Recently I read You Are an Ironman: How Six Weekend Warriors Chased Their Dream of Finishing the World’s Toughest Triathlon.
I bought this book because it was actually recommended… on The View. No joke. Like any crazy person who has the deep desire to do an Ironman, I bought the book immediately.
You Are an Ironman features six average Joe’s. In a way, their stories and journey towards the Arizona Ironman were inspirational, but they were not at all dramatic. Like, “Oh, this kid picked on me in the first grade. I’m going to show him. Boohoo.”
I was expecting to read some sap stories. In reality, these six average Joe’s were just normal people with a love for the sport. They shared their struggles of fitting in work, family, and two hours of exercise a day. And you guys thought I was crazy? These people bike 60 miles a day then go on a run. The whole time I was reading You Are an Ironman, I kept thinking, “I want to do this.” No doubt I will.
By the way, Ironman triathlons are always a 2.1 mile swim followed immediately by a 112 mile bike ride, followed immediately by a standard 26.2 mile marathon.
Anyway, this book is perfect. The writing is fantastic and it’s not written in first person. That was a great feature.
If you ever doubt yourself, get this book. You will realize that you can do anything. You can run a marathon, you can swim a few miles, and you can bike far. You shouldn’t let anyone stop you and, most importantly, you shouldn’t let someone tell you that you are addicted to exercise when you just have a goal to do an Ironman (or whatever it may be).
What I also love about this book is the fact that it includes not only the physical struggles of training for an Ironman, but the emotional. It shows that something has to give. Of course a person can have a family and train, but it’s difficult. Time has to give, which means a mother or father cannot take their to children to school or what have you.
Training for an Ironman or just training in general is somewhat of a selfish act. Having a family while training isn’t realistic. That’s why most athletes don’t have children and, hey, I don’t want any anyway so it all works out for me. (Not a big fan of children.)
Also, training for an Ironman is expensive! The race itself is outrageously expensive then you must have a bike, helmet, swim gear, running gear, a hotel, and so much more.
In the book, everyone did several races leading up to the Ironman in Arizona. These races – mostly tri’s – were also expensive. They are more money than a running race. If you have a child, I can’t imagine spending that kind of money.
But it shows you that you can’t have it all. Well, you can, but something always goes wrong.
That isn’t my main point of the book though. It’s by far one of my favorite sport type books. I loved it to no end and I couldn’t put it down.
It definitely helped my running rut as well as inspired me to become a triathlete. After the Marines (bootcamp that is), I hope to learn to swim besides just floating in the water. I have never wanted to do an Ironman more in my life. I feel like I am meant to do it; that running isn’t my only passion. I also really desire to do a century – 100 mile bike ride. Sounds like a blast to me!
Then again, I’m a little cray cray. You guys know that already.
By the way, if you guys don’t know the official results of Ironman Kona 2011, you are in for a treat.
Craig Alexander finished in 8:03:56. He was the first male. He won the event in 2008 and 2009. He broke the course record by 12 seconds.
The first female was Chrissie Wellington. (8:55:08)
I was rooting for Mirinda Carfrae, who came in second.
She did finish in 08:57:57. So amazing. The average person probably finishes in 12 hours or more.
I hope to one day be up there. Not the top three women, but at least there in Kona.
