Hello

Hello,

Let me get you up to speed………

My name is Mark and I reside in the Middle, or the Heartland, or the fly over, but to me, a place I was born and raised that I love and want to live- Indiana. In similarity to my surroundings, I find that I am quintessentially average or a rather nondescript person, with grounded ideals, conservative beliefs, and go about my life trying to make it a better place and trying to be a person others like and enjoy being around. I find reinforcement in being “non-descript” in that it is not uncommon to have to re-introduce myself to people that I have met on more than one occasion. Just the other night I was at a banquet when another couple approached and sat down at the table with my wife and me. We went through the proverbial stand and greet.  I guess to my surprise or demise again, I greeted them with my name as I could already tell they were not placing my face, of which the husband came back to me with the “nice to meet you”.  Really? It’s not like we have vacationed with them for the many years but we have had significant personal interaction during and after group bike rides at least 7 or 8 times.  Really? Oh well,it’s not like it’s the first time nor will it be the last. I digress.

I have always had many interests and hobbies and they have tended to change with my stages of life. I usually describe them as more numerous than time allows.  By nature I am a competitive person and enjoy sports and being outdoors. Whereas my birth certificate states 42, my mind dismisses it as a just anumber and that I am not quite as ripe as I see in some of my peers.

WhenI hit 40 I felt no obligation to bemoan the milestone and as with most my birthdays I took it as an opportunity to celebrate.  Another number came at a similar time and it was 228.  This was not a number to be proud of as an accomplishment.  The pictures from the get together reinforced the achievement.  I had let 20 years of consumption and complacency erode me to obesity. Needless to say the pictures are not my favorite part to reflect back on what was a great time of friends and fun. I had no on setting health issues or ailments I just found my aesthetics to be rather disturbing.  I don’t believe I am a shallow person but Iam one that does admire beauty in many shapes and forms.  This can be a classic car, impressionism art, a fine crafted shotgun, or the human body.  Form can be fine and form can be appalling

Around this time, I had tried to resolve myself to become more fit. Success was measurable but not drastic. My activity was up but my lifestyle was still not significantly changed. Then, a series of influences on my life created a level of clarity as to life’s priorities and choices.   

A significant reduction in the types of intake and consumption seemed to give way to results rather quickly.  20 pounds came off rather quickly.  With less girth my energy level grew thus so did my physical activity. I greatly increased my running, biking and continued to maintain lower intake.  The pounds continued to fall and over about a years time I was down 40 + pounds.  I was in a much better place metally and phyusically and the next challenge itch began.  On a bit of a whim I entered a sprint triathlon with my daughter.  I consider myself a classic sports athlete that thought runners and swimmers were all just nuts.  Therefore, shunning anything over a 40 yard sprint. I swallowed my stress and insecurities specifically about failure in the “swim”.  I have to say swimming is pure tough.  I not only survived but the bug had hit.

From there, I stepped itup by joining a local tri team and started this year competing regularly as an age grouper in sprint distance events, did an Olympic distance, ran a half marathon and took my biking(my real passion) to another level of intensity and regularity. I am by no means elite and probably at best a well versed mid packer but I love the results and the feeding of my competitive mind.

For me, even prior to my endeavors into triathlons I had always had an affinity for the competition called an Ironman. For those of you not familiar with such a race, they are considered to be one of if not the most grueling one-day endurance events a person can do.  It is a 2.4 mile open-water swim, followed by112 mile bike ride, and then you finish with a full marathon of 26.2miles.  All 140.6 miles must be completed in 17hours for you to be called an Ironman. It is supreme test of mind, body, and spirit.

An Ironman was always in the back of my mind but I was never very serious about it till recently. After a lot of back and forth I felt the only way to truly commit was to sign up. I am now a few dollars lighter and ready to begin the journey. I feel blessed to be at a point physically, mentally, personally, and professionally that I can commit to make this happen. I am ready to make the investment. I look forward to this path and process and gaining the knowledge and insight that this takes.  It is here where I plan to capture my journey.  Ironman Kentucky August 2013 here I come.

 Sincerely,

Mark in the Middle.