IronNutz

25 years ago today

2010-04-28T13:56:00.000-07:00

Today is a birthday of sorts for me. It was April 28th 1985 that I thought the world would be better off without me in it.....I had no idea that it was to be the beginning of a great life instead. I was fortunate that it worked out that way for me. For many including a person I became friends with recently wasn't so fortunate as are many others affected by addiction in this world.

I am 50 years old this year and on this day I am 25 years sober and in long term recovery. I am grateful to so many I can't even begin to list all of you but most of you reading this will feel it so that is my thanks to you for touching my life and being an active part of the support along the way. I even thank those who wished me ill as I in some cases definitely deserved that and yet to this day I want folks to know that I have tried to make amends to all whom I affected by my disease. I try to be a better example as others have showed me along the way.

My message today is simple and I hope you will carry a piece of it with you to others. Don't Give Up.....ever....Be What You Are....always.....Walk with others ....Unity....Reach out and help where you can....Service....Life is Nutz ....we know this...embrace it and show others you care...

Have a great day!

2010 Life is Nutz ....again

2010-04-10T20:31:00.000-07:00

Well folks its already April and the start of Ironman training for Arizona begins for me in 3 weeks. I have weathered last years 6 Ironmans in 11 months and my left calf seems to be making a comeback thanks to much help from Linda, Dennis, Dr Khoury, Dr Andreas (Germany) and the fact that I am not doing Ironmans weekly LOL....

It is still sore at times but tolerable and my running speed has been improving over the past 7 weeks of base time.....

I want to start this next chapter off by Thanking so many friends online and in my life directly for all the great support and inspiration you give us everyday. We at Life is Nutz Inc have truly helped make a difference for others....and YOU are a part of that direct success! What WE can do I can't...there is much to learn and more to do so let's take our grass roots company and continue on as we know how....My biz partner and CEO Bill Beers will be sharing on a soon to be posted next blog to give you more of the details of our business model and our 10,000 foot overview as to where we are today and I will give some of the more inside track of our goals this year for our races and plans to expand too.....

I want to start it off with a prayer. Though I am not a religious person I will say I am spiritual...in fact I tell most folks I am a spiritual being having a human experience...as that is what I believe...too many things have happened in my life to deny the existence and real life happenings that some higher power exists to support me along the way....I am very lucky that I stopped fighting that when I was 25 years old and started the process of accepting my being and not being in fear any longer....one of the most powerful people that I know from a spiritual side is Mother Theresa...probably 80 pounds soaking wet yet she could move millions with her words and more important her actions...I will not forget Dr Wayne Dyer share with us that he witnessed the interview when asked by a peace group if she would march against a war and she refused but said if you march for peace then I would gladly join you...I can only strive to keep becoming more like these folks as we grow together and hopefully lead by a good example as to doing the next right thing which is what my company Life is Nutz Inc is all about.. here is her prayer:

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not to forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

We are excited as a company to make 2010 the best that it can be. We know it's been a difficult year for a lot of people yet I feel so blessed to be a positive force in the midst of chaos.

Allot of folks have asked me exactly why we chose the name Life is Nutz and I will try to give you the simplified version. For those of you who don't know in Ironman competition consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile marathon... yes all in one day... that's Nutz... then do 6 to 11 months and two within 13 days... I guarantee you...Life is Nutz... but the truth is we're grateful for LIFE and yes we are a little nutz because of what we do and who we are ...Ironmen...Don't Give Up.....Be What U R....Grass Roots Givers......we know also that Life is Nutz for everyone right now and we want you to do as we do Don't Give up...Be What U R and Join us to make a difference

Til next time

Kevin :)

Joe Turcotte Completes the Journey with Stellar Performance at Ironman World Championships in Kona Hawaii Oct 10th 2009

2009-10-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

Bodymarking and just before the start with Randy, Diane & Pam.

Joe's Roadies Dixie, Will & Diane

The start

He's out of the water!

On the bike and then on the run at 10 miles

The finish

(L-R) Will, Dixie, Kevin, Joe, Diane, Keith, Pam, Leslie not pictured Randy -Took Photo

(L-R) Keith, Joe & Kevin just after Joe crossed the finish. We were his Catchers at the finish!

On October 10th at 7:50:48 PM Joe Turcotte put the finishing touches on the IronNutz Journey this year by crossing the finish line at the Ironman World Championships in Kona Hawaii! It was truly a magical and amazing day for Joe. He is an IronStud and a great guy who has lead us though this past year and stepped up to the plate today at the Superbowl of Ironmans and shined from beginning to end.

His day started with 1700 of the most elite athletes in the sport lined up to try their best at the Magic of Kona. This is the most difficult race period mainly due to its hot hot temperatures, 100% humidity and the infamous tradewinds of Hawi on the return on their bike. This year didn't disappoint those who contended and earned their finish.

Keith and I are very proud of Joe and what he has meant to us as a coach, mentor and most of all our friend. We can't even describe the feeling properly here on the blog but the 3 of us know the magic that we share and hope that Joe takes a moment and shares it with you on the blog. I don't want to say much more except We are proud of you! You are Amazing and We Love You bro!

Congratulations on an amazing ride and for showing us the way on our journey together throughout the year. We are very grateful to call you friend and are a part of a brotherhood of IronWarriors that share a common bond and message for others in a positive light!

You da man Joe Turcotte!

Best

Kevin & Keith

Ironman Wisconsin Part 5 6 Ironmans in One Year is complete

2009-10-06T06:23:00.000-07:00

As you all may know we have begun our last race now.....it's 7 AM....the gun has sounded...2406 bodies are churning the water in a symphony that can only be witnessed as one of the most moving experiences you can tap into at any one live moment. To get here these athletes and their families, friends and others sacrificed allot to have this day arrive. 30 weeks of training at a minimum and much of it alone has brought everyone here together to the wonderful sounds of Mike Reilly sending us on our day. It is a Magical Moment. I would hope that anyone reading this that has not experienced an Ironman Race to try and do so as it will change their life in a positive way. Now the symphony may be how the spectator views this but for the athlete it is a very different experience. For most of us in the water the first 10-15 minutes is a maddening churning of a washing machine and your are the towel. sometimes you are in control of that middle throttle pushing folks from side to side and sometimes you are the receiver of another ebb and flow that sends your rhythm out of sync and fighting to get beyond the madness. The wetsuit definitely helps when others push down on you as it helps you float back to the top. You now understand how a school of fish feels sliding around off of each other and all heading in a similar direction. I haven't shared this fact with everyone until this point but one of the nagging injuries I have had to endure over this past year is my left shoulder (from overuse)which has now already begun to flare up and I am only maybe a half mile into the 2.4 mile swim. As I begin to free myself from the crowd and just get into a good rhythm I find myself thinking of the man just a few nights earlier that decided to swim at 9 PM in a drunken haze. I was feeling bad for him and his family and thinking this must be a very difficult day for them as they had not discovered his body yet. I gave a moment of silence to them and prayed they would have some peace in their difficult time. I then focused back on technique and getting to the finish of the 1st leg of 3 for me. That's how I break up my day. I take it One Leg at a Time and try and save energy and body parts for each one. I am not the fastest swimmer yet so I try and conserve my legs more for the bike where I seem to be better at lately. But today was going to change that a bit as about 1 1/2 miles into my swim I was in trouble. My left arm would no longer get out of the water to execute a good stroke. I was almost doing a weird version of the side stroke for the remaining mile and my time out of the water reflected that. As I exited the water y shoulder had pain I had not felt at any of my previous 5 Ironmans so I was not sure how being in the aero position on my bike was going to feel. All in all I am happy 1 leg down and only 2 more legs to go!

Out of the water and help from the infamous volunteers who peeled off my wetsuit and sent me towards transition to change into my bike gear. This venue was quite interesting as we had to run quite a ways towards a helix which went up 4 stories to the top of the parking garage where the transition area was to change and also where our bikes are to head out on our 112 mile journey throughout Madison and the surrounding communities. All up the helix were spectators cheering you on the way to help you trudge up bare feet on the concrete to the top! They were also very loud because of the echoing of the concrete surrounding us. It was interesting to hear that after absorbing half of Lake Monoma in my head. It was actually pretty cool!

Changed up and took my time as I wanted to be sure to get my gear on straight and then head out to the Porta potty and take care of some Number 1 business then off to grab my bike and head out onto one of the most scenic rides on the circuit......

