IRONMAN ARIZONA 2013: A LIFE LONG DREAM

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Five days and a wake up before the race of of our lives. Are we ready? Kiel are you ready? 52 weeks ago we made this decision to embark on the journey of a lifetime.  At 60 I see the journey clearly, at 28 the journey may be a little blurry.  Later though as life goes on, this journey will be crystal clear. for it is not often one can share the race experience of a lifetime with there son. What makes a fathers dream become reality?  What does it take for a son to step up and out beyond his father's shadow and say, lets do this!  What emotions must be going on as we prepare silently for what surely will be an epic day. Surely he must be thinking Am I ready, did I prepare enough, can I finish?  If only I could wash away his hidden fears and nerves before race day, but how can I as I'm having the same thoughts, just how the hell are we going to pull this off.  So many emotions this week, so much preparation, for just ONE special day.
Yet here we are on the precipice of race day.  Maybe its a good thing to work a little before thursday as surely when we enter the village the butterflies will be flying when it is time to pick up our packets.
The time to reflect is now as I reminisce on his basketball team winning the city championship in 7th grade as he followed the exact plan to defend the other teams best player, golfing in the high school state championship in Show Low with the wind blowing 30mph and the flagsticks bent to the ground,  playing his last high school football game in the quarter finals before loosing in the last few seconds or fighting his way onto the starting foursome in golf while in college.  Yes he has had lessons on lifes highs and lows.  But Ironman, 140.6 miles of mental hell, Are you ready for this, better Are we ready for this.  Will this bond as father son, will us to complete this battle. I believe I have shown him the light, the path to success in sports and in life.  We will both dig deep into the bag of tricks.  I know his weaknesses and he knows mine but more importantly we know our strengths, that burning desire to never quit against all odds.  Yes that is what it will take.  That never say die attitude no matter how tuff the battle is, Survival and the belief that anything is possible.  Yes I remember when anything is possible, when a 145 lb, freshman heat seeking missle  was told to go and make a play againist a 230 lb running back when your backs were againsit the wall... and you did, not once but twice in a row, rallying your team that night. yes anything is possible.  We have had so many lifes journeys but this will be the hardest to date. 
So here we are, Alaska boys ready to engage in the race of a lifetime, not againist each other or anybody else, just us againist the clock.  We have 17 hours and we may need all of it to get us through.  There will be issues, there always is, what they are I dont know yet , just that there will be trouble that brews and we will have sort it out and move on forward toward our goal. At 60 ya never know how many more chances you get to accomplish a dream.  Im a beat up warrior for sure but it aint quite my time to be done yet.
We are grateful for all that have gotten us through this year.  The women in our lives have made that possible.  Both Carla and Hannah have sacraficed while making this happen. Who do you thank for a years worth of blood, sweat and tears.  For me, I have had a lot of help to get me to the line this year.  My PT expert magician, Kate at DIPT, my nutrionist Brooke who opened up a whole new door on the way the body proceesses good and bad fats, Dr. Mike Robb at FIX24 who sorted out my spine and discs, and his assitant Whitney with the vibrating gun to keep my back and shoulders operating correctly, LIFETIME for my sanctuary at the pool, Mcdowell MTN park my real sanctuary to hike and run with no boundaries, my ONE mates, John/Cyndi Dean,  Rhino for guiding me in to the finish for 2012 IMAZ, Jon Ford for Barletting, my bike buddies, Todd, Pete, Robert and Jeff, the girls of ONE who swam and ran for me to relay this year, to keep this old guys legs fresh, Klas for seeing to it that Kiel made it to the starting line.  Im sure Im missing a lot of names but yall know who you are and believe me each and every one of you made a difference in my life as a ONE triathlete.
This week will fly by and we wont begin to be able to tell everyone thanks so Im doing it now. God speed all u Ironmaners and to my son Kiel Keller, a soon to be rock star!