Non-Triathlon Me Or Triathlon Me?

                                            This is what I'd look like if I didn't do triathlons.

So, which do you like better, Triathlon Paul or Non-triathlon Paul?

I go for Triathlon Paul. People think Sherrie and I are crazy for taking our bikes when we go on a trip, or go for a three hour run when we are at our daughter's swim meet. But in the long run (yes, pun intended) it helps. What would we have done with that three hours anyway? Eaten? Laid around? Gossipped?

I love what rocker Alanis Morissette had to say about training her body and that a rocker said it and not an athlete or a trainer.

To me, the four components of one's self are spiritual, physical, emotional, and intellectual. I definitely believe spiritual is the most important because it is what can give us peace and joy. But the one that gets neglected an awful lot is the physical. Even if you are strongly spiritually based the only vehicle God has given you to carry your message, your task, or your gift is your body.

Get your body pumping with fresh blood and fresh oxygen, build strength, create endorphins and your gift giving to the world is greatly accelerated. So find an activity that interests you and makes you go hard...and then, GO HARD! You don't have to be an athlete, just treat your body like it is the "incredible awe-inspiring machine" that it is.

And then enjoy the energy and excitement that comes with having that gift delivering machine!!!!!

Sorry, New York But It's A No Go

Well...after a great summer of hard training it looks like Sherrie and I will not be participating in the inaugural New York City Ironman U.S. Championship. We have had a great summer tracking around our swim star daughter and watching her progress and grow as a great competitive swimmer. Our sweating and training will still pay off in a fantastic Ironman Florida in November that we cannot wait for.

This reminds me of my favorite lines from a country song, "Wherever you go, there ya' are." Meaning whoever you are on the inside does not change despite a geographical location. If you are sad, angry, unhappy, in your hometown you would really be the same in Hawaii. So on game day we will be training hot and hard in Tallahassee but we will still be happy, grateful people. We know we are crazy blessed to have our health, each other, great family, an awesome coach, and very cool friends. To be incredibly honest, I am sure we will click on the webcast and have a little wishiness to be doing an Ironman in the Big Apple.

But to also be honest, I know us well and we truly try to live out another one of my favorite sayings and that is, "Bloom where you are planted." So I guess we should apologize to New York City because they will not get to enjoy our sense of taking big joyful bites out of life.  But Tallahassee you will get to enjoy another beautiful week with the Peavys!

How Do You Go 120 Miles On Your Bike?

Last year when we were training for Ironman Florida we were often given the long bike ride of 110-120 miles. We always chose the 120. When people would ask us (always in all caps), "WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO GO ONE HUNDRED TWENTY MILES ON YOUR BIKE!!!!????"

The answer was always rather simple, "Well, we didn't really necessarily choose to go 120 miles. At 50 miles we felt great. At 55 miles we felt great. So why not go 60. Then you have to turn around. There is no wimp rope that will bring your house or your car any closer so you have to get back to where you started."

At mile 60 it sounded like a fine idea. At mile 70 it still seemed like a good idea. At mile 80 it was beginning to sound like just an OK idea. At mile 90 it probably did not seem like the brightest idea. At mile 100 it seemed like a bad idea and at mile 110 it sounded pretty stupid.

When we got back and completed the whole 120 miles were we glad we did it? No, not right away. Maybe not even the next day. By the time Ironman Florida rolled around we were very glad we had done it. We felt very well prepared for our 112 mile bike portion of the race.

This is much the same way I view life goals. As my friend and trainer extaordinaire Steve Pfister (http://www.stevepfiester.com/) likes to say, "Keep It Stupid Simple!"

1. Start.
1.A. Start Right Now!
1.B. Are You Kidding Me? START!!!
1.C. START RIGHT NOW!!!

2. Get After It Like A Dog Digging Out A Buried Alabama Barbecue Restaurant!

3. Get Halfway.

4. Your Halfway, You Might As Well Finish!

The Perfect Triathlon Car

We have debated the cost effectiveness of driving to the Ironman U.S. Championship in New York City. The added benefit would be being able to carry all our nutrition, sports drinks and tri-gear. Here is what I think we would like with all our tri-junk driving through The Big Apple:

Yep this would be my look of incredible awe as I look at them big ol' buildin's. "Whee doggies!"

So that we are clear, I have the brains of Jethro and Sherrie has the looks and strength of Ellie May. Remember Ellie May would always win when Jethro and Ellie May would "tussle." (Please forget that Ellie May and Jethro were cousins, because that just makes this weird.) While both of our parents have the spunk and fiestiness of Granny and Uncle Jed I'm not going to say they look like them. So let's just say those two people are just two random people we picked up in Georgia to guard our fine ride.

This is us returning from our shopping trip with our pre-race meal. You will also notice that our wonderful 15 year-old swim star daughter, Lobo, is not represented here. Trust me, if we had this car she would be about 2,000 miles away.

...and 2:30 am race morning leaving the hotel with the movin' stairs headed to get our Ironman on!



A Sample Of Two Days Training

No wah, wah! No brag. Just here's our schedule for the next few days. Those of you who have done an Ironman know this is just what you do. This is for those of you rubber neckers gazing at the Ironwreck training life and asking why in the world?

Thursday morning 6:15 am: 95 mile bike ride followed by 6 mile run.

Thursday afternoon: Work.

Thursday night: 8 mile run.

Friday morning 4:30 am: 16 mile run.

Then spend the rest of Friday watching Lobo's swim meet, working, and then back to the swim meet for finals.  In fact, we will spend the rest of the weekend volunteering at the swim meet and watching Lobo swim.