As I got on the bke my shoulder started to feel like it was loosening up and feeling better so I pushed along at a good pace and kept an eye on my speed as I usually do to maintain a decent pace to finish. One day soon I will push at 1 Ironman and rewally kick ass but today is not the day for that. Today is a day to finish our journey by getting to the finish by midnight and that will be just fine with Keith & I. The bike I was told would be worse than Lake Placid which I find hard to believe at this point as they say it has more elevation gain overall but those hills(mountains) in Lake Placid were brutal and long......as I rode along through the first loop I did notice there were definitely more hills but the grade wasn't near as bad to me as Lake Placid so I was pretty pumped and feeling pretty good. The town of Verona has a special chute you ride through as well lined with thousands of spectators cheering you up Mt Herob and then off to make your second loop. The only down thing hat happened through here was a wasp or bee flew into my shirt right to my chest and as I tried to squish it it stung me. Luckily I didn't feel a swelling so I just brushed it aside. Memories for Madison I guess. I guess when I left Louisville from 13 days ago their hometown boy Mohammed Ali decided to float like a butterfly to Wisconsin and sting me like a bee in Verona. One thing I noticed about this course was that it was extremely bumpy and unforgiving to the bike itself. There were times I could not go aero just because you hit so many bumps in a row....As I rode along past a large mall area I heard Jim & Bonnie Whetstone shouting out my name as they drove by in the car. They were excited to find me and took pics as I rode and I think even some video. They also called ahead to my wife who was with Bernadette, her boyfriend and Brad awaiting my second loop turn. I stopped to say hi to them briefly and checked out my chest to be sure there was no swelling and then headed out onto the second loop. As I neared the final hills wich were pretty steep and brutal the scond time through I noticed smething I had never witnessed and any of the 7 Ironmans I have done (including Lake Placid) and that was people walking thei bikes up the hills. I was not about to be one of them. As I pushed up one of the last big hills the gal in front of me slipped out of one of her pedals and twisted her bike right in front of me and I was forced to stop or hit her which meant I had to get of my bike and took two steps walking and jumped back on again and continued up the hill. I may have to walk part of the marathon but I was NOT going to walk up any hill with my bike!!!! .............and I didn't.....As I headed back into Madison I felt a great feeling for the first time along this journey that I was almost 2 legs down and only one more to go with plenty of time left on the clock. As I neared mile 108 I had my first mechanical issue of the Ironman.....a flat tire.....and then as I looked at the other tire it was low....as I refilled the first hoping it would hold air a nice lady on a scooter with a pink Ironman helmet pulled alongside of me and hurriedly got off her scooter and grab her tools and within 5 minutes had changed my bike tire and got me back on the road. She was amazing! I am sure with all of the bumps on these roads she had a busy day along with the other mechanics on the road. They do allot of the work and get little thanks! Thanks Mechanics! As I came along the beautiful city of Madison along Lake Monoma I could see the next helix I would ride up and dismount and get to transition again to change into my run gear and finish this Amazing Magical Journey! I may be Nutz but I can tell you now there is no greater feeling in the world to know you are so very close to completing something most thought improbable or impossible altogether. I also knew that Keith was out on the marathon course so I was very excited that we would both have a great shot at doing this together............................

to be continued............

p.s. I will be writing soon about our friend Joe who is our Coach, Mentor and Original IronNut who is at this moment in Kona Hawaii perparing for the Super Bowl of Ironman Races the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii....and also our great friend and Professional IronNut Swen Sundberg from Germany will be there too......oh and did I mention that I am on a plane at this moment heading over there on Virgin America to cheer them on! ......and Keith will be there too! Its going to be awesome The 3 Original IronNutz in Hawaii together to cheer on the man who lead u down this path to begin with. This is an Amazing Magical and truly Spiritual Journey we are on together and I for one am grateful to witness and be a part of good guys doing good things for one another......see more of Joey's story and donate at www.joeturcotte.com

Ironman Wisconsin Part 4 6 Ironmans in One Year is complete

2009-10-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

Keith and West Coast Jen arrived back at the hotel after their last supper around 8:30 and Brad set up an interview area up on the top floor of the Hotel Sheraton as they provided us with a well lit area for us to film our final thoughts before our last Ironman along with what our significant others felt as well.

This was the last thing we did before retiring for the evening one final time to prepare for the day of PAIN.....not sure if it's the best idea but it is important to record it so we all met to share our final thoughts on our journey prior to race day. Keith and I sat and listened to both West Coast Jen and East Coast Jen share their thoughts about what they've been through this past few years. It was pretty amazing to listen as people close to you share their feelings on what you've done and the impact that it's had on others. I also realized just how lucky I was to have my wife by my side and the greatest family and friends one could ever want.

I don't think I will write about what Keith and I shared we will save that for a short video clip that Brad can post. We wrapped up for the evening and said our good nights. We would be getting up in five hours or so to start the morning routine before the race.

I woke up at 3:30 AM got some coffee and a little breakfast. My morning meditation on my knees to ask my higher power for help as I always do. Took a shower by this time Jen had awoken and I'd come out of the bathroom and started the first application of body glide. I went through my morning bag to make sure my wetsuit goggles and swim cap were there I then took my timing chip attached to the Velcro strap and then placed it on my left leg near my ankle. All systems are go we headed down to the lobby to meet Keith Jen and Brad. We all headed down to the venue. Parking area we had used all week was closed so Keith and I jumped out as we had to do our last minute checks on our bikes and our transition bags. Brad followed us as well so that he could videotape us. Basically at this time five or 5:30 AM there are literally thousands of racers and their families doing exactly the same thing as we are and the anxiety and energy levels are incredible. Once Keith and I had completed all of our tasks we called the girls and met them near the swim start. It was about 6 AM so we had plenty of time before the 7 AM gun goes off.

Our friends Jim and Bonnie Whetstone and Bernadette and her boyfriend showed up about 6:30 AM and it appeared to us that they were as excited as we were and we took many photos together. Keith and I said our goodbyes to everyone in headed in with the other 2406 athletes to the mass swim start. I am not a fast swimmer so I stayed near the edge and positioned myself back right of the crowd let would not be caught up in the washing machine of madness that I have experienced in many other Ironmans. Before Keith headed into the water we shared a good moment as we usually do prior to each race as we looked at each other the reality that this was the final race of this journey hit me and I'm sure him in a similar way. We hugged and wished each other luck and as Keith is a fast swimmer he headed into the water. I still remained off to the side and waved at our roadies standing together near the Jumbotron. As I awaited the gun sound a young volunteer spoke with me and I asked him if he was excited and he was. He couldn't have been more than 18 years old and he asked me how I was feeling and I told him good and also about our 6-ironmans in one year that this was the final one. I also told him I hope to see him at the finish! Mike Reilly introduced the national anthem singer and we all quietly listened in the first gun went off at 6:45 AM and the pros begin their day. Our start would happen at 7 AM. As I looked at my watch and I looked at my friends and I took in the whole spectacle I still could not believe that I'd come to this moment ready to finish the journey that many thought would be impossible.....including some of my closest friends and family doubted even one of us would make it this far never mind both of us. Keep in mind none of these friends and family actually told us this much but Keith and I both knew. I looked down at my watch again it said 6:59 AM and I felt like it was an eternity in it was so peaceful and serene and I knew in a moment that would change. As the clock struck 7 AM the gun went off the churning of the water had begun 2406 bodies began a journey of many moments that would change their lives forever. It is a Magical Day!

To be continued....

Ironman Wisconsin Part 3 6 Ironmans in 1 Year is now complete

2009-09-27T07:25:00.000-07:00

Keith and I dropped all of our transition bags and our bikes and did our last minute checks of everything and oiled our chains one last time before the big day tomorrow. To both of us everything was a bit surreal. We had finally reached a day that we had thought would never arrive and both of us were very grateful that up to this point we had both completed all 5 prior races and were relatively confident that barring any injuries or major equipment malfunction that we would have done something that no 49 year old had done ever within 11 months and that is to complete all 6 WTC Ironman Events within the USA. And the fact that both of us have a chance to did it together is truly remarkable to me.

