November 26, 2024 • 32 mins
We chat with Brandon Gibson to discuss his challenging year, including multiple surgeries. Despite setbacks, he still participated in the RiverBluff sprint race before undergoing a seven-hour hernia surgery! After a long recovery period, Brandon is back training and plans to focus on running, aiming for a 50k at Bell Ringer and a 70.3 in Michigan or North Carolina in 2025. His long-term goal is to compete in the Lake Placid Ironman in 2026. He emphasizes the importance of mental resilience and setting realistic training goals to maintain motivation and balance family life.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Unknown (00:00):
Music.
Narrator (00:10):
Welcome to the athletes in motion podcast from
race to recovery with your hostsTom regal and Kenny Bailey. You
Tom Regal (00:30):
Hey, Kenny, how are you?
Kenny Bailey
(00:31):
I'm doing fantastic. Tom, how are you?
Tom Regal (00:33):
I'm fantastic as well. We are coming back with
Brandon Gibson to talk againlike we're just finally catching
up with you. It's been monthsBrandon, we had as part of our
triathlete journey. We've beengoing through a crazy year.
Everyone's been going through acrazy year. We're trying to
(00:54):
catch up towards the end of theyear here and wrap up a little
bit so we we've we get Brandon.
We're excited because we knowBrandon always has some good
stories, and I think we leftBrandon last we did this 70.3
Yep, and chat, and they're good,yep, which was interesting. Yes,
Unknown (01:15):
interesting.
Tom Regal (01:16):
That's right, what happened after that? You needed,
you needed some surgeries afterthat, right? Yeah,
Brandon Gibson (01:23):
you know, with my, with my history of my
medical stuff, I ended up havinga hernia close to one of the
surgery sites that was prettybad. Had a surgery in June. It
was a kind of a minor surgery,you know, only lasted about an
hour. They went in and did somesewing of it up, and we were
hoping, you know, praying, thatit was going to work. And it
(01:45):
lasted for about four and a halfweeks. Wow. So I was playing
that long, huh? Yeah. So I wasplanning on Louisville was out
of the picture, becauseoriginally I was going to do
Louisville and then NorthCarolina, yeah, and Lowell was
already canceled, so I had a fewsprints in between that surgery
(02:08):
and North Carolina that I wasgoing to do. That all went away.
I mean, so I in early August,actually, about five days before
River Bluff, I think River Bluffwas August, like 11th. I think
is somewhere around there. Yeah,it was actually August 11,
(02:30):
because my surgery is August 12.
Yeah, next day.
Tom Regal (02:32):
I think that's, that's where I saw you. I saw
you at the race. Yeah, yep,
Brandon Gibson (02:36):
so and five days before that, I was in the
hospital with a bowelobstruction from the hernia. It
gotten even worse on the otherside, and cause the bow
obstruction, I was in the in thehospital from, I think it was
like Wednesday to Saturday.
River Bluff was Sunday. I didn'ttell my doctors I was going to
(02:56):
go to River Bluff. I did go. Idid went. Did River Bluff,
sprint with the hernia. Like,you know, I was just, which I
don't recommend, but I anybodylistening
Kenny Bailey
(03:10):
to this, this is like, not do this, yeah,
Brandon Gibson (03:13):
I, but I, I was, I didn't know what was going to
come of the surgery. To behonest, I didn't know how bad it
was going to be this was becausehe was like, we have to do it
now. We have to do it Mondayeasily. And then he's, you're
out for three months after that,so you're not doing anything for
three months after that. And atleast three months, is what he
(03:34):
said. You know, it wasn't justthree months, yeah. And so I did
River Bluff, and didn't PR it oranything, but I, you know, I did
good. I didn't, I didn't, Ididn't do my worst, I didn't do
my best. I
Kenny Bailey
(03:48):
didn't cross the line at this point is just,
I mean, yep, congratulations,yeah,
Brandon Gibson (03:52):
and it was, and I got through it, and, you know,
the next day I had my surgery,got it, kind of got an earful
from the surgeon, because he'slike, You did what? And then he
anesthesiologist,
Tom Regal (04:05):
I'm sure he looked and went, hey, yeah, they and
he's got worse overnight.
Brandon Gibson (04:10):
The anesthesiologist was the one
worried about it the mostbecause of my electrolytes and
things, which was actually kindof crazy. And then she did so
she had to take blood, and theytook blood, and she comes back
and goes, you might be the mosthydrated and well person there
is in the whole hospital. And Iwas like, well, probably because
I drink a lot after, you know,high, rehydrate and stuff, so
(04:33):
you kind of bulk yourself backup with stuff and and so I ended
up having the surgery. It wassurgery number 30. And I had a
milestone on my surgery, so, andit was one of the worst ones. I
was it was just for, for ahernia surgery. You know, it was
a seven hour surgery, wow, yeah,very long. I mean, there's heart
(04:57):
surnames are shorter than that.
So it. A seven hour surgery, butthey fixed it. I mean, they
fixed it, right? I reallyshouldn't. It is a 99% success
rate with the way they did this.
They pretty much blanketed witha block of mesh. And there's
really no way for the way theythey have to sew it up and
(05:20):
everything. There's really noway for anything to get around
it. But with that came a lot oflot of pain afterwards and
dealing with that. So I was inthe hospital for 12 days old,
epidural and all that for seven,and I've been resting. I rested
up until, I guess it's two weeksago. So, yeah, yeah. Seventh, I
(05:45):
think, is when I saw the surgeonof this month, and I got
cleared, and I went for a runthat afternoon,
Kenny Bailey
(05:56):
which is better than me. I cramped up my
calf like a mile and a half.
This guy's got, you know, monthsof Coronavirus surgery, hernia
surgery, and he's out running.
Oh, my God, so
Brandon Gibson (06:04):
yeah, and I, I ran and talked to Sarah, and she
already had me a plan thatstarting that Thursday, and I
just went with it. And I've beenpretty much going since, and I'm
at that point where I'm tired,like my body's actually
fatigued. Yeah,
Kenny Bailey
(06:20):
feels good, doesn't it? You know, like a
different guy does tonight.
Brandon Gibson (06:23):
And I kept saying that while I was in the
hospital, and everybody's like,you just need a hill. And I'm
like, I just want to get back tobeing uncomfortable, like, not
this pain, yeah, I went out a
Kenny Bailey
(06:34):
sharp, comfortable recovery, yeah,
like, like, a sore muscle, like,
Brandon Gibson (06:37):
and for the three months I was like that. I
told everybody, don't ask me togo run. Don't Ask Don't talk
about running. Don't talk aboutcycling in front of me, you
know, because it's gonna make mewant to go do something, and I
shouldn't. I need, I need toheal for the, you know, the
three months. And I did. Ididn't do anything, I I stuck to
(06:58):
my guns, and I healed and good,and it turned out great. So,
yeah, I, I've been sort of doingwell since then.
Kenny Bailey
(07:07):
What limitations do, other than, you
know, you just got, obviouslylost form, like crazy. What?
What do you have a limitation,as far as, like, Hey, don't over
stretch on this. Don't push onthat. So
Brandon Gibson (07:17):
what are your What are your guiding any he
actually, he actually gave me norestrictions. Great. This
healed. So they did. I i endedup right before I got cleared,
about two weeks before I hadCOVID, and you are staff
infection and and anotherinfection of some sort, and I
was in the hospital then justgetting re tanked up because any
(07:39):
kind of Gi thing and all that,you know, puts me way, way down.
So at
Kenny Bailey
(07:43):
this point, you just have a plaque in your
room. Is that what? Yes, prettymuch flyer mileage.
