Oct. 17, 2004

It’s the night after the race and I’ve just returned from the awards banquet. It was again a great experience with good food and fellow athletes all talking about their days experiences. The people are what makes the Ironman the event that it is and there are some really incredible ones out there.

Like the age-group male that crashed near the end of the bike ride and carried his bike into town for 6 miles and finished the day just under the cut-off time for official completion. Or the oldest finisher, at 75 years of age, who hobbled in with 10 minutes to go. Even though they had to drop out yesterday Dick and Ricky Hoyt continue to inspire. Rick has cerebral palsy and his father pulls and pushes him through the entire event! Just watching the age-group winners was an impressive show. Great athletes and great people doing great things.

As for me the day was absolutely wonderful as it was the toughest test I’ve ever physically encountered. The day started out a bit stressful. I showed up at about 5:45 and found a 30 min. wait to get body marked. I had to really scramble to get to the start line with everything in order. Finally the gun went off and the race began. The swim went very well. It seemed as if we had just begun and we were already at the turnaround boat. My plan a few days before the race had changed from going for a personal best time to really respecting the course in my first go at it. It ended up to be a good strategy. The bike was REALLY difficult! We had a head wind going out and then about 19 miles of the way back with a nice tailwind. But the turn south revealed the winds had changed and we were once again a riding into a stiff wind. It was also getting hot and when starting the run it was sunny with a 95 degree heat index. It was tough to do 9 miles in town really heating up thinking we still had 17 miles out in the lava fields. We got our first break of the day with some overcast skies as the run moved to the lava field. I struggled through and finished in 10:31. It was actually a respectable time for the tough day. The highlight was carrying my daughter Quincy across the line to the screams of the crowd. I will need some time to reflect on having finality to a journey that has lasted for so many years.

Some facts on the day:

- Only 7 racers went under 9 hours

- 172 racers did not finish (an attrition rate record at the Hawaiian Ironman)

- Dick and Ricky Hoyt pull out for the first time in 928 different endurance events

- Fist finisher 8:33, last finisher 17:06

It was a tough day but was all of what the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships is all about.

Mahalo and see you soon!

Date modified: 10/18/2004