Geeked up Geek seeks race for pain :)

I never start to write these blogs unless I am really “in the mood” as writing these are fun for me.

I have been working on a “geeky” entry for a few days in my head but now I am on a plane from Boston to Jax I am relaxed, awake and motivated to write…but instead I will save the geek stuff for later.

…here is something for the geeked up non-geeks :)


7 days until Florida and I finally understand what Rich says – “I can’t wait for the gun to go off.”





I am finally REALLY excited for a race.

Excited, not anxious, which is really different for me and exactly how I want to feel.

This is totally different from other big races I have done over the years.

I don’t even really care about time (as long as it’s really fast :)) or my place (as long as I get a medal :))…


SERIOUSLY – I just want to go hard and test myself to see what I can do on a course that suits us flatlanders.


I think I understand why people like to race in Hawaii so much.

It is THE IRONMAN.

It is THE proving ground.

It is the strongest field of any race in the world for the year.

No exception – it is that stacked a field.

To win in Hawaii is to really be the best in the World on that day.

It is THE place to test yourself.


I heard the coolest line about Chrissy Wellington’s Hawaii win.

The commentators where talking about how she could have easily “cruised” to a win as she had a huge lead coming off the bike.

BUT, she didn’t cruise it at all. She ran a 2:58!!!



Was she hurting – YEAH – then why not slow down?

Who did she do that for?

They would say she ran it for herself and I agree completely – she wanted to test herself on the biggest stage in the World and on the toughest course – to measure herself. To see if she could go under 3:00 and she did.

Maybe that’s what we all want? To set a goal and measure ourselves and find out what we have.

To go to the well and see how much is left. To look into the mirror of self doubt and pain and instead of being scared…you look it in the eye and stare it down and then you push on.


I may have included this before but to me it’s a great reason for why we do what we do…

It’s from a local pro cyclist who I know…and...he has game!!!

“I race my bike because it is hard. Everything in our lives comes easy or is handed to us. We are living off of the bounty of our forefathers. Fast food, cheap gas, 200 cable channels and high speed internet. Americans work hard, but we are in no real danger. We have never truly been hungry. For the most part, we have never wanted for anything that we actually needed. When my legs and lungs are burning, my heart is in my throat and I see two of everything, it is just a little reminder of what it is like to struggle. It is a daily reminder to keep fighting.”


So – for me – that makes sense.

For me, there will be no 2:58 off the bike – not this weekend - probably not in my future ever… but I hope to run a REALLY strong marathon.

For me…off the bike next weekend – 3:22:59 or better would be great. Ideally the run will be one where I push it to the point that I might pop and then just back off a smidge right up until the end.


It’s interesting to me to see how different people approach a race and how even the same person can race the same race so differently depending on their goals.



I’ve been coaching Paul Cantin for a few years (he is client #1) and I was FLOORED at his Clearwater race 2 years ago. He went out really hard in the swim, rode really hard and ran really hard. What’s the big deal – right? This was like his 3rd half Ironman and he had no idea how he was going to feel at the end.

He just went for it.

His result – almost a 1 hour PR. It takes a LOT of guts to “race” that hard no matter what the distance but especially in a Half Ironman or a Full when the downside of screwing it up is so much greater. You don’t get a 1 hour PR by pushing it hard the last few miles – it is a commitment from the gun to the end…that’s GAME!!!

For the winners – that’s how it’s done. That’s how Faris races. That’s how Macca races.



They asked Macca about 2006 when he took 2nd to Norman Stadler and they said if he had 1 more mile he would have beat him.



Macca’s reply – one more mile and I would have DNF’d (did not finish) – that was all I had in the tank.


So – that’s how I plan to race this coming weekend – EMPTY at the finish line…hopefully not before it – doing it like Chrissy (for myself) and like Paul (hard from the gun) and hopefully I will end up where I want – at the finish line with the only energy left in my body is to smile wide and know I left it all on the course…



I may not end up with a PR or a 3:22 or anything but I can promise you this…It will not be because I didn’t try…Medals or Medical…I am SO looking forward to this and yes I know...it's gonna hurt :)