Brandon Gibson (07:49):
I have, I have, my insurance is paid for a wing,
Yeah, seriously, and they, theylooked at a CT scan. It held
perfect. Everything it lookslooks really, really good. I
have a few little pains here andthere, like on certain spots, I
went and saw a pain doctor thatI had some, a few injections put
(08:10):
in there, and that's just thesutures are so tight in there.
The way they did this surgery,there's no room for it to flex.
And those sutures pull, yeah,that you can just, kind of, you
know, it kind of, it's, it's,it's uncomfortable feeling,
yeah, but there's really norestrictions. Now, when I start
to feel things stretch and pull,like I did today in the pool, I,
(08:34):
you know, I have lifting on theschedule, but I'm not doing that
yet. It's light lifting. It's,you know, not anything heavy or
high, you know, big reps oranything like that. So I told
her that I need to hold off, youknow, until probably the New
Year. I need, I think I need to,I need to keep stretching this a
(08:55):
little more before I startreally bearing down and working
Kenny Bailey
(08:59):
with that.
Yeah, I'm assuming it's like arange of motion more than it is
strength, right? It is, try toget, yeah, that range of motion,
I
Brandon Gibson (09:05):
feel it more. So I felt it more on a trail run. I
think the side to side, thecore, there's a little more, you
know, there's a little moretorsion on your Yeah, and then
the and then the swim, yeah,bike, I don't have the problem.
Regular running on a road, noreal problem, but twisting, you
know, the your rotation in thepool, and you're stretching your
(09:27):
your your, your stroke haspulled on it, and then, and then
the trail run. But I've got somestuff coming up. So my plan,
yeah, my plan going forward, isjust, I really want to get
better at the run. I thinkthat's kind of a epiphany. I'm
decent in the bike. I got a newbike. I can't I only rode on it
(09:48):
once, and rode at River Bluff.
And that's kind of why I didRiver Bluff, because I got that
brand new bike. Well, yeah,well,
Kenny Bailey
(09:54):
that you didn't start with that Brandon.
You got to lead with that. Well,I got a new bike. Oh, well, in
that case, yeah, yeah. You havea broken tip and be on that
bike. Yeah.
Brandon Gibson (10:03):
So I had to race it exactly, even though in t1 I
couldn't find it because I waslooking for my old bike. Where
am I at 28 minute transition?
Like, yeah, I would pass itlike, three times. Like, has
anybody seen what
Tom Regal (10:18):
I'm looking for? It's blue, so
Brandon Gibson (10:21):
it's Yeah, and I think, and that, you know that,
yeah, I but I think I realized,and talking with my coach, I
need to, I really need, I thinkrunning will help translate in
to a better finish for me,because everything I've done has
been, it's kind of fallen at theend of the bike into the run,
(10:44):
right? You're strong on
Tom Regal (10:46):
the bike. Yes. Filter some good strength on the bike.
So that's yeah, you just neededto carry over and get that run.
Yeah. So going,
Brandon Gibson (10:55):
I'm planning on doing a lot, a lot of volume of
running early in the season, alot of trail running, yeah, and
to me, trail running is one ofthe best runs you can do,
because it forces you to be slowin that, like zone two area, you
know, in that up those hills, Idon't run up the hills. I try to
power hike them, try to keep myheart rate down as much as
(11:16):
possible. And I think it justkind of forces me to be more
grounded when I'm running on theroad. I'm just, yeah, you know.
Tom Regal (11:24):
So it also forces you to pick your feet up. I love
trail running for that, becauseyou talk to Road Runners on a
regular basis and they can'tpick their feet up, and they
said, well, they always trip onthe trail. I'm like, well,
because you're just barelypicking your foot off the
ground, I'm like, you just thelug of your shoe is going to
catch something and send yousprawling, so you have to pick
your feet up. And he getsstronger, so now your your knees
(11:46):
are kicking higher. You'reactually better form. It's, it's
and it's softer on your body. Soeasier.
Kenny Bailey
(11:53):
So Brandon, I'm sitting here like, you know,
it's ridiculous what you'regoing through, right? And I
think, you know, from a viewerperspective, how do you, how do
you maintain that, just keepmoving forward, kind of like,
how do you don't just go, Youknow what? I'm going to be
sedentary. I'm just going to behappy. You know, like you said,
you're, you know, you're alreadygeared up for what you is that
(12:16):
what motivates you? Is that whatkeeps you moving forward? Or, if
you have people that are, youknow, going through a surgery,
you're gone through 30 I mean,what do you what do you say to
those people? Just, you know,
Brandon Gibson (12:28):
early on in my surgery journey, you know, there
was a lot of doubt, like, Ithink we talked about that
before on the podcast, there wasa lot of doubt there. But since
I've gotten into this, this thesport and these endurance
sports, I I feel like I'veovercome so much with the
(12:50):
surgeries, right? This almostfalls into line with overcoming
things, yeah, like,
Kenny Bailey
(12:59):
I didn't go through all this to do nothing,
right? It's like,
Brandon Gibson (13:01):
right, yeah, and I, and I feel like endurance
sports is constantly a battlewith yourself, right? It's a
battle with your body, a battlewith your mind, huge battle with
your mind when you're in it and,and I think that's what
motivates me, that I want tocontinue to I guess I've just
(13:24):
been living with overcomingthings, yeah, like, you know,
and that's just now that I'mgetting healthier, even though I
just had a surgery andeverything. But I am health.
It's crazy to say I amhealthier. The last three years
I have been healthier, whichit's hard, it's hard to explain,
what I am and and I just want tocontinue that. I think that's
(13:45):
what motivate I think that'swhat motivates me, that I just
want to continue to show that Ican do things to myself, not
only to my, you know, my kidsand everybody else that sees me,
but it's, it's almost amotivating factor for me to try
to motivate people to, you know,like, hey, if I can do this,
anybody can do this.
Tom Regal (14:06):
Yeah, yes, exactly, certainly. And your kids, your
kids, especially, I mean thatyou, you are, you know, a great
role model for them to see whatovercoming things are, because
life isn't easy, right? So it'sa lot harder for some people,
but you're always going to haveto overcome something. So, I
mean, you're a great role modelfor that. That's, you very
(14:29):
impressive.
Kenny Bailey
(14:30):
Yeah, I think there's a certain percent of the
population that kind of, youknow, has a surgery or fall
back, right? I tore an ACL, andI guess that's the end of my,
you know, that's the end of my,my triathlons. And it's like,
no, it doesn't have to be. Itmay be different coming out the
other side. May be a differentversion of you, but you can
still do that. Yeah, you may notbe crushing PRs, or you may not
(14:50):
be that same version of you, butand you may have to train
differently where before, youcouldn't, you couldn't train,
you could train anything youwant. So I think, hopefully, the
takeaway for these people. Forpeople watching is like, or
listening, hey, you know, itdoesn't define who you are. That
surgery. What it does is, itdoes another setback, just like
you would if you had a nutritionproblem or a calf problem. Yours
(15:12):
just happens to be quiteextraordinary, and kind of, it
makes for a hell of a goodstory. But it's, you know, it's
the idea of pushing forward.
Brandon Gibson (15:21):
It's another challenge. Yeah, it's another
challenge that you just need tofigure out. And no matter if you
get hurt or anything, it justadds a degree of difficulty to
it. Yeah? And it's, everybodyhas things, right? Yeah, you get
into the sport, you're going toget injured. Yeah? I mean, at
some point you're going to havesomething that hurts and that
(15:42):
shouldn't be, you know, youknow, it's just, it's, it just
seems like, just overcome it.
