What did I get myself into?

232 days to race day
 

“A ship in the harbor is safe.  But that’s not what ships are built for.” – John Augustus Shedd

 

Well, if you’re reading this you must be really bored but thanks for stopping by anyway.  On July 27, 2014, I am scheduled to compete in the Lake Placid Ironman triathlon.  Swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and then run a full 26.2 mile marathon all in one day.  Seeing that glare back in black and white scares the hell out of me.  But it’s not the first journey I’ve decided to tackle that seems daunting, almost bigger than what I am capable of accomplishing.  As I was going over some old documents I came across a blog I kept while I was training for my first Voyageur 50 trail run and it made me smile and remember that “it’s impossible” is just my excuse for being afraid to try.  So, like every other half literate human with a keyboard who thinks they have something profound to share I decided to start a blog as I prepare for yet another ridiculous endeavor.  While what I have to say is not likely too profound (but it is in my head anyway), hopefully it will at least be entertaining to catalog my experiences on the road to Lake Placid. 

The whole idea of competing in an Ironman triathlon has been in the back of my mind for years.  It was filed back there with the rest of those things on most people’s bucket lists – travel the world, go skydiving, climb Everest, complete a Western States 100 in under 30 hours, run a Grand Canyon rim-to-rim-to-rim.  Well ok, I admit maybe my bucket list hints at a bit of insanity, but the thing about insanity is it can be contagious.  A little over a year ago the crazy flu caught up with another friend.  That’s when we decided we were going to compete in Lake Placid Ironman because it sounded really cool and people will think we are amazing for such a notion. 

It was kind of like when you’re drinking at the bar and right before closing time someone stands up and announces “We’re road tripping to Vegas tonight.”  Everyone gets really excited, but then Joey starts puking, Tim passes out and John’s girlfriend shames him into tears for being so inconsiderate about her feelings.  The road trip is cancelled before the taxi can be secured.  It would have been an epic trip, the stuff dreams and movies are made of.  Since the trip was abandoned for reasons beyond human control (only an act of God could stop the genius behind that trip) we all get half credit anyway and laugh about what could have been.  Not so with the Ironman. 

We never sobered up, our wives have not brought us back to our senses, the whole notion wasn’t lost in an alcoholic blackout and the credit card did not get declined when the entrance fee was paid.  Oh shit! 

For several months now the concept and breadth of this has been obscured by time.  It has been very abstract and far away but my official training starts January 1.  Now that the time for this journey to officially begin is upon me it appears almost impossible.  However, nothing great ever comes easy and experience has taught me that the fear is good.  Man is not supposed to remain in a state of comfort because there is no growth in it.  In order to grow I must step out of my comfort zone and face my fears.  Much like the quote I led this post with, we are not built to remain safely in the harbor, we are is built to explore the seas and risk finding something great.  It may come at a cost but I’d rather pay for the experience than to sit on shore and wonder “what if…..”