Jeff Gray, You Are An IRONMAN!

Yes, Jeff now has one more title to add to his plethora of already given titles (including: dad, husband, friend, son, uncle, lover, Schwab employee, etc.). The newest title being IRON MAN! He did it! I am so proud of him! He has trained practically his whole life for this and even more so this past year. I have never seen him more mentally and physically ready for a race - me, I was a nervous wreck!

We spent the night up in Tempe the night before. My wonderful parents came and took the children and what a blessing that was. There would have been no possible way to take care of them and be there for Jeff if that hadn't happened. As it was, I was able to get up with Jeff at 5:00 a.m. and help him get ready to start and get pictures and run around and try to meet him at every possible point to cheer him on.

The race started at 7:00 a.m. in Tempe Town Lake. I believe there were about 2700 participants and the water looked like it had white caps in it with all the swimmers starting the race. It was an amazing sight. Jeff was super fast on the swim, coming in at 1:08, just 20 minutes behind the pros! He was so fast I missed the swim to bike transition and by the time I calmed down from thinking that he had drowned, he had been on the bike for about 20 minutes. His time on the bike was fantastic even though he had to change a flat on the second lap which he says was the longest flat change EVER! He is such a natural in the water and on the bike that he made these two sections of the race look like a walk in the park.

The run came a little tougher for him, though I think he was still amazing. How in the world does anyone swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and then proceed to say, "yeah, lets go and run a marathon now?!" He did it though, without even the slightest hesitation. He ran the 26.2 miles and completed his first Iron man in 14 hours and 23 minutes! I sit here and get a little teary eyed just thinking about it! Even after a full year of not having him home, complaining that he loves his bike more than me, wondering why he needs another new bike, more running shoes, a new watch, etc, even after all that - I would do it all again just to see the look on his face as he finished and to know that my wonderful husband followed his dream and became an Iron man. Even now, when he says, "I want to do another one." I am okay with that because I know he will be amazing again. This time though, I think I will be better emotionally prepared for it. I love you Jeff Gray Iron Man!

And THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! To all those who sent emails, phone calls, text, prayers and came to personally cheer him on. Thank you seems trivial, but you all helped Jeff finish and we love you all for that! See you in 2011!

The madness before the race! Just before the start

A cyclist's paradise

At the FINISH LINE!