Coming Home

Things are getting a little crazy here on the Train-This Ironman Lake Placid Team. You see there are a bunch of us getting ready for the big day! Here's the 2008 team roster:

Me! Ironman Lake Placid 02,03,07

Ironman Florida 07

Kevin Walter... AKA K Dub IMLP 03,04,05,06,07

Bill Harris IMLP 06, IM Louisville 07

Ed Liebowitz... first time Ironman!

Sharon Maddock... first time Ironman!

Sarah Stainistreet IMLP 07

Mark Valleley IMLP 07

Nathalie Nruneau IMLP 07

Matt Kellman .... fist time Ironman!

Plus a ton of other Rochesterians are always in the race, which makes Lake Placid feel like a great big party. Heidi Grimm will be home and cheering me on, and I always feel better when she's around. In 2003 she flew by me at mile 20 of the run and in 6 miles put 10 minutes on me!

WHEW!

This week the craziness continues however as we also have a big team heading towards the Musselman 1/2 Ironman this weekend. Many of us Lake Placiders are doing the Mini Mussel on Saturday, then we'll be cheering our Mussel team on:

Dennis Danella, Kevin Chartrand, Kitima B., Kara Klassez, Any Thomas, Jenny Bushover, Alan Hayter, Rena Senner, and Karin Kellman. In this group we only have 2 first timers, most everyone else did Mooseman, Eagleman and Rena just did Ironman Brazil!!!!

Ed sent out this email today:

Since about 20 hours of my week will be freed up after the 20th I'm finally going to be able to pick up the sticks again. I'm not sure what all your plans are after the Ironman and how long you'll be staying up for - but it would be great if anyone wants to get togetherf or a round. Riding will be mandatory and the beverage cart better make frequent appearances!

To which Sarah replied:

I'm up for that! I haven't been golfing in quite some time but Adam and I will be vacationing/dealing with my invisible stick up the ass until Thursday so we're up for a round!

And Bill replied:

I would love to play, but i know how i will feel after ironman. I am not sure I could drive a golf cart safely the next day.......and I have seen you ride and wave at the same time on a bike.....

I tell you I wish that you all could sit in our team Google group for a day during a week like this. This group is awesome in so very many ways. We have the biggest and most funnest 2 weeks of the entire year before us. Guaranteed is a lot of laughing, a lot of swearing, and a lot of fun.

There's nothing like being in Placid and high fiving someone you know every five feet. I anticipate what insane thing Ed will scream at me that will make me fall over laughing. Or what anyone will say really.

Funny shit gets said in the Ironman.

Like how Sarah put detangler in her hair in T2. Or I ran around the tent begging for someone to cut my ponytail off.

Or how about the moments I savored. Like the few moments I got to run with Nathalie in the beginning of her first loop. Or as I was about to finish the few minutes I got to run next to Jay as he said something like "Bring it home Coach."

Or seeing Kevin Walter smile as he finishes his 18 thousandth Ironman.

We've all agreed that a highlight of our day will be seeing Alan and Joanne Hayter at the first water stop on the run. We've all agreed this will be a highlight for us.

Or getting to Rich Clark hill where everyone waits on the run course. As soon as he sees someone he knows he blasts that siren and the entire 1/4 mile stretch of hill cheers and cheers and cheers. No matter what place you are in, in your mind they carry you. A few minutes later the same thing will happen as you pass them all again on the way back down. Then you know the next time you see him will be the last. He will scream at you "FREE MEDALS AT THE FINISH LINE..... ONE SIZE FITS ALL!!!!!" through his megaphone.

And he will tell me to go get the F****** medal!

Or knowing how many friends all over the country... all over the world are watching on Ironman dot com, and they are holding their breath until you cross that timing mat. You give a look to the sky and smile and let them know you are all right.

Or knowing Coach is doing the same.

Knowing my Dad will be sitting in his chair at command central, as he does every race I do that he can follow. The next day he will tell me how hard and tiring it was to sit there and watch the computer all day long (which.... is what he does every day ;-)

And to take that final run down Mirror Lake Drive.... for a while. Where I will be able to see the finish line for about a mile. I will hear the voice of who we Ironman athletes believe to be God... Mike Riley. And we make our way home.

It all comes down to 30 seconds as we take our run around the Olympic Oval in an Olympic year. The same oval where medals and dreams were decided and created and born.

And you'd better believe I will stay right at that oval until each of my teammates comes home. Then until midnight and beyond, because the most special thing about Ironman Lake Placid? No one goes anywhere until all the kids are home.