Jason Fowler Living

Words to live by..,

2012-01-28T23:05:00.002-05:00

Boston marathon April 2011

2011-04-18T16:27:00.001-04:00

Boston marathon 2011, first race since Ironman, feel great to be back competing. My want for more raw food has included pre-race kiwi's!

2011 Sponsors

2011-04-01T16:00:00.000-04:00

Want to say a special thanks to my 2011 sponsors Juice Plus by NSA and Invivo Therapeutics. With their generous support I will be able to travel and race in 2011 which will include my focus event in Texas to the US handcycle 70.3 triathlon championships.

Trying to decide what super hero I want to be in 2011

2011-01-01T17:24:00.001-05:00

After 18mos and two surgeries I am happy to say I am healthy. Post Ironman World Championship victory in October 2009 my body and pysche told me(really forced me) to take a break. My intention has been to switch gears from intense pursuit of Ironman world championship title to living a life that has more balance which includes more focus on friends, family, and community. This has been easier said than done and have found myself missing competition. I have turned to spirituality as a way to being my true self. I am looking forward to the next chapter!

Not so Ironman!

2010-02-20T03:33:00.001-05:00

Only two months post Ironman my body forced me to take a break. A severe infection that caused me to have to have a pic line for 8 weeks pictured above. I was told by surgeon that infection has been there for months, I am greatful that the symptoms waited till after Ironman! After 3 weeks in bed I have found myself searching for piece of mind and have found meditation and spirituality.

2009-12-23T20:58:00.000-05:00

Kona post awards ceremony with David Bailey. David was a childhood hero of mine growing up racing motocross, he inspired and showed me Ironman was a possibility. David and I battled all day race day. This victory means so much more to me because I was racing David as he is one of the most talented athletes I know. He also is a class act and a friend.

2009-12-23T20:52:00.000-05:00

Oct 2009, The citation ceremony with MA State and Brockton Representatives.

2009-12-23T20:46:00.001-05:00

October 2009, received an official citation from the City of Brockton "City of Champions" for my Ironman World championship win! It was a special event for me and my family being that I was born in Brockton and all of my grandparents grew up in Brockton. Special thanks to the Petti's for making this a possibility, I truly appreciate the honor.

Jason Ironman Video

2009-12-23T20:01:00.003-05:00

2009-10-23T21:07:00.000-04:00

Special thanks to Spaulding Rehabilitation and Glenn and Andy at the EXPD(Exercise Program for Persons with Disabilities) Program for their generous support! I means alot!

2009-10-21T18:34:00.003-04:00

A friend of mine told me to "respect all but fear none". This quote holds for me during the swim. It is so very easy to get caught up with the hooplah prior to the swim and let nerves ruin your swim. I had a good swim this year, not excellent, it is evident I need to improve but I am just happy to have made progress and I did my best. I only got kicked in the head once and I didn't throw up, it rocked!

2009-10-21T18:26:00.002-04:00

The run course is my favorite, it may be that I know the suffering will end in just over 26 miles or 2 hours , or it may be it is my best event. Either way it is where the race is won or lost. As you can see the person runnng across the course, it gets pretty knarly, I had some close calls with a motor scooter, a few young kids running across the course, and a food services truck! Thanks to the hawaiian gods for the protection! ( I am not religious but definitely spiritual and after a day in the lava fields you believe there is for sure something of a higher being on the island)

2009-10-21T18:22:00.002-04:00

Lava fieds present some challenges, extremely high humidity, radiating 95-105 degree temps, 25-40 mph cross, head and tail winds that wear you down pretty good! Not to mention I am sitting inches off the radiating pavement. As much as I complain, it is what makes this race so appealing, the challenge, if it was easy I wouldn't be doing it. (A little crazy but so very true!)

