IRONMAN ARIZONA 2011: MY RACE REPORT

Where does ONE start to untangle the thoughts I have concerning completing this mission impossible. So  many things have happened in 24 years since 1987, that i wondered my self , can this be done?  It has truly been an inspiring week leading up to the race.  I have reflected from here to kingdom come but still words cant say what and how I truly feel.  Where did I come from, who am I, what will will I become, did you do your best, is your best good enough, are your goals correct, should I change my goals, who comes first family or sport, what will I do if I succeed , what if I fail, will I go back and do it again, is there time, will my body hold up, what challenges lay ahead, am i tough enough, do i have what it takes,  just WHO AM I.  These are just some the questions that roll through your mind on race day.  Being a lifelong athlete I feel pretty sure most everyone has the same introspection about these questions, but did you get the answers?  For me I most certainly did, but not in the way that I thought. Funny because I thought i had it all sorted out until the race was over, then came the true answers.  This race wasn't just  about me, but about all the people around me that wanted me to succeed and were part of my success story.  It was for my support team, who believed that anything is possible.

This dream started simple enough with Kiel wanting to become a triathlete.  Coming back to a sport after so many years away was a little intimidating but I told him that it would take me five years to it get back to where i could participate in a full Ironman but here I am. Fast forward to where we are, the race is done , I have finished  albeit 16 hours but hey Ill take it, as Ironman takes no prisoners, and it didnt this year for me either.  Cards get dealt and you play them.  Sure I had goals, but like most AGers they take a back seat to the reality of the race. Now, I have future goals and will have new race plans because at the end of the day we passed this test.
Kiel, you were the number one reason why I came back to this sport and my dreams of doing this with you will not stop. I have a limited amount of time but a father and a son ought to do this race together once in there life.  We have done so many other exciting things it would just be an honor for both of us to cross that line in the same race.  You are the best son a man could hope for.
Carla, my wife, BFF, MyBella, you are the reason why i never fail.  You wont let me.  You make me challenge myself and always have a kind supportive words when thing seem bleak. You are such a positive reenforcer!  Your boys,  love your can do attitude on life. You have chased after me for thirty years offering support in every way imaginable.  Dinners brought to me between Fairbanks and Nenana, traveling and supporting me racing all around the USA and Canada. So here we are again.  Lets get this report under way.

RACE DAY:
Its Sunday and Im up early and ready to go.  Odd I am not nervous or amped up. I thought I would be but I have prepaered myself that anything can happen on race day and it ussually does.  Today would be no exception.  I haven't driven five miles when the DPS lights me up for easing through the light at shea and the B-Line.  The officers asks where am i going and I laughed to myself as I was thinking about those ironman cartoon videos, so i reply "officer I am an Ironman and i wasnt paying attention", and he replied Im sure , "you are an idiot".  anyway i get down there and it is chaos right off the bat. parking, getting my stuff organized, checking my bike, all of it. When I finally get to the ONE tent life settled down to normal as I was with my mates! Same O same 0.  Got suited up, did the meet and greet , paparazzi style photo shoot, then off to the water with Jeff VanDrie. As we are standing in line I here Reilly say get in the water.  People are starting to panic and the crowd slowly move to the rail.  I was thinking,  What! we are not gonna make it down to the ramp at this pace.  And we didn't.  Everyone climbed the rail and jumped in to the lake. BAM, just like that Im under water.  Hello Sunday morning! Jeff and I meet near the far side yellow buoy and wait for the canon.  I here Dan sing and then just like that the calm turned into a raging river.  All hell broke loose in 5 seconds.  We are all pounding each other,  Im hearing people hyperventilate and panic!  I'm thinking get the heck away from me. So i found my open area and start swimming for my life for  awhile.  Then some one grabs my legs for a buoy.  Great, now I'm swimming for two but luckily they let go and I move on.  I got on pace and made the swim in 1:35 which was only 5 minutes slower than I thought.  When i got out I had plenty of energy and enjoyed the whole scene.  g
Grab my gear and Then into the changing tent.  Holy Sh@#! 50 plus guys throwing stuff everywhere. While there I hear my name and look over and see Neal almost ready to roll.  i fight my way to a chair and bget all dolled up for the party only to have to make a pit stop.  Really??? undress and do it al over again.  there went 20 minutes but im still ok and head out to ride. There are thousands of people lining the fence as we roll out like gladiators for battle.  exciting!.. by the time Im at Mclintock the leaders are starting to zoom past me going the other way. I was looking for Erik and sure enough he wasn't very far behind when the AGer started zooming past me. The Bline was the same as always head wind on the way up and tail wind down on lap #1.  By now Ive seen or heard "GO ONE" at least a dozen times.  I stay right on my times and head back to town, 2:15 a lap is the plan and i'm right on it. Then the second issue occurs, port a potty breaks every 15-20 miles, ALL DAY LONG!  So my ride is interrupted quite regular for the rest of the day.  Still no problem as I'm done in 6:57 with 5-6 breaks. 
In the meantime and unbeknown to me my tracker split gets lost in Ironman live and Carla has a panic attack trying to find out if i wrecked or DNF the race.  they drive up and down the bline till they find me. Hate that when it happens.  Didn't want them all freaked out during the race. It turns out multiple friends and family were probably wondering the same thing. My last lap was the same as the others without a big dropp off so I was thinking all good with my HR right at 120. 
As i started the run i told myself to just keep moving no matter what and I would be fine.  It was so beautiful out and the crowd were unbelievable. I started easy and my legs felt good, Hmm a good day? NOT! Somewhere around mile 9 the blister ordeal started!  Issue # 3 has just arrived to the party!  I tried to get medical help but go figure paramedics have no vaseline in the ambulance.  Really???  thats like me not having my TAZER.  By the time i made it around to special needs it was "too late baby". adjust- adapt- improvise==walking.  So from mile 13-14 on I knew that i would not be able to run..so after dealing with the fact that 14 hours was out of the question, i moved into survival mode to finish.
Now I start to play the math gymnastics game to make sure I can finish the race in under 17 hours.  Oh boy, math after dark.  Suddenly i see this figure of a person hollering my name on the bridge.  Damn if it aint John Dean coming to see me on the course.  He is feeling bad that he has to leave and wont see me finish. I'm like, dude its ok I'll be fine. After a brief visit with John and Cindy, double parked at the edge of the bridge. i press on.  I tell him not to worry that this is a personal battle now about getting to the finish line..I share this part because it shows just how thoughtful, John and Cindy Dean are as people.  They truly are a fantastic couple. So on i go to mile 23 when two more shadowy figures pop out.  Hey POPS!  I know that voice, its my boy! and Adam right next to him.  We hash out the issues and they tell me they are going to see me home.  Those last three miles were the best of the race.  Kiel, calculating the mileage and projected times to finish, laughing and talking fantasy football and the upcoming turkey bowl.  So with the last 1/2 mile to do, they leave me and head to the finish line.  As I come around the corner,  I'm hearing Mike Reilly doing his thing and Im thinking,  WOW, I am here!  I Made It! 24 years later.  I start high fiving everyone in the crowd until i see MyBella!  Show -stopper!!!  stop and tell her I love her and plant two kisses on her.  video by Hannah complete with sound effect...See FB post "the kiss".  Reilly calls my name, 1st time for him, Phil Legget got me in Canada., see VHS tape for that.  get my photo at the line and just like that it is all over. 16:09...bring on 2012!  What a inspirational day for the journey.  I t was amazing.  I had so so much fun! had a blast!
Special thanks to ALL the  ONE Multisport  members for there support and kind words. Just like in training races through this summer,  Erik was the fastest and I was the slowest, no change there. and no worries either. Everyone has goals to reach and though my time goal didn't occur, i had secondary goals that did get done..finish, have fun and enjoy the Ironman experience.
So did I answer my questions.  Yep I sure did.  My number one answer is Ironman is fantastic but No one can do this without family, friends and support.  Team Keller-We are Ironman!  ONE Multisport- We are Ironman! To my ONE mates-You are an Ironman!  thank you all and see you in Cali for Oceanside, Vineman and IMAZ 2012 right here in Tempe Arizona.

