As the triathlon season in Michigan approached the following spring, I was fully committed to my training. Being a data and information enthusiast, I dedicated my free time—when I wasn’t working, sleeping, or training—to reading and watching everything I could find about triathlon training, nutrition, and injury prevention.
The season’s first race was held on Green Lake at Interlochen State Park. The evening before the race, I practiced getting on and off the bike while running, and another athlete approached me and asked if this was my first actual race. I told him it was. He laughed and said, “I can tell. I’m Paulie; let me give you a few pointers.” He did, and a friendship was born. That summer, we participated in sprint triathlons and camped throughout northern Michigan, often at the same races as Paulie. He was a veteran of many Olympic triathlons, several 70.3 IronMan, and full Ironman. His knowledge of the sport and the friendly competition between us helped push me to new levels.
I began to win or place in my age group regularly. While there aren’t many people my age still racing, those who do are seasoned athletes who still “get after it.” It felt good to be competitive, and my collection of medals was becoming impressive. By the end of the 2012 season, I decided to elevate my training and compete in Olympic distance races the following year, intending to finish the season racing an Ironman 70.3. My desire to complete an Ironman was reignited.
I started following Ben Greenfield, a young coach and blogger/podcaster, during the winter. I appreciated his training and nutrition approach, so I purchased a tailored training plan from him to support my quest for the Ironman 70.3. The training yielded results; I could feel myself getting stronger and faster, and my endurance improving. I knew the upcoming race season would be promising.
My wife, Kim, and I spent the summer of 2013 camping and racing in northern Michigan, relishing the beautiful venues. Often again, hanging out and racing with Paulie. Kim was incredible—she would wake up at 4:30 on race days, light up the Coleman lantern, and prepare a healthy, nutritionally dense meal to fuel me for the races. I was racing, winning, and training injury-free, feeling stronger and faster as my primary race, Ironman Steelhead 70.3, approached in August. We embraced this lifestyle and even began considering buying an older Airstream trailer to renovate for more comfortable travel to races.