As I mentioned not too long ago, my wife Kathryn and I have decided that we will do another IronMan triathlon. Despite some serious concerns about the health of my ankle after completing IronMan Lake Placid in 2007, we are committed to doing more.

There was something about finishing an IronMan race—perhaps it was the combination of exhilaration, exhaustion and raw emotion that makes me want to do it again.

Or maybe it is something simpler like getting better; seeing how much I can improve. Armed with the knowledge of what it takes to just finish the race, we are now embarking on a long 18 month journey to complete IronMan Lake Placid in 2009. We know what it takes to get by; now we want to see what it takes to do well.

So, we’ve taken a number of steps to see exactly what we can accomplish. Here’s where I am:

1. I saw a sports medicine doctor about my ankle and was referred to an excellent physiotherapist. I was born with a club foot, so my left ankle and foot don’t match my right one; my left ankle is not as flexible and my foot hits the ground differently when I walk and run. I needed to make sure that I got this ankle of mine assessed properly and taken care of.
2. I hired a triathlon coach. Dave Harju, a two time IronMan champion who has incredible experience and history in triathlon and duathlon. He puts together my weekly training program and helps with our race selection and all other parts of putting together our plan as we move towards IM Lake Placid 2009.
3. I also hired a personal trainer to push me in terms of weight workouts and stretching. Why? Because I can’t be bothered to do it on my own. I need someone to be accountable to in this area. I’ve been working with the trainer for a couple of months now, and I’m noticing a big difference in my upper body strength.

All of this is to say, that it is all in the experience. Now that we’ve been through it, we know more of what to expect, and will (hopefully) be much better prepared for the next time around.