After thinking about it for weeks, I finally pulled the trigger. I registered for the 2014 full Ironman in Whistler, Canada.

I now have twenty-one weeks to reach the best physical condition of my life. I just started swimming after 10+ years out of the pool, I cycle for fun with a group of friends 2-3x a week, and I’ve never run a marathon. All things considered, I seriously think I might die.

Still, I’ve committed to completing the Ironman, and finishing below my avg. age groups time: I’ve registered for the event, told family and close friends about my goal, and planned out my next twenty-one weeks of training. Everyone I’ve told immediately asks, “what’s an Ironman?” After I give a quick explanation, they typically respond with “why would you do that?”

Here’s what I tell them:

The Coupled Physical/Psychological Breakdown — After riding a bike for 112 miles in a hunched over position, I will jump off, change my shoes, and immediately run a full marathon. Until yesterday, I didn’t think it could get any worse. Then I read the Ironman rules..no music or headphones allowed. If this doesn’t make me better prepared to face life’s challenges, nothing will.

The Gear — I’m the first to admit it, I get overly excited about new gear. My new Cannondale tri-bike is sitting in my living room for everyone to see. I’m already thinking about which set of Zipp carbon wheels I’m going to rock on race day. And I‘ve filled my Pocket app with articles focused on the math behind aerodynamic drag and efficiency when using a tri helmet, arm sleeves, or shoe covers. I’m addicted.

The Perfect Diet — Before 2014, I was a Mountain Dew and Redbull junky who weighed 45 lbs more than I do today. Training for an Ironman forces me to make the right eating decisions. As an added bonus, I can get away with eating pretty much whatever I want after a six-hour bike ride. You wouldn’t believe the amounts of cheese and Muscle Milk I currently consume. #livingthedream

The Tribe — Finishing an Ironman puts you in an exclusive club; < 50,000 people compete in a full Ironman every year and 5-15% of athletes DNF. With numbers like that, it’s no surprise those who do finish permanently mark the feat with an Ironman M-Dot tattoo. You can bet I’ll be adding the accomplishment to my resume.

The End Goal — Swimming, running, and cycling are all things I enjoy doing as hobbies. Competing in an Ironman gives me a reason to push myself harder, wake up earlier, and justify exhausting myself to the point of puking.

The Beautiful Places— The locations for Ironman events are unbelievable. From Whistler, Canada to Nice, France to Hokkaido, Japan, Ironman events feature spectacular scenery and amazing crowds. Ironman events provide a reason to discover new places I’d otherwise never consider going.

The Work Life Balance — I’m terrible at balancing work life and.. everything else. Being committed to an Ironman forces me to get out of the office once-in-a-while and learn how to live a life outside of work. 80-100 hour weeks aren’t feasible when training and aren’t maintainable without burning out. I’ve always worked hard, but now I’m learning how to work smart. This means empowering my team, checking email in the middle of the night after a long workout, and prioritizing action items.

So here’s to pushing myself to unknown boundaries over the next twenty-one weeks. Worst-case scenario: I DNF, delete this blog post, tell my friends I was kidding, and pretend like this never happened.