We did it, after 8 months of training Adam and I finished our 1st marathon. It wasn’t easy to do. Finding time to train, work, rest and have a life was more difficult and stressful than I ever imagined.
Despite that, we both enjoyed the whole experience so much that even before 10-10-10 we were talking about what to do next. During our training Adam had gotten into biking and the
discussion of a triathlon came up. The 1st time we talked about it I said“What a stupid idea Adam.”
Adam emailed me a link to a local, non-Ironman Tri in Florida, I looked at it and replied
“If we’re going to Florida, why not do an official Ironman?”
By official I meant an official Ironman sanctioned 70.3… Adam took it to mean FULL IRONMAN and from then on he won’t let it go… He wants to do the full 140.6 mile distance… 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run.
Whoa buddy… An argument broke out. He wanted to do a full and I wanted a half. So we’re leaving it up to you Chicago. Below you’ll can see arguments from both sides. Adam’s reason’s we should do a full and my reason’s we should do half.
After you’ve heard both sides you can cast your vote at the bottom… But there’s a catch. The winner has to solidify their win by winning a 30 day Nike+ Distance Challenge (who can run the most distance over 30 days).
Rules: The winner will be determined by popular vote, however the vote can be overturned if the losing party wins the 30-day Distance Challenge PLUS a one week Distance Challenge tie-breaker.
My argument for the 1/2 Ironman:
I had a great time running on 10-10-10 and I’m in definite need of a new challenge. I think having something new to strive for is what kept me motivated leading up to the Marathon. But Full Ironman? Are you F^$^*ing nuts.
While training for CM10 I did the Rock N’ Roll 1/2 Marathon… HALF MARATHON! It was one of the many stepping stones to the big race. Now I’ll admit that we were already registered for 26.2 miles at that time. But in comparison, a marathon is not as intensive as an ironman would be. Getting ready and completing
Adam just did a century ride, and he told me about wanting to die around mile 80 (112 bike in the full vs. 56 in the half). And being that we drove home together after the Marathon I know the pain he was in that day, I’ve never heard someone make that kind of noise while going up stairs. So why on earth would you want to combine both of those events PLUS a 2.4 mile swim in one 17 hour day?
I have a lot of confidence I could finish a half Ironman and live to tell about it. I want to do a race where I not only accomplish something great, but enjoy the experience.
I think the logical people out there are going to be on my side… Plus Adam lives in Alaska, so voting for him is like voting for Sarah Palin! And finally… just as a side note, Adam has been pitching me an idea for a TV show called “Adam’s Bad Ideas”… Need I say more.
Adam’s Argument for the Full Ironman:
So recently my very best friend and training partner have completed our objective, a marathon, and I must say that this journey has been one of the most rewarding of my life. The thrill of the finish was just a part of this amazing experience. Together we worked through setbacks, motivation problems, scheduling issues, and even injury. With the 10/10/10 event and lessons learned now behind us we are looking for our next great adventure. Although we both agree that triathlons are where we want to put our energy there has been a lot of debate over our end goal. It is my position that the IRONMAN is the only logical step.
When Phil started running approximately a year ago, I thought that was great. And when he started setting his sights on a marathon about 10 months ago I was excited to be drawn into the insanity of it all. Over that year we both went from non-runners to part of the 0.1% of the population that has completed a marathon. What a giant accomplishment. 26.2 miles!!! A year ago Phil said, “No way! I don’t want to run a marathon, I just want to get in a little better shape.” And now we are in the same situation. 2.4 mile swim… 112 miles on a bicycle… AND THEN A MARATHON?!?!? You are OUT OF YOUR MIND… but how much different is that then two guys, two non-runners, deciding to run a marathon?
Now it has been argued that we should start small…. You know JUST a HALF IRONMAN… and perhaps there is some merit to that. But I would say that originally we didn’t set out to do a half-marathon, we set out to do a MARATHON. And while the half marathon was a crucial part of the training process, it was not the goal all in itself. We should set our sights high, and use the next year to really push ourselves outside of our comfort zones. Even though we have only completed one of the three legs of this ridiculous triathlon, we will be able to use the lessons learned during our marathon training to will make this giant step possible.
In closing, a year is a long time to train for a single event. In order to use that time best, the goal needs to be big enough so that it will capture the imagination for the entire year. I want to thank you for listening to my point of view and ask for your vote for the FULL IRONMAN but most of all I would like to thank you for participating in this process. Your vote not only decides how we set our goals, but also helps provide some motivation for achieving those goals… cause hey, right now 2.4/112/26.2 seems like a pretty impossible accomplishment…. Unless we find one that allows motorized vehicles.
Voting will last 7 Days, and then the Distance Challenge will begin.
Phil Castello 
Half Ironman is the way to go!
Triathlon training is intense. Why not do the half this year and a full the following year?
That’s what I’m sayn’ Matt! Thanks for reading!