Ironman: post-race interview and video

Some of the loyal readers of this blog have had questions for the athelete, so I conducted a very professional interview this morning as we laid in bed, brushed our teeth and as the ironman ate a bowl of cereal:

how is your body feeling? better than I thought it would. knee feels good today (no limping coming down the stairs), muscles are fine, digestion issues may have been due to a bad protein shake.

would you do it again, or are you going to do it again? oh, I'll do it again. to be honest, I've got my eye on st. george. volunteers get first dibs on registration, I'd consider that.

what does this next year hold as far as races? I'll do some smaller events, soma half again for sure. I'd like to find another half. Kate and Peter signed up for the Ironman next year and I've agreed to train with them, so it will keep me in shape.

when will you work out again? I'm swimming at lunch today. so in a few hours.

what did you think about when you were out there? how fast I was running, that I could run to the next aid station. There was a guy in front of me with an iron tat on his calf. I figured he knew what he was doing, so I stuck with him for quite a ways. Then he stopped for his special needs bag and I didn't want to wait so I kept going. The second loop, a girl passed me who was going a little quicker than I was, but I figured I could stay with her. I followed her the whole second loop and was thinking that if I stayed with her that I'd definitely finish this thing in five hours. Then at the end of the loop she headed in for the finish and I realized I was on my own for the last loop. sometimes I'd just think, "I'm doing this. I'm doing an Ironman."

what was the hardest part of the race? dealing with stomach issues. the fuel I had with me on the bike made me sick so I didn't take any more. I went into the run thinking I needed to take in some calories, so I had an orange at an aid station and it did not sit well. after my stomach settled, I was fine again.

what would you tell someone who was considering doing this? sign up.

how about someone already in, what's your advice to them? my cheesy advice is to stick with your training, it will all be worth it on race day.

what's the one thing you would change? my nutrition intake. I don't know what I'd do different, I'd have to experiment. I did not cramp at all on the bike or the run. I credit salt stick for that. I had no idea that coke and water would sustain me for 20 miles. coke was probably not the best carb choice, but it prevented a sugar crash. I figured I wasn't going to mess with what was working.

how did you feel about the gear and clothing you chose? Would you use it again? Yes, I'd use it all again... except the wetsuit. I'd go with a different brand (it was very susceptible to tearing) , but the goggles, bike, bike shoes, tri suit, everything else I'd use again.

how would you rate your overall ironman experience: I don't know.
excellent, very good, good, fair, poor: excellent (without hesitation).

one last question. how do you feel your family handled your training and race day? excellent. very supportive and understanding. it was a group effort.

Notes: a day or two before the race, Dent and Katelyn were talking and he said that as cheesy as it sounded, he wanted to try to do the whole thing with a smile on his face. We both laughed out loud, but understood what he meant. He said that it was a big enough deal and he's worked hard enough that he didn't want to be miserable, he wanted to enjoy this experience. He claimed in my interview that he kept his positive mindset the entire race, that discouragement never set in. There was one pass on the bike when he came by and his face was not necessarily happy. Katelyn and I wondered where the smile went, but he reassured us that he was simply in "the zone, focused."

When asked if he'd do it again, he said there was nothing like it. He said he did not anticipate feeling so emotional about it. He tried to find something to compare it to, but nothing does. A high school state basketball championship was fun and he was excited and happy, but this runs deeper. Maybe, he speculated, because it was such an intense personal achievement. He hopes that as he looks back on this event that the emotions and sense of satisfaction never fade. Me too. It's a natural high that he wouldn't hesitate to feel again.

Below is a clip of his finish. Turn your volume down, I am loud. You can hear Cooper cheer for his daddy and Dent's name announced as he runs under the finish arch. It's good stuff.



have you seen katelyn's video of the swim start? the announcer said that it was just a great big training day with 2500 of your closest friends. awesome.

catching up on my blessings.