2009-10-21T18:14:00.003-04:00

It was a long 7+ hours on the bike! I know your thinking I am lying down on the job, don't even say it. No really though, there are amazing views on the bike course, something special about the ocean and lava fields. You feel like everything is so close, even the hills, except it is so far from the truth, when you are climbing the hills they never seem to end!

Czech Connection

2009-10-13T21:03:00.000-04:00

Kona post race hanging with friends Z and Michael. Both Z and Michael are from Checkoslovakia, and both competed in the race, In addition to being able to drink beer like real men, they both are rockin good guys and not to mention fast on the course!

2009-10-12T21:00:00.001-04:00

Kona awards ceremony. Wow it felt good to be all the way to the left!

2009-10-11T02:42:00.007-04:00

I WON!!, 11 hours 25 minutes, Ironman World Champion!

2009-10-09T21:30:00.006-04:00

Carlos moleda the handcycle kona record holder just sent the handcycle athletes a good luck note. The disclaimer was he was gonna kick anyones ass if they beat his world record! The icing on that is he is also gonna kill our cats and dogs as well!! Thought you all would get a laugh outta that as I do. Its on!

Getting ready

2009-10-07T22:36:00.003-04:00

Hello all,
As many of you know this is my third time in hawaii for the Ironman. The first time I failed miserably and didn't make the bike cutoff time, the second time got second place and depending upon how you choose to look at it, was first loser, and now third time just preparing to have my best day. That being said I feel like my best day will result in a very close race between a very competitive field(Really I want to say I will win and kick everyones a**es, but that is not my style and I know all too well the Ironman is a very long race and anything can happen). The German(Hans) who has won the last two years and who is a 40 hour per week training animal who is fast on the bike and just good in the other events. Hans and I have a long history of racing together and mostly a history of him beating me pretty badly(more to come). Then there is David Bailey who as many of you know an ex motocross world champ and a childhood hero of mine. David won Ironman in 2000 and took a few years off getting unhealthy but is back and will be very tough! Although there is lots of touhg competition, I feel like my toughest threat is myself. In the past I have let nerves get to me and do not so good things to me in the swim. As you all know the race can't be won in the swim but it absolutely can be lost as I proved last year coming out of the swim in last place and twenty minutes down. So I have focused on the swim and will be ready to go on race day. pics coming tomorrow!

2009-09-29T18:58:00.000-04:00

I like this quote because it reminds me of the Ironman process for me. Nothing happened overnight. Good things have happened because I have decided I wanted to be the best I could be and I have gone out and worked hard. I have found myself reflecting as the Ironman approaches. Gonna be a good year in Kona! Ten days and counting.

Big W

2009-07-01T22:14:00.002-04:00

Raced in the Ironman trials on sunday in lubbock Texas. I think I am coming down with Alzheimers, I keep forgetting how much this race hurts! Funny thing is the entire bike course is so tortorous that I frequently asked myself why I was even racing and thought I could be anywhere but on this bike in this canyon and that would be just great. Then I got to the race chair and was racing with David Bailey and it was the coolest day ever. (for those of you who don't know David, he is possibly the best motocrosser of al time and happens to have won the handcycle division in Kona in 2000 and now making a comeback) So end result is I won the trials sunday and I earned a trip to Ironman Hawaii that takes place October 10th. For those of you who have been following my progress the last five years you know it has been a long road to get to this point. I failed several times until last year when I placed 2nd in Hawaii. Now I am on a mission to win the world championships in hawaii and the cool part is I get to race several past Ironman winners including Bailey, koeppen, potentially Carlos Moleda and Marc Herreman. So to say the least I have my work cut out for me, I guess it comes down to how bad I want it. Time will tell!!!

2009-06-21T21:35:00.000-04:00

Course record is in my reach!

2009-06-21T21:27:00.003-04:00

95 degrees and counting! Wow, gonna be a bit warm one next week at the trials. Funny how I want the conditions to be brutal, the tougher the better.

