid alone (Infinit). There are many things I will take out of this race and apply them to my next IM. Now I guess I will just sit back and get fat for a couple of weeks, then start up on the winter of my discontent that will have a major emphasis on the run.