Well I guess you’re wondering why it took me so long to write this blog.  I have to say that it has taken me this long to integrate everything that I endured during that day.  It really was the most challenging day of my life and yet the best day of my life.  I found freedom and changed my belief system forever.  You see I used to think running was bad for you.  I used to think that I couldn’t run because of my fractured femur that hospitalized me for over 30 days.  I used to think that I was in the best shape of my life when I was in my early 30’s.  I used to think that health came from the outside in.  I used to think I couldn’t swim 3.8 km, since I couldn’t swim 25 meters.  I used to think that I couldn’t run a marathon, let alone an Ironman triathlon.  I can now definitively say without question that I shattered all those beliefs and have a new construct now.  Free of old baggage and stories that kept me from growing.  You see it took me several days after the race to understand that “Beliefs either empower us or they disempower us!”  Yes you heard me correct.  And what’s even more amazing is that we all have them.  It’s a choice and it’s also our choice to take ‘em to the grave with us and either live our most extraordinary life or live in a claustrophobic box that’s closing in on us without our awareness.  Why did I have these beliefs in the first place that were shattered?

I think it’s easy to default to the path of least resistance.  It takes little effort to take this route.  It saves energy, stress and is comfortable.  However, this all changes when we don’t realize that we’re getting the results that we want.  Why push the mind and body when it’s happy with the status quo?  Because, it’s necessary for our growth and evolution.  Without moving out of our comfort zones, we cannot grow.  We wither, get bitter and put ourselves in the pit.

One of the greatest lessons I got from the last year of training for Ironman is that I was able to push myself out of my comfort zone almost every day.  From the wet and cold 6 and 7 a.m. swims and bike rides, to the mental control to know that I couldn’t miss a training session, to abstaining from caffeine and alcohol for over 8 months.  You can bet your bottom dollar that I will continue to push my comfort zones and myself for the rest of my life.  There is no easy way out until I’m done on this planet.  And I hope to inspire millions of people in order to get their fantastic activity groove on, by committing to health, activity and exercise.

So, I know you’re reading this to get a glimpse of the race.  My good friend Ryan Yokome from Dirty Runners made this awesome video and I encourage you to watch the 22 minutes of goodness as it gives you a clear lens into what went on leading up to as well as race day.  Enjoy!

In order to swim 3.8 km, bike 180 km and then run 42.2 km it takes several things that I can share with you.  It takes persistence to follow through on every action in order to train the body for the celebration of race day.  It takes sound nutrition, which helps the body repair, and recover from every training session.  It takes belief that you can complete the event.  It takes visualization and meditation in order to hone the mind to allow you to focus and quiet the “chatter of the monkeys”.  It takes having support of friends and family.  It takes a cause bigger than one’s self.  I chose to run the race in honor of a charity called Paper Kite Children’s foundation which supports children in India, who are without parental care and thus, are at a higher risk of suffering discrimination, inadequate care, abuse and exploitation.  I thank all my friends and clients that supported me with this cause and am eternally grateful for making my first charity event a most successful one.

As far as the actual race plan went for me, I was near the start line for the swim and I had my affirmation and intention of “space, calm and breathe”.  Well this worked too perfectly, since I swam 80% of the swim on my own without a person within 20 feet.  I looked for feet to swim on and couldn’t find any and the few that I did had a person on them that didn’t give them up.  I also realized that funny games that my mind played on the swim when I was at 1km away from shore and I heard my mind say that I didn’t put my bike shoes into my bike transition bag.  It was a lie thankfully, but it did give me a scare and some wasted thoughts that I’d get there and have to drop out since the pedal attachments on the shoes are the only think that fits and can properly spin the pedal.

When I got to the bike, I held back to 50% of my capacity for the first 90 km.  I had all sorts of peeps passing me.  I then would in turn exchange the favor later down the road.  I actually came up with a song and was singing it as I was passing peeps.  It wasn’t rude, it was just I got tired of yelling “Passing on your left”.  The bike course was hot and a peak temperature of 41 degrees Celsius was recorded near Yellow Lake, which was an arduous climb at the 170 km mark.  I also was blessed in the sense that I saw so many flat tires on the course.  I didn’t have a worry with this issue.  I got into town and was ready for the run.

Once in transition, which incidentally both took me 5 and 6 minutes to complete, I was able to change and move on to the run.  I knew this would be tough.  I have never run a full marathon.  I’ve done a half, a half Ironman and an ultra marathon.  But I hadn’t experienced 42 km particularly after a swim and crazy bike ride.  But did I think I could do it?  You’re damn straight I did.  I didn’t get too far ahead of myself.  I knew that nutrition and focusing on process would get me there.  I had glimpses of the finish, but would continually just look at the next mile marker.  I focused on scanning my body and mind every 10 minutes.  I also made sure I was meticulous with my nutrition.  I had coconut water (from Organic Lives) and bananas along with water.  That was it.  It worked like a charm.  No cramping and good energy all the way through.

I should also mention that family (Richard & Carol, Brandon, Rose & Garry and Ray) and friends (Al and Gil and his parents, Sukhi and Kate’s parents, as well as THE amazing videographer: Ryan and his girlfriend Kris) were there on that special day and every time I would see them I would get this amazing surge of energy and Goosebumps that would rocket me either a ½ to a full mile down the road.  I am grateful that I had this support.  Even distant support from my girlfriend Alexis got me through the day.  I’m sure it would have been a tougher day without them there.  I also have to throw props out to all the Facebook supporters.  Their comments and well wishes were so appreciated.

It’s also interesting in that when I got to the finish, I had the most amazing “high” that lasted 6 hours into the night until I fell asleep.  Better than any drug!  And being that I have had major surgery, I can tell you this with clarity and sincerity.

So there you have it.  I hope in reading this you are inspired and take on a challenge of your own in order to grow and live an extraordinary life.  We all have amazing potential and it’s a choice based on our beliefs that will either help us or hinder us.  What do you BELIEVE?