Sunday, November 22

- I'm grateful that the day was smooth for everyone in our party. I'm grateful that the kids were good, there weren't any major meltdowns and that I had a lot of help keeping them happy and occupied.

- I'm grateful Denten enjoyed his experience, that he didn't have any injuries or pain great enough that they prevented him from completing his race in a time he was proud of.

- I'm grateful for the support of our family and friends. There were many who were not present who were rooting for Dent from afar. It warmed my heart to know that there were those out there who wanted nothing but Denten's complete success.

- I'm grateful for modern technology. My dad was able to track D and Wade online all through the day and feel a part of the excitement. My sisters and I texted all through the day giving a head's up that one of the boys was coming, or coordinating our locations. It made the day so easy and smooth.

- I'm grateful that I had a bed to fall into at the end of the day. I did not physically move 140.6 miles, but I was majorly tired.


Monday, November 23

- I'm grateful for a great energy appointment where the inspiration needed was fully present.

- I'm grateful that Denten's body is feeling great, all things considered.

- I'm grateful that I have things to look forward to to help overcome the post-race cloud that has settled over me.

- I'm grateful that we have tons of delicious leftovers in the fridge.

- I'm grateful I didn't have anything major obligations outside of my home today.


Tuesday, November 24

- I'm grateful that we have Thanksgiving plans with great friends.

- I'm grateful for a hot shower.

- I'm grateful for a husband that comes home at the end of the day.

- I'm grateful for my clean microwave. I know I mentioned it before, but it makes me smile every time I open it. My mom was completely grossed out and cleaned it for me. I love her many times a day for it.

- I'm grateful that my kids look out for each other. I'll often hear Seneca ask Beckham if he's ok and he'll answer, "yeah." She'll respond with ok and they'll both move on.

Ironman: the triathlon

My Ironman.



Let's start at the beginning... shall we?



more than 2500 participants in the water all at once. they did not start in waves, it was madness. and amazing. 2.4 miles in the water with random arms and legs flailing about.



D finished his swim about 10 minutes faster than anticipated. I almost missed him as I wasn't expecting him to be coming through transition so soon. Adrenalin was pumping!



112 miles on the bike. That's a long ways.



The wind out on the loop was not kind.



He quickly shed the bike and helmet, replaced them with running shoes and took off for 26.2 miles. a full marathon, folks. He'd been going almost 8 hours at this point.





this smile was for seneca. she didn't hesitate letting anyone know "that's my daddy!"



coming down the finish chute!



he did it!!



the finish line.



I hugged him two minutes later. He said he wanted to cry although the smile on his face was enormous. He was amazing. It went exactly as I had hoped in that he went into this completely prepared physically, mentally and emotionally. He pushed through the fatigue and the stretches of pain. He had a goal and he met it. It was a long year with training sessions often twice a day. I should be relieved it's over, but I have had a little sadness following me around for two days. I know I have other things to look forward to, but this was such a great experience for all of us. I'm proud of him. I'm happy for him. I love him. He's a freakin' Ironman, for heaven's sake! Wahoo!!


**I'll let Katelyn share Wade's awesome race and photos. visit here. she'll post something eventually.

Ironman: the spectators

Our little ones were complete troopers. They were up early and not home until late and yet were very pleasant all through the day.

Grandma did hair while we watched the swim.



we ate breakfast on the go.



beckham waved and held out his hand trying to get a high-five. a kind gentleman finally humored him on the run course.



we occupied ourselves with paper airplanes, games and snacks.



we attempted a group shot... in attendance were wade's mom and dad, denten's mom, my mom (taking the photo), katelyn and tessa, lindsay, cooper, seneca, beckham and yours truely.



we got to know our little cousin tess all over again. mostly these two just loved each other.





cooper found friends at every pit stop. he ran and ran all day playing with other spectators. he did take a few short breaks to watch his dad fly by and ring the cow bell. beckham ate as much as anyone would give him. seneca snuck drinks that did not sit well in her stomach. grandmas watched children and cheered on our boys.



it was a huge blessing that denten's office building was about 20 paces from this photo spot. the little ones took a 2-hour nap. we had clean restrooms and access to a fridge. it was a blast, really.

