Race day expectations - Ironman Wisconsin

Here is my thought on what might happen at the upcoming Ironman Wisconsin race.

Wake up early Sunday morning with very little sleep with great anticipation and nerves of this day. I'm very organized - everything I need is either in transition areas already or I have it laid out. I've planned and rehearsed for the worst, yet prayed for the best! I'm a bit nervous, but more excited to see the results of 9 months of training! I get some early morning goose bumps due to the cool weather or possilby the nerves, and full body chills when I see my fellow Ironman friends and especially my friends and family that came to support/cheer me on!

I'll be saying lots of prayers for the strength and courage to keep the motor going all day long. I know seeing everyone on the course will be a huge lift!

Now it's time - I slide into my wetsuit... confident and strong, ready to swim 2.4 miles! Strategically rehearsing T1 - then off to the water. Deep breaths - relax, remember all the hours, the sweat, the early mornings at the pool, puking in the pool, I've put in the time - - I deserve this moment - ok... expect the best! Deep breath - confident - ok lets go - lets get all 2000+ people in the water and start this madness - lets get it on! Bring on the pain... let's rock and roll... hope you aren't in front of me - I'll swim right over you... (ok maybe not) Remember - long/smooth/relaxed/controlled breathing/glide!!

Wow - I can't believe I'm already 1/2 way through this swim, make the turn sight the next buoy and go. Holy $@#@ I have to swim this again? Positive thoughts - you can do it! Control what you can and the rest will come... Remember there are lots of people that wish they could be here but aren't - they are incapable or scared so be strong - almost there! Sweet dry land - get me out of this water! Up and out of the water now, so excited to be done with that portion - great to see friends and family cheering me on! Drink some water, change, lets go bike!

Deep breaths at first I know the first 10 miles are going to be tough. Spin it out, get my legs back underneath me and lets go. Use the hills, the tail wind, grit out the head wind - it's ok - feeling better now. Keep the pace - don't get to relaxed focus on the road, focus on eating taking in calories - its a long day. One by one I pass the weaker athletes, an occasional stronger rider passes me and I continue to focus on my race! A verse by AC/DC says..."entering some pain down the long highway to hell" dang music would be great right now, oh well... Time to flip the switch - get mental and get into my zone!

Maximizing fueling stations. So happy to see family and friends. Thanks! With out you how would I keep this madness train going? Think about motivations... parents, Team Hoyt, the kids with BBBS, Living my dream of becoming an Ironman... how about a time check - yep on pace for <12 hrs - I can do it!

Hills - dang I love these hills - is that all you got Wisconsin? Bring on another. 1st 50 miles - gone - deep breath - dig deep - reward myself every 10 miles! A GU a Banana - what's the next 10 miles worth? Ok - 110 miles done, 2 to go... it's time to get off this freakin' bike, my ass is killing me! Can't wait for the excitement back at T2. Hope to see all my family and friends there. Also hope they are spread out all over the run course - I'm going to need them!

I'm smiling - wow I love this! Spin out the legs, get up the parking ramp, smile at everyone, get changed - lets go run a little! Oh shit - my legs are heavy! It's ok thought I've been there before - run through it. One step at a time and they will come. Here we go up the 1st hill. Some high 5's to keep me motivated and a "see ya later" to the finish line! I'll be back to see you in about 4 hrs I hope. By mile 3 I've worked out the kinks but my legs are still pretty stiff and sore. Thank god I put in all those long weekends to prepare me for this - just like then it hurt but I kept going and I will do so today as well!

On the edge now... Some Motley Crue would be great... A little "Wild Side" that would fire me up... Ok keep running only 20 miles to go. Atleast its not as hot as the Chicago Marathon - that was a furnace! Envisioning the finish line - OMG will that be awesome - some goose bumps now - a little more fired up and still running strong! Speed up a bit - remember pain is only temporary - pride of this day will be a lifetime! Lets go!

