The Iron Man triathlon has been described as perhaps the most grueling and challenging endurance exercise event in the world. It consists of 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride and finishes with a 26.2 mile marathon run. Each individual faces extreme challenges in training for and in completing this demanding and punishing experience. To become an official "Iron Man" and receive an official time, each competitor must cross the finish line in a maximum of 17 hours. But, why would anybody want to become an Iron Man?
A few days after completing my 2nd Subaru Iron Man Canada race on August 24, 2008, the answer suddenly came to me. During the entire journey, I felt totally connected to my 2300 fellow competitors and the absolutely magnificent 4500 volunteers. I feel so fortunate to be a member of the incredible Iron Man community.
In my very humble opinion, the Iron Man is all the experiences in my life condensed into a single day. It is my life in 12 - 15 hours. It is my life in a nutshell. On this day, I felt every single emotion possible and I felt each emotion very intensely. After battling a fierce head wind on the bike I felt thoroughly defeated, despondent and beaten up. For the 1st time in my life I wanted to quit. After convincing myself to keep going one step at a time, something magical happened. I was eight miles into the run and I felt like a new man. I was laughing, joking and glowing with hope and gratitude. If I could hold on to this pace, I would be finished in no time. However, I found out that few people find the finish line easily. My internal voice nattered incessantly only to be drowned out by the unrelenting throbbing in my legs and the cramping in my guts. I had heard from some veteran Iron Man athletes that you really learn about yourself on race day. At times, I felt totally peaceful and serene and at other times I hated myself, felt like a total loser and questioned my sanity. On this day, I learned that there is no faking it. I had to face myself. On this day I really found who I was and what was important to me in life. At the very least, my 2nd Iron Man experience was scary, surprising, exciting and rewarding. The Iron Man triathlon is the best and the worst of everything that has ever happened to me.
Here are the 5 top reasons why I consider the Iron Man as my life in a "nutshell."
1. All memorable experiences are preceded by fear and excitement.
I have noticed that the most memorable events in life have been marked with tremendous excitement coinciding with tremendous fear. In many cases I have had much to gain but also much to lose. In 1987, I distinctly remember writing my board exams to become a doctor of chiropractic. My classmates and I had studied and toiled for years to achieve our goal. I can remember in specific detail, the morning that I got the letter from the licensing board. The sound of the letter being dropped into the mail box was followed by the huge knot in my stomach as I opened the letter. This is the identical feeling I had as I stood in the water at the start line of the Iron Man. I was so excited but my stomach let me know that I was also more than a bit nervous. As I put my face into the chilly water and began to swim easily, my breathing relaxed and I embraced the beginning of my journey. Taking the 1st few strokes of the Iron Man swim felt exactly the same as opening the letter containing my board exam results more than 2 decades ago. I did not know what the result would be, but I was determined to find out. This déjà vu experience was very scary, exciting and humbling.
2. There are lots of ways to get to the finish line.
I have often viewed recovery from a serious injury or life threatening illness much the same as crossing the finish line of a race. As long as you keep moving toward the finish line, you are a winner.
As a health professional, I have experienced the joy of patients who have regained their health after suffering tremendous pain and disability. Each person recovers in mind, body and spirit but each individual's path is always a little different. If you are recovering from a severe injury or a life threatening illness there are many health care choices. However, even the staunchest proponents of each healing profession would agree that they cannot cure each and every person. Therefore, it is up to each individual to choose the method or methods that will work for them. Medicine, chiropractic, surgery, naturopathy, spiritual healing and a host of other options are available. I have noticed that progressive health professionals encourage a multi-disciplinary approach to healing. They recognize that they are experts in their field but they may also consider alternate and complimentary treatment options. Both doctor and patient must work together and do whatever it takes to recover. In other words, there are many road maps to get you to your destination. It is simply a matter of finding out what works for you.
The same principles apply to an athlete embarking upon an Iron Man journey. If you truly desire to get to the finish line, you will do whatever it takes to succeed.
If you are training for the Iron Man you have many choices. Who will be your coach? How many times a week will you train? What type of bike and running shoes will you use? What type of wet suit will work best? What type of nutrition plan will you use? How will you balance rigorous training with your career and your family?
Just as there are countless methods, permutations and combinations involved in healing, there are countless ways to prepare for reaching the finish line. In the final analysis it just does not matter! As long as you keep moving forward towards the finish line, you are a winner.
3. Life is About Overcoming Adversity
Life is about adaptation and overcoming adversity. If you have lived long enough on this planet, you or your loved ones have probably overcome some type of adversity. On the Iron Man application form, there is a very important question for all athletes to answer. "What type of challenges and adversity have you overcome to be able to race in this event?"
