Diesel Does Ironman Wisconsin (2002)!

In the early-1990s, The Diesel and I — friends from high school who had reconnected after continuously bumping into each other at local 10Ks — hopped on our mountain bikes and began training for triathlons. By the winter of 2001, we decided we had paid our dues over thousands of miles of swimming, biking, and running and signed up for the inaugural Ironman Wisconsin. One chilly December night, while drinking Bud Light and watching Monday Night Football, we plotted out a training plan for breaking 12 hours.

About a month later, my health went awry and I was done for the year. But the Diesel steamed on, doing his long workouts all summer with a new guy on the scene: Activeness' JPD. That September, JPD and I cruised up to Wisconsin to watch the Diesel hammer through the 140.6-mile Madison course. And he did, easily breaking 12 hours and earning a retroactive, "You have been Activated."

Once every four years, I like to deliver the videos I've promised friends. So, finally, here it is. Sorry for the jerky camera work and shoddy editing — you may want to break out the Dramamine. Watch for special cameos from JPD, FOA Sami, and race winner Chris Lieto.