Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
4 Years & Counting...
It has been a few months since my last entry in my blog and it continually amazes me how fast time is flying by. Today marks exactly 4 years since I had Bariatric Surgery, so I thought a bit of reflection and update might be in order.
When I think back to the time I was 400 pounds, holding my wife's hand in the operating room, preparing to have Bariatric Surgery, which would alter my innards as well as permanantly alter the way I view food, I remember that the most important reason for having surgery was to live a longer healthier life, be here for my wife and kids, and improve my quality of life. Looking at the picture below reminds me how huge I was, when I could barely fit on the operating table, weighing 400 pounds, 60% body fat, 58" waist, 5XL shirt, deflated self esteem, and I could do little for myself let alone for others...
I recall having a sense of rebirth or a fresh start after I had Gastric Bypass, performed by the most awesome surgeon in the world, Dr David Kim of Colleyville, TX. I didn't know at the time what the future held for me, but I knew that anything would be an improvement from the life or direction I was headed in. A few weeks after surgery I hopped on the treadmill, which I was barely able to stay on for 10 minutes at 2.5 MPH. I tried to increase speed and distance a little more everyday and soon graduated to a slow jog. One morning on the treadmill, I noticed the Spin Class going on at the gym, heard the loud music, the instructor pushing the group, and thought to myself... "Maybe one day". A few months after surgery, I had already lost 100 pounds and mustered up the courage to go to my first Spin Class, which I only made 20 minutes or so of because of the shear agony on my jewels... (nuff said bout that)! I went back the next day and stayed a little longer, until I found myself completing the entire class and soon became hooked on Spinning. Speaking to a friend about Spin opened the door to getting a great road bike and set up for a few hundred bucks which then led to a love of cycling.
As I continually pushed myself running, and Spinning, I remember coming to a point where my legs were absolutely shattered, but I had the desire to workout, I just didnt know what to do next. I decided to brave my fears, put on some swim trunks, take my shirt off, and jump in the pool for a swim. I could barely do a lap without having to stop, but each day, like I did on the treadmill, tried to go a little further and a little faster every day. One day I was sitting back thinking that I am running, I am cycling, and now I am swimming... This is what they do in Triathlons!!! So, I hopped on line and started to look for events, and found my first race, which I would complete EXACTLY 9 months post-op. It was the Denison Dash Sprint Tri... IT WAS AWESOME!!! Here is a picture from that day in Summer of 2009.
After that race, I knew I was hooked and immediately found another triathlon I could compete in the very next month. After I finished that, I knew I was capable of more. So I registered for my first marathon which would fall on the 11th month anniversary of my surgery date. I finished that marathon in 4:52:-- and loved it. Without going through every race in detail here, I will list what I have done since that time in the past few years:
5 x 5K's (Run)
4 x 10K's (Run)
1 x 1/2 Marathon
3 x Marathons
9 x Sprint Triathlons
1 x Olympic Triathlon
6 x 70.s Half Ironman Triathlons
3 x 140.6 FULL Ironman Triathlons
2 x 50K (31 Mile) ULTRA Runs
2 x 38 Mile ULTRA Runs
1 x 50 Mile ULTRA Run
2 x 75 Mile ULTRA Runs
1 x 104 Mile Run (28.5 hours straight)
4 x 100 Mile Cycling Races
2 x 10K (6.2 Mile) Swim
and thousands upon thousands of miles and hours in training. Below is a picture of some of the rewards for these races...
These awards and medals mean so much to me, but not nearly as much as what I have discovered about me, my life, and my family along the way. Somewhere along the last 4 years of my journey, I got caught up in my own "Hype" and began focusing more on ME and lost sight of the very reasons I had my surgery in the first place, which I stated above. I found myself neglecting my responsibilities at home for the sake of 8 hour training days on Saturdays, which in turn lead to missing ball games, fun mornings and other things with my family. I wish I could go back and do these past 4 years with the 20/20 sight I have now over again, but life is about living, taking stalk of yourself, recognizing when we are at fault, and then making the necessary changes to put things back in proper order in our lives. Since refocusing and recommiting to that which matters most, not only have I found more happiness at home with my family and beautiful wife, but I have had countless memories that I may have otherwise missed. One of which, was watching my 8 year old son and his football team go undefeated and go on to win the Super Bowl, aside from numerous opportunities to emberass the heck out of him while bringing the "TEAM SPIRIT"... GO IRISH!!!
In June, I got an awesome opportunity to begin teaching Indoor Cycling (Spin Class) at 24 Hour Fitness. This has been such an awesome experience. I remember when I first went in to business for myself many years ago, my mom gave me a plaque that read "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, then shows the way". It is so incredible to be able to teach these classes, help people reach their goals, and see that permiate into all aspects of their life. In teaching classes, I have also been able to have much more intense training sessions, coupled with longer rides on the weekend, and this past year, improved my Ironman time by 1 hour, and finally completed my Mount Everest, 100 miles of running in under 30 hours! I did this with less hours of training, with much more intense sessions, which in turn, allowed me to have more time with my family. Proper balance and perspective in all things is the key!
So, with all that said, it has been an incredible 4 years. There is absolutely no way in the world I could have even done half of these things without the love, support, and encouragement of my beautiful wife. She is my strength, is the love of my life, and over the past year, our love has transcended beyond what I ever thought was possible. Life is so good, I am so abundantly blessed, and there are far too many people to thank. There are countless people in my life, everyday, that inspire me, and make me want to do better. To those who have supported me and sponsored me in my journey, Xterra Wetsuits, Mad Duck Cyclery, Suplicy Bikes, Champion Systems, Playtri, Trident, TriCowtown, Erin Baker Cookies, Active Spine & Sport, 100 Mile Club, Obesity Help, and everyone else who has supported me in my ventures, I can't thank you enough!
I am not sure what 2012 holds for me as far as races are going, but I know I will be doing the 100 Mile Endurance Challenge Run For Kids again in October, and another Ironman. I am just not sure as I am trying to figure out if I will be having my 2nd round of Plastic Surgery to remove the rest of my loose skin from the weight loss. I will keep y'all updated of my schedule as I figure it out.
The more time that passes, the more I realize that I really dont care how much I weigh. What I care about now is Body Fat %, endurance, how well I feel, and pushing my physical limits. While I have lost 200 pounds, which is awesome, what is far better is that I have gone from 60% body fat to between 11-12% now. One of my goals is to get below 10% this year. So, without rambling on too much, I just want to thank each and every one of you for your continual love, support, and encouragement. Many of you tell me what an inspiration I am to you, and I know I do not always respond to each of you directly, I want you all to know that when I am running for 20+ hours, I recount every one of those kind words in my head, and they are what keep me going. All of you are as much an inspiration to me as I may be to you.
I hope this year brings you all prosperity and I hope that we all can continue to focus on persuing our worth-while goals while keeping those things of greatest importance in perspective. Here's to another incredibly awesome year of successful weight loss & maintenance!!!!
Below are some before pictures that were taken the day before surgery 4 years ago, and some taken yesterday. (Sorry I didn't dress up for them)
Yours In Health & Sport,
Dan Benintendi
When I think back to the time I was 400 pounds, holding my wife's hand in the operating room, preparing to have Bariatric Surgery, which would alter my innards as well as permanantly alter the way I view food, I remember that the most important reason for having surgery was to live a longer healthier life, be here for my wife and kids, and improve my quality of life. Looking at the picture below reminds me how huge I was, when I could barely fit on the operating table, weighing 400 pounds, 60% body fat, 58" waist, 5XL shirt, deflated self esteem, and I could do little for myself let alone for others...
I recall having a sense of rebirth or a fresh start after I had Gastric Bypass, performed by the most awesome surgeon in the world, Dr David Kim of Colleyville, TX. I didn't know at the time what the future held for me, but I knew that anything would be an improvement from the life or direction I was headed in. A few weeks after surgery I hopped on the treadmill, which I was barely able to stay on for 10 minutes at 2.5 MPH. I tried to increase speed and distance a little more everyday and soon graduated to a slow jog. One morning on the treadmill, I noticed the Spin Class going on at the gym, heard the loud music, the instructor pushing the group, and thought to myself... "Maybe one day". A few months after surgery, I had already lost 100 pounds and mustered up the courage to go to my first Spin Class, which I only made 20 minutes or so of because of the shear agony on my jewels... (nuff said bout that)! I went back the next day and stayed a little longer, until I found myself completing the entire class and soon became hooked on Spinning. Speaking to a friend about Spin opened the door to getting a great road bike and set up for a few hundred bucks which then led to a love of cycling.
As I continually pushed myself running, and Spinning, I remember coming to a point where my legs were absolutely shattered, but I had the desire to workout, I just didnt know what to do next. I decided to brave my fears, put on some swim trunks, take my shirt off, and jump in the pool for a swim. I could barely do a lap without having to stop, but each day, like I did on the treadmill, tried to go a little further and a little faster every day. One day I was sitting back thinking that I am running, I am cycling, and now I am swimming... This is what they do in Triathlons!!! So, I hopped on line and started to look for events, and found my first race, which I would complete EXACTLY 9 months post-op. It was the Denison Dash Sprint Tri... IT WAS AWESOME!!! Here is a picture from that day in Summer of 2009.
After that race, I knew I was hooked and immediately found another triathlon I could compete in the very next month. After I finished that, I knew I was capable of more. So I registered for my first marathon which would fall on the 11th month anniversary of my surgery date. I finished that marathon in 4:52:-- and loved it. Without going through every race in detail here, I will list what I have done since that time in the past few years:
5 x 5K's (Run)
4 x 10K's (Run)
1 x 1/2 Marathon
3 x Marathons
9 x Sprint Triathlons
1 x Olympic Triathlon
6 x 70.s Half Ironman Triathlons
3 x 140.6 FULL Ironman Triathlons
2 x 50K (31 Mile) ULTRA Runs
2 x 38 Mile ULTRA Runs
1 x 50 Mile ULTRA Run
2 x 75 Mile ULTRA Runs
1 x 104 Mile Run (28.5 hours straight)
4 x 100 Mile Cycling Races
2 x 10K (6.2 Mile) Swim
and thousands upon thousands of miles and hours in training. Below is a picture of some of the rewards for these races...
