Beyond the “IRONMAN”

Initially I was going to BLOG about my 2009 IRONMAN experience, but as I ran yesterday, on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon for 20.2 Miles (man was not made to run that far…at least not this man…haha) in prep for my upcoming marathon, I realized a state beyond the IRONMAN.

I have felt and witnessed this experience before, but only now have reflected on it…the powers of writing a BLOG…who knew.

The experience is a timeless event that transcends mere sport. It is the enjoyment of the purity and grace of athleticism. No thinking, emotionless and natural.

Last year I believed that it was the journey that counts and not the end goal…well today I believe its simpler than that…it’s the moment that counts.

The moment is you disappearing into existence… you are one with the wind and the sun. Time doesn’t exist, goals don’t matter, pace is irrelevant, and sport and body mechanics flow like water through a clenched fist…smooth, flowing , uncatchable yet tangible.

I’d like to share two of similar experiences I had.

The first time I experienced this was when I was out in the Cascade Range in Oregon and a few of my friends and I decided we were going to run up and down the “Three Sisters” three volcanic peaks each 10,000 feet plus elevation. I was in the best shape of my life at the time, worked out 4 hours a day and ran crazy events like mud and mountain runs. My friends were also in outstanding shape. One was a pro athlete and the other two were Division I athletes from Stanford University. One morning we assaulted the North Sister. It is the most dangerous of the Three Sisters, due to its level of erosion, and thus rock is unstable at the top. Every three steps up is two steps down, due to the sliding of the rock. About 500 feet from the pinnacle, I was very proud of myself after leaving my friends in the dust up the face. My legs were cramping and I was feeling the early stages of dehydration but that was all irrelevant because I was just about to conquer this frustrating beast of a mountain. I took one quick look at the top and was just about to make by final ditch effort before I looked down the face and noticed a very unassuming individual gliding up the mountain effortlessly taking pictures here and there of the horizon. I froze in wonder. My friends and I had no packs just water bottle belts and yet this man flew past them carrying full camping gear on his back. He was still 600 feet below me, and so, I redoubled my efforts and internally promised myself that this guy wouldn’t catch me. He did not even notice that I was above him. He kept on stopping to take pictures. Soon, even with all my effort, he floated by me to the peak like I was standing still and with a friendly wave continued up the peak where he disappeared over the edge. When I finally reached the summit he was there on the edge sitting drinking hot tea that he just warmed up on high powered stove. He just looked out into the vast gorgeous expanse as if nothing else existed. My stumbling and heavy breath rudely knocked him out of his moment but he did not fret at all and offered me some of his tea. He said to me “well done that is some hard work getting up that shale”. I replied, “you made it look so easy.” How do you climb so effortlessly you’re in fantastic shape? He answered “I have an unfair advantage over you… I have done this for many years… I was born on a mountain top and am a Mountain Ranger from New Zealand.” I just stared at him, unbelieving. As if reading my mind, he continued, “Friend I have learned over many years to let go of the summit and not assault the mountain, do not treat it as a conquest, be one with it and enjoy the moment.” He took a swig of his tea and got back to looking beyond the IRONMAN.

Ten years later, last year June 2009, I found myself climbing another mountain this time on a bike and on the fringes of the French Alps north of Nice during IRONMAN FRANCE. I was about one third of the way done of the 112 mile bike course and had climbed about 4000’ of the total 6000’ plus elevation gain, and feeling pretty proud of the fact that I was about to conquer another mountain when a group of riders flew past me at an ungodly speeds up a very steep angle. As I challenged myself to stay above 10mph, the riders easily glided up the mountain at 20 plus MPH without breaking a sweat. Their bikes were no high-end tri bikes… just a simple aluminum frame cheapos. They had no water bottles and carried packs on their backs. They were soon out of sight. They all had the same look and aspect of the mountain ranger that I met and I couldn’t help but reflect on that moment in Oregon. At the end of the race, I spotted some of the riders back in the transition area in Nice, and I asked how they climbed that mountain so fast and effortlessly. They responded matter of factly Spanish accents and easy smiles on their faces, “What mountain…That?” they pointed to the Alps, “… we rode there since we were kids.” They continued “To you it’s a mountain…to us it’s our home.”

As I look back now, it is those moments that are the true definition of pure athleticism. It’s got nothing to do with pace, times or rankings. It’s got everything to do with the now and the moment. It is natural. It is beyond the IRONMAN.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying you should not set goals, work on pace, form and time. What I am suggesting is that once a week you leave the watch, the goals, the time and the ego at home and travel beyond the IRONMAN. There you will find your true self. There you will find nature.

Written by

UMAN