Yep, that's gorgeous.
Tom Regal (15:52):
You've and you've tested the mental side of it,
side of overcoming thatdifficulty, right? So we're
uncomfortable, yeah, you that's,I think that's the biggest
challenge in endurance sports islike your mind sets you a
trigger at a point where you go,I should stop and you you're the
prime example of it. But yourexample of knowing that that
(16:13):
threshold is set so low, yeah,it's and that there's so much
further you can go, there's somuch deeper you can go before it
really is an issue, and mostpeople don't even like once they
tick that threshold, they juststop and like you. And then
there's you who's taking it toanother extreme. Because, look,
you've been through pain, like,ridiculous pain, and then so
(16:36):
endurance sports is almost easyat that point, just like, Well,
hell, I've done this before.
This is, no, this isn't thatbad. I can do this. I can push
through this. And it just helpsyou out on it. So
Brandon Gibson (16:46):
and I, and when I get into these things, and
like, I've got some very longtrail runs coming up, and I know
that's going to be painful, youknow, I eventually want to get
into the 50 miler range, andthen, plus, and do some the
ultimate goal would be to do,like, placid and 26 sweet, with
a lot of, you know, that's a lotof elevation up there it is. So
(17:09):
that's kind of, I think wetalked about that last time. You
know, what makes you just go forit's like, go big and just
figure it out, yeah, and and getthrough it. And that's just, I,
I've just kind of been, that'smy direction on all of all of
these things, is just to try tokeep pushing myself a little
(17:33):
further and further, even thoughI probably, you know, I may not
be right ready there. And that'sanother thing that I think
people get scared. They getscared to attempt it. They see
that number, and they're like, Ican't do that. Yeah, you can.
Yeah, you can. Anybody can dothat. Just have to put the work
into it. It's the the journeygetting there. You know, there's
(17:57):
a big journey to get there andand
Tom Regal (18:00):
have a while. So we're just gonna do it. What
does that look like? What's thewhat's the training? What's the
plan for next year, for 25looking like that's gonna get
you to placid in 26 so how areyou building How is, how is
Coach Sarah, building you up forthe for the I handed her
Brandon Gibson (18:17):
a spreadsheet of all of these races. So I told
her, I have this spreadsheet ofthese races. And she's like,
Okay. And then I told her thatmy my plan, my thought behind
this, was to do a lot of volumeof running early in the in 25
(18:38):
doing black toe with a set of acertain amount of distance that
I want to go. You know, I wantto do a 50k there. Originally
was going to do a 50k at BellRinger this December in
Montgomery, Bell state park, butI'm only going to do the 25k and
that's only in two weeks. Ithink
Kenny Bailey
(18:58):
even then, that one's a monster, by the
way. So I did that one. Yeah,
Brandon Gibson (19:01):
it's non trivial. I did the 25k last
year, and it was rough, so Iactually think I'll do better
this year. I think I think Iknow what I'm getting into. And
I think that was one thing, youknow, going into 25 and coming
out of this surgery, that Irealized that my heart rate, it
bounced back like beautiful. Oh,my great pace. My pace, my heart
(19:23):
rate is, at first it was veryhigh, but then it's, now it's
settled, like, it's settled backto the same pace that I can, I
can hold the same pace that Iwas before the surgery. Okay,
thing that's getting me is themuscle fatigue. Yeah, the
muscles are just, like, they'rethat. My legs are just dead.
They don't want to move. Theydon't want to, you know, and
that's but, but going into 25 alot, a lot of volume of running
(19:44):
early. I'm going back toChattanooga because I'm going to
beat that place. My thirdattempt is that the
Kenny Bailey
(19:54):
one we got and yeah, everything
Tom Regal (19:57):
about I'm going to be so it. If you have an issue
where it feels like something'sdragging, yeah, fix it. And then
you're gonna go, yes, yeah.
Brandon Gibson (20:07):
That is, that is exactly because I'll just
hopefully at that point I've gota lot of volume in the run in
the room, I can pace it backright so, and and then during
the heat months is all sprints.
I thought about the Louisvilleagain, but it's just too I think
it's too hot for me physically.
(20:30):
I just, I don't know if I shoulddo that, if I can't get my
nutrition right when it's kindof cool, yeah, so I need to
learn that nutrition when it'scool, and then work it into the
into the heat, yeah,
Kenny Bailey
(20:43):
well, see, and that's smart. So you're not
completely, you're not goinginto this thing, like, you know,
torpedoes be damned, right? Imean, no, yeah. So that's, yeah,
Brandon Gibson (20:50):
I there is a, there is a theory behind all of
this, like that. It might not bethe right one, but
Kenny Bailey
(20:55):
sounds pretty solid.
Brandon Gibson (20:57):
I think, I think so. Sprints all through the
summer and then too late, 70.3is either Michigan and then
North Carolina, or Augusta,North Carolina, or something
like that. It's, I haven'tfigured out yet logistically
what I'm going to do, and thenthat will set me up for a 70.3
(21:17):
in the spring and then LakePlacid in July, I think is what
it is. So that's, that's, that'sthe long, long goal, nice. And,
yeah, so
Tom Regal (21:30):
I think you're doing it right by ramping up for what
is, you know, year and a half,almost two years out, yep, I
think that's the right way to doit. It's a nice it's a nice
build where you can build steadyand not try to crank it out.
Yeah,
Brandon Gibson (21:45):
and I don't plan on doing, I mean, I may do some
short races, like in there, inbetween a 70.3 and but I it's
just going to be short stuff.
It's not going to be anything
Tom Regal (21:56):
that's going to really speed. You just work on
some speed and transitions, youknow, you just kind of get used
to the race feel, yeah. Sothat's not overwhelming. When
you get up to the big a racetype of thing, and then the rest
of your time will be putting injust hours, the hours, just
putting in the miles, the miles,just putting the miles in. Man,
that's,
Brandon Gibson (22:14):
that's the big thing, and just trying to figure
out the time commitment and withthe family and everything,
because it is a time commitment.
It's a time it's a it's acommitment for them too, my wife
and and the kids. It's, it's,it's a lot, yeah, I mean, it's a
lot for a 70.3 and it's just,it's even exponentially more.
It's not just double it'sexponentially more, right? It's
(22:34):
not and
Tom Regal (22:37):
when you're doing your first Iron Man distance
race, then that's the one that'slike, you're so focused in on
stuff, and that's the one,that's the one that I think is
hardest for everybody, becausethere's so much unknown. I mean,
at least you and your familyknow the training that goes into
a 70.3 so they're a little bitfamiliar with that end of it.
But the intensity that you'llyou'll be feeling just naturally
(23:01):
putting on yourself right forthe first fall as that's where
you that's where you need thefind the stress relief, or find
the ways to spend time with thefamily, that it's a little bit
more mellow and you're not likeit's not all or nothing, right?
It's finding the rightperspective for it to know that
it's you don't have to be sodriven and so siloed to do it,
(23:24):
that you've got enough training,you've got enough experience
that you'll do, you'll do fine,
Brandon Gibson (23:29):
yeah, I'll get through it. And it's, it's not
Yeah, it's not about Yeah.
That's the stress that I thinkyou put on yourself, is like you
put it on yourself. Am I gonnamake it? Am I gonna make it?
Well,
Tom Regal (23:38):
yeah, yeah. Every, every athlete that I talked to,
myself included, they wentthrough that very first Ironman
distance race. It was allencompassing, like that was all
you could think about. Likeevery bit waking moment was
about the training, abouteverything leading up to race
day. And it was, you know,ridiculously obnoxious to poor
(23:58):
Wendy. She was putting up withthis.
