Ironman 70.3 Kansas -- In the Books

Ironman 70.3 Kansas is in the books!! You can call me "Ironboy with an asterisk" (more on that later). I'm safely back in sunny and sweltering Scottsdale after an adventurous, yet extremely fun, race in Lawrence, Kansas. It was great to race with Scott, Michael, West, and Robert along with the awesome support of our cheering crowd -- Carter and Natalie and Jeff and Sarah -- who endured and supported us along the way. Natalie also took some great pictures of the competition which I will post on my blog as soon as she is done with the editing process. This was my first half Ironman experience and it will not be my last. I can't explain how much fun I had.

Here is a brief recap of what went down in Lawrence on Sunday:

BEFORE THE RACE
We rose early to make it down to the race site at 5:30 a.m. The thrill of competition exuded from the main staging and transition area. I calmly entered transition to get everything in order. My bike rack neighbor, Jeff, and I enjoyed some friendly banter back and forth trying to calm our nerves before the race. Then, just as I'm about to walk out of transition to the swim start, I took one final look at my bike. YIKES! My front tire was completely flat. I quickly yanked my tire off my bike and took it to a local mechanic who changed it in about 3 minutes. UNBELIEVABLE -- Code Red situation averted. Has anyone who has been following this blog noticed a trend before races?

SWIM
I made the conscious decision to take it out slow and get into a rhythm. Taking it out slow -- accomplished; getting into a rhythm -- well, that took a little longer. Soon I was able to find my stroke and actually enjoyed the swim this time. I came out of the water in 47 minutes and was happy to be alive and ready for the bike.

BIKE
How many "Running the Race" blog readers think Kansas is nothing but flat corn and wheat fields? I'd say at least 99 percent of you. The other 1 percent are lying because you know where I'm headed. The bike course was the most challenging 56 miles I've ever ridden in my entire life. HILLS and WIND -- together and in symphony with each other. I'm not talking about dinky little "mounds"; I'm talking serious hills. Thankfully, the course was designed with three out and backs. All of the outs were hilly and windy, the backs were nice with winds at your back and fast. After 2:19 on the bike course, I returned to home base thinking to myself -- there is no way I'm going to be able to run 13.1 miles. It is probably going to look more like a shuffle.

RUN
I laced up my trusty Mizuno running shoes and headed out on what I thought was going to be a dreadful run. I knew in the back of my mind that the run was my part of the race. And, to my surprise, I settled into a nice 8-9 minute mile pace and held it. I WAS HAVING A BLAST! I went into the run with a plan -- keep a steady pace and walk the aid stations as a reward. I was doing it. I was on my way to becoming an Ironboy. About six miles into the run, the weather rolled in. The sky was really dark and by mile 7 the winds had picked up. Pretty soon, I was corralled by race officials towards to finish line. The race had been cut short and called off due to thunder storms and a tornado warning for the area. I was a little disappointed since my run was going so well. I really wanted to finish the race, but safety was a primary concern. Because of this event, I have an asterisk next to my Ironboy name. I can hear to announcer now, "Burke, you are an Ironboy*!"

POST RACE THOUGHTS
Will I ever compete in an Ironman or half Ironman ever again? Absolutely!! I'm probably going to save a full Ironman for another two or three years, but several more half Ironmans will be in my near future. I'm planning to take a month "off" where I pull back my training from 5-6 days a week to 3-4 days per week. I'm going to enjoy the summer and the travel that is ahead, but I'm sure we will take another Ironman journey soon.

Two months ago, I almost dropped out of this race because I didn't feel like I was in good enough shape. I was encouraged by the 5 guys mentioned above to stay the course because they've never heard of "an Aggie who quits." That little quote touched a little nerve and made me get back out and continue training. I'm thankful I did. It was a journey. It was an experience. It will be a memory that I will continue coming back to for a long time to come.

Thank you to everyone who supported me with notes and words of encouragement on race day and leading up to the race. Check back later this week for pictures from the event!!

