Who or what inspired you?

The one thing about Ironman training is that you are the pleasure of your own company. With all the swimming and biking and running, I've spent far too many hours in my own head. Most of the time its plays like a "best of" reel of Seinfeld clips and show tunes. With the occasional suppressed adolescent episode just for grins. 

This weekend somewhere between miles "I feel great" and "how much longer," I got to thinking - what got me into taming the three headed monster? Why did I ever decide to do this?

I mean, I can tell you exactly when the running bug first bit me...and then when it almost left me for not working on our relationship. I can tell you my first road race (Crim 10 miler '92). I can even tell you what I was wearing (all cotton...Chaaa. Fing!)

But what about triathlon? And then it hit me. Marty. It was Marty who put this idea into my head.

Marty went from couch to triathlon (I'm not entirely certain about that). Even doing escape from Alcatraz.  It was Marty's tail of triathlon conquests that got me thinking, "hey, that sounds about right." And before you can figure out how to spell Faris Al-Sultan I was in Grand Rapids, Michigan in August of 2005 toeing the line for my very first triathlon.

Thanks for the push Marty.

So who or what inspired you to get off the couch?