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Doing the 70.3 Ironman and Raising $3,856 for Charity

November 5, 2014 By Danny

I think I should start by saying ‘Wow’!

Just a week prior to the race I announced on this blog that I was doing the Miami 70.3 Ironman and that I wanted to raise $3,000 to honor what would have been my sister’s 30th birthday. I didn’t really expect to hit that goal and I certainly didn’t expect to blow past it with over $3800 raised. So, first and foremost, thank you to everyone who supported this effort, it really is still unbelievable!

So, about that race. Every triathlon starts with swimming, followed by biking, followed by running. The Ironman Triathlon comes to 140.6 miles of swimming, biking and running. Yes, miles. Thankfully the Miami Ironman Triathlon was a 70.3 race, or exactly half a traditional Ironman. My race was 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 miles of cycling and 13.1 miles of running. Because I did the half Ironman, I like to call the race the Aluminum Man, as aluminum is one half the atomic weight of iron.

I woke up Sunday morning and, as one does before a big race, set to coloring my hair pink and purple. As a result I forgot a few things: breakfast, the beet juice I planned to drink with breakfast, and my glittery bike helmet. Yeah. That was a problem. Especially because I took an Uber ride to Miami so Jill could get back to sleep after dying my hair. Upon arrival in Miami I had to call my wonderful wife to wake up my two sleeping daughters to drive down to Miami and deliver my multi-colored helmet to me before 7 a.m. Great start.

Somehow it all worked out.

We met, I finished my setup before being moved to the start line and had some time to relax and take in the atmosphere with my lovely ladies and my friend Greg who showed up for sunrise. Before I knew it, my wave was called into the water and I was off. My training did me well here and I finished the swim in 51 minutes, not bad considering how much extra distance I swam on account of the current pushing me out to sea. (Also pretty good considering how awful my first long distance swim was!)

Next up, the bike. We started from Bayfront Park, right by the American Airlines arena and cycled up US-27 all the way to Stirling Road (practically home) and then back again. The wind was strong as I headed out but on the way back to transition, with the wind at my back I practically flew. I averaged 17.2 mph which was excellent for me and the fastest I’ve ever averaged at that distance. A better bike might have increased my speed a few more mph but I was happy.

Finally the run. I’ve been told for a triathlon you need to pace the swim, enjoy the ride and survive the run. I think I might have taken that advice a bit too literally. I survived the run but not much more. As I pulled in from the bike ride I relaxed, I was way ahead of schedule and had PLENTY of time to make my 7 hour goal. I found Jill on the edge of the transition area and she helped me re-color my hair, which was looking rough after hours of swimming and biking and set off on my run. For the first time all day I was aware of the heat and the sun and before I knew it, it was taking a toll.

As I ran I got more and more tired. The sun wore down on me. I took some walking breaks, then I was walking more and more. I think of running a mile in 10 minutes as my over/under. I can sustain 7 minute miles over shorter distances and earlier this year managed to run 13.1 miles with a 9 minute per mile average. My first few miles were around 10 minutes. After the swim and bike though, I would have been thrilled to have kept to a 10 minute pace but I figured I’d be closer to 11 or even 12 minutes per mile. I was over 12. Then there was the I-395 bridge and I had to cross it 4 times, walking more of the uphill each time. The amount of time it took me to complete a mile kept ticking up; 14 minutes, then 16 minutes. My stomach was cramping, I needed energy but anything other than water hurt more than helped. I walked more and more I couldn’t see the finish line but knew it was just around the corner, or the next corner, or the next corner, ack! I eventually found the finished line and managed to run through it and nearly collapsed on the other side.

My goal was to finish in 7 hours. My time was 7:09:47. Just 10 minutes shy of my goal.

Did I forget to mention that I missed my goal time at my first marathon by a mere 14 seconds? This seems to be a trend.

Oh well, I don’t care, I still finished and I survived!

Thank you again to everyone who supported me – your donations, texts and messages of support were appreciated more than you’ll ever know!

That time I finished a race in first place…and didn’t realize it!

October 18, 2014 By Danny

Checking items off a bucket list is always a lot of fun. Checking an item off and not even realizing can be even more rewarding.

