So here it is... since last year's IM I've sat on my fat a$$ and done pretty much nothing. I ran the mini-marathon here in late April and since that time, I've run maybe 6 times, ridden my bike maybe 8 times (longest ride of 30 miles) and did 1 swim in the last 3 months leading up to the race.... the Friday 1-mile Gatorade practice swim in the river.

After the mini in April, I decided to blow off this years IM because I didn't have time to train and my coach and I decided to start up again next year with this year just being a mulligan. So as the race got closer, i thought... "Hmmm, maybe I'll just jump in and do the swim and see how far I can go."

Needless to say, I jumped in and decided to settle in at a very easy/ comfortable pace. I jumped in the water and immediately got into a nice groove. I just tried to stay long in my stroke and glide, breathing every 4-6 strokes. The first part of the race, up the creek to the turnaround, I felt very comfortable. I just focused on the people on the bank and tried to stay out of everyone's way. As we got past the end of the island and went to the turnaround buoy, I thought, "Where the heck is the turnaround buoy???" I kept swimming and swimming and swimming and felt like I was going nowhere. Finally, I reached the buoy and I went very wide right to stay out in the open.

The way back in, i started to get impatient. I just wanted out of the water. I got a little freaked out under the bridge, as I always do, because the catfish there are the size of shamu. Then again, after not training for 4 months, so am I!

My shoulders started to get a little sore after the first half so I just took it easier the 2nd half. Again, focused in staying long, smooth strokes and maintaining good body position to take advantage of the current. I was pulled out into the middle of the river w/ the current so I had to work a little to get back in at the end.

Overall, not a bad swim. Much better than I expected.

Actually train.

I walked from the water and through transition all together. I stopped and talked to some folks who were cheering and I didn't really have any expectation of finishing the race so I just cheered on my fellow triathletes and tried to stay out of their way.

Nothing, I just had FUN!

What an absolute blast! I just rode the entire course with friends, stopped and talked to volunteers, cheered other people on and thanked everyone for coming out. I figured I'd just go on the bike as far as I could go and pull out when I got tired.

So I was pretty worried about the bike course. Living out here, I know the course very well... every turn, every hill, every bump...hole... sign, etc. Knowing I'd only ridden 30 miles back and forth down river road (flat) a few times, i was really confident I wouldn't finish the bike segment.

I met up with my buddy Matt about 2 hours in and we rode together for almost all the course. I'd rented a disk (You know the saying, it's better to LOOK fast than BE fast) and he was very conservative on the bike. When I was well-trained, I was always very strong on the bike and I was surprised at how good my legs felt by going slow. Basically, just spun going up hills and just rode the downhills. (All that extra weight made me go FAST down hill.)

the bike course was oppresively hot. Much hotter than last year. So we rode together until the last 10 miles. I thought he was behind me when we hit River Road and when I turned around, he was gone. So I just coasted in and met up with him in transition.

Of course, when I got there, pretty much all the bikes were already there and most were out on the run already. It was actually pretty cool! I SO enjoyed it! I sat in the transition tent cheering on the other triathletes, talking to volunteers again and Matt said to me, "Dude, you can WALK the marathon and still finish before midnight."

That was the first time I really actually thought, hmmm.... finishing might actually be a possibility?? or could it? I'd been pretty LUCKY for most of the day and the big guy had really blessed me that I made it through the swim, only thrown up twice on the bike, no mechanical problems AND that I still felt pretty fresh; all things considered.

I will train next year

GREAT GOOGLIE MOOGLIE! Could it have been any hotter? Well, I guess it could have been, but man alive was it a scorcher!

Ok, so here I am just starting a marathon. An chubby guy with really no business even being out there on an Ironman course with the sole purpose of going out there to see how far I can go, have a TON OF FUN, cheer on other people, thank volunteers and drink at least $500 of gatorade so I can feel as though i got my money's worth out of the race!

The first couple miles were pretty tough, I must admit. I hate that dang bridge. There's really no other way to put it into works. It just plain sucks. Hard concrete, and incline, no shade and wow... what better way to start a marathon? haha!

I saw my buddy Mike as I was coming off the bridge to head out for the first loop. As I started dry-heaving, he was laughing at me. He told me to suck it up and to stop being such a...... well you get the picture.