2009-06-14T22:17:00.001-04:00

After deliberating over and over I have decided to give it another go at kona this year! It just came down to the simple fact, I love to race and compete and I have come to love the lifestyle that comes along with Ironman training. At times I feel tired, at times I feel left out of the social scene but most of the time I feel energized and excited to be racing and pushing myself. For me exercising has become my release and the one time it is all about me and all my worries seem to disappear. In a way pursuing ironman is a simplier life, a life in which I am only focusing on working and training. My goal for the year is to qualify for Ironman which means I am going to Lubbock Texas on June 28th for the trials and if I get top two I go back to Hawaii. Regardless of what happens my goal is to enjoy the process and smile a bit more, that being said I really want to have my best day in Hawaii and win that suckeh!

So here it is Sunday afternoon, I am doing a Spinerval (workout DVD) indoors as it is raining out. It has to be the toughest part of Ironman training, spinning for two hours with my heart rate between 140 and 175bpm! Gonna be a good year!

If I only knew

2008-11-03T21:11:00.000-05:00

Minutes before the race I make my way through the crowd to the water. At this point I knew I was going to hurt like never before but at the same time I was just telling myself if I can just get thru the swim without any issues and in a reasonable time I am destined for a good day! Turns out the swim crushed me and I am still coming to terms with that fact! more thoughts to come... I have the yellow swim cap on and being carried down the steps by RT and Dr. Bob.

2008-11-03T21:07:00.000-05:00

Approximately 1,500 athletes gettng ready to kick off the day. It looks deceivingly calm!

4:45am

2008-11-03T21:01:00.000-05:00

4:45 am pre-race Rob and I getting ready fro the big day. Rob is a serious triathlete and was an integral part of my lightning fast transitions not to mention he swims like a fish! (wish he could have swim for me!) At this point I was jut trying to control the nerves and push as much fluids and energy bars for the long day ahead.

TEAM SOB

2008-11-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

Thank you to team S.O.B.! Rob and Brenda who live in Santa Rosa were my training partners and Rob was my swim coach while I lived in Santa Rosa. They made the trip to the Main Island and shared in the fun of the quest for kona. Thank you for your support RT and B! (I think I am beginning to go down in this picture, might have somthing to do with just completing an Ironman!)

The turning point

2008-11-02T13:13:00.000-05:00

The turning point for me in the marathon was at Mile 11 which is Palani hill. It is very steep, very long, and notoriously brutal at that point in the race. I gave it everything I had and bit more on this hill and was able to gap Herreman's by at least a few minutes! As you can see the crowds are in your face on the hill, although a few hundred feet up the hill a lady stepped in front of me and I ran into her, a little too close for comfort!

2008-10-15T22:21:00.000-04:00

No words can do this justice.

2008-10-15T22:16:00.000-04:00

Here is a pic compliments of Ironman.com. I am doing everything I can do to get up Palani Drive!

Race day pics

2008-10-15T21:55:00.000-04:00

These Pics are compliments of Michael Romano of Honolulu Hawaii. As you can see the lava fields are pretty knarly. I had to wear a visor to pull over my face as much as possible as the sun is very intense. I also wore as much white as possible to help reflect the sunlight. I wish you could see the look on my face, I was suffering pretty bad!

This is at mile ten and a half and I am getting ready to climb the longest steepest hill on the run course which is Palani Drive. It is probably a good 3/4 mile climb and tough considering its place on the course.

2008-10-13T17:38:00.000-04:00

My pit crew, bob and Heidi from Vancouver, Thank you you guys, you rock!

