Progress Update

Many of you have asked about how training is going for Ultraman.

Since finishing my dream of Ironman Arizona in November 2008, I have been plagued with IT band problems and have not run more than a total of 10 miles in the past 60 days. Further, I continue to be dealing with a horrendous malady on one of my toes that required an operation to remove a significant part of the underside of the toe.

The toe has never healed despite 5 different treatments from three different specialists. It remains a raw, weeping, oozing, open sore that's now about the size of a cherry pit and just as deep.

All this as background to say that the training is way behind and I am beginning to become concerned, but not panicked or overly alarmed. Once we fix this toe and the IT Bands, I know that I can intelligently get back into shape, but time is ticking and I am eager to get these issues behind me.

Just today, I had a highly-toxic acid treatment of some sort that is designed to eat away at this toe problem, but the pain of the acid in this open sore in literally unbearable.

I am eager to get back into the rythym of a daily routine and am looking forward to putting these problems behind me as soon as possible.

Goals Update: 2009 and Beyond

Well the time has come to update my goals. This is an annual process I've been doing since the sixth grade, every year, without fail, during the period between Christmas and New Year.

Regrettably, this year I was so pre-occupied with the final edits on my book, From Seat 2A to Ironman, that I let this process slip.

Part of the power in goal setting is to share your goals with others so that you've got a built in network of reinforcement and accountability. Getting a bit of ribbing from family and friends is a healthy way to reinforce those items which matter most to you.

I know, I've been doing it for literally 35 years (that's a fact!) and it's remarkable to review prior year's goals and see how many have been acheived.

As it relates to IronAmbition then, here are my fitness goals, aspirations and crazy dreams for 2009 and beyond. I will never achieve all of these in 2009, not even close, but you'd be amazed at the power of just listing your goals and letting your subconscious go to work for you 24x7 to try and figure out ways to make these happen.

Fitness and Event Objectives:

15 Correct Pull Ups
75 Push Ups
Bike: Double Century (200 miles)
Eliminate IT Band Problems
Eliminate Trigger Point Issue
Full Ironman Triathlon (DONE!)
Keep weight under 159 pounds
Less than 33" waist at BB
Run: 50 mile Ultramarathon
Run: Badwater 135
Run: Carp to Solvang (50 m.)
Run: LB to Carp. (112 mi.)
Run: SB 9-Trails (35 Miles)
Swim an open water 10K
Swim: Alcatraz to San Francisco
Swim: Catalina to L.B. (23 miles)
Swim: Entire Golden Gate Bridge
Swim: SB to Carp (10 Miles?)
Ultraman Canada (318 miles)

Objectives: Other

Publish From Seat 2A to Ironman
Buy 3 - 15 acre avocado ranch in Carpinteria
Write and publish a business book
Launch new division: Sales Acuity

A Family Affair

If you think that a support group isn't important when setting out to train and compete in ultra endurance events, well I've got a news flash for you.

A support network is extremely important.

I could not have completed my goal without an incredible business partner in Kevin Kelsey and the enormous understanding and support of my wife. I like this light-hearted photo of us right before the bike check-in in Tempe. It was one of the few moments when we were both laughing and relaxing. Most of the time, it was a tough struggle.

I was late for dinner. A lot.

I was complaining about injuries. Far too often.

I was constantly limping around the house.

I was in a bad mood knowing that I had really long workouts and that my time was running out (because I had procrastinated)

I went to bed really early (8:30pm) and was asleep most nights by the time she finally got to bed at our pre-Ironman training time of 10:00pm.

I often was very restless when sleeping due to pain and kept my wife up, woke her up and generally prevented her from getting the best rest possible.

I often was not home when Connor went off to school because I had to do early morning workouts; there just was no other way to get them done.

I was cranky, crabby, irritable when in pain (most of the time).

As you can see, I was generally not a lot of fun to be with. Nobody willingly signs up for that kind of a husband, so I'm grateful she stuck through all of this and continued to be supportive and encouraging.

What came out of all of this was that my self-confidence increased dramatically and I am a better person for the journey. I no longer have daily migraine headaches from stress, I have lost about 45 pounds and despite all the injuries I continue to nurse along, I think I've added at least a few years to my life.

The support of family, friends and associates is really very important in this endeavor. You can still do it without the support, but let me assure you, there's enough to worry about with all of your training, nutrition and recovery requirements.

Take my advise and make certain that you have a firm support network in place before you start on this journey.