These awards and medals mean so much to me, but not nearly as much as what I have discovered about me, my life, and my family along the way. Somewhere along the last 4 years of my journey, I got caught up in my own "Hype" and began focusing more on ME and lost sight of the very reasons I had my surgery in the first place, which I stated above. I found myself neglecting my responsibilities at home for the sake of 8 hour training days on Saturdays, which in turn lead to missing ball games, fun mornings and other things with my family. I wish I could go back and do these past 4 years with the 20/20 sight I have now over again, but life is about living, taking stalk of yourself, recognizing when we are at fault, and then making the necessary changes to put things back in proper order in our lives. Since refocusing and recommiting to that which matters most, not only have I found more happiness at home with my family and beautiful wife, but I have had countless memories that I may have otherwise missed. One of which, was watching my 8 year old son and his football team go undefeated and go on to win the Super Bowl, aside from numerous opportunities to emberass the heck out of him while bringing the "TEAM SPIRIT"... GO IRISH!!!
In June, I got an awesome opportunity to begin teaching Indoor Cycling (Spin Class) at 24 Hour Fitness. This has been such an awesome experience. I remember when I first went in to business for myself many years ago, my mom gave me a plaque that read "A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, then shows the way". It is so incredible to be able to teach these classes, help people reach their goals, and see that permiate into all aspects of their life. In teaching classes, I have also been able to have much more intense training sessions, coupled with longer rides on the weekend, and this past year, improved my Ironman time by 1 hour, and finally completed my Mount Everest, 100 miles of running in under 30 hours! I did this with less hours of training, with much more intense sessions, which in turn, allowed me to have more time with my family. Proper balance and perspective in all things is the key!
So, with all that said, it has been an incredible 4 years. There is absolutely no way in the world I could have even done half of these things without the love, support, and encouragement of my beautiful wife. She is my strength, is the love of my life, and over the past year, our love has transcended beyond what I ever thought was possible. Life is so good, I am so abundantly blessed, and there are far too many people to thank. There are countless people in my life, everyday, that inspire me, and make me want to do better. To those who have supported me and sponsored me in my journey, Xterra Wetsuits, Mad Duck Cyclery, Suplicy Bikes, Champion Systems, Playtri, Trident, TriCowtown, Erin Baker Cookies, Active Spine & Sport, 100 Mile Club, Obesity Help, and everyone else who has supported me in my ventures, I can't thank you enough!
I am not sure what 2012 holds for me as far as races are going, but I know I will be doing the 100 Mile Endurance Challenge Run For Kids again in October, and another Ironman. I am just not sure as I am trying to figure out if I will be having my 2nd round of Plastic Surgery to remove the rest of my loose skin from the weight loss. I will keep y'all updated of my schedule as I figure it out.
The more time that passes, the more I realize that I really dont care how much I weigh. What I care about now is Body Fat %, endurance, how well I feel, and pushing my physical limits. While I have lost 200 pounds, which is awesome, what is far better is that I have gone from 60% body fat to between 11-12% now. One of my goals is to get below 10% this year. So, without rambling on too much, I just want to thank each and every one of you for your continual love, support, and encouragement. Many of you tell me what an inspiration I am to you, and I know I do not always respond to each of you directly, I want you all to know that when I am running for 20+ hours, I recount every one of those kind words in my head, and they are what keep me going. All of you are as much an inspiration to me as I may be to you.
I hope this year brings you all prosperity and I hope that we all can continue to focus on persuing our worth-while goals while keeping those things of greatest importance in perspective. Here's to another incredibly awesome year of successful weight loss & maintenance!!!!
Below are some before pictures that were taken the day before surgery 4 years ago, and some taken yesterday. (Sorry I didn't dress up for them)
Yours In Health & Sport,
Dan Benintendi
Saturday, October 29, 2011
100EC - 104 Miles Ran In 28.5 Hours
It has been one week since I completed this epic race and I feel like I have recounted all the details sufficiently in my head so I can help you get a glimpse of how awesome this journey was! So, I ask for your patience with my VERY winded report of one of the most gratifying but by far, the most dificult thing I have ever done in my life.
Without going in to too much detail about this race last year, I will just say that I got through just about 75 miles in 19 hours, and since that day, I have wanted to get my vengance on this course! This would be my 4th attempt at the 100 mile distance. 2 times I got to about the 75 mile mark and could not continue. My 3rd attempt earlier this year got called short when I rolled my ankle twice at mile 25 on some roots, and could not continue. Go in to this race, I KNEW I was going to finish it! I have found that when you go into a race with full confidence in your training, your ability, and your motivation to get through some serious pain, there is a great chance you will complete your goal, and probably BETTER than you expected to. This was the very feeling I had when I registered for this race many months ago.
My training for this race was far more effective than past attempts at the distance. A lot of that is due to the fact that my base was uber strong, and I just needed to maintain it while increasing my strength, which I did, and proved to be spot-on. My longest run leading up to this race was an 8 hour ULTRA which I got in 37 miles, and was really pleased with. My preperations included lots of cross-training and more intense, shorter workouts, which enabled me to avoid injury and toe the line without injury and at 100%! I really tried to listen to my body, and most importantly, I found a WONDERFUL balance between work, family, training, church, etc, which as a whole, made me a very happy man when race time came around.
One of the biggest bummers for me was going in to the race knowing that my sweetheart and children were not going to be there with me, but I knew they would be there in spirit. As the race drew closer and closer I found a general sense of peace, confidence, and assurance come over me, that let me know this was going to be MY victory. Last year in my race report, I stated "Perhaps this distance is bigger than me, RIGHT NOW, but it is my Mt. Everest, and I WILL conquer it". Those very words were my own motivation throughout this past year, and when race day came, I knew my motivation and ability was far bigger than the Mt Everest that stood in front of me.
On to the race... I had asked my buddy, Andy Meadows, several months ago if he would be interested in crewing for me at this event, and he said yes. I also asked my best friend of 18 years, Aric Hill, if he would crew for me as well, to which he of course said yes. So these guys were my support throughout the ENTIRE race, and I owe much of this milestone to these guys...
Andy and I flew in to So Cal from Fort Worth on Thursday morning and the race started on Saturday. Thursday we all went out for a little round of golf and dinner and got some solid sleep. Friday we spent the day getting the rest of our supplies dialed in and went over our strategy and game plan for the race. Aric also had some friends come over Friday night for a friendly game of cards, at which, Aric made a bet with one of his sceptic friends. No, the bet was not about me, it was about Aric's ability to ride a bike for 15 miles along side of me, which could take 3-4 hours depending on what stage of the race we were in, and he had not been on a bike for about as long as we have been friends! He gladly accepted the bet, I internally prayed for him, and we went on with the game. More on this later... Andy is a very strong cyclist and I knew he would be able to handle pacing me on the bike for the duration without a problem. He is just starting to get in to triathlon and his longest run to date was about 6 miles. More on that later...
As race morning was upon us, I got up at 4am and started the rituals. After checking everything and ensuring we had everything we needed, we headed to the race start. The atmosphere was lively and cheery, and it was great to see so many familiar faces! My mom came to the race start which was a nice treat. After the race director and founder of The 100 Mile Club, Kara Lubin, made some general announcements, gave some recognition, and laid out some particulars about the course, it was time to line up and get ready to head out. As the horn blew, and the beeping of all the GPS watched commenced, the adrenaline kicked in, the crowd was cheering, spirits were soaring, and that calm peace I spoke of earlier came over me, and with a confident nod-n-a wink to my mom, I was off.
I told Andy that my goal for the first 25 miles was to maintain a 10 - 11 minute per mile pace. My nutrition plan was simple... One can of Chicken broth (1890mg of Sodium) every 2 hours (broken up by sips of it in my handheld every 20 minutes), a gel every 30 minutes, a 100 calorie snack at the top of each hour, and every 3 hours a mini meal. I also used straight Gatorade in my Camelbak and would alternate that with water every few sips. My mini meals typically consisted of peanut butter sandwiches, pizza, french fries, soup, and milkshakes. My snacks at the top of the hours typically consisted of Bananas, chips, candy, and whatever else sounded good along the way. Throughout the whiole race, my nutrition was absolutely spot-on and could not have worked out better. The night before the race, as Andy and I were going over strategy, we made maticulous notes, being sure to put down what time and what item I needed to eat or drink and out on the course, pretty much kept that schedule to a "T". On the first section, my pace was perfect, not too fast, not too slow and finished the first 25 miles in 4:29:-- (They did not record the seconds).
At the first aid station, it had warmed up pretty good and I decided I wanted to change. So, I threw on some new digs, taped up my feet where I was starting to feel some "Hot Spots" where blisters were starting to form, refueled, and was off again. This stretch leads right down the Santa Ana River Trail, which basically runs next to Angel Stadium all the way down to the ocean shore. At this point, Aric, decided to switch off pacing duties with Andy and took reigns over the bike and trailer and to fulfill the bet he made with his friend at the card game the night prior. Andy would speed ahead in the car and meet up with us every 6 miles or so to make sure we were all set. This point in the race is where I would typically blow it! I would try to keep running fast, using all my energy, and subsequently, pay for it down the road. I knew I had to stick to my game plan and start walking a bit. I have to admit that it took me swallowing a lot of pride to watch people run past me at mile 25-50, but I knew I was doing the right thing. This section was pretty uneventful. Just kept the head down, pounded out the miles, stuck to the nutrition plan, and enjoyed some time with my bro Aric. As we finally hit the ocean, we ran along the bike trail where many RV's were parked to camp out. We got glimpses, on the big screen TVs that adorned these RVs, of the USC game score, and other interesting things as well. Random people would ask us how far we were running, we would tell thim, they would proceed to use explatives to describe their feelings about running that far, and we would carry on. As we made our way down Bolsa Chica Beach, I told Aric that some hot Curly Fries from Jack In The Box sounded pretty good. He phoned ahead to Andy who was waiting there and had them for me when I arrived. At this point it was dark and I had about 4.5 miles to go until the 50 mile Aid Station. I told Aric to call ahead and have my mom, and mother-in-law, Grace, to have a warm Cheese Pizza waiting for me when I got there in about an hour. I finally got to the station on 2nd Street & PCH by Belmont Shore and found many runers hanging out and refueling. I also found that my Mom & MIL decided to WALK to get my pizza... Those of you who have ever walked with my mom KNOW that it is not exactly as "BRISK" pace she carries. So, after waiting 20 minutes for my pizza, I chow down, regroup, and head out to the 3rd stage... Mile 50-75. (2nd stage total time 7:18:--)
This is the stage of an ULTRA I had never been passed, but I KNEW I had it today, and still had that confidence and swagger in my step. Now, to digress just a moment... Aric ended up riding the ENTIRE 2nd stretch on the bike. My prayers turned from hoping he could do it, to praying that his underparts didn't look like chop meat as he opted to NOT wear cycling shorts for a 6 hour trek in the saddle!!! So, needless to say, Andy picked the bike back up at 50 and as we ran off in to the mist and fog, I think I got a faint glimpse of Aric "Flipping Off" the bike & trailer! We made it down to the shore and again began running on the bike trail. The fog was so thick you could barely see 4-5 feet in front of you in the darkness. After several miles, I knew we were in a place that was pretty hallowed for me and Christie. On March 12th, 1992, I asked Christie to be my girl on the very steps we were running past. I asked Andy to take a picture of the steps as I reached into my pack to grab the laminated picture of my family I brought with me, kissed my sweet Christie's face on the picture, and we set off again. I knew Christie and the family couldn't be there with me, but they were in spirit, and with the picture of them I carried with me, they actually ran the whole way with me!