All along our journey Keith & I talked about all of the folks in our lives who sacrificed so much in order for us to be here at this moment. We also thought about the $$$ and awareness we have raised along the way to help those in need and what that means to each of those communities and the people they have helped. We thought of our great friend, coach and mentor Joe Turcotte who could not be here with us because he is preparing for his race in Hawaii and also giving back to his charity. My Dad and Mom have given so much to me in my life they have to be the first for me to thank as without them I wouldn't be here at all. They have also told me many times in my life that there are givers in this world and there are takers and I feel strongly that I love to be around the givers and know in Keith & Joe that is 100% the case. Major thanks to them for being not only a part of this journey all along but being a part of my life. My wife knows how I feel and she has been there all along this journey and has never once discouraged me from doing this. We both have sacrificed so much to reach this moment and it is worth every bit of the time and money and we have no regrets. You all get to read and hear about the highlights mostly but trust me there are low lights and times when I don't want to get out and sit on my bike for 5-6 hours training in crappy weather or running a long run when I'd rather be spending time with my wife and kids. For 2 years they have all pretty much given up their weekends with me as when they wanted to plan some sort of outing I'd say something like OK just as soon as I am done with my 5 hour ride and nap ok? And whenever any of my kids were going through a challenging time I would think to myself maybe I should bail on this whole thing as they need my 100% focus right now and yet from them they would not want me to stop this mission as they knew what it was all about. THEY GOT IT..... THEY UNDERSTOOD.........THEY SUPPORTED ME....I can't let anyone of these kids, my wife, my friends, my extended family down. I had to keep trudging the road to Happy Destiny.... Keith, Joey & I and now maybe you have an inkling that this had become much more than any of us as individuals. This had become a following of supporters from all of our families, our charities and their supporters and families, our friends and their families, our facebook friends, media that had covered where watching our exploits and reporting on us, and yes even folks that wanted to see us fail. I have been blessed to know all of my charities personally and what they do. I literally want to see them in action so that I can share their experience strength and hope with all who want to hear. This is what I have learned from making right choices in life. Sharing my experience, strength and hope is more important than anything else that I do. It is the gift that I have been given to give to the next person who may hear my story.......so before I tell you about our last supper before IM # 6 you will have to learn a little about me that you may not know until now.......

I grew up in Marlborough Massachusetts, just off Stevens Street on Old Charter Rd. Much of my life growing up was a very happy time with my family & friends in those neighborhoods. I had a good upbringing by my parents, who were both very successful in our community of Marlborough, and provided for my brothers and sister very well. They also gave of themselves to the community of Marlborough and taught us that we should try and give back as well.My good upbringing and years at Immaculate Conception and St. John’s had waned and the years of innocence and great promise were lost on many years of prolonged alcoholic drinking and drug addiction. By the time I was 25 I was at a very empty place, a place I wish on no one but never wish to forget. With that very promising future as a young man, I threw it away because of my powerlessness over the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction. Not only was I ashamed at what I had become, I had no idea on which direction I should go. I was a very desperate and scared shell of a man. I thought this world would be a better place without me. I thought my life’s journey was ending; I had no idea it was just about to begin.It was April 28th 1985, when I called my brother Rich and asked for help. I didn't want to live but I didn't want to die and had no idea what I should do. He led me to a place that became my life saver. It was a small room in a dumpy building called The ARC, which was on Lincoln Street at that time. I met new friends called John the Indian, Johnny V (who became my sponsor), Vivian and Roland S. This placed welcomed me. I was usually asked to leave places, not be welcomed back. I had no idea this place existed even though I frequented many establishments (bar rooms) along Lincoln Street during that time. I had no idea that this place called The ARC was to be the foundation that literally saved my life. And now today I still frequent this place because it’s not just about me anymore. I am responsible. I realize that it’s about us, people helping people. The ARC, along with my 12-step recovery program, has assisted me each and everyday to remain sober and clean and I truly live a happy life. I am a lucky man.My life is very different today than it was almost 25 years ago. I have a wonderful wife, 3 beautiful children, the love and respect of my family, my friends and my community. I know how to be a son, a brother, a father, a friend and a positive member of my community. I am responsible. I can’t thank The ARC and now Right Turn and a nameless 12 step program enough for what it has freely given to me and I am humbled to be able to give back today.

Ok back to Ironman time.....Keith and West Coast Jen headed off with Keith's kids and their friend to have their last supper and we would meet up later to share our last thoughts before the race with our Video man and Documentarian Brad.

Jen & I headed back with Brad to meet my friends Jim Whetstone and his wife Bonnie who drove up 3 hours from Chicago to see the race for dinner. Jim & Bonnie have been a great friends and supporter for many years and it meant allot to me that they choose to come up and witness that special experience that only Ironman can provide not only the athletes but also the spectators as well. The fact is that as an athlete who will be competing in the 8th Ironman you would think I would be a willy old veteran at this and yet the nervousness and excitement for what I am about to embark on is just as powerful as it was the first time I had done it. It truly is a magical experience for the individual and I feel for the spectator as well because around this time the eve before the race those of you that have watched all along what your athlete has done and endured to get themselves ready for this day and are here at the event to witness the reality of what lay before starts to really sink in and the enormity of the experience and the energy levels are beginning to magnify to a heightened sense of everything around you. The best way I can describe it is that all of your senses are heightened and the feeling of 2400 individuals gathering to achieve the same goal all of a sudden starts to absorb within you as well. The family feel of the brotherhood and sisterhood of the Ironman is almost at full swing now and you are standing alone yet with all at the same time.

Dinner was great and everyone talked about the buzz feeling that were getting and everyone was excited about witnessing the madness that was about to begin except for one...me. To be honest I am tired, sore, and so exhausted because of the fact that Keith & I had just done this 13 days earlier in Louisville that our bodies and more importantly our minds had not yet recovered from that experience. This was definitely going to be the toughest challenge of all and I was pretty sure that we would complete it but I was also pretty sure it wouldn't be pretty and I would be fighting within my mind throughout the day. I shared those feelings with all of them and they reassured me and actually made me feel better and back on track about why I am here and what we are doing. Additionally if I don't finish tomorrow my charity for this event Right Turn will not get the additional $10,000 from Janus for being the top fundraiser for this event. So even if I wanted to bail on the day I couldn't possibly let those folks down.

To be continued........

Ironman Madison 2009 Part 2 6 Ironmans in One Year

2009-09-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Continued from Part 1.....

Thursday evening Keith and West Coast Jen Brown arrived from California. As a surprise to their Dad, all of Keith's children will Keith know they would be flying into Madison on Friday. This really helped Keith's mental focus and mine for what we're about to embark on. I also got a phone call from my good friend Jim Whetstone letting me know that him and his wife Bonnie will be arriving sometime Saturday afternoon. Last but not least, Brad Kelly our videographer will also be arriving on Friday evening.

We all woke up Friday, and headed towards the venue so that Keith could sign up and be official for Ironman Madison 2009. Once Keith was registered, we headed over to Tri-Bike Transport to get our bikes and our gear bag. We'd run into a slight snag as they left the gear bag in Minneapolis and this contained both of our wet suits, bike shoes and bike helmets so we need this in order to compete. Marc the owner of tri-bike transport was very accommodating and took care of us as he always does. We recommend him highly if you need them there website is http://www.tribiketransport.com/ . With our video man Brad follow us around and walked along the entire venue especially to the Janus Charity challenge booth to see Casey and Christina. We also stopped by the Ford booth to visit our friends there as well. The venues backdrop was that of the city of Madison with its beautiful capitol building on one side and Lake Monoma on the other. It is a very small city with a large College feel with the University of Wisconsin right in the heart of everything....so all in all it is a very youthful and high energy place.

What seemed to be the theme for Keith & I was that obstacles kept trying to get in our way and we had to do allot of going with the flow. The first was our gear bag not arriving, then Keith's computer from his bike was missing so they offered to get him another which delayed us getting our bikes again so they could install it for him. We finally got the bike thing squared away so we could take them to Matt to take a final tune up to them and then ride them back to the hotel for a final check on eveything and get our transition bags ready for delivery to the transition areas tommorow. Then around 5 PM I got a call from our Video man Brad that the flight he was scheduled for to Milwaukee was so far delayed that he would not get into Madison at all and only to Milwaukee by 11:30 PM which is a 1 1/2 hour drive for us and we needed our sleep so it was becoming a very stressful last Ironman trying to get through all of our logistics. My wife volunteered to drive by herself to get him but I wasn't comfortable with that as that meant her getting over tired and stressed so we talked aout it and decided we would pay to shuttle him over as the most cost effective and time efective way. It wasn't easy but we made the arrangements and it all worked out as he was picked up and arrived around 1:30 AM. Thanksfully we got what is usually your best night's sleep before an Ironman 2 night's prior as the eve of Ironman is normally a 5 hour sleep with several wake up during the night....

