Happy Ironman World Championship Day!!!
Sitting here on the couch, resting up for the Chicago Marathon tomorrow! What a great day so far. Little run and breakfast with my two favorite girls in the whole world, Ana and Lyla :)
Some real mixed emotions for me today watching Kona. Excitement, jealousy, pride....I can't wait to EARN my way back! It's starts tomorrow at the Chicago Marathon. I have a lofty goal of breaking 3 hours and no matter how good the day goes, it is going to HURT! Its how we deal with this hurt that makes great competitors and PR's!
As I was watching several friends compete in Ironman Wisconsin last month, I got to talking about mental strength with my buddy, Brian. He had recently read an article that said Endurance Athletes are the WORST quitters of all! I was shocked. But upon explanation, it made sense. Endurance athletes have the most "time" to quit because of the duration in competition. That aside, it is hard to keep mental focus for 3, 4, 8, 12+ HOURS.
When things get tough...we naturally want to find the reason why. And in my opinion, when the body and mind are tired...we gravitate towards the "negative why." I didn't get enough sleep, stressed from work, I dropped my salt, it's too hot, I'm not at race weight, and the list goes on and on and on....
To test this theory, Brian and I situated ourselves on a large hill at mile 18 of the run in Madison. At this point in the race, I'd say 90% of the athletes were walking up the hill. No doubt, their thoughts were "I can't run another step." So Brian and I cheered...and cheered LOUD. Guess what, 90% of the walkers ran up the hill. Why? I thought they were exhausted? I thought they dropped their salt? I thought they needed one more hour of sleep? I thought they biked too hard?
No, the answer is that their MIND gave up. They told themselves they couldn't do it anymore. We witnessed this for the better part of an HOUR. Athlete after athlete giving up long before their body would give in.
So what does it mean? It means find your "switch." On race day, there are NO excuses. Unless you can't physically move your legs...keep going. Turn the brain off...stop thinking negative thoughts...and most importantly....NEVER COUNT THE MILES DOWN! Stay in your mile...stay in your "comfort" zone and blow past the rough parts.
After a lot of self reflection...I realized that I had not unleashed my inner strength this year. Madison changed that....from that day on, my marathon training took off. No more ipod on the run, no more excuses (too hot, too humid, blah blah blah)...just hit the paces and shut the "F" up :)
Well, I've done that and I'm ready to show my inner strength tomorrow....I don't know when I will need it. Mile 16? 18? 22? all of the above? Probably...but I'll tell you this...if my legs are moving, I'm running HARD. No excuses.
I saw some tremendous inner strength this past year....my wife giving birth to my daughter, Dan and Scott RUNNING up that hill in Madison without giving in, the end to my marathon training....
So don't give in if you are racing this weekend....I'm not. Inner strength...tap into it....you HAVE IT.
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
I have a Blog?
Oh my...the last post here, Super Bowl Sunday! My how my life has changed since then! I've had a lot of random thoughts running through my head for the past few months but finding the time to write them down has been difficult. So...here we go:
Post Kona Hangover
With Kona just a few weeks away, the excitement is starting to bubble again. I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss Ironman, in some way, this year. I had several buddies competing...I even trained my first Ironman athlete for IM Wisconsin this year too! It was a blast and he did unbelievable. 11 hours in his FIRST IM!
What I didn't miss at all was the loooooong bikes! Sometimes, it's hard to see just how time consuming it is when you are in the middle of it...but taking a step back this year was GREAT. I did a lot more intensity and most of my workouts were done in 3 hours or under. That was amazing.
What I missed was my "Triathlete Identity." I'm an Ironman. I do it pretty well. So to get out of my comfort zone and try to get after the short course, it felt like something was missing. I think in the long run, this year away will do me a lot of good though.
So as the World Championships draw closer and the inspiration of Ironman Wisconsin lingers...I'm super excited to be back at it next year! I am officially signed up for Ironman Chattanooga. Another assault on Kona? I guess we will see.....
Baby Lyla
One of the biggest changes this year was the birth of my daughter, Lyla. What a blessing she has been. Life has a whole other level of meaning now. Being a father is the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced in my life. She is wonderful and I couldn't ask for a better daughter or wife (Love you Ana!)
From an athletic standpoint, Lyla is going to CRUSH it. She won her first "race." In the delivery room, our doctor said there was a lady in the next room delivering baby #4. No way we were going to "beat" her. Well...not only did we beat her...Lyla came out 15 minutes before the baby next door! TAKE THAT WORLD! She came to RACE....and to WIN!
People can tell you how hard it will be to train when you have kids, but until you experience it for yourself you just can't understand. It was TOUGH. Long nights....recovery time is a third of what it used to be. My "couch" time was quickly replaced with diapers, feedings, cleaning an endless supply of BOTTLES, and trying to pitch in wherever possible to help Ana. Oh...and I still had to go to work too.
But I got it in. My race season (to date) was a little bit of a disappointment if I were to be honest. I didn't have many bad races, I just never found the "race gear" that I have come accustomed to in the past. It was rough. I felt like I was at 85% all year. What I'm most proud of...I didn't hang it up. I made the effort and sacrifice and made ZERO excuses when I had the opportunity to train. I will be forever proud of the effort I put in...the results will come again. And truthfully, Lyla doesn't care how fast I go. She will only care that I have a smile on my face and I'm safe. At the end of the day, that is what matters...not a podium. Don't mistake that as me giving in....I will get back to the podium too :)
Short Course Experiment
So with Lyla being born, this was going to be the year of the "short course." If I just dialed it back and concentrated on speed, I would be fast right? WRONG. Looking back, if you want to do short course right...it takes YEARS of commitment. To "redline" for 2+ HOURS is a whole other animal. In the past, I've described myself as able to deal with moderate pain for a LONG time...well, MASSIVE pain for a short time SUCKS. In the end, it was a fun experiment and I look forward to building on this in years to come. Some regular sleep will help for sure.
I dealt with all kinds of issues in the races this year. Leon's I was totally flat. It was a good race, but not great. Pleasant Prairie was AWESOME...because I left the watch and power meter at home and just raced on feel. It was so cool to get back to the "basics" in that race. It was a good race, but not great. Racine was a total trainwreck on the run. The swim and bike were spot on....I started cramping in the legs on mile #1 of the run. Running 13.1 miles with legs cramps is perhaps the worst feeling in the world. Looking back, I messed up my nutrition on the bike. Didn't drink enough. Idiot. Racine was humbling. Nationals was fun! The leg cramps came back on the run...not sure why this time. It was a blast of a race...it was a good race, but not great.
So as the Tri season wrapped up, I was ready to move on from 2013. I didn't want to bike anymore...I needed a break from swimming...and I needed to put all the leg cramps behind me. It was a tough year...racing full on at 85% is hard. But like I said before, I'm proud of my year. I gave it 100% and still did pretty good. I can't ask for much more as a new "Triathlete Dad."
Chicago Marathon
So what's going on now? I'm running the marathon in a few weeks! This has been such a refreshing change from the Triathlon training. Lots of miles...lots of HARD miles as well. I was very worried that I wasn't going to hit my goal pacing because it felt like DEATH in training for quite some time. Were my legs fried out? Did this year take too much out of me? NO. The heat and humidity we had lately SUCKED. It made it hard to hit the intervals...but I stayed the course.
