The Ultraman Team of Advisors

I'm a lucky guy. Period.

I'm blessed with a terrific wife, a remarkable son, the world's best business partner and a team of people who have recently come out of the woodwork to help me with Ultraman.

My only regret about finishing Iron Ambition (now up live on Amazon.com) is that I cannot talk about these great people who are helping me with this new adventure.

First and foremost is Darwin Holt. Who is this guy and why would he help me with Ultraman?

After accomplishing my goal and dream of completing the full Ironman, I was a bit down for a couple of months. I had some terrible injuries that were really holding me back. I doubted my ability and my head wasn't straight.

Darwin picked me up from the ashes and got me thinking clearly again. I was so focused on the incredible distance of the Ultraman event (swim 6.2 miles, bike 260 miles and run 52 miles) that I just doubted my ability to finish. Darwin patiently explained how to train for this event and assured me that I have ample time to prepare for the event (August 2009).

Darwin should know. He's completed both Ultraman Canada (2007) and the Ultraman World Championships in Hawaii (2008). Further, Darwin has completed 6 Ironmans (IMC '99,'04)(IMFLA '02)(IMLP '03)(IMCDA '06) and the Ironman World Championships (lottery '04). Darwin and his wife have also run 10 marathons together including New York, San Diego and Chicago. He really knows his stuff and has been very generous with his time to help me and my coach develop a sane training approach to this unique distance.

Darwin is a math teacher from Canada and about the nicest guy I've ever met. I've taken detailed notes of his advice and turned them into a plan which I plan to follow to the tee.

I also am grateful to Scott Gower, who again, has helped me be more confident about my ability to complete Ultraman. In fact, it was Scott who got me into Triathlon in the first place, Scott that introduced me to Ironman and it was Scott who first told me about Ultraman when I ran into him at the vendor Expo at the Santa Barbara Tri.

I recently spoke to Scott on the phone and told him that I thought I could accomplish the swim and perhaps the run-walk, but that the 260 miles on the bike really had me worried. He just came straight out and told me to get my head screwed on right. He said my confidence was shot and that I needed to get out there and get that bike distance accomplished so that I would just know that I could do it.

He's right.

Once I went out and did a 106 mile bike ride in a single day, I had the ultimate confidence that I could complete the 112 miles in the full Ironman. So I'm certain that once I get out there and complete 10 - 12 hours on the bike, I will have the confidence to complete the bike leg of Ultraman.

Next Posts will talk about the training for Ultraman, which is much different than anything I've done to prepare for Ironman.