We all awoke on Saturday and Keith & I could finally get to the water and swim to test the temp, get familiar with some line of sight areas for the swim and just release some pent up energy. This is usually a fun filled day but also a kind of up and down emotional roller coaster as well. It is a time where Keith & I have some fun together knowing what lay in front of us oh so well. It is also a day where we do our favorite thing at the past 5 Ironmans which is get a massage....later in the afternoon....This last swim before race day was a little different than the last 5 because of something that happened 2 nights before. Apparently there were a couple of guys out on Lake Monoma fishing and at around 9 PM decided they would cool off and go for a swim. Unfortunately they had been drinking and only one made it back to the boat and they had done this very close to the swimming area of the race. The sheriff's boats and divers were searching the murky waters and as there was allot of algae and pretty much no visibility you can just imagine what a difficult time they were having locating the body. This made all of us a little nervous and saddened as we wish no one to have that fate. I can only speak for me but as I swam I was a little freaked out at times thinking about if I would swim into a body by accident and lucky for me it didn't happen cause I probably would have had a heart attack on the spot and joined him.

We got out of the water and Brad did some filming as we got out of our sausage suits and focused on the final day before the race. We have to return to the hotel after doing our final check in with Janus Charity Challenge http://www.januscharitychallenge.com/ which is the vehicle Keith & I used to raise money & Awareness for our charities. Then pack up and ride our bikes and transition bags into each area. We packed all of our transition bags the night before and of course you look in each one probably 10-15 times after you pack it to make sure you didn't forget something....it's a maddening ordeal but for those of you reading it's all part of the experience.....here is an example of some of the logistics it takes for setting up the bikes in transtition in Madison.....to get to our bikes we had to exit the water and then run up a helix to the top of a parking garage and change in the transition area (below) into our bike gear and then proceed to the top where our bikes are located (below right) Can you find my bike please?:

Next stop ....Last Supper, Video Interview with our women & us and then Race Day ....

Thanks for reading....

We Have Finished Our 6 Ironman Journey in One Year Successfully!!!

2009-09-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

Greetings Everyone!

Keith Kober and I have great news for all of you!

On Sept 13th 2009 at 11:29:15 PM we crossed the finish line together completing our 6th out of 6 Ironmans within 11 months! This was a truly life changing and magical journey for everyone involved in our lives. I know I can only speak for myself but the gifts I have received all along the way are amazing. There is not a price tag I can put on them. I can tell you what it costs to take on such a Journey but it will pale in comparison to the many gifts we have recevied along the way.

My message will be simple and it is that anything that you dream about YOU can do. Anything that you want You can do. Anything that you ask for IS within YOUR reach. Make it happen. Make it work. Do the footwork and enjoy every step of the way. If someone says you can't do something please Don't listen to that message because they have no idea what You are capable of. Try your best to only co-sign positive messages and make them a part of who you are. Life is Nutz.....Be What You Are.......Join our Revolution......Your mind is what moves the engine that is you and it is more powerful than any person, place or thing on this earth.

I used to think that all of the regular folk who didn't have an addictive personailty like me didn't really understand how I viewed life and went through things like I did. I was wrong. I stepped out of my own comfort zone and took off the blinders that my own self centered existence provides and made a decision to open my mind beyond that which I thought or felt. I turned my will and my life over and really allowed others beyond my circle of recovery for the past 24 years in a nameless 12 step program and found out that all folks are much similar than I gave them credit for and they had the same and similar defects of character as I do. They taught me along this journey that I was still walking through life with blinders on and they gave me a very precious gift that they cared about things as much as I do. I believe in the human spirit and I believe in whatever you believe and that you are right no matter how you feel at this moment.

A good friend of mine Dennis my massage therapist http://www.qualitymassage.net/ ( I recommend him highly as he kept me together during this past year!) will now be riding me every week about when the book is coming out. Keith already has mentioned doing a book and yet I ask anyone out there to help us as we have no clue how to go about getting published and will probably need several EDITORS JUST TO CLEAN UP AFTER US.

I will apologize ahead of time for the long read but this will be one of our final entries as we will be traveling to Kona next month to spectate and cheer on my best friend, coach and mentor Joe Turcotte and our great friend and Ironman Brother and PRO Swen Sundberg from Germany at the Ironman World Championships on October 10th 2009!

I want you to know what happened as we crossed the finish line together in the beautiful city of Madison on this night Sept 13th 2009 at 11:29:15 PM. As Keith and I believe the finish line is a great place it is the Journey along the way and day that makes the enitre experience what it is.............MAGICAL............but for me this finish was very special for us as we did something that maybe only a handful of athletes of any sport have done to the same degree within a year and especially at 49 years old. As Keith & I approached the finish chute of the Ironman which is pure madness we both noticed Mike Reilly (The Voice of Ironman) was not in his usual spot up in the tower bringing us home. He was down on the carpet just before the finish line. We couldn't hear what he had said but found out after we crossed the finish line that because of Keith's Jen Brown's note and a letter sent by our friend Joe Turcotte (our Coach) he came down personally to welcome us in and share our entire 6 Ironmnan Journey and the money and awareness we have raised for our 6 charities with the entire crowd at Ironman Madison 2009. With over 2200 athletes he needs to recognize we felt very honored and humbled by this gesture and we thank you Mike and Ironman for that memory! He is a true friend and brother to us for life.

Time to rewind to this special day and the days leading up to it. Jen and I packed up and traveled to Madison on Wednesday before. My poor wife has had the toughest role of all dealing with a crazed Nut for a few years now in preparing and staying focused on this Journey. Most folks will never truly understand the sacrifices you have to make to accomplish this task but it does not always provide fruitful results however there has always been a good lesson along the way. My kids have also had to sacrifice allot as well so I thank them all for their love and support because without it this never would have happened. There will be some special mentions along this blog and future blogs and I know I will forget to mention some and for that I apologize ahead of time.

My sister Elizabeth got us set up at The Hotel Sheraton in a major way and my good friend and fellow marathoner Fred Becker got me out there on the flights (for all Ironmans) and so the final chapter to our 6 Ironman Journey was coming down the stretch. The next day I went down to Registration to check in and get my bike and gear bag. As I stood in line with several hundred of the early check ins we talked about our upcoming day with trepidation and wonder about what the day would bring. Would it be raining and cold like was being forecasted, would our bikes be right, the phantom pains started to settle into our bodies as we thought about what lay in front of us. To mouth the words means little to people who have not experienced an Ironman 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile marathon....I can tell as you read it you have no idea what I am talking about and that's ok keep reading. As I stood with my Ironman warriors awaiting in line it starts to hit you as you are now bonded with many others that truly understand what lays ahead whether or not this is their first time or tenth time. They have done the training and everything that has prepared all 2406 of these athletes is now sinking in to their minds. It is truly an incredible feeling. The brotherhood of knowing also begins as you talk with folks whom you have nothing else in common except Ironman and they seem to absolutely know who you are and connect immediately with a kinship that knows no bounds. You start to talk with someone who does such and such for as living and it doesn't matter because now you know and realize that what you do for a living is not who you are. Those of you who may be wondering what 140.6 miles feels like try it in a car and tell me how tired you are just from sitting for those 2-3 hours it takes you to accomplish that. Now break it down with swimming and riding a bike and running and maybe you can start to grasp what we experienced on one day. Now picture going through that one day 13 days ago in Louisville Kentucky and you are now here to do it again in Madison Wisconsin and your body has not even healed yet. Why did we do it. Because we are NUTZ and because we want to give back a gift that has been freely given to us for me that gift is Life. What I do doesn't matter to me anymore....who I am does....what I do with any time I have is more important than any thing I gain....The fellowship of a 12 step program I understand, the fellowship of an Ironman I understand, the spirit of both of these I can attest to and they are one in the same. The same concepts of Unity, Service and Recovery apply to us all. We have not only been given this gift we are now responsible to share it with others. I hope you can agree with this one idea because if you do then it will define you as a person for the rest of your life no matter what cause, quest, or challenge you choose to make for you.........

To be continued................

Ironman Louisville is Complete

2009-09-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

IronNutz Keith Kober and Kevin Brown are back from Louisville or the "Ville" as they call it and we had a successful #5 of 6 Ironmans within a year. It was a great time and some great stories to share with you. Our Pro "Ironnutz" Triathlete Swen Sundberg from Germany competed and he was the star of the Ironman as far as the Nutz are concerned he came in 4th place overall and secured a slot for the Ironman World Championship Race on October 10th 2009 in Kona Hawaii! Congratulations Swen! You rocked the "Ville".

Before I get into the pre-race and actual race report I want folks to know I dedicated this race to the Kontoyianis Family. I grew up with them as a kid and used to hang out at their home during several of my hockey years as a young teen and into my late teens. Their husband and Dad Socrates passed away on August 28th 2009. A photo of him and his wife Dorothy attached. Their son John and I were born on the same day in 1960 on Feb 5th. Mr. K drove us to many a hockey practice and game and the entire family opened their home up to me growing up and I will be forever grateful for their love and support to me as a teen when as you all know is not the easiest time to deal with us kids....Anyway I know him and the late Bill Belcher are having one heckuva Cribbage match in heaven right now. Much love and prayers to all of the Kontoyianis Family from all of the Browns..