The last two weekends I've done 20mi runs and crushed them. A little break in the weather and low and behold....my fitness has been here the entire time! I still carry the inspiration from Madison IM and the mental toughness I saw on the course by my friends. These two factors have unlocked my run. I feel light and snappy. I ran the fastest 20mi training run in my life today and couldn't be more excited about the race. As with most marathons, if you have done the work, the rest is up to Mother Nature...let's see what she gives on race day.
Another inspiration for my Marathon has been the fundraiser that I helped to set up for my Sister and Brother-in-Law. The outpouring of support has been unreal. I am humbled by what I have witnessed. I am sincerely honored to be running "For a Miracle Baby." It makes it so much more special to run for something bigger than a mile split or place in the age group.
If you have time...check out the fundraiser page...a true inspiration!
www.youcaring.com/babyatkins-run.for.a.miracle
What's Next?
Well, the marathon obviously. An Ironman next September (I'm super excited because Ana's family is finally going to see me race. I really look forward to making them proud!).
Most importantly, to continue to set an example for my daughter on how to live an active lifestyle. How to push for your dreams. How to follow through on commitments. How to never give up and never make excuses. How to be humble with your accomplishments. How to genuinely care for others accomplishments. And how to give your best 100% of the time...no matter what circumstances you came to the race with.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful year. I plan on following up on this blog with more. Mental toughness....that will be the next one. I learned a TON watching IM Wisconsin a few weeks ago. I look forward to sharing that with everyone.
Thank you as always for taking the time to read. This is a very cool medium for me to express some feelings. I have had a lot of positive feedback from previous posts, so I hope my next blog isn't 7 months from now :)
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Post Kona Hangover
With Kona just a few weeks away, the excitement is starting to bubble again. I would be lying if I said that I didn't miss Ironman, in some way, this year. I had several buddies competing...I even trained my first Ironman athlete for IM Wisconsin this year too! It was a blast and he did unbelievable. 11 hours in his FIRST IM!
What I didn't miss at all was the loooooong bikes! Sometimes, it's hard to see just how time consuming it is when you are in the middle of it...but taking a step back this year was GREAT. I did a lot more intensity and most of my workouts were done in 3 hours or under. That was amazing.
What I missed was my "Triathlete Identity." I'm an Ironman. I do it pretty well. So to get out of my comfort zone and try to get after the short course, it felt like something was missing. I think in the long run, this year away will do me a lot of good though.
So as the World Championships draw closer and the inspiration of Ironman Wisconsin lingers...I'm super excited to be back at it next year! I am officially signed up for Ironman Chattanooga. Another assault on Kona? I guess we will see.....
Baby Lyla
One of the biggest changes this year was the birth of my daughter, Lyla. What a blessing she has been. Life has a whole other level of meaning now. Being a father is the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced in my life. She is wonderful and I couldn't ask for a better daughter or wife (Love you Ana!)
From an athletic standpoint, Lyla is going to CRUSH it. She won her first "race." In the delivery room, our doctor said there was a lady in the next room delivering baby #4. No way we were going to "beat" her. Well...not only did we beat her...Lyla came out 15 minutes before the baby next door! TAKE THAT WORLD! She came to RACE....and to WIN!
People can tell you how hard it will be to train when you have kids, but until you experience it for yourself you just can't understand. It was TOUGH. Long nights....recovery time is a third of what it used to be. My "couch" time was quickly replaced with diapers, feedings, cleaning an endless supply of BOTTLES, and trying to pitch in wherever possible to help Ana. Oh...and I still had to go to work too.
But I got it in. My race season (to date) was a little bit of a disappointment if I were to be honest. I didn't have many bad races, I just never found the "race gear" that I have come accustomed to in the past. It was rough. I felt like I was at 85% all year. What I'm most proud of...I didn't hang it up. I made the effort and sacrifice and made ZERO excuses when I had the opportunity to train. I will be forever proud of the effort I put in...the results will come again. And truthfully, Lyla doesn't care how fast I go. She will only care that I have a smile on my face and I'm safe. At the end of the day, that is what matters...not a podium. Don't mistake that as me giving in....I will get back to the podium too :)
Short Course Experiment
So with Lyla being born, this was going to be the year of the "short course." If I just dialed it back and concentrated on speed, I would be fast right? WRONG. Looking back, if you want to do short course right...it takes YEARS of commitment. To "redline" for 2+ HOURS is a whole other animal. In the past, I've described myself as able to deal with moderate pain for a LONG time...well, MASSIVE pain for a short time SUCKS. In the end, it was a fun experiment and I look forward to building on this in years to come. Some regular sleep will help for sure.
I dealt with all kinds of issues in the races this year. Leon's I was totally flat. It was a good race, but not great. Pleasant Prairie was AWESOME...because I left the watch and power meter at home and just raced on feel. It was so cool to get back to the "basics" in that race. It was a good race, but not great. Racine was a total trainwreck on the run. The swim and bike were spot on....I started cramping in the legs on mile #1 of the run. Running 13.1 miles with legs cramps is perhaps the worst feeling in the world. Looking back, I messed up my nutrition on the bike. Didn't drink enough. Idiot. Racine was humbling. Nationals was fun! The leg cramps came back on the run...not sure why this time. It was a blast of a race...it was a good race, but not great.
So as the Tri season wrapped up, I was ready to move on from 2013. I didn't want to bike anymore...I needed a break from swimming...and I needed to put all the leg cramps behind me. It was a tough year...racing full on at 85% is hard. But like I said before, I'm proud of my year. I gave it 100% and still did pretty good. I can't ask for much more as a new "Triathlete Dad."
Chicago Marathon
So what's going on now? I'm running the marathon in a few weeks! This has been such a refreshing change from the Triathlon training. Lots of miles...lots of HARD miles as well. I was very worried that I wasn't going to hit my goal pacing because it felt like DEATH in training for quite some time. Were my legs fried out? Did this year take too much out of me? NO. The heat and humidity we had lately SUCKED. It made it hard to hit the intervals...but I stayed the course.
The last two weekends I've done 20mi runs and crushed them. A little break in the weather and low and behold....my fitness has been here the entire time! I still carry the inspiration from Madison IM and the mental toughness I saw on the course by my friends. These two factors have unlocked my run. I feel light and snappy. I ran the fastest 20mi training run in my life today and couldn't be more excited about the race. As with most marathons, if you have done the work, the rest is up to Mother Nature...let's see what she gives on race day.
Another inspiration for my Marathon has been the fundraiser that I helped to set up for my Sister and Brother-in-Law. The outpouring of support has been unreal. I am humbled by what I have witnessed. I am sincerely honored to be running "For a Miracle Baby." It makes it so much more special to run for something bigger than a mile split or place in the age group.
If you have time...check out the fundraiser page...a true inspiration!
www.youcaring.com/babyatkins-run.for.a.miracle
What's Next?
Well, the marathon obviously. An Ironman next September (I'm super excited because Ana's family is finally going to see me race. I really look forward to making them proud!).
Most importantly, to continue to set an example for my daughter on how to live an active lifestyle. How to push for your dreams. How to follow through on commitments. How to never give up and never make excuses. How to be humble with your accomplishments. How to genuinely care for others accomplishments. And how to give your best 100% of the time...no matter what circumstances you came to the race with.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful year. I plan on following up on this blog with more. Mental toughness....that will be the next one. I learned a TON watching IM Wisconsin a few weeks ago. I look forward to sharing that with everyone.