This section wound through Shoreline Village in Long Beach, down the marina breezeway and then paralleled the Los Angeles River along the 710 Freeway. This part had a couple VERY big areas that were full of Vagrants / tranziants and would have been very "Hairy" at the midnight hour without Andy along my side. We made it out of dodge unscathed and continued on until we hit PCH again. Once we were back on the road, we ran along the refineries, which smelled heavenly, and then down towards Wilmington. I asked for Andy to have Aric hook me up with a Vanilla shake, which he did. After chugging that, we finally arrived at the 62.5 mile sub station. This was probably the only "Dark Spot" I had in the whole race. Doubts were starting to creep into my head, the air had turned bitterly cold, the fog was thick and soupy, my legs were throbbing, and morale was pretty low. It took a lot of convincing to get myself up again and started to make my way out of the station back onto the course. As I began to move, I started feeling better. I took in a lot of calories, chugged fluids, took a pain reliever, and soon found myself putting together some good runs here and there and began to feel good. I also noticed that we were heading directly south through San Pedro Harbor, where I had fished many a time, and enjoyed the familiar surroundings. When we finally made our way all the way to the coast, we were supposed to follow this bike trail as we began our ascent up to Rancho Palos Verdes Estates. The fog was as thick as soup now, and Andy and I did not know where we were to go. Andy gave the bike back to Aric before we got to this point, and was walking / running along with me. We later found out that the road we were supposed to take was CLOSED, but we did not now that, nor did we have any clue how to navigate around it. THANK GOODNESS FOR OUR GPS WATCHES!!! We ended up turning UPHILL which led us in to the hills and soon found ourselves on a mountain trail! There was no way this was right! We continued on and began to see a street below us that our Garmin said we needed to get to, the only problem was the 100 foot drop off to get down to it. We continued on until we found a resonable enough path to get to it and as we descended, found some headlights coming at us. It was a member of the crew of another runer, basically asking us what the hell we were doing in the sticks! He pointed us in the right direction and we soon discovered that we added almost 3 miles to our journey and 1200 feet of elevation climb on that trail!!! My legs were trashed!
After we got through that, we had another 5 miles to get to the 75 mile aid station. We could not see anything except occasional headlights. We passed The Donald Trump Golf Course, which we obviously could not see, and this section was literally uphill the whole way. 5 miles up into the aid station. I had finally made it, and found Aric, Grace, and my mom waiting for me there! HALELUJAH!!! (Total time for 3rd section 8:37:--) I put my jacket on, posted up next to the fire, drank a couple cups of soup, and was pleased to discover that there was a gentleman there performing ART for athletes who needed it. SIGN ME UP I said. He loosened my quads and calves and I felt much better! This is it, unchartered waters for me... These are the championship miles, but I was in it to win it and there was not going to be anything that would keep me from finishing at this point! I called Christie, told her I was good to go, and Andy and I headed back out in to the dark fog. 2 more hours until the sun would come back up!
The words that kept popping into my head in this first part of the last section were... "Does this hill EVER end???" It seemed like we were literally going uphill for the better part of 10 miles. So, we just kept slogging out the miles until the sun lightened up the sky. I finally was able to take off my jacket and my beenie, and was ready to hit the beach again that would lead me to the finish. We finally crested the hill, and I got back on the bike trail at Redondo Beach. At this point I was really hungry, and REALLY tired of Gatorade, gels, snacks, and all the other stuff I had been eating for a day straight. I told Andy to call Aric and have him get me some breakfast from McDonald's. A bit later, Aric met up with Andy to deliver the greasy Mana, and mana it was! I probably would have gladly eaten anything that was half warm at this point. I chow down, and realized I was less than 10 miles away!!! I kept running along the beach, walking when I had to, and struggled to stay awake! That was nothing a 5 Hour Energy shot didn't fix! There was a group of about 4 runners that were playing cat and mouse back and forth with me. They were walking VERY fast, and I do not walk that fast, so I had to jog/walk to stay with or ahead of them. As we came in to the home stretch down the madness that is Venice Beach, I knew I had this thing. I plug away and keep grinding it out. When I saw the chase pack get close, I would run and then walk when I had to. Less than 2 miles to go now!!! I had Andy call Christie and tell her I was almost done and to have her phone next to her. As we get near the finish, I see the FINISH banner!!! I got my phone out and called Christie. I asked her to round up all the children and get them on the phone. As they all cheered for me over the phone, I crossed the finish line with them! I cried a little, told them I loved them, hung up, and collapsed on the ground. Colapsed in exhaustion, exhileration, in astonishment, and in humility...
(4th Section total time 8:06:--)
Overall Total Time 28:30:00
After getting hugs and my shiny finisher's belt buckle, I just sat on the ground, burried my head between my legs and sobbed for a bit. I am not sure if it was the foul stench that I emminated or the sheer hunger and desire to get a greasy burger that compelled me up from my prone position, but either way, it was a long way up, even with the help of Aric and Kara Lubin! There were several folks who requested that I dedicate 1 mile of the race to them... Andrew Miceli, Mile 69, this mile was yours because at mile 62.5 I almost gave up on myself, but I knew you were pulling for me and I ran that whole mile for you brother, because you did not give up at Ironman in August! Katrina Mumaw, she didnt request a specific mile, but I gave her mile 89. I was so tired, so exhausted, falling asleep while walking, I thought about her and her service to our country overseas in the military, and remembered it is because of her and all the others that have, are, and ever will serve our country in the Armed Forces, and protect our freedoms and my dream of running 100 miles. To all the others who contributed to this run and cause I thank you sincerely, I kept moving because I knew you ALL were pulling for me.
In retrospect, I think about the enormity of what I did, and here are the things that stick out in my mind, and are really the true challenges that are associated with this challenge.
1) Have you ever stayed awake for 30 hours?
2) Have you ever stood on your feet for 30 hours?
3) Have you ever continuously moved for 30 hours?
4) (If you have ever ran 100 miles) Ever done it on concrete?
5) What is your motivation to finish?
6) How much pain are you willing to endure?
7) How prepared are you?
8) Do you believe in yourself?
9) Are you affraid to punch through the darkness to see what's on the other side?
10) Do you believe there is a strength within you that lies deep in your soul, that is yet to be unveiled?
My feet were basically entirely covered in blisters, my legs were so sore, but all of it was worth it. 6 days later and I am RECOVERED! I am racing in a triathlon tomorrow and the only thing that I can say to those who say that I am crazy is...
"I am not crazy, I am just not affraid"
Thank you all for your continued love, support, encouragement, and care... I did NOT run this race alone, you all were there with me. A special thanks to the best crew a man could ever ask for... Aric "Sorenuts" Hill, and Andy "howdidienduprunning30mileswithDan" Meadows. Most importantly, I want to express my love and appreciation to my wonderful wife Christie. She is my strength, my support, my everything, and truly without her, I am nothing. The truest quote I ever read was... "Behind every good man is an even better woman". THAT IS THE TRUTH!!!
So that's it, 104 miles in the books, and on to the next challenge! "The greatest reward for success, is the opportunity to do MORE". BRING IT ON!!!
Your Friend,
Dan Benintendi
Without going in to too much detail about this race last year, I will just say that I got through just about 75 miles in 19 hours, and since that day, I have wanted to get my vengance on this course! This would be my 4th attempt at the 100 mile distance. 2 times I got to about the 75 mile mark and could not continue. My 3rd attempt earlier this year got called short when I rolled my ankle twice at mile 25 on some roots, and could not continue. Go in to this race, I KNEW I was going to finish it! I have found that when you go into a race with full confidence in your training, your ability, and your motivation to get through some serious pain, there is a great chance you will complete your goal, and probably BETTER than you expected to. This was the very feeling I had when I registered for this race many months ago.
My training for this race was far more effective than past attempts at the distance. A lot of that is due to the fact that my base was uber strong, and I just needed to maintain it while increasing my strength, which I did, and proved to be spot-on. My longest run leading up to this race was an 8 hour ULTRA which I got in 37 miles, and was really pleased with. My preperations included lots of cross-training and more intense, shorter workouts, which enabled me to avoid injury and toe the line without injury and at 100%! I really tried to listen to my body, and most importantly, I found a WONDERFUL balance between work, family, training, church, etc, which as a whole, made me a very happy man when race time came around.
One of the biggest bummers for me was going in to the race knowing that my sweetheart and children were not going to be there with me, but I knew they would be there in spirit. As the race drew closer and closer I found a general sense of peace, confidence, and assurance come over me, that let me know this was going to be MY victory. Last year in my race report, I stated "Perhaps this distance is bigger than me, RIGHT NOW, but it is my Mt. Everest, and I WILL conquer it". Those very words were my own motivation throughout this past year, and when race day came, I knew my motivation and ability was far bigger than the Mt Everest that stood in front of me.
On to the race... I had asked my buddy, Andy Meadows, several months ago if he would be interested in crewing for me at this event, and he said yes. I also asked my best friend of 18 years, Aric Hill, if he would crew for me as well, to which he of course said yes. So these guys were my support throughout the ENTIRE race, and I owe much of this milestone to these guys...
Andy and I flew in to So Cal from Fort Worth on Thursday morning and the race started on Saturday. Thursday we all went out for a little round of golf and dinner and got some solid sleep. Friday we spent the day getting the rest of our supplies dialed in and went over our strategy and game plan for the race. Aric also had some friends come over Friday night for a friendly game of cards, at which, Aric made a bet with one of his sceptic friends. No, the bet was not about me, it was about Aric's ability to ride a bike for 15 miles along side of me, which could take 3-4 hours depending on what stage of the race we were in, and he had not been on a bike for about as long as we have been friends! He gladly accepted the bet, I internally prayed for him, and we went on with the game. More on this later... Andy is a very strong cyclist and I knew he would be able to handle pacing me on the bike for the duration without a problem. He is just starting to get in to triathlon and his longest run to date was about 6 miles. More on that later...
