Grit

Current mood: Joyful

This morning, in Tempe, Arizona, gazillions (I guess) of athletes converged for the running of the Ironman Arizona. This is a full Iron-distance triathlon. 2.5 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. Yes, all of that. And, here's the catch- the race starts at 7 am (for age groupers) and must be completed by midnight.

Cody Hanson, my nephew, has been chasing his Ironman dreams for five and a half years. When he began following triathlon, he weighed in somewhere around 300 pounds. Yes, he's a big guy. He's a corrections officer at the New Mexico State Pen in Santa Fe. He's worked with the worst our world has to offer and yet somehow, he is a light-hearted, fun, childlike, man's man. He played football. He is a martial arts expert. He's wrestled. He was on the SWAT team. So, umm, yeah, he's done a lot. He's also competed in two other Ironman races. He was unable to meet the time requirements set up along the route at those races and was pulled from the course (as is the rule when a competetor has not met time standards along the route). Last year, when he raced in Nevada, he was pulled off during the bike portion of the race and was devastated.

The last year has brought tons of transition to him. He began to slim down (way, way down) after his DNF in Nevada. He got as low as 188 pounds. It was around that time when Bob, his step-father (and yet very much, his Dad), died. The loss was awful for him. This was a father who chose him. My sister had health scares and all the while, he continued working, racing and taking care of his wife and his kids. He doesn't weight 188 any more. And I hope he realizes that number isn't near as important to the rest of us as it is to him. I can't imagine what a roller coaster the last twelve months have been for him.

He had high hopes for today. He and Cindy headed out to Arizona, along with some close friends, Thursday. Both Friday and Saturday there were events relating to the race. Last night, they invited my mother to have dinner with them, their friends, and Cody's triathlon coach. Mom said she had a wonderful time with them all. I know it meant the world to Cody too.
I've been tracking him today in between my day's insanity (which I will blog about later). He made it through the swim. He swam two and a half miles. And, after he was finished with that, he changed what clothing he needed to change, hopped on a bike and decided he STILL wanted to ride it for 112 miles. And he made it all the way through the bike course. And when he did, he decided once again, he wanted to do something hard. He wanted, after all that, to put on running shoes and a different pair of socks (because the socks you bike in and the socks you run in are apparently quite different), to resist the urge to take a break, and to run. For 26.2 miles.

He's running now. As I type, he is running. His tracker online says he is in the second segment of the run. I can't check often enough. I keep coming back to the computer every five minutes to track him. He has already completed the 3.5 mile segment. I am in awe.

When he finishes tonight, and I believe he will, he will cross the finish line with hoards of people there clapping and cheering for him. At that moment, all the hooplah will be about him. Because he made it.

I have no aspirations to run even the shortest triathlon. I don't want chapped nipples (sorry, fact of life for runners), I like having my toenails stay on my feet, I do not want to bonk out on a segment, suffer countless hours of training, spend unknown amounts (yes, someone knows, but not me) of cash on equipment and training and supplements and everything else, and I have no desire to cross THAT finish line.

But, from Cody I have learned. Sometimes, there are some things in this world which are worth the pursuit. Pain, injuries, self-doubt and other things of that ilk simply must be overcome.
He could have quit. He could have said, somewhere along the line, "I am done." And absolutely every one of his friends and family (at least those of us who do not race) would have understood. But, for Cody, the elusive became his target.

He took aim again today.


I encourage you to track him with me. www.ironmanlive.com

Click on the "track an athlete" link and then type in the last name Hanson. You will see his times there. He wont mind you visiting him online.

I am very proud of Cody today. I am very proud of Cody every day, but today, even moreso.

I love you, Cody!

Currently listening : Iron Man Release date: 2008