IronDad. The Movie....

My sweet daughter Grace made an iMovie of my last race for me as a Christmas present!  I loved it.

DT

Steve Cooper - How to Live Life

I thought I would share a Facebook post from a man named Steve Cooper.  Steve is battling cancer.  A year ago he participated with us on the Tour To Tucson ride - 110 tough miles on a bike.  Most of us didn't know him but we gained a real appreciation for his struggle.

Recently he wrote the following...  I love it.
"For 42 years I had it all so wrong - I lived by to do lists and goals, seeking to accomplish this or that - when in reality none of it matters...

Create a life where daily you:

Exercise for health, not for medals
Commit specific acts of kindness
Love like you will never kiss again
Seek to be more intriguing
Bring passion to all you do
Are present

This is how I will choose to live the rest of my life."

DT

IMAZ 2013 Race Report

Ironman Arizona 2013....  Only a year ago I had signed up thinking this day was so far away.  And now here I was.  Waking up at 4AM, rolling out of my own bed and getting ready to leave for transition...  Of course, hadn't slept very well but that is to be expected for race day.  I was happy, nervous and trying to be a calm as I could.  After all, this was not my first triathlon - just my first full Ironman.  I kept telling myself that everything was familiar except for the distance.  Intellectually, I knew that was true but emotionally I was struggling to believe it!

As I descended into the kitchen, I was met with two wonderful signs my family had pinned up for me the night before!  I teared up.  It was so sweet and so personal.  One was from Caden and one was from the rest of the family.  How thoughtful! I knew this was going to be a great day.

I piled everything in my car and zipped out of the driveway.  Drove to the Tempe Town lake.  Said a little prayer to begin with.  Not a lot of music.  Just some silence and I thought about all the time and effort just to get here.  After some alone time in the car, I turned on the music....  "Wake Up" from Avicii and "Give Me Shot at the Night" by The Killers were the songs I listened to and they really hit the spot.

As I arrived and parked in the garage, I made my way to the transition area.  Got everything ready and setup and then left....  Dropped off my special needs bags and then made my way to the staging area and began to warm up.  I was nervous and started to talk to a few people.  A kind woman ending up giving me a spare pair of wax earplugs - kids version of the TYR.  Very malleable and easy to use.  Note to self, buy some of those for the next race!

SWIM

We all had to funnel into a starting arch and slowly get into the water.  It was slow going.  We looked like a bunch of penguins on an iceberg.  I got next to a guy with BYU sandals on.  He and I started talking.  He had done the race before and said to take it easy on the swim as 'it was a long day.'  In fact, he said that even when you think you are taking it easy on the swim, slow down some more....  We funneled through the chute and out onto the pier.  I jumped in.  Water was about 65 degrees so cold but not horrible.  I opted to double cap it with my TYR head warmer cap under...  It was perfect.  No booties.

I got to the left and started to float/swim forward.  It was hard to hear anything with the water, earplugs, etc. in.  Then the cannon went off and all hell broke loose.

It was my first mass swim start of this magnitude and it lived up to it's reputation.  The water is murky so you can't see anything until its too late.  I hugged the buoy line and kept at least one arm in front of me the whole time to deflect any crazy feet - and there were a lot of them!  I seemed to follow this one bearded guy with fat feet most of the swim - not on purpose.  It felt like I was in a blender most of the swim.  Rarely was I not being touched by someone at a given moment.  Par for the course, and I told myself that no one was doing this on purpose - we were all in the same boat.

On the way out I hugged too close to the buoys and my hand hit the tip of a kayak!  Ouch!  I thought for a minute I may have broken something...  But no.  As I would go next the buoys there was an incredible draft effect and I just found myself coasting...

On the way back in, towards the very end, I got hit in the right eye on my goggle.  It was painful and I had to stop again to make sure my eyeball wasn't missing.  I carried on and finished taking it easy.  Based on previous swims, I thought I finish around 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Total Swim Time:  1:27:33

BIKE

Having spent a fair bit of time on the Beeline over the past few months, this was the part of the race I was very familiar with.  Three loops from Tempe Town Lake out to the Shea turnoff to Fountain Hills. Desert scenery.  Mountains.  Slight uphill going out each time and slight downhill coming back.  Typically the wind is in your face going out and with you going back.

I elected to make a full change after the swim.  I opted for the comfort of a full cycling kit instead of speed.

T1:  0:13:47

Changing in the change tent was uneventful, except there was one guy yelling for a volunteer that knew the Garmin 910XT as he needed to sync his with his heart monitor or "he would not know his heart rate the whole race!"  While I agree this is important, the guy was hysterical.  I thought to myself, this is supposed to be fun, isn't it?

