The "Fred"-Odyssey (March 27, 2016)

"For Fate has wove the thread of life with pain, And twins ev'n from the birth are Misery and Man!" Homer, Book Seven.

My apologies for the delay in posting an update but the journey, or better yet, my Fred-Odyssey has been long an arduous to say the least.  As Homer stated in Book Seven of the Odyssey, "Fate has wove the thread of life with pain".
 
Training for an Iron distance race is coming to terms that pain, misery, and ultimately happiness are synonymous.  Pain and misery is something you expect with the long training.  What is even more frightening is that the pain and misery is something you come to enjoy.  It represents accomplishment as you strive toward the end goal.  My pain and misery are self-inflicted for my journey is for Fred, Connie, Aimee, and Bill.  

I have learned that the mind is willing to quit long before the body.  Your mind tells you that its okay to stop and "you've done enough today" but you have to fight through those thoughts and simply tell them to "Go straight to Hell!".  What helps me get through the misery is hearing Fred's voice echoing in my head telling me "Come on Stevo!  Just a little bit further!"  Fred's voice has been an Angel's Harp of motivation for me during this journey and I am so thankful that it still rings loud and clear. 

Tomorrow I begin week 13 of my 27-week Fred-odyssey.  In the first twelve weeks I have logged ~668 miles, 73 hours, and 45,846 calories.  This included a lost week where I found myself down and out due to a respiratory infection.  One of the many challenges with long distance training is a weakened immune system.  Fortunately, I powered through and now back on track focused on the race in Muncie. 

Now that the easy part of the Fred-Odyssey is complete, I will transition into a much harder phase of my training, logging extreme hours and miles.  I'm certain that I'll be calling on Fred many more times to help power me through each session with his booming and soothing voice.  As Homer said in Book 15, "For too much rest itself becomes a pain."  I'm already in pain so I figure I will tell rest, just like I tell the lingering thoughts of doubt, that it can "Go straight to Hell!" 

Thank you Fred...twelve weeks down and fifteen more to go my friend.  See you in Muncie!

The Quest for Fred - One Month In (Feb 1, 2016)

One month of training down and six more to go before the Muncie Ironman 70.3. The first month of training certainly didn't disappoint and I look forward to carrying the momentum I gained into month two. As you might imagine, there has been no shortage of soreness, hunger, and crankiness. Heck, I could easily chalked that up to simply being 46 years old and out of triathlon shape. Without question, the training was easier towards the end of the month than in the beginning but difficult none-the-less. January produced 33 activities totaling 168.76 miles, 23hrs 55 min, and 14,437 calories.

While I'm happy with the results, I did have to manage through a few obstacles. First, winter weather here in Oxford is, shall I say, a HELL-OF-LOT-COLDER than Houston! Frozen fingers, ears, and toes after a long ride are the worst. Secondly, business travel proved to be a real speed bump with ensuring I stayed on the schedule. Lastly, sleep deprivation, whether associated with the business travel or the normal routines of life was also very challenging.

There were a few positives I wasn't expecting. Physically, I've shed four pounds and 4% body fat. My swim training has gone better than expected and I find myself looking forward to hitting the pool on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This differs than in the past where I would get to a point that I hated even seeing a body of water. I'm striving to keep this positive mindset going as I continue deeper into my plan. The run portion of my training has also been very enjoyable. I've been running the Whirlpool Trails and find its surrounding nature to be serene and extremely comforting. I lose myself to its quietness, free of all distractions such as email, cell phones, and noise in general. 

My mind is still laser focused on the end goal, which is to finish this "Quest for Fred" in Muncie. When I find that my body isn't responding positively or I'm wearing down during the long hours of training, I just ask Fred to stick with me and then I can hear him encouraging me on saying "Come on Stevo...your'e almost there!". Amazingly, I find that hidden strength to get through it. Fred may not be here with us physically but he is damn sure with me spiritually every time I head out for another long swim, bike, or run. 

Thank you Fred...one month down and six more to go my friend.  See you in Muncie!

BILL FRED HAECKER - The Man, The Myth, The LEGEND! (January 11, 2016)

This post is about my dear friend, Bill Haecker, that passed away on October 13, 2015. Sadly, this was just three days after his 66th birthday. He was on a trip from Texas back to his hometown of Muncie, IN with his beautiful wife Connie, when he had an unfortunate accident.

Bill, affectionally known as Fred, was one of the most genuine and caring human beings I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. He was larger than life and never took on a task, trivial or monumental, at less than 100%. He had voracious appetite for knowledge and sports as well as an undying loyalty to friendship. Heck, Fred was the epitome of "not an expert in one thing but rather knows a little bit about a lot of things".

Fred was not only inspirational, he was an extremely positive influence on my life and many others. I recognized this unshakeable and positive quality the moment I met him. His personality had its own gravitational pull and you couldn't help but to feel great about yourself after spending a few minutes with him. I feel confident in saying that they broke the mold with Fred and my life is certainly better for knowing him.

So how do I honor such a legendary person? An Ironman 70.3 of course! I felt the only appropriate way to honor Fred is through a little blood, sweat, and tears...namely the Muncie 70.3 Ironman on July 9th. While this will not be my first Ironman 70.3 or most likely my last, it will be the one that means the most to me personally.  My journey for Fred, (aka training), began Monday January 4th and will end on Saturday July 9th when I cross the finish line.