“Life presents opportunities and challenges. The course of your life depends on how you respond to those opportunities and challenges.” Leonard Mlodinow
Shortly after dawn, on Sunday, June 1, 2008, Steve crested the hill that marked his arrival at Lucky Peak Reservoir. Normally at this time you’d see only fishermen, or maybe a few sail boarders hoping for the strong thermal winds that pick up at sunrise after hot summer days and cool nights on the water. But on this day, the reservoir was hosting avid sports men and women of a different variety. Triathletes. Ironmen.
This was Steve’s passion, and now, with the 7 a.m. start time looming, he was flooded with nervous excitement. After months of training he was about to put his body to the ultimate test. Would he be able to endure a 1.2-mile swim in frigid waters? Were his body and bicycle ready for the bike route – 56-miles of hilly terrain and stiff breezes? And after that, could his feet pound the ground to carry him the full 13.1-mile half-marathon distance along the familiar tree lined greenbelt, through Boise’s beautiful parks, and into the heart of the city? Would he be able to handle the unexpected obstacles and challenges that would inevitably present themselves?
As incredibly daunting as that day of competition may sound to the average person, the Boise 70.3 Ironman is technically a Half Ironman. For a full Ironman you double all of those distances. 140.6 total miles. Steve would achieve full Ironman status in the future, but on this day in 2008, the 70.3 mile distance would be challenging enough.
While a triathlon is a rigorous test of mental and physical fitness and endurance, it’s possible that the training is an even greater test of character. To develop the strength and stamina needed to finish a half Ironman, an athlete devotes countless hours to intense preparation. Six days a week, for several months, a training triathlete spends from one to six hours each day – week after week, month after month – swimming, biking, running, and strength training. The schedule is relentless. To persevere is demanding. To expend this much time and energy while successfully managing a career, raising children, and volunteering in the community requires incredible dedication, focus, and willpower.
Steve was a master at setting and achieving challenging goals, and this one was no different. He always put himself out there, with the courage to face his human vulnerabilities without fear. He had the grit to stay the course and successfully reach whatever he set his sights on. And while the goal of achieving Ironman status is deeply personal, and the path may appear to be very solitary, this wasn’t Steve’s approach. Determination and inner-strength were critical, but these weren’t the only qualities that paved his way to success.
For Steve, nothing in life was truly solo, there was no such thing as ‘individual competition’. He knew that having a good support system was important, and in his triathlon training efforts he had found incredible support. Through Boise’s Downtown YMCA, Tri Town, and the Aeros Club, he’d sought out and connected with skilled and motivating trainers and like-minded athletes who brought companionship and encouragement. And, on this day of competition, he had a gallery of friends and family ready to help him deal with unexpected difficulties and cheer him on to the finish line. He felt strong and confident.
Ultimately, however, covering that 70.3 mile course is a rigorous, and often times lonely, test of the individual. And yet, Steve was never alone. As the poet/philosopher David Whyte eloquently stated, “We have to remind ourselves about what’s first. We have so many allies in this world, including just the color blue in the sky, which we’re not paying attention to ~or the breeze ~ or the ground beneath our feet ~ Your greatest mistake is to act the drama as if you were alone.” Steve knew this, and this was the real advantage that he brought to the Lucky Peak Reservoir that early June morning.
The view of the Lucky Peak Reservoir in the early morning of this big race revealed a scene of pure energy. The start of a triathlon can only be described as electric, and Ironman 70.3 Boise may be even more frenzied than most. When over 1,000 athletes don wetsuits, prepare their bicycles and their minds, and deal with last minute crises – no amount of pre-planning and organization can create an atmosphere of calm and order. Add to that the little two-lane access road over the Lucky Peak Dam and the narrow space leading down to the Barclay Bay boat launch that served as the entry point for the swim competition, and you have a bit of chaos. Even with a paced wave start, it was crazy down there. Yet, somehow, the trained competitors managed to focus on their mission and work their way through the obstacles.
For this inaugural 70.3 Ironman Boise competition, Mother Nature added one more difficulty to an already tough day: low temperatures. Very low temperatures. The Lucky Peak water temperature was about 55° on that early June day. That level of cold is brutal, and some of the competitors dropped out of the race within minutes of plunging into the water. Some overcame the mental anguish brought on by the cold, only to succumb to physical anguish and severe cramping mid-way through the swim. Steve successfully completed the swim portion of the race with a time of 59:41:00.
After an hour in the extreme cold, Steve was chilled to the bone. Coming out of the water his feet were so numb that he barely felt the gravel and goat-heads as he half-ran, half-hobbled up the boat ramp to the bicycle holding area. He paused, quickly brushed off his feet, and then put on his cycling gear. The cold cost him some time in his transition and it was 4:58 before he was on his bike and starting the next leg of the race.
The bike phase of the race went pretty smoothly for Steve. The 56-mile ride took the competitors from the reservoir, located northeast of Boise, along the back roads that wound to the south and west of the city. Changing from foothills, to desert, to farmland, the terrain was varied and hilly, the sky was Idaho’s customary deep, cobalt blue, and the scenery was peaceful and pretty.