Again, thanks to all who helped me along the way, especially my wife, my son Connor, my coach David Warden, my incredible business partner Kevin Kelsey, my terrific cousin-in-law Chris Barsh, my great friend and crew chief Kelvin Shields (you are awesome man!) and all those in the Ironman community who offered their time and counsel.

Now I ask for your support and understanding yet again. The 2009 Ultraman Canada event beckons and I am answering the call.

I need a crew and am hoping that Kelvin Shields can come to my rescue again. The great thing about Kelvin, not only is he a once-in-a-lifetime true friend, not only is he a sportman who has completed Ironman events and ultra endurance events, not only is he a world expert at prioritization and focusing on what matters most, but in this case, not only does he literally love to take roadtrips (Canada anyone?!), he's all those great things, but the most important attribute is that he is a trained emergency medical first responder. Kelvin Shield may literally save my life in Ultraman Canada. Now that's a crew member I really need!

I am also hoping to land Connor again. He'll likely be a counsellor at Camp Cherry Valley on Catalina Island, but I'm hoping to pull him away to manage the hydration bottles and the music for the roadtrip. He's got great style and great musical instincts, plus an iPod with a massive hard drive!

Of course I hope my wife will come for support, but that's a lot to ask. She's already going to have to put up with the complaining and injuries and missed meals and events for the next 8 months. A road trip to Canada may be asking a bit too much in addition to all that she'll be putting up with, but we'll see how that goes!

Accepted to Ultraman Championships 2009!!

Incredible news!!

I was invited to participate in the Ultraman Canada Championship race!

Ultraman Canada is a 3-day, 318.6 mile individual ultra-endurance event.

Entry is limited to 30 solo participants and 5 relay teams and is by invitation only. The event is more than 2.25 times longer than a full Ironman Triathlon.

Day 1 starts with a 6.2 mile open water swim immediately followed by a 90 mile bike ride that traverses the Richter Pass and concludes in Okanagan Falls. Cutoff times are 6 hours for the swim and 12 hours for the entire day.

Day 2 is a 170 bike that begins in Penticton and concludes in Princeton. Cutoff time for the bike leg is 12 hours.

Day 3 is the final stage and consists of a 52.4 mile double-marathon run from Princeton to Summerland. Cutoff time for the run is 12 hours.

This is an international event and athletes are expected from around the world. Each athlete must be accompanied by an individual support team of at least two persons over the entire course, and I am hoping beyond all hope that my great friend Kelvin Shields can crew for me as he did in Tempe. I’m also very hopeful that Connor will be able to leave summer camp and join me in this incredible pursuit.

I intend to train smart and remain disciplined. This is not necessarily about training super hard, it’s more about putting in the long hours to build up an aerobic base. David Warden, my world class triathlon coach who got me from corporate sloth and coach potato to Ironman, has agreed to stay on for this event and to plan all aspects of my Ultraman training. I am also seeking input from any and all past Ultraman finishers that they might provide fitness benchmarks that I should try to achieve prior to the event. (There is very little information available about how to train for such a long event.)

No doubt, I am in over my head. And that’s exactly how I like it. Race Director Steve Brown courageously and generously invited me to participate and I don’t intend to betray his trust or confidence.

Only 40% Done

As I crossed the finish line and achieved my dream of becomming an Ironman the emotions where overwhelming. All that hard work, struggle, pain and suffering. The ups the downs, the incredible low points. It was now over and I couldn't hold back the rushing onslaught of emotion and pure joy and extreme pride.

But once we accomplish great things and the stories have been told and retold, then what? Are we done? Do we stay at the same event and just do it again and again? Or do we look for even greater quests, greater challenges? Do we look for inspiration in other areas, other fields of endeavor? Really....what do we do after we accomplish such grand objectives, goals and dreams?

I need constant change and new challenges. I'm not wired for the status quo and so I set out seeking even greater challenges. To see how far the human spirit can be moved. What's our real limit?

As David Goggins, one of the most inspiring and successful ultra endurance athletes in the world says, "When you hit that wall and everything inside of you tells you that you should quit....at that moment you are only about 40% done!"

There's still another 60% left to give and that's exactly how I feel after completing the Ironman.

I've scoured the journals and the web for exciting new challenges and adventures. Soon I will report on the next journey.

Stay tuned!

Crossing the Finish Line with Connor

This is a TREASURED video clip of Connor running alongside of me as I crossed the finish line and achieved my dream of becomming an Ironman Triathlete.

Words cannot describe the emotions and sense of accomplishment to have worked so hard and have overcome so many obstacles in the pursuit of this goal. And to have Connor cross the line with me was priceless.

Absolutely a day that will live with me forever.

