Where this all started...

The year of 2015 brought me the biggest endurance challenge of my life!
Racine 70.3 Half Ironman

Racine 70.3

Getting there meant changes, challenges, and new friends!
My first big challenge was to get over my open water fear. Pool time increased the endurance, but the fear still kept taking hold.
How did I get over it?
Simple. Get in the water and swim! over and over again. Wet suit, no wet suit, Lake Andrea or Lake Michigan, it didn't matter. SWIM!
It helped to have a few friends with me and my coach out there giving me a push from time to time.
After 6 months of training, I hoped it would come natural.
The bike and the run portions of the event came down to straight time in the saddle and getting the legs use to the bike/run transition.
Again, long bike rides with friends made the miles go by quicker.
Long runs tided into both half marathon and marathon training programs (during the 6 months of 70.3 training I completed 4 half marathons).
Race day came quick!
Was I ready? Can I do this? Do I have what it takes? Will I know anyone cheering me on?
Answer to all of those, YES!
Here is my 70.3 breakdown:
Swim (1.2 miles): 47:52
T1: 6:13
Bike (56 miles): 3:38:18 (included changing a flat tire on back tire)
T2: 11:04 (had to go back into transition to get my bib)
Run (13.1 miles): 3:02:50

Fast forward to September where I volunteer at Ironman Wisconsin for the 3rd time (2nd time in the bike penalty tent). Knowing several of the athletes participating this year changed my few of the event. I became MORE inspired, MORE motivated, MORE determined that I WILL become and Ironman.
After volunteering, I made the commitment. 2016 WILL be the year I become an Ironman!

It begins

Jan 23rd 2016

2015 brought new challenges and new training levels
What I didn't expect was my desire to push to the next level. Why? Well, I had (keyword "had") a long term plan. By the age of 35 I would complete a half ironman. Job done (more on that later).
By age 40 I would complete a full ironman. Well. Being inspired by other athletes and the feeling I had finishing my half ironman, I moved up that time line.
2016 will be the year of my full ironman.
Crazy right?

I have chosen to work with the Ironman Foundation for my entry into the Wisconsin Ironman in September. Why Ironman Foundation? First, their purpose is to use the money we as athletes raise and donate it back to LOCAL non-profits within the Ironman Wisconsin area. Meaning, local organizations like Mt Horeb Fire and EMS, Madison Police Department, Watertown Human Society, and JDRF all benefit from our fundraising efforts.
How can you help?
Simple, make a tax deductible donation to my Ironman Foundation page money donated goes to LOCAL non-profits! To find out how your non-profit can get involved with Ironman Foundation, visit their web page 

So, January started by the full ironman training.
9 months of hard work and endurance building.
I contacted my coach (Andrea Hirth) from Vision Multisport to get me ready for the massive task of getting ready for Ironman Wisconsin.
After all, she did get me to the finish line at the Racine 70.3

Coach Andrea Hirt (left) and I after I crossed the 70.3 finish line (7/2015)

Family came to cheer me on :)

Me and Ryan Anderson (left) coming into the finish line.

Thanks again Ryan for getting me through the last loop!

The training has started.

To my advantage, I kept up my base endurance from Racine 70.3 so I am building a stronger base.

Here is a few of the distances I a have undertook so far for January:

Swim - 10,500 yards (just under 6 miles) more to come

Bike - 100 miles (so far, more to come for Jan)

Run - 30 miles (so far, more to come for Jan)

Those are just the beginning.

Along the way I will post my training, photos, highs and lows. Through them all, I hope you join me (virtually at least) on this journey.

We got this!