Sometimes we just get a little lazy
Today is May 16, 2006. I apologize for not updating this blog. I have no excuse.
Readers Digest Version:
April 6th-Longest run so far for me-9 miles, --->TV news story<---(click here) !
April 7th---->Newspaper Article<---(click here) !
April 8th-Iceman Sprint Triathlon-Tom put me as the first swimmer in the water and my race number was number one ! Very Cool--Thanks Tom! It was a very emotional race for me. It was impossible to hold back the emotions during the last mile of the run and at the finish line.
April 11th- Last Chemo Treatment ----YES !!
April 19th-started swimming again--feels great to be in the water again.
April 23rd-Another longest run 10 1/4 miles !! Felt strong-could have kept going. Feel very positive about the 1/2 Ironman coming up !
Race Day not far off !! Only 20 days till Florida. With Chemo behind me, I am starting to pick up on the training where and when I can.
The wetsuit is ordered. I have finalized my fueling and hydration strategy for the race.
Continue with massages every 2 weeks with Pauline and visits to Dr Dave for any adjustments to my joints and my mind. They are both awesome and I do see a benefit.
April 30--training distances and intensity is starting to be reduced as we begin tapering for the race ! How sweet it is.
May 9-The bike has been put in the trailer for it's trip to Florida with about 30 other Dallas Athletes bikes.
May 11-My family and I begin the trip to Florida for the race, me in the morning and the rest of the family that afternoon.
Race packet pick-up. Number 1238 is my race number.
Swim in the ocean-first time I swam out in the ocean, and with a wetsuit ! It was great. I didn't realize there were going to be hills on the swim course (many swells to swim through) as the water was a bit rough.
May 12-One day till race time. I prepare my fueling and hydration per my plan and pack my tranistion bag for the race.
May 13-Race morning. I was up at 4:30. Ate some breakfast Took in about 500 calories. My start time for the race is 7:10. Took my transition bag down to the transition area. Put everything out like I wanted it. Went back to the room to get ready for the swim.
Wetsuit on.
Down to the beach to wait with the rest of the team for the start.
I am starting in the 12th wave of racers. It was tough waiting that long as I was ready to go. But before I knew it, my turn to go. Off I go on the swim. The swim went well for me. I have always been fortunate since high school with strong swim stroke. I finished the 1.2 mile swim in about 31 minutes.
Into the transition area for T1 (get ready for the bike ride). My time here was longer than I thought, a little over 7 minutes. Didn't seem like that long. Oh well.
On the bike, my plan was to keep my heart rate at 150 or lower, regardless of speed. I did just that. The 56 miles went by very quickly and before I knew it, I was at mile 40. Then 56. I averaged 19.2 MPH and 2 hours and 55 minutes or so. Toward the end of the bike, I began to feel like I might have over-hydrated some-a little bloated.
T2 (bike to run transition) went by in about 3 minutes or so. I wanted to make sure I did not forget my fuel for the run.
On the run, I felt very strong. The first 3 miles went by very quickly. I continued to take in fluids at every aid station, mostly gatorade. I also poured cold water on my head to help stay cool. By the half way point, I still felt strong. I had been able to keep my heart rate down at 160 or lower withyout any trouble. By mile 8, I noticed that my right knee was beginning to heart a little. (About 9 days prior to the race, it also began to hurt some during a run). I just kept on going. I knew I could rest my knee after the race. About that same time, I began to develop some cramping in my intestines. This was not a good sign. I began to think I might need to find a bathroom pretty quick. A couple of minutes later, the cramping quit. Every 10 minutes or so, the cramping would come back, last for minute or two, and then stop. I just had to walk when the cramping started. At mile 11.5 or 12, I saw Tom Ryan on the scooter. He pulled up next to me and we discussed how things were going, and he mentioned the finish line was about a mile down the road, and thatg there was a ton of people waiting for me. That was all I needed to help push me to the finish. I began to pick up the pace just a little. The lastg aid station was about 3/4 of a mile from the finish. One last cool splash of water on my hat and picked up the pace a little more. I started to visualize the finish, with my family and fellow Dallas Athletes there. It seemed to give me a little burst of speed. The next thing I knew, I could see the finish line and my wife and two my daughters. The second I saw them, I wanted them to cross the finish line with me. I greabbed their hands, and jogged the last few yards together and crossed that line.
I had just finished a 1/2 Ironman Triathlon. It took 6 months to get there, 210 miles of running, 1076 miles of biking, 15,530 yards of swimming, a cancer diagnosis, 8 treatments of ABVD chemotherapy, countless medical visits, tests, and copays, 2 surgeries, lots of emotional stress. But I did it. I couldn't have done it without the support of my wife, my daughters, my family, my friends, my fellow athletes and friends at Dallas Athletes, and strength the Lord gave me to do all this.
Readers Digest Version:
April 6th-Longest run so far for me-9 miles, --->TV news story<---(click here) !
April 7th---->Newspaper Article<---(click here) !
April 8th-Iceman Sprint Triathlon-Tom put me as the first swimmer in the water and my race number was number one ! Very Cool--Thanks Tom! It was a very emotional race for me. It was impossible to hold back the emotions during the last mile of the run and at the finish line.
