Watching Julie Moss crawl across the finish line in 1982 is reason enough to want to do an ironman. The life metaphor of never giving up no matter how many times you fall, no matter how bad you feel, no matter how much circumstances conspire against you, is profound in and of itself. That is reason enough to complete an ironman, but there are many other reasons. As a geriatrician I can say that I’ve discontinued more prescription drugs over the course of my career than I’ve started. I’ve told all of my patients that regular exercise transcends prescription drugs and often can replace one or more medications. I’ve lived that philosophy, and feel, with the age of 60 coming soon, it has definitely benefited me. I don’t take a single medication. The ironman lifestyle is one that I fully embrace as a very healthy one, both physically and emotionally.
The great thing about triathlons is the variation and total body approach to exercise. Being someone who has suffered from back problems for many years, swimming provides an important therapeutic approach to being properly aligned and in a state of balance. There’s also no question that spending time in the water is emotionally healthy, reminding us of our time in the womb. Swimming is also primarily about technique and is minimally impacted by loss of strength. I always say that I would lose an arm wrestling match with most old ladies, but I can hold my own during an ironman swim (aside from the wrestling match of a mass start ironman, to be discussed in a later post).
Cycling is non-weight bearing, and as such doesn’t beat the body up as much, providing a great way to build lower body strength and cardiovascular fitness. Upper body strength can not be ignored, especially with the importance of staying in an aero position for many hours at a time. Finally, core strength is a critical component to cycling. Mentally, anyone who has gone on long bike rides knows the sense of peace that riding through the countryside can bring. If you want to take cycling to another level, riding with a group not only brings new friends and camaraderie, but a new set of skills required to ride a bicycle in a group.
Running is a natural human experience. Most people love to run, at least a little. Just watch a child running. Running is also a uniquely total body exercise. It pounds on every part of our being, bringing fitness building capacity to its greatest height. I didn’t run much when I was young due to childhood asthma. In fact, the first time I actually ran one mile straight was after I turned 32 years old! This is another reason why running at least one mile a day right now has a special meaning to me. While triathlon and ultimately ironman has been my goal since 1982, I actually became a runner first in the 90’s, completing several marathons with the realization that I needed to check that box off before doing an ironman.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the transitions. Triathlon is that unique sport where you can make up time by being obsessive and neurotic when it comes to the transition between disciplines. I have always considered this to be one of my strengths. In fact, I don’t know why they don’t give awards to the fastest transitioners!
The other thing I love about triathlons are the people. I’ve always felt that triathletes were less serious and more well balanced. More well balanced you may ask? Swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles is well balanced? Well, yes it is! If you prepare yourself well, that is. I’ve made friends over the years through triathlon, and during the run portion of the ironman I will usually get to know several people.
Finally, there is the fact that ironman is a metaphor for life. If something can go wrong, it will. Staying in the moment is the key not only to successfully completing an ironman, but in enjoying it in the process!
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