As race morning was upon us, I got up at 4am and started the rituals. After checking everything and ensuring we had everything we needed, we headed to the race start. The atmosphere was lively and cheery, and it was great to see so many familiar faces! My mom came to the race start which was a nice treat. After the race director and founder of The 100 Mile Club, Kara Lubin, made some general announcements, gave some recognition, and laid out some particulars about the course, it was time to line up and get ready to head out. As the horn blew, and the beeping of all the GPS watched commenced, the adrenaline kicked in, the crowd was cheering, spirits were soaring, and that calm peace I spoke of earlier came over me, and with a confident nod-n-a wink to my mom, I was off.
I told Andy that my goal for the first 25 miles was to maintain a 10 - 11 minute per mile pace. My nutrition plan was simple... One can of Chicken broth (1890mg of Sodium) every 2 hours (broken up by sips of it in my handheld every 20 minutes), a gel every 30 minutes, a 100 calorie snack at the top of each hour, and every 3 hours a mini meal. I also used straight Gatorade in my Camelbak and would alternate that with water every few sips. My mini meals typically consisted of peanut butter sandwiches, pizza, french fries, soup, and milkshakes. My snacks at the top of the hours typically consisted of Bananas, chips, candy, and whatever else sounded good along the way. Throughout the whiole race, my nutrition was absolutely spot-on and could not have worked out better. The night before the race, as Andy and I were going over strategy, we made maticulous notes, being sure to put down what time and what item I needed to eat or drink and out on the course, pretty much kept that schedule to a "T". On the first section, my pace was perfect, not too fast, not too slow and finished the first 25 miles in 4:29:-- (They did not record the seconds).
At the first aid station, it had warmed up pretty good and I decided I wanted to change. So, I threw on some new digs, taped up my feet where I was starting to feel some "Hot Spots" where blisters were starting to form, refueled, and was off again. This stretch leads right down the Santa Ana River Trail, which basically runs next to Angel Stadium all the way down to the ocean shore. At this point, Aric, decided to switch off pacing duties with Andy and took reigns over the bike and trailer and to fulfill the bet he made with his friend at the card game the night prior. Andy would speed ahead in the car and meet up with us every 6 miles or so to make sure we were all set. This point in the race is where I would typically blow it! I would try to keep running fast, using all my energy, and subsequently, pay for it down the road. I knew I had to stick to my game plan and start walking a bit. I have to admit that it took me swallowing a lot of pride to watch people run past me at mile 25-50, but I knew I was doing the right thing. This section was pretty uneventful. Just kept the head down, pounded out the miles, stuck to the nutrition plan, and enjoyed some time with my bro Aric. As we finally hit the ocean, we ran along the bike trail where many RV's were parked to camp out. We got glimpses, on the big screen TVs that adorned these RVs, of the USC game score, and other interesting things as well. Random people would ask us how far we were running, we would tell thim, they would proceed to use explatives to describe their feelings about running that far, and we would carry on. As we made our way down Bolsa Chica Beach, I told Aric that some hot Curly Fries from Jack In The Box sounded pretty good. He phoned ahead to Andy who was waiting there and had them for me when I arrived. At this point it was dark and I had about 4.5 miles to go until the 50 mile Aid Station. I told Aric to call ahead and have my mom, and mother-in-law, Grace, to have a warm Cheese Pizza waiting for me when I got there in about an hour. I finally got to the station on 2nd Street & PCH by Belmont Shore and found many runers hanging out and refueling. I also found that my Mom & MIL decided to WALK to get my pizza... Those of you who have ever walked with my mom KNOW that it is not exactly as "BRISK" pace she carries. So, after waiting 20 minutes for my pizza, I chow down, regroup, and head out to the 3rd stage... Mile 50-75. (2nd stage total time 7:18:--)
This is the stage of an ULTRA I had never been passed, but I KNEW I had it today, and still had that confidence and swagger in my step. Now, to digress just a moment... Aric ended up riding the ENTIRE 2nd stretch on the bike. My prayers turned from hoping he could do it, to praying that his underparts didn't look like chop meat as he opted to NOT wear cycling shorts for a 6 hour trek in the saddle!!! So, needless to say, Andy picked the bike back up at 50 and as we ran off in to the mist and fog, I think I got a faint glimpse of Aric "Flipping Off" the bike & trailer! We made it down to the shore and again began running on the bike trail. The fog was so thick you could barely see 4-5 feet in front of you in the darkness. After several miles, I knew we were in a place that was pretty hallowed for me and Christie. On March 12th, 1992, I asked Christie to be my girl on the very steps we were running past. I asked Andy to take a picture of the steps as I reached into my pack to grab the laminated picture of my family I brought with me, kissed my sweet Christie's face on the picture, and we set off again. I knew Christie and the family couldn't be there with me, but they were in spirit, and with the picture of them I carried with me, they actually ran the whole way with me!
This section wound through Shoreline Village in Long Beach, down the marina breezeway and then paralleled the Los Angeles River along the 710 Freeway. This part had a couple VERY big areas that were full of Vagrants / tranziants and would have been very "Hairy" at the midnight hour without Andy along my side. We made it out of dodge unscathed and continued on until we hit PCH again. Once we were back on the road, we ran along the refineries, which smelled heavenly, and then down towards Wilmington. I asked for Andy to have Aric hook me up with a Vanilla shake, which he did. After chugging that, we finally arrived at the 62.5 mile sub station. This was probably the only "Dark Spot" I had in the whole race. Doubts were starting to creep into my head, the air had turned bitterly cold, the fog was thick and soupy, my legs were throbbing, and morale was pretty low. It took a lot of convincing to get myself up again and started to make my way out of the station back onto the course. As I began to move, I started feeling better. I took in a lot of calories, chugged fluids, took a pain reliever, and soon found myself putting together some good runs here and there and began to feel good. I also noticed that we were heading directly south through San Pedro Harbor, where I had fished many a time, and enjoyed the familiar surroundings. When we finally made our way all the way to the coast, we were supposed to follow this bike trail as we began our ascent up to Rancho Palos Verdes Estates. The fog was as thick as soup now, and Andy and I did not know where we were to go. Andy gave the bike back to Aric before we got to this point, and was walking / running along with me. We later found out that the road we were supposed to take was CLOSED, but we did not now that, nor did we have any clue how to navigate around it. THANK GOODNESS FOR OUR GPS WATCHES!!! We ended up turning UPHILL which led us in to the hills and soon found ourselves on a mountain trail! There was no way this was right! We continued on and began to see a street below us that our Garmin said we needed to get to, the only problem was the 100 foot drop off to get down to it. We continued on until we found a resonable enough path to get to it and as we descended, found some headlights coming at us. It was a member of the crew of another runer, basically asking us what the hell we were doing in the sticks! He pointed us in the right direction and we soon discovered that we added almost 3 miles to our journey and 1200 feet of elevation climb on that trail!!! My legs were trashed!
After we got through that, we had another 5 miles to get to the 75 mile aid station. We could not see anything except occasional headlights. We passed The Donald Trump Golf Course, which we obviously could not see, and this section was literally uphill the whole way. 5 miles up into the aid station. I had finally made it, and found Aric, Grace, and my mom waiting for me there! HALELUJAH!!! (Total time for 3rd section 8:37:--) I put my jacket on, posted up next to the fire, drank a couple cups of soup, and was pleased to discover that there was a gentleman there performing ART for athletes who needed it. SIGN ME UP I said. He loosened my quads and calves and I felt much better! This is it, unchartered waters for me... These are the championship miles, but I was in it to win it and there was not going to be anything that would keep me from finishing at this point! I called Christie, told her I was good to go, and Andy and I headed back out in to the dark fog. 2 more hours until the sun would come back up!
The words that kept popping into my head in this first part of the last section were... "Does this hill EVER end???" It seemed like we were literally going uphill for the better part of 10 miles. So, we just kept slogging out the miles until the sun lightened up the sky. I finally was able to take off my jacket and my beenie, and was ready to hit the beach again that would lead me to the finish. We finally crested the hill, and I got back on the bike trail at Redondo Beach. At this point I was really hungry, and REALLY tired of Gatorade, gels, snacks, and all the other stuff I had been eating for a day straight. I told Andy to call Aric and have him get me some breakfast from McDonald's. A bit later, Aric met up with Andy to deliver the greasy Mana, and mana it was! I probably would have gladly eaten anything that was half warm at this point. I chow down, and realized I was less than 10 miles away!!! I kept running along the beach, walking when I had to, and struggled to stay awake! That was nothing a 5 Hour Energy shot didn't fix! There was a group of about 4 runners that were playing cat and mouse back and forth with me. They were walking VERY fast, and I do not walk that fast, so I had to jog/walk to stay with or ahead of them. As we came in to the home stretch down the madness that is Venice Beach, I knew I had this thing. I plug away and keep grinding it out. When I saw the chase pack get close, I would run and then walk when I had to. Less than 2 miles to go now!!! I had Andy call Christie and tell her I was almost done and to have her phone next to her. As we get near the finish, I see the FINISH banner!!! I got my phone out and called Christie. I asked her to round up all the children and get them on the phone. As they all cheered for me over the phone, I crossed the finish line with them! I cried a little, told them I loved them, hung up, and collapsed on the ground. Colapsed in exhaustion, exhileration, in astonishment, and in humility...
(4th Section total time 8:06:--)
Overall Total Time 28:30:00
After getting hugs and my shiny finisher's belt buckle, I just sat on the ground, burried my head between my legs and sobbed for a bit. I am not sure if it was the foul stench that I emminated or the sheer hunger and desire to get a greasy burger that compelled me up from my prone position, but either way, it was a long way up, even with the help of Aric and Kara Lubin! There were several folks who requested that I dedicate 1 mile of the race to them... Andrew Miceli, Mile 69, this mile was yours because at mile 62.5 I almost gave up on myself, but I knew you were pulling for me and I ran that whole mile for you brother, because you did not give up at Ironman in August! Katrina Mumaw, she didnt request a specific mile, but I gave her mile 89. I was so tired, so exhausted, falling asleep while walking, I thought about her and her service to our country overseas in the military, and remembered it is because of her and all the others that have, are, and ever will serve our country in the Armed Forces, and protect our freedoms and my dream of running 100 miles. To all the others who contributed to this run and cause I thank you sincerely, I kept moving because I knew you ALL were pulling for me.
In retrospect, I think about the enormity of what I did, and here are the things that stick out in my mind, and are really the true challenges that are associated with this challenge.
1) Have you ever stayed awake for 30 hours?
