How to guarantee a Kona Finish?

Alec Riddle was weighing in at 230 Pounds (103,5kg) when his teenage stepson passed tragically in 2004. This was the catalyst to getting him back on the road and while it only took 7 years for him to win his Age Group at Ironman 70.3, it took him 27 years to achieve his goal of racing the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii only to discover he needed a Plan B, something he wasn’t prepared for

“Most Kona participants are so focussed on their preparation, that they don’t contemplate anything other than achieving their Goals. So when failure (or derailment) comes knocking on their door, they don’t now how to answer it”, said Alec Riddle, who won the 50-54 Age Group at Ironman 70.3 Worlds in as Vegas 2011.

You are probably double checking your math skills, but the former Mathematics teacher  assures me it was a 27 year goal and not a 7 year goal. So rewind and check the stats for the 27 year Kona Dream if you like, alternatively read on and glean some tips on how to adapt to a Plan B just in case it’s not your day.

David Smith came across ‘The Riddle of an Ironman’s Life’ Blog and thought that there were some important lessons for Ironman athletes on the eve of the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.  David asked former World Champion Alec Riddle about the challenges and obstacles he has faced and how he responded, ensuring he finished every race he started.

DS: When you finally made it to the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii what was your goal?

AR: Having done well in Las Vegas in 2011 I was fired up and I was in great shape, so I was aiming for the Podium.

DS: Did you ever stop to contemplate not making the Podium or Top 10 in your Age Group?

AR: I don’t think many of the world’s top Age Groupers contemplate failure and I certainly don’t. I think that most of us have an inherent belief that we can achieve our goals. We are prepared to make the huge sacrifices required to give us the best possible chance of success and sitting down thinking about things that could derail our plans are a no go area for many.

DS: Here is an overview of his Kona Race, but let’s focus on his Mental Challenges,

An Ironman Finish Line = An unbelieavable feeling!

 the Lessons Learnt and the Advice that he could offer to Age Groupers racing Kona 2015.

DS: Did you ever think of quitting?

AR: That word is not in the Riddle Dictionary, so no it never crossed my mind and besides I had waited 27 years to get to that Island so I wasn’t going to raise the white flag.

DS: Three years on what do you remember most about Kona 2012?

AR: Besides the build up and the start, it would have to be running that final mile. To run where I had only seen (on video or live tracker) the likes of Paula Newby Fraser, Mark Allen and Dave Scott run was amazing. To experience that final mile with the South African flag draped over my shoulders was one of my finest moments in sport and one I will treasure forever.

DS: Even though you finished close to 2 hours slower than targeted?

AR: Make no mistake there were disappointments and I had my own ‘pity party’ in the Lava Fields, in the Energy Lab and on the Queen K, but I built my bridge and got over my river of tears in time to embrace what Ironman is all about, which in my opinion is to finish what you started. I had dreamt of this race for 27 years and I wasn’t going to go home bitter, I was going to go home richer for the experience of having conquered my goal of participating in and finishing the Ironman World Championships.

DS: When you were walking and pushing your bike for almost an hour, what was going through your mind?

AR: Two things, firstly I was trying to come to terms with the fact that I was no longer in the ‘race’ and that my dream of a podium or top ten was over. Believe me I was mad, initially I was trying the blame game where it was everybody’s fault but mine, but eventually I had to start manning up and taking responsibility for not checking the spare that had been put on my bike. There were times I was shouting at the sky, the wind, the lava rocks and the cyclists passing me must have thought I was mad and heading for the Cuckoo’s Nest, it must have been quite an experience being a fly on the wall.

The second was worse than the first and that was when it dawned on me that I may not finish. I realised that if I continued to push my bike for 30 odd miles (50km), there was no way that i could do that plus complete a marathon before midnight. (I hadn’t even factored in a bike cut off as I am one of the fortunate folk who has never had to worry about being checked out on time and it cannot be pleasant for those that do). That is when panic set in and I started flagging down every official and referee pleading with them to summon bike support. Fortunately I eventually managed to get a makeshift rear wheel from bike support (they were out of spares) and rode into Kona with no rear brakes and a fixed gear, which was quite an experience in itself.

