http://www.newsday.com/news/health/the-daily-apple-1.4760551/ironman-lessons-learned-from-the-sidelines-1.5917664
A 2.4-mile swim. Followed by a 112-mile bike. Concluded with a
26.2-mile marathon. I call this 140.6 miles of hell. For others, it’s a
slice of heaven.
The Ironman triathlon series brings together some of the toughest and
most motivated athletes this universe has to offer. The intensity of the
trio of events, all done in succession, makes this competition arguably
the toughest single-day sporting event on the planet.
Each Ironman race -- hosted domestically and abroad -- is considered a
qualifier for the world championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii each
October. Competitors have the option of qualifying in the full Ironman
distance of 140.6 miles or half Ironman, 70.3 miles.
The Ironman molds itself deep within my persona. No, I’ve never
competed, nor have I ever wanted to. I would die. But my brother, Kevin,
is a different kind of animal. The kid’s a freak. A stud. More of one
than I’ll ever be or ever desire to be.
On May 18, Kevin, 45, qualified for the world championship, again,
after finishing first in his age-group, 32nd overall, at Ironman Texas.
He crushed the course. “The run was brutal, but I was able to salvage
it,” Kevin said, in reference to the intense heat. “I trained to run a
sub 3:15 marathon, but I knew during the first 10 steps that my plan had
to change. It changed very quickly.” He still finished with the fastest
marathon in his age-group.
As if the competition’s bodily abuse isn’t enough, even getting to
Texas to compete can be a stressful experience. Kevin paid a hefty $100
to check-in his need-a-second-mortgage racing bike, which ended up on a
different flight.
But I’m allowed bragging rights, too. After all, Kevin’s my brother,
and I’ve watched him grow into a helluva competitor. With his stellar
finish at Ironman Texas, Oct. 12 will be his eighth time competing in
the Ironman World Championship. Kevin’s completed 13 full-distance
Ironman races, and 20-plus halfers. In 2006, he set the course record
for his age-group at Ironman Arizona. That, alone, is nuts.
Interestingly enough, many years ago, Kevin got his initial triathlon
itch from New York Islanders-great and friend, Bobby Nystrom. Kevin, who
worked in the National Hockey League for more than a decade, with the
Islanders, Florida Panthers and New Jersey Devils, competed in his first
triathlon in a duo with Nystrom. And Kevin hasn’t stopped since.
Long Island born and raised, my big bro is now the director of Coaching
Education and Athlete Development for USA Cycling in Colorado Springs,
Colo., and co-owner, with his wife Tina, of Colorado Springs Swim
School/Swim Colorado Inc. In fact, through Kevin’s athletic successes,
he’s been able to interact with some of the most respectable athletes
sports has to offer. Sure, there’s Nystrom and Kevin’s buddy Mark Deleon
from New Jersey, who helped teach him the skills needed to qualify for
Ironman, but the one who’s strongly ingrained in my memory is Sheila
Isaacs, of Shoreham.
In 2004, the then-67-year-old grandmother completed the Ironman World
Championship with a little more than five minutes left before the race’s
17-hour midnight cutoff. With the completion of that race, she finished
her 100th triathlon and became the first known person to finish a
triathlon in all 50 states. I was there to witness that milestone.
As Oct. 12 approaches, I’ll be looking forward to traveling back to
Hawaii to support my brother. There’s a certain indescribable energy
that fills the Kailua-Kona community around that time of year. It’s an
electricity that only the Ironman World Championship can generate.
I’ll bring the Mai Tais.
Po'okela. Hana Hou.