Kevin Meeks, Age 33
by Margaret Sheridan, Chicago Tri Club Member 

When Kevin Meek talks about Ironman, the 33-year-old Chicago Tri Club member refers to it as a "book of life" experience. Ever since he first watched an NBC broadcast as a 10-year-old in the early 1980s, an Ironman became a goal. Two Ironmans later, the project manager for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois looks for smaller events that require less training and more personal time.

"I used both Ironmans as a way to get in shape and motivate me to work out. I learned more along the way.''

He picked Ironman Canada in Penticton, British Columbia, for the races in 2001 and 2002. A lottery system, the IM Canada is chosen 14 days after the current year's race. "I knew 50 weeks in advance,'' he says. Its allure was the freshwater swim and proximity to his favorite cheering section, his family. His parents are Canadian, but he was born and raised in central Illinois.

"My goal for Ironman 2001 was just to finish. I hired an on-line coach to create all the workouts. With a full-time job, I put everything else on hold. Workouts came first. I sacrificed a lot of free time.'' Single, he stayed in touch with friends but spent less time with them. He gave up quiet time at home, hired a housecleaner, and put a job search on hold.

Today, Kevin jams in plenty of activities for Chicago Tri Club. "I'm busier than before. I am the Athletic Coordinator for the CTC, teach spinning two times a week, and coach for CES Sports twice a week.'' Rarely does he get home in the evening before 8 p.m.

"My goal for the second Ironman was about time. But I got injured in the middle of my training (partially torn Achilles), so the goal changed to ‘just finish’ again.''

The biggest challenge in training was maintaining the 9 to 5 job and getting 9 to 10 hours of sleep daily. A typical weekday was work, eat, hydrate, and 1.5 hours of training (swim, bike, or run). A competitive swimmer through grade school and college and a marathoner, cycling was Kevin’s weakest event. On some days, he trained in two sports. Weekends provided more time for longer workouts. The race itself was less difficult than he had anticipated. "It's a large goal, but if you break into smaller pieces, it is achievable. Sure, it hurts during the race, but I never thought about quitting.'' Discovering the Iron Spirit helped.

"The Iron Spirit in Penticton is everywhere. There are over 4,000 volunteers. Imagine that much support from a town of 15,000! The first 5 minutes of the swim are pretty intimidating. Bodies try to swim up on you. During the bike I reached speeds up to 48 mph on the downhill. A little intimidating, but thrilling. Despite aches in the back and minor cramping in the arms, the pain was tolerable.'' Cheering and cowbell-ringing by spectators helped. During the final 16 miles of the run, the mental takes over the physical to deal with cramps, feeling nauseous and bloating. Aid stations appear as the oases in the desert. "At this point most racers are doing the same thing [walking and jogging]. You help each other. At one aid station a volunteer yelled out ‘Pepsi’ and a racer responded ‘taxi.’ That's tri-humor.''

"Wisdom? The Ironman is doable. You must plan, then execute your plan. You can build your body to do the race, but are you prepared mentally? I was looking for a physical challenge, and I did it. The Ironman is not about a race. It is about setting a goal, making a plan, and living a healthy lifestyle."