DS: How did you motivate yourself for the run?

AR: On my Ironman Journey there have been many obstacles along the way and it’s as if I was groomed for these challenges. I had learnt to persevere so I was very motivated going out onto the run. The highlight of my day was seeing my 12 year old son Jamie shortly after the turn on Alii Drive…. he had run all the way (8km) in slops to support me.

Conrad Stoltz giving Jamie Riddle a few tips n the Energy Lab, with Liesel in the background.

Then I encountered Conrad Stoltz and his wife Liesel on their bikes, who had heard of my troubles and had ridden out to come and offer some support. The Stoltz’s then very kindly offered Jamie Liesel’s bike so that he could support me on the run (yes they do allow this in Hawaii which is quite unique) and that led to one of the most amazing running experiences of my life.

There I was running along and listening to my son’s comments and I knew that he had been listening all those years I had been encouraging him. The comments ranged from “Pain is your best friend” to “You Can, You Will, You Want To”, but the best was when he said “Okay Dad I want you to imagine you have a fishing rod, cast and see the hook landing on that guy in the red. Now reel him in nice and steady.” It was classic and as much as I wanted to cry all I could do was smile as Jamie kept me motivated.

DS: Where there any difficult patches on the run?

AR: Only one and it had nothing to do with fatigue or personal disappointment. It was when we were coming towards the end of the Queen K and it was getting dark (yes I was unable to finish before sunset) that I made one of the hardest decisions of my life. I told Jamie he had to go back (there was no lamp on the bike) as it could be dangerous once it got dark. I recall him saying “Dad you need your best friend with you to motivate you” and I recall saying to him Jamie I have to take my ‘friend’ cap off and put my ‘Dad’ cap on and send you back. As he was riding off I called for him to hand me the SA Flag and as he turned to hand it to me before riding into the sunset, I saw the tears streaming down his face…. that is when I broke down and all the bottled up emotions came to the fore. I had been averaging 5 min/km (8 min/mile) but now I had the wind taken out of my sails and I was virtually walking as I battled my emotions.

DS: Take us through your final mile?

AR: I knew that I had to conquer my emotions and rid myself of the tears before hitting the final mile, as this was going to be a celebration and I was going to enjoy and savour at least one mile of the 140 I had come to race. I think I enjoyed that final mile more than I had enjoyed any mile in any Ironman, even the ones where I had raced successfully. I was able to interact with some of the spectators, encourage fellow competitors who were still racing for time or position, while my ‘race’ lay in tatters somewhere near Hawi. It was simply amazing being able to pause and to reflect on my Journey, to think about my late Stepson Reece who had been the catalyst to me getting started in Ironman some 8 years earlier and to think about my late Dad who had passed the previous year and had been my biggest inspiration.

DS: What would your message be to the Age Groupers racing on Saturday?

AR: Don’t make the mistake of going into an Ironman without contemplating a Plan B. We have no control over what hand we are dealt in sport or in life, but we certainly can commit to make the best of the hand we are dealt. There is no disgrace in not achieving your goal (time/position) but your ultimate goal has to be finishing, especially on the Big Island at the World Championships. You will get over the disappointment of not making your goal, but you will forever treasure that medal and remember this, all the medals are the same colour, whether you win the race outright or finish just in time.

Also, remember to check everything. I had taken my bike for a service and asked them to put an extension on my spare ‘tubular’ and tape it under my front aero bottle. I never thought to check it and only when I punctured did I discover the extension was suitable for a Zipp 404 (my front wheel) but would not fit a Zipp 808 (my rear wheel). I had taken unpaid leave and spent 3 months in America and Hawaii, only to be taken out of the race because of an extension that was half an inch too short. They say sport is about seconds or inches and I discovered that the hard way.

Racing as though my life depended upon it

 

In pursuit of the ‘finish’ with a borrowed wheel, supplied by Bike Works.