Lap one of the bike I felt great!  I saw my family as I left the transition and motored out to Shea.  As I came back I felt very good.  It was a perfect day and I didn't need arm warmers at all (I shoved them in my back pockets just in case).  My nutrition (UCAN all the way) was working wonderfully until about 1/2 way through lap two.  I felt my right side start to back up.  A side ache developed.  At first I tried to brush it off but it didn't go away.  I knew I had to do something - but what?  I had a choice to continue eating at the schedule I had laid out for myself or back off.  Backing off meant potential bonking.  Eating too much meant potential vomiting.  The day was getting progressively hotter too.  I decided that my stomach needed to catch up with my nutrition and that adding more would be worse.  So I stopped eating for the rest of the bike.  I certainly didn't bonk and I continued to hydrate but I was worried about the run.  I backed off a bit also.  I was hoping for about 5:45 or 6:00 on the bike....

Total Bike Time:  6:18:27

RUN

They changed the run this year to a two loop course - entirely around Tempe Town Lake, which is really beautiful.  Some of the course was packed dirt and other parts was sidewalk.  The course is very spectator friendly offering lots of places to sit, stand and even go back and forth to different parts of the course.  The aid stations were top notch and the volunteers were tremendous!

Coming off the bike, I ran into the change tent and did a full change again.  Comfort over time.

T2:  0:08:45

As I exited the tent and went to run, I saw my family.  My stomach still hurt and I was dreading the jostling of the run.  I kissed my wife and whispered in her ear "my stomach hurts" and ran off.  So much for instilling confidence in my support group!

For the first couple of miles, I ran but I was not feeling great.  I stopped at the aid stations, telling myself this was '26 one mile repeats'.  I carried my UCAN fuel with me but I hesitated to drink it as my stomach was still backed up.  Finally, the heat and fatigue caught up with me and I started walking.  I told myself it would just be a short walk but it wasn't.  I didn't care.  I did the calculations and I knew I could walk the marathon and still finish.  I have to admit that thought didn't bother me at ALL at the time.  Several miles in I stopped to try to use the bathroom.  I hadn't peed in a while and I thought #2 would make my stomach feel better.  As I tried to go in the portapotty, I couldn't and I got light headed.  I decided if I was going to be sick, it would be better to be sick while moving forward.  So I got out and started walking again.

I started to feel better as I walked and drank Coke.  The burping and the sugar seemed to loosen things up.  I finally saw my son Drew and handed him my UCAN fuel and sun glasses (as the sun was setting).  What a relief!

Becky and the family met me a total of 10 times during the day.  The most important times were on the run.  I found that when I knew they would be around the corner I got very excited and out of my 'funk' so it was a real upper.  They ran next to me a couple of times, pushing an empty stroller they had with all their stuff loaded on it.  What a great support group!

As far as spectators and volunteers, I saw Nate Snell at an aid station and Joe Zitar twice on the run.  I saw my bike mechanic also.  Bill Hagen and Dan Beaver were both racing and I was able to see them twice on the run.  Bill looked great, Dan was hurting.

Once the sun went down, I amazingly felt better.  Finally!  Although it wasn't really hot, the stress of the race on your body seems to magnify everything.  I ended up running most of the second lap.  Tempe started to light up at night which was just beautiful.  The sunset over Sun Devil Stadium, etc. was  just a dream come true for me.  It was also a full moon so even when we were running the the relative darkness, the moon guided us.  I was a perfect night!

FINISH LINE

Its funny how your mind works as you approach the end of such a big event.  The culmination of such a huge personal goal.  I was feeling very tired but also very good.  As I finished the second lap and moved to the finish line my pace quickened and I just didn't stop.  I talked to a fellow runner and he said we were on pace to finish at about 13:45:00 - well under my self professed goal of sub 14 hours.  I was stoked and I felt so good.  As I turned into the finish shoot, the music and cheers were deafening!  The lights were bright and in your face...  I looked for my family but it was impossible to hear or see anything but the finish line!  I was smiling and I was so happy!  

As I got right to finish line my mind said to 'dance' or do a funny jig, which I did.  My body did not appreciate that at ALL.  Thus, I twisted my knee and ankle right at the finish line!  Nothing too serious but enough to ensure some additional recover and stiffness for the next few weeks!

(Left knee, by the way.  I think this is the exact moment I went 'doh')

I had done it.  I was an Ironman!  I still get emotional as I think about it.  Thinking back to watching this event on TV as a teenager and thinking what a bunch of loonies I was watching.  

