Ironman Steelhead 70.3 - Benton Harbor, MI

(70. 3 refers to the total miles in the triathlon, a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run)

I often refer to myself as an obsessed runner and closet triathlete. Yes, I admit to my running obsession, a 35 year addiction that I hope continues until they throw the dirt on. My closet triathlete line seems appropriate due to what I consider my expired creds as an Ironman. My two trips to Kona were in the 80’s and I’m a believer that we are only the athlete we are today and my recent history with triathlon has been my usual couple sprints and one Olympic tri per year. To call myself a triathlete may not come across quite as bad as an old jock saying they understand what it takes to be an athlete because the played football in high school … but it would not be far off the mark in my book.

I had planned on making this my year to come out of the three disaplines closet by commiting early for the Grand Rapids Olympic Triathlon in June and Steelhead 70.3 in August. I got a couple early marathons in this year to cure the running jones and was set to train seriously with my wife and Iron buddy Rich Bazzy (Who is a triathlete), when our daughter made us the ultramarathon offer a parent can’t refuse, to join her for the Speed Goat 50K in Utah. So much for being Iron ready. Long tough trail runs took priority over long rides or swims and not only was my training minimal for Steelhead, the race fell just 3 weeks after the Goat, which it took every bit of 3 weeks to recover from. None the less, I had to smile, even laugh, as I dove into a 67 degree very rough Lake Michigan on race morning with what seems to becoming a very familiar thought, this is going to kick my ass, bring on the adventure. Undertrained and over racing is my 2014 M.O..

Note: Steelhead is classy well run affair and worth the big bucks entry fee. In a world filled with schlock operations, I love being wowed by things done right, add to great volunteers and it adds up to a glimpse of heaven while I went through hell.

I was well hydrated and left Lake Michigan’s water level a bit lower as I survived the 1.2 mile swim. With my poor open water directional skills I would not have been surprised to hit my head on Navy Pier along my route, which was surely much further than 1.2 miles. The cold, rough water put up a good fight, it was what I would call a Rambo swim, without the saving the world part. My early swim wave greatly reduced my embarrassment as I exited the water with perhaps a thousand athletes behind me. This changed quickly once on the bike with many of them passing me, dang. Again I smiled on the bike, especially in the later miles where I still felt like I was moving along well and feeling surprisingly good at mile 50, there is a lot to be said for being rested heading in with a 3 week taper. I started the half marathon over 4 hours into the race, of course after a summer that was like fall, this day turned out to be one of the few scorchers. I felt great running but the heat kept my heart rate high and my pace slow, none the less, running is my sport and mentally if felt good to finally be passing people. Aid stations every mile were a blessing and ice was my savior as I dumped a cup full into the front of my shorts at each to bring the core temp down, Yikes!

My wife is tough as nails and finished just seven minutes behind my six hour and thirty seven minute finish time, a time that put me way back in the age group but in reality, perhaps only 30 minutes back from where I predicted my finish to have been had my training gone as planned. The reality is, times are personal and only we can judge the degree of success we have in a race. That said, this year at least, I’ll admit to being a triathlete.

Swim, bike and run forever,

Randy