Raul's Ironman Dream

Unfortunately Raul cannot travel alone to Canada, this means an extra flight, accomodations, travel expenses..etc..etc..etc.. I cannot possibly afford to do this on my own. There has been little to no support and I have already spent a great deal of time and money trying to get him to Canada in the first place.

I'm afraid Raul's dream will have to be just that "a dream".

Ironman Cuba a history lesson.

Iron Man History in Cuba 

Written by Raúl Alcolea 

After the editors of “Triathlete” magazine, the most prestigious of the triathlon world, knew about our beginnings and development of Iron Man, they established communication with me, Raul Alcolea, as a promoter of Iron Man in Cuba and notified that our persistence to develop this sport in Cuba was worth to be known for whole the magazine associated. 

Since that time I kept communication with Jay P. one of the editors of the magazine, who had in charge to launch the article. The continuous communication with them allowed me to dream, to look at the sky and to see myself from thousand of kilometers looking around and stare in something like a sea, a river or a lake with two thousand of triathletes of Iron Man surrounded me. This feeling, to realize a real Iron Man only lived in my dreams. 

I always remind a Spanish married couple, members of “Doctors without Borders” who worked in Santiago de Cuba some years ago telling me that later somebody would open the doors but that I should have my own electronic address to reach it. Then, they helped me and my first objective was to know the electronic addresses of Mark Allen, Scott Tinley and Dave Scott to bring up to date that in Cuba many peoples admire them. 

On March 2005, my Spanish friends went back to their country and I lost my communication possibilities. For a long time I didn’t find somebody with Internet access to help me, but one day some month later when I was starting one of my training, a person comes close to me and asked: Are you the athlete who was interviewed last Sunday on TV? My response was affirmative and he showed much interest for the style of life of Iron Man triathlete and offered his collaboration and I could renew my Internet contacts from the next week on when I got very ashamed, to his work. Today I consider him a faithful friend. 

More excellent news were received. One of the “Kuota” Bicycles Companies was solidary and offered me one of Kuota K-factor bike to my size. At last on June, Mr. Jay Prasuhm sent a bike photo and I was astonished when I saw it. He informed that his article will be launched on July 2007 edition. 

On the first days of July I was in Havana to participate in the first Half Iron Man as training for the Iron Man to take place in Santiago de Cuba on September 2^nd on the same year. There was, Andres Cruz, 45 years old, and new member of our Club, who feels a great love to triathlon. I met him 10 years ago in a national triathlon contest.

Andrez Cruz.

We were eight participants including a friend from the United States who brought the magazine with the article of Mr. Jay Prasuhm. On July 5^th around 10:00 o’clock I was with Abel Pupo and Andres Cruz in the beach where we would swim 1.9 KM and then, later, came our North American friend, Reinaldo de la Flor who showed us the magazine. 

I had a deep happiness sensation when I saw the article because I realized something which I seemed impossible for me and it was one of the most important moments of my life. 

On Sunday, July 8^th, the Half Iron Man was done which was transmitted for all the country by TV. I was the winner with time of 4:42’, the second was Andres Cruz with 4:52’ and later Lorenzo Marzo with 5:10’. 

After two days I came back home and I received two Email messages which I read the next day with congratulations from the Canadians David Bryce and Shelley McKee. I let Mr. Jay Prasuhm know that I had the magazine and showed it to all my work partners, relatives, friends and fans. Also I showed it in an interview conceded by TV. All of them, demonstrated happiness for my photos in the most important world wide triathlon magazine. 

I was congratulated by the North American Michael Sandrok, who was the first supporting me when I started the support was repeated on December of Iron Man trainings at the early 2004, sending basically quality marks of running shoes. This that year and later in 2005.Another North American, Sandra Dorfman has collaborated with me, too, and as soon as she saw the article sent her congratulations. 

Now the question was how to receive the donated bike. Then, on August 2007 I received two “Triathltes” magazines sent by Shelley. Days after on the 26^th in the Iron Man of Canada, Jay Prasuhm. and Shelley M. who met there, and accorded about the possibility of sending the bike to Cuba. 

A week later Shelley informed that, personally, would bring the bike Kuota K-factor in March 2008. There aren’t worlds to describe these emotions. I began to dedicate her beautiful poems of my inspiration to influence in her emotions.

Meantime, all was ready for our fourth Iron Man where I participated with Abel Pupo, Jackson San Miguel, Andres Cruz and Jorge Arturo Gallego. We started on September 2^nd at 7:00 AM. There was  strong wind during cycling. 

Andres Cruz, 46 years old, with his excellent running took the lead at kilometer 25 and concluded wining with 10:52’. 10 minutes later I passed second and Andres Cruz the third on the line and lost the title of National Champion, who presented some problems in his bike. Jorge Arturo and Jackson followed them respectively.The contest quality was excellent due the help of neighbors, relatives, friends and others cycling lovers.

A pack from Shelley was received two days later with two tires and the July 2007 “Triathlete “magazine, among other things. On the other hand, David had accorded to meet us, during his holidays at the end of November, in a hotel in Varadero Beach in Matanzas Province, Cuba. There we met. It was a fraternal meeting that I’ll never forget. He and his wife brought a great donative for our Club, which include tires, chains, seats, gatorade, rudder covers and other important articles. Thanks for that marvelous gesture.   