2) Have you ever stood on your feet for 30 hours?
3) Have you ever continuously moved for 30 hours?
4) (If you have ever ran 100 miles) Ever done it on concrete?
5) What is your motivation to finish?
6) How much pain are you willing to endure?
7) How prepared are you?
8) Do you believe in yourself?
9) Are you affraid to punch through the darkness to see what's on the other side?
10) Do you believe there is a strength within you that lies deep in your soul, that is yet to be unveiled?
My feet were basically entirely covered in blisters, my legs were so sore, but all of it was worth it. 6 days later and I am RECOVERED! I am racing in a triathlon tomorrow and the only thing that I can say to those who say that I am crazy is...
"I am not crazy, I am just not affraid"
Thank you all for your continued love, support, encouragement, and care... I did NOT run this race alone, you all were there with me. A special thanks to the best crew a man could ever ask for... Aric "Sorenuts" Hill, and Andy "howdidienduprunning30mileswithDan" Meadows. Most importantly, I want to express my love and appreciation to my wonderful wife Christie. She is my strength, my support, my everything, and truly without her, I am nothing. The truest quote I ever read was... "Behind every good man is an even better woman". THAT IS THE TRUTH!!!
So that's it, 104 miles in the books, and on to the next challenge! "The greatest reward for success, is the opportunity to do MORE". BRING IT ON!!!
Your Friend,
Dan Benintendi
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Ironman Louisville 2011 - Race Report
It has now been 6 days since I finished the race, and I have had plenty of time to digest what was accomplished and account for all of the feelings, emotions, and triumphs that occured last weekend. I hope you enjoy this somewhat winded account of my journey at Ironman Louisville.
My journey to this Ironman started long before we got in the car to drive the 900 miles to get to Louisville. It started, as it did for everyone participating in the event, many months ago. I trained harder, smarter, and more effectively for this event, than any other event I have done. I am now a believer in shorter much more intense training sessions, versus hours and hours of wasted miles with no real purpose. My biggest battle leading up to this race was keeping balance in my life. I will touch on this a bit later...
As Christie and I loaded up the car late Thursday night / Friday morning, we kissed the children good night, and headed out for the 14 hour drive. The drive was pretty uneventful, and Christie & I had some good conversation about life, the children, the race etc. We finally arrived in Louisville late Friday afternoon, in just enough time to check in to the hotel, unload the car and head to downtown for the Welcome Dinner. Once downtown, we headed to the dinner and were able to find my buddy Andrew, and Jillian and their families. Between the three of us, we have lost over 500 pounds and it was an honor to finally meet them in person, especially considering this was their first Ironman. They were both called up to the stage and were recognized for their great weight loss and were wished good luck by the thousands of people at the dinner. Afterwards, we left to head back to the room to get some sleep...
Saturday morning we woke up and grabbed some grub, then headed down to check-in. I felt awesome and slept REALLY good! After packet pick up, we headed back to the room and finished packing up my transition bags, and ensuring my bike was all dialed in. Everything was good to go so we headed back downtown to catch a quick swim with Andrew and then to check our bikes into transition. Everything went smooth, and before you know it, we were all checked in and now there was nothing left to do but drink a ton, eat a lot, and get plenty of sleep. So, Jillian and her husband Joel, along with Andrew and his wife Stephanie and his two boys, along with Christie and I , headed to The Old Spaghetti Factory for some AWESOME grub! After a wonderful meal and great convo, we drove the bike course. Ahhh yes, I remember this! UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN is the theme on the bike course. It NEVER lets up! It was great to see the familiar roads, but I was not concerned and was ready to attack this course with all I had on Sunday. After the drive, we stopped to grab some Pizza, and headed to the room, ate and fell asleep.
3am on Sunday, RACE MORNING, the alarm rings, and I start chugging Gatorade and getting in some calories. I slept really good and was ready to rock n roll. After double checking all my preperations, we loaded up and headed downtown. As I saw my bike sitting in transition, I looked at my Black Beauty, gave her the old nod & wink, and told her (my bike) we HAD to rip it up today, and I needed all she had! I checked everything on my bike, topped off the air pressure, loaded up my bottles, and called it "READY". Christie and I then headed out to walk the mile to get to the race start. Once over there, I got body marked and began to stand in line for the swim start. Louisville has a time trial start so there is no mass start and you jump in the water according to where you are in the incredibly long line. After finding my place in line, there is nothing but waiting until the cannon goes off...
At 6:50am the Pro's cannon went off and the race was officially under way. The line moved quick and then, after about 15 minutes came to hault for several minutes. I later found out that it was as a result of a man passing out and subsequently dying in the water just minutes after the start. More on this later... As the line picked up again, it moved quick, and before I knew it, I was running down the ramp to start my swim. I saw Christie and gave her a huge hug and smooch and told her I would see her in a bit. Down the ramp I went and I jumped in the warm water and began to immediately find a comfortable groove to settle in to. The swim was very uneventful, went by pretty quick, and I ended up setting a PR on the swim. Total swim time for the 2.4 miles was 1:09:44.
As I went into the transition tent, it finally struck me that, although I have always felt I am a decent swimmer, I was fully able to say that Cycling is now my strongest discipline in Triathlon. So, as I am gearing up for the ride, nothing but positivety was flowing through my mind, and I knew it was going to be a great day on the bike. The first 10-12 miles are pretty flat, and then the unrelenting hills begin. My plan of attack was to survive the uphills and attack the downhills as hard as I could so the momentum would help carry me up the next hill, which worked well. The bike leg went by fast and it was a HUUUUUGE lift to see my gorgeous wife waving at me as I passed through La Grange for the second time. After that, a little wind kicked up and I slowed a bit, but made it back in to transition with a total bike time of 5:49:59 which gave me a 19.2 mph Average for 112 miles and a HUUUUGE PR (almost 2.5mph avg faster than 2009). Garmin said we had just about 5,000' of elevation on the bike...
Back in to Transition to get ready to run, I WAS feeling pretty good, and my spirits were soaring after hittin 2 PR's on the first two disciplines. I get sun screen lathered on, turn my race belt around, and headed out. It took me a little bit to get going, but after I hit the bridge to go out and back on, I felt some energy kick in, and then I began running and felt like I was on cruise control. After about 11-12 miles of running, I start feeling like crud. My gut started turning and I became very queesy. I was reduced to a walk and then began dry heeving. This was going to be a death march! It goes to show you that you never know what the day is going to bring. It could have been too little sodium, swallowing some of the nasty Ohio River on the swim, or any other number of things... Either way, it was NOT good and I was struggling. After walking for a few miles, I noticed they started putting out Chicken brothe. I started chugging it, and very soon started feeling better. I picked it back up and was able to do a little better. Between mile 14 and 20 were the darkest miles and hours of my race. Here were my run splits, you can easily see where the worst of the struggles were:
RUN SPLIT 1: 3.39 mi 3.39 mi (38:24) 11:19/mi
RUN SPLIT 2: 8.2 mi 4.81 mi (55:38) 11:33/mi
RUN SPLIT 3: 13.1 mi 4.9 mi (58:42) 11:58/mi
RUN SPLIT 4: 15.33 mi 2.23 mi (29:55) 13:24/mi
RUN SPLIT 5: 20.1 mi 4.77 mi (1:15:16) 15:46/mi
RUN SPLIT 6: 25.04 mi 4.94 mi (1:05:27) 13:14/mi
RUN SPLIT 7: 26.2 mi 1.16 mi (14:10) 12:12/mi
TOTAL RUN 26.2 mi (5:37:32) 12:52/mi
As I look down at my watch and realize if I can throw a quick shuffle together until the finish, I can finish in under 13 hours. So, I gave it all I had, fought through some severe discomfort and turned the corner to 4th St. Just as I remembered, the atmosphere at the finish was ELECTRIC! THOUSANDS of people lining the street, music blaring, bright lights shinning, and after a very fun and challenging day, I realized this was it! I saw Christie in the crowd, ran like I stole something, and finished strong to the words "DAN BENINTENDI, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN". I look down at my watch and check the official results, 12:58:10!!! YESSSSSSS!!! In 2009, I finished in 14:14:13, so, even with a horrendous marathon I still improved my overall time from Ironman Arizona last year by over 30 minutes! I DID IT!
Ironman #3 in the books!!! Another sweet finisher's medal, many more incredible memories, and another race I can say that I improved dramatically for. In the past week I have contemplated what meant the most to me about the race. I have deduced, that it really was not the race at all, it was the life lessons learned in the process. I have been thinking about the guy who passed away just moments after the swim start. After reading a bit about this man, I found out he had never competed in a triathlon before, and he had been treating high blood pressure with medication, and suffered from an enlarged heart, which neither he or his family knew about. While it is tragic the way he died, there is glory in it. He died trying to fulfill a dream! I immediately thought back to a slogan I used as my monacur after I lost weight a couple of years ago... "What good is adding years to your life, unless you add life to your years". This man was the epitome of that very slogan and I consider it a honor to have toed the line with him.
The MOST incredible and meaningful thing about this race, to me, was the opportunity to spend several days with the love of my life, free from worries and the kids, as they were being cared for by my mother-in-law, Grace. We fell in love all over again this past weekend, and shared so many cool moments. Mostly laughing, holding hands, and having great conversations. I KNEW I had WON the race on the car ride home. As we got closer to home, I felt the need to ask Christie: "What can I do to be a better husband to you"? Her reply: "Nothing that I can think of". And she went on to mention all the things she appreciated about me. Anytime you can train for an Ironman, have a demanding carreer, teach 6 Spin Classes a week, attend your childrens practices and games, mow the lawn, etc, and have your wife tell you those words, in the grand scheme of things, an Ironman Finsher's Medal doesn't even come close.
The moral of the story? I think I have finally got it right. Focus on your faith, your family, your career, and let all the other things, INCLUDING Ironman fall in behind. When you train, train HARD, train SMART, and realize a 2 hour ride at near threshold is far more beneficial than 4 hours of wasted time not challenging yourself. When we fail at home, we fail at life. When we WIN at home, we WIN at life. THAT is the lesson I learned at Ironman Louisville.
I am so very blessed, beyond any words I have within me. Grateful for the opportuinity I have been given to get out and do these awesome events. Blessed with the most beautiful and wonderful children. And so undeserving of the greatest wife and mother the world has ever known... My Sweetheart Christie. This one was for my family. Because, now that I have my priorities in check, we ALL won this Ironman together.
