Ironman Arizona November 23, 2008 Moving Pictures ...

The swim start. It was a pretty brutal swim this year. 

I describe the Ironman swim start as a bar fight but in the water.

That's what it was this year for me.

Swim time: 59:40

At the turnaround heading out for lap 2 of the bike.

Bike Time: 5:43:01

Heading out on lap 2 ... pretty good pace.

Run Time: 4:21:52

Running to the finish line. 

Overall time: 11:13:08

Ironman Arizona Finisher Pictures

Running down the finisher's chute. My supporters are wearing the green shirts.

It was awesome!!!

The family (Support Team!!!) congratulating me.

Ironman Arizona Nov. 23rd Race Results

I had a very good day!!!
Lost about 30 minutes on the run with some GI distress at mile 11-13, but got over it and finished strong.

ERIC JELINEK

BIB	AGE	STATE/COUNTRY	PROFESSION
632	36	GILBERT AZ USA	ART DIRECTOR

SWIM	BIKE	RUN	OVERALL	RANK	DIV.POS.
59:40	5:43:01	4:21:52	11:13:08	495 of 2189	98 of 369

LEG	DISTANCE	PACE	RANK	DIV.POS.
TOTAL SWIM	2.4 mi. (59:40)	1:34/100m	196	36
FIRST BIKE SEGMENT	37 mi. (3:01:00)	19.27 mph
SECOND BIKE SEGMENT	37 mi. (4:53:14)	19.78 mph
FINAL BIKE SEGMENT	38 mi. (6:48:49)	19.73 mph
TOTAL BIKE	112 mi. (5:43:01)	19.59 mph	484	101
FIRST RUN SEGMENT	3.5 mi. (7:20:11)	8:15/mile
SECOND RUN SEGMENT	8.6 mi. (8:45:57)	9:58/mile
THIRD RUN SEGMENT	8.3 mi. (10:16:59)	10:58/mile
RUN FINISH	5.9 mi. (11:13:08)	9:31/mile
TOTAL RUN	26.2 mi. (4:21:52)	9:59/mile	495	98
TRANSITION TIME				TIME
T1: SWIM-TO-BIKE: 6:08				6:08
T2: BIKE-TO-RUN: 2:27				2:27
I'll post some pictures and my race report after I heal up in a day or two. I'm going to sleep NOW!!! Goodnight. Eric

17 Hours to go ...

Dropped my bike and transition bags off early this morning because I had to get back home because my parents were coming into town and Tate had a soccer game at 2:30. 

So, I was one of the first people into transition. 

Above is a picture of my bike all alone. 

That has already changed as I type this because 2,646 more people are going to drop their bikes off by 3:00 p.m. today. 

Yep, 2,647 people are racing tomorrow.

I asked the NAS guys last night at the pre-race dinner.

CRAZY!!! 

That's a lot of peeps.

So, this will be my last post until after the race. 

Wish me luck and send me good vibes.

I am trying to go sub-11, so like a 10:58 would be awesome, if I had a great and lucky day and nailed it.

A more realistic goal is around 11:30 -11:59, though.

BUT, we'll see. 

The funny thing about an Ironman is that anything can happen. It is a long day.

Chat with you all later and thanks for your support.

Eric

42 Hours to go ...

Here's a few pics from the practice swim and registration yesterday.

Cozy and warm after the practice swim in Tempe Town Lake.

Andy Potts (in black beanie) was 8th this year at Ironman Hawaii. It was his first Ironman ever. He was giving a swim clinic before the start of the practice swim. 

WHAT, I've been doing it all wrong ....

Signing my life away in case I die!

Taking care of "business."

Inspiration: Why I Tri ...

(This is a re-post of my blog from early July. It is still pertinent.)


I got into racing triathlons for two reasons.

First, I saw an article about Robert McKeague, a 77-year-old man who finished the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii (he just finished last years at 80.) I thought, man, if he can do it at 77, I should be able to do it now. There's really no excuse.

Second, my boys, then 4, 2 and 1 were already starting to run circles around me and I wanted to be in good shape to keep up with them.

So, my journey started.

My inspiration for doing triathlons continued as did my quest.

Ed, my friend who is doing the Ironman with me in November (his blog is HERE), and myself signed up for the "Fat Tire Off-Road" Triathlon. We only had three months to train but we made the effort. While in line to pick up our race packets three days before the triathlon, we were behind this forty-ish looking gentleman. We started talking to him and found out he was in his mid-fifties. He was solid like a rock and the coolest, chillin' dude you'd ever want to meet. I made a vow to myself right then and there that this is how I wanted to age. That was inspiration number three.

