The positive domino effect hasn’t stopped so far. On July 16^th Jerzy and Waldek launched this blog from Kraków and since that moment… I haven’t slept in peace. The nightmare of my maturity exam returned – a long essay in Polish – but I had to start writing again, quietly thanking MS Word for its merciful spellchecking. The first personal conversation I had inviting to place bets required a glass of wine for courage. As I was already “in training mode”, Kasia took over the deal and secured a substantial bet, which wasn’t easy because she had to calculate the rate herself. The anonymous contributor enjoyed the situation – he likes such events and now he is supporting us discreetly, writing from time to time: we’ll get these ventilators, sure we will. His gesture put new courage into our team, although I was mostly scared as things started happening for real. After my first post there was already more and more of us, which matters a lot. The second milestone was the response from Jerzy Kobyliński – 1000 PLN for 15 min. I was puzzled because Jerzy knows his way around risk assessment – maybe he estimated I would drop dead before the finishing line? I suggested coyly that if I do succeed, it could grow to a substantial amount. The reply was: break the world record, I’m prepared. This was the breakthrough moment. From then on Kasia took over the organizational part of it, based at home (actually, nothing changed here), and I began calculating these kilometers on my calculator but the distance refused to shrink.

Edyta, the head of the hospital, got round the paper Gazeta Olsztyńska and TVP Olsztyn, and we reached out to other media – which wasn’t easy considering it is the holiday season and everyone is away. But we have them on our side: Gazeta.pl, Radio Gdańsk, Dziennik Bałtycki, Nowy Dziennik from NYC, Radio Wnet, www.biznesnafali.pl , TVP Olsztyn, TVN and the patronage of Rzeczpospolita. What I notice is that even though the media give us publicity, the declarations do not intensify right away – which is why I would like to thank all the more to everyone who joined after having read or heard of us. In early August the Grand Master of the Sovereign Order of Malta, who is busy overseeing charitable efforts in around 100 countries, wrote an individual letter (blog entry no. 15), interested to see whether people will cooperate in such a project. Similar events organized in the USA, for example, can gain huge support. Another step forward was made thanks to Paweł, who shot a video illustrating our project. It made the message more concise and very modern. The President of the Polish Association of Knights of Malta explained the mechanism thus: This vehicle of help is driven by two gears. Tomek may succeed in completing the Ironman distance faster than the limit he set, but the other gear is much larger. See what you’ve done, Dad? J Now I have over 100 contributors waiting for my finish on September 7^th. The final days before the challenge are an apparently passive time sport-wise. It’s a restless period of waiting, but apparently this is the time for muscles to train through regeneration following the 10 week long demolition – I’m not sure of that anyway as we haven’t talked since the August marathon. The fundraising has somewhat slowed down, and then there’s a call – Jurek Jankowski from the Niedźwiadek Hotel in Kaszuby, asking how I am, how I feel and, more to the point: what will you do if you get an injury? I know it’s possible but I have no answer to this. There are several options: with a light injury I’ll keep traipsing towards the finishing line, if it’s more serious then I’ll just break down and cry or… I don’t know.. I’ll ask Zdzichu J, it’s been a while since I bothered him. So this is how an ex-athlete (rower) can bring you back down to earth. Hmmm. In the end Jurek said: good idea, stay strong all the way to the end and write down 12,000 PLN from the Niedźwiadek Hotel, no matter what the result.

Careful with such calls, I haven’t got my blood pressure pills on me all the time! I was moved – this is our third milestone. Two days later the team of the Barczewo hospital placed many bets, as if running on steroids. Then sympathetic representative from Germany joined, and so there’s over 113 of us now. To sum up: the donations amount to around 19,900 PLN and in the charitable bet one quarter of an hour is now worth 5,554 PLN. In other words, if I go 15 minutes below the limit, we have one ventilator. One week to go.

 

Let’s take a quick look at the athletic aspects too.