 

 

 

 

 

DS: What if it all appears too much for them in the race?

AR: I think there are only two reasons you stop, the first is if your health is at risk or if you are checked out time wise. Otherwise you should never raise the white flag, slow down by all means , try and not think too far ahead and focus on trying to push on one step at a time. I can recall racing Ironman South Africa in 2009 and in my mind I was one of the favourites for the AG win, but I blew both physically and mentally and ended up doing a 6hr 15 min marathon. I was close to quitting but my wife, my family and my friends kept me going. It was the hardest thing I ever did, but by far the most rewarding and I have used that experience to encourage so many others. Can you imagine if I had bailed? The preparation, the effort and the experience would have been worthless.

DS: It seems the Ironman is more a mental challenge than a physical one?

AR: I think it’s a blend. For the top Age Groupers you are pushing the envelope and if you stray over the red line you will pay for it at some stage in the race. Then it becomes a mental challenge, but one thing to bear in mind is that the mind can only hold onto one thought at a time. Think of it like this, your mind has two Supervisors Mr Be Good and Mr No Good and they are both competing for your thoughts. So if you think negative thoughts then Mr No Good goes to work and starts recruiting more workers (Mr Be Good is forced to lay off some of his team), but if Mr Be Good is hard at work then he recruits more workers and he becomes the dominant force. So force feed your mind positive thoughts as often as you can. I choose to express thanks for not getting kicked in the swim, for not losing my goggles, etc. It is amazing the positive momentum you can build simply by expressing thanks. (learnt from Heather Gollnick at Iron Prayer in Clearwater 2009)

DS: Any other thoughts?

AR: You probably never got there on your own, as great things are accomplished with the support of many (team). You may be living your Dream, but there are many (friends and family) who share your dream so if it is getting too much for you, think of the rest of the team before you raise the white flag. Believe me they will be proud of you finishing irrespective of time, but they won’t be too charmed if you walk off the course. Make sure you can say I have finished the race (2 Timothy 4:7).

DS: What were some of your highlights of the Kona experience?

At Living Stones Church with Conrad Stoltz, Chris Lieto and Kyle Buckingham

AR: The best was Manta Ray Night Diving; watching the kids jump off the cliffs at the “End of the World” was also a highlight and going to the Living Stones Church on Alii Drive was pretty awesome.

DS: I would like to thank Alec for his time and sharing his experiences and laying bear his innermost thoughts and emotions. I trust you may find some inspiration when the going gets tough, as that is when the tough need to get going. Even I feel I could march on, irrespective of the obstacles.

 

 

Kona, Hawaii

 

 

Manta Ray Night Diving-what an experience

Entering the Energy Lab with my children Camryn & Jamie

YES, you Can, you Will, you Want to!!

 

7 Tips for Running (Tip #4 The Long Run)

The Riddle of an Ironman's Life

“The Long Run is the Golden Key to becoming a good runner” – Alec Riddle 

The one key component of developing your ability as an endurance runner, is the Long Run, so try and do 2- 4 long runs a month (experienced runners can do a midweek long run of 90 minutes). One cannot develop a decent Base, without long runs and variety is, in my opinion, the spice in a runners life, so don’t try and do the same course, at the same time, same pace, week in, week out, or your motivation may wane.

How long is a Long Run? I would say 90 minutes or longer.

Doing a Long Run in Kona (Energy Lab) with Kyle Buckingham 2012. Young Jamie in the foreground doing his ‘long’ run!

How fast should a Long Run be? In the inital stages of Base Training, I think err on the side of caution and run…

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Learn from my Mistakes!

One of the biggest threats to our Ironman is not the weather, the course, nutrition or mechanicals!

One of our biggest threats is PRIDE (or EXCITEMENT)!

In Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before a Fall,” implies that when people are over confident they are likely to come down to earth with a thud.

