Kona Preview: The Pro’s

Ok, so here is the final preview for the Ironman World Championship that is tomorrow!!!  You can watch it live on Ironman.com.  The stream starts at 10am with initial broadcast and event prep, but the actually race starts at 11am (MST).

I’m going briefly discuss some of the top competitors event.  Some of it is quite amazing.  The men, for example, will be swimming the 2.4 miles in about 50 minutes, bike112 miles  in about 4.5 hours (avg 24.8 mph), and run 26.2 miles in 2 hrs 50 minutes (avg 6:29 per mile).

Females

  • Chrissie Wellington (Great Britain) – She has never lost an Ironman!!  She’s only been doing triathlon for a few years and has excelling in the sport.  She has one the Hawaii Ironman 3 times!  Her second her she got a flat tire and had a lot of trouble fixing it (10-15 minutes) and still came back and won.  Two years ago she beat the women’s course record.  Only about 20 of the best male professionals beat her!  Last year however she got very sick the night before the event and couldn’t compete.  Now she’s back!  She has not weakness.
  • Miranda Carfae – (Australia) – Two years ago Miranda entered the Ironman World Championships (after winning the 1/2 Ironman World Championships) and took 2nd place to Chrissie.  Last year without Chrissie, she won it.  She runs faster than most of the men.  She holds the women’s run record (twice).  If Miranda wins it will be coming from behind on the run.
Males
  • Chris “Macca” McCormack (Australia) – Won in 2007 and last year.  Was on the front of the Wheaties box because he won.  Will not be racing this year.
  • Andreas Raelert (Germany) – 3rd place in 2009, 2nd last year.  Last year he caught Chris McCormack on the run and they ran together until 1 mile to go when he couldn’t hold on.  He has a strong bike and solid run. He holds the iron-distance world record.
  • Craig Alexander (Australia) – First Ironman he took 2nd place to Chris McCormack in 2007.  He won in 2008 and 2009.  Last year he took 4th.  A month ago he won the 1/2 Ironman World Championship.  His weakness is the bike, but he has an amazing run.  Did he improve his bike training enough to win this year?
I hope that you have a chance to watch just a glimpse of the event and maybe it will give you a little bit of inspiration.
2011
10/07
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Kona Preview: The Age-Groupers

Much of the hype at the Ironman World Championship revolves around the professionals.  I will actually write another post tomorrow to give you a full preview of the pros that are racing and who to watch for.  For now, I’m going to share some fun information about some of the age-groupers… the normal people.

If you’ve ever watched the Ironman World Championship recap on TV (or last year’s recap on the Apple TV in the FIT room), then you’d know that quite a bit of the recap is about normal people that have overcome something crazy to be able to race in the event.

Two years ago there was a man that did not have any legs!!  There have a been a few competitors do this before, but they did it in a wheel chair.  Rudy Garcia-Tolson planned to ride a bike with prosthetic legs and then also run with them.  The only muscles that he would be able to use would be his glutes (his butt muscles).  Everyone watching was cheering for him.  Rudy didn’t quite complete the bike ride before the time cut off.  Two months later he finishes Ironman Arizona.  You can read more about him here.

Last year Lew Hollander completed the Hawaii Ironman at age 80!  He plans to live to at least 120.  He of course won his age group.  You can read more here.  This year, however, he will have some competition in his age group.  Not from one, but three other competitors that are over 80!  It will be amazing to see who will win.

Here is an article about seven other amazing stories of athletes competing this year.

Finally, there was an article on ESPN yesterday about how 50 Cent bet a man 1 million dollars that he couldn’t complete the Hawaii Ironman.  Read it here.

2011
10/06
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Kona Preview: Julie Moss

I will spare you with the entire history of triathlon, but here are the basics:

Modern triathlon started when several people debated about which athlete was better: a swimmer, cyclist, or runner.  They put it to the challenge by having an even that consisted of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and then a 26.2 mile run.  Navy Commander John Collins is quoted as saying “Whoever finishes first, we’ll call him the Ironman”.  This was in Hawaii in 1978.  Of the fifteen men that started the event, only twelve finished.

By 1982 the event had grown and even drew the attention of ABC Sports to video it for the first time.  It was a good thing they were there because their broadcast of the event (or maybe recap) across the country created an explosion in the sport of triathlon.  Why? Because of a girl named Julie Moss.  Watch the inspiration video below.

Many of you may watch that and think that it is disgusting or weird to see that happen to someone’s body.  I, however, see that and it inspires me.  It is amazing that she has put her body through so much and it has literally given up on her.  Does she quit?  No!  Her mind is so much stronger.  As much as it hurts she’ll do anything to finish, even crawl. How many times in our lives does our mind quit before our body.  I bet that few of us have ever pushed our bodies to the point when it actually gives up.  It is all in our head.

