Guess Who's Going to the World Championship in Kona

On Aug 24, I had the race of my dreams ... taking 28 minutes of my best time, qualifying for the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, and finishing 3^rd in my age group.

About 10 months ago ... I booked my Kona accommodations from Oct 2-17 ... for WHEN I qualify for the World Championships on Oct 11. My mind set was ... Kona or bust.

Since I did not register for IMC, I had to qualify to get there. I qualified in Oliver, BC on June 1.

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

I had a great race ...

Swim Time - 1:01:12

In my opinion ... this is a pretty smoking time. I don't deserve it. In the pool, I work hard to hang onto my mates that swim IM in 1:10 and 1:15.

How did you do it? I swam on the inside next to the buoys ... and looked for fast feet to draft onto. Because I can't swim in a straight line ... I try to find someone with some florescent patch on their leg ... then I just enjoy the bubbly sensation hanging onto their draft. I think many years of playing Rugby and inventing "Chinese Downhill Ski Racing" as a teenager ... turns out to assist my meditative state in chaos.

Bike Time - 5:15:21

When I did Ironman in 2006, I missed the roll down to Kona by one spot and just a few seconds. I said then that I would get ‘fitted' with gear for the next Ironman.

However, I was very reluctant. (I'm cheap.) Finally in Mid July I broke down and got a tri specific bike - a Cervelo P2C. My good friend Greg Kolodziejzyk helped me fit the bike to copy my existing position. He also set me up with an SRM (to measure power), race wheels and an aero helmet! (His help was simply amazing!)

My plan: Hold 210-220 watts for the entire bike ride, and sip on my 1500 calorie bottle and drink one areobar water every aid station.

I followed the plan ... and for the most part really enjoyed the ride. My $80 Aero Bontragger (... which supposedly would make me 2 min. faster) water bottle was really heavy ... and it actually fell off the bike early in the race. I turned back and collected it.

(Did you Pee? 5 times!)

FIRST BIKE SEGMENT - 42.5 mi. (2:05:51) - 20.26 mph

FINAL BIKE SEGMENT - 69.5 mi. (3:09:30) - 22.01 mph

Run Time - 3:24:35

My plan was to start slow for 3-10 km ... then when feeling good ... I would try to hold 8 minute miles to do a 3:30 marathon. My watch was broken and I forgot to take my new fandangle Garmin 405 ... so I had no way to measure pace.

I did start slow for about 3 km ... then picked it up. I felt great most of the run ... and just wanted to the finish and enjoy some pizza. About Mile 22 ... my newly developed Abdominal Hernia ... began to cause some grief. I thought I was well ahead ... so I slowed considerably. In the last 500m of the run ... I wasn't paying attention ... and was passed ... putting me in 3^rd place.

FIRST RUN SEGMENT - 13.1 mi. (1:42:07) - 7:47/mile

FINAL RUN SEGMENT - 13.1 mi. (1:42:28) - 7:49/mile

"You must learn from your past mistakes, but not lean on your past successes." Denis Waitley

What did I do to get to Mr. Happy going to Kona?

-I signed up with Critical Speed. I wanted training partners - who would push me.

-I lost weight. Since November I lost 10-12 lbs. On the day before Ironman I was 162 lbs. (Depending on the time of day ... and the scales I stood on ... I got down to 155. In November I was 170.)

-I got a new bike ... and Greg Kolodqiejzyk set me up and helped me with a ‘power' plan.

-I had a nutrition plan. Hammer Product works great for me.

-I had fun with age-old idea's, recently made popular by Oprah, contained in "The Secret", and "The Law of Attraction".

I'm Mr. Happy

I've been ‘visualizing' a sub 10 hour Ironman ... with the idea that I would be okay with a 10:10 ... which I figured would qualify me for Kona.

I may have wondered in the past if I could do a 9:45 ... but it would have only been a fleeting thought.

It was of course wonderful to have my wife Shirley, and kids Robin and Jacob with me. It was very special to run down the chute with Jacob.

Also, my sister Peggy and her family were all there.

It was cool.

What's next?

I'm looking forward to The World Championship in Kona ... the flights are booked ... and we are all excited.

(This far I haven't committed to a goal - other than raising money for Habitat for Humanity ... but I'm wondering why I shouldn't be able to do sub 10 hours again.!)

I'm on the ‘once an age group Ironman program'. Thus far I've done three IM ... all in different age groups. I look forward to doing more cycle and sea kayak touring, short adventure races, and short tri's. After Kona, I'll be looking for an Ironman sometime after 2012. Until then, I'll stay fit ... and I'll be strategizing on how to win my age group next time!

As Ralph Waldo Emerson said "The reward of a thing well done is to have done it."

I love being outside ... and I love training. It makes me a better Dad, and a better realtor. My reward is surrounding myself with great people, and visualizing the results I want. (Many thanks to my wife Shirley and kids Robin and Jacob. Big Thanks to Coach Cal - Critical Speed, Les Hewitt - Power of Focus, Mike Ferry - Real Estate Coach, Don Campbell - REIN and Greg Kolodqiejzyk).

... I am Mr. Happy. (I wore this T-Shirt at the awards ceremony at IMC.)

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To support my fund raising for Habit for Humanity, visit http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=493848