I don’t think that it is a case of us being over confident (perhaps the opposite may be true), it’s more a case of being ignorant and not knowing what to expect, so let me share a few lessons that I have learnt on my Ironman Journey. One of the biggest lessons I have learnt is ‘Do Not Start Too Fast’, it’s my nemesis and I am one of the most experienced athletes out there, so why make this primary school error?…. is it Pride, Optimism, Over Confidence, Ignorance, Stupidity or simply getting caught up in the excitement & hype?

My ‘stupid’ mistakes.

1. In Las Vegas 2011, my first competitive non=wetsuit swim, I over-estimated my swimming ability (without my Orca suit) and started toooo fast (burnt matches). It was a World Championship race and I had blown 800m into the swim, I was hyperventilating & swimming breastroke. How embarassing, what an idiot?
2. In IronmanSA 2009 I was cycling well for 150km but two punctures later, I was in panic mode & riding the final 30km way too fast(burnt matches) that my legs disintegrated and I ended up running a 6hr 15 marathon. Senseless?
3. In Las Vegas 2012, I had a good swim and found myself in the mix and was trying to keep the AG leaders in sight, so was climbing the hills way out of my comfort zone (burnt matches). Only when I downloaded my Power Data, did I realise why I didn’t challenge for a Podium position and I thought it was because I hadn’t tapered enough.
4. At Kona 2012, at the bike turnaround in Hawi, I ripped my punctured tubby off & was trying to put the brand new spare on (bought at bike shop in Kona when bike serviced and attached to bike by them), only to find the extension they put on didn’t fit on my Zipp 808’s. Heart breaking to say the least! Check all of your equipment (if had a match I may have burnt something).

Don’t start too Fast!

5. Every year at IMSA (except 2009) I come out of T2 and think I am a better runner than I am (over optimistic or a legacy from my good running days) and it is so easy to run sub 5 minutes/km and I try and run as many sub 5’s as I can (matches burnt). The problem here is that when the energy reserves are depleted, the challenge becomes one of trying to run sub 6’s. This year I am determined not to run any sub 5’s until the final 5km, then I hope to fly or soar on the wings of Eagles!

Why would we start too Fast?

1. After a taper, your body won’t have felt this rested/energized in months, so you will feel like Superman, compared to some of your big block training sessions. Do not fool yourself, you still need to be ultra cautious.
2. You have Dreamt of this for months/years & prepared to the best of your ability, so you will be overly excited and very keen to get on with it.
3. The vibe in the build up to race day is phenomenal and it is easy to get carried away.
4. The national Anthem may bring a tear to your eye as the Sun rises, but at the very least you will get goose flesh.
5. The firing of the Canon will release so much adrenalin, be careful!

The 1st 10 minutes!

1. Danger Zone!
2. I always say the 1st 10 minutes could be the most damaging, which implies the 1st 10 minutes of the Swim, the Bike and the Run.
3. This is when you feel great (better) and when the crowds and the adrenalin could help you lose your mind temporarily….Ironsanity as opposed to Insanity?
4. After 10 minutes (of each disipline), the adrenalin will have dissipated, then it’s a good time to try find your rhythm.
5. Ten (10) minutes is all it takes to destroy your whole day, so treat the 1st 10 minutes as warm up.

Stay calm and focus on your Nutrition!

6. After the first 10-20 minutes, your heart rate should have stabilised and it is time to start focussing on your Nutrition….and a benefit of not starting too fast is the Nutrition intake/absorption is improved.

 

Avoid Burning Matches!

1. You have a limited amount of Matches, protect them.
2. A match is burnt when you put in a surge, an interval or climb a hill too fast.
3. In an Ironman it is so easy to Burn a Match, as the required effort is seemingly so easy, especially in the early stages of the bike leg, or the early part of a climb.
4. It will require so much self discipline & restraint to keep yourself in check on the first lap, but those who do can expect more even pacing (laps) and a better marathon.
5. Avoid surges, even if a friend/foe or work colleague comes flying past, keep your Pride in your pocket.
NB: Read Paul Ingpen’s Ironman Magazine, loads of helpful information, race course tips, etc.

Choose Positive thoughts over Negative thoughts.