Ironman: the days before

The boys went for a practice swim.







there was strategizing going on.







There was also a lot of strategy talk going on amongst their supporters. We scoped the best routes to get to our parking avoiding all road closure. We talked out the food, baby beds, layers of clothing, water and all else that needed to be packed for the big day. We checked out the best locations to see our boys maximum times. I believe we were ready.

**photos in this and upcoming posts courtesy of either myself, katelyn, mom, dianna or the official ironman photog.

Ironman: how we got here

It was one year ago that my husband came home with the idea that he would like to participate in the Ironman Arizona 2009. I believe I raised my eyebrows and smiled. He works in Tempe at a building that over looks Tempe Beach Park and had spent the week observing the triathlon preparations out his window. He went and meandered among the athletes out for practice swims. He went and wandered through the expo. He watched out his window as they placed the buoys for the swim. He admired bikes and gear. He started dreaming and caught the fire.

As much as we enjoy watching such events, in my mind something of that caliber was a little out of our league. As the conversation continued, I realized he was serious. Really serious. I didn't ever doubt his ability to do it, rather questioned whether I wanted us to make such a major commitment, because it would be a major commitment. As he was wrestling with the decision to register or not (which was a decision that needed to be made quickly), I made one request: if we do this, we do this. If you register and commit, then you commit to being prepared, to work hard and to do it right. We don't register and then wait 6 months before you get in the pool. You don't go on a leisure Saturday ride and call it training. I'm no professional athlete, but I'm well aware that the quickest way to turn an athletic event into a disastrous and disappointing experience is to be unprepared. I recall committing my full support as long as he committed to work his pants off to be ready.

Don't get me wrong, Denten has never been a slacker. He works hard and does things right, but this was a big deal... he had never run a marathon before. He had never swam competitively before. He was considering doing both with a major bike ride sandwiched in between.

He had persuasive and strategic phone calls with Wade and I had concerned phone calls from Katelyn. "Do you know what we're getting into? Do you realize we will be single mothers this year? Do you think they're serious??" Then the phone call from Dent, "I'm in."

And he was. The registration alone was a significant financial commitment. Training schedules were outlined. A budget was created. I learned which activities I would have to either fore go or find sitters for or do alone with the kids. We learned that time with dad wasn't wasted, it was appreciated.

Yesterday at 7:55 p.m., he crossed the finish line of the Arizona Ironman triathlon with a smile on his face as the announcer called out over the loudspeaker, "Denten Robinson, from Phoenix, Arizona... YOU are an Ironman!" I might have cried a little. He did it. And he did it right. He did it with no regrets. He did it with many hours of preparation and training behind him and it was not disastrous or disappointing. It was inspiring and motivating and amazing.

It was hard and long, for both the participants and the spectators, but it was enjoyed by both as well. I believe that the pride seeping from both his mother and I at the finish line was felt by everyone around us. As we were anticipating his arrival around the final corner into the finish chute, I was whispering, "come on, babe." She was whispering, "where are you, bud?" Cooper was straining his little neck to see his dad in the final minutes of the event we've all been preparing for and anticipating for a year. He didn't disappoint. He finished strong and it was incredible.

Today was open registration for the Arizona Ironman 2010. They filled all spots and sold out in 24 minutes. Many of those registered for next year were finishers last night. Denten's name is not on the list for next year. We both have mixed feelings about that, but this year will hold different adventures for our family. Photos and details about the big day coming soon!

Cooper's mile.

Saturday there was a one-mile children's race that finished at the same place the Ironman would the following day. It didn't take any convincing at all when Dent asked Cooper if he'd like to participate. He was a little disappointed, however, when he realized he wouldn't be swimming and riding his bike as well.