My Book is Nearly Ready: Seat 2A to Ironman

My book regarding this experience, along with tips, research and lessons on business and life, is nearly complete. Everything of note that I've learned through this long process, including some fantastic ideas on nutrition, hydration, training, product recommendations and time management with work and family are all included.

I hope that the book will serve as motivation and as a comprehensive resource, especially for age-groupers and those middle-aged corporate executives that I have worked with from around the globe in my consulting and CEO advisory work.

Like me, they focus valiantly and selflessly on their careers, their families, their clients. When the weekend comes, they want to break loose, have a few beers, watch the game. They decide to hire others to mow the lawn, wash the cars, paint the house. Why not? They can afford it; they’ve certainly earned it.

But little by little, just like me, they become more and more sedentary and the weight just continues to accumulate, usually right around our mid-section. Look around any public venue such as an airport or any mall and you’ll see that most men my age have a big belly hanging over their belt. Yep, that was me to be sure, but I finally took control, took my life back, and now have my health, pride and renewed self-esteem as a bona fide Ironman!

I have never been happier. It was a lot of work, a lot of struggle and plenty of pain. There were sacrifices and missed events. There were costs. Heavy costs. But in the end, I’m glad I made the sacrifices and paid my dues.

The book: Seat 2A to Ironman is the story of how I accomplished this life-changing transition and who helped me along the way. But more than my story of struggle and ultimate triumph, this is also a how-to guide filled with lessons on business, on life, on relationships, on health and ultimately, on how to finish an Ironman Triathlon.

I did it, and you can too!

I'm self-publishing the book in order to share all that I've learned in this process. I will print a small quantity and if you'd like me to put you on the list, please send me an email at: John@IronAmbition.com.

Post Ironman Injuries and Doctors

The first business day upon my return from the full Ironman, I had a pre-scheduled appointment for some minor, in-office surgery to remove an extremely deep plantar wart in a toe on my left foot. I was left with a gaping hole and about 1/3rd of the meaty part of the toe's interior was now gone. It was numb as I left the office, but MAN did that thing start to hurt a few hours later!! It was extremely slow to heal and bleeds and drains daily, even a month later! I am still limping and wincing in pain with literally every step.

I went for my first post-Ironman run about two weeks ago. This was a deliberately-slow run over my Cal State Long Beach 5-mile loop, a course I know well. To force myself to go very slow, I brought our Border Terrier, Billy The Kid, along for the run; this was a first for both of us.

About 3 miles into this very easy, very slow jog, all of a sudden, BOTH "IT Bands" adjacent to my knees began to painfully rub on the outside of the knee joint. I could not run at all. I was wobbling from side to side and could barely walk.

This happened to both knees literally within minutes of each other. The only other time I had serious IT Band issues was during the full Ironman race. We traced this problem back to incorrect seat height following the frantic rush to replace my bike following the accident where I was hit by a car.

But for both knees to go out at the same time, that is really perplexing and I simply cannot explain it. I'm stumped!

My coach, David Warden, has me now seeing a Physical Therapist and that is going quite well. I am excited about the exercises and the stretching and am hopeful that this treatment may lead to solutions with the myofacial pain syndrome/trigger point in my left upper trapezoid and also with my deep hip socket pain as well as the IT Bands. Only one session so far.

I found a new Podiatrist to check on my theory that perhaps one leg is shorter than the other. Why else would all of my problems and injuries consistently be on my left side? Also, it was the left IT band that went haywire on the bike, and that made perfect sense! If my left leg was shorter than the right, then it would be forced by the bike's crank arm to travel further on the downstroke, stretching that IT band more and more with each successive pedal rotation.

The Podiatrist performed several tests and measurements to conclude that the left side of my body is in fact shorter by about 3/8ths of an inch. But note that I said the left side of my "body" is shorter..not just the left leg. It seems that I am extremely taught/tight in terms of inflexibility. I may also have some vertebrae that need to be popped back in alignment in my upper back. All of these issues may be in collusion to be causing these problems. A small shim was placed into the bottom of my left shoe. I find it very uncomfortable but am going to give it two weeks and see if I notice any changes. It is very painful on the left heel, as if all my weight is bearing on that one heel. Is the pad too thick? Hummmm. Perhaps they have over-adjusted.

The Podiatrist also cut the "cap" or top layer of skin off of my one-month old toe surgery as the surface of the wound had formed a very tough "pudding skin" but there was no healing going on inside that gaping hole, so he opened the wound all over again! There are days when I honestly think that I'd like them to hack off the offending appendage just to relieve the constant throbbing and the limping.