1. Control what you can control, most notably your thoughts.
2. Remember your mind can only hold one thought at a time, so if you feed it a positive, there is no space for a negative.
3. Celebrate small victories. Every time you achieve something on race day, no matter how small keep expressing gratitude, or positive thoughts eg. goggles still on, around the Buoy without being kicked, out the swim safely, etc.
4. Stay in the present, focus on what is happening in front of you and try avoid thinking too far ahead. Focus on one step at a time, or one km at a time, otherwise it becomes very daunting.
5. The only thing you should think about later on in the day, is the Red Carpet at the Finish Line. Visualise crossing it, hearing the words “You are an Ironman” and embracing friends and family on a feat well done!

The Ultimate Thrill!

Summary:

I’ve paid plenty of school fees, repeated some school fees as I’ve failed myself at times. However, this year I am in a good space with my mindset, my training has gone well and I am determined to forget about the uncontrollables, such as my competition, the weather, etc. This year I am going to try and keep my emotions in check and listen to the advice above and if I can do that, I know I will have one of my more enjoyable Ironman races ever, which could very well lead to a good result too. I have prepared well, I’ve planned my course, but now it is time to hand over as we cannot control everything that happens on the day (or in life) and I am prepared to accept whatever hand I am dealt, after all Life and Ironman is all about the Journey!

‘In their hearts human beings plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.’-Proverbs 16:9

Recommended reading = http://ironmansa.com/2014/03/30/burn-the-lifeboats-before-you-line-up-for-ironman/

Supported by Family, Isuzu, Fuji, Orca and Cytomax

 

 

Ironman Thoughts from Scott Rigsby & Alec Riddle

9 Seconds is all it took for Scott Rigsby’s life to come crashing down! A little under 17 hours is what it took for Scott to make Ironman history, becoming the first double amputee (on prosthetics) to complete the Ironman World Championships in 2007.

I was fortunate to meet Scott Rigsby at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii and one can learn a great deal from this inspirational guy, who as a strapping 18yo was thrown over the side of a pick up truck and dragged 100m before being pinned under the trailer. Scott endured 26 surgeries and had both legs amputated…..before accomplishing the ‘Unthinkable!’

I extracted some of Scott Rigsby’s comments and the 5 key steps that he took to cross his finish line and transform his/the world (from his book Unthinkable). I have then added a few comments that may assist you in your Ironman race or journey!

1. Have a Dream:

Nothing can happen until you have something big in your heart that drives you. Your dream is yours alone and it doesn’t matter whether or not the dream seems attainable right now. In fact, searching for your dream may be a process you need to go through before it is fully revealed. Whatever the path, you must be willing to try and you will know you’re on the right course when that dream becomes bigger than yourself. It will become your passion. Just spend some time thinking about what you’d really love to achieve, and pray For God to begin the process of discovery for you by opening new doors.

AR: I think everybody has a desire to achieve Goals, a Dream…. but here is the crux of the matter. You can either act upon it and do what it takes, in other words pay the price… the price of sweat, tears, sacrifice and deferment of gratification. You can either go for it, transform and achieve, or you can sit on the couch, watch television, with the knowledge that if you are not consciously creating good habits, you will be defaulting to bad ones. It’s a simple mathematical equation, either you are getting better or you are getting worse. Which do you desire?

The fact that you are days away from lining up for an Ironman, implies that you have something big in your heart. You have a Dream and more importantly you have already done what 98% of people fail to do, you took Action and you Persevered as you prepared. There may be times in your Ironman Race when the going gets tough and you will need to dig deep; there will be mind games and you may be inclined to want to listen to that inner voice and throw in the towel. That is an absolute no no, Ironman is about finishing, about overcoming obstacles, about running down the Red Carpet and having Paul Kaye welcome you home with the words “You are an Ironman!” In 2009 I almost threw in  the Towel, but persevered and the marathon took me all of 6 hours 15 minutes and that medal is my most treasured medal of all, as I learnt so much about myself through that experience. The alternative is too ghastly to comprehend!

