#5 Time to Perform

I woke up at 3:30am, a half hour before my alarm was set. I couldn’t squeeze the extra half hour of sleep in, but I just laid there, conscious, unmoving. At 4, we both got up. All our gear was laid out, and we dressed quickly.  Then we had to eat. I’m never hungry early in the morning, but I knew I needed to get some food down. An apple, a banana, and an avocado.

We went to the lobby and met our friends. Then we went outside into the cold night where the mechanics had the bikes ready to go. Pack, helmet, neck brace, gloves, goggles. Tanner and I rode our shiny clean race bikes to staging before the starting line.

Tanner’s GPS was displaying upside down. Uh-oh. Did we have time to dive into the menus and figure out how to fix it? Yes. Get heart rate back down.

They lined all the Ironmen up. I was fourth in line, and Tanner was fifth.

Was I supposed to be here? Was I good enough? Was I ready? At 52, I’d be the oldest rider to ever finish the Ironman class. Maybe the oldest to start. Next to me was Jeff Benrud. He crossed the finish line first last year, but was penalized for missing checkpoints and got second. Jeff was a Special Forces soldier. He was the one who found Saddam Hussein in his underground bunker. No joke. Now he trains Delta Force military personnel to drive motorcycles and other vehicles fast off road.

I noticed Jeff had a hose coming out of his pants above his boot. A catheter. He wouldn’t have to stop to urinate, saving time. He’s in it to win it. Serious business.

Ironman was filled with elite athletes. The best endurance riders in the world. Nobody else would be crazy enough to enter. The immense challenge was no secret.

I think if we have a desire, we can do incredible things. Sure there are limits. I could never be the next Michael Jordan – I’m not tall enough, talented enough, and I’m too old to start learning how to play well. But if we put ourselves in the spheres of the world we belong in, and we have a burning desire, we can do more than most of us believe we can. We define what is possible for us.  If we believe we can, most often we are right.  Maybe our time table will be off, but we can get there if we don’t give up. And as the old saying goes, if we shoot for the moon and miss, at least we will land among the stars.

The Chaplin came over and prayed with me. Then he prayed with Tanner and Chad. It felt like the right thing to do right now. Like it needed to be done – now.

My friends were very nervous standing nearby. Many months of preparation on the part of hundreds of people were necessary to field the 11 Ironman motorcycles lined up right here, right now. I was calm. I knew it was a long race, and I’d have plenty of time to set my pace. It didn’t matter much what happened off the start, so long as you didn’t crash out. The middle and finish was going to matter most.

The lower edge of the deep purple sky began to turn dark blue, and then orange.  

Ready?

What if I fail? That is the wrong question. What if I succeed? That is the right question.

I pulled up onto the podium with its bridge spanning the stage. A huge red sign above me read “Baja 1000.” I pulled forward. The smell of exhaust and the rap of high performance engines filled the air. Fans were 10 deep to the left and right. An official marked my engine and frame with a unique mark (to ensure you don’t swap bikes).  I pulled forward. I looked back at my son.

Ready?  

The first Ironman got the green flag and spun his tire getting off the line. I pulled forward. Every 30 seconds they let another bike go. I looked back again. Here we go son…

Jeff sped off in front of me. I pulled forward. The green flag dropped in front of me to hold me. 20 seconds passed and an official counted down with his fingers – 10, 9, 8…2, 1. The green flag lifted. I let the clutch out.

Only 855 miles to go.