I hope that you can each find dreams that you can chase after and no matter what don’t give up.  Don’t let your body… or outside influences… or someone else, tell you that you can’t do it.  Crawl if you have to!

Also, get ready for Ironman this weekend!  See how many people will push their bodies to the limit.  You can watch the live stream starting at 10am MST on Ironman.com

2011
10/04
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Marathon World Record

On September 25, a Kenyan named Patrick Makau, broke the Marathon World Record at the Berlin Marathon.  He ran the 26.2 miles in 2 hours, 3 minutes, and 38 seconds.  You may not realize what kind of pace that is.  That is a 4:43/mile pace!!!  I’m guessing no one at Fishbowl (including myself) can run one mile… or even half of a mile at that pace, let alone 26!

Ok, so I guess that is amazing, but maybe not all that inspirational.  Are you just dying to go out there and run a marathon now?  or even a mile at that pace?  Maybe its worth getting more out of it than that.  Read the brief article below.  I found myself asking why did Haile Gebrselassie (previous record holder and participant of this race) give up?  He was holding strong with Makau for a long time, but then couldn’t handle the pace, so he walked a bit and then ran for a while before quitting the race.  He easily would have gotten second place.

What drives you do finish even if you aren’t going to win?  What does it say about one’s character if they give up… or if they finish knowing that they were beat? (really, please comment).

You can read the article here.

2011
10/04
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Hike with President Shirley

Fishbowl had the pleasure of being visited by the 2 time President of the Great Navajo Nation.  He is an amazing man if he can lead his people for two consecutive terms (and is planning on a third in a few years).

Before his visit, Joe Shirley, requested to climb a mountain while he was visiting Utah.  Time would not allow, but we did go for a hike with him up Rock Canyon.  Those that hiked with us were: Dave Williams, Mary Scott, John David King, Kirk Tanner, Lindsey Williams, Matt Sharp, myself, and Rick from UVU.

It was great to get outside early in the morning and see nature and its fall changes.

There was one thing that stood out to me when President Shirley was speaking at our lunch.  He spoke of being physically fit.  He said how hard life can be and so hard sometimes that it will push you down on the ground.  He said that if you are not strong enough then you wont be able to get back up.  Sure that is a great analogy, but really, if I’m physically weak will that keep me from overcoming life’s stresses?  I believe that overtime, without being physically fit, you will have a really tough time overcomes these stresses.  Through exercise you get a release from the world and its stresses.  You can clear your mind… and even come up with ideas of how to solve life’s stresses.

I truly think that his analogy is true, that if you are not mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually strong we will not be able to get back up when life pushes us down.

2011
10/04
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Less Soda, Thinner Kids

Here is an article that talks about a school district that banned soda in their schools.  Many skeptics just thought the students would just get their soda fix somewhere else and it wouldn’t make a difference, they were wrong.  Now the whole state of Massachusetts plans to ban soda.

Read the article here.

How would your life improve by banning soda?  Really, I want to know.  Post comments.  Anyone find any other articles that talk about benefits of not drinking soda (or harmful effects of soda for that matter)?

2011
10/04
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Exercise will Make You Smarter?

Ok, maybe not smarter, but give you more attention and concentration.  The article that I’m going to link to talks about exercise with children and their improved attention and concentration, leading to improved school performance.  I’m sure this can be applied to adults and their success at work or any other mental activity.

Read article here.

2011
10/04
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Swimming From Cuba to Florida: Attempt 3

Some of you may have read the post/article that put up earlier.  For those who don’t know, Diana Nyad tried this 106 mile swim last year and then again at the beginning of August.  She tried yet again in September and made it very far.  Once again she did not make it.  Her attempt was derailed because she was brought to the brink of death.

You can read the story here of her attempt and also what made her stop.

The article is really neat because you can see how determined Diana was to push on no matter what.  You can see the dream and desire she had to accomplish her goal.  How easily do we give up on our dreams and goals?  Do we make sacrifices to get there?

2011
10/04
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Motivational Video: No Excuses

Here is an awesome video.  Hopefully this helps put things into perspective and create a little gratitude for what each of us have.  We shouldn’t have any excuses for not getting out and using the blessing which we have been given by God: our bodies.

2011
09/16
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LOTOJA

Bryan Byrge just completed the amazing 206 mile bike race from Logan, UT to Jackson Hole, WY.  You can see a brief write-up of the race on Fishbowl’s Blog post.  Here are a few pictures and below is a description of why he did the race (to race money in honor of his mother-in-law who passed away from cancer).

Read more

2011
09/16
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