We're not in Kansas anymore Toto (or Ironboy)!!

This weekend, five friends (Michael, Scott, Robert, Carter and West) from Houston and myself will take to the water and streets of Lawrence, Kansas in a quest to become half Ironman. I think the word "excited" is a little bit of an understatment at this point. I'm so excited that I went ahead and packed my suitcase last night.

**I even remembered to pack my running shoes so that I don't have the same experience that I had a few weeks ago in Tempe.**

Yesterday, my friend sent me a message of encouragement for my race this weekend. He pointed out something that I've never thought of before, so I'm passing it along to you for consideration. Here is his thought:

If you complete full Ironman, people call you an "Ironman." If you complete a half Ironman [which is what I'm competing in this weekend], do people call you an "Ironboy"? Because calling someone a "half Ironman" just isn't working for me.

Thanks, Neil for the observation. You have a very valid point. So if I complete the race this weekend, you are more than welcome to call me "Ironboy" the time you see me.

TRAINING UPDATE: Ironman 70.3 Kansas

Swim - 1500 yards during lunch today. I also got some core work in.

I have to say that I've felt really good over the past week. I'm sleeping like a rock and eating well -- really well. One of my co-workers calls me "chipmunk" because I always have something in my mouth (healthy, of course). When you are burning this many calories training its important to replenish your supply, which is why I'm constantly eating. I'm planning on venturing out on a short run tonight followed by a nice bike ride in the morning.

One final note, I registered for the Tempe International Triathlon today. The race is on May 15 and will give me a good guage on where I'm at training wise along with a chance to swim in the open water which I've never done. I'm also going to be testing out my wetsuit -- which reminds me I need to purchase one (a birthday gift to myself in May). The Tempe Tri will be a 1500 meter swim, 40K bike, and 10K run -- approximately half of what I will be taking on in Kansas.

Starting the day off right!!!

Have you tried Starbucks' new Pike Place Roast? I picked me up the grande version with "no room" this morning. Yummy, yummy is Starbucks in Burke's tummy. The question you need to be asking yourself is "how do I get that goodnesss inside me?" (quote taken from Brian Regan stand up)

Seriously, Starbucks' hit this one out of the ballpark. It is a diversion from my normal bold coffee and you can bet I'm going to stay with this smooth daddy for a long time.

Okay...back to enjoying my brew, reading my morning e-mail, and catching up on the news of the day before I dive into my to do list.

TRAINING UPDATE: My alarm did not go off this morning. I'm going to take the pool during my lunch hour. I'll also do a core workout.

Training Update: Ironman 70.3 Kansas

This morning, I went on a nice 6 1/2 mile run and it felt great!! It's been a long time since I've felt that strong on a run. (I bet you didn't think someone could get so excited about running 6 1/2 miles) I took it out slow and picked up the pace throughout the run -- probably running 7:30 -- 7:45 splits during the last 2 miles. Yesterday, I did a 10 min. warm up on the bike, some circuit training, and a great core workout and stretching. Kansas, here I come! I'm still fired up from this weekend.

IM AZ

This weekend, I had the privilege of volunteering at Ironman Arizona on Saturday and Sunday. I will not disclose the number of hours I worked because it's not important, but what I will say is that I was rewarded greatly. My reward: stories and a memory that I know will highlight my time in Arizona. It is amazing to me how giving of yourself -- your entire self -- can be so fulfilling. In today's culture that might sound counterintuitive, but it's true. On Saturday, I helped athletes place their T1 and T2 bags in the transition areas, walked them through the course and answered any miscellaneous questions they had. It was so much fun to see their excitement and anxiousness for the day ahead. The next morning bright and early I was there again to answer their questions as they made their morning preparations before the race, but the fun was yet to come.

