In aviation, most of our instruments and emergency systems have a button or switch installed that we can “press to test” to ensure the system works as advertised. I am almost inside 50 days to Kona and my days of training hard have been fruitful and productive. I feel better now than I have in years. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember ever feeling this good. That doesn’t necessarily mean I’m faster than I’ve ever been. I don’t know the answer to that question. That brings us to the subject of press to test. In a couple of weeks I’ll race my first Half Ironman as a tune up for Hawaii and I’ll get that opportunity to press to test the system and see how everything is coming together.
My last month of training has been as good a block of hard work as I’ve compiled in a very long time. I have appreciated the Boulder playground and the community of athletes I have to train with here. Yesterday, I tagged along with my pro triathlete buddy, Brandon, to Flatirons Athletic club to get in a swim. It was supposed to be coached by the famous 6-time Ironman Champion, Dave Scott. I swim in his sister’s masters classes often, but thought it would be neat to see what kind of pain package Dave is offering over at Flatirons. Unfortunately, Dave was a no-show and former Olympian and pro triathlete, Joanna Zeiger, put up a session that was first rate. In most camps and Masters programs I’ve been involved with I typically hang out in the fast lane, either leading or in the mix somewhere. To let you know the quality of the Flatirons scene…I was four lanes down from the fast lane and happy to be there. Greg and Laura Bennett, Matty Reed, Craig Alexander, Joanna and a few other big boys were “over yonder” swimming 300’s to my 250’s. In the lane next to me was Chrissie Wellington leading the boys interval after interval in a fire breather set. Kind of cool to be in the same pool with three or four former Olympians along with both of the 2008 Hawaii Ironman Champions in Alexander and Wellington.
Sitting on the pool deck with Brandon before the workout, I started to feel real anxiety and fear as the heavyweights all started to emerge onto the pool deck. It is kind of funny (funny ironic, not funny ha ha) the feeling that came over me just prior to the swim. I was having a personal “what the f… am I doing here with these thoroughbreds?!”. I get this from time to time. The last time I got that was the first day at the National War College in DC. I was thinking, “How does a fleet average dude like me get to hang out with these future generals and admirals”. I’ve gotten these feelings of fear and anxiety all the way back to age group swimming and water polo when I was in high school. It is an irrational feeling, and usually not deserved. I was sharing my thought with Brandon about the fear I feel when I train with the tough guys of the sport. Brandon understood what I was talking about. For a younger fella, he is quite wise for his years. I appreciate his counsel.
The good news that goes with this fear emotion that wells up in me is that I don’t let it stop me from doing anything. I am fearful and apprehensive often, but luckily I am capable of just pressing through it. I’m glad I can, because usually good things happen. Like I mentioned before, the emotion is quite irrational. As I got comfortable in the water and was able to make my way to the front and lead my lane through the tough sets, I started to give myself a talking to. You know, I’m not some “wanna be” guy, trying to stargaze on these pros. I go plenty fast myself and have competed on the world stage within my category with excellent results, and I win stuff, too. I also do all that while holding down a couple of pretty cool careers and carry on a pretty busy life outside the sport. Its ironic that at almost 45 years old I have to work through some of the same emotional shit I did when I was a teenager. My philosophy is that everybody on this planet is mildly insane in some area of his or her life. I guess this is mine, eh? I’ll continue to work on managing it the best I can☺
So my last thought on training with pros. I’m fortunate enough to have good friends that happen to be pros. I never expected when moving here that I’d actually train with them. I just thought I’d see them often and hang out. I’ve been quite surprised how open some of my pro buds are to my training with them. One of these pros, besides Brandon, is Tim O’Donnell. Timmy and I have been on a number of All-Navy teams over the years. Tim was on the short list on making the U.S. Olympic team and is a World Cup pro who is lighting the world on fire this year with not only victories, but also course records to go along with those victories. I would think that Tim would want to be out training with all the other elite big boys who live in this town. Who would think that a pro of his caliber would be open to training with an old dude like myself? It has been great for my training to head out with him on the bike and see how he does business and do my best to stay in the same zip code☺. It’s a blessing for sure and I look forward to training more with him in the future.
So before I wrap this up and upload it onto my website, I just wanted to add that as I write this I am flying to Seattle to drive to Penticton to sign up for Ironman Canada 2010, and watch my athletes race on Sunday. I’m excited about riding the course tomorrow. I started my ironman life in Penticton and I hope to race there for many years to come.
I’m excited my training is coming along as solidly as it has the last month or so. I am anxious to lay down another month of really solid work and show up October 10th at the Kailua pier knowing I did all I could do in my summer of hard training to be ready to represent the U.S. Navy honorably. I don’t need to win anything, I just need to go race as hard as I can and let my race come from within. I don’t have a time goal for this race, as Kona is too hard of a race to go down the “paper Ironman rabbit hole”. The conditions can be down right brutal. I’ll know when I am cooking down Alii Drive toward the finish line if I have stayed tough throughout and given my best effort. Best effort…what more can men offer on a given day?
Sj
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