Wow! What a day! You’d think we were racing the thing when the alarm went off at 4:45am… But no, if you wanted a good spot along the seawall to see the swim start at 6:45, then you had to get there early. And in the end, it was worth every zzz that we sacrificed.
For two people who hope to become Ironmans someday, it was both incredibly intimidating and inspiring to watch this event.
The pro’s make it look easy; they truly do race the whole darn thing – and finish it in 8 or 9 hours. Sure, this is what they do for a living, but if you feel the heat here, you wonder how any human does it (and you should see some of the post-race tan lines, or rather scorching burns on these guys and gals).
But it was the people with physical disabilities and the racers that were 60+ and even 70+ years old – and don’t kid yourself, there were a NUMBER of them – that are really awe inspiring. It was incredible to see these men and women cross that finish line after 14, 15 and 16+ hours on the course.
The excitement in the air at the finish line was electric – especially in those last few hours as we approached the midnight cutoff. The crowd was totally pumped and didn’t let up for a second; it was just a huge outdoor party. Personally, I had goosebumps on my skin, tears in my eyes, and a smile from ear to ear everytime I saw a competitor cross the finish line and have Mike Reilly, the voice of Ironman, bestow upon them that most sought after phrase; “You are an Ironman”!
All in all, it was a very emotional and exhausting day – and I was just a spectator!!
For two people who hope to become Ironmans someday, it was both incredibly intimidating and inspiring to watch this event.
The pro’s make it look easy; they truly do race the whole darn thing – and finish it in 8 or 9 hours. Sure, this is what they do for a living, but if you feel the heat here, you wonder how any human does it (and you should see some of the post-race tan lines, or rather scorching burns on these guys and gals).
But it was the people with physical disabilities and the racers that were 60+ and even 70+ years old – and don’t kid yourself, there were a NUMBER of them – that are really awe inspiring. It was incredible to see these men and women cross that finish line after 14, 15 and 16+ hours on the course.
The excitement in the air at the finish line was electric – especially in those last few hours as we approached the midnight cutoff. The crowd was totally pumped and didn’t let up for a second; it was just a huge outdoor party. Personally, I had goosebumps on my skin, tears in my eyes, and a smile from ear to ear everytime I saw a competitor cross the finish line and have Mike Reilly, the voice of Ironman, bestow upon them that most sought after phrase; “You are an Ironman”!
All in all, it was a very emotional and exhausting day – and I was just a spectator!!
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