Being a swim parent and training for an Ironman is a bit cruel because after a long hot run you have to go stand on a hot concrete pool deck and you are not allowed to get in the nice cool blue water. We swim parents have always said they need a parents' lane with rafts and umbrella drinks at swim meets for parents to float in while they wait for their kid's event.

The last time we tried a run at 4:30 am so we could watch Lauren swim was at a Panama City swim meet. We had picked up glow sticks at Target so the people driving from the bars could see us. Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling particularly strong that day so I'm sure I looked just like the other people staggering out of the bar as I slogged along with my glow stick a-glowin'.

Would I be doing this kind of insanity right now without Sherrie? Absolutely not.

Eccliastes 4:9-12 talks about two being stronger than one. Verse 10 says, "For if either of them fails, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who fails when there is not another to lift him up."
Verse 12 concludes "...A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."

That's how it is we do this, God is the center strand and we wrap ourselves around him. Without God, without Sherrie and trying to do all this I would just be a frayed knot.

As in:

"You gonna get up at 4:00 am to run 16 miles after you rode 95 and ran 14 yesterday?"

" 'Fraid not."

Why We Loves Us Some Lochte!

Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps are set for an epic duel in the pool in the Olympic Trials and the Olympics.

Here's why we at Team Ironmac loves us some Ryan Lochte:

A few years ago at a swim meet in Daytona Beach shortly after Mac Crutchfield had died, Maggie Crutchfield (Mac's mom), was at a swim meet to cheer on Mac's former teammates. Ryan Lochte heard about Mac's death at the meet and walked over to her and said, "Whatever I can do for you, you just let me know, I'll be glad to do it."

Well, now we fast forward to look back at what Ryan Lochte has done for the Crutchfields and the Mac Crutchfield Foundation. He has made countless trips to the boonies of South Georgia to just visit with the family or to be the star of a fundraiser. He has agreed to be the spokesperson for the Mac Crutchfield Foundation. But what I saw a couple of weeks ago at a community pool in Gainesville summed it all up for me.

Gold medalist Ryan Lochte revealed his gold heart once again. He has become a surrogate big brother to Savannah Crutchfield, Mac's little sister. I have witnessed him numerous times do big brother things like give her noogies on her head and fake spit loogies in her hair. Things only a big brother could get away with.

Two weeks ago though, I saw it all play out in such incredible simplicity and clarity, it was stunning. Ryan told Savannah he wanted to come watch her swim. Savannah had just returned to competitive swimming a few months earlier. At the pool, Savannah turned to her mother and said, "I don't want him to come see me swim yet, I'm embarrassed."  Savannah's mom told her not to worry. Not two minutes later, Ryan Lochte slipped into the swim meet snuck up behind Savannah and put his hands over her eyes.  She guessed right away who it was.

Ryan Lochte slipped in like a ninja but soon the buzz grew. While Ryan quietly made small talk with the Crutchfield family, a small storm of excited kids waited like they were about to see a Santa Clause with six pack abs and bedroom eyes. When one kid finally got up the nerve to come over and ask for an autograph the line grew exponentially. Ryan was more than friendly and unassuming. He bent down to take pictures with the little ones. He signed everything. Who knows what kind of strong man workout he had just finished. He never complained, always smiled and did whatever the kid asked.

He graciously broke away to yell for Savannah when her event started. This was the only time he got loud. He made sure that everyone knew he was cheering for his newest little sis. Actually I don't think that was his point, he just wanted to be loud enough for Savannah to know that he was there to cheer for his newest little sis.

After she swam, he went quietly and graciously back to signing autographs until there was not a kid in the place with Ryan Lochte's name on something. He and Maggie then quietly made plans for the Crutchfields to come over to his house for dinner. And then he quietly walked off into the sunset like some mythical hero.

And he is, except he's not a myth. He's real. He's genuine. Oh, and Savannah also says he's goofy. Just like any little sis says about their big bro'.

So tonight, or any night over the next couple of months, you see that shark in the water devouring his foes. Remember that is one shark with one very big golden heart.

It's Mac's Birthday! Happy Mac Day!

Today Mac Crutchfield is 16 years old. Nope, not gonna say, "would have been 16 today." Mac still lives on in a bunch of us. Mac's spirit is very much alive.

Mac appears to many people in the form of a rainbow. When Sherrie and the original Ironmac team did Ironman Florida in 2009 as the team "Girls Gone Iron!" It was the sunniest and most cloudless blue sky, yet, just before the race in a small section of the clear sky a small rainbow appeared. Tears and chill bumps broke out. Don't be surprised if you see a rainbow today.

Mac died while playing in a storm and today we are in the midst of a tropical depression. It started really raining about the last couple of miles toward the end of our 15 mile run today. Oddly, I did not want to go inside when I finished. I did not know it was Mac's birthday at the time but I felt the urge to just stay outside in my driveway and hold my arms out and open my mouth and drink the rain in. That is the same way a neighbor last saw Mac. Again, I did not know it was his birthday at the time.  It is just the way he still pulls us in.

I will never pretend to know what it feels like to be Mac's mother, father, or sister. Yet I will also never be afraid to talk about Mac with them because I don't want to bring up sad feelings. I know the Crutchfields want Mac to live as long as they do and he will as long as we are open to him.  So today, play in the rain, sing happy birthday, eat a piece a cake, say something to his family, or do something extraordinarily nice for someone and say "Happy Mac Day!"

If you or someone gets teary eyed about it, don't worry. That's just Mac watering your soul.

Happy Birthday Mackity Mac!