SO that's it, a GREAT event, a great weekend, wonderful memories, and a deeper respect and grattitude for all the great things I have in my life. Now, on to the next great adventure! Thank you all for your continued support, encouragement, and love. These are the things that make me want to keep trying harder every day. Let's get out there and live!!!
Your Friend In Health & Sport,
Dan Benintendi
My journey to this Ironman started long before we got in the car to drive the 900 miles to get to Louisville. It started, as it did for everyone participating in the event, many months ago. I trained harder, smarter, and more effectively for this event, than any other event I have done. I am now a believer in shorter much more intense training sessions, versus hours and hours of wasted miles with no real purpose. My biggest battle leading up to this race was keeping balance in my life. I will touch on this a bit later...
As Christie and I loaded up the car late Thursday night / Friday morning, we kissed the children good night, and headed out for the 14 hour drive. The drive was pretty uneventful, and Christie & I had some good conversation about life, the children, the race etc. We finally arrived in Louisville late Friday afternoon, in just enough time to check in to the hotel, unload the car and head to downtown for the Welcome Dinner. Once downtown, we headed to the dinner and were able to find my buddy Andrew, and Jillian and their families. Between the three of us, we have lost over 500 pounds and it was an honor to finally meet them in person, especially considering this was their first Ironman. They were both called up to the stage and were recognized for their great weight loss and were wished good luck by the thousands of people at the dinner. Afterwards, we left to head back to the room to get some sleep...
Saturday morning we woke up and grabbed some grub, then headed down to check-in. I felt awesome and slept REALLY good! After packet pick up, we headed back to the room and finished packing up my transition bags, and ensuring my bike was all dialed in. Everything was good to go so we headed back downtown to catch a quick swim with Andrew and then to check our bikes into transition. Everything went smooth, and before you know it, we were all checked in and now there was nothing left to do but drink a ton, eat a lot, and get plenty of sleep. So, Jillian and her husband Joel, along with Andrew and his wife Stephanie and his two boys, along with Christie and I , headed to The Old Spaghetti Factory for some AWESOME grub! After a wonderful meal and great convo, we drove the bike course. Ahhh yes, I remember this! UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN is the theme on the bike course. It NEVER lets up! It was great to see the familiar roads, but I was not concerned and was ready to attack this course with all I had on Sunday. After the drive, we stopped to grab some Pizza, and headed to the room, ate and fell asleep.
3am on Sunday, RACE MORNING, the alarm rings, and I start chugging Gatorade and getting in some calories. I slept really good and was ready to rock n roll. After double checking all my preperations, we loaded up and headed downtown. As I saw my bike sitting in transition, I looked at my Black Beauty, gave her the old nod & wink, and told her (my bike) we HAD to rip it up today, and I needed all she had! I checked everything on my bike, topped off the air pressure, loaded up my bottles, and called it "READY". Christie and I then headed out to walk the mile to get to the race start. Once over there, I got body marked and began to stand in line for the swim start. Louisville has a time trial start so there is no mass start and you jump in the water according to where you are in the incredibly long line. After finding my place in line, there is nothing but waiting until the cannon goes off...
At 6:50am the Pro's cannon went off and the race was officially under way. The line moved quick and then, after about 15 minutes came to hault for several minutes. I later found out that it was as a result of a man passing out and subsequently dying in the water just minutes after the start. More on this later... As the line picked up again, it moved quick, and before I knew it, I was running down the ramp to start my swim. I saw Christie and gave her a huge hug and smooch and told her I would see her in a bit. Down the ramp I went and I jumped in the warm water and began to immediately find a comfortable groove to settle in to. The swim was very uneventful, went by pretty quick, and I ended up setting a PR on the swim. Total swim time for the 2.4 miles was 1:09:44.
As I went into the transition tent, it finally struck me that, although I have always felt I am a decent swimmer, I was fully able to say that Cycling is now my strongest discipline in Triathlon. So, as I am gearing up for the ride, nothing but positivety was flowing through my mind, and I knew it was going to be a great day on the bike. The first 10-12 miles are pretty flat, and then the unrelenting hills begin. My plan of attack was to survive the uphills and attack the downhills as hard as I could so the momentum would help carry me up the next hill, which worked well. The bike leg went by fast and it was a HUUUUUGE lift to see my gorgeous wife waving at me as I passed through La Grange for the second time. After that, a little wind kicked up and I slowed a bit, but made it back in to transition with a total bike time of 5:49:59 which gave me a 19.2 mph Average for 112 miles and a HUUUUGE PR (almost 2.5mph avg faster than 2009). Garmin said we had just about 5,000' of elevation on the bike...
Back in to Transition to get ready to run, I WAS feeling pretty good, and my spirits were soaring after hittin 2 PR's on the first two disciplines. I get sun screen lathered on, turn my race belt around, and headed out. It took me a little bit to get going, but after I hit the bridge to go out and back on, I felt some energy kick in, and then I began running and felt like I was on cruise control. After about 11-12 miles of running, I start feeling like crud. My gut started turning and I became very queesy. I was reduced to a walk and then began dry heeving. This was going to be a death march! It goes to show you that you never know what the day is going to bring. It could have been too little sodium, swallowing some of the nasty Ohio River on the swim, or any other number of things... Either way, it was NOT good and I was struggling. After walking for a few miles, I noticed they started putting out Chicken brothe. I started chugging it, and very soon started feeling better. I picked it back up and was able to do a little better. Between mile 14 and 20 were the darkest miles and hours of my race. Here were my run splits, you can easily see where the worst of the struggles were:
RUN SPLIT 1: 3.39 mi 3.39 mi (38:24) 11:19/mi
RUN SPLIT 2: 8.2 mi 4.81 mi (55:38) 11:33/mi
RUN SPLIT 3: 13.1 mi 4.9 mi (58:42) 11:58/mi
RUN SPLIT 4: 15.33 mi 2.23 mi (29:55) 13:24/mi
RUN SPLIT 5: 20.1 mi 4.77 mi (1:15:16) 15:46/mi
RUN SPLIT 6: 25.04 mi 4.94 mi (1:05:27) 13:14/mi
RUN SPLIT 7: 26.2 mi 1.16 mi (14:10) 12:12/mi
TOTAL RUN 26.2 mi (5:37:32) 12:52/mi
As I look down at my watch and realize if I can throw a quick shuffle together until the finish, I can finish in under 13 hours. So, I gave it all I had, fought through some severe discomfort and turned the corner to 4th St. Just as I remembered, the atmosphere at the finish was ELECTRIC! THOUSANDS of people lining the street, music blaring, bright lights shinning, and after a very fun and challenging day, I realized this was it! I saw Christie in the crowd, ran like I stole something, and finished strong to the words "DAN BENINTENDI, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN". I look down at my watch and check the official results, 12:58:10!!! YESSSSSSS!!! In 2009, I finished in 14:14:13, so, even with a horrendous marathon I still improved my overall time from Ironman Arizona last year by over 30 minutes! I DID IT!
Ironman #3 in the books!!! Another sweet finisher's medal, many more incredible memories, and another race I can say that I improved dramatically for. In the past week I have contemplated what meant the most to me about the race. I have deduced, that it really was not the race at all, it was the life lessons learned in the process. I have been thinking about the guy who passed away just moments after the swim start. After reading a bit about this man, I found out he had never competed in a triathlon before, and he had been treating high blood pressure with medication, and suffered from an enlarged heart, which neither he or his family knew about. While it is tragic the way he died, there is glory in it. He died trying to fulfill a dream! I immediately thought back to a slogan I used as my monacur after I lost weight a couple of years ago... "What good is adding years to your life, unless you add life to your years". This man was the epitome of that very slogan and I consider it a honor to have toed the line with him.
The MOST incredible and meaningful thing about this race, to me, was the opportunity to spend several days with the love of my life, free from worries and the kids, as they were being cared for by my mother-in-law, Grace. We fell in love all over again this past weekend, and shared so many cool moments. Mostly laughing, holding hands, and having great conversations. I KNEW I had WON the race on the car ride home. As we got closer to home, I felt the need to ask Christie: "What can I do to be a better husband to you"? Her reply: "Nothing that I can think of". And she went on to mention all the things she appreciated about me. Anytime you can train for an Ironman, have a demanding carreer, teach 6 Spin Classes a week, attend your childrens practices and games, mow the lawn, etc, and have your wife tell you those words, in the grand scheme of things, an Ironman Finsher's Medal doesn't even come close.
The moral of the story? I think I have finally got it right. Focus on your faith, your family, your career, and let all the other things, INCLUDING Ironman fall in behind. When you train, train HARD, train SMART, and realize a 2 hour ride at near threshold is far more beneficial than 4 hours of wasted time not challenging yourself. When we fail at home, we fail at life. When we WIN at home, we WIN at life. THAT is the lesson I learned at Ironman Louisville.
I am so very blessed, beyond any words I have within me. Grateful for the opportuinity I have been given to get out and do these awesome events. Blessed with the most beautiful and wonderful children. And so undeserving of the greatest wife and mother the world has ever known... My Sweetheart Christie. This one was for my family. Because, now that I have my priorities in check, we ALL won this Ironman together.
SO that's it, a GREAT event, a great weekend, wonderful memories, and a deeper respect and grattitude for all the great things I have in my life. Now, on to the next great adventure! Thank you all for your continued support, encouragement, and love. These are the things that make me want to keep trying harder every day. Let's get out there and live!!!
Your Friend In Health & Sport,
Dan Benintendi
Monday, June 20, 2011
Quite Some Time...
Wow, time flies and it has been forever since I have updated my blog, which I vow to do a better job at doing. Since Grasslands 50 Miler, I have not been running as much. I took some time to focus on family and reprioritizing so I could give the best to the things that matter most, then letting my hobbies fall in line behind those priorities. I have found that when I balance things properly, I am able to do all that needs to be done, and I am finding that my times and fitness have remained the same and actually improved in some aspects, while the training load has not been as much, rather more intense in shorter spurts.
I have been teaching Spin Classes at 24 Hour Fitness for about a month now, and absolutely love it! People are working hard, finding some inspiration from my story, and try each and every day to better themselves, which, in turn motivates and inspires me. Ahh the proverbial circle of life! My family is doing so awesome, Christie is training like a mad man and has the goal to become a "Marathon Maniac". As for me, I am competing in Ironman Louisville in August and am hoping to shave off at least 2 hours from my time at my first go around with this course in 2009
(14:14:13). So, training is ramping up, I am feeling strong and am poised to peak just perfect for Ironman. After Ironman, I am registered for the 100EC again in So Cal in October. This is a 100 Mile ULTRA that starts in Corona, CA and ends at the Santa Monica Pier. Do it in under 30 hours and you get a sweet belt buckle, and bragging rights for life.
