The world of Ironman racing

[Gonz]

I'll bet alot of you probably look at Ironman and ITU Triathlon racing and the fact that I actually know about the competitors and their equipment the same way I look at F1 racing and am amazed that people know those obscure athletes and their equipment (cars).

So who else has ever followed Ironman racing? Any members here completed one?

Can you believe that we've had two sub-8 hour performances now in the past 3 weeks, first at Ironman FL, then this past weekend at Ironman AZ?

 

[Joebunaga]

I've never "followed" it, except sometimes I catch news online but I do have a morbid fantasy of trying to complete one someday.

There's a decent flock of triathletes here in Austin. A friend of mine made it into Ironman FL for next year, so I'm looking forward to studying her training(and mentally noting what she's doing).

Yeah, sub-8 hours... I'll be lucky to FINISH my first marathon in Feb irregardless of the time.

 

[JonDot]

I am planning on doing my first Tri this coming year, and hoping to do a 1/2 IM in 2013. It is amazing that there have been 2 sub 8 hour races. I'm wondering if there are going to be more common with the advancements in equipment & training.

 

[Not A Nice Person]

I flirted around with the training when I lived in SoCal back in the Eighties---for a long time, I started my days with a 25 mile bicycle ride, 3 mile run, and 45 minute swim. Ran a lot of 10Ks and did a lot of 100 mile "Century" rides.

Aaaah, back when I had youth, energy and kneecaps! Those were the days!

I'm old enough to remember when just finishing the original Ironman was a HUGE deal. 24 hour cutoff! Then, within a few years, people started showing up to RACE. Amazing. It's like the Western States Endurance Run . . . you hear about it and just can't imagine people actually do that, but there they are.

~Boar

 

[LarryH]

I can't believe my Boss did some Ultra Runs in the past. I'm pretty sure the main one he did was the Arkansas Traveler 100. Seems like for the last several years he's paced a friend for a part of the race, usually somehthing like 30 miles or so.

 

[obmike]

I've done an Ironman length triathlon - just not on the same day. :laugh:

Thinking about doing a half IM in 2012.

 

[Gonz]

I've never "followed" it, except sometimes I catch news online but I do have a morbid fantasy of trying to complete one someday.

There's a decent flock of triathletes here in Austin. A friend of mine made it into Ironman FL for next year, so I'm looking forward to studying her training(and mentally noting what she's doing).

Yeah, sub-8 hours... I'll be lucky to FINISH my first marathon in Feb irregardless of the time.

I was just in Austin in October for the half. What a great town. Tons of great restaurants in a nice downtown area and quite a few nice bike shops as well. Roads were s#*t for riding on, at least on the race course, but you can't help the weather/drought you had this past summer. FL is supposed to be a great race, one that I'll keep on the short list in the years to come. AZ is next year for me. Cozumel looks like a fun venue too.

Those sub-8 and even 8-9 hour finishers are just freaks of nature. The swim I can do as fast as them, but I can't even imagine riding 112 under 5 hours or going sub-3 for the marathon even in a standalone race. Crazy.

 

[Joebunaga]

I don't know what the route was, but yeah the roads are generally crap compared to other places. One of the reasons I mountain bike more is that it gives you that extra chance to escape. I've popped off into/ through a ditch on more than one occasion because of bad roads and snotty drivers.
If you ever get down again give me a hollar.

I'm with Boar on remembering the days when there was 24 hour cutoff, athletes these days get some incredible conditioning. Plus the technology that goes into everything is mind boggling(and expensive!). Some of those Tri-bikes are just too sexy.

 

[Set-In-Stone]

I have always been fascinated with the endurance and dedication that many of these athletes exude. I wish I could get out there
but just don't have the extra time to train, or the drive for that matter.

Have you ever heard of that Ultra-marathon runner that ran 50 marathons in 50 days... pretty amazing. Below is just a quote with some information about him. Interesting guy... Look him up if you guys get the time

"Dean Karnazes was an average beer-guzzling Joe, stuck in a job he hated and sick of the rat race. Then, while celebrating his 30th birthday at a bar, he suddenly decided to walk out the door and go for a 30-mile run. That moment changed his life forever.
As an ultramarathon runner, Dean runs distances far beyond a normal marathon and often in grueling environments--including 146 miles in the 120-degree heat of Death Valley and the 40--below temperatures of the South Pole."

 

[Gonz]

FYI, NBC's Kona special will be on this Saturday from 4:30-6:00 eastern time.