2010 Road to Madison – All Aboard – IMwhatIM

By car, from my door step to Madison, WI is 268-miles and takes just about 4-1/2 hours (dependent on the number of rest stops and breaks along the way). But what fun would that be? Anyone with a car, $25 for gas, and a half-day can do that.

As with last year, the road I’ve chosen for us is much more interesting. It will take us nearly another 7-months and by the time we arrive at the starting line in Madison, we will have once again traveled a long but memorable road.

The fact is, to arrive in Madison prepared to finish this journey, we will swim 225-miles, bike 3,960-miles, and run another 935-miles just to get to the starting line.

This years plan also has a few stops along the way, just brief moments in time, opportunities to pause and reflect on our progress. Oh I’m sure we’ll have a few additional unplanned stops along the way but here is what I’ve planned so far.

The first stop this year is new! Campwannrunamileormore – 1/2 Marathon, sponsored by Tri fitness. Now that’s a mouth full. Tri Fitness is a great little store in White Bear that caters to the endurance athlete. Stop in and tell them that Miles sent you! The race takes place at 8:00 AM on 10 April @ Bald Eagle Regional Park, in white Bear Township. I leave later that day. Off to the UK for business, hopefully the exercise will tire me out and help me sleep on the plane.

Next, The Minnesota Ironman Bicycle® Ride, now in its 44th year, is the longest running century bike ride in Minnesota. This year I’ve registered us for the 100-mile ride again. I don’t think I’ll ever forget last year’s adventure…read more. The event this year is on Sunday, 25 April. I’ve been trying to talk a few others into joining me. It would be nice to have someone to draft. The ride takes place in Lakeville MN, and is the official start to the cycling season in the upper Midwest.

Another new event on the schedule this year is the Oakdale Duathlon sponsored by Vacation Sports. The event is to be held on Saturday, 15 May. Over the past few years I have done several of Randy’s events. They are typically fun, low-key, safe events. I take advantage of the earlier bird registration so these events have been extremely economical. The race takes place in the Lake Elmo Park Reserve. The reserve is a beautiful 2165 acre square mile park with 80 percent of its acreage set aside for preservation and protection. This should be a great warm up for the first of my three A-Races which follow.

The first of my three A-Races for 2010, is the Buffalo Triathlon. The event takes place in Buffalo, MN, on 06 June. This race continues to be one of my favorites, the Buffalo Triathlon is an Olympic distance race, with the swim in Buffalo lake. Last year the weather was less then ideal. For a trip down memory lane click here to read more…

Sunday, 17 July,we’ll be at Frank Murphy Park, on the Door County Peninsula, in Wisconsin for the 3rd rendition of the Door County half-iron Triathlon. This is my second A-Race of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed this race last year. This challenging Half Iron course begins with a 1.2 mile swim in the clear waters of Horseshoe Bay. The 56 mile bike route travels along Door County’s scenic backroads, through the main retail district in Sturgeon Bay, along the shipping channel, out and back on a wooded back road and gradually ascends 200 feet up the famed Door County Bluff before returning to Murphy Park. The 13.1 mile run course takes participants north to the Egg Harbor Dock, up Harbor Heights Road, through the village of Egg Harbor, up the infamous Bluff Pass Road (200 foot climb in 1/2 mile), and through the stacked stone fences of Horseshoe Bay Golf Course before a downhill descent to the finish line.

The third and final A-Race of the year! The Ford Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon. To read about last years event click here.

It goes without out saying, this is REALLY not the destination. Just as in life, it’s not really about the destination, it’s the journey that matters. Over the past few years I have met some amazing people, have formed numerous new friendships. I’m always amazed when I speak to others who have taken to the endurance sport life style with the excitement and passion they have. We are all in different places along our paths. Some of us are training to do our first 5k or sprint triathlon, others are on their way to Boston or Kona, and still others, just trying to find time to get out for a walk a few times a week. No matter where you are on your path, its okay, just keep looking, planning, striving for the next destination, and enjoy the journey!