Brandon Gibson (24:01):
And I'm sure that afterwards, I mean, I
realized this with a 70.3 I'msure afterwards, there's a
massive crash from that too.
Yeah,
Tom Regal (24:08):
there's a little bit like, especially because you're
setting this thing up on apedestal as this massive thing,
it's almost like you need to putsomething on the back end,
right? What are you going to doafterwards? What's the next race
after that? Don't end yourplanning there. You need to fill
it and know that, okay, I got alittle relaxing, and then I've
got a 70.3 that I'm going toknock out in two or three
(24:29):
months. So you've got somethingelse, because the letdown is
huge, yeah, and
Kenny Bailey
(24:33):
it's not just the it's the fact that your life
has been structured six days aweek, you know, for balance,
right? So you spend 910, monthstraining, six days a week, and
then all of a sudden, you'redone, and you're like, dope.
What do I do? Do I run today?
That's I mean, I can say no,
Brandon Gibson (24:50):
I've realized, I've realized that I have to
have something else afterwards.
If I don't have things lined upafterwards, it's why I get that.
What am I doing this for? Yeah,and, you know, and, and I, and I
know people love to talk aboutthat journey, but I love to
race. I mean, I grew up racing.
(25:10):
Racing is like, That is myfeeling. It's all about the race
day. It's not so much about thetraining for me as it is, yeah,
but the actual race day, I thinkyou'll
Kenny Bailey
(25:19):
find with, like, the 50s, like, what you're
doing with any anything likelong like that, right? A 50k a
50 miler, an Iron Man. It's onething to do a half where you
feel like you can push it right?
It's like, okay, it's sub twohour marathon. Let's try to
figure out how to get that, youknow, I can do that. What's
interesting, at least from amindset perspective on Iron Man
and 50 milers, is you're therefor the day, like, you know
you're not, yeah, you're tryingto be efficient about what
(25:42):
you're doing and trying to becareful about what you're doing.
But hey, man, you're gonna seethe sunset, you know? So in some
respects, it's a little bit lesspressure, because you just know
you're there for the day. You'renot trying to rush it and not
gonna do this in five and a halfhours. You're like, I just run
through my progression. It's,I'm, you know, I'm here for the
hall, right? So settle in andget comfy. It's going to be
uncomfortable for, you know,easily north of 10 hours, 11
(26:04):
hours. So same thing on 50milers, right? You're not going
to run really fast on a 50miler. You're just going to
settle into a nice pace and yourun your progression. So in some
respects, it's almost a littleless stressful than a half
because of this expectation. Ona half to try to, you know, I
got to beat my time. We're onthe
Brandon Gibson (26:21):
full I'm trying to, I'm trying to do a sub
exactly where some Yeah, andyou, you're
Kenny Bailey
(26:25):
close to doing it, because you can kind of get
away with it a little bit.
You're not getting away with iton a 50 miler or, I
Brandon Gibson (26:31):
think that's what it was going into the first
70.3 My goal was to finish rightget that took the pressure off.
I know I'm gonna I can walk theentire thing and finish it. I'll
be okay. This one hurt a littlemore because I knew I wanted to
push Yeah, you lean in. Probablydo better. And then it didn't go
out. Yeah, the way I wanted thisthe Chattanooga. So I need to
(26:53):
realize that, you know, a raceis a race. Anything can happen
during the race. You just haveto roll with the punches. Yeah,
run through the progress. Don'tlet that, yeah, don't let that,
you know, smack you down. Yeah,because there's always another
race. There's
Tom Regal (27:06):
another race. It's just, it's just one blip. It
doesn't define you. It's that.
It's that long length of time ofyour life. And this is one
little, tiny speck in it, right?
So, to
Kenny Bailey
(27:17):
the Tom, we're just just mere sand specs in the
way on the beach of in
Tom Regal (27:23):
the universe, I feel like
Kenny Bailey
(27:27):
it would need a light incense right now,
Brandon Gibson (27:30):
little piece of courts.
Kenny Bailey
(27:33):
I think Tom is going to come back with, like,
an all, you know, kind of an allnatural, like robe. And it's
like, what are we here for? Whatis if
Tom Regal (27:39):
I could grow a beard, I would have a beard out here,
but this is it, right? All I gotthe
Kenny Bailey
(27:45):
journey of time begins with the first step.
Dang Tom, it's
Tom Regal (27:49):
all we're excited for you. Brandon, I
Kenny Bailey
(27:51):
think, I think he got a nice no one ever said I
ran too much before they go intoan Iron Man or a half Iron Man,
like, Gee, I should have ranless. Like, I don't. I don't
think I've heard, yeah, no one'sno, you know, it's
Tom Regal (28:01):
all about the run, yeah.
Brandon Gibson (28:02):
I mean, that's what, that's what I've noticed.
And I feel like it's all aboutthe run, every race and every
race and, and I just need moreof it. I need, I need to learn
how to actually do it, keep apace and hold it, and even after
I'm already tired, you know?
And, yeah, and that's I just, Ineed it, and that's
Tom Regal (28:23):
the strength training part of it will help you stave
off the fatigue and be centeredwhen you're running. So that
will help tremendously. So doingsome, you know, squats and
deadlifts, and a lot of squatsand lunges and that type of
stuff really builds up thatposterior chain and allows you
to run solidly lift heavy shit.
That's good to know.
Kenny Bailey
(28:48):
So what it is that's, that's kind of my new
shirts.
Brandon Gibson (28:53):
Shirt. I kind of like that shirt too.
Kenny Bailey
(28:59):
What are you doing, lifted. That's Brandon.
What are you doing? Lifted,lifted,
Tom Regal (29:06):
lift heavy things and put them back down again. So,
yeah, so that's, it's crazy,crazy stuff, Brandon, but always
impressed. Love talking to you,love getting the stories and
following along, because you dosuch good, just good mental game
(29:26):
getting through this crap. Soit's fun to really appreciate
you sharing it,
Kenny Bailey
(29:30):
yeah, and every time we talked like, you
know, I've got issues I'm goingwith, and it just, you know, it
puts it in perspective. Like,hey, that's interesting, you
know. Oh, your calf is sore,man. You know, you're dealing
with, you know, trying to figureout how to three months of rehab
to so you can just go run. Imean, that's fantastic. So in
the scheme of things, you know,keep going, man, keep inspiring
people like us so
Brandon Gibson (29:51):
well. Thank you guys for letting me do this
journey with you guys, andexplain it to you and explain it
to your audience, because it's,you know, it's not a norm, yeah,
by any means. And but it'ssomething that it may have been
to anybody, right? Yeah, and youdon't know where to go, but have
faith and just keep pushing youcan't you? Anybody can do it
(30:13):
even after massive issues, yeah.
So exactly what's your excuse?
Yes, right,
Tom Regal (30:19):
setbacks and everything. Yeah, so it's all
good. So thanks everyone for youknow, listening in questions
comments. Send those in ifyou've got questions for
Brandon, let us know. Tag us.
We're on Instagram and Facebook,and hopefully you're watching on
YouTube or listening on any ofthe podcasts. Subscribe. We've
got more of this coming. We'vebeen a little slip shot here in
(30:40):
the last couple months, justbecause we've been busy and
crazy as everybody else is, I'msure, as well. So next year,
we've got some great stuffcoming up, and we've got some
more this year as well. So hitthe subscribe button. It'll be
floating around here someplace.