So many thoughts - Can I finish this? My legs are killing me! Eat/drink - keep it together... Suffering but my mind says bring it on - give me more it's all good! Mental stage is kicking in - I feel great or so I keep repeating to myself. Where is the next water station? Another mile done - great another kids gets a bike! The next mile - boy is that kid going to deserve that bike - I can do it!

Friends/Family/people everywhere cheering. I couldn't do this without them. What a love/hate relationship I have about cow bells. Ok 3 miles to go. Starting to get goose bumps I konw the course and I know exactly whats coming next. tunnel vision all the way to the end! < 30 mins and its all over! 9 months of training all for this moment! Hell someone could of had a baby in that time - Thank god I'm not doing that - this Ironman has to be much easier!

Every step is challenging, yet I know closer to the promise land. I can't wait to make that final right turn and see the finish line. Anyone close I need to hold off or pass - right now! There it is - I'm flying towards the finish line. Soak it all in - OMG this is just simply amazing. The crowd, the people, the excitement - I'm so proud and so lucky to have people here to share this with me! Arms up - I DID IT! I freakin' knew I could beat this thing - I came I sweat - I hurt - I conquered! Yeah baby! Bring on the champaign - what a feeling, so much work, so much dedication, so much love and support! Maybe I should do this again next year! Ok - let this soak in first.

I gotta sit down, wow I'm beat! Time for a shower!

Thank you to everyone! First to Sara - the best supporter ever. "keep going" notes, joining me on the runs/bikes... Thank you babe - you really did keep me going some days! You were so motivating! 2nd - my parents, Amy/Ron - thanks for showing your pride and being so proud of me! 3rd - 140miles for smiles - what a great cause - boy I can't wait to give those bikes away! And last but not least - all my friends who have joined me in my training workouts! Jeff, Jay, Geoff, Andy, Jenny - thanks for pushing me in the pool and on the bike. Jen - thanks for getting me running more than 5 miles and also for Chris my trainer in B'town - thanks for keeping me legit!

Now - if it all goes just like that - You will see the biggest smile on my face ever - Just 10 short days away! Bring it on!

Final 3 weeks

This week of tough workouts and then 2 weeks of tapering and it's here! FINALLY! This all started on Christmas Day 2007 and has been 8 great months of training. In the next couple of weeks I'm going to share my thoughts of how the Ironman race will go as well as have a summary of the # of hours and # of miles completed over the entire 9 months. Please check back soon for those posts.

Recently - I took Sara skydiving for her birthday! It was a great weekend. Some skydiving, a 100+ mile bike ride, and an 18 mile run. Can't get much more than that into a weekend. (well ok we did go to a wedding as well) I was a bit tired Sunday night that's for sure!

Here's a pic of Sara and I in the plane and again safely on the ground.




PS... The shoulder is getting better. Still sore, but managable. Mostly just sore in the morning and after a swim, but it will not prevent me from competing on September 7th. That's good news!

33 DAYS REMAINING!

So this is actually Scott Aitchison's broken collar bone. Poor guy! I show this as it could be worse for me. I don't have a broken anything, just a 2nd degree AC shoulder separation. I haven't swam now for about 2 1/2 weeks and I'm getting a bit nervous. I did attempt to swim the breath stroke and side stroke last week, but it looked more like a fish with only fins on one side.... UGLY!!! For some reason I kept going in circles. DOH...

Other than that the workouts have been going pretty well. Last weekend was a bit ridiculous. Saturday consisted of a 108 mile bike ride followed by a 6 mile run and a short open water swim (i think you can call it a swim). I felt great in the bike and run. Sunday was a differnt story... Both days I got up at 4:30AM to start my workouts to beat the heat. However on Sunday my legs were shot. I did do a 20/20 workout. Yep - 20 biking miles and 20 running miles. Fun huh? Not! I broke it up a bit and ran 5 miles, biked 20 miles, and then right back out the door for 15 miles. Luckily Sara and her brother Matt joined me for the 15 miler.

The madness will be over soon! I can't decide if I'm excited for it to finally be here or for it just to be over?!? I do like being able to eat pretty much everything under the sun, guess that will have to change as well.

More this weekend... Thanks for stopping by. LATER!