Adam answers FAQ in preparation for Ironman number two
In 2012 I answered these common questions to give you some context about my athletic background and mental state heading into my first Ironman triathlon.
Now, about four years later, I thought it’d be fun to answer the same questions as I gear up for my sophomore Ironman effort.
Q1: This’ll be your second Ironman. Are you worried, excited, in shock, all of the above?
On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 meaning Nah, not at all, 10 meaning Yes, very much so) I am:
- Worried (6) due to nagging injuries in my foot, and now my back (sciatic nerve pain due overextension, and tight hammies and posterior chain). At this point I still have time to focus on mobility work, and fixing the roots of these problems, without materially altering my training plan. On the other hand, I worry if recovery takes longer I might have to go light on my training plan, and even back out.
- Excited (8) to be chasing the endurance dragon toward another adrenaline-filled finish line. I’m also excited to get back into generally great shape – it’s crazy how fitness and health bleed into almost every other aspect of your life. At the same time, it’s admittedly not the same feverish excitement I felt at the start of the first Ironman journey.
- Shock (1) doesn’t really come into play anymore. There was a time when I’d ask myself What the hell are you doing? Now, I’d be more shocked if I hadn’t signed up for this.
Q2: Tell us about your fitness background. How many triathlons have you done already?
I’ve been running and following Crossfit for the better part of the past eight years. I’ve completed a total of eight triathlons. My first triathlon, Bluewater, was in November 2011, and my most recent (Lifetime Tri in Tempe) was in September 2016. Recently I’ve fallen in love with trail running, and am working on getting better at parkour and tumbling. Before all this endurance madness I played a lot of basketball, and still try to play every now and then.
Q3: Which sport is your strongest and which needs the most work?
Running (especially trails) is my favorite and strongest, when my foot is healthy. My swim needs the most work, specifically related to speed – my total immersion technique is pretty good, but I’m still slow. I hope to cut down my swim time over the course of training this year.
Q4: What are your goals for the race?
To avoid getting sunburned, finish the race strong, and beat my first IMAZ time of 13:30:18.
Q5: Who, or what, inspires you?
Many people, and many things. Too many to list them all. My aunt Leslie who battled cancer for 19 years, smiling. Family and friends who have mastered the art of combining unconditional support, honest feedback and continuous challenge. Helping and inspiring people. The most graceful freestyle. And, among others, this quote from Bruce Lee: There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them. If it kills you, it kills you.
Q6: Imagine it’s November 18, 2017 – the night before Ironman Arizona. If you could send your future self a note would it say?
Dear Adam, Smile and have fun tomorrow. What’s the worst that could happen?
Love, Adam
Q7: Enough about Ironman. What do you do when you’re not training?
Day job crunching numbers. Side hustle: working to land a backflip, learn Mandarin, become great at remembering people’s names, reading and writing.
– Live every day –
Adam
Photo: Dennis Skley