This was a very special week and weekend for 2 reasons. One that my brother Rich flew out and was with us to share the experience which was awesome. He was a great IronSherpa for Keith and I and he was a very calming influence on both of us as he being a marathoner understands the mindset a racer goes through before the day arrives. The second was our friends from Germany hung out with us for several days before and after the race Swen Sundberg and his bike mechanic Bodo. We had allot of fun together enjoying Louisville and preparing for the race. There is an brotherhood that forms just from being in the "Ironman" Family and that was the case with all of us together. I also have to say that Swen is the most humble and giving Pro I have ever met. Like we told them, Swen, Bodo and Swen's wife Verena are family now and that lasts a lifetime to me whether we see eachother allot or a little. It just is...

As far as Bodo not only did he support Swen for his Stork he shared Bodo with us for the week and he fine tuned our bikes and I am happy to say that I had my fastest ever Bike Split at 6:40 which is 17 minutes faster than all previous Ironmans I have done. Keith had a flat on his bike split not due to Bodo but due to someone trying to sabotage the riders by dropping Nail Tacks in the road. I know that is not cool but it happens sometimes.....

Here is the race report for me.....

Swim.....Dirty water in that Ohio River......strange start as we jumped off two docks 4 at a time. My understanding is it took 40 minutes to get everyone into the water...oh and did I mention NO WETSUITS were allowed cause the water was 81 degrees. I have never swam 2.4 miles without a wetsuit in open water and it was tough but we both got it done. The other interesting part of this swim for me was I get the crap kicked out of me all during the race. Normally the beating stops after 5-15 minutes tops but this went on for almost the entire swim....I think Keith felt the same

Bike......Awesome day for me as I had my fastest Bike Split and averaged a solid 17.8 mph for the last 55 miles so I am very pleased....As I came into transition I heard the announcer state that Swen Sundberg had just crossed the finish line in 4th place with a time of 8:43:36 which qualified him for a slot for Kona! That pumped me up and I was psyched for him! There is no other Pro Triathlete that deserves it more than him. Earlier in the year Swen was going to compete in Malaysia for his slot but got very ill and was on an IV and in the hospital for 7 weeks and he came back and took a 4th Place finish less than 4 months! He is amazing and Nutz!

Run....started great but by the time I hit 10 miles I could feel the energy leaving my entire body and by mile 16 I was in a meltdown and had to walk the rest of the course and struggled just to get the last 2 miles in and to be honest the last mile I was wondering if I was going to make it. Thanks to John Nelson whom I met at mile 16 and he walked with me and I with him to encourage eachother along the way. It was his first and he was a great support and a really nice guy. He's from Springfield Illinois and his wife will be doing a Biathlon in a few weeks. You get to meet cool people along the journey and he was one of them.

The next day I was invited to the Ironman VIP Awards with Swen to sit with the Pros and watch him get his just due as one of the Top 5 to get into Hawaii. All of these folks are unbelievable athletes and are the most dedicated people I have met. It was an honor to sit with them and share a meal and some conversation. Keith & I are planning to go to Hawaii to cheer on our coach for this journey Joe Turcotte and now we can add Swen, Faris and Raynard to that list.

Thanks for reading and know that in two weeks the last one of our 6 Ironman Journey for 6 Charities will be upon us on Sept 13th 2009 in Madison Wisconsin....

Thanks to to my IM Partner in this venture Keith. He is my brother in this amazing crazy Nutz out of our mind adventure and we have supported eachother well along the way. We are pretty sure this all 6 WTC Ironmans on North America in one year has never been done so one more to go and we will have created a tiny piece of history ......oh and Keith added IM Canada too so in reality this was his 6th and in 2 weeks will be #7 for him!

Thanks for all your support

Kevin :)

Ironman Lake Placid

2009-07-28T04:42:00.000-07:00

IRONMAN LAKE PLACID IS COMPLETE! The NUTZ have done it again!

Ironman Lake Placid 2009 was an extraordinary week for Keith and I. I will try and give you the highlights and lowlights but suffice it to say we have completed the most difficult Ironman Race in North America and we did so in style as we crossed the finish together. We both agreed this was the most brutal of the Ironman races we have done up to this point in our journey. I feel we speak for many racers on that day that most left all their energy on the bike course and had no legs for the run left. Our mentor and coach Joe Turcotte gave us a great pep talk the night before and basically told us to suck it up and get it done and try to enjoy it as much as possible. I can't quote him on what he actually said as that may not be allowed on the blog. He is such a tender loving coach.

Before I go into to the race I wanted to share an important piece of what happens on these Ironmans leading up to the race. First I want to say thanks to some new supporters of the IronNutz. They are my CUZ ...(as she likes to say) Rebecca and her husband Bob and her daughter Jennifer and Jennifer's boyfriend Dominic. They are from Bangor Maine and have jumped on board with us and really shown great support to me and I want to thank them for being a part of my journey. I also want folks to know that as with my other 5 Ironman finishes I dedicate each race to someone and this race was dedicated to my kids. I love them and I am grateful they are a HUGE part of my life and I am very proud of all of them. I am a lucky man!

Also it never fails at each race we meet someone of some family that becomes a lifelong friend of the Nutz just due to the fellowship and spirit that surrounds these races. Lake Placid did not disappoint in that area either. Staying right next door to us in our motel were the Duncans, Bill & Lynn and their daughter. This was Bill's first Ironman and he rocked the Adirondacks as well. He is a stud. His wife and daughter were really cool and supported all three of us on race day by driving us down to the race in the early AM and giving us a pre-race hug to kick us off to the day. They are from Stiltsville, Ottawa Canada and they were all the nicest people you would ever want to meet. We shared our experience strength and hope as they did in return. Bill is an elite marathoner and has qualified for Boston several times. 2 days before the race they met Samantha McGlone (Pro Triathlete from Canada) who placed 3rd on race day. As Samantha was running down the finish chute she spotted Lynn and her daughter waving to her with a Canadian Flag and she ran to them and took their flag and crossed the finish waving it! What a memory. She then went into the crowd and found them to return it to them. WOW that was really cool for a 15 year old to be a part of! We also got to witness those family first moments when Bill's sister and 2 of her friends trekked down from Ottawa to surprise Bill the day before the race. They were very excited for him and were really cool as well. What a wonderful family they are!

The next story is the story of this Ironman and that is Matt Long. I won't go into detail but please check out his story at http://www.iwillfoundation.com/mattstory.html and I will tell you he finished with a little over 1 minute left at 11:58 PM. There was not a dry eye in the place. He is our HERO for this race and leads by example that nothing in this world happens without a reason and that the human spirit can overcome anything. Everything is possible! Thanks Matt for being a part of our day and our lives. He embodies what most Ironman and IronWomen are all about. All of us have a story to tell and if you take the time to really read them and listen to them they can change your life as well.

Okay to race day.......early on it appeared that the day would be very wet and that idea was not a pleasant one for me as it related to the bike. But first things first is the swim its a very racer friendly swim and with good positioning back right you can almost walk up to the start and stay out of the washing machine which is a great thing! Keith and I both posted our PR best on the Swim. Keith did an incredible 1 hour 13 minute 29 seconds and I did a 1 hour 39 minute 30 seconds.

The bike course has severe elevation gains and drops and brakes and water don't mix really well. As a matter of fact brakes and dry conditions don't mix with this race either. If you like fast 40 mph rides even with your brakes on then this race is for you. f you like 50 mph downhills with no brakes then sign up today. Me (not so much) I was the 40 mph and still scared sh%&less. And the last 30 miles are pretty much uphill Mountains as indicated by the maps below. This was where most racers had to figure a way to suck it up and get r done! Keith finished in 7 hours 32 minutes 25 seconds and I finished in 7 hours 28 minutes 29 seconds.

The run was almost as tough as the bike with some pretty significant hills to deal with after that brutal bike ride. Keith's stress fracture from a previous race was acting up on him early on and he was forced to walk fast as opposed to running. I on the other hand thanks to my PT folks at All Access Jessica and John, Dennis (Massage Therapist) and Dr Khoury (Chiropractor) had a decent day with my nagging chronic calf strain and was able to run short strides for a significant part of the race to mile 22 and passed Keith at about mile 7 and made a decision at about mile 23 to wait for him so we could cross the finish together. We have done these together and to be this close to finishing at the same time felt important to me. It's always been a message for me to share with you that we are never alone in anything we do and its even more important to recognize that without YOU I will not be able to finish what I start nor be the best I can be. We all need each other to survive and we all need each other to compliment and feel the peace and serenity we all seek.

