ismael chang ghalimi

Vineman Ironman 70.3

Two and a half years ago, I made the decision to compete in the legendary Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, before I turn 45. At the time, I had never run for more than a mile, and the longest distance I had ever completed on a bike was about 20 miles. Back when I was 16, I swam 2 miles with Nicolas, one of my lifelong friends, and the one who first told me about the Ironman. And that was about it. So attempting to complete a 2.4 miles swim, followed by a 112 miles bike ride, and wrapped up by a 26.2 miles run (marathon) was a bit ambitious. And thinking of doing it in the most competitive race of the kind was definitely one of the craziest goals I had ever set for myself.

31 months later, I must say that I am quite pleased with this project’s side effects. The goal of completing this race is totally meaningless in and by itself. If I even qualify, it won’t be for my athletic capabilities, but for my luck at the lottery (I hope). And if I manage to participate, all I hope is to complete the race before it closes, 17 hours after it started. What has meaning is the 12 year long training program that I am putting together. Like a life traveler, what matters to me is the journey, not the destination.

In order to get there, I first completely changed my diet. I eat beef once a month in Japan, poultry whenever I’m in France (once a quarter), and lamb if I find myself in an Arabic speaking country (does not happen very often). Pork is out. My diet is high on proteins, low on carbohydrates, and complemented by a healthy cocktail of dietary supplements. I also make it a point to eat healthy when traveling.

Next, I started working out, going to the gym five days a week at 5 or 6am. I lift weights three days a week and attend a spinning class for another two. Starting next week, I will run on Saturdays and do a long bike ride on Sundays. I also swim 2km a day whenever I am traveling and staying at a hotel with a swimming pool. Finally, I started planning for my first races.

My goal is to complete a full Ironman race sometime in 2011 or 2012. In order to get there, I must start with shorter ones, either the Olympic distance (0.9m swim, 24.9m ride, 6.2m run) or the Half Ironman distance (1.2m swim, 56m ride, 13.1m run). I can swim a mile in 40 minutes, bike 25 miles in 50 minutes, and run 6 miles in an hour, so the Olympic distance is not much of a challenge. As a result, I have recently decided to go for the Half Ironman distance right away. It is known as Ironman 70.3 (1.2 + 56 + 13.1 = 70.3). If all goes as planned, I will participate in the Vineman Ironman 70.3 in Sonoma County, CA on July 18, 2010.

By the time I turn 45, I hope that my journey to Kona will have taught me a healthier lifestyle. I will eat better, workout every day, and harmoniously balance the demands of my professional and personal lives.

That’s the goal, at least.

Wish me luck!

Update: I have registered to Ironman 70.3 Hawaii instead.

Wow…

Very motivational. Let me know what kind of training/diet you are going through.

Good luck!

Carlos,

My training is published there.

I take quite a few natural supplements.

I only eat beef in Japan, poultry in France, lamb in Arabic-speaking countries, and pork on the Moon (does not happen very often). My diet is made of a protein-rich shake after a 5am workout, fish and rice for lunch, and vegetable soup for dinner. I also add a couple of protein bars throughout the day. My diet will evolve to include more carbohydrates as I get closer to the race. On a regular basis, this diet is very low on carbohydrates and fats. Most of the carbohydrates I eat are taken at breakfast and lunch, never at dinner. Also, the caloric intake goes down throughout the day, with breakfast having the most calories (over 1,000), lunch being smaller (750 calories), and dinner being very light (never more than 500 calories). I also add two protein bars of 250 calories each, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Last but not least, I drink plenty of water throughout the day.