Limping, by the way, causes all kinds of additional problems: it's the law of unintended consequences. I place more weight on my right side and the outside of the right foot in order to relieve the constant pain on the left foot. Now it seems that the right foot has three cracked metatarsals or acutely strained tendons.

The foot has 26 bones, 107 ligaments and 32 muscles and tendons It is an extremely delicate piece of equipment. Limping or favoring one side over the other is just asking for trouble.

I also made my first visit to a Urologist to check things out. No more hemmrohoids (whew!) which I believe were caused by so much time in the saddle on those long weekend rides. Everything checked out perfectly, so that is one area that is doing fine.

Finally, and stop here if you are queazy...

The last of my toenails have either fallen off or I have yanked them out. It sounds absolutely horrible and shocking, but the truth of the matter is that the toenails are FAR FAR more painful to leave in, than when they are removed. Sure it hurts at first, but once the entire nail is removed and the skin heals-over, there is nothing to cause any pain.

My toenails have had serious problems since the Bulldog 50K Ultramarathon run in the Malibu mountains. Ever since then, my nails have been black and blue from banging the front of my shoes on the steep downhill portions of the three-loop, 31-mile run. Then, running the marathon portion of the Ironman last month was the final straw, and most of the nails are now all removed.

But I am relieved and happy to say that there is no pain whatsoever in those toes, except for the gaping hole from the plantar wart removal procedure.

The hip is not as painful, the trapezoid gives me daily reminders but is tolerable, and the IT Bands do not hurt at all when I am just walking around.

The real test of the IT Bands will be doing some easy 2 - 4 mile runs with my son Connor, over the Holidays.

So What's Next?

It's now been about a full month, so here's an update.

Consistently training for the Ironman was the hardest thing I every did, and completing the Ironman has been not only a highlight of my life, but quite likely, my greatest physical accomplishment. Just tonight, I finally removed my race-day wrist band and put it in a box for my wife. I'm giving it to her to recognize her vital role in my achievement.

But now what? Where do I go from here?

Well I have my sights set on a few major goals:

1. Ultraman Canada in 2009.
2. A couple of 50 mile runs
3. The Western States 100 Mile Ultramarathon
4. The Badwater 135 mile Ultramarathon

The goals must always be harder and bigger. As hard as this is going to be for so many to understand....after all this work and struggle, the Ironman event no longer holds enough excitment for me to stay motivated. Been there. Done that. What's next?

When one only enters these events "to finish" then the allure, excitement and draw of the event quickly fades. It was never my objective to place high in the rankings, although I certainly would like to place higher in my future races, and I know that I can.

I am drawn more toward the Ultra endurance events. Long, slow distances; that's where I'm most comfortable versus the raw speed. Don't get me wrong, I would love to be quick, but I've come to understand that I may be better suited for endurance events than the shorter, faster races.

Three Ironman Events in 2008

Well I finally accomplished my goal and completed the FULL Ironman Triathlon. Please see the Full Race Report entry below, but for a quick summary, my goal was to treat this event like a long workout, nothing more. I had way too much time and emotion invested in this endeavor to engage in a high-risk strategy of racing for the best possible time; essentially, the plan was to be disciplined and frankly, just "cruise" the 140.6 miles.

It's a very long day to cover 140.6 miles, and if one rejects their race plan, loses focus and discipline, it can spell disaster. I was now experienced enough from two prior Ironman events this year to know that I must stick to my race plan, and I am glad that I did, because disaster struck on the swim, the bike AND the run!

Despite the problems, I still had a terrific event (again, finishing was my goal, not racing!), and finished within 2 minutes of my projected time, breaking 14 hours with a total race time of 13 hours, 58 minutes.

It's just so interesting how this race works though. In the swim, I finished in the bottom 40% of my age group; in the bike I was WAY back, finishing in the bottom 10% of my age group, and in the run, I finished in the bottom 40%. Overall, I finished in the bottom 25%; essentially 75% of all participants finished in front of me. I crossed the line in front of 600 other entrants, but behind 1,585 Ironmen.

And for the entire year, I completed three Ironman events in 2008. Two of these events were the Half Ironman, which is known as the "Ironman 70.3"

While the 70.3 is exactly half the distance in each of the segments, it is still fully-sanctioned by the Ironman organization. However, there's lots of controversy as to whether or not one is a "REAL" Ironman if they complete an Ironman-sanctioned 70.3. Those of us who have finished the "half" would certainly like the Ironman distinction, but most athletes agree that you have to complete the real deal, the FULL Ironman, to earn that coveted distinction.