Final Results for Lake Placid IronNutz: Keith Kober and Kevin Brown 15 Hours 48 minutes 10 seconds. The voice of Mike Reilly didn't disappoint as he saw us running down the final finisher chute together he chuckled as he spotted our IronNutz shirt of Keith and our TriNutz shirt on me and announced us as ..."Keith Kober from Berkeley California and Kevin Brown from West Boylston You Are An Ironman again"......................4 down 2 more to go......

Please help us help others buy buying our gear at www.lifeisnutz.com and learn more about us there as well.

All the best

Kevin :)

Halfway there!

2009-07-19T05:19:00.000-07:00

We have 3 more IronMans to go to complete our mission of 6 in one year!

Keith and I will be meeting up this Thursday July 23rd 2009 in Albany to head up to Lake Placid for # 4 Ironman on July 26th 2009!

You can track our progress that day at http://www.ironmanlive.com/ and please go to http://www.lifeisnutz.com/ to learn more about our mission and our great gear!

Life is Nutz and we will prevail!

XOXO

Kevin :)

Ironman Coeur d'Alene

2009-07-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

Keith Kober and I both had a successful Ironman as we crossed the finish line at Coeur d’Alene Idaho on June 21st 2009 for our 3rd finish within 7 months on our 6 in 1 year Journey! Next on the docket is Lake Placid on July 26th then Louisville Kentucky on Aug 29th and wrapping up with Madison Wisconsin on Sept 13th. Got to meet up and hang with our good friend and fellow Ironman compeitior Andy Garrobo and his wife Mel from Colorado Springs. So we had some great friends and extended family to hang out with and have fun together. Andy is now known to all of us as the Love Guru! He crossed the finish strong as well at 15:10. Keith was a 15:00 and I brought in the rear at 15:36.

Here is my recap on the race itself:

The Swim 2.4 miles……..it sucked…..4 foot swells, white caps, cross currents…..toughest swim I have ever had

The Bike 112 miles……….my best split ever….and I crashed at mile 14 and had a chain mechanical issue at mile 91

The Run 26.2 miles ……….it totally %^$c …..45 degrees, whipping rain………made it to mile 20 before my nagging injury kicked in And had to walk it out the last 5 miles before I ran home…

Final recap……..injured my shoulder a bit from the crash……..leg is OK…….hoping my bike has no issues when it comes home so it can be ready for Lake Placid….

We are halfway through our quest and feeling pretty good all things considered. I want to THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR JOURNEY AND ALL THAT YOU MEAN TO ME. I really appreciate many of you that have stepped up to support us and our charities by going to http://www.lifeisnutz.com/ and purchasing our cool apparel.

My memories from this one I take are not having my wife by my side as she has walked through all of this with me and I thank her immensely for her support. She had a special sign made with a great picture of her and my kids cheering me on saying Go Kev/Dad We Love You!. I carried it over the finish line with me! Also missed having our mentor Joe Turcotte from Colorado Springs who without him Keith nor I would have been able to do any of these Ironmans. He is a master of the Ironman and will be competing in Ironman World Championships in Hawaii this October!! Keith’s family his son Jarrod who was awesome hanging out and being there for his Dad on Fathers Day was a great scene to see. He is also thinking about signing up someday. My great friend and biz partner Bill Beers who was incredible getting us in the right frame of mind and supporting us throughout the week and keeping tabs on us and sending updates out to many of you of our progress. He has been given the award of IronSherpa IM CDA! And also to new friends Bob and Nacy and their family for hosting a great BBQ meal which helped to fuel us along the race. Those of you who race know the 2 days of meals prior to a race day are crucial to the success of the race and they helped out big time. Their son in law and son both signed up for Ironman St George in May 2010 while we were there so there will be 5 of us competing together there next year! That’s just awesome! I met a new friend Ben Castro who finished his first Ironman in 10:57! He is an IronStud and his lovely girlfriend Staci both from Walnut Creek Cali were great to meet and I am so pleased to have new friends on the journey! Coouer d’Alene itself is a smaller city atmosphere with a great support of the race. The folks there are extremely friendly and the area is absolutely breathtaking. It’s a great place to visit if you get the chance and I would recommend staying at Coeur d’Alene Resort as that is the mecca of the city.

I know that some of my family and friends will get to Lake Placid and watch us there and I am wicked excited about that and know that will help as this will be the toughest test to date as the bike hills are somewhat intimidating…..

That’s enough for now

Talk to you all soon

Kevin :)
http://www.lifeisnutz.com/
Kevin@lifeisnutz.com

March 2009 San Antonio

2009-03-01T17:20:00.000-08:00

This past week I traveled to San Antonio for a conference. I stayed about a block away from the Alamo. I had an opportunity between meetings to go for a run along the Riverwalk and through the Alamo and Travis Park. What I saw while out on the run was somewhat disturbing to me. I can tell you that I had to stop running about a half hour in as my IT Band has been acting up lately so I had to walk back. The streets of San Antonio are very clean and the Riverwalk is a pretty place. Travis Park was where allot of San Antonio's homeless gather to hang out and help eachother. Pictured below is Travis Park and next to that is a picture of an EDAR which you can click the link below for EDAR.org to see more on them and what they do.

It was a discouraging feeling. It brought me back to worse days for myself and the feelings I had experienced during those tougher times for me. I realize that some do actually choose that lifestyle and that is their choice. There were others that I saw that is is not their choice to be there. They are the lost ones. They are the ones that worried me. As you will read below I was at the site of the battle that took place literally 173 years ago and what I saw is a new battle our society faces on every street in every town and most of us have no idea as to how to address it. There are no easy answers. This is a battle which we must help our brothers and sisters not by handing out $$$ and funding bureaucracy. This is a battle in which we must gather ourselves and provide food, shelter and support to help those who want help. We should not just hand things over but we must try and get these folks into a place where the opportunity to learn and change can happen. My latest charity EDAR (Everyone Deserves a Roof) http://www.edar.org/ is a start along with 2 other charities that I try and help Right Turn http://www.right-turn.org/ and The ARC http://www.thearc-metrowest.com/ Please help us IronNutz make a difference and give what you can to these charities through my websites and know that what I can't do WE CAN. I hope you enjoy the piece of history so we don't forget The Alamo but more importantly my hope is that we won't forget that the person you walk by on the street may one day be you, your son or daughter, your brother or sister, a friend. We must try and do what we can to make a difference.

Regards

Kevin :)

The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) is the most famous battle of the Texas Revolution. After a revolutionary army of Texian settlers and adventurers from the United States drove all Mexican troops out of Mexican Texas, Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna led an invasion to regain control of the area. Mexican forces arrived in San Antonio de Bexar on February 23 and initiated a siege of the Texian forces garrisoned at the Alamo Mission.
In the early morning hours of March 6 the Mexican army launched an assault on the Alamo. The outnumbered Texians repulsed two attacks, but were unable to fend off a third. As Mexican soldiers scaled the walls, most of the Texian soldiers retreated into the long barracks or the chapel. Several small groups who were unable to reach these points attempted to escape and were killed outside the walls by the waiting Mexican cavalry. The Mexican soldiers fought room-to-room and soon had control over the Alamo. Between five and seven Texians may have surrendered; if so, they were quickly executed on Santa Anna's orders. Most eyewitness accounts reported between 182 and 257 Texian dead, while most Alamo historians agree that 400–600 Mexicans were killed or wounded. Of the Texians who fought during the battle, only two survived: Joe, spared because he was a slave, and Brigido Guerrero, a Mexican Army deserter who convinced Mexican soldiers he had been imprisoned. Women and children, primarily family members of the Texian soldiers, were questioned by Santa Anna and then released.
On Santa Anna's orders, three of the survivors were sent to Gonzales to spread word of the Texian defeat. After hearing this news, Texian army commander Sam Houston ordered a retreat; this sparked the Runaway Scrape, a mass exodus of citizens and the Texas government towards the east (away from the Mexican army). News of the Alamo's fall prompted many Texas colonists to join Houston's army. On the afternoon of April 21 the Texian army attacked Santa Anna's forces in the Battle of San Jacinto. During the battle many Texians shouted "Remember the Alamo!" Santa Anna was captured and forced to order his troops out of Texas, ending Mexican control of the area, which subsequently became the Republic of Texas.
By March 24 a list of names of the Texians who died at the Alamo had begun to be compiled. The first history of the battle was published in 1843, but serious study of the battle did not begin until after the 1931 publication of Amelia W. Williams's dissertation attempting to identify all of the Texians who died at the Alamo. The first full-length, non-fiction book covering the battle was published in 1948. The battle was first depicted in film in the 1911 silent film The Immortal Alamo, and has since been featured in numerous movies, including one directed by John Wayne. The Alamo church building has been designated an official Texas state shrine, with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas acting as permanent caretakers.