I traveled to Havana the next day to meet Andres Cruz and to distribute the donative. I will not describe my travel on bike, of almost 90 KM,  from Matanzas Province to the Capital which was really marvelous.On February I received another donative from Nigel Kelly of New Zealand, with  running shoes of quality marks and other important articles, which were distributed to Club’s members.On February 14^th, San Valentine Day, I decided to write a beautiful poem to Shelley, that she enjoyed very much and on March 13^th 2008, date of her Cuba arrival, both of us were desperate to meet each other, personally. There were nine months of pleasurable weekly communications. 

There were some stress month for me, because I received her Emails at my friend’s work, then pass it to a flash memory, open it in my job’s computers which sometimes were being used. After that, print it and read it later, quietly, and look for no understandable words at the dictionary. To send messages to her, it wasn’t easy either, but my English improved. 

Early on March I received a picture of the Kuota K factor, which Shelley had it in her hands already, also aerobars and other articles.Our meeting in the morning of March 13th was wonderful. Later I could have got in my hands a treasure of my  sport        Thanks to these altruistic gestures which began through “Triathlete” magazine, specially to Mr. Jay Prashum, and others as Paul Thomas, Patrice Lemieux, David Bryce, Nigel Kelly, Mónica Moran y Shelley McKee. This last person, Iron Man triathlete, has offered me the possibility to participate in the Canadian Iron Man in 2009. This is known by Grahan Frazer.

 

This contest in Canada will be crucial in my live and the most important day of the year because, how many tears in my trainings, how much insomnia due to excess of criticism and scantiness of resources. The will developed due the deep study of chess since my adolescence and later the mathematics were important factors to go on and to get this great dream.I want to stick out the huge pleasure showed for all my admirer, work partners, relatives and friends when they saw the bike Kuota in my hands. 

In the end of March I travelled to Havana, in order to give to my friends part of the donative which Shelley brought. There we decided that on June 1^st, 2008 will be the second Half Iron Man. To the event were incorporated members of senior and youth national teams. 

The contest was successful with 24 competitors. Michael Gonzalez, National Champion of triathlon, got the first place with time of 4.16.31, the second place was another member of national team Carlos Rafael and time of 4.26.12 and later I arrived  with time of 4.39.04. Andres Cruz, National Iron Man Champion, with his 46 years could take advantage of the Half Marathon and arrived in the fifth place with time of 4.46.40. 

Michel Gonzalez.In August, after eight years, I was visited by Manuel Marrero, one of the persons who inspired me to the triathlon sport. Manuel lives now in Spain and I felt deep emotion when I saw him and I had the necessity to explain him all that we have done to promote the Iron Man in the Island and the support of athletes from North America and New Zealand. After he came back to his country, he let me know, how happy he felt with our conversation which reminded him, his experiences as athlete.    

I should talk about the next Iron Man accorded for November 23^rd 2008. Abel Pupo, one of my friends, went to live in Mexico since the passed September 14^th and conceived the admirable idea, the same day to execute an Iron Man alone, helped by his wife. It is a privilege to know persons like Abel, Iron Man passionate and faithful friend.Abel Pupo Corrales. 

I wait to this event for Arturo Gallego, 46 years old, who will be in his fourth contest. Lester Camejo and Jackson San Miguel will have the opportunity to finalize the contest for third occasion. Andres Cruz, 46 years old, too, will try to retain his Champion title for successive second year. 

Edilberto Borrero, has been absent two years and will be incorporated and he has decided to finish the contest. Andres Gutierrez couldn’t have adequate training due his scarce life conditions with three children, but will intent something which only the Greats do. 

Finally, I wait for the decision to participate with us of Michael Gonzalez, Triathlon National Champion who in the passed Pan American Games in Brasilia had the best Cuban performance in this kind of event finishing in the sixth place. 

This is part of the Iron Man history in Cuba that I have the pleasure to let all triathlon lovers know.  It represents the same emotions and experiences of other brothers that I have had the opportunity to read in the “Triathlete” magazines which also offered me more power to carry on my trainings. 

All of us have traversed difficult moments but always with the impetus to surpass all impediments in the middle of the way. “Triathlete” magazine has given us the possibility to be in the know and to enrich our soul, each other. 

The coincidence in emotions, pleasures and choosing, talk about what is common to triathlon lovers. These things I have noticed together with my friends who followed me during the last four years, in order to germinate and grow this kernel which for the first time, Manuel Guerrero and Jose Antonio Delgado, seeded in 1995.To see it, today transformed in a bush, not very grown, but enough strong that it couldn’t be knocked down. It’s the strength of the Iron Man transmitted by the initiator, Jinh Collin 

Raul Alcolea Gonzalez. Professor’s Math and fourth times finisher of IronMan in Cuba.                              

Raul Alcolea.

Donation Page.

I have set up a donation page so those who wish to do so can help to make on Cuban's dream of becoming an Ironman, a reality.Please go here.http://www.digitalcharity.com/m.php?id=38769All donations will help to pay for Raul's accomodations, flights, training necessities.Please help!!!

Raul is a teacher of math and only makes close to $20.00/month teaching.  

Raul kissing his lovely mother after completing the Ironman Cuba race. Raul is a very fast triathlete posting times around 10hrs.

Ironmom Jenny has graciously offered to make an Ironman Pillow if you donate $100.00 to this cause!