At a few points during the ride, Steve felt a little discomfort in his foot, and thought he probably had a pebble in his shoe. Whatever it was, it didn’t really interfere with his cycling and he pushed forward to complete the bike leg with a time of 3:04:38.
After a good, three hour ride, Steve’s adrenaline was pumping. Lifted up by the energy of the crowd and his own competitive spirit, the transition to the run went quickly. Steve managed to get off his bike, out of his cycling shoes, into his running shoes, and on the running course in 1:45.
During the run, Steve again felt the discomfort that he’d noticed while he was on the bike. It was a nuisance, but not so painful that he took the time to stop and check it out. He kept running. He ran along the river, through the parks, into the city, and reached the finish line in Julia Davis Park with a time of 2:07:21 for the half-marathon distance, and a total race time of 6:18:23. He was pleased. All things considered, this was a good time for him – a great race!
Unfortunately, Steve didn’t have the luxury of celebrating his success. He had to hurry and change into a business suit. J.R. Simplot, the founder of the company that Steve had worked for since 1988, had recently passed away, and a memorial service was being held in the large Qwest Arena in downtown Boise. Steve wanted very much to join his colleagues and honor the life and work of Mr. Simplot, and he didn’t have much time to spare.
As he stripped off his running shoes and socks, Steve took a second to check for the offending pebble that had plagued him on the biking and running portions of the race. What he found wasn’t the expected bit of rock, but rather the barb of a fishhook deeply embedded in his foot! He’d probably picked it up coming out of the cold water, and the 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run had pounded it into the bottom of his foot. After pulling out the sharp barb, a rust image – the shape of the hook – remained, discoloring the skin on the bottom of his foot.
After years of sports – basketball, tennis, running, and now triathlons – Steve’s feet were accustomed to abuse. So he made the decision to just put on his suit, black socks, and dress shoes, and go directly to J.R.’s memorial service. He’d make a point of stopping in for a tetanus shot on his way to work the next morning.
A year later, at the second annual Ironman 70.3 Boise, a reporter from the Idaho Statesman interviewed Steve about the 2008 race. The article was cleverly titled ‘Hooked on Triathlons’. The reporter wondered why Steve hadn’t checked out the problem with his foot during the transition from the bike to the run. Steve told him “The cowbells were ringing and you’re kind of in the middle of the hype of the race.” Even with a fishhook in his foot, Steve had crossed the finish line flashing his famous smile. Ironman Steve!
CaringBridge Posts
By Julene Andrews — Nov 25, 2012 10:27pm
Hi all,
‘Tis the season to count our blessings… we are so thankful for each and every one of you. Your comments have warmed our hearts and brought smiles to our faces! We truly appreciate all of the love, concern, thoughts and prayers.
Steve’s last update said that he wouldn’t be starting chemo any earlier than last Friday… these things change by the minute. We were called in last Monday and told that they wanted to start treatment the next morning because of the increasing amount of pain he was in. So, he started treatment last Tuesday. It’s been a pretty rough week. In addition to the pain, he’s now battling the side effects of chemo. As eating has become more difficult, he has been on a liquid/soft food diet for a good week now. We are trying hard to keep the weight on so that he can keep his energy up. Today was a better day and we hope that as we dial in the meds, he will continue to feel better.
We have been blessed with time to spend with family and friends. Our kids were home for the week, Karlie from college in Arizona and Michael from his job in the Bay area. We have had fun watching movies, taking walks, visiting, and sharing laughs and hugs with loved ones.
We have more doctor visits this week where we’ll find out more test results and when the next treatment will be. We are staying positive and fighting this disease with all we’ve got. And, of course, Steve continues to have that beautiful smile on his face most all of the time!
I’m trying to post a video of Ironman Steve that our friend Dale has made (I’m technically challenged but working on it to share with you). And I’m posting a couple of the family pics that our talented professional photographer friend, Darren Russinger took of us last Friday. Many thanks to both of these guys!
Much love,
Julene and Steve
Ironman Steve video!
By Julene Andrews — Nov 27, 2012 7:51pm
Thank you to our wonderful friend Dale for the Ironman Steve video! Click on the link below, or copy to your browser, turn up the volume, and sit back and enjoy a few shots of our special Ironman!
(The video can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVmtoyOzL5o&feature=youtu.be)
140.6 for Steve
By Julene Andrews — Nov 30, 2012 8:53pm
This from our Ironman (140.6 miles) training buddy, Margi. She put this challenge out on Facebook. Please join in if you are interested and let us know on here, or on FB (group is called 140.6 for Steve) how your workouts are going! Thanks, Ironman Margi!
Margi’s Facebook Challenge:
“I’m proposing a challenge in honor of Steve Andrews. During the month of December let’s all try to complete 140.6 miles or 140.6 minutes of run, walk, crawl, bike, swim or …..! And keep us posted of your progress!”
