Why Do The Ironman? Part 5

I first heard of Sister Madonna Budder through Phil Keoghan’s (host of ‘The Amazing Race’) book ‘No Opportunity Wasted’. Sister Budder is the 80-year-old nun who has completed many Ironman triathlons including the Hawaii Ironman World Championships in Kona. I thought: if she could do it at her age, I could do it! However, I could not even comprehend how much preparation and training was involved in completing the 226K multi-discipline event. Years later, I met this fit and inspiring competitor at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida in 2008 and 2009. I had to do my best, and I did do my best with her racing side-by-side. I was absolutely stoked being with her in the race that I, earlier, earned a qualification for.

Integrated within every Ironman World Championship DVD are powerfully inspiring stories about competitors who survived near-death ordeals, physical challenges, or are near-death. Jon ‘Blazeman’ Blais defied impending death and a crippling medical condition to complete his personal quest one year; and watch the event from his wheelchair in the next. We celebrate his memory by rolling on our belles, across the finishing-line. 4-time Ironman world champion Chrissie Wellington did the ‘Blazeman Roll’ in almost every one of her wins (symbolic of her fight against ALS disease), and stayed on after her victory to cheer on the remainder of the field.

Chrissie's biography which chronicles her meteoric rise from a woman with control issues to world-class champion athlete.

The father-and-son team, ‘The Hoyts’ is a synergistic collaboration that fulfills the human hunger to achieve and accomplish. Father tows and pushes his son through a complete Ironman for his son feels so much alive to be part of a race that saw its humble beginnings in 1978. One is smitten by their love and mutual respect for each other, braving the elements and challenging the odds to complete the race.

These amazing and inspiring people in Ironman help bring out the best in us. It is through their thoughts, words and deeds that we feel what we feel, and are humanized in the process. Ironman is more than a demanding personal physical challenge. It is a celebration of the human spirit that defies unthinkable odds, to emerge victorious and celebrating.

Writing Your Lust-For-Life List

Inspired by Phil Keoghan (enduring and energetic host of realty-TV series, The Amazing Race), and his book No Opportunity Wasted – N.O.W. I wrote my ‘To-Do’ list a few years ago. So far, so good – I have achieved a few personal dreams and challenges. Some refer this as the Bucket List; meaning the things you want to do before you ‘kick the bucket’ and leave this Earth.

Interestingly, I have achieved a few of my dreams through recent achievements. Some of these things include: teaching in 18 countries; qualifying and competing in the Half-Ironman World Championships; completing 10 Ironman races (not the least, one); completing an ultra-marathon; being in the national top-2 percent in the marathon; getting actively involved in the Olympic Games (inaugural Youth Olympic Games).

Write your ‘wish list’. What is your lust for life? How do you orientate your life to your dreams? Which experiences would you enjoy? Who would be part of this exciting journey?

Get a journal book. Write down what matters to you. There are two lists:

1)    What I like to do for myself.

2)    What I like to do for others.

Fill it with your dreams, aspirations and hopes. You have to suspend your judgements, like ‘I cannot afford it!’, ‘I have no time!’ and ‘It is impossible!’ You will have to plan and earn these experiences and achievements, and we have to start somewhere. We’ll come back to this list soon and work on fleshing out the skeleton. Go on – build your list!