April 11th- Last Chemo Treatment ----YES !!
April 19th-started swimming again--feels great to be in the water again.
April 23rd-Another longest run 10 1/4 miles !! Felt strong-could have kept going. Feel very positive about the 1/2 Ironman coming up !
Race Day not far off !! Only 20 days till Florida. With Chemo behind me, I am starting to pick up on the training where and when I can.
The wetsuit is ordered. I have finalized my fueling and hydration strategy for the race.
Continue with massages every 2 weeks with Pauline and visits to Dr Dave for any adjustments to my joints and my mind. They are both awesome and I do see a benefit.
April 30--training distances and intensity is starting to be reduced as we begin tapering for the race ! How sweet it is.
May 9-The bike has been put in the trailer for it's trip to Florida with about 30 other Dallas Athletes bikes.
May 11-My family and I begin the trip to Florida for the race, me in the morning and the rest of the family that afternoon.
Race packet pick-up. Number 1238 is my race number.
Swim in the ocean-first time I swam out in the ocean, and with a wetsuit ! It was great. I didn't realize there were going to be hills on the swim course (many swells to swim through) as the water was a bit rough.
May 12-One day till race time. I prepare my fueling and hydration per my plan and pack my tranistion bag for the race.
May 13-Race morning. I was up at 4:30. Ate some breakfast Took in about 500 calories. My start time for the race is 7:10. Took my transition bag down to the transition area. Put everything out like I wanted it. Went back to the room to get ready for the swim.
Wetsuit on.
Down to the beach to wait with the rest of the team for the start.
I am starting in the 12th wave of racers. It was tough waiting that long as I was ready to go. But before I knew it, my turn to go. Off I go on the swim. The swim went well for me. I have always been fortunate since high school with strong swim stroke. I finished the 1.2 mile swim in about 31 minutes.
Into the transition area for T1 (get ready for the bike ride). My time here was longer than I thought, a little over 7 minutes. Didn't seem like that long. Oh well.
On the bike, my plan was to keep my heart rate at 150 or lower, regardless of speed. I did just that. The 56 miles went by very quickly and before I knew it, I was at mile 40. Then 56. I averaged 19.2 MPH and 2 hours and 55 minutes or so. Toward the end of the bike, I began to feel like I might have over-hydrated some-a little bloated.
T2 (bike to run transition) went by in about 3 minutes or so. I wanted to make sure I did not forget my fuel for the run.
On the run, I felt very strong. The first 3 miles went by very quickly. I continued to take in fluids at every aid station, mostly gatorade. I also poured cold water on my head to help stay cool. By the half way point, I still felt strong. I had been able to keep my heart rate down at 160 or lower withyout any trouble. By mile 8, I noticed that my right knee was beginning to heart a little. (About 9 days prior to the race, it also began to hurt some during a run). I just kept on going. I knew I could rest my knee after the race. About that same time, I began to develop some cramping in my intestines. This was not a good sign. I began to think I might need to find a bathroom pretty quick. A couple of minutes later, the cramping quit. Every 10 minutes or so, the cramping would come back, last for minute or two, and then stop. I just had to walk when the cramping started. At mile 11.5 or 12, I saw Tom Ryan on the scooter. He pulled up next to me and we discussed how things were going, and he mentioned the finish line was about a mile down the road, and thatg there was a ton of people waiting for me. That was all I needed to help push me to the finish. I began to pick up the pace just a little. The lastg aid station was about 3/4 of a mile from the finish. One last cool splash of water on my hat and picked up the pace a little more. I started to visualize the finish, with my family and fellow Dallas Athletes there. It seemed to give me a little burst of speed. The next thing I knew, I could see the finish line and my wife and two my daughters. The second I saw them, I wanted them to cross the finish line with me. I greabbed their hands, and jogged the last few yards together and crossed that line.
I had just finished a 1/2 Ironman Triathlon. It took 6 months to get there, 210 miles of running, 1076 miles of biking, 15,530 yards of swimming, a cancer diagnosis, 8 treatments of ABVD chemotherapy, countless medical visits, tests, and copays, 2 surgeries, lots of emotional stress. But I did it. I couldn't have done it without the support of my wife, my daughters, my family, my friends, my fellow athletes and friends at Dallas Athletes, and strength the Lord gave me to do all this.
posted by Ken at 7:44 PM
3 Comments:
A very inspiring journey.
It was an awesome moment to see you cross the finish line with your daughters.
Candy
And what an update it is. Who cares how late it is? This is incredible. How fantastic! You are an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your journey.
You really STILL have no idea what this accomplishment means. At Relay for Life, I was able to tell your story to 25 of the TKD kids.
"did you see the guy I was talking to ...?" "this is what a half-ironman is" --- "he did it, and by the way, he trained AROUND chemo". Sooner or later, they will all have to deal with the big C amongst family or friends, if not closer. Your story helps give them hope when the situation occurs.
Thanks, and now I concentrate on kicking your ase later in the year.
Conrad
PS, the French now say chemo is cheating.
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