Random AG Gus Ellison
We selected Gus Ellison as a random age grouper because he happened to match a specific fashion rule we had determined earlier. Now you can meet this Connecticut based triathlete who came to Kona with his wife and very young son.
Slowtwitch: Thanks for your time Gus.
Gus Ellison: Thank you! As a regular Slowtwitch reader, I am truly honored. I always wondered how you selected the random age grouper. The process is truly random!
ST: We assume by now you have settled well into the life back at home in CT again and getting ready for the holidays.
Gus: Re-entry back to reality is rough after a couple weeks away, especially after an amazing trip. There are only so many days that one can float at Hapuna, drink Kona coffee, and find new adventures daily. Actually, I’ll take that any day. Returning to our dogs and to our home was great though. The timing was actually perfect to be in Hawaii and then back home in the Northeast for fall and leaf peeping.
ST: Do you take some time off around this time?
Gus: I tend to finish my season with a fall marathon so that guarantees real time off to recover. Something about those last 6 miles in the marathon is killer on the legs. I guess 'time off' is relative but this time of year is easier. It’s a great period to focus on goals for next year in sport and in life. Training is more of a lifestyle so as long as I feel strong and motivated, then shorter recovery periods come naturally throughout the year.
ST: We selected you as a random age grouper on that flight from Kona because you had no Ironman finisher or otherwise Ironman branded clothing on. Was that how you travel in general or did we catch you at a bad laundry moment?
Gus: That’s how I roll. I am minimalist in general and perhaps reflective of my personality. Less is more. I did buy that remake of the 1978 Ironman Hawaii shirt. I love something a little unique. I have tons of race gear that I wear in training, but I just pull it out of the drawer without much thought.
ST: We also noticed that the race bracelet was no longer on your wrist on that Friday after the race.
Gus: After my first IM in Florida back in 2003, I wore my race bracelet for a month, maybe more. There is nothing like the exhilaration and the sense of accomplishment after the first time you finish an Ironman. In subsequent years, I found that my races were not about the gear but more about the experiences and the memories. I’ll take a couple great photos over race gear any day. In Kona this year, I will never forget Jen and Chase (wife and son) cheering for me at the first turnaround on Alii Drive – those little moments are the most meaningful.
ST: How long were you in Kona?
Gus: We were in Kona about 10 days. The first week was just experiencing the show that is the Ironman World Championships. The rest of the time was checking out the Big Island. Hawaii is such an amazing environment with lots of hidden, off-the-beaten-track spots. You could explore for weeks there and probably see only a small fraction of the island.
ST: What was your path to get there?
Gus: JFK to LAX to KOA. Just kidding. I won the triathlon golden ticket with a lottery spot this year. I was signed up for Mont Tremblant with a goal of qualifying but quickly decided that two IMs in one year was too much of a time commitment. The journey to Hawaii was literally a long one. The cliché is very true – getting to the starting line really is the hardest part. I probably had my worst training year on record – since June, I spent about 7 weeks on-and-off antibiotics finishing up the latest round just 2 days before the race. Such is life.
ST: Going into the race what was on your agenda?
Gus: The only goal was to experience Kona and to finish standing up. For me, that was not testing my physical limits but rather staying easy and consistent. I have raced with time targets in mind, but I find the experience much more meaningful to race in the moment. And, a strong finish generally follows by forgetting the numbers, finding the zone, and digging deep. My best races are when I put my head down and just go hard. Triathlon is simple that way – the gun goes off and you go hard until the finish line. If you race against the clock and fall behind, the negative thoughts can drag you down.
ST: In the end you managed to have a faster bike split than run split. I have experienced the same thing a few years back and just like in my case that was likely not by design.
Gus: I was thrilled to have a solid bike split. With really fast conditions, I felt like I should have pushed harder but staying easy was the plan. I hopped off the bike ready to run fast and, most importantly, was in a great mental state of mind. I started off the run comfortably with the intent of a negative split. Even a fast day in Kona is a hard day.
ST: When did the wheels actually come off?
Gus: That’s the term I use exactly. The wheels came off around miles 15 to 17. My legs actually were feeling great but my mistake was in execution. I have a really high sweat rate and performance plummets if I fall behind on hydration. In retrospect, I got behind around miles 7 to 9. Looking at the data afterword, you can watch the pace steadily rise from that point. Those that have the same issue know it well – once the nausea and dry heaves kick in, then the day is done so I just walked from 17. The goal was to finish standing tall so I just put one foot in front of the other.
ST: Was there a point when you considered packing it in?
Gus: Probably every 10 minutes of those 9 miles, even on Alii Drive. With the quality of athletes at Kona, the trip is very lonely in the late afternoon. I went through a few DNFs in prior races. I got so dehydrated in Lake Placid one year that I ended up in the ambulance. In retrospect, that was the only DNF that I should have ever had. When I got dehydrated in a couple other races and focused on the clock, I just called it a day. I regret those DNFs. The finish line is the only option. Ironman is about determination and perseverance and taking a risk. My son is still too young but that is the metaphor for life and sport that I’d like to teach him.
ST: Talk about your day job.
Gus: I am the typical age grouper with work and life commitments. I work for a small consulting firm that provides outsourced investment research to wealth management and financial services firms.
ST: How many hours a week do you give to the firm?
Gus: The hours are fairly typical in the 40 to 50 hour range – never less but sometimes more. The timing can be “on demand” and less during normal business hours. I have one client who always works on Saturday – I can usually expect emails over the weekend, and I do make responsiveness a priority. I believe client service can really differentiate a company.
ST: How does that sync with working out?
Gus: Work never seems to sync very well with training – does anyone really want to be at their desk on a beautiful sunny day? I have been fortunate to work at the same company for 15+ years so that experience allows for a level of trust and flexibility. I usually get in my workouts early and at lunch time.
ST: We noticed that you had a small baby with you. Is that your only one?
Gus: Jen and I were thrilled to welcome Chase to the world in January of this year. Perhaps, we will think about number two eventually but focused on number one for now. I am truly in awe of working parents who have two, three, or more kids! It is hard work. I am impressed!
ST: Was it hard to focus on Kona when you have such a young child?
Gus: I am not sure which is harder – Ironman or traveling with a nine month old. We almost turned around in Los Angeles on the first flight out. The kid was nonstop energy for the whole trip. He was actually great – I think he was genuinely excited for the whole experience. He is a lucky baby to go to Hawaii. He loves spectating and is all smiles at the races. Having a little one is harder for sure, but I would not trade it for anything.
ST: Did you get much sleep?
Gus: Does anyone not wake up every hour before race day? The first couple days were an adjustment, but we actually did sleep well. The little guy had a few wake ups at 2AM, but we got him back to sleep quickly.
ST: So what is next for you?
Gus: I am going to focus on the sprints, half Ironman events, and other adventures. I love going all out in a sprint and have done well at the half IM distance. After 10+ years in the sport, I am starting to understand pushing your limits. That’s my goal for half IMs – to really go outside of my comfort zone. I qualified for the 70.3 World Championships in Mont Tremblant already so that will be my top race for 2014. I love triathlon for the adventure so I plan to compete in events like the SOS, American Zofingen, XTERRA, Leadville, etc. in future years.
ST: Anything else we should know?
Gus: A huge thank you to my family, friends, coach, and sponsors. I could not do any of this crazy stuff without the support of Jen and Chase. Eric Hodska is a friend, coach, and a grizzled Kona veteran. And, I love being able to represent great companies and products like Hammer Nutrition, Rudy Project, X-1 Audio, GoPro, and Lifeproof. Thanks again, ST!
