Iron Eve

Ironman Eve. It’s getting really, really real now. T-13 hours. One sleep, if the night’s sleep before a race counts, when you have to be up to eat your Iron oats, and have one last Iron shit by 4am. It’s “why” time. Why in the name of all that is holy would one sign up and pay, and pay, and then spend some more money to do this thing? Someone recently asked me about motivation, specifically where mine comes from. I am after all a 40 year-old school teacher. It’s not like I am a pro, I don’t make money at this, I’m not a high schooler trying to earn a varsity letter. Why train 2+ hours a day? Why do 100 mile bike rides, and swim endless laps in the tiny Northport pool all winter? What is my specific recipe for crazy?

I started as a runner, which was only a little crazy, lots of people do track in middle and high school. But I loved the longer races which put me in a slightly smaller pool of people, so I could not wait for cross country in high school. Cross country is the absolute best, there are never cross country meets indoors! You run in everything over everything, the harder and more challenging the better. I loved being outdoors, I loved the space, I loved the freedom. Too many people around you, run faster create a little breathing room. Sure, there were plenty of kids running cross country, not football or basketball numbers, but we were ok with that. Long distance runners know, long distance is not for everyone. We get it, and the other people out there with us get it, and those that don’t, just don’t, and that is ok with us. Better it’s our secret anyway.

Lots of the people I ran with as an adult, in 5 and 10Ks, ½ and full marathons were other grown-up cross country kids. And there are those few that came to endurance sports later and finally got it. I love to see a high school friend that played basketball at a ½ marathon, or a former student who was obsessed with soccer at a 10k. It’s like they realized that they have a body and it can do something pretty unbelievable, and hey cool endorphins. They find that there is an inner peace in the quiet loneliness of the long run. No distractions of a game, just you and your own thoughts. For some it can be found at the local 5K and it is huge. For some, like myself, there is more to prove, or maybe the need for a quieter mind is greater.

I’ve had some pretty meaningful insights on life during long runs. Some real hard conversations with the Universe. A 50 mile ultra-marathon takes me about 9 and a half hours, and even endorphins cannot counter the pounding my knees take. Being open to new things I gave triathlon a try. After all why not make a day of it, a long-ish day, more like 12+ hours for me. I discovered new disciplines. One I was sure I would hate (cycling) and one that I really never thought about at all and now love (swimming). And of course I still get to run, but also save my knees, a little.

Is that an answer? Maybe. Here is more recipe for crazy. . .

I am motivated by a desire to be alone outdoors, like a hobo, eating sweaty protein bars out of my pockets. That seems extreme, I should have prefaced that with the fact that I spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 9 months, in the constant company of hundreds of teenagers, so the wilderness hobo thing has got to be part of my survival strategy. Time to think, whatever I want to. Feel whatever I want to. Daydream whatever I want to.

I am motivated by feeling of aliveness that comes with an increased heart rate, one that you feel, the beat that tells you its pumping blood. And breathing in the air, hard, needing every breath, whether is -10 and icing up your nose hair, or 90 with 80% humidity. Of course my favorite is crispy, cool, and smelling of autumn leaves and maybe a campfire in the distance, ummm, October.

I am motivated by the way on a cold winter day about a half mile into the run I am an efficient little furnace just steaming with heat. My legs are pistons and my body is an efficient machine. Just try to keep me indoors.

I am motivated by the click of bike gears, and the fun whistle the wind makes in my helmet. Yeah, it’s HellKat on Stormsky, watch out!

I am motivated by trainer rides with the stereo turned up loud blasting techno swing.

I am motivated by the miles of Leelanau county clicking by on a fancy machine powered by only MY muscles, heart, and lungs.

I am motivated by the feeling like a superhero actually flying around curves, in fact I am pretty much flying, I’m balancing on about 2 square inches of rubber, going as fast as 40mph.

I am motivated by still cool days and smooth roads with wide shoulders. They call to me.

I am motivated by the smooth flow of the water down the length of my body on the swim when I find my balance and rhythm.

I am motivated by a calm bay on a clear day, get me in that water. How far do you think that next point is?

I am motivated by an empty pool all to myself, while it is snowing up a storm outdoors.

I am motivated by Ironman tattoos, I’ve designed at least 30 but can’t decide on one.

I am motivated by the other weirdos that do this thing, the support and respect triathletes have for each other. What a great community to belong to. I’m proud to be part of it, and one of few that just “gets it”.

Happy Ironman-ing!