 

Zdzichu made the whole project possible by lending me his equipment and helping me with my first training sessions – and so this project is also partly his accomplishment. I am immensely grateful. August was much lighter in terms of training sessions and in ten weeks I accumulated: 47 km of swimming, 1,550 km of cycling and 386 km of running. Thanks to Piotr I will compete on a faster bike which should also go easier on me on this 180 km stretch. I have also become the go-to weight-shedding guru and the subject of dieting keeps on recurring. Indeed, after 6 weeks I fit into my old trousers and I went from 96 down to 83 kilos. Interestingly enough, it can go down a further 8 kg before I reach the finishing line. As I said in July, there is no miracle diet: every diet is good as long as it is consistent, and one has to keep moving on top of that.

The water in the sea is cold but Kasia says that swimming will do me no harm and she sends me off to the lake.

Today, on Saturday, I made my last effort acting as the photographer for my son Janek, who took part in the Bieg Morskiego Komandosa (“Marine Run”, the hardest cross-country run in Poland with 21 km of cross country and very demanding obstacles). It was a great event in which everyone can feel the limits of their own enthusiasm for any form of physical activity – I watched 17 km and that’s enough. Janek surprised us and the veterans of this run alike by taking the 12 out of 120 participants in his group, and with a good time result too.

The positive domino effect is still with me. The day before yesterday I went to Marek Szerszyński’s bicycle store, located in ul. Dworcowa in Sopot. A piece of trivia: Lech Piasecki, the most accomplished Polish cyclist wouldn’t have won the World Champion title without Marek. Marek Szerszyński took part in many large-scale races, including the most prestigious of all: Tour de France. I wanted to talk about technical matters and by chance I ran into Piotr Orlikowski  www.orkasurf.pl, but our chat didn’t veer off towards windsurfing. Piotr was just having his bike serviced and after a short chat he offered that I take his road bike.

I’m in the luck cause this is the last moment to get used to the new frame. It’s slightly shorter but I’m already looking forward to less back ache considering that I should be less stretched on the smaller size bike. On top of that, you change gears at the steering wheel, there are levers and push buttons, but I think I can handle that J The whole thing is supposed to act as placebo! Piotr, thank you very much!

I’m keeping the original saddle, Marek Szerszyński’s, in the hope that it will bring me luck. Although I still haven’t decided whether I should stick with the old one, and I will decide once I’ve consulted Zdzichu next time we see each other for a training session.

Also today, the daily Rzeczpospolita (who kindly extended their patronage over me, see: Media tab) published an article about my project. And it wasn’t yet 10 AM when I got an email from Adam with his charitable bet offer – he had read about it while having his morning coffee and wrote me. There is the first company, historic hotel in Krakow– www.podorlem.com.pl .  Advertising and PR are doing their magic -:) The Polish daily Nowy Dziennik from New York will also have a lengthy article about me this weekend [www.dziennik.com].

Let me say a few words about my preparations to answer your questions. These days my trainings are only aimed at maintaining what I have managed to build in this short period, like for ex. 35 km of cycling with some heavier accents, followed by a 7 km run, again at a varying pace. It’s become cold and I have to admit, not without shame, that I avoid swimming. Kasia is unyielding though and she’s sending me to the water tomorrow, adding: “don’t be so dramatic”. My weight has stabilized at 82 kilos after training. What’s interesting and important for my endurance, my minimal heart rate measured after waking up and before getting out of bed oscillates around 47 bpm, and my resting heart rate around 55 bpm – these parameters are satisfying. This week I am also going to write a summary of my August efforts, and then about my start strategy, cause I need to have one… other than writing.

The best recipe against stress is to smile, so let’s give it a try.

1. A bitter-sweet story. During the ½ Ironman in Gdynia Kasia and I are waiting for Zdzichu just before the changing area (swim to bike). It’s insanely crowded, everyone wants to be by the barrier to cheer and take photos.

There’s a short woman in front of us, visibly excited: jumping, screaming, waving her hands – obviously her runner is coming. There he is! The man, halfway out of his foam suit, is approaching us sideways gesturing: “food”! Finally, they meet. He’s out of breath, his focused eyes examining her empty hands: well, got it?! (probably energy enhancing supplements). She’s shocked as if she just remembered right now – the smile disappears from her radiant face and she begins frantically wrestling with her handbag. Incredulous, the runner gauges the new situation.. and gives up. I laughed and felt sorry for them both. I assume my fellow runner had some snacks in the changing zone and at the finishing line there were definitely different emotions at play.