Thank you as always for taking the time to read. This is a very cool medium for me to express some feelings. I have had a lot of positive feedback from previous posts, so I hope my next blog isn't 7 months from now :)
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Random Thoughts....
Happy Super Bowl Sunday! I'm surprised I remembered my password to log in here :) Time to catch up with a bunch of random thoughts and topics. I hope your winter is going well and you are getting excited about the upcoming race season!
2013 Schedule: This year, I'm planning to run more short course. I'm going to focus on speed and backing down the total hours spent training....in an attempt to raise my speed for the next go around for Ironman (Possibly 2014). I feel good about getting after it this year and look forward to a slightly different focus and challenge. Below is what I'm thinking about doing for the year:
Cary Half Marathon
Leon's Olympic Tri
Pleasant Prairie Olympic Tri
Racine Half Ironman
Wauconda Olympic Tri
USA Olympic Nationals
Chicago Marathon
Looking forward to hammering it!
Lance: It's no secret that Lance Armstrong was a huge hero of mine. This topic has been talked about so much, it is nauseating. So here is my take; Lance watched too much Batman growing up. He is the biggest Two Face that ever lived. No athlete or celebrity has done more, in my opinion, good with their status than Lance. For that, I'm hopeful that he continues that part of his legacy and turns this into a positive. I don't condone PED's, but I can see why he took them. I don't condone lying, but I can see why he needed to cover it up. What I can't understand, is why he would ruthlessly attack people for trying to tell the truth. Lie as much as you want, but there was no need to bring innocent people down. For that, Lance, you are a true asshole. I'm hopeful he will fight for something positive, but once an asshole...quite possibly....always an asshole. But damn can that guy ride a bike.
Super Bowl: My beloved Bears are not it. Therefore, go Niners. At least a former Bear quarterback is leading the troops. And...I really like this new style offense that the Niners are running. Not sure it is sustainable, the pounding that the QB's will take is no joke. But for now, it is fun to watch.
Parenthood: I can't believe I'm going to be a father in less than 2 months. My blog will probably turn into incoherent ramblings of poop and diapers. And I can't wait for that! I am super excited and a little nervous as well. There are so many unknowns coming...but the journey will be awesome!
Thanks for reading....I'm happy to be back writing and I look forward to chatting soon!
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
2013 Schedule: This year, I'm planning to run more short course. I'm going to focus on speed and backing down the total hours spent training....in an attempt to raise my speed for the next go around for Ironman (Possibly 2014). I feel good about getting after it this year and look forward to a slightly different focus and challenge. Below is what I'm thinking about doing for the year:
Cary Half Marathon
Leon's Olympic Tri
Pleasant Prairie Olympic Tri
Racine Half Ironman
Wauconda Olympic Tri
USA Olympic Nationals
Chicago Marathon
Looking forward to hammering it!
Lance: It's no secret that Lance Armstrong was a huge hero of mine. This topic has been talked about so much, it is nauseating. So here is my take; Lance watched too much Batman growing up. He is the biggest Two Face that ever lived. No athlete or celebrity has done more, in my opinion, good with their status than Lance. For that, I'm hopeful that he continues that part of his legacy and turns this into a positive. I don't condone PED's, but I can see why he took them. I don't condone lying, but I can see why he needed to cover it up. What I can't understand, is why he would ruthlessly attack people for trying to tell the truth. Lie as much as you want, but there was no need to bring innocent people down. For that, Lance, you are a true asshole. I'm hopeful he will fight for something positive, but once an asshole...quite possibly....always an asshole. But damn can that guy ride a bike.
Super Bowl: My beloved Bears are not it. Therefore, go Niners. At least a former Bear quarterback is leading the troops. And...I really like this new style offense that the Niners are running. Not sure it is sustainable, the pounding that the QB's will take is no joke. But for now, it is fun to watch.
Parenthood: I can't believe I'm going to be a father in less than 2 months. My blog will probably turn into incoherent ramblings of poop and diapers. And I can't wait for that! I am super excited and a little nervous as well. There are so many unknowns coming...but the journey will be awesome!
Thanks for reading....I'm happy to be back writing and I look forward to chatting soon!
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Post Season.....
Phew....been a while since I've been back from the BIG ISLAND! It has been a roller coaster of different emotions, so I didn't want to write while I was going through them. Everyone deals with the off season and "reaching goals" in a different way. Last year, I took 45 days completely off and gained 12 POUNDS! Pretty sure it was exclusively beer and burgers.
This year, I was so pumped from Kona that I wanted to get started again IMMEDIATELY. I was ready to train the day after Kona. The excitement from crossing the finish line is pretty much indescribable....see my other posts. However, there was a tremendous feeling of loss too.
I spent so much time and energy building up to that finish, and now it was over. I had no plan for the next year. And I couldn't help but feel sorry for myself (for a little bit). I forced myself to take two weeks off completely and that was needed physically. Mentally though, I was struggling with what was next.
After two weeks off, I started to move around a little bit again. Some short runs....riding my Cross bike out on the trails....little bit of easy swimming. I was getting over my sad feelings of being home from Kona...but this moved on to another negative feeling....nit picking my race.
I think it is natural to reflect on any race you do and see what you can improve on. As I was reflecting, I started to feel like I left a little out on the course. The swim was great...given the swells, I couldn't have swam any faster on that day. I was totally exposed on the bike. The lack of power I was feeling all year showed itself in the rawest of forms the last 33 miles back into the headwinds. And my run....it was a sobering thought to see that I walked 16 aid stations. Kona finisher, and I have to walk 16 aid stations to cool down? C'mon....really?
So I felt sorry for myself. Mostly because I won't have a chance to improve upon that race for a few years...at a minimum...if I'm lucky.
But then....I went to Madison with my mom and sister to get our Ironman tattoo's! My mom and sis are both 1st time finishers and it was time to get their ink! I had always said I would add to mine if I ever finished Kona. So it was off to Madison to see Corey...the guy that Dan Monahan and I went to 5 years ago!
We had an absolute blast! We got our Tat's....had dinner....drank a bunch....and crashed at the Hilton(Thank you Brian!). As we chatted about our races, I was able to tell Mom and Cheryl how I was really feeling about my race. Sometimes, only fellow athletes that have been through the journey can really understand how you feel.
As I recounted the day (a month had passed)...I was immediately put back in the lava fields. I think the margarita's helped that too! I talked about what it felt like out there...the crazy WIND (all the magazines and coverage have been talking about how crazy it was)...and the HEAT. I talked about all the highs and lows of the day. And the complete exhaustion I felt when I crossed the line.
Then my mom told me about what SHE saw at the finish line. She talked about how excited I was when I found them at the King Kam Hotel after the race. She talked about how as the hugs and kisses passed....my emotions changed. She saw the exhaustion coming over me...she saw the emotional toll the day had took....she told me how I had explained that this race was the HARDEST thing I've ever done. She reminded me that I had gotten pretty emotional with my family...anyone that knows me well, knows that I'm not really a "crier." Well, I couldn't contain the tears on this day. I was proud, I was exhausted, and I was so thankful to everyone that had supported me. I realized a dream that day and it was perfect. I had left it all out there....it is easy to nit pick when you are sitting on a couch watching TV and it is a perfect 70 degrees in your living room! Pride...that is the emotion I feel now.
My mom helped me remember what it was like IN THAT MOMENT.
So, learning from a race is healthy. Even if it is the best race you've ever run. My time wasn't the fastest Ironman I've done...but it was certainly a PR finish!
