Jump forward to 1994.  I was swimming at Clemson University but decided to race the Buffalo Springs Lake Triathlon in Lubbock over the summer. My preparation time was short because of swim obligations but very dedicated once those ended(I mean come on, I’m IN COLLEGE. Not like free time was scarce.) That race turned out to be one of the hottest race days on record (108 degrees). I was able to race a 4:29 and picked up a slot to Kona. Only problem was, I was on scholarship and they would have none of it. Hawaii would just have to wait.

In 1997, I was in my second season as a pro, and I actually qualified for Kona twice that season. FINALLY! It was time to meet the queen, who I’d been obsessing over for a decade now. And I would be ready. Afterall, I had no ‘real’ job. I trained all day. Unfortunately though, that turned out to be one of the problems. I was training like a fool at altitude and by late August, I was borderline anemic. Throw in a couple trips to the other side of the world to my diet and I was pooped. Nonetheless, with the help of Phil Maffetone, George Dallam (the US National Triathlon Team Coach at the time) and UT’s Eddie Reese, arguably the best swim coach that has ever stepped on the planet, I prepared for Kona they way a 23 year old should. LIKE CRAZY.

Face swelling during the run. Not my best look

I finally met her in October of ’97, and I’ll be honest, she was in a pissy mood. The 1997 Ironman has gone down as one of the toughest Kona races in history. From Ironman.com:

“Thomas Hellriegel leads a trifecta of Germans first across the finish line in race conditions that longtime Ironman competitor

Scott Tinley calls the toughest ever. Strong and steady headwinds averaging 30 mph slow the bike and cloudless skies with temperatures in the low 90s combine to produce the slowest finish times in a decade. The conditions set the stage for the biggest surprise victory in the history of the women’s race as Heather Fuhr of Canada, renowned for her ability to handle the heat, runs nearly 15 minutes faster than any of the top five women to claim her first Ironman title in 9:31:43.”

(http://ironman.com/mediacenter/history/ironman-triathlon-world-championship#axzz1ShcxRdim)

If memory serves there were only 11 men to break 5 hours on the bike, and the conditions caused names like Natasha Badmann, Paula Newby Fraser, Tony Deboom, Holly Nybo, etc. to drop out. This was also the year of Chris Legh collapsing 50 feet from the finish (ever see that Gatorade commercial?). You also had on the women’s side, the crawl for 5th place between Sian Welch and Wendy Ingram (Here).

Fun in the med tent

I finished that day. Barely. The cramping began around mile 25 for me on the bike. first in the the glutes and then in the feet.  I cried on the bike. Literally cried. The run started much better, but trouble began again around mile 13. Where was mile 13 in 1997 you ask? Well it was essentially the entry point to the Queen K. Yes, the Queen. I’ve discussed various aspects of that race here before, but to give you the quickie version, my body was shutting down. I finished that day in 10:23, but I don’t remember the last 3 miles very well. After crossing the line, I began losing my vision and started going into shock. After a few hours with the medical staff, I went home, tail firmly between my legs.

Fast forward to 2006. I had since left my pro career behind me and signed up for Ironman Arizona more to lose weight and get fit than anything. The race went well and I qualified again. It was time to see her again and make things right. This time was different though. My goal wasn’t to kick ass and take names, rather to enjoy the experience of Kona  and have a finish down Alii Drive that I could remember.

Day started well enough. I had an easy but relatively slow swim, and the first part of the bike was going great. I was enjoying my day. This was also the year of the Hawaiian earthquake 1 week before the race. No major damage in town but small sections of the bike course were closed because of damage. It also left tiny shards of lava rock on the course. Unfortunately for me, I was able to pick up a few in my tire, causing the first flat in my race history. Not a huge problem as time wasn’t the goal. Got fixed up and finished the bike in good spirits.

Then came the run. I still don’t really know what went wrong that day. Sometimes I think sun poisoning, sometimes overheating. Just not sure. But in the few miles running on the Queen K, I went from good to bad and bad to horrible. By mile 18 I could no longer run. Not a step. Not because I was tired, but because I felt so sick I thought I might pass out if I tried. Walking a straight line was a challenge at times. I did a lot of praying that day, and somehow I made it back into Kona. As I made the final turn to Alii Drive the skies opened up and it started to absolutely pour. Every spectator ran for shelter. I got to the last 100 yards and was greeted by the town bum. Yes, you read that right. The town drunk/vagrant/bum/hobo/homeless guy, whatever you want to call him, was there insisting he help me to the finish. So I finished the 2006 Hawaiian Ironman in a downpour, no one around, with a bum. Magical ain’t it?

