What is an Ironman Competition?

Well, until a few years ago, I had no idea. Then I gained an athletic son in law and I was enlightened. It is a three phase competition (a Triathlon), which involves a swim of 2.4 miles, a bike ride of 112 miles (usually with lots of steep hills and valleys) and a full marathon, which is 26.2 miles (with more steep hills and valleys). And to top it off, there is a time limit, albeit a relatively generous one, but it serves as an additional challenge. Just stop for a minute and contemplate the above. Yes, you read it right. Can you even imagine?

It is one thing to read about it, but entirely another to actually witness it. I have now attended a few and every single time, I am in awe. By the time they are running the marathon, most are struggling and it is so inspiring to see them soldier on. Many are walking, some are hobbling in obvious pain, those who can actually run are setting a slow pace, and in addition, some will be struggling with their timing. In spite of an early morning start, it is not uncommon for competitors to cross the finish line in the dark.

This summer, Middle Sis’ home town was host to an Ironman Competition. Hubby and I were eagerly anticipating a fun weekend as support crew for our son in law and his brother, but unfortunately, son in law broke his ankle a few weeks prior. Because reservations had been made and paid for well in advance and son in law’s brother needed our support, we decided to go anyway. Besides, it was an opportunity to visit Middle and bask in her superior hostess skills.

Cheering is Serious Business

I mentioned previously that I am always inspired when I watch an Ironman Competition. It is such an incredible feat of human determination (although there have been times when one might question the participants sanity) I mean why would someone put themselves through what seems to the average person, the very definition of torture? Then again, how can anyone really know what goes on in the minds of others?

But I digress. Over the years, I have refined my viewing and cheering skills greatly. I usually direct my attention to the final marathon portion of the race because I feel at that point they are greatly in need of encouragement. I think that’s why I am compelled to cheer every competitor who passes by. Of course I have great enthusiasm in the beginning, but after cheering for an hour or so I am hoarse and running out of things to yell.

So this year, I decided to narrow my focus to female participants only. They are usually small in number, thus my cheering time is greatly extended. I can go on for hours. My main mantra is “You go girl,” or “You’ve got this girl.” I also enhance my cheering with clapping and occasionally jumping up and down. Fortunately, I have a high school cheer leading background to draw upon.

And last Christmas, in anticipation of my attendance at future Ironman events, son in law gifted me a megaphone for this very purpose. At first I was puzzled. Why did I need a megaphone? I was confident in my cheering technique. But as luck would have it, it allowed me to make an even bigger impression on the runners. I must admit that generally I don’t get much of a response from them. Occasionally one will smile or wave and I have even received a few “thank yous.” I’m fine with that. By this point they need to conserve energy, although it has occurred to me that they might find me an annoying distraction.

I Write Lots and Lots of Letters

You might be aware that I like writing letters to the editor, and this Ironman Competition provided me with the perfect opportunity to do just that.

As we approached an area to watch the bike portion of the race, we came across a situation. A car was blocking the bike lane and a tow truck driver was working feverishly to remove it before the first riders came through. The poor guy was under a lot of stress from the bystanders crowded around and the event coordinator. He kept his cool, however, and managed to remove the car just as the first rider came through. His diligence deserved to be recognized, so yes, I wrote a letter to the editor of the local paper. To my surprise it was the Letter of the Day. Confirmation that small deeds can make a big difference. I hope he reads the paper and gets the recognition that he truly deserves.

Because I was a past recipient of The Letter of the Day, Middle asked me to submit a letter in defense of the Ironman. Apparently some of the citizens of her fair city are campaigning to end the city’s sponsorship of the competition. Once again I dashed off a quick letter to support a continued Ironman and once again I was published. This time, however, the Editor obviously didn’t read my full message as you will see from the headline below. Somehow I miraculously became an Ironman competitor.😀

IronKids

Of course our Grandchildren accompanied us on this excursion, and they were enthusiastic participants in an Ironkids race prior to the real event. It’s a great opportunity for the kids to show off their skills and they get a medal, a t- shirt and a photo. As you can see from the pictures, they can all run and smile at the same time 😉

Let’s Have a Picnic

Even though it’s fun to cheer on the competitors, and enjoy the atmosphere surrounding an Ironman, the highlight of our weekend was the opportunity to spend time with family. Middle and her hubby are always gracious hosts and as usual they welcomed us with open arms. They organized and prepared a picnic at the park for all of us. There was good food, good company and good fun to celebrate the end of an exciting weekend. We are blessed.

It’s a Family Tradition

I have never thought of our family as being particularly athletic and certainly training for an Ironman would be pretty much the last thing I would ever aspire to. As previously stated, I am however, perfectly happy to participate vicariously in the form of admiration, high fives, and a lot of jumping up and down and yelling, especially when it comes to relatives. These three handsome men are all Ironman veterans and I am proud to say they are family.

Finally, to complete an Ironman is an amazing accomplishment, the only reward being personal satisfaction, a medal and the right to purchase items that proclaim their achievement. If you are ever privileged to meet an Ironman, stand in awe and give them the praise they are surely due. They have trained hard and endured what most of us can only imagine. I still question their motivation😉 but I wholeheartedly congratulate them. They are super heroes!