Feb Update

2009-02-20T21:37:00.000-08:00

Today was an interesting and exciting day on many fronts. Its my daughter Gaetana's 22nd Birthday. She is a very special and wonderful person you could ever want to meet. She has so much love in her heart just thinking about who she is makes you feel good. Tana you are amazing and I wish you the Happiest of Birthdays and many many more! love Dad :)

We had a great call with our newest charity to add to our IronNutz adventure and WRUN Inc company. Its called EDAR (Everyone Deserves A Roof) started by Peter Samuelson of LA who is an amazing man. www.edar.org is their site please check it out. In these tough times it is people like Peter that continue to inspire me to finish the Ironman journey we began last year and before and to keep growing what we do to help those in need.

I, like many have had some challenging moments lately. The world and its landscape has dramatically changed in a very different way than it was even 6 months ago. Allot of folks are running off emotions and not their intellect. That is not good. Many folks are reacting to situations before thinking them through, including me sometimes. The pressure is increasing more than I have seen it since maybe the 70's and at that time I looked to other negative choices to avoid feeling anything. Now the question is what do I do about it today and what kind of message can I share to help us and what message can you share to help me.

I first asked for help. I should not do anything alone anymore. The fact is that I am surrounded by the most brilliant people in the world today. Most are just a phone call of an email away and I can release allot of my stress quickly if I choose to do so. So I did. I felt better right away. When I calmed down I realized that I had allowed people, places and things to take up way too much rent free space in my head and it clouded my choices for freedom from the trap I was in. I realized that I was being overexposed to the negativity circling around me at work, TV and just in general with people around everywhere going through this mire that has arrived. I am making a choice to step out and through the mire and look towards the positive influences around me and trying to notice the small things that make me smile. I also wrote a gratitude list to show me exactly where I really was at this moment.

Moment, what does it mean really and why do so many of us have difficulty staying in it?
Moment: a minute portion or point of time : instant b: a comparatively brief period of time: present time

If somehow we can enjoy each and every moment then is that where you can feel peace and serenity. Then the answers come and you will be more empowered to help those about you and yourself. Can you stop for a moment and just be in your space right now and ask yourself how you feel? These are the things that bring me back on my own two feet and feel the most human as I can. I don't know about you buts its very difficult for me to do this regularly. I guess thats one of the reasons I love spending time with my friends and family cause they help me stay in more moments than when I am alone. When I am training in the pool, ridiing my bike or running I do better in the moments too and most of those times I am not with others but I am never alone. That does bring me peace and hope in my heart.

Lastly I want to thank Mr Samuelson for being a part of our day and reminding me and the rest of the Nutz that we are on the right path doing that which we are supposed to be doing today!

Hope to hear your thoughts and blogs as well!

Kevin :)

2009 New Year "Don't Give Up"

2009-01-10T11:39:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

I fee inspired to share a bit on life lately as I have seen it going on with folks today. I am concerned, very concerned for the health and well being of everyone I know. I have heard folks so far into the negative more so than in many years that I have walked the earth. Many friends have been more depressed than ever and I have a message for all of you.

Most of you know my story. Not only should I be dead I probably deserved it a few times. If someone like me can rise above the despair I have experienced than I believe you all can too. I know that Life is Nutz for everyone right now. Heck I even own a company with that name. But I want to tell you a very simple message and here it is:

Life is nutz.........................Don't Give Up............................Keep on Giving..................

I can tell you that I have been through a living hell and these times are not it. We, as individuals and together need to stand up and not feed into the negative messsages swriling around us and align oursleves with the most positive energitic people we know and help those that need an extra boost of positive energy.

Please Don't Give Up.....................please stand with me and help those around you.

Have an awesome day!

Kevin ;)

WRUN Store

2009-01-04T06:55:00.000-08:00

WRUN Store opens with Brand New Lines!

Please go and check it out!

Almost at the Finish Ironman AZ 2009

2009-01-01T09:28:00.000-08:00

Trying to hold off a great runner.........Happy New Year and a great 2009!

Mass Swim Start Ironman Arizona 2008

2008-12-28T20:04:00.001-08:00

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Originally uploaded by kjbrown1231

1700 Finishes Ironman AZ Nov 23rd 2008

2008-12-28T20:01:00.001-08:00

1700 Finishes Ironman AZ Nov 23rd 2008
Originally uploaded by kjbrown1231

Hope you take a minute to view me crossing the finish at Ironman Arizona 2008

Ironman Arizona Finished 2008

2008-12-28T20:00:00.003-08:00

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Originally uploaded by kjbrown1231

3 down in 2008 and 4 more to go in 2009

Ironman Arizona

2008-12-28T20:00:00.001-08:00

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Originally uploaded by kjbrown1231

just out the water

Ironman Arizona

2008-12-28T19:58:00.001-08:00

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Originally uploaded by kjbrown1231

Marathon Time of the Ironman

Metrowest Daily News Article from Christmas Day

2008-12-27T15:15:00.000-08:00

Great Article by Abby Donovan of the Metrowest Daily News!

2008-12-04T20:15:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Billy Beers for posting the Blog up and hello to everyone in blogland. I will be checking in on the blog and trying to keep folks updated as to our progress as a company and as I move towards my next Ironman event in June 2009 at Coeur d'Alene Idaho. Pic right is me & Jen just after succesful Ironman AZ Nov 23rd 2008.

We are very excited to kick off our next line of apparel and we have had great success and feedback to our IronNutz and Life is Nutz lines. I am very excited this Holiday Season and am very pleased with our projects. We are great guys doing good things thats all I know as Russ would say!

Our newest Nut on board is also our newest friend but he is not new to Triathlon. In fact he is a Pro. His name is Swen Sundberg from Germany and he and his wife Verena (pic inset)are truly the coolest folks on the Triathlon circuit and most definitely the nicest as well. We also got to meet one of his friends and fellow Pro's Christian Rothart who is also a very cool dude while we were in AZ on November 23rd!

Enjoy the blog and hope you will Join the Revolution and become a Nut for Life cause Life is Nutz as we all know these days. Keep the positive energy flowing and don't ever give up!

Happy Holidays!

Kevin ;)

2008-12-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

Its time for an Update on Ironman Arizona 2008 Nov 23^rd. So all of you have an idea this was the 2^nd Full Ironman in 3 weeks of eachother by Keith & I. We are Nutz …….IronNutz!

I know many of you will already delete me but to those of you that are sitting fixated waiting to hear the story you will be pleasantly surprised (I hope).

As far as the race goes I had a PR or my personal best time ever! I toed the finish line in 14 hours and 4 minutes which beats my best time prior by 1 hour and 15 minutes so I am very happy about that.

We launched our company What R U Nutz TM on the Tuesday prior to Race day and had a tent in Ironman Village to show our brand(s) IronNutz TM and Life is Nutz TM . Our CEO Bill Beers and Salesman Mike Barry did a great job setting up and selling our Nutz Gear and showing the brand. They did get some help from Keith, Joe, Diane and the 2 Jen Browns as well. We are very excited about our beginning and hope you take the time to check out our site(s) www.ironnutz.com and www.whatrunutz.com to support our company and our causes. Its Profit for Charity and as you see below we had our logo dude up on Times Square last week as well. Its been quite an exciting time for all of us.

I can tell you this has been an exciting week and Joe had his PR at 12 hours and 2 minutes. He kicked mine and Keith’s butts big time. He has trained very hard to do this and given that 2 weeks before he had an injury is another testament to his Nutzness. Congrats Joey!

A friend of our family (mostly my brother Mike the IronShirker) stopped by with his family the day before race day to our tent and visited in the Ironman Village. His name is Jay Finkelstein. His wife Stacy and daughter Dana also came with him. Dana is a budding Pro Golfer at the tender age of 15 and it was really great to see them and meet them. I hadn’t seen Jay in 30 years. It was a very cool moment for me. I will not forget the fact they came by to see and support us Nutz and it helped spark my best time yet!

