current article View all author’s articles

Ironman Again, This Time at 45

author : alicefoeller

comments : 0

Age grouper takes on full Ironman for the second time, this time 11 years later

It seems like yesterday when I started training for an iron distance race at Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio, two hours from my home. But it was actually 11 years ago.

Two weeks ago, a friend I trained with in 2010 forwarded information to me about a new Ironman 140.6 in Indiana, piggybacking on an existing 70.3 in the same location on the same date.

I looked at it and my eyes got big and my heart rate increased. And then I did what I usually do, which is to look for all of the reasons I can't do it right now. So I looked.

Too far away? Nope. It's about 2.5 hours from home.

Closed out? Nope, registration hadn't opened yet.

Bad timing? Nope, I have no conflicts, and my current leadership program ends in June. Also I'll have just turned 45, so I'll be at the youngest point I could be in my age group.

Kids need me too much? Nope on that count, too. When I did my first (only) iron distance race in 2010, it was hard on the family. I pledged not to do another one until my kids could drive themselves. Well, my daughter now has her temporary permit and is working her way toward the required 50 hours of supervised driving before she can test to get her driver's license. Both of my kids, now in high school, have been becoming more independent. They earn their own money, manage their own schedules (mostly) and know how to make a few meals.

Work too busy? Nope. I have a strong team and just hired some additional help. I'm doing less direct client work than ever. I'm creating processes so I can spend more time leading and selling, and almost no time working inside the client projects.

So I set an alarm for five minutes before registration opened, and then I filled out all the forms and pressed the button. Bam.

How has my life changed since I pressed the button?

I became more motivated to get some work done to my older motorhome, which will be home base during race weekend.

Immediately I switched from eating chips to eating carrots.

I switched my Training Plan here at BT (which flows automatically into my Google Calendar) from the half-IM plan for a July race to a full-IM plan for the October race.

I finished setting up my home gym in the basement, and bought extra bottles of chain lube.

And I've committed to sharing my discoveries at least once a month here in the BT articles section. Welcome to the fun!