Seeing as he is only five and the course was a full mile, an adult was allowed to accompany him on his run. Denten was saving all he had for his own event and I figured I could keep up with a 5-year-old for a mile.. I mean, how fast could he really be?

getting his number:



waiting to begin:



leaving his mother in the dust:



When we hit the starting banner, he took off. Seriously. A full sprint. I turned it up to catch him and explained that we had a long way to go and it was ok to slow down. There were older kids that had started earlier and he could see them on the other side of the course coming back toward the finish. He said, "mom, we have to catch them!" I told him we didn't have to catch them, "well, why not?!" as if I had just said something completely ridiculous. I told him they were in a different race and we didn't have to compete with them. Then he noticed the other younger children around us and said, "well, we have to get ahead of all these kids!" No we don't, we don't have to beat everyone. "mom, I want to come across first." He was dead serious.

I have never been known as particularly competitive. Denten has the streak in him, but it's a quiet one. During this year of racing and training, he hasn't talked about winning or beating anyone else. Cooper, however, has it thick in his blood. Denten says it's a good thing if we channel it the right way.

After about 10 seconds of walking to take a break, Coop was ready to run again. I told him to go ahead, I would be right behind him if he needed a break. I fully anticipated he would slow down again in a bit and I'd catch him. I was out of my mind. It was all I could do to weave through the crowd to keep him in my sights. I tried to call out to him as he flew past the aid station, he didn't even notice it. He was completely focused on passing anyone in front of him. As I knew we were nearing the final corner, I wanted to see him finish. I cut the course and raced across a field in order to find him. As I yelled out to him, he looked back to inform me to follow the arrows, we were almost there. I said, "do you need to walk for a minute?" no, I'm ok. and off he went. I was dying, I'll be honest. He has some serious endurance. I realized I was holding him back and sent him to the finish line. I plugged along trying to keep him in my sights. He was still sprinting and headed straight for the line. He turned and looked for me after finishing.

He seriously ran his little heart out the whole time. Except for when his mother was trying to get him to take it easy. And he's fast. While this little tale is embarassing, I want to remember his focus, his drive and the fact that he had a blast doing it.







And not to be left out, this little one took a spin on the tri bike on our way to turn it into the transition area. Perhaps I have a few little triathletes on my hands. It's a good thing I'm a great cheerleader. And that I have Beckham who mostly just likes to eat snacks.

Nov. 22: The Big Day.

Tonight I am grateful that the Arizona Ironman was even better than we'd been dreaming it would be. An absolutely amazing experience. More later. I'm going to bed with an Ironman tonight. I'm so happy.

ironman eve. grateful tonight.

I have major reporting to catch up on, but it's going to have to wait until next week. Tonight, I am grateful for:

- my mother. she had her knee replaced last month and still made the effort to come to be with us this weekend. she's taking care of my children, taking out my garbage, doing my dishes, folding my laundry and... get ready... cleaning out my microwave. the one thing I hoped she wouldn't notice because I sure didn't get to it. she's such a trooper and I love her like crazy.

- the competitive edge that is ingrained in cooper. he did the kids ironman one-mile race today and while the full report is coming, let's just say the kid has drive. way more than his mother (who couldn't keep up with him).

- neighbors who are THE BEST. really. they came to my rescue again today. without them I would be in major trouble sometimes. while both of us dream about living somewhere else someday, I'm just not sure we could do it, because they are absolutely irreplaceable.

- a delicious and delightful pre-race dinner with friends and family and our star athletes. grilled chicken and veggies, rice, salad, grilled bread and a wicked chocolate cake. three grandmas, one grandpa, two aunts, one uncle and a cousin who is getting loved on more than she can handle.

- the opportunity to ring my cow bell, wave my sign, chalk up the street all in honor of the guy who has spent the last year preparing his mind and body for an amazing endeavor. snacks are packed, diapers are a plenty, layers are laid out ready to put on little bodies, everyone has been sent to bed anxious to rise nice and early to cheer on our dad. it's gonna be awesome!!