2008-10-13T17:37:00.000-04:00

Wow, what an adventure! I finished in 11 hours and 29 minutes and placed 2nd amongst 8 handcycles. It was the most amazing experience and the toughest thing physically I have ever done. I cried, laughed, yelled, was angry, wanted to stop, and finally finished with a sense of joy. Deep down I am very pleased with my race, although there is a part of me that is still longing for a win. I think it is going to take me a while to reconcile what just happened and get to a true happy place with my outcome. I am going through the would have, could have scenarios in my mind as there are few parts of my race that didnt go ideally. I have lots to share with you all but in the meantime I am going to enjoy my last day in Hawaii. Thank you so much for the support through this adventure and check back in the next few days as I have a load of pics to upload and also want to share more about my race. Mahalo

Race night

2008-10-10T23:00:00.000-04:00

It has been another day of running around and getting ready for race day, finally! It is finally here and I am very excited. I am relaxed today and I am feeling good. I feel like I have done everything I could possibly do and more. I really feel like if I have my best day that I can have I am gonna be a happy camper. It is has been a long journey to get to this point, a year ago I just wanted to qualify and six months ago I put it in my head that I could win this thing. The good news is when I told myself I could win my actions and preparation have follwed suit and I have elevated my game. The bad news is I put alot of pressure on myself to win. Now the night before the race of course I want to win but I also just want to do my best. Sounds a bit wishy washy but in reality if I have my best day I truly believe I can win and if I don't win then I know I did everything possible and whoever does beat me deserves to beat me. The process of Ironman has for sure chaged the way I look at alot in life, it has demanded that I hold myself to a higher level of commitment in whatever I am doing. It has taught me that true greatness (not to say I am there yet) takes years of practice and trying. I failed for four straight years just trying to qualify for this event. As much as it pained me to fail qualify for the event it has also made me appreciate how special this event is. I have heard stories that is has taken other athletes years to qualify and for some they likely don't qualify so it say the least I feel honored and at the same time deserving to be competing tomorrow. Ok it is time to hit the sack in a hour (6:30 pm hawaii time) and so I will be signing off till tomorrow night after the race. I look fwd to telling you all how it went! -Jason
btw- for those of you following the race onlione the other handcycle names are Hannes Koeppen(fast german), Svehla Zbynek, Marc Herreman (fast belgian), Marc Aten, Ricky James and a few others) this will help you determine what place I am in. Expect me to come from behind!

2008-10-10T22:59:00.000-04:00

A little humor, a fellow competitor Marc Aten (wife wife Tiffany) looks like he is losing his shorts. I swear I didn't see that his shorts were falling down when I took the photo. Gotta get my competitors anyway I can, haha. Marc if you see this I hope you get a chuckle!

2008-10-10T22:56:00.000-04:00

Transition entry

2008-10-10T22:55:00.000-04:00

The Ironman crew is busy putting up the finish line. They put on quite an event, although I would rather race with none of the media hype but regardless it is a pretty special event to be a part of.

2008-10-10T22:53:00.000-04:00

All the handcycle athletes (minus one) plus handlers. What a group, mostly europeans, traditionally they are fast cyclists, well see tomorrow!

Two days and just perfect

2008-10-10T00:17:00.001-04:00

Thus far my pre week race preparation has been everything I expected, hot and humid temps, a bit of training to keep loose, and a whole lot of thinking about the race. It is now two days away and I am finally becoming more comfortable knowing that the race I have been preparing for four years will be here on Saturday. The week began and I was feeling a bit of doubt and I asked myself, did I do everything I could to properly prepare for the race? As the week has progressed I have come to the conclusion, I have done everything and much more. Today I met several of my fellow handcycle competitors and each of them said the same thing “Jason, you lost some weight, you look very fit”. This reminded me, yes I did pay my dues over the last four years, yes I did put myself through an intense training regimen that has now prepared me to potentially win the Ironman, and yes I should believe. I drove the course today and as I dove I realized how much it was going to hurt on Saturday and at the same time I felt very much at home. This may sound sick but I can’t wait to put all of my hard work and fitness to the test. I have a lot to prove to myself on the course and I think I may just surprise myself. I am well rested, loose and very energized after weeks of a slow workout taper. Tomorrow I get to go to the pre race meeting for the handcycles and so I get to see all my competitors. I am looking forward to seeing and talking to everyone. As much as I want to kick everyone’s a** I also truly enjoy just shooting the sh** with everyone as we all have the Ironman in common which means we all worked pretty hard to be here. Ok it is off to bed for what the experts say is the most important nights sleep. I will check in briefly one more time tomorrow before race day. -j

2008-10-10T00:04:00.000-04:00

The race start is known to be a scene in terms of people watching at its greatest. I will say there are more fit and healthy people here than anywhere I have ever scene. It is all good!

