Chris at The Lake Placid Ironman, 2002

Why Ironman?
I was in need of a physical and mental challenge this summer. What could be better than the ultimate endurance race, the Ironman, to satisfy my craving? I decided, with 18 members of our triathlon team, to train for and compete in the Lake Placid, New York Ironman on July 28, 2002.

An Ironman race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile, marathon-distance run. Everyone who trains for an Ironman learns something about himself or herself. I learned that I could do anything that I want if I have a well-laid plan. My training was systematic and progressive, and my body adapted to the distances.

Although, there were peaks and valleys in both my mental and physical energy systems, I never took for granted how fortunate I am to be able to do a long endurance event. As a physical therapist, I see the mental anguish that accompanies an injury. The injured athlete often has difficulty seeing themselves healthy and returning to competition. This is what drives the mission of Presidio Sport & Medicine-designing individualized and goal-oriented programs that enhance our patients' active lifestyles through physical therapy, conditioning and wellness.

At the end of a grueling day, I realized that I was able to do all the activities I love-- swimming, biking, running, eating, thinking, talking to friends-for a LONG PERIOD of time! What an incredible experience!

I love a systematic approach to a goal…whether it be an Ironman race, growing a business, or helping a patient return to an active lifestyle stronger and healthier than ever before!

Those words resonate very strongly inside of me still. Before then, there were many training days that the fog was so thick, the wind was howling or the rain was pouring down, that I just didn't feel like riding. Or maybe the weather was perfect, and I just couldn't appreciate it. Since I heard her say those words, I often find myself asking... why do I ride? Now I know…."BECAUSE I CAN!!!"

Training for and completing this Ironman was a celebration of life - of what I can do.

I started with a thirty-minute swim in the San Francisco bay. I ate to gain weight for protection from exposure to the cold. Thirty minutes moved into an hour, which turned into two hours. Each long swim was a test of my physical and mental endurance. Sometimes I succeeded, sometimes I failed, but I came away from each swim with a lesson learned.

It is so cliché to say that you cross the English Channel one stroke at a time, but this is the truth. Each training swim is a stroke, each extra half hour in the cold water is a stroke. Eventually the cold does not bother you. Eventually you become comfortable in your own mind as the miles fall away and you are able to view each wave that topples you as a small piece of a much larger picture.

Swimming the English Channel is an abstract goal, but during training I was continually inspired by the patients I worked with at Presidio Sport & Medicine. Recovering from an injury can be a long road. Many patients view their recovery as a challenge, never losing sight of the much larger picture as they work to get back to 100%.

I arrived on the beached of France after 10 hours and 51 minutes in the water. Many thanks to PSM and those patients who inspired me.