This is my story about a ten year dream to race in the Ironman Triathlon Championship in Kona Hawaii. It starts more than thirty years ago when I decided to race in a local triathlon. While it wasn't the plan, that first race got me hooked, and triathlon became a lifestyle for me. As I raced through the years, the idea of competing in an Ironman distance triathlon took shape. What started as a dream developed into a two year plan that took me to Kona Hawaii in October 1994. This book tracks my journey of training, racing and the overall preparations for that major milestone in my life. And this is more than a story. As you'll read, it tells you my first-hand experiences with training and race successes as well as those things that didn't go quite so well. If you are even a little curious about what it takes to prepare for an ironman triathlon, this book will give you detailed insight into the training and preparation needed.