I did the walk-run thing. Started running for 10, then walk 2. As I started getting overheated, that strategy changed to a walk.... into infinity. My wife was out there about mile 5-6 and she walked by my side for a little while. She's my biggest supporter and after not seeing her all day, it meant a lot to finally see her face and have her cheering my name!!

I met a couple guys and we ran together for a while. After the turn, i saw my friend Scott. He was on his second loop and was really hurting. He wanted to go under 12:25 (last years time for him) so I started giving him the pep talk. You know the one, "I know you feel like crap, but I don't see it! You look strong, you look light and fast. It's just mental right now." I kept giving it to him and said, "Here, lets run for a while. we'll run to the next aid station and we'll walk a bit and we'll keep doing that. I know we can get you in under your time." So that's what we did. We ran and walked and talked and I pushed him, cheered him on, got him water, coke, pretzels and whatever it was he needed so he'd keep moving forward.

We got to the last turn before he went straight to the finish and I made the right turn to go back out for a second loop. He gave me a high-five, I hugged him and said, "today big guy, you're an Ironman for the 2nd time AND you get a PR. I'm proud of you now go take it home!" He told me he couldn't have done it without me and he'd be waiting for me at the finish w/ a beer. I stopped at the split and watched him run down the finish chute, heard his name being called out, "Scott Binzer... YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" I turned around and went back out for the 2nd loop.

I can tell you, I never felt lonelier in a race than I did having to make that turn. I knew I couldnt run the last 13 miles, I knew i didnt WANT to run the last 13 miles and it would be another 3 hours if I was to keep going. then as I started back out on the 2nd loop, I realized... you will finish this race today; just be mentally strong.

I saw my old coach out on the course at an aid station. He said to me that he was proud of me and that I looked fine and that by buddy matt was up from me about 200 yards. i ran for a while and caught up to him. he wasn't doing to well. we stayed together for about 2 miles and he just continued puking. i found out the next day when i looked up his finish time that he dnf'd. I felt horrible as i shoudl have stayed with him to bring him home.

i met a really nice lady from i forget where. we walked the last 10 miles together and even ran for a while. she was awesome. a lot of fun to talk to. it was dark and i actually go to wear a glow stick! HOW COOL!!!!! when i was a kid watching the Hawaii Ironman and seeing them wearing those, I thought... "I want to do that some day." So here i was, with no training, just having an absolute blast and I GET TO WEAR A GLOW STICK! So far, that was the highlight of my day... well of course except from watching Scott get his PR and feelign like i was apart of it.

we talked about how we both wanted a cheeseburger. i'd never craved a food like that during the race, but oh... i wanted one. i was disappointed in the food this year. they ran out of chicken broth and they really did a poor job of ordering food. no cookies, fruit or anythign. just the standard gatorade, powerbars, bananas, pretzels and coke. I know I said I wanted $500 of gatorade but $100 of it was plenty enough. ok, enough bashing... that was really the only bad part or criticism i really have. everything else was great.

so we got down to the last mile and some drunk guy on his front porch was yelling at us. telling us to suck it up and to run and to show us what we were made of. i said, what we're made of is 139 miles of constant forward motion and we're pacing ourselves for the fast finish. :) this was her first IM and I told her that when she came down that chute she'd feel bulletproof. we got closer and I told her that I was going to hang back and let her run down the chute by herself, so she can feel what it's like and have great finisher pictures.

As I sat at the edge of the carpet in the finisher chute and reflected on the day, I know I was just simply blessed. With no training, I wasn't supposed to be here. And I realized what ironman and triathlon are really all about; it's about staying within yourself, having fun, helping others when they need it and accepting their help when you need it. It's about enjoying the day, being outside but most of all; not quitting and just moving forward. Maybe not all that fast but forward nonetheless.

After she finished and I started running down the finish chute, I got that bulletproof feeling all over again. I'm getting goosebumps as I sit and write about it now. I got my medal, my picture and took one more look back at the finish line. I'm hoping to be there again next year, have just as much fun and with some luck; do it a lot faster and have my eye on a Kona slot. For now though, I had one heck of a day and by far, it was the best race I've ever had!!!

Thanks to everyone who was there! And congrats to everyone who entered the race! you are all amazing!!!

just went home and ate some eggs and beans.


the fact i was so lazy and didn't train.