2. A “what the heck” story. I sent plenty of emails to the media asking to help me publicise my project. A man called me about this, and here is a fragment of our conversation:

– I see, so you will be the “man of iron”, that’s a great title, sounds very nice.

– It’s just a name ..

– But you know that there already has been one film under that title, directed by Wajda?

– Yeah, but… it’s a different subject and a different story..

I managed to explain it in the end.

On the edge, extreme situations, no matter what we call it – you find yourself at a place where all you can see in front of you is an abyss, and you don’t know what to do.

The dynamic rhythm of life can mean that the next day your life can turn around with all its values completely reorganized. You were well, now you’re ill. You had a good job, now you’re unemployed. You had a family, the family is gone, etc.. But what to do? How to act in an extreme situation?

I once had the opportunity to talk with Piotr Pogon – a man whom too many disasters befell in too short a time – trust me on that. Today he runs marathons with one lung and climbs as high as he can with “bi-lunged” people. He pulled himself together when he had gone deep and touched the bottom. Once he bounced off it, his enormous strong will led him to aims which he set for himself, further and further. I also spoke with Marek Kamiński, who in his books describes his polar fight against himself. Day after day, his apparently identical scheme turns into a subtle system of motivating the mind and the body and of overcoming fear. I don’t plan to summarise it for you, but I’d definitely recommend reading, for ex. Moje bieguny (My poles), which I’ve read myself. Have I felt pressure on me and had to fight? Yes, I’ve been fighting for 20 years. In terms of my life I am a long-distance runner, forged this way by force. If things get bad, really bad, I try to rationalise and look at the situation from a different angle; move and not get crushed. Staying put, doing nothing – that leads nowhere near to solving the problem.

As long as you fight, you’re a winner – Saint Augustine

You don’t have to run long distances – the prayer is also an action. Those who know how to use it, know about it very well.

The last days brought plenty of positive information concerning our project. First of all, there are more and more of us. But the numbers can grow even more following the publication of the interview by Jarosław Zalesiński (in Dziennik Bałtycki from Friday, 22nd August), who captured the right proportions of the project by devoting more attention to its other aspects than the sport, considering I have devoted a lot of attention to the physical side of it here, in my blog. I also heard from the daily Rzeczpospolita who will extend their patronage over us – I count on a lively reaction of its readers as time is slipping away. But there’s also bad news too. The bad news is related to my professional life and it will definitely not help me in the last two weeks, but I’m treating it symbolically. If evil powers are there, then they surely keep vigil and resurface when we’re about to do something good. When we’re about to succeed, then the evil enters the stage and causes confusion by creating what we call coincidences.

The other information I got belongs to the darkest and most daunting. Imagine, my dear reader, that you’re packing for a holiday, finishing things before leaving for a break and you get a text telling you to appear at a hospital – urgently. Tatiana sent her husband and kids on their dream holiday, repacked her own suitcase and… went to the hospital. Strong medications will mean that in 2 days’ time no one will be allowed to visit her, unless wearing a mask and through a glass pane. She’s following us using her tablet and asked all of those who can pray for a small effort at 21:37 – she still has to much left to do…

Dearest Tatiana! I’m dividing kilometres of my run into bits dedicated to you, the brave Ela and many others – the harder it is for me, the lighter it is for you. I remember about 21:37.

Two days ago a triathlon race claimed a life: a young man, only 27, competing in the Quarter Ironman challenge, lost consciousness at the beginning of the bicycle ride and sadly he died. I thought to myself: it’s very tragic when such a young and active person passes away so suddenly. Little did I know that in a few hours I would be commenting this event on the television.

On Sunday, TVN24 interviewed me about the charity project and my preparations, and so the following day I was the perfect person to talk to. I felt that I wasn’t there as an expert, which was understandable, and when I saw the interview on Monday at 9:30 PLN, I had the impression that I was just another one going to… I won’t finish the sentence. The reporters shot a lengthy recording, they also filmed me running and doing core exercises,

