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Tom Hulsey said the Capitol served as a beacon during the swim portion of last year's Ironman, so it's only fitting that he used it as the backdrop for an "I did it" shot with his wife, Lauren. - Submitted photo

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It has been said that to be the best in the world at what you do, you've got to find the very best in yourself.

I grew up in Madison in the 1960s, idolizing the Green Bay Packers and Vince Lombardi. Coach Lombardi said, "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor."

That wisdom, combined with a unique drive to perform, is what motivated me to enter the 2007 Ironman Wisconsin.

The Ironman requires tremendous psychological stamina as well as physical strength and endurance. And the Ironman course is exactly what the name implies and cannot be taken lightly.

The prestigious race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, followed immediately by an arduous 112-mile bike race, then a grueling 26.2-mile marathon. All three events must be completed in 17 hours or less.

This was my third Ironman; the others were Hawaii (1986) and Florida (2006).

Honestly, I was content after completing the "big one" in Kona some 21 years earlier. I sold my bike and moved on. But you might say I came down with a 20-year itch, and I discovered many changes in the sport since I had last competed.

For one thing, technology had changed the sport drastically. I was amazed to find handle bars (aero, of course) now cost $800! That was double the total cost of my bike in 1986.

Wetsuits are now worn in the swim, and are all but essential because you "float like cork."

So, with better training, better equipment, and new enthusiasm, I was ready!

Sept. 9, 2007, was a very special day for me. My family left Wisconsin when I was 15 years old. Thirty-eight years later, I was back in Madison.

As a boy, I learned to skate on the ponds around Madison and Lake Monona, where Ironman Wisconsin is held; today, I am a skating instructor for the NHL's Dallas Stars.

It was emotional the whole way; the childhood memories flowed. The Capitol was a beacon. Every time I turned to breathe in the swim, there it was.

Biking and running throughout the city, down State Street and around the Square, was a trip down memory lane -- wow! The venue and the number of spectators were unbelievable as I made my way to a finish in 12 hours, 41 minutes, 38 seconds.

This was one of the most incredible experiences in my life.

That said, Ironman Wisconsin is tough. The 2005 race had the highest dropout rate, 20 percent, of any Ironman since they have been keeping track.

The course is truly challenging in every respect. There is little open water on the swim. With well over 2,000 athletes (that's 8,000 churning limbs!), and two laps around the course, the swim does not shake out much -- especially with seven 90-degree turns to further slow things down.

Who said swimming is not a contact sport? Imagine being in a blender. Envision playing hockey without pads.

Three words describe the bike course: climb, descend, turn. You have no steady heart rates here. There are over 80 turns -- that's a turn every 1.4 miles. At 20 mph, that means you are turning every 1.4 minutes. That's a lot of turning.

And then there are the hills. The hills are relentless and steep, tough on a guy who lives and trains in the relatively flat prairies of Texas. I drove the bike course the day before the race; yikes, big mistake! I did not sleep that night. By comparison, Ironman Florida is flat as a pancake and has seven slight gradual turns, total.

Because of the technical nature of the bike course, bikes (and bikers) take a beating. Your shifting has to be spot-on because you use every gear over and over, shifting literally hundreds of times. Fans line the streets, in your face, la the Tour de France.

Getting off the bike, my legs felt heavy and that severely impacted my ability to hold a steady cadence on the run, which is normally my strength.

The marathon is unique among Ironman runs. It is entirely urban. There are fans the entire way. As another competitor so succinctly put it: "While this is appealing to those who draw energy off the crowd, it can be maddening if you are having a bad day. It is like being in the Colosseum on the wrong end of the gladiator's sword. Everyone is watching and it just keeps getting harder. At least in Florida, Hawaii, Arizona and New Zealand you share your humiliation with the earth, sky and wind. The best part is when you come back to the Capitol where the crowd is at full adrenalin -- the finish line is intense."

What made the finish line very memorable for me was getting to share/cross the line with my fantastically supportive wife, Lauren.

Wisconsin, more than any other Ironman, has become a phenomenon. It is more than just a Midwestern phenomenon. It's an Ironman event unique to the sport. It's also a paradox. It is among the most difficult Ironman Triathlons in the world, with a crowded, two-lap swim, a difficult and technical bike course, and an animated run.

If you have the desire, anything is possible. With the Ironman, there's a sense of accomplishment; to do something so few people can do. I am motivated by the past accomplishments and always strive to improve.

As six-time Ironman Hawaii winner Dave Scott said, "One of life's most important lessons is learning to put your losses in perspective and savor your triumphs by riding on euphoria's wave. Have high goals and expectations; regard defeats as stages on the road to success by remembering the little victories that have gotten you where you are."

What a phenomenal day it was. Thank you, Madison!

Tom Hulsey, 54, lived in Madison from 1961 to 1969. He attended James Madison High School. Today, he resides in Dallas, Texas, with his wife, Lauren, and has two children, including a son who just returned from Iraq. Tom is a technology consultant and a part-time skating instructor for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League. He can be reached at thulsey@RMBB.net.