I remember talking to friends and trying to wrap my mind around how ANYONE could actually complete 140.6 miles in 17 hours - it was just crazy!  I am here to say that it can be done.  It has been done and I have done it!  "We are stronger than we think" and we can do amazing things.  I AM AN IRONMAN!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

This was an absolutely wonderful race.  It had so much meaning, being in my backyard, being in Arizona and revolving around ASU, my Alma Mater.  The weather was incredible and the support from family and friends was perfect.  I finished strong and I had a blast!  I have to remember all of this when another race doesn't quite live up to expectations, etc.  This race really lived up to my expectations and I feel blessed to have participated and achieved such an important goal.

Here are the numbers....

Total Time:  13:44:09

Overall Rank:  1,732 out of about 3,000

Division Position (45-49):  220 out of 317

My family gathered around me after they got my bike and bags - meanwhile I went to the food tent and rested and ate....

Hannah said I had my CRAZY EYES face on (above) and said strange things... I remember being hyper aware of everything going on around me.  I guess I thought I was imparting some sort of wisdom in the picture below... Probably just a lot of gibberish...

Even after eating a bunch of pizza and chocolate milk, I was still hungry.  Becky asked me if I wanted a hamburger...  Immediately I said "YES."  A perfect ending meal for a perfect day....

DT

Trevor Wurtele IMAZ Race Reports

I met Trevor and Heather a couple of times over the years.  They are Canadian and just great people.  Trevor's race reports have become legendary.  This one is no exception.

Trevor Wurtle IMAZ Race Report

DT

Oops I did it again.... Ironman Arizona 2014

Well, I loved this race so much I had to sign up again...  2014 here I come!

DT

A Different Kind of Race Report….

People always ask why I do triathlons.  They are particularly curious about Ironman as it is so demanding and 'extreme' in their minds.  I have thought about this for a long time and the answers are many but one clear reason I would like to talk about is what the sport gives to me.  What I learn about myself, if you will.  There is something about doing something very challenging that gives a person piercing insight into what he/she is really made of.  Triathlon is really a microcosm of life and I find I learn and re-learn lessons in a profound way as I participate in the sport.

Last Sunday's Ironman Arizona was a day of some deep learning for me and I want to share some insights that will hopefully provide some perspective and maybe even help anyone that chooses to read and think about these concepts.  They are really life lessons for me and I find these experiences help me way beyond the actual swimming, biking and running.  In no particular order….

Planning and preparation are essential.  The logistics and preparation just to race are daunting.  Getting the right stuff at the right time while not having too much is a combination of science and art.  I think I packed and repacked my equipment three times.  I also got my bike checked and rechecked to make sure it was in perfect running order.  I ended up having a few too many things on the bike and in my special needs bag but nothing major.  I also spend my time writing out my race plan.  My race "mantras" and thinking about what I thought could happen and how I would respond.  I especially knew that there would be several times in the race where I would ask myself, "Why in the WORLD are you doing this!  Stop!  Quit and it will all be better."  I prepared for those moments and decided BEFORE that I would not listen to those voices.  I have also found in life that when you prepare for challenges and decide first how to respond and how you will overcome, it makes all the difference.  A close friend always says, "Adventure and doing amazing things always come with hardship and sacrifice.  It is just the price you pay." (thanks, Mark Bishop).  Plan and prepare for it and you will overcome.

Sometimes plans don't work.  Despite pretty good planning, I ended up having some stomach issues for the 1/2 the bike and most of the run.  Something happened to my nutrition plan, even though it had seemed to work fine during all my long days training prior to the race.  I had to make some changes on the fly, not knowing if they were going to work.  I chose to back off the nutrition, at the risk of bonking, until I felt better.  On the third lap as we were coming out of the reservation, a dog decided the stream of cyclists going by were a threat and he attacked us - he hit a cyclist a few yards ahead of me.  Fortunately the cyclist stayed upright but he ran over the dog's leg…  I, and others, had to swerve to miss the dog and avoid a wreck.  You just can't plan for that!

You never know who will help you.  Keep your eyes open.   Although the race conditions were almost perfect, it felt hot as I started the run.  I was tired and the sun had been out all day.  I started to tell myself that "I could just walk this thing and it would be OK" - a sure sign of giving up.  As I was resigning myself to walking, I saw a sign that said, "You are Stronger Than you Think."  It was not a new saying to me - I have heard it before.  But there was something about reading it at that moment that stuck with me.  It motivated me.  I believed it, and it worked.  That random person has no idea the impact they had on me.  Thankfully, I was aware enough to notice…  I stopped walking and started to run again.