That little bird on your shoulder will be speaking to you in your moments of weakness, telling you that you can’t or that you are not good enough. He will target your fears, your doubts, your insecurities…… Looking to assassinate your dreams and aspirations.

That is when it is time to stand tall, to be defiant and to face your fears, to embrace pain and to tell yourself, You can, You will, You want to….

2. Build a Good Support Team:

Big dreamers take big risks and going it alone means almost certain failure. Your support team doesn’t have to include your family, and it may not even include your friends. Find people who can help you on your journey and then ask them to join you. You’d be surprised how often people will step up to help someone achieve a dream. Don’t be afraid to approach the people you admire and ask them for advice or help along the way. If they don’t know you need help, they can’t help you. In my case, finding my support team actually became part of the journey. When you’re doing the unthinkable, those in your camp actually share in the journey with you.

Supported by Family, Isuzu, Fuji, Orca and Cytomax

AR: Think back to the day you decided to try, to the days you took those first shaky steps en route to your Big Dream. You probably shared your Dream with a friend, or a loved one and they will in all likelihood have urged you on and been with you every step of the way. Keep your Dream close at hand and remember why you signed up, why you made so many sacrifices, but most of all remember those special folk who shared your sacrifices and have supported and encouraged you in your Ironman journey. That Finisher’s Medal is an excellent way of showing your appreciation to your support team!

3. Choose Faith over Fear:

In every situation, you can choose to make decisions out of either faith or fear. We all play self-defeating mind games that define our thinking and perceptions of ourselves and others. When I started my Ironman journey, I had no money and no experience. I was overweight, too old and going through difficult relationship issues. What it all boils down to, is that poor self-image and personal negativity are really just expressions of our own fears. Fear is the leading cause of the death of our dreams. The only antidote I know is to choose faith. Faith will lead you to face your fears and point you straight to the core of how to withstand the doubt and uncertainty. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step, even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”

AR: Setting a Goal and taking that first step requires immense courage and it requires Faith to persevere through the many setbacks and obstacles that you may encounter while trying to achieve your Goals, both in training or in the race itself. I prepare to the best of my ability and about a week out, I simply hand it all over. I realise that there is not much else I can do (except be mentally tough on the day) and that the rest is up to the weather Gods and whatever else may challenge me.

I have learnt it is pointless worrying about what we cannot control, so I’ve stopped looking at the weather and I don’t even know who is racing in my AG. After all, this is a race between the course and I and in particular my mind. One thing is for sure, anxiety won’t help us get into the zone, so it’s important to be relaxed and quietly confident in the build up to the event one is targeting. Quiet confidence is accentuated by being well prepared and having faith. We also have a lot of internal energy in the build up to a race, often referred to as nerves (or excitement). I choose to focus on calm excitement, as it has positive connotations, thinking of my hopes, my desires, my dreams. When I was younger I used to allow nervousness to dominate my thoughts and then you focus upon your fears, your concerns, the competition, the daunting task and believe me it drains you.

4. Expect and Overcome Obstacles:

Anything worth doing will present some challenges; otherwise you’d have done it already! However, no matter how much faith you exhibit, the ‘day of trouble’ will come. According to Jeremiah 16:19, that is precisely when God becomes our strength, our fortress and our refuge. Expect that you’re going to face some difficulties along the way, plan for how you are going to address them mentally and physically, and commit to reaching your goal in spite of them. There will days when you won’t feel like putting in the effort, or the conditions may be such that you want to give up. Those are the days when you must push past the fear or pain, for it is the strength you have gained during those days of difficulty that you will rely on when the unanticipated obstacles appear. Training breeds perseverance and instills confidence that you will be able to move past the obstacles, no matter what.

AR: Most people fear Pain, but I choose to embrace Pain and to see how far we can go together. Remember that Self Pity is a weak man’s emotion and when you start feeling sorry for yourself it’s just about over, so toughen up, have Faith that you have put in the hard yards and that your mind can over ride any obstacle that presents itself on the day.