As I have written about in prior entries, I have always believed that one is really not worthy of the Ironman distinction until they have completed the full 140.6 mile event; I know that many people would disagree with me.

But my final word on all of this is that when you cross the finish line in the 70.3 event, they announce your name, but they do NOT say, "You are an Ironman." They only way you'll hear that is if you cross the finish line at the fully sanctioned 140.6 mile Ironman event.

So while my wife, my business partner Kevin, and many others have urged me to stop at the half Ironman, I would not have ever felt worthy of the title until I had completed the full event as it was originally run the very first time on the island of Oahu in 1978.

The FULL IRONMAN has always been a 2.4 mile swim (which is the exact length of the Honolulu rough water swim and how they arrived at that distance for the event), a 112 mile bike segment (which is the exact length of a full loop around the island of Oahu) and a full 26.2 mile marathon.

Anything less than that, and you are not an Ironman.

And no, if you complete a half-Ironman, I really don't think you qualify for half of an Ironman tattoo. Sound silly? Well this is a big issue with a lot of people who complete a 70.3!

Training for the full Ironman is exponentially more work than just training for the 70.3. It is 3 - 4 times more complicated and difficult and time consuming. Those who have trained for and completed the full Ironman know the difference. You cannot just read about it in a book to understand it; you really need to live it. You need to understand the discipline, the sacrifice, the struggle, the enormous number of training hours this endeavor takes.

Completing the 70.3 does not make one an Ironman. And as a finisher of two half-Ironman evetnt as well as a full Ironman, I now understand the difference.

I now understand why my completion of the Hono/Kona 70.3 in May and the Vineman/Sonoma 70.3 in July were great achievements, but certainly not Full Ironman efforts. To understand the difference, one needs to complete the full 140.6 event.

My Great Friend Kelvin Shields

About 5:05am race day morning, in the pitch dark of pre-dawn, Kelvin somehow found us.

Kelvin had driven all the way out to Tempe, about 6 - 7 hours, and was there to support me for the entire race day. He arrived at the venue around 4:50am and never left the area until after he had personally packed my gear into my car and saw that my family and I were settled and ready to go, somewhere around 10:00pm post-race.

He was there at every turn of the entire event, from getting me set-up race morning, to the moment I exited the swim to all the turns in the bike race and the run.

He was even there at the finish line and had arranged to have Connor run the last 200 yards with me. He also put some motivational messages for me up on the electronic board so that every time I ran by, it triggered a message to stay focused, keep at it, stay motivated. Those little electronic messages were important at miles 7, 16 and 23 of the marathon!

How do you thank a friend like that? Words cannot express the gratitude.

Kelvin and I go way back to the mid-90s, when as an executive of the Franklin Quest Organization, he helped me organize a very large organization, dozens of projects and lots of ideas that I didn't really know what to do with. He was so successful at getting me organized and dramatically more effective, that I did everything I could to lure him away from Franklin and come to work for me. He finally relented and those were some of the greatest and most productive years of my banking career.

Today, Kelvin is back at his former company, now called the Franklin-Covey Organization, and he is one of their most successful professionals, maintaining accounts, selling new ones and ensuring that executives have every possible tool and technique available to be their most effective while focusing on what matters most.

During our years together as Kelvin was pursuing an advanced degree at night, he served an internship with the Ironman organization; this was in the late 90s and at that time I didn't quite understand what he was doing with his weekends and at those crazy events. I thought those Ironmen were super-human and frankly, on the lunatic fringe. How anyone could ever do one of those events was beyond comprehension. Kelvin was the very first person to introduce me to Ironman, probably just over 10 years ago.

I have Kelvin to thank. Some would say, to blame. But not me! I loved the journey to this point.

I only wish that others could know the very deep sense of satisfaction and pride that comes when you have a true friend like Kelvin Shields.

Thank you Kelvin. 140.6 times. Thank you!

Race Morning Reality

These are a few of my favorite photos. They reflect absolute panic and raw fear. I see myself in these photos and I remember exactly how I felt...Scared out of my wits!!

I was scared and nervous and anxious all at once. Just like you might feel before you step onto a stage with 100s in the audience, or perhaps how one might feel if upon returning home from a great New Years Eve party, they see flashing red lights at a mandatory checkpoint! The fear, the adrenaline, the anxiety...that's what it felt like and that's what these photos reflect.

Sure I knew that I had done everything I could have done to prepare, but I really did not feel like jumping in that freezing water on that very cold morning.

These shots really capture the deep thought and concern that was racing through my head right before the race. These photos reflect more about what I was feeling, and fearing, more than anything I could ever write.