How I Got Here Today

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A Brief History of How I Got Here

I've been an athlete and pretty active most of my life. After I got out of the military, I slowed down, got out of shape and gained a lot of weight. I tore my miniscus playing softball in 2010. I finished my softball and hockey season before having surgery. After surgery, I had to go to physical therapy for 8 weeks. While there the PT I was working with asked about my goals. I told her my goal was to be an IRONMAN before age 50. I was 43. She told me "That's only 7 years from now, you might want to start training for it".

My eyes were opened by those words. Had I really let myself go that much? Would it really take 7 years? Do I even know where to begin? I didn't have a bike or a place to swim and the longest I'd ever ran at that point in my life was 1.5 miles for a Physical Readiness Test while in the military, 15 YEARS AGO.

Luckily, my neighbor had just completed an IRONMAN and I talked to him about starting. Being I didn't have a bike or pool to swim in, his advice was to start running and google Hal Higdon Running Plans. I did. Hal's plans helped me accomplish my first race which was a 10k. I signed up for the half marathon, but realized pretty quickly that was way over my abilities at that time.

I ran for a few years, completed a few half marathons and 2 full marathons. I joined a fitness facility that had a pool and I started swimming. I then purchased a cross-fit bike from Walmart for $200. I started riding and before I knew it, I signed up for my first triathlon. It was a sprint and it kicked my butt. I swam so hard at the start, I almost didn't make it out of the water, then I rode my bike as hard as I could. When I got off the bike (did a flying dismount on purpose), and started to run, I was gassed. It was a 3.5 mile run and I walked almost all of it. But I was hooked. I wore my finisher shirt as often as I could. I still have that shirt and every time I see it hanging in my closet I laugh about that "run".

Fast forward to the year I was going to turn 50. The year 140.6 miles were to be crossed off my bucket list. It started on the first day beginning my 50th trip around the sun. September 11, 2016, the day after my 49th birthday. It was the day of my first 70.3, Rev3 Cedar Point. They had a full and half on the same day. I completed that race and all I could think about was signing up for the full in 2017. The race was to be held on September 10, 2017. The day of my actual 50th birthday. Technically, I would not have completed it before I turned 50, but when I turned 50. I watched for the race announcement for what seemed like ever. Finally, Rev3 posted something on their webist. Cedar Point had decided to not renew the race. I was crushed. Rev 3 races were half the cost of IRONMAN races and I was pushing it to find the money to pay for a Rev 3 race, let alone an IRONMAN.

I still have not completed the full. I'm well past 50 now. I've signed up for a few and never made it to the start line. This year will be different! Keep following along my journey to finally completing that goal.

Happy Training and Racing,

Coach Tony