What Have I Gotten Myself in To?

Well hello again,

I apologize for the virtual dust build up here. With the events of the past couple of months, some of which I have mentioned in previous posts, I have had very little time to post. Thank you for checking for something new here, or subscribing to the documentation of my journey.

Since I have made the declaration that I am training to participate in triathlons, I have shared this goal with some people who, quite frankly, have been less than supportive. I am not referring to anyone who reads this blog. I don't believe that the naysayers are much for reading blog posts. I have been told that the distances are too far, I done have the time it takes to train and that I will probably give up when it gets hard. In the words of Bugs Bunny, "They don't know me very well, do they?"

Some people, both positive and negative, have either quoted wrong distances or have asked me how far the race is. To start with, there are two different kinds of triathlons. There are sprint triathlons, which I am just getting into reading about, so I am far from an expert there. There are also Ironman Distance Triathlons. There are more races at that distance than the famous one that happens on Kona in October. Ironman races are comprised of a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride and finished with a 26.2 mile run. While I will participate in sprint triathlons as part of my training and preparations, my goal is to race in the Kona Ironman.

Being able to race in this event is more than just training like a madman. There is also a number of elements that are 100 percent out of my control. From what I have been reading, just getting a spot in the race is an accomplishment in itself.

There are only 1500 spots in the race. Most people qualify for a spot by qualifying at a selected event. There is also the lottery. There are 200 lottery spots every year. 150 of which got US applicants. There are approximately 5000 people who enter this lottery. 125 of the 150 spots goes to a Member of the Ironman Passport Club, a membership organization for Triathletes. There is an annual membership fee, but, for the increased chance to compete, most people say it is worth it. Applicants must apply and pay the fee to enter the lottery by the end of February and a computer selects the competitors in mid April. People who get a spot are notified on May 1 and have until the end of July to validate their spot.

Kona is not the only Ironman race out there. The one closest to where I live is in Idaho and is run every June. The distances are the same as Kona and is a qualifying event to be invited to race at Kona.

I am in need of some feedback. What sort of questions do you have for this lunatic? What do you want to know about what I am doing and how I am doing it? Feel free to ask me. Send me your question in the comments or email me at 1pairofshoes@gmail.com. I will see you on the road.