I feel great right now. I can't wait to get back to some "pre season" training in December. The things I was sad about a few weeks ago...I've let them go. BUT....they have motivated me for 2013! My bike will get stronger....my mental state on the run will toughen up even more!
It is fun to have new challenges and goals as I move into 2013. I'll write about those in my next post...
For now, the Kona chapter is done. I've qualified, I've raced, I've finished, I got my new ink.....and I am more passionate than ever about going back someday! Kona hasn't seen the last of Team Barto :)
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I'm truly blessed with all the support I get from all of you. Enjoy your "post season." Don't take it too seriously...we have plenty of time to improve. Today, I'll improve on my Turkey Leftover Eating Capabilities.
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
This year, I was so pumped from Kona that I wanted to get started again IMMEDIATELY. I was ready to train the day after Kona. The excitement from crossing the finish line is pretty much indescribable....see my other posts. However, there was a tremendous feeling of loss too.
I spent so much time and energy building up to that finish, and now it was over. I had no plan for the next year. And I couldn't help but feel sorry for myself (for a little bit). I forced myself to take two weeks off completely and that was needed physically. Mentally though, I was struggling with what was next.
After two weeks off, I started to move around a little bit again. Some short runs....riding my Cross bike out on the trails....little bit of easy swimming. I was getting over my sad feelings of being home from Kona...but this moved on to another negative feeling....nit picking my race.
I think it is natural to reflect on any race you do and see what you can improve on. As I was reflecting, I started to feel like I left a little out on the course. The swim was great...given the swells, I couldn't have swam any faster on that day. I was totally exposed on the bike. The lack of power I was feeling all year showed itself in the rawest of forms the last 33 miles back into the headwinds. And my run....it was a sobering thought to see that I walked 16 aid stations. Kona finisher, and I have to walk 16 aid stations to cool down? C'mon....really?
So I felt sorry for myself. Mostly because I won't have a chance to improve upon that race for a few years...at a minimum...if I'm lucky.
But then....I went to Madison with my mom and sister to get our Ironman tattoo's! My mom and sis are both 1st time finishers and it was time to get their ink! I had always said I would add to mine if I ever finished Kona. So it was off to Madison to see Corey...the guy that Dan Monahan and I went to 5 years ago!
We had an absolute blast! We got our Tat's....had dinner....drank a bunch....and crashed at the Hilton(Thank you Brian!). As we chatted about our races, I was able to tell Mom and Cheryl how I was really feeling about my race. Sometimes, only fellow athletes that have been through the journey can really understand how you feel.
As I recounted the day (a month had passed)...I was immediately put back in the lava fields. I think the margarita's helped that too! I talked about what it felt like out there...the crazy WIND (all the magazines and coverage have been talking about how crazy it was)...and the HEAT. I talked about all the highs and lows of the day. And the complete exhaustion I felt when I crossed the line.
Then my mom told me about what SHE saw at the finish line. She talked about how excited I was when I found them at the King Kam Hotel after the race. She talked about how as the hugs and kisses passed....my emotions changed. She saw the exhaustion coming over me...she saw the emotional toll the day had took....she told me how I had explained that this race was the HARDEST thing I've ever done. She reminded me that I had gotten pretty emotional with my family...anyone that knows me well, knows that I'm not really a "crier." Well, I couldn't contain the tears on this day. I was proud, I was exhausted, and I was so thankful to everyone that had supported me. I realized a dream that day and it was perfect. I had left it all out there....it is easy to nit pick when you are sitting on a couch watching TV and it is a perfect 70 degrees in your living room! Pride...that is the emotion I feel now.
My mom helped me remember what it was like IN THAT MOMENT.
So, learning from a race is healthy. Even if it is the best race you've ever run. My time wasn't the fastest Ironman I've done...but it was certainly a PR finish!
I feel great right now. I can't wait to get back to some "pre season" training in December. The things I was sad about a few weeks ago...I've let them go. BUT....they have motivated me for 2013! My bike will get stronger....my mental state on the run will toughen up even more!
It is fun to have new challenges and goals as I move into 2013. I'll write about those in my next post...
For now, the Kona chapter is done. I've qualified, I've raced, I've finished, I got my new ink.....and I am more passionate than ever about going back someday! Kona hasn't seen the last of Team Barto :)
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I'm truly blessed with all the support I get from all of you. Enjoy your "post season." Don't take it too seriously...we have plenty of time to improve. Today, I'll improve on my Turkey Leftover Eating Capabilities.
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Kona...Race Recap
Holy shyt. That was INTENSE! Hands down...yesterday was the most difficult race I've ever been a part of. People talk about the heat, the winds, the lava...but until you are physically racing in it, you just don't get it 100%. So...here we go:
Pre-Race: I got up at 3:45am and jumped in the shower and had my usual pre race breakfast. I was in great spirits....a little nervous, but not too nervous. I was really excited to get the day started. We drove down to the start line around 4:40am. I got my bags checked in and headed over to my bike to get my tires pumped up and my nutrition all set. While I was getting body marked, the volunteer put one of my number 3's backwards...I took it as a sign of good luck! After getting done with my transition, I headed out to see Ana and walk back to the sea wall where the crew was hanging out. The crowds for the swim start were HUGE. It was such a cool atmosphere. After leaving them, I headed back to transition to wait until the start of the race. We heard the gun go off for the Pro's, and then we started filing in.
Swim: I got in the water at about 6:40am. I stood on the beach for a few minutes to take it all in. I had finally made it to the start of the Ironman World Championships. A sense of calm came over me as I dove in and headed out to the swim start about 100yds away. I got out to the start line and found a surfer to hang on his board for a little a bit. It was so amazing to be there. I treaded water after the surfer had so go and hold the start line. I looked around and soaked it all in. It was surreal.
Finally, it was time to get started! The cannon didn't go off for some reason, so Mike Riley just yelled "go, go, go!" And we were off! This was the 5th Ironman swim I've competed in...and the first 20 minutes was INSANE. I got pushed under the water several times....just when I thought I had a little space, a group...yes a group of swimmers would converge and hammer you. I figure I spent at least 2 minutes on the first leg of the swim just protecting myself. I didn't want get kicked or having something stupid happen in the water to jeopardize my day. I got to the turn around and things finally started to thin out. I really cherished the swim back into shore. I got in a great rhythm and was able to draft off of several swimmers all the way back in. With about 10 minutes to go, I could really start to feel the effects of 50min of swimming in the salt water. Kona's bay is VERY salty. My arms and neck were chaffed pretty badly. But, I expected this!
I reached the shore in just over 1hr 3min....I was very happy with the swim. The bay was choppy...the competition was fierce...but I managed to put together a very strong swim. Now it was time to get to the bike!
Bike: Coming out of transition was so much fun. TONS of fans and people cheering the first few miles. It felt like a track meet. I just remained calm and focused on my effort (watts) and not what everyone around me was doing. I knew the first 10mi through town would be fast...but I couldn't believe how fast EVERYONE was on the bike. I was getting passed like I was riding a granny bike with a banana seat! The turn down Palani hill was AMAZING. I think I hit 45mph and got to see my crew for the first time. It was such an amazing boost. After that, a 2mi climb and turnaround back into town...and then it was on to the Queen K and battling the lava fields!