**bonus question: what are you getting your mother-in-law for christmas??

grateful on nov. 20

I wish that I was more organized about this here grateful project, but at this point it is what it is.

I'm very grateful for my sisters today. They have both arrived safely, they both love and humor my children and have extra patience seeing as the energy level shoots up a few levels when they have an audience.

I am grateful for early bedtimes. It's 6:30 and two of three are down... the last one on his way. I'm exhausted and the fun hasn't even begun!

I'm grateful for the energy and excitement of a crowd. The elecricity at certain sporting events is good for me. We ventured to the race course today for a practice swim and registration and the thrill is already in the air. It just radiates off of everyone. It's positive and encouraging.

I'm grateful for the location of denten's work building. It's making this weekend super smooth to have a homebase complete with a place for babies to nap and a fridge and microwave. There could not be a more perfect spot for this event.

I'm grateful for Ms. Krysten. Cooper had a little Thanksgiving program today at school that followed his feast. She and Mr. Andy are absolutely amazing. The environment they provide suits Cooper very well. It is a place where he thrives and learns. I have much more on this subject another time, but I'm tired, so tonight, I'm just grateful.


**Bonus question: what is your favorite holiday album? what do you listen to in the car, or when you're baking... what one album do I need to download??

today's gratefuls

- d's dedication to provide for our family. it's almost 9 p.m. on the eve of a major weekend and he's still finishing up at work. I'm grateful that he takes his work seriously and that he enjoys what he does. he has built a great relationship with those he works with and has proved himself valuable at his firm. I'm grateful for his dedication.

- guests. if all else fails, knowing favorites are coming to stay motivates me to clean my house. it sparkled for about 30 minutes today before I let my children back inside.

- easy dinners. tonight it was sweet pork tacos with the assistance of the crockpot. so easy and so yummy.

- creme puffs from fresh and easy. oh divine bliss... I gotta hurry, katelyn already started hers without me.

- days full of family... mom, sisters, cousins, beautiful weather outside. it's gonna be a great weekend.

11.18

- moose munch. found at target. it's a special treat seeing as it's over $4 for a small portion, but oh man, it's good.


- a great car wash. I found a new one close to me. they are thorough, inside and out, and I'm picky. no eating in the car allowed!


- friends who help in last-minute rescue situations... lifesavers!

- music. I could say a lot on this subject, but today I'm grateful that it helps my children learn. Cooper is recognizing the number of intervals between notes in songs and it's so fun to hear him point them out. He's also working on his articles of faith and having them set to music is so much easier... for me! Seneca and Beckham have our bedtime songs memorized and sing along with me before they go to sleep. Music makes learning in our home fun and easy.

- anticipation. this is the weekend we've been preparing for for a year. family begins arriving tomorrow, excitement is ever-present!

a trial run (and bike and swim).

One month to the Big Day. This weekend Denten did the Soma Half-Ironman in preparation. It was held at the same location that the real deal will be held next month. It's nice to be familiar with the area and know where the best spots are to see our dad. We both learned a few things today that will be helpful as we prepare for next time.


The athlete:

• when swimming into the rising sun, find a landmark so you don't steer too far from the buoy.
• stay to the outside of the crowd to prevent getting whacked by fellow swimmers.
• be thankful there are far fewer u-turns on the next bike course. what a pain.
• take more endurolites during the bike.
• up the concentration of the perpetuem on the Big Day.
• don't overload on fluids at the beginning of the run.
• keep the fluids steady.
• do a little more research on salt pills, and get some.

