Kill the Man, Become the Monster

I remember the summer after high school.
I worked at FedEx loading trucks from 3-9 in the morning, did landscaping all day, and then worked at a restaurant at night.
A good night was 4 hours of sleep.
Although insane, I held a certain amount of pride in being able to do such a thing...and I was rich that summer.
If only I knew where that money went..but I digress.

I bring up the summer of 2001 because I am set to go on a whole new level of sleep deprivation.
Many of you know I've been seeking advice from Pete Lefferts, the only American Deca-Iron athlete at the World Championships last year.
Yes, 10 Ironmans. Yes, all in one go.
Yes, swimming 24 miles, biking 1120, and running 262.
Get your head around that.
He's telling me I need to do about a week at a time with no sleep, except for 45 minute naps here and there.
Anybody can gut 1 night out on the course, but he says, it's the second night, running through the night after already biking all night the night before that's the tough part.

The crew becomes essential on the second night and during the third day, because the athlete has turned into a robot and can no longer really think for themselves. The crew needs to know what the athlete needs just by looking at him.

In talking with Pete yesterday, I am more fired up than I ever have been about an event. It kind of reminds me of training for my first half ironman. The fear; the not knowing what to expect or how it's all going to unravel.
People keep asking me why I'm doing it.
It's the training. It's the challenge. I need to know if I can do it.
If I can, a whole new realm of my life will be opened.

Race Across America, Ultraman, Great Divide Race, Self Transcendence, Swimming the English Channel, Eco Challenge, Primal Quest, Le Tour Ultime.
Google any of these, and you will find they are some of the hardest races in the world.

People keep telling me that what I am doing is awesome, and I am only humbled because what I have done thus far, in the words of Ricky Bobby, "isn't worth a picture of a whale and a dolphin getting it on".
I haven't accomplished anything yet. Lots of people run 50 miles.
Some do 100, some do 200.
Yiannis Kouros has run 1000 miles in 10 days.
A Triple Ironman is an accomplishment that only a handful of people in the world can say they've done.
Am I too young?
I guess we'll find out.

kp