but the only bit that was broadcast was me saying that the human body is like an electric circuit and when there’s a blowout the fuses should pop, but if they are broken the whole circuit gets damaged. The opinions of experts, doctors and sports activists that followed, all focused on the need to introduce obligatory sports examinations before such competitions. In the background they showed the information about a 48-year-old amateur attempting a full Ironman in a short period. In such a brief TV footage this can certainly inspire fear. It’s also easy to adopt the standpoint that amateur athletes should be examined as a requirement, but what’s next? Apparently the young man had atherosclerotic changes which disqualifies him from racing, and in my opinion ¼ IM is especially exhausting with the change from swimming to cycling made at an extremely fast tempo. The amateurs who sign up for a triathlon are usually aware of the effort they will be required to make but sometimes, unfortunately, not aware of their own bodies. What shall we do then with organizers of excursions to climb mount Giewont in the Tatras? The effort is considerable, the weather can change at any moment and one has to bear in mind the change in altitude.

No one verifies if the tourist from Sopot has acclimatised, whether he or she sets out the day before arriving at the mountains, tired of the long drive and overwhelmed by the welcome feast. The most that one can check is whether the tourist has good shoes, a windbreaker and… the entrance ticket to the national park.

I’m still taking it easy after the marathon, cycling and swimming “light”, but this whole story sticks at the back of my head.

During the interview, when asked by the TVN reporter if I would encourage others to follow my way, I sad no! I encourage everyone to join the charity effort and also to undertake sports – but I do not recommend such haste. What is of value is the way we choose to make it to the finishing line. It begins with the first training sessions, a change in the lifestyle – this is what transforms us, and may it last as long as possible. A competition is only an adventure and an opportunity to meet others like us.

Am I prepared to undertake this effort? I undertake it every single day while training and often going beyond the limits of a ¼ IM. I have already understood and experienced what a marathon run is. I’ve also been through an ultra trail run – 100 km in the mountains with a total of 4600 m uphill running. I’ve had a chance to test my fuses. It is not coincidence that I devoted one of the first posts here to self-discipline and dietary resolutions. Without that one should better look for a different sport to practice – I was very radical towards my own self in this respect (post no. 3 from July http://zakonmaltanski.pl/ekstremalnie/2014/07/21/). My approach to the distance ahead of me is full of respect and I am describing the way I’m on for you. Oh, and one more think for those who train: heart rate monitors can be of better or worse quality but they are there and they are worth using.

Zdzichu wrote yesterday: you’re not supposed to RACE, you’re supposed to finish.

The summer has moved on, the sun illuminates the sea differently in the morning and water temperature is only 16C.

August 15^th is a special date: the Assumption of Mary, the Battle of Warsaw of 1920, and in the Tri-City we remember the victims of the shipyard strikes from 1970 and 1980. I carry this all with me in my head, cause running a marathon without ideas seems a bit silly. I can’t benefit from the 2 days of rest which are recommended, but this is supposed to be a test, not a race for me.

Before the start, there’s a short ceremony to commemorate the killed shipyard workers in Gdynia and then the almost 1000 participants set out. Even after 20 years this event is still rather small in scale when compared to Warsaw, Poznań, let alone Berlin or London. I heard the maximum marathon capacity is 50 thousand runners, and it is related to the width of streets in the major European cities: long live Haussmann and Napoleon III! Here, in the Tri-City we have a problem with this, plus the “thoroughfare” nature of the Gdynia – Sopot – Gdańsk agglomeration, plus the middle of the summer holidays, plus not much in terms of organized cheering. But anyway, I set out in perfect weather, 18C, no sunshine. I assumed to run in 3h45min, but I log in to the 3h30min group and I am doing fine running at the pace of around 5min/km.

Sometime around the 15^th kilometer I feel that this is a bit too much for me, but I let the bravado in me in charge of decisions, so here we go, this is the Polish way! Of course physiology, like mathematics, is objective so I am looking forward to what happens next with curiosity. In Gdańsk a small group of spectators welcomes us and the sun peeking out with warm applause, but we have a slightly different opinion about the weather conditions at the 23^rd kilometer – it’s getting really hot. It’s getting harder and harder so I can’t wait to meet Janek and Zdzichu who are supposed to join at the 30^th kilometer and give me support. At this point we’re already running a new route which goes along the football stadium.