And yeah, keep following along.
We appreciate everybody'slistening and downloads and all
that great stuff. So weappreciate you all. Kenny
(31:02):
Brandon, always fantastic. Greattalk with you guys. Thank you.
And for everyone we'll we'llcatch you on the next one.
Unknown (31:22):
You
Music.
Narrator (00:10):
Welcome to the athletes in motion podcast from
race to recovery with your hostsTom regal and Kenny Bailey. You
Tom Regal (00:30):
Hey, Kenny, how are you?
Kenny Bailey
(00:31):
I'm doing fantastic. Tom, how are you?
Tom Regal (00:33):
I'm fantastic as well. We are coming back with
Brandon Gibson to talk againlike we're just finally catching
up with you. It's been monthsBrandon, we had as part of our
triathlete journey. We've beengoing through a crazy year.
Everyone's been going through acrazy year. We're trying to
(00:54):
catch up towards the end of theyear here and wrap up a little
bit so we we've we get Brandon.
We're excited because we knowBrandon always has some good
stories, and I think we leftBrandon last we did this 70.3
Yep, and chat, and they're good,yep, which was interesting. Yes,
Unknown (01:15):
interesting.
Tom Regal (01:16):
That's right, what happened after that? You needed,
you needed some surgeries afterthat, right? Yeah,
Brandon Gibson (01:23):
you know, with my, with my history of my
medical stuff, I ended up havinga hernia close to one of the
surgery sites that was prettybad. Had a surgery in June. It
was a kind of a minor surgery,you know, only lasted about an
hour. They went in and did somesewing of it up, and we were
hoping, you know, praying, thatit was going to work. And it
(01:45):
lasted for about four and a halfweeks. Wow. So I was playing
that long, huh? Yeah. So I wasplanning on Louisville was out
of the picture, becauseoriginally I was going to do
Louisville and then NorthCarolina, yeah, and Lowell was
already canceled, so I had a fewsprints in between that surgery
(02:08):
and North Carolina that I wasgoing to do. That all went away.
I mean, so I in early August,actually, about five days before
River Bluff, I think River Bluffwas August, like 11th. I think
is somewhere around there. Yeah,it was actually August 11,
(02:30):
because my surgery is August 12.
Yeah, next day.
Tom Regal (02:32):
I think that's, that's where I saw you. I saw
you at the race. Yeah, yep,
Brandon Gibson (02:36):
so and five days before that, I was in the
hospital with a bowelobstruction from the hernia. It
gotten even worse on the otherside, and cause the bow
obstruction, I was in the in thehospital from, I think it was
like Wednesday to Saturday.
River Bluff was Sunday. I didn'ttell my doctors I was going to
(02:56):
go to River Bluff. I did go. Idid went. Did River Bluff,
sprint with the hernia. Like,you know, I was just, which I
don't recommend, but I anybodylistening
Kenny Bailey
(03:10):
to this, this is like, not do this, yeah,
Brandon Gibson (03:13):
I, but I, I was, I didn't know what was going to
come of the surgery. To behonest, I didn't know how bad it
was going to be this was becausehe was like, we have to do it
now. We have to do it Mondayeasily. And then he's, you're
out for three months after that,so you're not doing anything for
three months after that. And atleast three months, is what he
(03:34):
said. You know, it wasn't justthree months, yeah. And so I did
River Bluff, and didn't PR it oranything, but I, you know, I did
good. I didn't, I didn't, Ididn't do my worst, I didn't do
my best. I
Kenny Bailey
(03:48):
didn't cross the line at this point is just,
I mean, yep, congratulations,yeah,
Brandon Gibson (03:52):
and it was, and I got through it, and, you know,
the next day I had my surgery,got it, kind of got an earful
from the surgeon, because he'slike, You did what? And then he
anesthesiologist,
Tom Regal (04:05):
I'm sure he looked and went, hey, yeah, they and
he's got worse overnight.
Brandon Gibson (04:10):
The anesthesiologist was the one
worried about it the mostbecause of my electrolytes and
things, which was actually kindof crazy. And then she did so
she had to take blood, and theytook blood, and she comes back
and goes, you might be the mosthydrated and well person there
is in the whole hospital. And Iwas like, well, probably because
I drink a lot after, you know,high, rehydrate and stuff, so
(04:33):
you kind of bulk yourself backup with stuff and and so I ended
up having the surgery. It wassurgery number 30. And I had a
milestone on my surgery, so, andit was one of the worst ones. I
was it was just for, for ahernia surgery. You know, it was
a seven hour surgery, wow, yeah,very long. I mean, there's heart
(04:57):
surnames are shorter than that.
So it. A seven hour surgery, butthey fixed it. I mean, they
fixed it, right? I reallyshouldn't. It is a 99% success
rate with the way they did this.
They pretty much blanketed witha block of mesh. And there's
really no way for the way theythey have to sew it up and
(05:20):
everything. There's really noway for anything to get around
it. But with that came a lot oflot of pain afterwards and
dealing with that. So I was inthe hospital for 12 days old,
epidural and all that for seven,and I've been resting. I rested
up until, I guess it's two weeksago. So, yeah, yeah. Seventh, I
(05:45):
think, is when I saw the surgeonof this month, and I got
cleared, and I went for a runthat afternoon,
Kenny Bailey
(05:56):
which is better than me. I cramped up my
calf like a mile and a half.
This guy's got, you know, monthsof Coronavirus surgery, hernia
surgery, and he's out running.
Oh, my God, so
Brandon Gibson (06:04):
yeah, and I, I ran and talked to Sarah, and she
already had me a plan thatstarting that Thursday, and I
just went with it. And I've beenpretty much going since, and I'm
at that point where I'm tired,like my body's actually
fatigued. Yeah,
Kenny Bailey
(06:20):
feels good, doesn't it? You know, like a
different guy does tonight.
Brandon Gibson (06:23):
And I kept saying that while I was in the
hospital, and everybody's like,you just need a hill. And I'm
like, I just want to get back tobeing uncomfortable, like, not
this pain, yeah, I went out a
Kenny Bailey
(06:34):
sharp, comfortable recovery, yeah,
like, like, a sore muscle, like,
Brandon Gibson (06:37):
and for the three months I was like that. I
told everybody, don't ask me togo run. Don't Ask Don't talk
about running. Don't talk aboutcycling in front of me, you
know, because it's gonna make mewant to go do something, and I
shouldn't. I need, I need toheal for the, you know, the
three months. And I did. Ididn't do anything, I I stuck to
(06:58):
my guns, and I healed and good,and it turned out great. So,
yeah, I, I've been sort of doingwell since then.
Kenny Bailey
(07:07):
What limitations do, other than, you
know, you just got, obviouslylost form, like crazy. What?
What do you have a limitation,as far as, like, Hey, don't over
stretch on this. Don't push onthat. So
Brandon Gibson (07:17):
what are your What are your guiding any he
actually, he actually gave me norestrictions. Great. This
healed. So they did. I i endedup right before I got cleared,
about two weeks before I hadCOVID, and you are staff
infection and and anotherinfection of some sort, and I
was in the hospital then justgetting re tanked up because any
(07:39):
kind of Gi thing and all that,you know, puts me way, way down.
So at
Kenny Bailey
(07:43):
this point, you just have a plaque in your
room. Is that what? Yes, prettymuch flyer mileage.
Brandon Gibson (07:49):
I have, I have, my insurance is paid for a wing,
Yeah, seriously, and they, theylooked at a CT scan. It held
perfect. Everything it lookslooks really, really good. I
have a few little pains here andthere, like on certain spots, I
went and saw a pain doctor thatI had some, a few injections put
(08:10):
in there, and that's just thesutures are so tight in there.
