One Example of Endless Opportunities- Becoming An Ironman Triathlete

My son decided to participate in the London Marathon while living in Europe in 2007. He didn't know if he had the resilience to run but decided to give it a try. His determination to run the London Marathon led to participating in Triathlons. After competing in many Triathlons, he realized he had a larger goal- to compete in an Ironman Competition.  He competed in Ironman Boulder 2014  and finished in under 13 hours.   He was stoked, and so were we, his parents!

The Triathlons and the Ironman Competition not only helped him with endurance but emotionally as well.  Through training, he found ways to better pace his life in general and realized the training helped with daily anxiety and stress that we all encounter. He became less of a procrastinator and much more focused. 

What I found most amazing beyond the endurance one gains by being a Triathlete was also the connections he made along the way. 

Some of these connections have helped him to network with other professionals that have similar careers as himself.  He's made connections with people who volunteer for great causes and has made many great friends throughout his journey. 

Another surprising amazement for me personally were the stories as to why Men and Women decide to become endurance athletes.  I would like to share just a few examples of persons who run for life.

Many people who do Ironman competitions or Triathlons have heard of Fireman Rob . Here is a small blurb about Fireman Rob and what inspires him to run and bike in full Fireman gear:  

ST: "We know you were inspired by the events of 09-11, but what made you think that you ought to run/walk in full gear?"

Rob: "A lot of times people try to talk and tell you what is important or how things should be. Our family’s philosophy is different, in that, actions speak louder than words. This is what was behind the wearing of the full gear for the marathon portion of the Ironman races. It symbolizes the service, the strength and the pride that the fire service is about and I am yet one person of this great service with the honor of showing others in these competitions what is possible in this challenging world. The fire gear and symbolism of it brings   up many different emotions to each individual and for that moment during the race, everything has a deeper meaning."  You can read the entire interview here.

Fireman Rob is a great example of reaching any goal, if you dream you can, you will!

It symbolizes the service, the strength and the pride that the fire service is about and I am yet one person of this great service with the honor of showing others in these competitions what is possible in this challenging world.

Another man did the Triathlon with his disabled son. He swam with his son in a raft that had a rope tied to it and around himself. He then biked & ran with his son. What a feat!  I didn't have a chance to speak with this man, but it would be my assumption he did this coming from a place of deep love and dedication to a full filled life for his son.

One man when crossing the finish line was handed a large poster before he crossed, the poster read:  "I may be an Ironman, but my wife beat cancer." My eyes welled up with tears and I looked to the left of me where his wife just happened to be standing,  another woman was hugging the man's wife as his wife cried too. 

You don't have to be a triathlete to achieve your goals. I believe you have to have a cause greater than yourself to reach your dreams and make them become a reality. Through our causes, we learn so much about ourselves and meet so many people on our journey which can benefit not only oneself but some of the people one has met along the way as well. 

My son will be participating in many half Ironman Competitions throughout 2016-2017. He is back in training again. He also became a personal Coach. He wants to be of help to others because he understands that Coaching is not only about the physical aspects of the sport, but the emotional aspects as well. This is his way of giving back because he was lucky enough to have others care enough about his own journey- they are a supportive community.  His goal is Kona, and becoming a professional Ironman.  Endurance training begins long before you decide to race. Be sure to enter many triathlons as part of your training. This is my son below doing a triathlon in Boulder, Co. 

Never stop dreaming. Never say never. Believe in yourself. If you believe in yourself, others will too.  Your possibilities will be endless. 

 “You can keep going and your legs might hurt for a week or you can quit and your mind will hurt for a lifetime.” - Mark Allen (Ironman)

Photo Credits: Ironman finish line- My husband; Triathlon- Newton Running/TriTeam4Good

*This post was originally posted on Linkedin* I wanted to share it on beBee