2008-10-09T23:59:00.000-04:00

The race bike, ready to go.

2008-10-09T00:48:00.000-04:00

It is like heaven waking up to these views! Although the volcanic fumes have created a fog that is covering several parts of the island. I have been told it has been like this for a year now since one of the recently dormant volcanoes slightly erupted. Normally you can see the mountains in the background more clearly.

2008-10-09T00:36:00.000-04:00

Here are my European friends Svehla Zbynek(left) and Michael Siska. Zvehla will be racing his fifth Ironman on Saturday. Svehla has a target time of under 13 hours. I have never beaten Svehla in the three times we have raced and in fact Svehla has beaten me out of an Ironman slot a a few occasions. I look forward to racing Svehla now that I have elevated my game to a new level. Michael is new to Ironmans and has a goal of just finishing the race which is no small feat! I will save all my wise guy comments regarding the pic till after the race!

2008-10-07T23:49:00.000-04:00

Here are some pics of the swim start. The sea turtles are harmless or so they say. I was a bit leary as who really wants to swim with sea turtles.

2008-10-07T23:44:00.000-04:00

The Queen K Highway in Kona in the middle of the lava fields and taken from my bike. Wow it is a cool place to have a race!

2008-10-07T23:27:00.000-04:00

We did it! We made it to the World Championships in Kona Hawaii and all it took was countless hours of swimming, handcycling and pushing a race chair. I say "we" because it was all of you that have enabled me to be here. Some of you simply wished me good luck and some of you encouraged me in ways you don't even realize that kept me focused and to never lose sight of my dream. Then there were others who sacrificed as we would say in Beantown "WICKED BIG TIME". Although there have been many of you, a few stand out as being special to me. Jules for standing behind me day after day for five long years and for putting up with me all those times I was too tired to talk and just plain miserable to be around, thank you so much for putting up with me. To my folks for standing behind me no matter how many times they had to watch me torture myself at the trials every June for the last four years. My dad for helping me create a super fast carbon bike that I hope will enable me to get a big W on Saturday. To my friends in Atlanta including Mike L and the G2T family for always being available for a long bike ride on the silver comet. To Heidi and David for the lessons. To team SOB in N.Cali for all your encouragement. To PDoakey for all the training advice and friendship. Most recently to my sponsors who really enabled me to take the trip to Kona and not go into a budget deficit in the meantime including Challenged Athletes Foundation(CAF), Ohana Healthcare, Infinit Nutrition(the best sports drinks ever), Juice Plus+ (Whole food supplementation), Hanger Orthotics and Prosthetics (all my braces), and Zero Gravity (brakes). I know there are many more of you that I am forgetting and I apologize. I hope you know it is because of all you that I am here, of course I actually was the one who got up and rode with Raffy for endless miles on the trail but really I couldn't have done it without you. I have been told i don't celebrate enough so I am taking this moment to tip my hat to us for all your support, generosity, encouragement, and love in helping me to get to the Ironman World Championships. I will be fighting for you all day on Saturday over the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile race chair. I hope you enjoy my blog as I have lots of thoughts and hopefully good photos to share with you all. -J

2008-10-07T00:55:00.000-04:00

As you can see I pack light. Yes this is just my luggage for the trip. Lets just say the airlines love it when they see me coming. Did I mention the new pay per bag fee structure is not so great for the handcycle triathlete.