Anyways, I can't thank my family and all of you for your support, love, and encouragement. All of your kind thoughts and words go with me every day. So, I will keep pushing myself and will hopefully see you out on the road or in my class someday soon. Here are a few pictures we took as a family...
I have been teaching Spin Classes at 24 Hour Fitness for about a month now, and absolutely love it! People are working hard, finding some inspiration from my story, and try each and every day to better themselves, which, in turn motivates and inspires me. Ahh the proverbial circle of life! My family is doing so awesome, Christie is training like a mad man and has the goal to become a "Marathon Maniac". As for me, I am competing in Ironman Louisville in August and am hoping to shave off at least 2 hours from my time at my first go around with this course in 2009
(14:14:13). So, training is ramping up, I am feeling strong and am poised to peak just perfect for Ironman. After Ironman, I am registered for the 100EC again in So Cal in October. This is a 100 Mile ULTRA that starts in Corona, CA and ends at the Santa Monica Pier. Do it in under 30 hours and you get a sweet belt buckle, and bragging rights for life.
Anyways, I can't thank my family and all of you for your support, love, and encouragement. All of your kind thoughts and words go with me every day. So, I will keep pushing myself and will hopefully see you out on the road or in my class someday soon. Here are a few pictures we took as a family...
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
GRASSLANDS 50 MILE TRAIL RUN - RACE REPORT
WOW... What a day this was!!! Contemplating how last year's Grasslands race went with the 20* weather, pouring rain, sleet, snow and ankle deep mud, it's hard to imagine that this year could be any worse, and thank goodness it wasn't!!! Last year there were over 100 people who were doing the 50 miler, a total of 7 finished the race. Anyways, this was a very rewarding day and I hope you enjoy my account of the transpirings.
About 5 weeks ago I set out to run the Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler, but unfortunately, I rolled my ankle twice and had to drop out. For the past 4-5 weeks I have done little running, and I am thankful I didn't because it completely healed and did not bother me a bit. The day before the race, the family spent the day at the Grapevine Mills Mall, and I was on my feet all day, but it didn't seem to effect my day at all. I got to bed at around 10pm and awoke at 2:30am and began getting all my items together and began fueling and hydrating. The drive is about 45 minutes from my house to get to the Grasslands and when I got there, I was the first to arrive and got primo parking and a perfect locale for my chair, ice chest and drop bag. I got checked in at about 6am and the race was scheduled to start at 7am SHARP! There were only about 45 people registered this year for the 50 (I guess last year's results scared the people away!) but it was a super nice group of folks. There is also a Full and half marathon that start on a different loop and at a different time than us, and it appeared that there was a tremendous turnout for those. At about 6:45am the race director asks us to huddle around the start line for a briefing. We all take note of his wisdom, and check the last minute things and prepare to "Git er dun"!
He yells for us to start running right at 7am, and we were off. It was still dark so we had our headlamps on for the first 30 minutes or so. The first loop was a distance correcting 4.80 mile out-n-back loop. It was mid 60* weather, and was perfect, but we knew warm weather was coming. I took just a handheld for this loop, and that proved to barely be enough, but got me through. My pace was a little too quick, but I held it together with a 9:14 pace for the first 5 miles. The course is shaped like a clover leaf, with all loops starting and ending at the main aid station so it made it really nice for self support (But the aid stations were awesome too). When I got back to "Tadra" The start / finish / main aid station, I chugged a 42G Myoplex protein drink, half a bottle of pedialite, and loaded up the camelbak and set off for the first loop which was 13.5 miles.
As soon as I hit this trail, I finally realize (although I had been running for 5 miles already), that what we were running on was similar to the soft, deep sand on a beach. IT WAS TOUGH! There were sporadic sections that had compacted dirt, but the majority of the entire run was on this soft sand, which later, would prove to shatter the legs. On this first loop, my pace was holding steady at 9:45's and I was really feeling wonderful. There was a cool breeze and there was still a good amount of cloud cover, so I was thankful for that. This loop was very pleasant, quiet, uneventful, and quite enjoyable. As I finish up this loop, there was a pretty good crowd assembled at Tadra, as a result of the half and full marathon runners who had family and friends to cheer them on. Once I get back into my little area, I chug the rest of that Pedialite, another Myoplex, a Snickers, refill my Camelbak, and boy was it warming up. I put on another layer of sunscreen just for good measure and then head out.
On the second loop, I feel my chest starting to get a little heavy, which typically happens with the Sports Induced Asthma that shows it's ugly face sometimes in races. So, I reach in my pack to find the inhailer, only to then realize I forgot it at home! That sucked... I had to basically walk for 35-40 minutes to keep the heart rate down and get the breathing under control. After this period of time, I felt GREAT, and started running, and didn't have a single problem from then on with the Asthma, thank goodness! This second loop was 12.8 miles, and after about 3 miles in to the loop, I really felt like giving up. I was really down on myself, doubting my training or lack thereof, doubting a lot of things, but I decided to keep moving forward. I started running again, and slowly, over the next few miles, I began to feel better and better, my spirits lifted, doubt departed, and suddenly I was thinking with a clear head and realized this race was mine! I power through this loop, dealing with the sand, and the heat that had now reached 80+ degrees! It didn't matter though, I was drinking a ton! Basically going through 5-6 Enduralytes p/ hour, along with 70 ounces of GU 2x Sodium Sports Drink, along with gels, m&m's and all the other typical ULTRA food Fare between each aid station that were typically 4-6 miles apart. This formula was perfect for me, and got me through the race without performance or hydration issues. I finish this loop strong and was beginning to hear the screaming coming from my legs! I make my way back to Tadra and chug another Myoplex, a full bottle of Pedialite, another Snickers, and was off again.
As I begin the 3rd loop, which was 10.4 miles long, I look down at my watch and was happy that with all the stops at aid stations and such, I was still averaging 11 minute miles for the first 50K. This third loop was really sandy. This entire course is on horse trails, so when it's dry, it's sand, when it's wet, it's mud... PERIOD! Also, it is in "The Grasslands" which is basically meadows and pastures, so there really is not much shade to speak of. The cloud cover had worn off, the sun was beating down on us, and I honestly had a few thoughts that I was running in the desert! Anyways, this loop was pretty uneventful and very pleasant as well. I did not wear any iPOD, or music at all, and I am so thankful I did not. The sound of nature is a beautiful thing. Seriously, trail running helps me better understand and realize how lucky we are to live in the world we do. A world where there is so much evil and bad things everywhere, but moreso, a world that is filled with even more beautiful and happy things than bad. Because there were only 45 people doing the 50 miler, I really didn't see many people on the course, except at the aid stations and Tadra, which was really nice. After rounding the bend and coming back into the Tadra aid station, I realize I have a few hotspots on my feet, but decide to block them out and just head out for the last loop. I chugged my final Myoplex, pedialite, salt tabs, Snickers and pretzels, and it was "Go Time" for the 4th and final loop.
The last loop was 8.9 miles. The wind was whipping around at about 25 - 30 mph and for the first 2.5 miles of this last loop, we were running dead into it. The bulk of this first section was all uphill, and as I had done throughout the entire day, I walked at a brisk pace, up the inclines. I knew eventually we had to get back down this hill so I would make up the time. My legs were pretty shot, and I was feeling the fatigue set in, but I was determined to leave it all out there and attain my goal of a sub 11 hour finish. Sure enough, after about 4 miles, the majority of the rest of the loop was either flat or downhill. I am so thankfull I walked the uphills! As we approach the final aid station, that leaves us about 5 miles from the finish, I take in tons of food and drink, stuff my front and back of shirt with ice, and mentally prepare myself to pound out the last section. From that aid station, to the finish line, I averaged 9:05 miles and passed 7 people on the way in. This is what it is all about! Pushing through with everything you have left. I was also fired up because I knew my family would be waiting for me at the finish. Sure enough, I round the final corner, and hear my son Austin yell "DADDY DADDY DADDY" and there they were! I run to the finish, score my sweet finisher's belt buckle, get hugs and kisses from everyone, then plant myself in my chair!
So, official times have not been posted yet, but according to my Garmin, and what was on the official race clock, my total time for the 50 miles was 10:55:56. So, I achieved my goal, finished strong, and had so much fun in the process. As I sit back in my chair, we snap some pictures, I suck down another Myoplex, and we begin to pack up the gear and head home. I almost fell asleep 100 times on the drive home but somehow made it there safe and sound. When I got out of the car at home, I realized how sore I was, and could not think of anything accept a warm shower and sleep. As I peel off my shoes and socks before I go in the house, I see two feet that are riddled with blisters, one really huge one on my middle toe on my left foot. I did not wear my gaters on this run, and what I guess happened is sand snuck in my shoes and made a home in the arch of my feet and between toes. This is what caused the friction and subsequent blisters. I have two toenails on the other foot that are purple and will probably be lost to the cause, but I really don't care. I had such an awesome time, and pulled of a huge victory. While I have ran farther in several races than 50 miles, this is the first ULTRA I have finished beyond 50K (31 miles) so it feels really good to have a finisher's medal for an Ultra.
I had such a great time, such a sense of accomplishment, and a stronger sense of self, family, and my surroundings. I am thankful for the strength I have to run these races, and have so many things to be grateful for. The thing I am most grateful for in my life is my family. I love them beyond words, and the thought of seeing their faces waiting for me when I finished carried me through, as always. So, that's it, a great day, a great result, and another memory to stockpile with the rest. I can't thank you all enough for your support, encouragement, friendship, and love. On to recovery and the next challenge...
Your Friend,
Dan
About 5 weeks ago I set out to run the Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler, but unfortunately, I rolled my ankle twice and had to drop out. For the past 4-5 weeks I have done little running, and I am thankful I didn't because it completely healed and did not bother me a bit. The day before the race, the family spent the day at the Grapevine Mills Mall, and I was on my feet all day, but it didn't seem to effect my day at all. I got to bed at around 10pm and awoke at 2:30am and began getting all my items together and began fueling and hydrating. The drive is about 45 minutes from my house to get to the Grasslands and when I got there, I was the first to arrive and got primo parking and a perfect locale for my chair, ice chest and drop bag. I got checked in at about 6am and the race was scheduled to start at 7am SHARP! There were only about 45 people registered this year for the 50 (I guess last year's results scared the people away!) but it was a super nice group of folks. There is also a Full and half marathon that start on a different loop and at a different time than us, and it appeared that there was a tremendous turnout for those. At about 6:45am the race director asks us to huddle around the start line for a briefing. We all take note of his wisdom, and check the last minute things and prepare to "Git er dun"!