I also had the opportunity to watch my wife run in the 5 K in the morning Saturday and she did awesome. She averaged 8 minute miles and was amazing strong through the finish. Later that day I had the opportunity to meet Graham Fraser the President of NAS Sports and Ironman and we chatted for quite awhile at our tent and learned of his kids love for sports and how grateful he was to have them. He spoke of how proud he was of his daughter’s IM accomplishment and his son’s passion for hockey and the gratitude he felt for them and his family in his life. That was a really cool experience. I just love the Ironman and TRiathlete community. They are mostly great examples of fellowship and comradery going in this world.

We were also welcomed at our Favorite Hotel in AZ and probably across the country by Leilani, Danielle, Stephanie, Tyler & Erin at the Marriott Towne Place Suites on S Priest Dr in Tempe. They had a sign for all us Nutz and the other IM competitors staying there. Leilani stored all our gear in her office for the week leading up to the IM and it filled her office. She also volunteered at the Ironman doing Registrations on Friday and then first thing Sunday Morning of Race Day she was doing bodymarking and she marked myself and Keith. It meant allot to have that happen. I am not sure if Leilani is aware of that but she is now. Leilani and her staff are a great support to us for all 3 of my IM’s in AZ and also Keith’s 2 IM’s here and Joey’s 5^th or 6^th here. They all went 150% beyond their own jobs and accommodated us and the rest of the ahletes to help us feel comfortable and provided for to help us get ready for a great race day experience.

As my friend and brother Nut Keith says the crossing of the finish line is important to each one of us in many ways but even more important is the journey along the way and the friends we meet and the support we get from our existing friends and family. Then there are the new friends you meet at each event whether they are competing or supporting their loved one(s). We as athletes can be a bit difficult at times the days leading up to the race and having all the support of friends, family and the 1000’s of volunteers make this huge event happen with all of our personalities crashing in on eachother.

As a company we decided we would offer a free BBQ the night before the race for anyone at the hotel who wanted a quick bite to eat and some fellowship to share before the big day. Bill and Mike stepped up and coordinated the whole thing and laid out a spread fit for a King or Queen. Suffice it to say we had allot of food leftover. We met a really cool families from Chicago, Texas, Green Bay (with son from Boston and daughter from Madison) and some really neat guys from Canada as well (Edmonton and Calgary). It was great to see them all and share our experience strength and hope with them. Bill looked at me and had a great suggestion with the leftover food which was to offer it to a shelter or mission in the area. Mike went and asked Tyler if he could find some phone numbers for these places for us to call which he did. Unfortunately it was Saturday and around 8:30 so there wasn’t anyone open to accept our goods. We knew a small community right up the road called Guadaloup AZ that was a community that could use these goods so we loaded up the Van and headed towards Guadoloupe to see if we could find some families that could benefit from our food. We drove past a church with some lights on and hoped we could find actual folks to help but we drove through and couldn’t find anyone so we decided to turn around and go back to that church and drop the food off and ask if they could find some needy families after their services to help. As we got closer to the Church my wife Jen looked over and saw another smaller building with lights on and some cars out front. We pulled into the parking area infron of the building and looked up on the building itself and saw a very familiar symbol on the building. 3 of the 5 folks in the Van are in recovery and what was on that building will be etched in our minds forever as it was another example of being exactly where we were supposed to be doing exactly what it is we were supposed to be doing. It was a 12 step Recovery symbol on that building and the folks in that building were wrapping up their business and were very happy to get the food and knew of some families needing it right away. Our Video dude Brad chronicling our experiences at all of these events nicely shut his camera off out of respect to this very spiritual experience. Some reading this may not totally understand but many of you will. My brother Rich named this experience “The Scoop from Guadoloupe 2008”.

We came back after and sat together in the hotel room and each one of us talked about what just happened and what it meant to us. Bill, Mike, Jen, Brad & I all shared together and that was also a highlight of my time in AZ for the Ironman. Only 8 hours til we had to be down at the race getting ready for the 7AM gun! Time to get some sleep.

Race morning came and we all had some good sleep except for Joe but he rarely sleeps well. We suited up in our wetsuits and took the last pre-race pics with all our loved ones and IronSherpas and headed down to the deep water start. Some very private moments happen from this time of 6:45 til the gun goes off for everyone. Its quite an exhilarating and anxious time and a very surreal experience. Joe and I stayed together at the start and we lost Keith somewhere in the water but met up just before and wished eachother well and gave the look of the next chapter about to start again. It was very cool. The water and the weather were gtreat. The National Anthem was sung, the crowds were screaming and then the gun went off. I have to be honest out of all 4 IM’s I have done this was the most difficuly swim start. I felt like I got my butt kicked around for well over 15 minutes, usually it lasts 5 maybe 7 minutes tops of that washing machine, get whacked in the head, grab the legs & arms, slithering off bodies type feeling. I really was starting to get concerned this would last way too long. One guy I had to tell him to stop grabbing me and I felt bad cause I could tell he was spooked but there was nothing I could do but remind him he was in a wetsuit and he wouldn’t sink of drown. Then I swam away from him as far as I could. Finally it broke up and I could get into a swim routine for awhile. After the mass swim start broke up I felt like I had a great swim going and felt as if I would have my best time yet in an IM. I think I was at exactly the same time as me last best time so I really think that washing machine start really took some minutes away from me but I was out in 1 hour 47 minutes and happy one segment of the Ironman was in the books. Off into transition tent to change into my bike gear and sunscreen up and get on my bike. Pretty good time in transition and off to the Beeline Highway and the Salt River Maricopa Desert for 3 loops of my best bike ride in a IM yet! I hoped off the bike at 6 hours 36 minutes which is 25 minutes faster than any IM bike segment I have done. I was back in transition tent changing into my run gear and feeling pretty good. Thanks to my chiropractor Dr Khoury, my Massage Therapist Dennis Nowak and Dr Joe and of course my wife Jen I felt no pain in my Achilles which had plagued my marathon in Florida just 3 weeks earlier. I didn’t have my best PR marathon but I was able to run almost the entire thing except the one big hill they have on the course.

As some of you know I dedicated this IM to Kevin Kelly who lost his battle with Cancer earlier this year. I want their family to know that one of the things that I saw in this IM that I hadn’t seen in previous IM’s was how many folks with the name Kevin on their bibs. It was truly another sign that we have someone else looking over us! It made me feel really good whenever I saw a Kevin on the road whether on the bike or the run. I have listed all the Kevin’s below just to show Melissa I am not kidding and I think it’s also pretty awesome that someone who actually shares his name finished as well in my same age group and 22 spots ahead of me. That is just awesome! He also shares the name Kelly for the first person I did an IM for in AZ back in 2007 Elizabeth Jane Kelly and last but not least our Video Person chronicling our journey is Brad Kelly. I am reassured constantly that I am with all the right people doing all the right things and that makes me feel really good.

OVERALL PLACE	TOTAL TIME	LAST NAME	FIRST NAME	RACE DIVISION	DIVISION PLACE	HAWAII QUALIFIERS
1979	15:56:06	BLAKE	KEVIN	M25-29	93/99
195	10:15:43	BRADBURY	KEVIN	M40-44	34/399
1613	14:04:33	BROWN	KEVIN	M45-49	88/247
280	10:35:29	BUCHHOLZ	KEVIN	M30-34	42/211
100	09:49:37	CLAYTON	KEVIN	M35-39	16/369
78	09:42:28	COADY	KEVIN	M30-34	9/211
852	12:01:27	CUSTIS	KEVIN	M40-44	84/399
636	11:31:21	DOLAN	KEVIN	M45-49	74/247
1328	13:14:42	DOUGHERTY	KEVIN	M35-39	40/369
616	11:28:38	EDWARDS	KEVIN	M50-54	25/135
1589	13:59:22	HALL	KEVIN	M35-39	90/369
1417	13:28:19	HANNON	KEVIN	M35-39	61/369
1535	13:50:45	HANRAHAN	KEVIN	M30-34	66/211
1771	14:47:07	HAUGH	KEVIN	M35-39	20/369
1381	13:24:16	KELLY	KEVIN	M45-49	63/247
1262	13:03:10	KNAUFF	KEVIN	M40-44	73/399
1754	14:42:42	KORESKY	KEVIN	M35-39	16/369
1638	14:13:19	MCCABE	KEVIN	M45-49	95/247
98	09:49:09	NEAL	KEVIN	M45-49	4/247
1809	14:57:56	PRINISKI	KEVIN	M30-34	85/211
1128	12:42:00	REINSCH	KEVIN	M40-44	43/399
2167	DNF	ROBSON	KEVIN	M40-44	96/399
431	10:59:52	ROSENTHAL	KEVIN	M40-44	90/399
332	10:46:41	SULLIVAN	KEVIN	M45-49	36/247
969	12:22:09	SYPOLT	KEVIN	M40-44	03/399