I should have never gotten off the couch in the late summer of 2000. I was content as a couch potato. A real champ. Many years running. I was watching the World Ironman Triathlon Championships on TV and saw Dick Hoyt do incredible human feats with his disabled son during that race. So I said (out-loud to my wife, Brenda), if he could do that for his son, I could run a marathon...which was one of a few items my "bucket list". Uh-oh. Pushed it a bit too far this time. Problem was, I spoke quite often over the previous 6 years I had known Brenda about how I was going to run a marathon someday. MY SOMEDAY HAD ARRIVED!! I was given THE ULTIMATUM nobody wants to receive...and I quote..."Ken, either sh*t or get off the pot. I'm tired of hearing about you are going to run a marathon". Yep...major UH-OH. I had been called out...like the boy in A Christmas Story, I had been triple-dog-dared. No backing down now. Goodbye couch, hello training. And ...I ran my first marathon 4 months later in Tampa. Exhilerating. Exhausting. Time consuming. Exhilerating, exhilerating, exhilerating....
(cue flash-forward sound effect...Back to real-time)...
I know what you are thinking..."Ken, stick to the 5k or 10k races". Sure, seems simple. But it isn't. No glory in going short. I used to do those - get too winded..and over quick. Half-marathon (13.1 miles)? Did a bunch of those. Became old hat. Even bigger than a marathon was necessary. So in 2008, I did 40 miles over 2-days. Why? Because it was a challenge (and Disney World was giving away 3 medals if you did a 1/2 and full marathon over the 2-days. The bling is the thing!). But deep down, while I dislike the training...I love the challenge, and knew what was ahead for me. GO BIG. REAL BIG.
Ultra-distance big. And I have a habit of making statements in public about what I my personal goals are - talk about making a commitment! So rather than go about this effort quietly. I am shouting it from the rooftops. Wrote letter to a few hundred people, started this blog, have had buttons ,dragged in a friend, etc, etc, etc. And decided that the Gudeman's and Neuroblastoma Cancer Research could benefit. This is big!
Yes, the body can achieve what the mind believes. And I believe the next 6 months are going to be so much fun!
So back to the weakest link. I know, that you know, that I know I can do this. However, I am no Lynn Pettus when it comes to running. Maybe in 2008 I was, but lets get one thing straight...something that she was too humble to admit a few weeks ago. Lynn is running the Boston Marathon next month. Oh yes, she qualified last year, while I was simply dragging my lazy ass from couch-to-couch thinking BIG. Lynn=fast. Ken=slow.
And in this Transrockies team event, where our two-person team must stay within 2 minutes of each other at all times (better be quick on those potty breaks), Team 113 For Emmah is only as good as the weakest link.
As Anne Robinson would say...."Ken Bansemer. You may have the brains, you may have the looks (ok, I added that), but you are...the weakest link...goodbye."
KEIYH
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