I was so excited to race my 5th Ironman in Madison this past weekend on such an important day – 9/11.  It’s been 3 years since my last 140.6.  I’ve had a good season thus far and as I told my friend Biz the night before the race, I was looking forward to the run.  [...]

I wrote this when I was 8 years old. Like most kids, I loved to run, but as I turned into a teen, running got harder, or I got lazier. I’m thinking the latter is more accurate. I dreaded pre-season field hockey in August in New Jersey humidity. Running 8 times around the track at [...]

The places running takes you…
I love racing because it takes me places I would normally never venture to… like running with 40,000 others over the Verrazano Bridge from Staten Island into Brooklyn, the energy lab in Kona, the 42nd yard-line of Sun Devil Stadium, the middle of the Pacific Coast Highway, Baltimore Zoo, La Crema [...]

Lyrics from one of my favorite songs by The Hours ran through my mind yesterday throughout the entire race.
“It’s, not, where you are, It’s where you’re going, Where are you going?
“It’s, not, about the things you’ve done, it’s what you’re doing, now, what are you doing, now? “
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxNX5M_XSeA )
Being present is key while [...]

May 26, 2010
I am flying to The Big Island in a week to race Hawaii 70.3.  I have not been back since the World Championships in 2008.  I am very much looking forward to returning and also racing on some of the Ironman course.  I did this race back in 2007 and had a blast.  [...]

I cannot believe it’s been over a year since my last journal entry where I was on the plane back from Kona and the Ironman World Championships. So much has happened, and I will spare details…but it’s been a wild ride and I am finally back to a place where I feel like I’m “Michele” [...]

I’m on the plane back to the main land …finally have some focus to write about my race experience at the Ironman World Championships on October 11th.
Had a decent sleep the night before the race. Got about 5 hours of solid straight sleep. When I woke up, I laid in bed until about [...]

Yesterday I started my day with my ritual coffee and banana followed by dry whole wheat waffle before I ran for 30 minutes. The run felt great- easy pace, just waking up the legs and I finished feeling very pleased — my legs feel light and strong.
Mel arrived Tuesday night after an 18 hour [...]

I went to bed last night at 7:30 and up at 3:30… just absolutely tired from the day of travel. Last night my legs felt heavy and feet .. yup, definitely have pigs feet! We ate at the house after a long food shop and the kitchen is stocked. Just to [...]

LAX airport. It’s 6:45 am and our flight is at 9. We live so close to John Wayne Airport and are totally spoiled with cutting things close getting to the airport. But this morning we are flying out of LAX and you never know what the traffic situation is like in these parts. [...]

My last morning at home before flying to kona. Up around 4:30ish with my ritual java and shared banana with CJ. The babies check into the Dog Park Inn later this afternoon. I always get bummed leaving them, but know they are in good hands.
Training wise, all I have to do today [...]

Taper is officially here! I went to bed last night at 8pm and got out of bed just after 4 am. Packing for Kona is on my mind as I am leaving a week from today. I’ve been receiving phone calls and emails from friends wishing me luck, asking if I’m [...]

I woke up from an Ironman nightmare!
It was the morning of Ironman, but not Kona. The weather was chilly and damp and I did not have the proper clothing to keep me dry and warm. The bathroom at the place I was staying was broken and looked much like a fraternity house bathroom [...]

Getting sick was bound to happen. Last week I really felt like my HR was high. On Thursday morning, my head felt like it was going to explode, then came the sore throat.
Yup, I’m sick. So I took 3 days off- completely. I’m starting to get back into the groove and the [...]

I received a letter in the mail yesterday from my massage therapist that blows me away… I’ve been a client of Mark Dixon, NCTMB, HHP for a little over two years. He has helped me prepare for numerous races, aided in my detox program from prescription medications, helped me manage my stress – both [...]

Where does the time go?
These past couple weeks have been the best and most challenging training weeks to date. Last week I topped out at 29 hours. Normally, this should have been 23 hours, but I took an emergency day off the week prior for exhaustion. So this left me with 2 [...]

I have a huge surge of excitement… not from training, but from FACEBOOK! Who knew that this crazy website, which allows you to connect with old friends who you may have lost touch with over the years, would bring so much joy into my life. Insane, madness!
At first, I was hesitant to “ask” someone [...]

It’s been a long time since my last confession, I mean journal entry! I traveled back east to NC to visit Mom & John. I wanted to get a visit in before Kona training cranked up. I forgot how hot and humid NC is in the summer. The Todd’s made a [...]

I had an awesome day Sunday at Ironman Coeur d’Alene! I truly enjoyed my experience… and for many reasons. This is long… get comfortable!
CDA is just gorgeous. Derek did this race last year so I was familiar with the course, but didn’t really appreciate it until I was the one doing it! Everyone was so [...]

We leave tomorrow morning for CDA. I’m just about packed – race countdown – 5 days away.
It’s hard not to reflect on all the elements that got me here. I’m a sap- a very emotional person in general and anyone who has ever done an Ironman before can relate to the feelings you have this [...]

Many years ago, Race Directors had one thing in mind, to put on a quality race forthe competitor. Many of these Race Directors were volunteers and spent long hours making the course, not only interesting, but challenging. There are two race directors that come to mind: Fred LeBow and Valerie Silk.
Fred was the President of [...]

I remember the first time I was subjected to random violence for no reason. I was standing on a subway platform in NYC waiting for my train to lower Manhattan; the passing express train had a group of teenagers with the side window open, (back then subways did not have AC) and one half empty [...]

In the Rocky movie I saw Balboa run through the Italian Market with the 55 gallon drums fired up to burn the empty crates and keep your hands warm; the 1st and 2nd runs up to the Art Museum were also moments in the film you do not forget. Rocky also talked about being left [...]

In 1979 I had an idea to open a Running Store out west; wanting to leave the NY rat race for Colorado or Arizona. If you live and work in Manhattan you have seen it all. The crowded subways…just for fun take the subway from Manhattan to the Bronx to see the Yankees play; I [...]

It was the beginning of November 1982; I had just returned from the Hawaii Ironman and was recovering nicely. I went to a party in NYC thrown by Ambrose Salmini, sport film maker and fellow NYAC Member. Stu Middleman, ultra marathoner extraordinaire and Hawaii Ironman finisher was also at the party. In Hawaii, I trained a [...]

I started running in the spring of 1972, I was living in Manhattan with my wife and 1 year old daughter, Melanie. I had just finished a 28 day stay at Columbia Hospital to cure a cluster of ulcers in my stomach, developed from stress, a bad diet and lack of exercise. My Doctor said [...]

Kona Hawaii October 11, 2008
Ironman Triathlon World Championship
Swim 2.4 Miles Bike 112 Miles Run 26.2 Miles
I’m standing on the balcony of a restaurant looking out to the swim start; there is a Navy Ship in the bay, a floating sentry watching out for the Navy Seals in this race who want to conquer the Ironman. [...]

The water is 59 degrees, 6 degrees warmer than earlier in the week, the race director’s allow you to wear booties to help prevent hypothermia.
It’s 7AM and the cannon goes off. 2,000 triathletes hit the water running. From my position, it looks like a swarm of blue fish on the Jersey Shore devouring [...]