Saturday, October 31, 2015

Sean Astin's Ironman World Championship Triathlon Race Report

Submitted by Sean Astin @SeanAstin

Beyond Victory: The DNA of an Endurance Everyman.
A tough look at the guts, gristle and mechanics of my drive to do more.

Ok, that's a bit of a heavy opener, but I've been dragging my heels on posting a race report for my epic Ironman Championship Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii on October 10th, 2015.

Why? Well, I've been incredibly focused on the minutia and often esoteric athletic details in my mind and spirit. It will seem silly to many that the impression I give focuses on my feelings about the physical stuff, when I should be happy with having achieved something wonderful regardless of where I "stack up" in the 2000+ field of participants (for the record, at the very bottom—no matter, I FINISHED yaaayyy!!!), or anyone in the sport for that matter. But in a real way, I want to honor the fact that I've earned my way into a legitimate conversation on the topic, and therefore it does matter to me.

So, for those of you interested in wading into the deep recesses of my post race analysis, please understand that I am forever grateful for all of the joy, health and success that I experienced. My desire to offer encouragement to others, particularly those who don't have athletic ambitions beyond perhaps common sense fitness is in no way diminished. In fact, I hope that people at any phase of health in their life can appreciate that I wish to explore my "failings" (of course they aren't actual failures). I shudder to think that sharing any of my "harsh" self analysis might be construed as anything other that a celebration of my limitations and my earnest desire to understand them better. In the final analysis, I will triumphantly return to my more enlightened modality. I trust that I will gracefully transition into a perspective that understands the context of my experience within a broader social and cultural reality. Meaning, most people don't and won't do Triathlons, and I have much more in common with "normal" exercisers than I do with disciplined and regular endurance athletes. It's all relative, and I promise I have no intention of going too far down the rabbit hole and obsessing needlessly about my performance or consigning my future to a more ludicrous ambition than I or my supportive wife and children think is healthy.

Without further ado, I hereby stream some consciousness flowing from the first few weeks after becoming an Ironman!

Monday, October 5, 2015

Ironman Kona #Run3rd Dedications


On October 10, 2015, I will participate in the Ironman Championship Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii. I will wear the #Run3rd logo all 140.6 miles of the journey. As I swim, cycle and run, the dedications that you all have made and continue to make will come with me. Thank you all so much. I #Run3rd for you.

Much love and respect,
Sean
~~~

kstevens73 Please #Run3rd for my niece, Mara, who has Downs Syndrome and is on the Autism Spectrum. She turns 13 this month.

wendylynnes Please #Run3rd for my strong & incredibly brave Mom who is fighting breast cancer. And all who are fighting breast cancer.

kaysifajardo Please #Run3rd for my best friend with Leukemia

carachapel Please #Run3rd for all the poor families and friends of the people killed at Umpqua Community College.