he view is beautiful but there are also viaducts and a bridge… a long bridge at that. But here they are! Janek passes me a small orange which I nibble on as I go, but it doesn’t taste right. Almost no juice, and I choke as I chew the dry pulp. Where do they import this stuff from? The boys keep chatting me up but I am quiet, and then at the 33^rd kilometer I hit the wall. I hit it hard with all the power of my ambitions and dreams to score my life record below 3h40min. I wouldn’t call it arrogance but close to it. I’m paying for it now and there are no foolproof methods, no friend can help me. The pain comes suddenly and it’s intense: a stitch on my right side so Zdzichu explains: Biliary colic, you were going too fast and it’s gotta hurt. My breathing becomes shallow, the diaphragm contracts rapidly and I feel muscle contractions coming soon… and I switch to marching. It’s humbling for the ego but reasonable from the point of view of our project. Zdzichu reminds me about it too: This isn’t your priority, rest, this was too much, and remember that tomorrow we will have a light session, some 2.5 km swimming…you’ll relax. This cheered me up but the grimace on my face hasn’t changed. Trouble returns like black vultures eager to feed on my humiliation. Janek sees his father’s fall so he follows Zdzichu and protects me from the wind which keeps blowing in my face for 5 km. I pray for the end and for the effect of the finishing line pull, but St. Peter must be on his cigarette break.. it’s bad, I see the road surface is uneven any my feet twist, I stagger, but the boys won’t let me change the pace, I am supposed to finish this with my head up high. Which happens in Długa street in the most beautiful finishing stretch. 

At this moment I feel that my Mum, whose nameday it is today and who is not with us, lets me stumble but makes sure I don’t fall – not only when running. I reach the finishing line – the result of around 3h31min definitely does not satisfy my running ambition. Nor does my condition at the end give me confidence in the view of the coming IM in Malbork. 

Sitting in the zone for those who completed the run, I enjoy the pea soup I’m given. It’s nice but it’s also a shock for my empty stomach.

Some time later I walk about among participants and I see who I think is the winner. I chat him up. The Kenyan Joel Maina Mwangi, who used to run under 2h14min and scored 2h25min today, tells me: the route was difficult, many stretches uphill in the second part, hot and strong wind – Joel! You have no idea how your words helped me!

Kasia in unbelievable: she drove me to the starting point in Gdynia, took pictures of the route and the finishing line, drove Tomek to the 30 km mark and she did it all while streets were closed – that’s not easy, believe me.

I enjoy the bath for 10 minutes and then I return the call from an unknown number. It turns out to be the TV – Dzień dobry TVN. The project is gaining momentum and I have a chance to talk about our charitable cause. I think it will be on Sunday after 8 AM.

And one of the last accents today: I go to the evening Mass and I choose a bench without back support – or else I would drift off.

21:37  Maraton becomes history – my thoughts are already focused on the next 3 weeks.

List od Prezydenta Związku Polskich Kawalerów Maltańskich:

Szanowni Państwo,

Zakon Maltański, organizuje różne formy pozyskiwania środków na prowadzenie dzieł, które służą tu, w Polsce. Jednocześnie w swoich akcjach zagranicznych, jak np. na rzecz uchodźców z Syrii, czy rannych na Kijowskim Majdanie symbolicznie odwdzięcza się za pomoc, którą nasz naród otrzymywał z zagranicy w najtrudniejszych czasach lat 80tych. Przypomnę, że organizujemy koncerty, aukcje, opłatki maltańskie, bale charytatywne a dzisiaj mamy nową inicjatywę w ramach projektu Zakon Maltański Ekstremalnie.

Tomek, podjął się wyzwania, które faktycznie jest ekstremalne. Po zapoznaniu się z zakresem Ironmana, uświadamiając sobie, że ma na przygotowania tylko 10 tygodni, a nie jest młodzieniaszkiem, mogę jedynie powtórzyć to co mu powiedziałem – to będzie „piekło”, a raczej już jest.

Ale warto. Szpital Maltański w Barczewie, to piękne świadectwo wspólnego działania naszych środowisk i dzisiejszego zaangażowania personelu, który nie tylko fachowo opiekuje się osobami, które stoją na granicy ziemskiego życia, ale również tworzy duchowe warunki, by ten najtrudniejszy moment dla chorych i ich rodzin był możliwie „święty”. Jak to ważne, wiedzą Ci, którzy przeżywali podobne chwile z bliskimi. To codzienne towarzyszenie zmaganiom życia i śmierci a jednoczesne nie utracenie, tak potrzebnej wrażliwości, wymaga od zespołu Szpitala Maltańskiego ogromnego wysiłku – wiem o tym. To przede wszystkim oni – chorzy i ich opiekunowie, zasługują na podziw i nasze wsparcie.

