Adam against the Odds

author : adumey

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The start down the road to a Half Ironman.

by Adam

Dear Reader,

Let me preface this journey with a few disclaimers: I am not a writer, nor do I proclaim to have been blessed with the ability to effectively communicate my thoughts in a coherent manner. I can almost guarantee that a few paragraphs into this article (if not this column, then definitely next week's), this will become painfully apparent. I am not an expert in the wonderful world of triathlon. While I have read a few books on the matter, true understanding and knowledge comes from experience, which I will have certainly have in the next 60 days. Right now, I am still feeling my way through.  I am not an athlete. While I am able to lift large objects with a good deal of success, I am not a runner, DEFINITELY not a swimmer and most certainly the anthithesis of a cyclist.

What I am, some deem, is an adventure. That's right--- jumping out of planes, diving off cliffs, diving with sharks...yes, that's what I live for. Nothing like having a moray eel wrapped around your neck at 40ft off the Cayman Islands to show you what life is all about!

On one of my "adventures" I ended up on a dive resort in East End, Grand Cayman. There I met many wonderful people, none more so than a particular married couple. Randy and Laura live in Seattle and epitomize love and happiness. If you were ever to sculpt the perfect marriage and capture the meaning of "soul mates" I have a 8X12 that would be appropriate. Being one who always seems to be searching for love, I was immediately drawn to their energy.

While diving, there is lots of time for discussion and bonding-- at breakfast, on the ride to the first site (and subsequent sites, which can be as long as 2 hours), during the surface time after each dive, at all meals and at night. This allowed me to get to know what Laura and Randy had beyond the perfect marriage.

A common ground they had was their love for fitness, specifically triathlons. Randy was an Ironman and radiated a sense of accomplishment when speaking of both the training and racing. While competing in sprint distances, Laura shares the same excitement for triathlons, and for encouraging others to participate.

These conversations stuck with me for the next 2 years, during which other athletic achievements became my focus (i.e. boxing, body sculpting etc.). Last November, I decided enough was enough! I am young (23), healthy (both arms and legs) and enjoy the challenge of triathlon for 1 reason: I WAS NOT SURE I COULD DO IT.

Why? Well, at 23, I have not been in a pool since I was 16, at which point I never swam, settling for games of volleyball and lounging in the jacuzzi. I have not been on a bike since I was 17, at which point I rode my then-girlfriend's bike around the corner for her little sister to use. I have not run more than 5 miles in years. If you were to ask me to bench
315lbs, no problem. Curling 55lbs dumbbells, yeah, why not. But doing a triathlon given my experience (lack of) was a worthy challenge.

Did I mention I have arthritis? Well, I do.

Also, I average 50 hours working, not including weekend work which has become a routine.

Oh did I tell you, prior to any training I selected a triathlon? Yes, in my infinite wisdom and ADAM AGAINST THE ODDS complex, I signed up for the 1/2 Ironman in Florida.

So lets begin there.........


IN THE NEXT COLUMN I PLAN ON GOING INTO
THE GYM I SELECTED
- REASONS
TRAINING I SIGNED UP FOR
- DESCRIPTION OF FULL THROTTLE CLASS
EQUIPMENT
- SWIMMING
- BIKING
-RUNNING
MOTIVATION

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date: September 4, 2004