The first 45 miles were FAST. We had a bit of a tail wind for the first bit and we were flying. There were HUGE packs of riders all over the place. I really try to stay out of them, so at times I had to coast and even brake to make sure I kept the gap. I give the course marshalls credit though, every time I passed a penalty tent there were no less than 25 guys/girls serving their drafting penalties. It wasn't until we made the turn at Hawi that the packs started to thin out (mile 60).
Ok, lets talk about the cross winds. There was a cross/headwind all the way up the 19mi to Hawi. It was blowing so hard...at times, I felt like I was biking in quick sand. I kept very steady up the climb and just tried to stay loose through the winds. Earlier in the week, Dan and I did this climb...but there was ZERO wind that day. All I could do was laugh....Dan would shyt himself if he knew how different these two days could be!
I got a huge boost of adrenaline about half way up the climb as the Pro's were flying down the other side....it was so AWESOME to see the lead timex car in the distance...helicopters flying overhead....unreal. I recognized most of the Pros...but where was MACCA? I guess he dropped out at mile 50.
I finally reached the top of Hawi and was looking forward to the decent. It was super FAST...I caught a really nice tailwind for the majority of it. I was really happy for this because I knew the rest of the bike was going to be challenging. On one of my Ironman DVD's, one off the Pro's said "when I make the turn at Hawi, I look out over the Ocean and if I see white caps, I know I'm in for a LONG ride home." Nothing could be more spot on. The white caps in the Ocean were ominous.
The last 35 miles was directly into a headwind with the cross winds smashing you at the side from time to time as well. It was about this time that the heat really CRANKED up too. Did I mention I was riding through a LAVA field! I did my best to stay in my zone....stick to my plan...I was passing many. But at the same time, my power was dropping a bit too. The heat and wind was starting to take it's tole on me. I'm a fairly strong biker, but all things considered, it is my weakest part of my Triathlon. So I just tried to keep positive and keep the pressure on the pedals.
I made it back to Kona in 5hrs and 35min...about 15 minutes slower than I thought I would bike today. But I was happy! I gave it my all out there. This is a World Championship for a reason....between the terrain, wind, and heat...it was the overall toughest bike course I've ridden. And, I held over 20mph for the 112miles. I'm proud of that.
It makes me even more proud today....there were rumblings yesterday that this was one of the toughest days on the bike in terms of conditions EVER. I was really excited to hear that. Kona gave me her best....and I made it through! I was standing in line this morning buying some finisher gear, the person next to me was a 19 time KONA FINISHER. He said that was the worst wind he has ever faced here. Crazy. It was absolutely relentless for the last 2.5 hours.
Run: The bike smashed me up pretty good. I have never felt that horrible getting off the bike before. My legs were wobbly and I was having a hard time running through transition. I actually had some thoughts on whether or not I was going to be able to run at all! With my swim and bike being a little slower than expected...the marathon turned into pride. I wasn't going to PR today...and that is OK! But I wanted to follow through on my one true goal...leave it out in the Lava fields. And I did just that.
The first mile of the run was one of the toughest I've ever run. My watch showed a 7:40 mile....so I was right on my pace despite the horrible feeling in my legs. I remained calm...sometimes in an Ironman, it can 5 or 6 miles for your legs to get moving on the run....I trusted in that.
My rhythm started to come together after mile 2. I had great turnover and the legs were flushing out the pain of the bike nicely. I was showing 7:30, 7:25...etc...on my watch. The house we rented is right on Alii drive and was so excited to see my crew at mile 4! It had been over 6 hours since I saw them and I can't describe the tremendous boost I got when I did. One of the "other" factors in Kona is that it is fukin LONELY. No great crowd support like Madison....just you. Raw. So to see my crew....was inspirational at that point. Now, my watch said I was running steady 7:30-7:40's for the first 8 miles....the checkpoints on Ironman.com though say that I was running 6:30's....oops. :) Guess I got a little excited.
It was so stifling on Alii drive. The humidity was SICK. At about mile 8, shyt got real. My hands started to go numb...not good. I had nailed my nutrition to that point, but that only takes you so far. At mile 9, I went back to my old friend, Coca Cola. The coke tasted SO GOOD. And it gave me the boost I needed. I could feel my hands again and my rhythm returned just in time to climb up Palani hill. Palani was NO joke...mile 10.5 and a half mile climb. The crowds were amazing here...but I felt like I was melting. One of the highlights of my day, 3X World Champ Craig Alexander was running down Palani when I was running up....it was so cool.
At the top of Palani, you hang a left....and BANG...Lava. It was everything that it was cracked up to be....HOT...searing your skin hot. Feeling the sun on my skin actually hurt...like a really bad sunburn. The only option was to keep running and try to stay wet at the aid stations. Water on the head...sponges....ice down my back, shirt, and shorts....Ice in my hands. That was my rhythm throughout the marathon.
The run to the Energy lab from the top of Palani is roughly 5.5 miles...I swear to God it was all uphill. A real grind....just keep moving. I made a promise to myself that I would not stop running (outside of cooling off at the aid stations) unless I physically couldn't. I trained to RUN this marathon and that was what I intended to do.
I hung a left into the Energy Lab...where the temperatures hit upwards of 130 degrees. It was weird though...I didn't notice it too much. Since my skin was already on fire, a little extra heat didn't bother me too bad. It was here that I started to dedicate miles to my friends and family. I wanted to push as hard as I could to the finish...and needed your support to do so.
So, the entire Energy Lab was dedicated to "Baby Barto." I wanted to make sure that I could tell my child someday about how the thought of my new life gave me strength in the toughest part of the race. Out of the Energy Lab, mile 20 was dedicated to everyone at home following along. There was no way I was going to hit a "Wall" with everyone cheering me on in my head! Mile 21, that was for my crew here on the Big Island. Mike, Jess, Uncle Phil, Aunt Colleen, and Carrie....thank you so much for your support! Mile 22, for my parents. Their unconditional love and support is so inspiring. Thank you. Mile 23, Dan and Charles...two of the very best friends anyone could ask for. I dedicated the "mile" to Charles....and the Dave Scott/Mark Allen Iron War Hill to Dan. I couldn't think of a better spot to dedicate to my Kona Sherpa! Mile 24 was for my Coach, Jen Harrison. She is such an amazing Coach and friend. I can never truly thank her enough for guiding me to realize this dream. Thank you so much Jen, a better Coach can not be found. Mile 25/26....was for Ana. If you look at my splits...I dropped to a 6:08 pace (with stopping in the finish chute)...I guess she gets me going :) I am the luckiest guy in the world to have her love and support. Thank you Ana....
The finish chute....that was for me. I finally made it. A dream come true...running down Alii and into the finishing chute is very hard to describe. I was overcome with extreme joy....an adrenaline rush that can only be matched by my 1st Ironman in Wisconsin. I hammed it up for the crowd a bit....high fived. I ran past my parents....stopped, turned around to give them a hug. It was so special. I high fived the rest of the crew...and was able to spot Dan and give him a huge hug as well. I will always remember that chute....simply amazing.
When I crossed....it was like the world stopped for a just a moment. My moment. I earned this and I will forever be proud of my first race in Kona.
At the end of the day, I ran a 3hour 33min 59sec marathon....in the Ironman World Championship. I felt good for maybe 30 minutes of that run. The other 3hrs....100% heart. That's it. Just the will to finish...smash myself, and leave it all out there. Mission accomplished.
I finished with an overall time of 10hrs and 19min....that was 10 of the hardest hours of my life. Not taking anything away from the other Ironman courses I've done, but Kona is on a whole other level. I finished up 105th in my age group, in the WORLD.