Family and friends are powerful motivators.  Both are powerful and they have different positive effects.  My family saw me 10 times during the race.  It's amazing how I could find them - hear their voices and see their faces amidst the sea of people and noise.  There is some deep truth in that, if you think about it.  They ran back and forth over the Mill Avenue bridge to see me over and over on the run - especially when I needed it.  Seeing them made me happy (another real truth) and move a little quicker and forget about the aches and pains I was feeling.  It was like a jolt of caffeine and a motorized scooter all at once!  As for friends, I saw Joe Zitar twice - both at really pivotal times.  I saw my bike mechanic and even my physio therapist, Nate Snell, working at a aid station.  He gave me a big hug and pushed me forward.  Friends say things that family can't sometimes.  Like 'suck it up' - 'You aren't dying' - things you probably know but can't admit it to yourself. They provide a candor that you really need sometimes.   And I needed it on Sunday!

Lose yourself in times of trouble.  It's so easy when you do a race like Ironman to get completely focused on yourself.  It is inherently a selfish sport, unless you make a concerted effort otherwise.  During the race, you hurt!  You feel like quitting.  Your muscles ache and you want to scream out and tell anyone that will listen.  That is exactly the time where you must lose yourself and focus on other things.  I like to talk to people around me.  Make jokes about how hard it is.  Try to get distracted and help someone else.  I met so many wonderful people over the almost 14 hours or Ironman Arizona and I wouldn't have done so had I not forgotten about myself for a while.  To me this illustrates one of life's greatest paradoxes - lose yourself and you will find yourself.  True happiness seems to come from helping others instead of focusing on your own problems, needs and wants.  I always remember this during a triathlon race...

Live in the moment.  We all know this but so few of us practice it on a regular basis.  Bottom line is it is so easy to take for granted the here and now, focusing on past mistakes or future plans.  I knew this would happen during the race and I resisted it.  When I caught myself thinking too much about how man miles or laps I still had to go, I clawed back into the 'now' and looked around at the beauty in my backyard.  At the other racers and volunteers doing their thing.  It was so wonderful so see so many people pushing for a similar goal and supporting each other.  As the sun set at dusk, I was running around Tempe town lake.  The city started to light up and the shadows on the mountains were simply gorgeous!  As it got darker, there was a full moon to light our way through the course.  What a blessing.

Things will get better and conversely, things can get worse.  I am not sure why but it feels like we humans believe that whatever is happening at any moment or however we feel will stay that way forever.  When we feel great and things are going well, we believe that it will always be that way.  Also, when things are bad, there is a crisis, etc., we act as if it will never get better.  It is really not that way at all.  Things always change - sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.  We have to learn to expect it - to not overreact and become irrational when things are good or falling into a deep depression when things stink.  We need to remember, things will change.  After the first lap of the bike, I felt invincible.  Things were going very well and everything was clicking.  I told myself, "this is great but it will probably change!"  Sure enough, half way into the second lap, I started to feel sick to my stomach and didn't feel so good.  I dealt with a sick stomach the rest of the day but I was able to overcome it towards the end of the run.

We are tempted and challenged when we are at our worst, not at our best.  Despite all the support from family, friends and strangers, there were parts of the race where I felt utterly alone.  The Beeline highway is beautiful but it can be barren when you are out there by yourself.  As Tempe got dark during the run, there were stretches of pavement where the lights were dim and there was no one to push you along.  Those are the most challenging times of the race.  Those are the times where I had to dig very deep and remember the end goal.  It reminds of how in life we seem to be 'tempted' (if you are religious like me) or challenged when you are at your worst.  It's easy to be good when things are good.  It's hard when they are hard.  Lonely parts of the course, etc.

Don't get too cute or cocky or you will be put into your place.  This has always been the case for me.  Ever since I was a kid, anytime I thought I was too cool or could do no wrong, things would come crashing down - it seems like clockwork.  As I was finishing the race, coming through the finisher chute, I got so excited my brain told me to do a little cute dance as I finished….  Mistake.  I twisted my knee and ankle!  It was my only injury of the whole race…  Note to self, don't try to be too cute!

There are more nuggets of truth I learned during the race but some are reserved for just me.  I end by saying I am extremely thankful for the support, love and assistance I received to even get to the start line, let alone the finish.  It has been a wonderful journey and I loved every minute of it.

DT

IMAZ 2013 Highlights….

This is fresh off of youtube.  An amazing video of the day and how it went down…

DT