After 5 months of training, taking two months off chocolate and along the way losing about 8kg, I completed my first Ironman race in Haikou, Hainan in South China. It was a blazing hot and windy day and almost 100 competitors did not finish.
It was very tough mentally but the feeling of crossing the line was great, and made even better with my wife and two brothers cheering me on.
After such a peak race, I will happily return to middle distance Olympic races and look for new challenges to fill the 20 hours a week I spent on training.
I once read a book on becoming a CEO and one tip was, “Do something hard and lonely”. Well pounding through the long course of 3.8 km swim, 180km bike and 42km run is an experience that really tests your character and determination.
Rather than a lonely experience I found it a connecting and enriching one. I read this quote yesterday that sums it up, “Loneliness is the poverty of self. Solitude is the richness of self.” - May Sarton
Swim:
Bike:
Run:
I just watched the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii which for the professionals is an 8 hour race and the final cut off for all participants is 17 hours. It is a grueling race in high temperatures and humidity which requires many months and years of dedicated training to get to the start line.
The race is a 2.4 mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112 mile (180.25 km) bike and a marathon (26 miles 385 yards, 42.195 km) run.
Just to finish is a victory and the attraction for me is the consistency of training and executing on a plan that is essential for a safe completion. Add to that, great positive people who are interested to raising their standards, a need to understand body nutrition and a whole range of great kit. You can see the attraction for The Change Catalyst!
This week I am starting a 20-week training program to get me ready for the Ironman China on 14 March 2010. The outline of the program is on Beginner Triathlete here.
Getting ready for this race is going to test and push my discipline and time management. Finding 20 hours a week to exercise will be a challenge. As will getting out 6 -7 days a week during winter! But along the way, I will reinforce the benefits of setting an intention, making a plan and making it happen. Which is a great habit that all successful people doing without thinking about it. It’s going to be tough but at the end of the race to hear the words, “You are an Ironman” - the effort will be worth it!
Learn more about Ironman racing on wiki here.
One of the ways I train myself in mental discipline and goal acheivement is through the world of triathlons. It’s perfect for keeping healthy with a variety of disciplines (swim, bike, run) and distances.
This weekend will see the Ironman distance World Champs at the home of triathlon in Kona, Hawaii. The stories and lives of the professional and amateur (age-grouper) athlethes are amazingly inspiring. It helps me keep grounded and in awe of the human potential.
To learn more on this race and the Ironman triathlon, you can start with these links:
See coverage from official web site here at Ironman.com
For a list of all the past winners of men’s and women’s races in Hawaii from 1978-2008 check this out.
For great interviews with the pros listen to IMTalk’s Kona Special.
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