Ironman Louisville Update: The Reward of Going Uphill Is Going Downhill

A part of being on the road to Hawaii is realizing that my objective may take longer than I thought it would. I've learned to accept that, while my son, Bob, can say he wants to go to Hawaii on a specific date, I may not be able to make that guarantee in the same time frame. The benefit in this is that I'm learning patience more than I ever have when it comes to my training. Part of being a mature athlete is realizing that, as much as I'd like to believe I can control time, sometimes time controls me. Although I believe in circular time, I live in linear time. So, sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish everything I'd like to.

At the same time, my training is going extremely well - I'm improving in every aspect. I'm a better swimmer and much better cyclist than I was 26 years ago, but I'm not as good a runner. What used to be my strength is now my weakest sport, and that's ok. Believe it or not, I'm actually enjoying cycling, the sport I used to hate the most. I love being able to cover a lot of distance in a short amount of time. When I'm in Las Vegas (2 weeks out of the month), I ride in the mountains, which is a real thrill for me having lived in Florida since 1981.

I have 11 weeks to go until Louisville, and I'm starting to implement more effort. I'm concentrating the next 3 months on bike-run transitions. Unfortunately, the ocean has been very uninviting, and I haven't been getting in open water swims. That's a problem. I'm looking forward to calmer water, but that's not up to me. All in all, i feel great. I'm maintaining my weight (198 to 200 lbs all the time), even though I'm not eating as clean as i should. I eat pizza, sweet potatoes and the occasional bread, so I can't be as lean as i want to be because of the carbs, but i need them for energy.

I'm surprised at how much fun it is to become an athlete again at this level, and I'm not disappointed in my failures. I'm much more patient with myself. I was with my son this morning, he said he thinks I'm doing extremely well. With three kids, he's struggling just like I am. But, like I say, the reward of going uphill is going downhill.

Andy Coan: My Swim Coach & Mentor

Andy Coan remains one of the world's best and most inspiring swimmers, and someone I have had the pleasure of being coached by, not once but twice. We first met in 1984, when I was in need of a swim coach for my first Ironman. I was 43, he was 26. We ended up learning a great deal from each other, formed a great friendship and stayed in touch over the years. I happened to come across him again recently while I was - you guessed it - looking for a swim coach for my return to Ironman.


Some background about Andy: In 1974, as a 10th grader in high school, he went :20.6 in the 50 and :45. 85 both National Prep School Records. As a junior, he set an American Record in the 100 Free at :43.99 swimming for Pinecrest Prep school. He had the second-fastest time in history in the 50 Free at :20.19 right behind John Trembly, which was a National Prep school record. He had a great AAU season, winning the 1975 100 Free at Short Course Nationals and qualifing for the World Championship team. His high point was at the WC meet which he won the gold medal and set a World Record in the 100 Meter Free. He had a great career at the University of Tennessee - In 1978 he won 2 individual events (50 and 100 Free) and the 400 Free Relay in helping Tennessee win the NCAA Championship. In 1979 at the NCAA he won 2 individual events (100 and 200 Free) setting American Records in the process and was upset by Rowdy Gaines in the 50 Free. His times in the 100 was :43.25 and the 200 was 1:35.62. That spring he had the fastest times in the country for the 50, 100, and 200 Free and looked like a sure bet to make the 1980 team.


Shortly after the 1979 NCAA, Andy got into a car accident in which he broke both wrists and suffered a hairline fracture of the right kneecap. The doctors said he would never swim again. He was in the hospital for 3 months and had like 9 operations to put screws, pins, and plates in his hand. After being out of competiton for a year he amazingly went to the 1980 NCAA and WON the 50 Free. After that meet, and with the Olympic boycott, he retired from swimming. Here's a bit of Andy's perpective.

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I’ll never forget the day Dr. Willix walked onto pool deck and marched straight up to Jack Nelson, my coach at the time and one of the greatest American swimming coaches in the world, and said, “Coach Nelson, I want to do the Ironman and my weakest event is swimming.” Coach Nelson looked into the pool and said, “I want to introduce you to world record holder, Andy Coan. Andy, I want to intro you to Dr. Willix. Take care of him.”

So I asked Dr. Willix for a couple things in return. I said, “Please help me. I’m fairly good with my diet, but in the middle of the day I feel like someone took a syringe and sucked the energy out of me.” He had me keep a food diary for a week, and explained to me, after he’d seen it, that he’d have a tough time feeding this to his dog. Maybe he said it more nicely than that. At any rate, he changed some really basic things and made a dramatic difference to me. Basically, he said to cut out white bread and white rice, and that you can’t ever eat too many vegetables or drink too much water.

He and I are identical in regard to the importance we place on Staying young at heart. I stay as healthy as I can. I eat well and work out almost daily. And the greatest thing is, at 53 years old, I am the single father 6-year-old boy, Richard, and we just don’t stop. I love working with kids. I coach some middle and high school kids locally, in addition to the masters. Some of my oldest swimmers are the youngest at heart. I taught 10-month-old babies how to swim and I freakin’ loved it.

Dr. Willix has become an outstanding biker, and running is something he’s always been good at. He has a drive like very, very few people I’ve ever met in my life, which makes my work with him easier. As I work with him, I have to understand to take it one step at a time. He’s usually ready to go on to the next step before I am. His drive is very refreshing to me. I give him 20 seconds to rest, and in 10 seconds he’s ready to go.

Dr. Willix is going to go exactly where he wants to go in life, and I will be there with him. I admire him for the things he has done. It’s an honor that he came back and grabbed me. I think we both look each other that way. We bend our schedules and we will get there. He will get there.

My advice to everyone is, take the first step. That’s something I do every morning. Today is a new step, and Dr. Willix is a new step in my life. Don’t be set in your ways. If I was, I would look at Dr. Willix, and think, ‘I can’t make time.’ You have to make time.

I chose to step away from a lot of what my business is (I was in medical sales for years and years). I took a break and spent a lot of time with my son, and I thought, I’ll never get this chance back. I chose that, just as I chose a place for Dr. Willix. People always give you advice; they say, “It goes so fast, take pictures.” But I’ve been real lucky to do so many things. To go all over the world, set records, accomplish things in the business world. But my time with my son is so enjoyable. If I choose ‘a’ or ‘b,’ and ‘b’ is more fun, I’m going down that road.

My son teaches me so many things. My perspective is not what I can get done in a business sense, it’s that I can’t wait till 2 o’clock to pick him up. People get immersed in work, and suddenly it’s 7 at night, and they think, ‘I have to go get my kids.’ That absolutely is not going to happen, even if I give up a large part of my income.

My son and I run and dive and play. I’m 53 and doing flips into the pool, and my kid is right behind me. He does a lot of things as a 6 year old that I do behind him, in front of him, or with him. I enjoy working with kids. Kids just do that in general. They give you a youthful insight that you may have forgotten, or learned something totally new.

My son and I were out during the Super Moon. Ever since he was little, we talked about the man on the moon. I asked my son on that night, “What do you think he’s doing?” He looks up there, pauses, and says, “I think he’s playing kickball.” Ask questions and listen. In business, you’re always looking for an angle. There are no angles with kids.

Dr. Willix has worked hard to have a choice. He’s worked diligently for years to create this opportunity for himself, and it did not come easily. For that, I will always have great admiration for him.