I've been training and competing in ultra-endurance sports for about 5 years now. Looking back, I find it difficult to remember exactly when I became so passionate about these sports. When did it become the focus of my personal energy...when did it become the one thing I think about every night as I lay down to sleep? Why does it feel like a drug sometimes? A drug that is legal, addictive, and makes you better the more you use? Perhaps, if I share some of my thoughts with you, I will remind myself just what makes endurance sports so special to me and you might find some inspiration too...
As a child, growing up in San Diego, I played sports on a daily basis. Everything my brother Mike and I did was active. We played baseball and football...we rode bikes and went hiking. We slept outside the entire summer on the deck my dad built off of our bedrooms. Imagination was key in our world. We created adventures and carried them out. Basically, our adventures were limitless, exept for the fact that some require money and most times, we had to back by sundown.
In my teenage years, I was a wrestler and musician. I had boundless energy and never quit anything I started. Anything considered "legal fun" was good in my book. I felt, as long as I followed the rules, I could do whatever I wanted. I also reflected on many of my family members who's lives were clouded with alcohol, drugs, or other forms of addiction. And at a very young age, I acknowledged the fact that I too was probably hard-wired for some sort of addiction. But, I was also the rarity in that I actually learned from the mistakes of others. In doing so, I knew where to turn and what pitfalls to avoid. I also credit my parents with their guidance and careful selection of role models with which they influenced me.
And so, my adult life brought me great success at an early age and relative achievement compared to those of my own age. I bought a house and married my high school sweetheart. I chose a career as a police officer and started training "new cops" before I was 25 years old. Life was easy....maybe too easy. And, by the time I was the ripe old age of 26, I found myself with an abundance of time and money (Never a good thing).
At this point, felt drawn to spend my time and money doing something....but what?! Video games are fun...I played them for a few months. And, if my predictions and introspective self-thought were correct, it should be no surprise that I could play those video games for 8-10 hours at a time. I actually lost weight playing video games! Oh, I could also happily play a video poker machine for 6 hours at a pop too. You see, whatever I did, I did it hard and for a long long time. I realized that wherever I put my focus, I could create passion and energy. One day on a lunch date with my wife Jen, she urged me to focus my time and energy on something positive. She had concerns about the future due to my boundless energy, time, money, and lack of goals outside of work. And because I love her...I listened.
So, it probably took me a couple hours to come up with my plan. The plan was? Ironman triathlon of course! Afterall, I had the background... I could barely swim across the pool without suffocating, I didn't own a bicycle, and I ran 3 miles at a time in the Marine Corps. Plus, I ran those 3 miles pretty fast. Hindsight 20/20.....I didn't have the physical background at all. What I did have was the right mindset.
I threw myself into training and started making mistakes, which I quickly learned from. I bought a bike and all the equipment. The new challenge was exciting and intimidating. I walked into a bike shop one day having never been in one....and walked out with a new road bike and $2,000 worth of equipment. I bought 10 books on triathlon training and a membership to the local gym. And I started training.....hard.
Within 7 weeks, I was finishing my first sprint triathlon. I was feeling awesome and proud. I was enjoying everything I was doing. I hadn't played a video game in months. There was no time! And, I also discovered one of the secrets of passion and time management...that is, the more you have to do, the less time you have, BUT, the more time you will find to do it. AND, the more passionate you are about something, the more energy you will create and find from within.
Fast forward a couple years...I spent that time training consistently and doing various races. I found myself doing longer distance triathlons like half-Ironman and half marathons. I also used all my new found energy to finish my masters degree with a 3.8 gpa. Life was good baby!
Next, I signed up for Ironman. Ironman is the ultimate experience of life right? I saw it on television when I was 16. That's what they said...they said that Ironman triathlon was the ultimate human endurance test. So, I needed to get there....NOW!
Oh yeah, 3 weeks after I registered for that Ironman...Jen told me she was pregnant! Happy Happy Happy! But wait....when would that baby be due? How about 3 weeks, 3 days before Ironman? Is that possible?
Yes sir. It's possible:
Crossing the finish line of my first Ironman was supposed to be the achievement of a life time. And, AT THE TIME, it was. It was the happiest moment of my life. My son was born happy and healthy having survived a high-risk pregnancy. But, I also felt like I had opened a new door into world previously invisible...the world of Ultra-Endurance. Little did I know it would become my life. Ultra-endurance sports.
The best drug ever.
5 years later, I am 100% ultra-endurance athlete. It has provided a framework from which I make decisions about how I spend my time and money. It also lead me to a vegan diet for health, longevity, recovery, and happiness. The most rewarding aspect of my training and life has been the impact I have had on others. I constantly meet people who find inspiration in what we do as ultra-endurance athletes. And, I realize that my story is unique.
Today, I find myself working on a new project. I am working with close friends and family to bring a great adventure to life. "Run The Coast" is a 500 mile run from San Francisco to San Diego. Along the way, runners and walkers will join me and my running partner, Jason, as we make our way down the coast. Each step we take will generate donations for our chosen charity, The Iron Andy Foundation.
Please come run or walk with us in November, 2010 as we make our way down the California Coast. RunTheCoast
Your friend,
Jerry
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