In early 2013 I challenged a couple of friends to walk with me from Washington, DC all the way to Harper’s Ferry, WV. We did it, unfortunately that item wasn’t on our bucket list. Several months later, one of those friends challenged the group to another silly idea, competing in a really long triathlon.

We all took the bait.

This past August, six friends and a pair of one year old twins descended on Penn Yan, New York for the Peasantman Triathlon. The friend who challenged the group to the event was planning on competing in the Steel Distance Triathlon, effectively a half iron man. His girlfriend and I signed up for the Olympic Steel Triathlon, while Jillian and the other pair of athletes took care of the Half Steel Relay. We focused on keeping the race low-key and fun.

We all finished our triathlons, some of us in first place.

Fast forward to the end of the race… when the two of us who ran the Olympic distance triathlon got the surprise of our athletic careers…we were first place in our respective divisions. Despite coming in the bottom half of the overall race field, we cleared the first place position in our divisions and, that means item #46 on the bucket list has been achieved. I came in first place in a race, it doesn’t matter that I was the only one in my division, my certificate says 1st and so… item #46 has been officially checked off the list!

Just don't ask how many people I had to leave in my dust.... — Just don’t ask how many people I had to leave in my dust….

The only problem is that in training for that Olympic distance triathlon (which I WON!), I somehow managed to sign up for a half Ironman race, something I like to call the “Aluminium Man”. The reason I signed up is that completing the aluminium man (70.3 miles total) happens to have been the first item on the bucket list. Wonder if I’ll come in first again….

I just ran a triathlon

August 12, 2013 By Danny

It may have been a short triathlon, taking place in North Miami Beach, but it was the maximum length allowed to be called a sprint and it was a good stepping stone for me in trying out this new sport. The race was the 25.75 North Miami Triathlon and it felt great to get out there and even better to finish!

First. What is a Triathlon?

A triathlon is three sports; swimming, cycling and running. The three sports are always in that order, it’s pretty logical when you think about it. In this race, the swim was 750 (.46mi) beautiful meters of open water swimming in Miami’s Biscayne Bay followed by a 20k (12.4mi) bike ride and a 5k (3.1mi) run. My job was very simply to do those three events, in that order, as quickly as possible.

But Wait, What about those Adventure Races you used to run?

So yes, the adventure races are far more involved, take a lot longer, and involve lots of alligators. This was NOT that. My best hope for wildlife was a manatee or two but we didn’t see any of those. Last year Jill did an Xterra Triathlon in the same waters and other swimmers did report a manatee in the water, but I digress. In an adventure race, the racer uses a map and compass to navigate the wilderness, sometimes on bike and sometimes on foot or in a boat, in whatever direction he or she chooses. I view adventure races as a more difficult undertaking than a triathlon, simply because of how long it lasts and the mental anguish of poor decision making. But, the events are very different and require a different type of fitness and mental fortitude. An adventure race can last for 6 hours to 6 days, this triathlon took me just over 90 minutes while the longest available – the Iron Man – will take the winner just over 8 hours. Because it is shorter, the triathlon requires a different sort of athleticism and a lot more hustle and no real opportunity to sit down and breathe. Added benefit of the triathlon: finishing in time for brunch!

As I mentioned, I finished in just over 90 minutes, which is fantastic considering my [much too easy] goal was 2 hours. My swim time was tremendously quicker than I had expected, I’d been working on that, while my run, which I did in normal shoes, and bike were right about as good as I could have hoped. Here are my stats:

The setting for the race was absolutely beautiful. Miami’s Biscayne Bay and cycling through Oleta River State Park was a treat as well. What wasn’t a treat was being passed on the bike by more racers than I could count. Basically, if do an image search for the word triathlete, you’ll see what one looks like and the kind of bicycle they have. Sometimes those bikes cost as much as $5,000. My bike, which I use to commute, cost a measly $300 and well, I don’t think I much look like a triathlete. Still, I enjoyed a great morning and have something to build off of. Besides, I had the best looking cheerleaders of the entire race!

IF YOU want to do a triathlon as well the 2575 race series is a great way to start. The races are short, yet still long enough to be a very meaningful distance. Also, the locations are simply phenomenal. Using these races to travel all around the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean wouldn’t be such a bad plan.

Doing the 70.3 Ironman and Raising $3,856 for Charity

That time I finished a race in first place…and didn’t realize it!

I just ran a triathlon

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