inACTION:
Words by Francois Flamengo Photos by DIN
IRONMAN Ironman ... for some this word conjures up images of the crime-fighting, superhero Marvel comic character, but for others it's the ultimate challenge; to complete a gruelling 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42km run in less than 17 hours, in that order, without any breaks and in one day.
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2 • DO IT NOW Magazine June | July 2012
Now that the hype has died down from the 2012 Ironman race on 22 April, I’d like to share my first experience as an Ironman spectator with you. But let’s start with a bit of background on the race such as how it originated and who decided on the format and order of the race. These were some of the questions I heard as I stood waiting for the cannon to go off, signalling the start of the eighth Spec-Saver Ironman race in Port Elizabeth at Kings Beach in Nelson Mandela Bay. Having done some research on the internet prior to the race, I discovered that the concept for this iconic race materialised as a result of some athletes, who were taking part in the Oahu Perimeter Relay (a running race for fiveperson teams), debating whether the swimmers from Waikiki Swim Club or the runners from Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club needed to be fitter to compete in their respective events. Adding fuel to the fire was an article in Sports Illustrated that stated that a bicyclist tested for 'oxygen uptake' was recorded to have the best mark when compared to other athletes taking part in the test. This triggered further debate amongst the athletes as they questioned whether cyclists were in fact fitter than runners and swimmers. To settle the debate US Navy Commander John Collins suggested that the athletes take part in a three-part, one-day stage race that combined the existing long-distance competitions already on the island; the Waikiki Roughwater Swim (2.4mi./3.86km), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (115mi./185.07km; originally a two-day event) and the Honolulu Marathon (26.219mi./42.195km). With everyone agreeing to the format, Collins announced that whoever won the race
would be referred to as an Ironman and the fittest of them all, with bragging rights for the rest of his life. The date was set and on 18 February 1978 the first Ironman race was held. Fifteen competitors entered the race and each racer had his own support crew to supply him with water, food and encouragement to complete the race. The winner, in 11:46:58, was US Navy Communications Specialist Gordon Haller. The runner up was a US Navy Seal, who lost the lead after his crew ran out of water to assist him and was forced to drink beer to enable him to finish the race. I couldn't track down his official time, but to have finished was a remarkable (and a happier one than most) achievement in itself ;-) From that day the Ironman event has continued to grow in popularity, to the prestigious race that it is today. And if an analogy could be made, it would probably be labelled as the 'Tour de France' of the triathlon world.
Having some knowledge of what the race was about enabled me to have a better understanding of what I was seeing in every athletes eyes and what the event meant to them - to become a part of history and an Ironman. www.doitnow.co.za | Lifestyle • 3
For me the highlight of this race was to see the athletes making their way up the red carpet to the podium. It was a humbling reminder of how far the human body can be pushed and that with the correct mental mindset anything is possible! And when most people would have not have even considered starting the race in probably the worst conditions in the history of the Ironman, they have accomplished the unthinkable and earned the revered Ironman title.
At 07h00 sharp the cannon exploded into the cool morning air, and as I stood on the beach and watched the 1553 athletes in the mass swim start dive into the sea I experienced a goose bumps moment that I'll remember for the rest of my life. It had triggered an inner desire and excitement within me to also attempt this race one day. It was absolutely jaw dropping to see the speed in which the competitors tackled each of the sections. They almost made it look easy despite the challenging conditions throughout the day, including choppy water, the occasional downpour and strong head winds coming in from the east, know by locals as the beast. But even the beast could not restrain the leaders from putting on a performance that can only be described as pure inspiration. In a time of 08:34:46 Spanish Clemente Alonso-McKernan crossed the line first to win his first Ironman, followed by Cyril Viennot from France and Mike Aigroz from Switzerland about seven and 12 minutes respectively after him. The first South African was Kent Horner in ninth position in 09:14:40. The ladies race was won by four-time Ironman South Africa Champion and six-time Ironman World Champion Natascha Badmann from Switzerland in 09: 47:11, who also came 20th overall.
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The worst part was witnessing the utter disappointment of the athletes who didn't make the cut-off on the swimming and cycling legs and were unable to continue racing. Your heart really goes out to them because of the incredible sacrifices and effort they had put into training for the race, only to see their hopes and dreams dashed. For anyone that is as inspired by the history and enigma of the Ironman as I am, and based on what I learnt by simply watching the event, my advice to you is to find a coach that can teach you how to swim in the ocean. As the announcer stated on the day, "No one has ever won the race during the swimming leg, but most have failed to finish because of it."
The Ironman is truly a calling and will physically and mentally push you past the boundaries of what you believe is possible, to the final metre on the red carpet when someone calls out your name as being an IRONMAN! The question is, are you up for it? •