Tough Decisions

At first, the whales in the picture looked photoshopped. However, the kayaker in the picture posted a video from his Go Pro camera. This is a real shot. This is right off shore in Seward, Alaska, in Resurrection Bay. Wild picture for sure. Tough decisions come in our lives every day. Whether it is a job, relationships, finances, travel or whatever. We are faced with them no matter what. Our brains probably make 1000s of decisions each day some simple while some quite complex. One tough decision I am facing is to drop out of competing in Ultraman next year. There are a two main reasons: Finances and time commitment. First, financial decisions play a big role in every day life and this is no exception. The cost of entry is significantly more than an Ironman event, not to mention travel to/from Penticton and hotel stay while we are there. Second, the time commitment for training alone concerns me. At its peak, training will be a full time job. While I will be off for the summer, I am not quite sure if I want to train nearly 30+ hours per week. One of my goals next year is to try and qualify for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in South Africa. I would also like to consider some short triathlons as well (e.g., sprint events) as well as the potential for another extreme triathlon in the next 2 years. So, dilemma. I have a month or so to make a decision. Continued prayer will have make a confident one for sure. In the meantime, the focus is the Ironman Coeur d'Alene 70.3 on June 25. Part training for Alaskaman and part redemption for last year.

Let the season begin

The 2017 triathlon season is in full swing. Up first was the Troika Triathlon. I did the sprint: 500 yard swim, 11 mile bike and 5K run. I finished 11th overall and 2nd in my age group. Not too bad. Broke in the new bike for sure. It poured rain the whole time. My feet were so cold I could not feel them until the first mile on the run. It was a nice way to begin the season. May 28 was the CDA half marathon - a training run for me. I wanted to complete it under 2 hours and hit 1:54 and 10th in my age group. It is hard to believe we are only 7 weeks away from the inaugural Alaskaman Extreme triathlon. Training is amping up for the peak phase: 3 weeks of fun. It culminates with the Ironman Coeur d'Alene 70.3 on June 25. Part training, part redemption (from last year when my knee decided to quit working at mile 2 on the run). So, as we continue marching forward, my support team is also getting ready move along with things as they prep for the road ahead. I am looking forward to this continued quest from Alaskaman to Ultraman.

Perspective

We are now in single digits to the event - 9 weeks left. Here, the last 1/2 mile to the top of Mt Aleyeska looks like a daunting one. Well, I am certain it is super steep and it comes at mile 26.5 in the 27-mile run portion of the event. We have all been up since 2am and racing in some capacity. Of course the race directors save the best for last... the hardest part. But, really it is about perspective. Perspective allows us to see things in different ways, while still keeping focus on what's ahead. Yes, while this is a super steep climb (15% or greater), the finish line is right there at the building. Philippians 3:14 says "I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." It is only fitting that I am climbing upward toward the finish line to reach the end of the race and see my support team and celebrate in God's glory of this beautiful area. I cannot wait.

Moving forward

A view from the run course and probably the "flattest" part of the course. Ironman-distance events, and other endurance events for that matter, are about moving forward. It is how we get from point A to point B. Life is the same way. We have to put one foot in front of the other in order to get where we need to go. It has to be baby steps. If you are training for a marathon for the first time, you don't go out and run 10 miles on the first day. If we want to achieve a goal, we need a plan that allows us to move forward. Moving forward requires endurance. In Hebrews, we are told to "run with endurance the race that is set before us." God's plan for us is to keep us moving forward, running with endurance the race He set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.

One of the pioneers...

In 3 short months (Yikes!!!), I will be an Inaugural Alaskaman finisher, having done something no one else on Earth has ever done. Think about that. I will be one of the first. Through the good the bad and the ugly, I will be one of the pioneers and when this race is 10, 20, 30 years old, I will be one of the founding finishers that blazed the trails for the first time (like the trail to the top in the picture) so that thousands to come could enjoy the Last Frontier in a way most never will. That is so hard to wrap my brain around but it is entirely cool. Oh, and I added the second picture of the Orca family. This family was spotted in Resurrection Bay - the same place we are swimming in 3 months. Fortunately, they won't be bothering us.

Within reach...

