I haven’t written anything new here for a while, but I decided to come back and write about my journey leading up to my first full Ironman. I am sure there are many of you out there like me, who would love to attempt their first full, but have many questions and fears about the commitment it takes in order to get there. My hope is that by documenting my journey for you, it will help those like me decide to take on the ultimate challenge of completing my first Ironman.
Many people ask me, “why did you pick Lake Placid as your first race?” Many of them have “heard” at one point and some have even said from experience that this is one of the hardest Ironman Courses in the world. This is in part because of the bike course, which I believe provides around 7,000 feet of climb, or elevation. My reasoning for choosing this race was more for personal and timing reasons than it is the course itself. For starters, I have 2 children, a 5 year old daughter, and a 3 year old son. My 5 year old started kindegarten this past Monday, and I didn’t want to pick a race during the school year that would cause her to miss school. Second, I wanted to make sure I had ample time to prepare. I have run at least a dozen or more sprint triathlons, 4 or 5 olympics, 1 International, and a Half. I have also run several Marathons over the past few years as well. 2015 however was a light year for me in terms of racing so I know it will take me a few extra months to be properly prepared.
I hired a coach last week using the Coach Matching service on Training Peaks. I spoke with several coaches before ultimately finding a level of comfort with a coach who seemed to really understand that while I have a goal to finish with a respectable time, my family at home still takes top priority it my life. My training schedule will absolutely revolve around that. I would lying however while doing you a huge disservice if I told you that training for an Ironman is possible without effecting your family life. This is most definitely a family decision just as much as it is a personal one. My coach’s name is Jeff Lukich of Drive Multi-Sports LLC. We haven’t officially started working together (this starts Sept 1), so I can’t say much about him aside from that he has a genuine interest in helping first time Ironman finish with a respectable time. In his own words, “if your goal is just to simply finish, then I am probably not your guy!”
My biggest fear in this event is the swim. No matter how many races I have completed I always find myself anxious about a crowded swim start. It will be interesting to see what this a coach can teach to help overcome this fear. The more and more photos I google of the Lake Placid Swim Start, the more anxious I get!
Once my regimine beings on September 1st, I will begin blogging more frequently! That’s for taking the time to reach my post. I would love to hear stories from others who have raced LP, or any tips from IM finishers for a first timer!!!
Mike Love's Tri Blog 