At least for today, I'm the 525th fastest Ironman athlete on the planet. That's pretty amazing to think about.
I will always cherish this week and race. I truly couldn't ask for anything more. I told my crew before the race that hoped it would be hard. I didn't want to race the year it was "easy." I got my wish...and I saw it through.
Thank you for taking the time to read, respond...and encourage me throughout this journey. This will hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my days. No more blogs for bit...I'm on vacation now. I'm hungry...and I think I need a mai tai!
Aloha....and MAHALO!
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Pre-Race: I got up at 3:45am and jumped in the shower and had my usual pre race breakfast. I was in great spirits....a little nervous, but not too nervous. I was really excited to get the day started. We drove down to the start line around 4:40am. I got my bags checked in and headed over to my bike to get my tires pumped up and my nutrition all set. While I was getting body marked, the volunteer put one of my number 3's backwards...I took it as a sign of good luck! After getting done with my transition, I headed out to see Ana and walk back to the sea wall where the crew was hanging out. The crowds for the swim start were HUGE. It was such a cool atmosphere. After leaving them, I headed back to transition to wait until the start of the race. We heard the gun go off for the Pro's, and then we started filing in.
Swim: I got in the water at about 6:40am. I stood on the beach for a few minutes to take it all in. I had finally made it to the start of the Ironman World Championships. A sense of calm came over me as I dove in and headed out to the swim start about 100yds away. I got out to the start line and found a surfer to hang on his board for a little a bit. It was so amazing to be there. I treaded water after the surfer had so go and hold the start line. I looked around and soaked it all in. It was surreal.
Finally, it was time to get started! The cannon didn't go off for some reason, so Mike Riley just yelled "go, go, go!" And we were off! This was the 5th Ironman swim I've competed in...and the first 20 minutes was INSANE. I got pushed under the water several times....just when I thought I had a little space, a group...yes a group of swimmers would converge and hammer you. I figure I spent at least 2 minutes on the first leg of the swim just protecting myself. I didn't want get kicked or having something stupid happen in the water to jeopardize my day. I got to the turn around and things finally started to thin out. I really cherished the swim back into shore. I got in a great rhythm and was able to draft off of several swimmers all the way back in. With about 10 minutes to go, I could really start to feel the effects of 50min of swimming in the salt water. Kona's bay is VERY salty. My arms and neck were chaffed pretty badly. But, I expected this!
I reached the shore in just over 1hr 3min....I was very happy with the swim. The bay was choppy...the competition was fierce...but I managed to put together a very strong swim. Now it was time to get to the bike!
Bike: Coming out of transition was so much fun. TONS of fans and people cheering the first few miles. It felt like a track meet. I just remained calm and focused on my effort (watts) and not what everyone around me was doing. I knew the first 10mi through town would be fast...but I couldn't believe how fast EVERYONE was on the bike. I was getting passed like I was riding a granny bike with a banana seat! The turn down Palani hill was AMAZING. I think I hit 45mph and got to see my crew for the first time. It was such an amazing boost. After that, a 2mi climb and turnaround back into town...and then it was on to the Queen K and battling the lava fields!
The first 45 miles were FAST. We had a bit of a tail wind for the first bit and we were flying. There were HUGE packs of riders all over the place. I really try to stay out of them, so at times I had to coast and even brake to make sure I kept the gap. I give the course marshalls credit though, every time I passed a penalty tent there were no less than 25 guys/girls serving their drafting penalties. It wasn't until we made the turn at Hawi that the packs started to thin out (mile 60).
Ok, lets talk about the cross winds. There was a cross/headwind all the way up the 19mi to Hawi. It was blowing so hard...at times, I felt like I was biking in quick sand. I kept very steady up the climb and just tried to stay loose through the winds. Earlier in the week, Dan and I did this climb...but there was ZERO wind that day. All I could do was laugh....Dan would shyt himself if he knew how different these two days could be!
I got a huge boost of adrenaline about half way up the climb as the Pro's were flying down the other side....it was so AWESOME to see the lead timex car in the distance...helicopters flying overhead....unreal. I recognized most of the Pros...but where was MACCA? I guess he dropped out at mile 50.
I finally reached the top of Hawi and was looking forward to the decent. It was super FAST...I caught a really nice tailwind for the majority of it. I was really happy for this because I knew the rest of the bike was going to be challenging. On one of my Ironman DVD's, one off the Pro's said "when I make the turn at Hawi, I look out over the Ocean and if I see white caps, I know I'm in for a LONG ride home." Nothing could be more spot on. The white caps in the Ocean were ominous.
The last 35 miles was directly into a headwind with the cross winds smashing you at the side from time to time as well. It was about this time that the heat really CRANKED up too. Did I mention I was riding through a LAVA field! I did my best to stay in my zone....stick to my plan...I was passing many. But at the same time, my power was dropping a bit too. The heat and wind was starting to take it's tole on me. I'm a fairly strong biker, but all things considered, it is my weakest part of my Triathlon. So I just tried to keep positive and keep the pressure on the pedals.
I made it back to Kona in 5hrs and 35min...about 15 minutes slower than I thought I would bike today. But I was happy! I gave it my all out there. This is a World Championship for a reason....between the terrain, wind, and heat...it was the overall toughest bike course I've ridden. And, I held over 20mph for the 112miles. I'm proud of that.
It makes me even more proud today....there were rumblings yesterday that this was one of the toughest days on the bike in terms of conditions EVER. I was really excited to hear that. Kona gave me her best....and I made it through! I was standing in line this morning buying some finisher gear, the person next to me was a 19 time KONA FINISHER. He said that was the worst wind he has ever faced here. Crazy. It was absolutely relentless for the last 2.5 hours.
Run: The bike smashed me up pretty good. I have never felt that horrible getting off the bike before. My legs were wobbly and I was having a hard time running through transition. I actually had some thoughts on whether or not I was going to be able to run at all! With my swim and bike being a little slower than expected...the marathon turned into pride. I wasn't going to PR today...and that is OK! But I wanted to follow through on my one true goal...leave it out in the Lava fields. And I did just that.
The first mile of the run was one of the toughest I've ever run. My watch showed a 7:40 mile....so I was right on my pace despite the horrible feeling in my legs. I remained calm...sometimes in an Ironman, it can 5 or 6 miles for your legs to get moving on the run....I trusted in that.
My rhythm started to come together after mile 2. I had great turnover and the legs were flushing out the pain of the bike nicely. I was showing 7:30, 7:25...etc...on my watch. The house we rented is right on Alii drive and was so excited to see my crew at mile 4! It had been over 6 hours since I saw them and I can't describe the tremendous boost I got when I did. One of the "other" factors in Kona is that it is fukin LONELY. No great crowd support like Madison....just you. Raw. So to see my crew....was inspirational at that point. Now, my watch said I was running steady 7:30-7:40's for the first 8 miles....the checkpoints on Ironman.com though say that I was running 6:30's....oops. :) Guess I got a little excited.
It was so stifling on Alii drive. The humidity was SICK. At about mile 8, shyt got real. My hands started to go numb...not good. I had nailed my nutrition to that point, but that only takes you so far. At mile 9, I went back to my old friend, Coca Cola. The coke tasted SO GOOD. And it gave me the boost I needed. I could feel my hands again and my rhythm returned just in time to climb up Palani hill. Palani was NO joke...mile 10.5 and a half mile climb. The crowds were amazing here...but I felt like I was melting. One of the highlights of my day, 3X World Champ Craig Alexander was running down Palani when I was running up....it was so cool.