Patrząc na datę startu, 7 września, chciałbym zwrócić uwagę na kwestie poza sportowe. To nie tylko ciężkie treningi, to również budowanie całego projektu pomocowego, zapraszanie i zachęcanie kolejnych osób do włączenia się i to w okresie, w którym najczęściej wszyscy chcemy wziąć urlop, również od problemów, a z pewnością już nie słyszeć o potrzebach sprzętowych szpitala. To co się dzieje w tym projekcie fundrisingowym jest piękne i przypomina efekt pozytywnego domina – przyłączają się znajomi, nieznane osoby, włączają się media – zobaczymy jak daleko dotrze ta fala dobroci. Wszystkim, którzy się włączyli bardzo serdecznie dziękuję.

Kończąc, zachęcam do obserwowania tej ekstremalnej, nowej drogi. Ten wehikuł pomocowy napędzany jest przez dwie przekładnie. Tomek może pokona dystans Ironmana, szybciej o ileś kwadransów, ale drugą, znacznie większą przekładnią jesteśmy my – kibice – może nas być wielokrotnie więcej i w ten sposób pomnożymy efekt końcowy. Gorąco zachęcam do włączenia się w projekt na miarę możliwości finansowych, na dowolnym poziomie, tak by nie pozostać kibicem bez biletu.

Tomku – „dopóki walczysz jesteś zwycięzcą” Św. Augustyn. Aleksander Tarnowski

Prezydent Związku Polskich Kawalerów Maltańskich.

A letter from the President of the Polish Association of Knights of Malta:

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Order of Malta organises different forms of obtaining funds for its charitable efforts here in Poland. In its work done abroad, like for instance the relief for Syrian refugees or assistance for those wounded in the Kiev’s Majdan square, the Order in a symbolic way reciprocates the help which our nation received from abroad in the most difficult period of the 1980’s. We have been organising concerts, auctions, Christmas suppers, charity events and today we have a new “extreme” initiative, Zakon Maltański Ekstremalnie.

Tomek took on a challenge which is indeed an extreme one. Once I have investigated the scope of the Ironman, and realised that he only has ten weeks for preparations while no longer being a youngster, I can only repeat what I have already told him: this is going to be “hell”, or actually it already is.

But it’s worth it. The Maltese Hospital in Barczewo is a beautiful testimony of cooperation between different groups, and of the present involvement of the staff who not only extend professional care over our patients but also create spiritual conditions thanks to which this most difficult time becomes “holy” for the patients and their families. Only those who have gone through similar situations with their close ones, know how important this is. This daily assistance in the struggles of life and death while at the same time maintaining this precious sensitivity, requires an immense effort from the Maltese Hospital team – this I know for sure. It is them who we should admire and support the most: the patients and their carers.

Looking at the date of the challenge, September 7^th, I would like to emphasise the aspects not related to sport. This project is not only about hard training sessions. It is also the efforts related to obtaining support by inviting and encouraging others to join. What is more, it’s all happening at a time when most people would like to take time off also from any kind of bother, and the last thing they want to hear about is some hospital’s equipment problems. What is taking place here within this fundraising project is beautiful and brings to mind the domino effect: friends joining, strangers joining, media joining. We’ll see how far this wave of benevolence will carry us. I would like to thank with all my heart to those who joined us.

To conclude, I would like to encourage everyone to monitor this new extreme path. This vehicle of help is driven by two gears. Tomek may succeed in completing the Ironman distance faster than the limit he set, but the other gear is much larger. It’s us, his supporters, and we can grow in numbers and thus multiply the final effect. Please join the project on any level, as your finances allow, so as not to become, as it were, a fan without a ticket.

Dear Tomek, to paraphrase St. Augustine, dum pugnas, victor es – as long as you fight, you’re a winner.

Aleksander Tarnowski

President of the Polish Association of Knights of Malta.