2007 Overview... I guess my career wasn't over

In August of 2004, at age 41 I completed my 4th Ironman in Penticton, British Columbia in a personal best time of 11:19 (21 minutes faster than I completed the race in 1992 at age 29) I finished hand in hand with my wife, a dream come true. My wife quailified for Kona that year and life was good. Six weeks later and 6 days before Ironman Hawaii I was involved in an automobile accident. It wasn't a big accident by any means but I had back injuries which prevented me from running for 2.5 years. To add insult to injury, the insurance carrier for the person who hit me sent out their lead fraud investigator who basically told me I couldn't have been injured in this loss.
I could get in an ocassional swim, bike or run but never could get two consectutive weeks of training under my belt. I sturggled physically and emotionally and was at a loss for who I was. I had always identified myself as a triathlete. I knew some day I would have to retire but I wanted it to be on my own terms. My wife and training partners went on racing and I dreamed of a come back to the sport I love. I had care from some of the top sports medicine Dr.s, PT's, accupuncturists, massage therapist and chiropractors in the Denver/Boulder area. With each visit I dreamed of a great come back that would never materialize. I had resolved to quit and take up hiking. My weight was up and my spirits were down. I began my coaching business, http://www.milehighmultisport.com/ in 2005 and lived vicariously through my athletes successes. I coached my wife to another Kona qualification in 2006 and this time was able to enjoy the event.
On January 1, 2007 I met with Jon Martine a Rolfer & instructor with the Structural School of integration. I expressed to Jon my desire to start running again. We began weekly sessions and some of the discomfort in my back, hip and legs began to disappear. I started going to the club and began a routine of running for 5 minutes and walking for a minute with a heart rate under 135. On one occasion, while running at 4.0 miles per hour and struggling to keep my HR down I noticed a rather plump women on the machine next to me wearing a Tri for The Cure race top running at 6.0 miles per hour. I was determined to stick to my game plan and on Super Bowl Sunday ran 3 miles in 35 minutes. I would run 4 days a week at 2 miles each day for the next month. I continued working with Jon and give him 100% credit for finally getting me on the right course of treatment and healing.

A good friend of mine talked me into running a Shamrock Shuffle race. I complained about the $25 entrance fee, being fat, being slow but was eventually shamed into showing up. With no training weeks over 10 miles I was able to run a 22:10 5 k on a Hilly course. A few weeks later I ran a 21:36 and won my age group at a small race. I immediately signed up for the Mile High Duathlon Series, the EAS 5430 Sprint, Loveland Lake to Lake Aqua bike(just the swim and bike no run)Harbor Lights in Waukegan, Illinois where I grew up, The National Sprint Championship Race (Rattlesnake) and the Swim across the Sound, a 15.5 mile relay swim from Port Jefferson New York to Bridgeport, CT. These are my teammates for the swim.

I ended up 9th in my age group in Boulder, won the Aqua B in Loveland, 7th at the National Sprint race and then for the first time in my career won my age group at Harbor Lights. That's me with Ronald McDonald. Only in Waukegan would you find McDonald's as a sponsor of a triathlon.When I returned to Colorado I signed up two Mile High Multisport relay teams for the Harvest Moon half Ironman. I noticed there was going to be a sprint triathlon (Crescent Moon) held while the half was going on so I signed up for that as well. I swam 1.2 miles and then 40 minutes later was in the first wave of the Sprint. I actually felt better on the second swim and came out of the water in 3rd place. I quickly assumed the lead on the bike and for the first time in my career was at the front of the race. Leading a race is both exciting and scary. There is no backing down when you are in the front and you run scared. It was also very lonely on the course as the Half Ironman participants where still out on the bike. I'm not one for following directions and when I headed out onto the run the course took me in a different direction than I thought we would go. I followed the signs and was extremely happy to see the first aid station. I never race with gadgets so I had no ideal of how much of a lead I had when I saw the 2nd place person after the turn around. I knew that he looked a lot better than I felt. I couldn't help but think of the sign I saw at Ironman Wisconsin the week before..........
I had one long down hill that ended up in some single track in a ravine. When I made the turn into the ravine there was about 3/4 of a mile left. I took a quick glance to my right and no one was on the down hill. At that point I began to feel I might be the first person over the line. As I hit the final stretch I saw my long time racing partner Kevin Reinsch who snapped this photo
What a poser!! As I entered the finishers shoot I was welcomed with all the fan fare of someone winning the race.
I ended up 2nd overall as a racer from the wave behind me was 1:15 seconds faster than me. I won the overall Masters title and received a check for $100. My career earnings after 20 years of racing is now $100. Considering I swam 1.2 miles before the race I was shocked to finish that high in the standings.
All in all a great season considering on January 1 I wasn't running at all. I found that going back to short course racing allows me to have balance in my life I didn't get when I was racing long. I look forward to some base training this winter and to hitting the shorter races again in 2008.

Peace