The way they did this surgery,there's no room for it to flex.
And those sutures pull, yeah,that you can just, kind of, you
know, it kind of, it's, it's,it's uncomfortable feeling,
yeah, but there's really norestrictions. Now, when I start
to feel things stretch and pull,like I did today in the pool, I,
(08:34):
you know, I have lifting on theschedule, but I'm not doing that
yet. It's light lifting. It's,you know, not anything heavy or
high, you know, big reps oranything like that. So I told
her that I need to hold off, youknow, until probably the New
Year. I need, I think I need to,I need to keep stretching this a
(08:55):
little more before I startreally bearing down and working
Kenny Bailey
(08:59):
with that.
Yeah, I'm assuming it's like arange of motion more than it is
strength, right? It is, try toget, yeah, that range of motion,
I
Brandon Gibson (09:05):
feel it more. So I felt it more on a trail run. I
think the side to side, thecore, there's a little more, you
know, there's a little moretorsion on your Yeah, and then
the and then the swim, yeah,bike, I don't have the problem.
Regular running on a road, noreal problem, but twisting, you
know, the your rotation in thepool, and you're stretching your
(09:27):
your your, your stroke haspulled on it, and then, and then
the trail run. But I've got somestuff coming up. So my plan,
yeah, my plan going forward, isjust, I really want to get
better at the run. I thinkthat's kind of a epiphany. I'm
decent in the bike. I got a newbike. I can't I only rode on it
(09:48):
once, and rode at River Bluff.
And that's kind of why I didRiver Bluff, because I got that
brand new bike. Well, yeah,well,
Kenny Bailey
(09:54):
that you didn't start with that Brandon.
You got to lead with that. Well,I got a new bike. Oh, well, in
that case, yeah, yeah. You havea broken tip and be on that
bike. Yeah.
Brandon Gibson (10:03):
So I had to race it exactly, even though in t1 I
couldn't find it because I waslooking for my old bike. Where
am I at 28 minute transition?
Like, yeah, I would pass itlike, three times. Like, has
anybody seen what
Tom Regal (10:18):
I'm looking for? It's blue, so
Brandon Gibson (10:21):
it's Yeah, and I think, and that, you know that,
yeah, I but I think I realized,and talking with my coach, I
need to, I really need, I thinkrunning will help translate in
to a better finish for me,because everything I've done has
been, it's kind of fallen at theend of the bike into the run,
(10:44):
right? You're strong on
Tom Regal (10:46):
the bike. Yes. Filter some good strength on the bike.
So that's yeah, you just neededto carry over and get that run.
Yeah. So going,
Brandon Gibson (10:55):
I'm planning on doing a lot, a lot of volume of
running early in the season, alot of trail running, yeah, and
to me, trail running is one ofthe best runs you can do,
because it forces you to be slowin that, like zone two area, you
know, in that up those hills, Idon't run up the hills. I try to
power hike them, try to keep myheart rate down as much as
(11:16):
possible. And I think it justkind of forces me to be more
grounded when I'm running on theroad. I'm just, yeah, you know.
Tom Regal (11:24):
So it also forces you to pick your feet up. I love
trail running for that, becauseyou talk to Road Runners on a
regular basis and they can'tpick their feet up, and they
said, well, they always trip onthe trail. I'm like, well,
because you're just barelypicking your foot off the
ground, I'm like, you just thelug of your shoe is going to
catch something and send yousprawling, so you have to pick
your feet up. And he getsstronger, so now your your knees
(11:46):
are kicking higher. You'reactually better form. It's, it's
and it's softer on your body. Soeasier.
Kenny Bailey
(11:53):
So Brandon, I'm sitting here like, you know,
it's ridiculous what you'regoing through, right? And I
think, you know, from a viewerperspective, how do you, how do
you maintain that, just keepmoving forward, kind of like,
how do you don't just go, Youknow what? I'm going to be
sedentary. I'm just going to behappy. You know, like you said,
you're, you know, you're alreadygeared up for what you is that
(12:16):
what motivates you? Is that whatkeeps you moving forward? Or, if
you have people that are, youknow, going through a surgery,
you're gone through 30 I mean,what do you what do you say to
those people? Just, you know,
Brandon Gibson (12:28):
early on in my surgery journey, you know, there
was a lot of doubt, like, Ithink we talked about that
before on the podcast, there wasa lot of doubt there. But since
I've gotten into this, this thesport and these endurance
sports, I I feel like I'veovercome so much with the
(12:50):
surgeries, right? This almostfalls into line with overcoming
things, yeah, like,
Kenny Bailey
(12:59):
I didn't go through all this to do nothing,
right? It's like,
Brandon Gibson (13:01):
right, yeah, and I, and I feel like endurance
sports is constantly a battlewith yourself, right? It's a
battle with your body, a battlewith your mind, huge battle with
your mind when you're in it and,and I think that's what
motivates me, that I want tocontinue to I guess I've just
(13:24):
been living with overcomingthings, yeah, like, you know,
and that's just now that I'mgetting healthier, even though I
just had a surgery andeverything. But I am health.
It's crazy to say I amhealthier. The last three years
I have been healthier, whichit's hard, it's hard to explain,
what I am and and I just want tocontinue that. I think that's
(13:45):
what motivate I think that'swhat motivates me, that I just
want to continue to show that Ican do things to myself, not
only to my, you know, my kidsand everybody else that sees me,
but it's, it's almost amotivating factor for me to try
to motivate people to, you know,like, hey, if I can do this,
anybody can do this.
Tom Regal (14:06):
Yeah, yes, exactly, certainly. And your kids, your
kids, especially, I mean thatyou, you are, you know, a great
role model for them to see whatovercoming things are, because
life isn't easy, right? So it'sa lot harder for some people,
but you're always going to haveto overcome something. So, I
mean, you're a great role modelfor that. That's, you very
(14:29):
impressive.
Kenny Bailey
(14:30):
Yeah, I think there's a certain percent of the
population that kind of, youknow, has a surgery or fall
back, right? I tore an ACL, andI guess that's the end of my,
you know, that's the end of my,my triathlons. And it's like,
no, it doesn't have to be. Itmay be different coming out the
other side. May be a differentversion of you, but you can
still do that. Yeah, you may notbe crushing PRs, or you may not
(14:50):
be that same version of you, butand you may have to train
differently where before, youcouldn't, you couldn't train,
you could train anything youwant. So I think, hopefully, the
takeaway for these people. Forpeople watching is like, or
listening, hey, you know, itdoesn't define who you are. That
surgery. What it does is, itdoes another setback, just like
you would if you had a nutritionproblem or a calf problem. Yours
(15:12):
just happens to be quiteextraordinary, and kind of, it
makes for a hell of a goodstory. But it's, you know, it's
the idea of pushing forward.
Brandon Gibson (15:21):
It's another challenge. Yeah, it's another
challenge that you just need tofigure out. And no matter if you
get hurt or anything, it justadds a degree of difficulty to
it. Yeah? And it's, everybodyhas things, right? Yeah, you get
into the sport, you're going toget injured. Yeah? I mean, at
some point you're going to havesomething that hurts and that
(15:42):
shouldn't be, you know, youknow, it's just, it's, it just
seems like, just overcome it.
Yep, that's gorgeous.