Inspiration number four came to me about 12 weeks into training for my first Ironman. If you've never heard of Dick and Rick Hoyt, you need to watch this. Then this. Then go here. If you can watch these without crying, you're not human. Or, you lie. Whenever I don't want to train or am feeling sorry for myself, I watch those video clips. Works every time. That first video got me through 18 weeks of insane training and scheduling nightmares. No excuses.

Inspiration number five came about 18 miles into the marathon of my first Ironman. As I was crossing the Mill avenue bridge en route to the third and final loop of the marathon, I noticed a man in a wheelchair cheering like crazy. It hit me like a load of bricks, "I bet that man would love to feel the pain I am feeling in my legs right now." I could just tell that he yearned to be out there with the rest of us pushing our limits. Instantly the pain in my legs dissipated and I picked up my pace. I started to feel really good. If you look at my run splits you'll see that I ran the last loop almost as fast as the first loop. Inspiration.

As I enter the 11th week (Now 30th week!!!) of training for Ironman Arizona on November 23rd, I continue to be inspired by all the stories in the world about people overcoming to realize their dreams. Each one helps me move closer to my dreams and helps me realize that you truly can do whatever you dream if you work hard for it.

With that, I challenge you to examine your own dreams. What can you do today, right now, to further yourself along the path to your dreams? If your not chasing your dreams, why not? As I wrote in my first blog, were all running with the dead. Our time here is so minimal. What are you waiting for? Who can you inspire? Go, Now ...

Be well,

E

Again, my friend Ed is running the Ironman with me and is raising money for a local charity called the Tempe Community Action Agency. If you can help in anyway, that would be awesome. Here is the link:

http://edtheironman.blogspot.com/

9 More Days ...

9 more days until I will do this, again.

I can't wait.

Eric

Ode to My Family

Ode To My Family

Understand the things I say, don't turn away from me,
'Cause I've spent half my life out there, you wouldn't disagree.
Do you see me? Do you see? Do you like me?
Do you like me standing there? Do you notice?
Do you know? Do you see me? Do you see me?
Does anyone care?

Unhappiness where's when I was young,
And we didn't give a damn,
'Cause we were raised,
To see life as fun and take it if we can.
My mother, my mother,
She hold me, she hold me, when I was out there.
My father, my father,
He liked me, oh, he liked me. Does anyone care?

Understand what I've become, it wasn't my desing.
And people ev'rywhere think, something better than I am.
But I miss you, I miss, 'cause I liked it,
'Cause I liked it, when I was out there. Do you know this?
Do you know you did not find me. You did not find.
Does anyone care?

Unhappiness where's when I was young,
And we didn't give a damn,
'Cause we were raised,
To see life as fun and take it if we can.
My mother, my mother,
She hold me, she hold me, when I was out there.
My father, my father,
He liked me, oh, he liked me.

Does anyone care?... [X9]

--------------------------------

So, I just want to thank everyone who is supporting me on this Mighty Adventure, especially my family. (Especially you, Kelli. And the boys.)

THANK YOU!

To my extended family ... Remember the days when we just laughed and played in the sun, having unchained, glorious fun?

I do.

I have been thinking about that kind of stuff on my runs lately.
I miss the freedom that being a young child had. The security of not having serious responsibilities, not caring about the 'details' that seem to make us angry and anxious as we age.
I am on a mission to become like a child again, and to help my children enjoy 'their moment in bliss.'

The Cranberries song I posted above emotes the feeling I have for you all. Sometimes I wish we could get together more often, and were a 'real' family again.
For some reason I have been missing you all lately. For now I soak in the memories of Grandpas funeral. But, I hope we can get together in the next few years, or earlier. Until then. ;)

Only 17 more days until the Ironman. Send your good vibes my way.


Mantra for today: "Be like a child, have reckless fun."

I love you all.
Eric

Big and Long ...

So I finished my biggest and longest week of training for the Ironman.
The taper has officially started.

Here were my numbers:

Thursday: 1:30 bike, 1:30 run
Friday: 6:00 bike, 1:00 run
Saturday: 1:30 Bike
Sunday: 3:00 run, 1:00 bike

I'm wiped. I had a great long bike ride and run which means my nutrition is spot on. It was very hot on Friday (I took the day off work and rode with my friend Ed) which means I nailed my nutrition even better.

But ... my long run on Sunday went horribly wrong around 2:10-2:15. My stomach shut down and I got really bloated. I think I was taking in too much nutrition. I was washing down my hammer gels with a highly concentrated Gatorade mixture. Then, I wasn't washing it down with enough water. (It was also very hot Sunday.) I still finished my run in 3:03, but I was hurting. My stomach still hasn't recovered as I write this.

So, now it is really all downhill from this point.
I'll write again soon.

The pic is of Dane as Wall-E for Halloween.

Keep Tri-ing,
Eric