At the top of Palani, you hang a left....and BANG...Lava. It was everything that it was cracked up to be....HOT...searing your skin hot. Feeling the sun on my skin actually hurt...like a really bad sunburn. The only option was to keep running and try to stay wet at the aid stations. Water on the head...sponges....ice down my back, shirt, and shorts....Ice in my hands. That was my rhythm throughout the marathon.
The run to the Energy lab from the top of Palani is roughly 5.5 miles...I swear to God it was all uphill. A real grind....just keep moving. I made a promise to myself that I would not stop running (outside of cooling off at the aid stations) unless I physically couldn't. I trained to RUN this marathon and that was what I intended to do.
I hung a left into the Energy Lab...where the temperatures hit upwards of 130 degrees. It was weird though...I didn't notice it too much. Since my skin was already on fire, a little extra heat didn't bother me too bad. It was here that I started to dedicate miles to my friends and family. I wanted to push as hard as I could to the finish...and needed your support to do so.
So, the entire Energy Lab was dedicated to "Baby Barto." I wanted to make sure that I could tell my child someday about how the thought of my new life gave me strength in the toughest part of the race. Out of the Energy Lab, mile 20 was dedicated to everyone at home following along. There was no way I was going to hit a "Wall" with everyone cheering me on in my head! Mile 21, that was for my crew here on the Big Island. Mike, Jess, Uncle Phil, Aunt Colleen, and Carrie....thank you so much for your support! Mile 22, for my parents. Their unconditional love and support is so inspiring. Thank you. Mile 23, Dan and Charles...two of the very best friends anyone could ask for. I dedicated the "mile" to Charles....and the Dave Scott/Mark Allen Iron War Hill to Dan. I couldn't think of a better spot to dedicate to my Kona Sherpa! Mile 24 was for my Coach, Jen Harrison. She is such an amazing Coach and friend. I can never truly thank her enough for guiding me to realize this dream. Thank you so much Jen, a better Coach can not be found. Mile 25/26....was for Ana. If you look at my splits...I dropped to a 6:08 pace (with stopping in the finish chute)...I guess she gets me going :) I am the luckiest guy in the world to have her love and support. Thank you Ana....
The finish chute....that was for me. I finally made it. A dream come true...running down Alii and into the finishing chute is very hard to describe. I was overcome with extreme joy....an adrenaline rush that can only be matched by my 1st Ironman in Wisconsin. I hammed it up for the crowd a bit....high fived. I ran past my parents....stopped, turned around to give them a hug. It was so special. I high fived the rest of the crew...and was able to spot Dan and give him a huge hug as well. I will always remember that chute....simply amazing.
When I crossed....it was like the world stopped for a just a moment. My moment. I earned this and I will forever be proud of my first race in Kona.
At the end of the day, I ran a 3hour 33min 59sec marathon....in the Ironman World Championship. I felt good for maybe 30 minutes of that run. The other 3hrs....100% heart. That's it. Just the will to finish...smash myself, and leave it all out there. Mission accomplished.
I finished with an overall time of 10hrs and 19min....that was 10 of the hardest hours of my life. Not taking anything away from the other Ironman courses I've done, but Kona is on a whole other level. I finished up 105th in my age group, in the WORLD.
At least for today, I'm the 525th fastest Ironman athlete on the planet. That's pretty amazing to think about.
I will always cherish this week and race. I truly couldn't ask for anything more. I told my crew before the race that hoped it would be hard. I didn't want to race the year it was "easy." I got my wish...and I saw it through.
Thank you for taking the time to read, respond...and encourage me throughout this journey. This will hold a special place in my heart for the rest of my days. No more blogs for bit...I'm on vacation now. I'm hungry...and I think I need a mai tai!
Aloha....and MAHALO!
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Friday, October 12, 2012
Kona Day #5....IronEve
Tomorrow is the culmination of many years of hard work. This marks Ironman number 5 for me and I could not be happier that this race isn't my 1st one! This week has been a total washing machine of emotions for me. Excitement, awe, happiness, respect, fun, relaxing, stressful, nervous, scared are just some of the emotions I have felt this week.
It has been a blessing to have family and friends around all week. I'm coming into this race in the best shape of my life...and they have been able to help me "keep it real." I finally got mentally ready today. I had about 2 hours to myself...Ipod on....to get my gear ready for tomorrow. This is old hat now...it was almost like a switch flipped as I layed out my clothes for tomorrow and got my race gear ready. I may be in a World Championship....but I have been "here" before.
I struggled at times throughout the year of what my "goal" should be here. Realistically, I don't have a shot in hell of making the podium in my age group. So that goal is "out." But that is ok....just getting here is an honor.
So my goal for tomorrow, respect the World Championship.
I'm going to race my azz off. I'm going to leave it all out in the Lava fields. I will have ZERO regrets when I cross the line. AND.....I will enjoy the hell out of this! Racing hard and having fun are NOT mutually exclusive. I'm obviously a little "off" in the head because I like to suffer for hours and hours and hours doing this sport. So, when I'm suffering....I'll embrace it! I don't want an "easy" day in Kona. I want a challenge. And I want to leave it all out there.
So when/if you track me tomorrow...know that I'm thinking of you. I will make you proud and I will push myself as hard as I can. Thank you for your support...I probably won't write tomorrow, :) so I look forward to posting my thoughts on the race on Sunday.
From the bottom of my heart...Malaho.
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
It has been a blessing to have family and friends around all week. I'm coming into this race in the best shape of my life...and they have been able to help me "keep it real." I finally got mentally ready today. I had about 2 hours to myself...Ipod on....to get my gear ready for tomorrow. This is old hat now...it was almost like a switch flipped as I layed out my clothes for tomorrow and got my race gear ready. I may be in a World Championship....but I have been "here" before.
I struggled at times throughout the year of what my "goal" should be here. Realistically, I don't have a shot in hell of making the podium in my age group. So that goal is "out." But that is ok....just getting here is an honor.
So my goal for tomorrow, respect the World Championship.
I'm going to race my azz off. I'm going to leave it all out in the Lava fields. I will have ZERO regrets when I cross the line. AND.....I will enjoy the hell out of this! Racing hard and having fun are NOT mutually exclusive. I'm obviously a little "off" in the head because I like to suffer for hours and hours and hours doing this sport. So, when I'm suffering....I'll embrace it! I don't want an "easy" day in Kona. I want a challenge. And I want to leave it all out there.
So when/if you track me tomorrow...know that I'm thinking of you. I will make you proud and I will push myself as hard as I can. Thank you for your support...I probably won't write tomorrow, :) so I look forward to posting my thoughts on the race on Sunday.
From the bottom of my heart...Malaho.
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Kona....Day #4: A rest day, but not without its Excitement
Today was a crazy day in a different way. Hold on....here we go:
We started the day off with the great intentions of running the infamous Underpants Run here in Kona this morning. It is a mile or so long...everyone runs in their underwear...and it is supposed to be a good time. Honestly, it has been one continuous "underpants run" outside our place all week! Spandex, no shirts, sports bra's, etc leave very little to the imagination anyway :)
We have made the 3mi drive into town from our place no less than 15 times since getting here on Sunday. This morning, traffic BLEW UP. There was a 3mi line of cars! We tried several different ways to try and get there, but no dice. It was a bit of blessing though, I learned today that I need to get out the door a little earlier on Saturday so I don't stress trying to make it to transition!