Tom Regal (15:52):
You've and you've tested the mental side of it,
side of overcoming thatdifficulty, right? So we're
uncomfortable, yeah, you that's,I think that's the biggest
challenge in endurance sports islike your mind sets you a
trigger at a point where you go,I should stop and you you're the
prime example of it. But yourexample of knowing that that
(16:13):
threshold is set so low, yeah,it's and that there's so much
further you can go, there's somuch deeper you can go before it
really is an issue, and mostpeople don't even like once they
tick that threshold, they juststop and like you. And then
there's you who's taking it toanother extreme. Because, look,
you've been through pain, like,ridiculous pain, and then so
(16:36):
endurance sports is almost easyat that point, just like, Well,
hell, I've done this before.
This is, no, this isn't thatbad. I can do this. I can push
through this. And it just helpsyou out on it. So
Brandon Gibson (16:46):
and I, and when I get into these things, and
like, I've got some very longtrail runs coming up, and I know
that's going to be painful, youknow, I eventually want to get
into the 50 miler range, andthen, plus, and do some the
ultimate goal would be to do,like, placid and 26 sweet, with
a lot of, you know, that's a lotof elevation up there it is. So
(17:09):
that's kind of, I think wetalked about that last time. You
know, what makes you just go forit's like, go big and just
figure it out, yeah, and and getthrough it. And that's just, I,
I've just kind of been, that'smy direction on all of all of
these things, is just to try tokeep pushing myself a little
(17:33):
further and further, even thoughI probably, you know, I may not
be right ready there. And that'sanother thing that I think
people get scared. They getscared to attempt it. They see
that number, and they're like, Ican't do that. Yeah, you can.
Yeah, you can. Anybody can dothat. Just have to put the work
into it. It's the the journeygetting there. You know, there's
(17:57):
a big journey to get there andand
Tom Regal (18:00):
have a while. So we're just gonna do it. What
does that look like? What's thewhat's the training? What's the
plan for next year, for 25looking like that's gonna get
you to placid in 26 so how areyou building How is, how is
Coach Sarah, building you up forthe for the I handed her
Brandon Gibson (18:17):
a spreadsheet of all of these races. So I told
her, I have this spreadsheet ofthese races. And she's like,
Okay. And then I told her thatmy my plan, my thought behind
this, was to do a lot of volumeof running early in the in 25
(18:38):
doing black toe with a set of acertain amount of distance that
I want to go. You know, I wantto do a 50k there. Originally
was going to do a 50k at BellRinger this December in
Montgomery, Bell state park, butI'm only going to do the 25k and
that's only in two weeks. Ithink
Kenny Bailey
(18:58):
even then, that one's a monster, by the
way. So I did that one. Yeah,
Brandon Gibson (19:01):
it's non trivial. I did the 25k last
year, and it was rough, so Iactually think I'll do better
this year. I think I think Iknow what I'm getting into. And
I think that was one thing, youknow, going into 25 and coming
out of this surgery, that Irealized that my heart rate, it
bounced back like beautiful. Oh,my great pace. My pace, my heart
(19:23):
rate is, at first it was veryhigh, but then it's, now it's
settled, like, it's settled backto the same pace that I can, I
can hold the same pace that Iwas before the surgery. Okay,
thing that's getting me is themuscle fatigue. Yeah, the
muscles are just, like, they'rethat. My legs are just dead.
They don't want to move. Theydon't want to, you know, and
that's but, but going into 25 alot, a lot of volume of running
(19:44):
early. I'm going back toChattanooga because I'm going to
beat that place. My thirdattempt is that the
Kenny Bailey
(19:54):
one we got and yeah, everything
Tom Regal (19:57):
about I'm going to be so it. If you have an issue
where it feels like something'sdragging, yeah, fix it. And then
you're gonna go, yes, yeah.
Brandon Gibson (20:07):
That is, that is exactly because I'll just
hopefully at that point I've gota lot of volume in the run in
the room, I can pace it backright so, and and then during
the heat months is all sprints.
I thought about the Louisvilleagain, but it's just too I think
it's too hot for me physically.
(20:30):
I just, I don't know if I shoulddo that, if I can't get my
nutrition right when it's kindof cool, yeah, so I need to
learn that nutrition when it'scool, and then work it into the
into the heat, yeah,
Kenny Bailey
(20:43):
well, see, and that's smart. So you're not
completely, you're not goinginto this thing, like, you know,
torpedoes be damned, right? Imean, no, yeah. So that's, yeah,
Brandon Gibson (20:50):
I there is a, there is a theory behind all of
this, like that. It might not bethe right one, but
Kenny Bailey
(20:55):
sounds pretty solid.
Brandon Gibson (20:57):
I think, I think so. Sprints all through the
summer and then too late, 70.3is either Michigan and then
North Carolina, or Augusta,North Carolina, or something
like that. It's, I haven'tfigured out yet logistically
what I'm going to do, and thenthat will set me up for a 70.3
(21:17):
in the spring and then LakePlacid in July, I think is what
it is. So that's, that's, that'sthe long, long goal, nice. And,
yeah, so
Tom Regal (21:30):
I think you're doing it right by ramping up for what
is, you know, year and a half,almost two years out, yep, I
think that's the right way to doit. It's a nice it's a nice
build where you can build steadyand not try to crank it out.
Yeah,
Brandon Gibson (21:45):
and I don't plan on doing, I mean, I may do some
short races, like in there, inbetween a 70.3 and but I it's
just going to be short stuff.
It's not going to be anything
Tom Regal (21:56):
that's going to really speed. You just work on
some speed and transitions, youknow, you just kind of get used
to the race feel, yeah. Sothat's not overwhelming. When
you get up to the big a racetype of thing, and then the rest
of your time will be putting injust hours, the hours, just
putting in the miles, the miles,just putting the miles in. Man,
that's,
Brandon Gibson (22:14):
that's the big thing, and just trying to figure
out the time commitment and withthe family and everything,
because it is a time commitment.
It's a time it's a it's acommitment for them too, my wife
and and the kids. It's, it's,it's a lot, yeah, I mean, it's a
lot for a 70.3 and it's just,it's even exponentially more.
It's not just double it'sexponentially more, right? It's
(22:34):
not and
Tom Regal (22:37):
when you're doing your first Iron Man distance
race, then that's the one that'slike, you're so focused in on
stuff, and that's the one,that's the one that I think is
hardest for everybody, becausethere's so much unknown. I mean,
at least you and your familyknow the training that goes into
a 70.3 so they're a little bitfamiliar with that end of it.
But the intensity that you'llyou'll be feeling just naturally
(23:01):
putting on yourself right forthe first fall as that's where
you that's where you need thefind the stress relief, or find
the ways to spend time with thefamily, that it's a little bit
more mellow and you're not likeit's not all or nothing, right?
It's finding the rightperspective for it to know that
it's you don't have to be sodriven and so siloed to do it,
(23:24):
that you've got enough training,you've got enough experience
that you'll do, you'll do fine,
Brandon Gibson (23:29):
yeah, I'll get through it. And it's, it's not
Yeah, it's not about Yeah.
That's the stress that I thinkyou put on yourself, is like you
put it on yourself. Am I gonnamake it? Am I gonna make it?
Well,
Tom Regal (23:38):
yeah, yeah. Every, every athlete that I talked to,
myself included, they wentthrough that very first Ironman
distance race. It was allencompassing, like that was all
you could think about. Likeevery bit waking moment was
about the training, abouteverything leading up to race
day. And it was, you know,ridiculously obnoxious to poor
(23:58):
Wendy. She was putting up withthis.
Brandon Gibson (24:01):
And I'm sure that afterwards, I mean, I
realized this with a 70.3 I'msure afterwards, there's a
massive crash from that too.