Another important focal point is being ‘in the moment’, something kids are pretty good at, but as Adults we lose our way somewhat. Pro golfers are very good at this, it’s about taking one shot at a time, one hole at a time. We need to ensure we don’t get ahead of ourselves and remain present, focussing upon this very moment.

This was a vital contributor to my race in Las Vegas 2011, particularly in the 1.9km non wetsuit swim. I had forgotten how much an aid a wetsuit is and had over estimated my swimming ability and went out too hard and BLEW…. I was hyperventilating and having to swim breastroke to recover…. and this was 800m into a World Championship race. But I remained in the moment, I focussed upon what I needed to do right there and then, which was to stay calm, to recover and to think positively as opposed to thinking to the end result and the possibility of losing, having a bad race. So I was able to refocus and that was the key contributor to my result on the day. Don’t get ahead of yourself… focus on 1km at a time, or even 1 step at a time!

Pain is temporary and we all know that even the most excruciating pain dissipates in time, so rather take a time out as opposed to a bail out, after all rugby players, soccer players, etc all have half time and so can you!

5. Cross your Finish Line:

Somewhere along your journey, you envisioned what the experience was going to be like when you approached your finish line. Your dream may have taken months, years, or decades to achieve, but the finish line is always there for you to cross. If your mission is truly ‘unthinkable’, then your finish line will be characterized by the following truths:

*Your ‘unthinkable’ finish line was originally unimaginable.

*The line that you must cross cannot be moved closer to make it easier.

*Pursuit of your goal will scare you out of your comfort zone.

*Your goal will cause you to doubt yourself, and others will tell you that your goal is crazy.

*The mountain you must climb will be taller than anything you have ever done.

*You will experience many setbacks and failures on your way to success.

Your finish line is where you placed it, and once you get there, you may find that it was the experience of getting there that has made you stronger and more capable of taking on additional finish lines.

You might even find, as I did, that your dream becomes a mission and your mission changes the world. I wish you all the best in living your own ‘unthinkable’ dreams.

AR: The Ironman mantra is ‘Anything is Possible’ and I firmly believe that once you have set a Goal of doing an Ironman; of Actioning your Goal; of Persevering and Conquering, well that is when you are truly, capable of Achieving the Impossible or the Unthinkable. As you travel along your Ironman Journey, your Belief Ceiling is raised beyond recognition and you start to see Life and the World through diffrent eyes and suddenly things you previously thought Impossible, are truly Possible, in fact ‘Anything is Possible!”

Paul Kaye is waiting with the words “You Are an Ironman!” Enjoy the experience!

Comments extracted from Scott Rigsby’s book, Unthinkable, pages 251-254: Author Jenna Glatzer.

YES, you Can, you Will, you Want to!!

Do you think Age Groupers ‘dope’ in Ironman Competitions?

Kevin Moats, one of the most successful Age Groupers at Kona in terms of wins and Age Group records is bust for Doping, I wonder how rife this is and always have?

Kevin Moats Banned for Doping (Written by: Dan Empfield Date: Fri Oct 19 2012)

Top age-group athlete Kevin Moats, 58 years old, has been suspended from competition by World Triathlon Corporation for 1 year as a result of a positive test for exogenous testosterone.  The original ban was for 2 years, but the ban was halved by an arbitration panel.
The adverse finding was as a result of a test executed on Moats, out of competition, on January 30, 2012.  The sample failed the threshold for testosterone/epitestosterone ratio.  Moats admitted, at his arbitration hearing, taking supplemental testosterone.  He contends, and has produced documentation, demonstrating that he has been under a doctor’s supervision since 2005 for hypothyroidism and andropause.  However, Moats did not seek a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) prior to the test or at any time prior to the arbitration hearing.