The support crew:

• the double bob is a must. it is a godsend. it hauls any amount of children and stuff you can pile on.
• pack the bag the night before: snacks, water, sunscreen, cameras, games, towel, phone, etc. make sure the bag hooks onto to Bob so mom doesn't have to carry anything.
• put kids to bed at 6:30 the night before. they will be ready to roll at 6 a.m. to see dad's big race!
• allowing all children to run through the sprinklers while waiting for dad's run loop is a fine idea. they will get completely soaked, but they will dry. and they will completely enjoy themselves.
• take extra diapers. more than you think you need. and lots of wipes. and hand sanitizer.
• take extra water. I threw three extra bottles in the bottom of the stroller "just in case..." we downed them all.
• buy sidewalk chalk to write messages on the road for dent and wade. and get a cow bell. why don't I own a cow bell??
• if you face east for any significant amount of time, put sunscreen on your right arm.
• this little video camera is super. fits into a small pocket, easy to use and a great distraction for a 5-year-old.

Note to all athletes: my children, the oldest especially, thinks it's really cool when you give him "five" as you pass him when running. Thanks to those of you who humored him. and his sister. and did you see my little one clapping for you? he was, and cheering his little heart out.

All in all, we did pretty well today. Denten did great in the swim, killed it on the bike, cramped a little on the run, but finished with a good time. His fans cheered him and everyone else on. They were good sports. Everyone came home exhausted.

Bring on the Big Day... I think we're ready!

dear ironman,

Dear Ironman,

I just wanted to make sure we were on your radar. D-day is 12 weeks away and I'll have you know we're getting ready. Yes, I said we, because this triathlon thing has been a year-long commitment for all of us. We don't sweat quite as much as Denten does, but we put in the time in our own way.

In August alone, D has put 13 hours in on the bike, 90 miles just this morning. It was a long ride, one that pushed into a 112 degree day. He has run for 7.5 hours, which means lots of miles and has logged almost 12 hours in the pool. Aside from Sundays, there has only been one day off all month. Most of those days are two-workout days. He's serious. He's working hard and doing great. Sometimes I look at his body and think, damn, if I put in that much effort, I could have the female version of that body.

But for now I'm the cheerleader. I'm the sounding board for things like what to do when we find out the fantastic bike he's been training on is not the right size and is causing issues. Well, we sell it to someone who needed it pretty badly and get a new one. A fantastic one. I've been calling it fancy, but the word rocket keeps working it's way in. I listen and discuss various fueling and hydration systems and then console when they don't work as anticipated. I admire the impressive gear and tight shorts and breathe deeply when charges from the tri store appear on my financial statements.

While there have been more mornings and bedtimes without dad around, we fully support this endeavor and are proud of the dedication and effort he has given this adventure. In fact, as denten is currently missing hunting season, I must say I have not. one bit. I'll take tri season anytime. He brings home satisfaction and medals rather than dead stuff that could potentially end up on my wall.

All in all, we're gearing up. We'll be ready for November to cheer on our own ironman, so be ready for us. Save me a prime spot to hang out, 'cause it'll be a long day. See you soon.

Love,
the wife.

in training.

Cooper is participating in a triathlon as part of a family reunion in a few weeks. He feels the need to be prepared for this event. Therefore, he and his dad did a practice run tonight.

The specifics:

swim: 4 lengths of the pool
bike: 2 laps around the block
run: 1 lap around the block
(one time around the block is roughly equivalent to 1/4 mile)

ready to get in the pool.



after lap 1.



headed back for final lap.



transition 1. yes, the socks make him go faster.



down the chute to get his bike.







off they go for lap 1.



completing lap 1 of bike.



off on the run. during this brief transition of ditching their bikes, I heard denten say, "you don't need to go too fast," seeing that he might be getting a little tired. to which cooper replied, "dad, it's part of the race to go fast!" and fast he went.



down the homestretch.



post-race.



final time: 10 minutes, 40 seconds.

overheating

I keep stepping in wet spots on my carpet. Wondering how much water could have really been tracked in from the pool. I always make them dry off before they come in. Everyone who needs them has a diaper on. hmmmm.

Cooper is running through the house at a very steady pace, going from room to room carrying his water bottle. And then I see it. He lifts it above his head and gives a squirt. What? "I'm in a race, mom. gotta cool down." right.

I guess the kid learns from observation. We've been to too many races.