i was doing IMWI 2007, my brother had just passed away from cancer the year before and the reason i was doing this IM was because we were sitting around during chemo one day and he said...you should do an IM...i was thinking your out of your mind...but after he passed i signed up a few months later...he was everything to me, still is, and was my inspiration all during training and during the race....
So during the bike i had issues getting rid of all the water and what not I was drinking, and it turned out that my kidneys were shutting down, ,.. I was at a very low point in the race and at around mile 95 i started to get dizzy, and i didn’t think i would finish the last 15 or so miles.....i eventually made it to transition, where i asked a doc for some advice, he wanted to admit me and get me looked at further, while he went to get the head doc., another doc came over and said he had the same problem one year and gave me some advice, he said you can either wait here for a doc or try to start the marathon and when I hit the first aid station with chicken brooth pound the hell out of it,..he also said there will always be someone to help you out there, so i make my way back to my chair in transition, and this random guy from brazil sits next to me
(side note, plenty of chairs everywhere
), I’m taking my time, and looking at a picture that my wife made for me, it had all my family on it, and a few pictures of my brother, and this guy asks “whats the story was with the picture”, so i ended up telling him why i was doing this, and what went on with my brother....the guy said “that’s a nice story, your brother would be proud of you”, and when on his way….at the time I really didn’t think much of it...so i sat there for a second, thought about what he said I then got up and started the marathon, at about mile 5 , i was in bad shape, head down, more of a controlled fall then running, and just praying that things would come around, i then started to walk for about 1/2 mile, holding back the tears, and thinking of taking myself out at the next aid station, then the most amazing thing took place, the man from brazil taps me on the back and all he said was "know your reason"....the next thing I know I’m at the next aid station, hammer the chicken broth, take the longest pee of my life, and finished the race stronger then I could have ever imagined.
Now I’ve told a few people this story before and some say that’s a weird coincidence, but i know in my heart that this did not just happen by chance, why would out of 100 chairs would this guy sit next to me, and that did not just happen by chance, I know that my brother truly was with me that day, and that was his way of saying stop feeling sorry for yourself....
In my opinion doing an ironman is one of greatest things in your life, you get to see the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows, you will learn so much about yourself in that one day, but when it comes down to it its all just controlling what you can control, have faith in your training, and know that when you cross that finish line you left everything you had on that course.