How Do You Go 120 Miles On Your Bike?

Last year when we were training for Ironman Florida we were often given the long bike ride of 110-120 miles. We always chose the 120. When people would ask us (always in all caps), "WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO GO ONE HUNDRED TWENTY MILES ON YOUR BIKE!!!!????"

The answer was always rather simple, "Well, we didn't really necessarily choose to go 120 miles. At 50 miles we felt great. At 55 miles we felt great. So why not go 60. Then you have to turn around. There is no wimp rope that will bring your house or your car any closer so you have to get back to where you started."

At mile 60 it sounded like a fine idea. At mile 70 it still seemed like a good idea. At mile 80 it was beginning to sound like just an OK idea. At mile 90 it probably did not seem like the brightest idea. At mile 100 it seemed like a bad idea and at mile 110 it sounded pretty stupid.

When we got back and completed the whole 120 miles were we glad we did it? No, not right away. Maybe not even the next day. By the time Ironman Florida rolled around we were very glad we had done it. We felt very well prepared for our 112 mile bike portion of the race.

This is much the same way I view life goals. As my friend and trainer extaordinaire Steve Pfister (http://www.stevepfiester.com/) likes to say, "Keep It Stupid Simple!"

1. Start.
1.A. Start Right Now!
1.B. Are You Kidding Me? START!!!
1.C. START RIGHT NOW!!!

2. Get After It Like A Dog Digging Out A Buried Alabama Barbecue Restaurant!

3. Get Halfway.

4. Your Halfway, You Might As Well Finish!

The Perfect Triathlon Car

We have debated the cost effectiveness of driving to the Ironman U.S. Championship in New York City. The added benefit would be being able to carry all our nutrition, sports drinks and tri-gear. Here is what I think we would like with all our tri-junk driving through The Big Apple:

Yep this would be my look of incredible awe as I look at them big ol' buildin's. "Whee doggies!"

So that we are clear, I have the brains of Jethro and Sherrie has the looks and strength of Ellie May. Remember Ellie May would always win when Jethro and Ellie May would "tussle." (Please forget that Ellie May and Jethro were cousins, because that just makes this weird.) While both of our parents have the spunk and fiestiness of Granny and Uncle Jed I'm not going to say they look like them. So let's just say those two people are just two random people we picked up in Georgia to guard our fine ride.

This is us returning from our shopping trip with our pre-race meal. You will also notice that our wonderful 15 year-old swim star daughter, Lobo, is not represented here. Trust me, if we had this car she would be about 2,000 miles away.

...and 2:30 am race morning leaving the hotel with the movin' stairs headed to get our Ironman on!



Why We Loves Us Some Lochte!

Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps are set for an epic duel in the pool in the Olympic Trials and the Olympics.

Here's why we at Team Ironmac loves us some Ryan Lochte:

A few years ago at a swim meet in Daytona Beach shortly after Mac Crutchfield had died, Maggie Crutchfield (Mac's mom), was at a swim meet to cheer on Mac's former teammates. Ryan Lochte heard about Mac's death at the meet and walked over to her and said, "Whatever I can do for you, you just let me know, I'll be glad to do it."

Well, now we fast forward to look back at what Ryan Lochte has done for the Crutchfields and the Mac Crutchfield Foundation. He has made countless trips to the boonies of South Georgia to just visit with the family or to be the star of a fundraiser. He has agreed to be the spokesperson for the Mac Crutchfield Foundation. But what I saw a couple of weeks ago at a community pool in Gainesville summed it all up for me.

Gold medalist Ryan Lochte revealed his gold heart once again. He has become a surrogate big brother to Savannah Crutchfield, Mac's little sister. I have witnessed him numerous times do big brother things like give her noogies on her head and fake spit loogies in her hair. Things only a big brother could get away with.

Two weeks ago though, I saw it all play out in such incredible simplicity and clarity, it was stunning. Ryan told Savannah he wanted to come watch her swim. Savannah had just returned to competitive swimming a few months earlier. At the pool, Savannah turned to her mother and said, "I don't want him to come see me swim yet, I'm embarrassed."  Savannah's mom told her not to worry. Not two minutes later, Ryan Lochte slipped into the swim meet snuck up behind Savannah and put his hands over her eyes.  She guessed right away who it was.

Ryan Lochte slipped in like a ninja but soon the buzz grew. While Ryan quietly made small talk with the Crutchfield family, a small storm of excited kids waited like they were about to see a Santa Clause with six pack abs and bedroom eyes. When one kid finally got up the nerve to come over and ask for an autograph the line grew exponentially. Ryan was more than friendly and unassuming. He bent down to take pictures with the little ones. He signed everything. Who knows what kind of strong man workout he had just finished. He never complained, always smiled and did whatever the kid asked.