To read more, follow the link, http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Kevin_Moats_Banned_for_Doping_3172.html

The Long Run

“The Long Run is the Golden Key to unlocking the door (potential) to becoming a better runner!” – Alec Riddle 

The one key component of developing your ability as an endurance runner, is the Long Run, so try and do 2- 4 long runs a month (experienced runners can do a midweek long run of 90 minutes). One cannot develop a decent Base, without long runs and variety is, in my opinion, the spice in a runners life, so don’t try and do the same course, at the same time, same pace, week in, week out, or your motivation may wane.

How long is a Long Run? I would say 90 minutes or longer (45-60m+ for juniors)

Doing a Long Run in Kona (Energy Lab) with Kyle Buckingham 2012. Young Jamie in the foreground doing his ‘long’ run!

How fast should a Long Run be? In the inital stages of Base Training, I think err on the side of caution and run very easy, as just running long is stressful enough. Time spent running, or Time on Legs, is more important than the quality and running too hard in the Long Run can be self destructing. As you adapt and become more comfortable running long, then you want to run closer to your Aerobic Threshold/Limit for part of the run. (or most of the run for experienced runners).

Adap-tability is important in running & in an IronMan and improving your ability to adapt to various situations can be improved, while developing your base.

I once went to a talk by Arthur Lydiard inthe early 80’s, arguably one of the greatest running coaches of all time and he said that running two hours or longer is vital. He said that you stimulate & (re) awaken dormant muscle fibers and the more muscle fibers/capilliaries you are able to recruit, the better and more improved the bloodflow, resulting in more oxygen for your muscles. (Even Peter Snell Olympic 800m Champion did 22 mile hilly runs weekly under Lydiard’s guidance)

Awesome hills/trails in Boulder, Colorado

Incorporate hills and/or trails into some of your long runs, as this will help improve all round leg strength. Do at least one of your long runs, or part thereof for inexperienced runners, say once a month at a steady pace (for IM athletes remember the marathon run in an IM is much slower than your normal training pace and it is just as important to train at this ‘slow’ pace, for specific conditioning). In my earlier days a lot of South Africa’s top distance runners, including 9 times Comrades Champion Bruce Fordyce, used to focus on ‘time on legs’ runs, whereby you just go out enjoy the run, stop for drinks and spend time on your legs. I used to enjoy those runs immensely.

At the same time we don’t always want to run slowly (the plods), so when doing an easy long run, incorporate 2-3 ‘steady’ sections into the run. Example when running a Long Run run mostly @ an easy pace, do 20 minutes at a slightly faster pace (not too  hard simply a little faster), recover for a km or two and repeat 2-3 times depending on your level of fitness, finishing off at your easy pace.

One of the biggest mistakes made by ultra runners/triathletes is believing that they will lose endurance if they don’t run long regularly in the build up to their key race. DO NOT do Long Runs (longer than 90 minutes) within 3 weeks of your target race, as you may find your legs won’t recover sufficiently in time.

Additional benefits of the Long Run:

The Long Run builds both muscular strength and fitness. If your body is not strong you can push your body too hard, leading to injury. The Long Run strengthens the joints, ligaments & muscles.

The Long Run helps prevent injuries, as it provides a foundation that enables you to do faster work as you build to your key race. Think of a building, the bigger the fundation, the higher the peak.

The Long Run importantly assists the body in the utilization of energy sources. Most people try and run too hard and burn Carbohydrates (or Glycogen) which is very inefficient. Running long (and slower) enhances your ability to burn fatty acids as an energy source, thus sparing the more limited carb stores.

Hydration is important during Long Runs

Ironman Tip/s: We will talk more about specificity in a later Tip, but I would suggest running the odd long run, after a medium bike ride, as this will assist you to ‘slow’ down.

I thoroughly enjoy reverse bricks to improve running endurance (and reduce the chance of injury) and have found these to work very well for me. This involves running first and following up with a decent bike ride. For me, this is a common 3 hour workout, where I would run 90 min and then bike 90 minutes. This was a tip I picked up in Korea from Brendon Downey of endurancecoach.com, coach of many world class Triathletes.

Illustrating the importance of building a Base in the link below…..

http://ironmansa.com/2014/04/14/the-bigger-the-base-the-higher-the-peak/