I’m not real sure why it is, but I still can’t wait to see her. And THIS time, its going to be a great experience. 3rd times a charm right? I just hope the Queen is in a good mood.

Aloha.

The course is the stuff of legend. It’s a open water swim in the Pacific Ocean. The bike takes you north up the island across the lava fields and through some of the toughest winds anywhere, which have reached upwards of 60 mph and have blown people right off their bike. The run starts along the coast and then moves back out into the heat and isolation of the black lava fields. The suffering ends back where you started at Kailua Bay for the finish down Alii Drive.

This race was one of the main reasons that I got into this sport. Back in 1986 I had completed a couple of kids triathlons and was mildly interested in the sport until I saw the Nice Triathlon on TV followed by the Ironman the very next day. Watching those epic battles got me hooked, and from that point on the Hawaiian Ironman became a major motivation in my athletic life like so many others.

Getting into the race can be achieved in a few different ways. The vast majority of the 1800 athletes must qualify by a top placing in other races to get in. The organization leaves about 180 entries open to the “everyman” which are selected via a lottery system. Finally, a few entries are auctioned off via Ebay (with winning bids in the neighborhood of $50,000).

I have been priviledged enough to qualify 5 times and compete in this race twice. In fact, I’ve been one of the lucky ones who has actually led this race. The first time I made my way to Kona I did it as a professional athlete in 1997. I wasn’t the healthiest of athletes that day (the Olympic Training Center doctors told me I was borderline anemic), but being a good swimmer certainly has it’s moments. I took the lead in the swim shortly after the cannon went off. Sometime during the return trip from the turnaround boats I swapped places with German Wolfgang Dittrich and sat comfortably in second. With approximately 30 yards to go in the swim ,2 athletes came around us to try and grab a little camera time. So I finished 4th out of the water and hopped on the bike in second place behind Wolfgang.  Somewhere a ways down the road on the Queen K we were caught by the race favorites. I was dumped from the front end of the race shortly after the turn at Hawi as my cramping problems mounted. I ended the day not remembering the last 3 miles in a race that is regarded by the organizers as having one of the toughest conditions in Ironman history (This was the same year Chris Legh collapsed 50 feet from the finish and the famous crawl for 5th place between Sian Welch and Wendy Ingram).

So what’s it like to lead the Ironman? Verrrrry cool. And rest assured I was definitely thinking this during the race as I had a camera in my face and watched the helicopters right over my head.

I returned to the race in 2006. This time my motivation was to just enjoy the day. For whatever reason though, this race has got my number as I got a flat on the bike and suffered the last 10 miles of the run like I’ve never suffered before. One of these days I’m bound to have a good day there.

So does it measure up to all the hype? You bet. If you are looking to test your absolute limits on the biggest stage the sport of triathlon has to offer, then find a way to get yourself in Kailua Bay on the Saturday of the full moon in October.

“Oh you run marathons? Have you ever done the Boston Marathon?”

This year with the birth of my second child, I decided (wisely as my wife might add) to scale back the triathlon training and just do a little running (and swimming when I get the itch) and train for a marathon. So if one were to train for a marathon, what better marathon to set your sights on than Boston.

Boston is a race, like very few other marathons around the world, that you must qualify for in order to run. There are other ways in, like being a member of some secret runner society for umpteen years and get a waiver or be a major corporate sponsor. But for most of the world, you need to have run a marathon within the time standards that the Boston Athletic Association has set forth in order to toe the line. If you are so capable then you have 18 months to use the time or its back to qualifying again.

The course itself is not especially epic in nature. It’s got some hills to make it interesting along the way, with one famous hill towards the end affectionately known as “Heartbreak Hill”. Heartbreak Hill is positioned late into the race, compounding your problems as fatigue sets in.  So while the course has some challenges, that’s not what makes this race so special. The draws of Boston are the crowds and the tradition. The noise levels along the course from all the spectators are legendary. And they don’t just yell for the leaders. Here, all the runners get to experience the noise. And who doesn’t want run the same course that some of the most epic battles took place. The race is steeped in a great marathon history.

Perhaps the greatest story of the Boston Marathon has more to do with one of the great scams of all time than it does with it’s great champions. Afterall who hasn’t heard story of Rosie Ruiz, the women’s winner in 1980. Winner that is, until it was discovered that she started the race, took the subway up to the finish, poured a drink on herself to look like she was sweating and jumped onto the course to win it all. With witnesses everywhere, this was a plan that wasn’t very well thought out, but it sure adds to the fun and history of this race.

As an edurance athlete, I knew long ago that I needed to experience this race at least once in my life. On April 20, 2009, I’ll be getting my chance.