He yells for us to start running right at 7am, and we were off. It was still dark so we had our headlamps on for the first 30 minutes or so. The first loop was a distance correcting 4.80 mile out-n-back loop. It was mid 60* weather, and was perfect, but we knew warm weather was coming. I took just a handheld for this loop, and that proved to barely be enough, but got me through. My pace was a little too quick, but I held it together with a 9:14 pace for the first 5 miles. The course is shaped like a clover leaf, with all loops starting and ending at the main aid station so it made it really nice for self support (But the aid stations were awesome too). When I got back to "Tadra" The start / finish / main aid station, I chugged a 42G Myoplex protein drink, half a bottle of pedialite, and loaded up the camelbak and set off for the first loop which was 13.5 miles.
As soon as I hit this trail, I finally realize (although I had been running for 5 miles already), that what we were running on was similar to the soft, deep sand on a beach. IT WAS TOUGH! There were sporadic sections that had compacted dirt, but the majority of the entire run was on this soft sand, which later, would prove to shatter the legs. On this first loop, my pace was holding steady at 9:45's and I was really feeling wonderful. There was a cool breeze and there was still a good amount of cloud cover, so I was thankful for that. This loop was very pleasant, quiet, uneventful, and quite enjoyable. As I finish up this loop, there was a pretty good crowd assembled at Tadra, as a result of the half and full marathon runners who had family and friends to cheer them on. Once I get back into my little area, I chug the rest of that Pedialite, another Myoplex, a Snickers, refill my Camelbak, and boy was it warming up. I put on another layer of sunscreen just for good measure and then head out.
On the second loop, I feel my chest starting to get a little heavy, which typically happens with the Sports Induced Asthma that shows it's ugly face sometimes in races. So, I reach in my pack to find the inhailer, only to then realize I forgot it at home! That sucked... I had to basically walk for 35-40 minutes to keep the heart rate down and get the breathing under control. After this period of time, I felt GREAT, and started running, and didn't have a single problem from then on with the Asthma, thank goodness! This second loop was 12.8 miles, and after about 3 miles in to the loop, I really felt like giving up. I was really down on myself, doubting my training or lack thereof, doubting a lot of things, but I decided to keep moving forward. I started running again, and slowly, over the next few miles, I began to feel better and better, my spirits lifted, doubt departed, and suddenly I was thinking with a clear head and realized this race was mine! I power through this loop, dealing with the sand, and the heat that had now reached 80+ degrees! It didn't matter though, I was drinking a ton! Basically going through 5-6 Enduralytes p/ hour, along with 70 ounces of GU 2x Sodium Sports Drink, along with gels, m&m's and all the other typical ULTRA food Fare between each aid station that were typically 4-6 miles apart. This formula was perfect for me, and got me through the race without performance or hydration issues. I finish this loop strong and was beginning to hear the screaming coming from my legs! I make my way back to Tadra and chug another Myoplex, a full bottle of Pedialite, another Snickers, and was off again.
As I begin the 3rd loop, which was 10.4 miles long, I look down at my watch and was happy that with all the stops at aid stations and such, I was still averaging 11 minute miles for the first 50K. This third loop was really sandy. This entire course is on horse trails, so when it's dry, it's sand, when it's wet, it's mud... PERIOD! Also, it is in "The Grasslands" which is basically meadows and pastures, so there really is not much shade to speak of. The cloud cover had worn off, the sun was beating down on us, and I honestly had a few thoughts that I was running in the desert! Anyways, this loop was pretty uneventful and very pleasant as well. I did not wear any iPOD, or music at all, and I am so thankful I did not. The sound of nature is a beautiful thing. Seriously, trail running helps me better understand and realize how lucky we are to live in the world we do. A world where there is so much evil and bad things everywhere, but moreso, a world that is filled with even more beautiful and happy things than bad. Because there were only 45 people doing the 50 miler, I really didn't see many people on the course, except at the aid stations and Tadra, which was really nice. After rounding the bend and coming back into the Tadra aid station, I realize I have a few hotspots on my feet, but decide to block them out and just head out for the last loop. I chugged my final Myoplex, pedialite, salt tabs, Snickers and pretzels, and it was "Go Time" for the 4th and final loop.
The last loop was 8.9 miles. The wind was whipping around at about 25 - 30 mph and for the first 2.5 miles of this last loop, we were running dead into it. The bulk of this first section was all uphill, and as I had done throughout the entire day, I walked at a brisk pace, up the inclines. I knew eventually we had to get back down this hill so I would make up the time. My legs were pretty shot, and I was feeling the fatigue set in, but I was determined to leave it all out there and attain my goal of a sub 11 hour finish. Sure enough, after about 4 miles, the majority of the rest of the loop was either flat or downhill. I am so thankfull I walked the uphills! As we approach the final aid station, that leaves us about 5 miles from the finish, I take in tons of food and drink, stuff my front and back of shirt with ice, and mentally prepare myself to pound out the last section. From that aid station, to the finish line, I averaged 9:05 miles and passed 7 people on the way in. This is what it is all about! Pushing through with everything you have left. I was also fired up because I knew my family would be waiting for me at the finish. Sure enough, I round the final corner, and hear my son Austin yell "DADDY DADDY DADDY" and there they were! I run to the finish, score my sweet finisher's belt buckle, get hugs and kisses from everyone, then plant myself in my chair!
So, official times have not been posted yet, but according to my Garmin, and what was on the official race clock, my total time for the 50 miles was 10:55:56. So, I achieved my goal, finished strong, and had so much fun in the process. As I sit back in my chair, we snap some pictures, I suck down another Myoplex, and we begin to pack up the gear and head home. I almost fell asleep 100 times on the drive home but somehow made it there safe and sound. When I got out of the car at home, I realized how sore I was, and could not think of anything accept a warm shower and sleep. As I peel off my shoes and socks before I go in the house, I see two feet that are riddled with blisters, one really huge one on my middle toe on my left foot. I did not wear my gaters on this run, and what I guess happened is sand snuck in my shoes and made a home in the arch of my feet and between toes. This is what caused the friction and subsequent blisters. I have two toenails on the other foot that are purple and will probably be lost to the cause, but I really don't care. I had such an awesome time, and pulled of a huge victory. While I have ran farther in several races than 50 miles, this is the first ULTRA I have finished beyond 50K (31 miles) so it feels really good to have a finisher's medal for an Ultra.
I had such a great time, such a sense of accomplishment, and a stronger sense of self, family, and my surroundings. I am thankful for the strength I have to run these races, and have so many things to be grateful for. The thing I am most grateful for in my life is my family. I love them beyond words, and the thought of seeing their faces waiting for me when I finished carried me through, as always. So, that's it, a great day, a great result, and another memory to stockpile with the rest. I can't thank you all enough for your support, encouragement, friendship, and love. On to recovery and the next challenge...
Your Friend,
Dan
Sunday, March 13, 2011
A Lucky Man
As I sit here in my room, look out the window to see the sun shinning, watching my children collect rolly pollies, while eating the best breakfast burrito in the world, made by my awesome wife, I can't help but think about how lucky I am. I think in life, we all tend to take the "Important" things for granted. For a while now, I have only been focused on my own goals and ambitions... I think that when I was 400 pounds, I really didn't have any goals or ambitions, the daily goal was to make it through the day without dying... Since losing the weight, I have constantly focused on "The next challenge", the next race, the next adventure, but somehow got consumed in that, and forgot the MOST important things. My thoughts lately have been drawn to a passage that reads... "For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also"...
Over the past several weeks, I have had to do a major "Gut Check" and have continually asked myself about "My treasure". The truth is, once we bring children into the world, our treasure SHOULD be their success. I think many of the things that I have accomplished are GREAT, with regards to athletics and endurance sport, but, the truth of it is, in the grand Eternal Scheme of things, none of it really matters. While I doubt I will EVER stop doing endurance sports (Especially considering I have a 50 mile trail run in 6 days in Decatur... The Grasslands), I have to make sure that it is NOT my #1 priority. Faith, Family, work, then all the rest... It is so easy to forget...
I wish we could go through life and never make mistakes. The truth is, we all do, some small, some big, but none-the-less, we all make them. I think what builds and shows character is what we do with those mistakes. Do we wollow in self-pitty, anger, frustration, doubt, hurt, anguish, disgust, or even worse feelings, OR do we recognize things for what they are, face the music, and do the proverbial 180* turn and change? I think of a song I heard a few years back... "Like stones in the river, we are tossed and turned, and are shaped 'til the edges are made smooth"... Life is certainly like a rough stone, but as we grow, and have experiences, both good and bad, we can become a little smoother, and a little better everyday, IF we seek that change.
I am so grateful for my life. So grateful for my children and especially grateful for my beautiful wife, Christie. Yesterday marks 19 years ago when I asked her to be my girl. I could not ask for a better woman or better mother to our children. She is the love of my life, and I am so lucky to have her. I hope we can all strive to focus on those things that REALLY matter, and not let the small and insignificant things distract us from the things of real importance...
Over the past several weeks, I have had to do a major "Gut Check" and have continually asked myself about "My treasure". The truth is, once we bring children into the world, our treasure SHOULD be their success. I think many of the things that I have accomplished are GREAT, with regards to athletics and endurance sport, but, the truth of it is, in the grand Eternal Scheme of things, none of it really matters. While I doubt I will EVER stop doing endurance sports (Especially considering I have a 50 mile trail run in 6 days in Decatur... The Grasslands), I have to make sure that it is NOT my #1 priority. Faith, Family, work, then all the rest... It is so easy to forget...
I wish we could go through life and never make mistakes. The truth is, we all do, some small, some big, but none-the-less, we all make them. I think what builds and shows character is what we do with those mistakes. Do we wollow in self-pitty, anger, frustration, doubt, hurt, anguish, disgust, or even worse feelings, OR do we recognize things for what they are, face the music, and do the proverbial 180* turn and change? I think of a song I heard a few years back... "Like stones in the river, we are tossed and turned, and are shaped 'til the edges are made smooth"... Life is certainly like a rough stone, but as we grow, and have experiences, both good and bad, we can become a little smoother, and a little better everyday, IF we seek that change.
I am so grateful for my life. So grateful for my children and especially grateful for my beautiful wife, Christie. Yesterday marks 19 years ago when I asked her to be my girl. I could not ask for a better woman or better mother to our children. She is the love of my life, and I am so lucky to have her. I hope we can all strive to focus on those things that REALLY matter, and not let the small and insignificant things distract us from the things of real importance...
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