Every Now & Zen

Occasional Journeys Through Mindfulness: Adventure, Craft, and Connection

Tag: IronMan

  • IronMan at 62 – Part 1

    Ever since Dave Scott and Mark Allen faced off in the legendary Ironman World Championship in Kona in October 1989, I have been fascinated with the sport of triathlon. Until that race, Scott had dominated the Lava fields of Kona, winning the championship six times. Meanwhile, Allen had won every major triathlon race in the world—except for Kona. Both men were incredible athletes, and I admired their remarkable mental and physical stamina. How could anyone race 146 miles, let alone complete it in less than eight and a half hours? After swimming and cycling alongside each other for most of the race, Allen made his move 23.5 miles into the marathon, breaking away during the final uphill section. Scott finished with a time that would have won every previous Ironman World Championship: 8:10:13, but Allen was just a minute faster at 8:09:15. I was in awe and vowed to someday race an Ironman myself.

    As the years passed, I enjoyed running for fitness and participated in the occasional 5K or 10K race to keep my competitive spirit alive. However, my dream of becoming a triathlete and racing in an Ironman remained unfulfilled.

    In 2011, at the age of 54 and dealing with my share of running injuries, I realized I needed to incorporate swimming and biking to balance my love for physical activity. My little town of Coldwater, Michigan, hosts a “mini-triathlon” consisting of a 300-yard swim, a 10K bike ride, and a 5K run. I signed up, began training, and competed in my first triathlon that fall. From that moment, I was hooked.

  • Ironman at 62 Part 2

    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.