At the pre-race athletes' dinner, I was privileged to sit with two very remarkable athletes. Each of us had overcome adversity to be at this race. The man sitting across from me and myself had been successfully recovering from alcoholism for the last nine years. The woman next to me had spent three years recuperating from a horrific bicycle accident. She was recovering from two fractured cervical (neck) vertebrae, a fractured scapula, a torn rotator cuff and severe knee ligament damage. Yet, we were very humbled to discover what tremendous adversity the other incredible athletes had overcome. There were several athletes who had been obese and lost over 100 pounds. There was a man doing his 15th Iron Man who had successfully recovered from an aortic aneurysm. There were numerous athletes racing who had recovered from cancer. Finally, there was a man who would make history if he successfully crossed the finish line. He would be the 1st person ever to complete an Iron Man triathlon after receiving a heart transplant.
Now I fully understand one of the signs I saw near the top of one of the nasty hills. It said, "Suck it up princess." My dad was right. There is always somebody worse off than you are son."
Life is about overcoming adversity.
4. Life is about what is possible.
The biggest hero for me and many of my fellow competitors is Sister Madonna Buder. Sister Madonna is a 78 years old Roman Catholic nun from Spokane Washington. She is well known in the triathlon world for her achievements in age group triathlon races. She began running at age 49, when a priest encouraged her and her fellow nuns to start running. He told them it would harmonize their mind, body and soul and this appealed to Sister Buder. In 2006 she became the oldest person to ever complete the Iron Man triathlon in Hawaii. The loudest and longest applause at this year's 2008 awards banquet was once again for Sister Madonna.
Not only is Sister Buder the oldest female finisher of Ironman Canada, she is the oldest ever to have completed it male or female. She also holds four age group records in this Ironman race which no one in Ironman history has ever done. At an awards' banquet a few years ago Sister Buder received a five minute long standing ovation. The long and loud ovation left Sister Buder speechless and overwhelmed and her eyes filled with tears. The crowd asked for a speech and she told the crowd "I am humbled at your show of enthusiasm but I don't really see what the big deal is!"
Her attitude of gratitude and spiritual energy is an inspiration to us all. She always has an upbeat attitude and claims that her success comes from "training religiously." Her words of advice for the two eighteen year old competitors were to take it 1 step at a time. This race is about "what is possible." Sister Madonna has certainly thrown all the rules about limitations out the window.
Never mind about limitations. Life is about what is possible.
5. Love is the most important thing.
As I mentioned earlier, the Iron Man triathlon is a day filled with every emotion possible. However, at the end of the day, there is one emotion that trumps all others. That emotion is love. There has to be meaning in all of our blood, sweat and tears. Life would be a hollow and sterile existence if we did not have loved ones to share our happiness, sadness, joy and grief. In the longest and darkest hours of my life, I had an extreme burning desire to be with my loved ones. In the happiest and joyful occasions, I always wanted to share them with my family.
It is no surprise than, that I had the support of my family and friends on this day. I can also confidently state that so did my 2300 fellow competitors. During this year's Iron Man, my family and friends were with me in spirit for the entire race. As I struggled up the final summit to Yellow Lake, I was so distraught that I actually thought about quitting after I finished the bike. I was so sick and tired of hearing, "on your left, Larry" before being passed by yet another biker. It was in these profound, gloomy moments that I heard the voice of my Dad say, "c'mon, you can do it!" Dad has always been there for me in good and bad times and I felt him with me as I finally cleared the summit.
As I passed through one of the aid stations on Main Street, a lovely female volunteer walked and talked with me as she passed me some Gatorade. I immediately thought of my Mom and knew that she was there with me even though she still believes after 40 years that "sports are going to kill me."
I also felt the presence of my sister who was afraid throughout my training and preparation that I was going to have an accident on my bike. She said a special prayer for me at her Sunday mass. Perhaps her prayer helped the heroic volunteers detect and remove the 6 miles of tacks that had been dumped on the bike route by some malicious and cowardly lame brained idiots.
Finally, there was the very heart warming feeling of love I felt for my girlfriend Laurie. She would be waiting for me near the finish line. I wore her watch so she would be with me for the entire race. (The only problem was that the numbers on the watch were so small I couldn't really tell how fast I was going.)
I survived the draining and lonely dark run along Main Street with my legs cramping and my gas tank near zero. I could hear the noise and the feel the excitement of the finish line. It was then that I recognized Laurie in a bright orange jacket with about a mile to go in the race. We held hands for a split second and my physical pain seemed to vanish. I have never felt so connected and in love with Laurie as I did in that moment. I had passed through the lonely, dark and depressing anguish into a magical kingdom of love and light. Without a doubt, it was love that kept me moving forward in the deepest and darkest moments of this day.
Without a doubt, I can honestly and adamantly state that the Iron Man triathlon is my life in a nutshell. And on this incredible journey, I found my holy grail.
The inscription read, "Love is the most important thing."
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