Appropriately titled, "Within reach" is a defining moment in our lives. The top photo is a great view looking down in the valley. Way, way out in the distance, off to the top right of the lake is Transition 2 (bike-to-run). So, we have been up since 1:00am, swam 2.6 miles in cold glacier water and rode 112 miles (within a possible headwind) and hit T2 just so we can run 27 miles. Heading into Girwood is within reach because that is mile 14 of the run. We start the climb at mile 20 and head up the mountain for a 7-mile, 4000-feet elevation gain. The bottom photo is the final mile to the finish... definitely within reach. From the top photo where we so far away to now at the top of the mountain is amazing in and of itself, especially since we have traveled more than 114 miles. Wild to think and exciting to think about... within reach in 13 weeks.

You have to start somewhere.

The last post started with the end in mind - the finish line. Now, I shift your attention to start line. Here, in this place, at 4am on July 15, 300 triathletes jump in the 55-degree waters of Resurrection Bay to start the Alaskaman journey. Fed by glaciers, this water has basically zero visibility. Swimming in the open water is already amazing but this bay is also home to orcas, whales, seals and other Alaskan aquatic life. Granted they won't be bothering us but the mental part of that is pretty wild. It is also kind of cool it is called Resurrection Bay. Resurrection is the concept of coming back to life after death. Jesus died and came back to life three days later. He came to earth to die for our sins so that it bridges the gap between us and God. In John 14:6, it states "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." Thank goodness this triathlon won't take me three days to complete; however, I love the connection to Ultraman in 2018. It will take me 3 days to complete. So, life's journey has to start somewhere and why not start in Resurrection Bay.

The finish line...

This is the last half mile stretch to the finish line at Alaskaman Extreme Triathlon. After a punishing, relentless climb of 6.5 miles, these last few steps at 15% grade (or more) will be amazing. Hopefully the view will be just as stunning when I finish in July. Week 2 is complete and things are clicking along. My first 65-min run since last summer's knee injury was completed and I felt great. Thank you God for keeping me healthy thus far. It was great to get outside with a break in cold weather. Finally. As I had back to work after a nice spring break (kind of funny to say that) I look forward to seeing how I fit in training with my goofy work schedule. The finish line is almost here (at least for this part). Acts 20:24 states: "I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."

A quest is a long or arduous search for something. Humans have been on quests since the dawn of time. They have climbed to the top of the highest mountains, dove to the depths of the deepest seas, flown the farthest and free-fell the fastest from the edge of the atmosphere. Endurance athletes take on some strangest, longest, craziest, most mind-boggling quests out there. Over the next 17 months my quest takes me on an intimate journey to see what I am capable of doing. I am thankful God has kept me healthy over the years and has made these endurance events possible. After 11 full Ironman events, I am anxious to see where I go with these two new endurance events. In 1 Timothy 4:8, physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. I hope I can glorify God in the process and share my quest with everyone.

On the eve of my 20-week training plan for the inaugural Alaskaman Extreme Triathlon, I can't help but think what I have experienced since living in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. I live in an awesome, hugely active community. From early April to mid October, I could race every weekend and not travel more than an hour. Whether it is a 5K run, half or full marathon, cycling event, triathlon, open water swim or whatever, this community embraces an active lifestyle. I know it has changed the way I approach my triathlon season. I have completed more than 125 triathlons in my life, including 11 full Ironman events and a dozen half ironman events. My decision to do Alaskaman was to go back to what that distance was all about -- what are we made of when all we have are the elements itself. I look forward to the challenge of seeing what I am capable of doing. I look forward to experiencing Alaska in its most raw, difficult form. I look forward to being one of the first to complete the first ever. Let the journey begin... with a dive into the cold water (and yes, that is me diving into the water at the start of a triathlon last year).

For reference: Alaskaman Extreme triathlon is an ironman-distance triathlon. It is a 2.7-mile swim in Resurrection Bay in Seward, AK, 112-mile along the Seward Highway and a 27-mile run (with the last 7 miles to the top of Mt Aleskya). Ultraman Triathlon is a 3-day extreme triathlon. Day 1: 6.2-mile swim and 90-mile bike. Day 2: 170-mile bike. Day 3: 52.4-mile run.

We are off on our quest: from Alaskaman to Ultraman. This starts my quest to be one of the first finishers in the augural Alaskaman Extreme Triathlon in July 2017 and one of the final Ultraman Canada finishers in Aug 2018. Over the next 17 months I plan on documenting my journey and hope you would follow along. So here we go...