I worked both transitions (T1 and T2) and got to assist guys, encourage them, and even get to know a few of them. The T1 transition was fast and furious as the athletes were still well hydrated and doing well. T2 was a completely different story. After 5-8 hours on a bike in windy conditions with temps reaching 95, the athletes were drained. The worst part was they still had a marathon to run. My team was there with cold rags, fluids, food, salt tablets, and someone to talk to. This is when I got to know and serve several athletes -- many of them I saw in T1 and T2. Our team was their "pit crew" during transition. To top off the day, I was there at the FINISH line when they crossed and helped them with fluids and food. It was pretty emotional watching them reunite with their families as well.

One guy I met was Andre. He was originally from South Africa and moved to Houston. He was absolutely drained by the time he got off the bike. While he was refueling we got to know each other. The medical staff wanted us to engage them in conversation to gage their alertness since it had been a brutal day out on the bike. About 10 minutes later, I had him set and sent him out on the run. I told him I would be waiting at the finish line. Sure enough...at 9:30 last night, nearly 14:30 hours after starting the race, I watched Andre cross the finish line, grab his medal and T-shirt, and be reunited with his fiancé. We also had some time to sit and chat over food after the race. I told him if I was ever back in Houston that I would look him up.

Those small stories made up my day yesterday. It was a day when I saw men and women push their bodies to the ultimate limit. It was a day when I saw endurance athletes at their best and worst. And the greatest part of it all was that I had the privilege of serving them all day long.

Ironman 70.3 Kansas -- Training Update

Today, at lunch, I did a 30-35 minute run. I'm trying to build back up to the staminia I had a few months ago while I was training for the Chicago marathon. I felt much better on this run that I did on the one earlier this week. I'm also planning to workout tonight at the gym after baseball practice. The best part about this week is that I've been encouraged (and mandated by some) to get back on the road and start training. It's been nice to get back to doing something I truly enjoy and that is a great stress reliever.

To my training partners in Houston....I hope you are staying on track as well.

Ryan Hall: More than a workout

Ryan Hall is one of the premier long distance runners in the United States today. In November, he finished first in the U.S. Olymic marathon qualifying race in New York. He is currently preparing for the Flora London Marathon to keep in shape for this summer's Beijing Olympics. I thought I'd share a short documentary he put together. This documentary is about a lot more than just a 24 mile training run. It's about his walk with Christ, why he runs, and how we can use our gifts to glorify Christ in all that we do.

What gifts did He give you that you are using for His glory today? How can I encourage you or pray for you as you seek to use your gifts to bring God glory?



Be encouraged today -- let's run the race together as brothers and sisters in Christ!!

Back on the Bandwagon

Back in February, I mentioned something about a half Ironman in June that I signed up for back in January. It felt like as soon as I posted that my life went into warp speed. I can't tell you where March went. With a long business trip, Easter, and my parents visiting, I was pretty busy. In addition, I started coaching Little League baseball and continued with YoungLife. Did I mention I also held down a full time job? Suffice to say....I hadn't trained very much and was planning to back out. That was until my 5 friends from Houston got a hold of me. With a little encouragement (which could have been mistaken for coercion), I decided to "saddle up" and jump back on the bandwagon. My goal: FINISH and have fun doing it. I'm going to start posting my training updates to keep my friends informed on how I'm doing as well as you.

TRAINING UPDATE:
Monday -- 45 minute run
Tuesday -- 25 minute swim (20 laps -- down and back)

The ROAD to Kansas begins in Arizona.

Ironman 70.3 Kansas

In less than 16 weeks, I'm planning to take to the streets with 5 friends of mine from back in Houston as we attempt to conquer the half Ironman distance. If you are not familiar with triathlon distances, the half Ironman is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile (half marathon) run. Am I nervous? Just a little. Am I excited? I'm sure that will come over time. Am I prepared? NOT AT ALL.

I'm going to chronicle my training experience on this blog as I look to complete Ironman 70. Kansas this coming June.

Be sure to check back on my training updates.