Dan found a little coffee/breakfast place that was about 12 miles south of Kona, so we decided to head there away from the crazy traffic. I'm SO GLAD we did. This place was amazing. It was a little local spot called The Coffee Shack. It had wonderful french toast, 100% Kona coffee, and it was over looking the Ocean on top of a cliff at 1500ft of Elevation! It was so cool...and refreshing to get out of town for a little bit. If you are ever in Kona...MAKE THE DRIVE! It is well worth it.
After breakfast, Dan and I rode our bikes into town so I could get a mechanic to look at my shifting on the bike. It was shifting like butter when I left for Hawaii, but in transit, it got totally jacked up. It stressed me out for a bit...I tried to fix it on my own, but realized that I needed some professional help. I dropped it off at "Inside/Out Sports" which is the "host" bike shop for all Ironman events. They charged me $35 for a "Pre-Race" tune up and told me to pick it up in a couple hours. Dan and I walked around the expo a bit...bought some more shyt (I saw the finisher medal too...OH MY is it "Flavor Flave!") and had lunch. We headed back to Inside/Out and the mechanic was working on my bike. He took great pride in his work. I was so relieved as I watched him make adjustments and get the bike back to new. I tipped him because I appreciated it so much...piece of mind is a wonderful thing. Lesson learned...for any destination Ironman in the future, I'm wheeling my bike over to Inside/Out, and having them check it over immediately! Big props to those guys.
We rode back to the house and the bike was shifting wonderfully. Phew....mind at ease. We got back, and the girls were cleaning. I thought it was because the rest of "Team Barto" is arriving today. Well, turns out we had an ANT attack in the house and we accidentally shattered some glass on the dining room table trying to clean up! What a mess! They were everywhere! They even started to hang out in the keyboard of my computer...the one I'm typing on right now! It was DISGUSTING! So we cleaned, vaccumed, sucked the ANTS out of my computer (100's of them!) and called the owners. They are coming tomorrow to look at the ant situation...hopefully cleaning up a bit helped for tonight. They were very cool about the broken glass...I called a place just in case, $40 for a new piece. Phew...mind at ease.
Then...I tried to find out why my GPS device for tracking on race day hasn't been delivered to the house yet. Apparently, there is an issue with the address that was given...it is the right one by the way. So I tried to find the Post Office here...didn't have much luck...started to get really frustrated and stopped looking. I'm really mad that isn't showing up. It is real time tracking for everyone at home....and now we won't have it. No mind at ease on this one....but....you can still track via www.ironmanlive.com.
So after all that...I jumped in the pool and finally had a moment to relax today. Dan was great...he told me to stay put and relax while he went to the airport to pick up my family. I'm so grateful to have him here...he could tell I was really starting to get stressed...not good with the race 2 days away.
So now, I'm chilling on the couch. Sitting in my recovery boots....and waiting for my family and friends to get here. I'm so excited to have them all here and I think that will give me the boost I need for Saturday. I want to thank EVERYONE that is making the trip, following at home, reading online, and genuinely interested in what happens this week. You have no idea the amount of positive energy that creates for me. From what I saw, and have heard, this is a very lonely race. The fact that I have so many here and back home rooting me on....it will be like you are lining the course the whole way. I will draw so much inspiration from your support...thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Mahalo to all my friends, family, and supporters!
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
We started the day off with the great intentions of running the infamous Underpants Run here in Kona this morning. It is a mile or so long...everyone runs in their underwear...and it is supposed to be a good time. Honestly, it has been one continuous "underpants run" outside our place all week! Spandex, no shirts, sports bra's, etc leave very little to the imagination anyway :)
We have made the 3mi drive into town from our place no less than 15 times since getting here on Sunday. This morning, traffic BLEW UP. There was a 3mi line of cars! We tried several different ways to try and get there, but no dice. It was a bit of blessing though, I learned today that I need to get out the door a little earlier on Saturday so I don't stress trying to make it to transition!
Dan found a little coffee/breakfast place that was about 12 miles south of Kona, so we decided to head there away from the crazy traffic. I'm SO GLAD we did. This place was amazing. It was a little local spot called The Coffee Shack. It had wonderful french toast, 100% Kona coffee, and it was over looking the Ocean on top of a cliff at 1500ft of Elevation! It was so cool...and refreshing to get out of town for a little bit. If you are ever in Kona...MAKE THE DRIVE! It is well worth it.
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| View from breakfast today! |
After breakfast, Dan and I rode our bikes into town so I could get a mechanic to look at my shifting on the bike. It was shifting like butter when I left for Hawaii, but in transit, it got totally jacked up. It stressed me out for a bit...I tried to fix it on my own, but realized that I needed some professional help. I dropped it off at "Inside/Out Sports" which is the "host" bike shop for all Ironman events. They charged me $35 for a "Pre-Race" tune up and told me to pick it up in a couple hours. Dan and I walked around the expo a bit...bought some more shyt (I saw the finisher medal too...OH MY is it "Flavor Flave!") and had lunch. We headed back to Inside/Out and the mechanic was working on my bike. He took great pride in his work. I was so relieved as I watched him make adjustments and get the bike back to new. I tipped him because I appreciated it so much...piece of mind is a wonderful thing. Lesson learned...for any destination Ironman in the future, I'm wheeling my bike over to Inside/Out, and having them check it over immediately! Big props to those guys.
We rode back to the house and the bike was shifting wonderfully. Phew....mind at ease. We got back, and the girls were cleaning. I thought it was because the rest of "Team Barto" is arriving today. Well, turns out we had an ANT attack in the house and we accidentally shattered some glass on the dining room table trying to clean up! What a mess! They were everywhere! They even started to hang out in the keyboard of my computer...the one I'm typing on right now! It was DISGUSTING! So we cleaned, vaccumed, sucked the ANTS out of my computer (100's of them!) and called the owners. They are coming tomorrow to look at the ant situation...hopefully cleaning up a bit helped for tonight. They were very cool about the broken glass...I called a place just in case, $40 for a new piece. Phew...mind at ease.
Then...I tried to find out why my GPS device for tracking on race day hasn't been delivered to the house yet. Apparently, there is an issue with the address that was given...it is the right one by the way. So I tried to find the Post Office here...didn't have much luck...started to get really frustrated and stopped looking. I'm really mad that isn't showing up. It is real time tracking for everyone at home....and now we won't have it. No mind at ease on this one....but....you can still track via www.ironmanlive.com.
So after all that...I jumped in the pool and finally had a moment to relax today. Dan was great...he told me to stay put and relax while he went to the airport to pick up my family. I'm so grateful to have him here...he could tell I was really starting to get stressed...not good with the race 2 days away.
So now, I'm chilling on the couch. Sitting in my recovery boots....and waiting for my family and friends to get here. I'm so excited to have them all here and I think that will give me the boost I need for Saturday. I want to thank EVERYONE that is making the trip, following at home, reading online, and genuinely interested in what happens this week. You have no idea the amount of positive energy that creates for me. From what I saw, and have heard, this is a very lonely race. The fact that I have so many here and back home rooting me on....it will be like you are lining the course the whole way. I will draw so much inspiration from your support...thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Mahalo to all my friends, family, and supporters!
Dave
Dedication, Passion, Results
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