Yeah,
Tom Regal (24:08):
there's a little bit like, especially because you're
setting this thing up on apedestal as this massive thing,
it's almost like you need to putsomething on the back end,
right? What are you going to doafterwards? What's the next race
after that? Don't end yourplanning there. You need to fill
it and know that, okay, I got alittle relaxing, and then I've
got a 70.3 that I'm going toknock out in two or three
(24:29):
months. So you've got somethingelse, because the letdown is
huge, yeah, and
Kenny Bailey
(24:33):
it's not just the it's the fact that your life
has been structured six days aweek, you know, for balance,
right? So you spend 910, monthstraining, six days a week, and
then all of a sudden, you'redone, and you're like, dope.
What do I do? Do I run today?
That's I mean, I can say no,
Brandon Gibson (24:50):
I've realized, I've realized that I have to
have something else afterwards.
If I don't have things lined upafterwards, it's why I get that.
What am I doing this for? Yeah,and, you know, and, and I, and I
know people love to talk aboutthat journey, but I love to
race. I mean, I grew up racing.
(25:10):
Racing is like, That is myfeeling. It's all about the race
day. It's not so much about thetraining for me as it is, yeah,
but the actual race day, I thinkyou'll
Kenny Bailey
(25:19):
find with, like, the 50s, like, what you're
doing with any anything likelong like that, right? A 50k a
50 miler, an Iron Man. It's onething to do a half where you
feel like you can push it right?
It's like, okay, it's sub twohour marathon. Let's try to
figure out how to get that, youknow, I can do that. What's
interesting, at least from amindset perspective on Iron Man
and 50 milers, is you're therefor the day, like, you know
you're not, yeah, you're tryingto be efficient about what
(25:42):
you're doing and trying to becareful about what you're doing.
But hey, man, you're gonna seethe sunset, you know? So in some
respects, it's a little bit lesspressure, because you just know
you're there for the day. You'renot trying to rush it and not
gonna do this in five and a halfhours. You're like, I just run
through my progression. It's,I'm, you know, I'm here for the
hall, right? So settle in andget comfy. It's going to be
uncomfortable for, you know,easily north of 10 hours, 11
(26:04):
hours. So same thing on 50milers, right? You're not going
to run really fast on a 50miler. You're just going to
settle into a nice pace and yourun your progression. So in some
respects, it's almost a littleless stressful than a half
because of this expectation. Ona half to try to, you know, I
got to beat my time. We're onthe
Brandon Gibson (26:21):
full I'm trying to, I'm trying to do a sub
exactly where some Yeah, andyou, you're
Kenny Bailey
(26:25):
close to doing it, because you can kind of get
away with it a little bit.
You're not getting away with iton a 50 miler or, I
Brandon Gibson (26:31):
think that's what it was going into the first
70.3 My goal was to finish rightget that took the pressure off.
I know I'm gonna I can walk theentire thing and finish it. I'll
be okay. This one hurt a littlemore because I knew I wanted to
push Yeah, you lean in. Probablydo better. And then it didn't go
out. Yeah, the way I wanted thisthe Chattanooga. So I need to
(26:53):
realize that, you know, a raceis a race. Anything can happen
during the race. You just haveto roll with the punches. Yeah,
run through the progress. Don'tlet that, yeah, don't let that,
you know, smack you down. Yeah,because there's always another
race. There's
Tom Regal (27:06):
another race. It's just, it's just one blip. It
doesn't define you. It's that.
It's that long length of time ofyour life. And this is one
little, tiny speck in it, right?
So, to
Kenny Bailey
(27:17):
the Tom, we're just just mere sand specs in the
way on the beach of in
Tom Regal (27:23):
the universe, I feel like
Kenny Bailey
(27:27):
it would need a light incense right now,
Brandon Gibson (27:30):
little piece of courts.
Kenny Bailey
(27:33):
I think Tom is going to come back with, like,
an all, you know, kind of an allnatural, like robe. And it's
like, what are we here for? Whatis if
Tom Regal (27:39):
I could grow a beard, I would have a beard out here,
but this is it, right? All I gotthe
Kenny Bailey
(27:45):
journey of time begins with the first step.
Dang Tom, it's
Tom Regal (27:49):
all we're excited for you. Brandon, I
Kenny Bailey
(27:51):
think, I think he got a nice no one ever said I
ran too much before they go intoan Iron Man or a half Iron Man,
like, Gee, I should have ranless. Like, I don't. I don't
think I've heard, yeah, no one'sno, you know, it's
Tom Regal (28:01):
all about the run, yeah.
Brandon Gibson (28:02):
I mean, that's what, that's what I've noticed.
And I feel like it's all aboutthe run, every race and every
race and, and I just need moreof it. I need, I need to learn
how to actually do it, keep apace and hold it, and even after
I'm already tired, you know?
And, yeah, and that's I just, Ineed it, and that's
Tom Regal (28:23):
the strength training part of it will help you stave
off the fatigue and be centeredwhen you're running. So that
will help tremendously. So doingsome, you know, squats and
deadlifts, and a lot of squatsand lunges and that type of
stuff really builds up thatposterior chain and allows you
to run solidly lift heavy shit.
That's good to know.
Kenny Bailey
(28:48):
So what it is that's, that's kind of my new
shirts.
Brandon Gibson (28:53):
Shirt. I kind of like that shirt too.
Kenny Bailey
(28:59):
What are you doing, lifted. That's Brandon.
What are you doing? Lifted,lifted,
Tom Regal (29:06):
lift heavy things and put them back down again. So,
yeah, so that's, it's crazy,crazy stuff, Brandon, but always
impressed. Love talking to you,love getting the stories and
following along, because you dosuch good, just good mental game
(29:26):
getting through this crap. Soit's fun to really appreciate
you sharing it,
Kenny Bailey
(29:30):
yeah, and every time we talked like, you
know, I've got issues I'm goingwith, and it just, you know, it
puts it in perspective. Like,hey, that's interesting, you
know. Oh, your calf is sore,man. You know, you're dealing
with, you know, trying to figureout how to three months of rehab
to so you can just go run. Imean, that's fantastic. So in
the scheme of things, you know,keep going, man, keep inspiring
people like us so
Brandon Gibson (29:51):
well. Thank you guys for letting me do this
journey with you guys, andexplain it to you and explain it
to your audience, because it's,you know, it's not a norm, yeah,
by any means. And but it'ssomething that it may have been
to anybody, right? Yeah, and youdon't know where to go, but have
faith and just keep pushing youcan't you? Anybody can do it
(30:13):
even after massive issues, yeah.
So exactly what's your excuse?
Yes, right,
Tom Regal (30:19):
setbacks and everything. Yeah, so it's all
good. So thanks everyone for youknow, listening in questions
comments. Send those in ifyou've got questions for
Brandon, let us know. Tag us.
We're on Instagram and Facebook,and hopefully you're watching on
YouTube or listening on any ofthe podcasts. Subscribe. We've
got more of this coming. We'vebeen a little slip shot here in
(30:40):
the last couple months, justbecause we've been busy and
crazy as everybody else is, I'msure, as well. So next year,
we've got some great stuffcoming up, and we've got some
more this year as well. So hitthe subscribe button. It'll be
floating around here someplace.
And yeah, keep following along.
We appreciate everybody'slistening and downloads and all
that great stuff. So weappreciate you all. Kenny
(31:02):
Brandon, always fantastic. Greattalk with you guys. Thank you.
And for everyone we'll we'llcatch you on the next one.
Unknown (31:22):
You
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