He graciously broke away to yell for Savannah when her event started. This was the only time he got loud. He made sure that everyone knew he was cheering for his newest little sis. Actually I don't think that was his point, he just wanted to be loud enough for Savannah to know that he was there to cheer for his newest little sis.

After she swam, he went quietly and graciously back to signing autographs until there was not a kid in the place with Ryan Lochte's name on something. He and Maggie then quietly made plans for the Crutchfields to come over to his house for dinner. And then he quietly walked off into the sunset like some mythical hero.

And he is, except he's not a myth. He's real. He's genuine. Oh, and Savannah also says he's goofy. Just like any little sis says about their big bro'.

So tonight, or any night over the next couple of months, you see that shark in the water devouring his foes. Remember that is one shark with one very big golden heart.

We Have Some VERRRY Interesting Members Of Team Ironmac!

Beiber Fever, Yes or No?

One reason I love sports is that is a microcosm of life. Same with Ironman you make decisions on choices that either build character and pattern or certainly reveal character and patterns. When training for an Ironman you have to think outside the box, or really pretend there just is not a box there.

For instance two Saturdays ago we had a 70 mile bike ride on the agenda. Our 15 year old daughter, Lauren or as we affectionately call her "Lobo," NEEDED Justin Beiber tickets that went on sale online at 10:00 AM and would surely sell out quickly.

Life is not really that complicated as I tell many clients in my counseling practice. It usually boils down to a few "yes" or "no" questions. It gets complicated when we get stuck like a duck in the muck or become a whineasaurus because we either don't like the question or the answer is indeed hard to accept. But the sooner we accept that we have checked "yes" or "no" the sooner we move in a positive direction.

Let's take what other people would call our little dilemma:

Did we need to ride 70 miles on our bike for our training?   YES

Did Lobo desperately need Justin Beiber tickets like a flower needs rain? YES

Were we willing to carry a laptop in a backpack on our bikes and hope we picked up wi-fi somewhere in the boonies of North Florida or South Georgia? NO!

Were we willing to incorporate coming back to our house as part of our route so we could both get on  a computer and have the best chance of scoring some Beiberliciousness for our daughter? YES

Did we jump off our bikes and start firing up the computer at 9:50 for the 10:00 sale? Yes

Did Ticketmaster tell us we could not get tickets? Yes

Did Ticketmaster tell us we could not get tickets? Yes

REPEAT  THE ABOVE FOR 20 MINUTES

Is there another site that was selling tickets (asked by Sherrie)? Yes

Will Stub Hub gladly take our money and welcome our daughter to Beiberland? YESSSSSSS!!!!!

Did we want to get back on our bikes? Umm...umm...umm...yeah

Did we get back on our bikes and finish our training? YESSSSSSSS!!!!!

Are we a happy family because we were willing to think outside the box and think of the right questions and answer them with the "Yes" that led to the best?  Y E S !!!

Next time you feel like a duck stuck in the muck thing of the yes or no questions you need to deal with and get movin' and groovin'!

Speaking of movin' and groovin' I hope this clip helps: http://www.youtube.com/embed/kffacxfA7G4

Sherrie and I will be doing the Ironman New York City in August followed by Ironman Florida in November. This will be the story of our journey leading up to the two races consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run.

We race for Team IronMac in honor of Mac Crutchfield, who tragically died while playing in a downpour near his house. To learn more about Mac go to www.maccrutchfieldswimstrong.memory-of.com.

My connection to Mac is probably that I will always want to think and act with my 12 year-old boy brain.

May I Always Be A 12 Year-Old Boy

I hope that I will always remember what it is to be 12.

I hope that I will always love to play in the rain.

I hope that I will always want to ride a bike downhill as fast as I can.

I hope that I will always forget that if you drink an Icee too fast you get a brain freeze.

I hope I will always want to eat dessert first.

I hope that I will always believe that somehow I will still make it to the Olympics.

I hope that I will always jump off the couch when my team makes a diving catch for a touchdown.

I hope that I will never be afraid to ask the socially unacceptable questions.

I hope that I will always believe right is right but still want to play with you when you make a mistake.

I hope I will always get butterflies in my stomach around pretty girls.

I hope I will always believe that cheering for a friend helps them perform better.

I hope I will always know that my mother will be their to comfort me.

I hope that I wlll always be proud when someone tells me that I am just like my dad.

I hope that I will always want to talk with my sister even when she is getting on my last nerve.

I hope that I will always remember what it is to be 12.