So its down to ONE!!!

Its November 18th, and I just got done going over my bags.  Geez, i must have 50 lbs of gear.  The end of this journey is almost near and I can start to feel the excitement build.  This am, MyBella and I went to Ironman village to do some shopping for her.  Yesterday Kiel and I hung out all day at the events.  Tonight MyBella and I will attend Tribe party and then on to the athletes dinner in Tempe.  In the true spirit of Ironman, we met Jeff VanDrie"s , freind from Slovakia, Marek and had a great conversation about his country.  We got introduced to lots of new people and have had a terrific time.

As you know I have taken tons of photos of our ONE mates.  Once this is all over we will be able to share all this for a lifetime.  If its your first it's special, If its on your home course its special . If its KONA plans its really special.  For me, 24 years later, I'm soaking it all in.  I am after the memories of this whole experience.  Yeah I'm going to do this again, but the last ONE till now has been a long long journey, 24 years!!.  It will be special and an honor to share with all of you.

So who do I thank for this?  Well I got a list, just like the shirt from ONE!
Kiel #1 son, my biggest supporter, MyBella #1 BFF and wife, John and Cyndi Dean for making me feel like I belong in ONE Multisport,  Jen Spasato, my 3 year spin instructor, Chad Miller for the long rides all over Arizona this summer, Adam Lorenz for running long with me, Joey Gregan for whom I studied while in the pool and offered such great advice on the where and how to do the long rides, Prescott, Ash Folk, Mingus, Jerome, Flagstaff etc.  Joel Gerber's spin classes, my ONE riding mates, Neal Gelb, Jon Ford, and Jeff VanDrie, ONE Bartlett lake crew most of whom are doing Ironman, Cindy and Shandra our lady ONE Ironman for all there kind words, Eric Svans for all his meticulous information on race prep and focus, Donna from the PVCC Fitness Center for keep an eye out on my BP and general health, my Fairbanks Police bros Eric Jewkes and my old training partner, Dusty Johnson, all my extended family  and everyone who has supported and believed in me, THANK YOU all from the bottom of my heart.  Im sure I didn't list everyONE but believe me I am reminded of all of you everyday.

It really does take a lot to prepare for a major event such as Ironman and without a support group it would be nearly impossible.  Tonight while listening to Mike Reilly the voice of Ironman I was struck by just how many people on this planet have the drive and courage to participate in Ironman.  I never would have thought in the 24 years gone by that it would be what it is today.  And they just keep racing.  From 18 to 74 years old this year all striving to hear Mike call there name.  Me too! 

Tomorrow I'll jump in the lake for a quick test of water temp, booties and headgear as 60-61degrees will be cool.  Drop my bike off along with a couple bags and I'll be done for the day.  A early spaghetti dinner by MyBella and before you know it will be 3am.  Rise and Shine.........................................   Lets get this party started!