Do You Believe

I cant tell you how many times I've heard this. I've said it to myself in some form or another, and is a common chant amongst ironman athletes.

The common bond between all of us is self-evident in ironman. In olympic, sprint, and 1/2 IM races, I personally feel the "eye of the tiger" in me and am out to approach or outreach maximum effort to finish as high as I possibly can in the AG.

I dont feel quite the same way in ironman on race day, and never have. Sure, I want to go to kona, and I am fortunate because its been a not-too-difficult road for me. Regardless, I remember walking the transition on race day many times and seeing fellow age groupers around me. Some confident, some reluctant, and some just flat out scared. All however are my brothers in some respect and I dont feel the urgency to compete with them on an individual basis as I do in other races. In fact, my primary goal is to still finish the race, and never quit unless pulled out or I simply cant go on. "Do you believe" is a mantra I have heard over and over again and I feel is really the core question when it comes to ironman. Despite conditions, regardless of your personal situation, the question still arises....do you believe.

Sure, I think this is an ironman bond.

When watching the Boston Celtic's comeback in game 4, from a 24 point deficit, 20 points of which was lapsing into the third quarter. Then to get within 10, then tie, then take the lead with a couple of minutes in the game, then win....yeah, I thought this feat was incredible, especially with the calibur of athletes in that game, on both sides of the court.

However, when I heard on the recap this morning and saw the Celtics coach pacing back and forth, screaming at his players I actually briefly thought, "man this guy looks like Bobby Knight!"
In that instant, the commentator spoke and said the coach was yelling repeatedly to his players throughout the fourth quarter, "do you believe...do you believe...do you believe...."

I have to admit when I heard this, even running 6:40 pace on the treadmill, I immediately teared up. I felt the bond. Yeah it's a bit crazy but I know some of you know what I am talking about. I am not comparing myself to the greatest players in the NBA, well yeah, maybe in a way. I only know that when I realized this is what the coach was yelling at his players, I felt the chill. It was no different for them as it's been for me on that long 100 degree road at the energy lab on Kona. Yeah, I believe.

Jason Lester comes to my mind at times when I train. I have to say, thinking of Jason does pull me through some tough time trials and in tough conditions. This guy biked IMAZ with his left arm in those winds? Not even mentioning the swim. Jason just finished 4th AG in World Olympic Championships in Vancouver in the AWAD division, and managed the swim even though conditions were so tough they cancelled the swim for the remainder of the age groups soon after his had already started. Jason will compete at Ironman World Championships at Kona in October, and after that? Ultraman Hawaii. Jason plans on competing in the swim and run on a relay for Ultraman Canada Aug 31 and yes, the swim is 6.2 miles and the run over 52 miles.

Check out this web site
http://www.apaintedrace.com/

Yeah, Jason Lester, Macca, myself, the Boston Celtics, and every athlete out there to compete in IMCDA next week in very likely borderline illegal temperatures on the swim....we all have that common question that will arise.

Do you believe?

Good luck to all those racing CDA next weekend. Nothing comes easy.