Iron Man? (swimming, distances, race)

[winkosmosis]

There was a Magnum PI episode about the Ironman

[hotzcatz]

At the Ironman finish line, when the medics ask them if they are injured (standard procedure after an event like this) the answer is almost invariably "it will be okay". Not, "no injuries", but "it will be okay". That is, if they are able to talk. The first few across the line are almost the same as when they left, they can talk and walk and consider what's for dinner. Some of the folks further back in the race who manage to finish aren't exactly able to process more than "one foot then the other foot" by the time they cross the line. Frequently, those folks will sort of collapse on the spot as soon as they are across the line.

[jayteefoster]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

At the Ironman finish line, when the medics ask them if they are injured (standard procedure after an event like this) the answer is almost invariably "it will be okay". Not, "no injuries", but "it will be okay". That is, if they are able to talk. The first few across the line are almost the same as when they left, they can talk and walk and consider what's for dinner. Some of the folks further back in the race who manage to finish aren't exactly able to process more than "one foot then the other foot" by the time they cross the line. Frequently, those folks will sort of collapse on the spot as soon as they are across the line.

Well, to be fair, it's probably the most ridiculous race in existence. I forget how long the swim is, but its something like three or four miles, plus a full marathon, plus one hundred miles on a bike.

If that doesn't get you a little tuckered out, I'm not sure what will.

[thisbloominglife]

I forget how long the swim is, but its something like three or four miles, plus a full marathon, plus one hundred miles on a bike.

Note to self: NEVER, under any circumstances, sign up for the Ironman competition!

As a side note, now I have the "Ironman" song stuck in my head. Well, one line of it anyway. Unfortunately, it's the only line of the song I know.

*sings*

"I am iron man...du-nuh-na-na-na-na-nah...something, something..."

[hotzcatz]

They swim first so there is less likelihood of drowning. Then they bicycle up to Kawaihae and back. And then they run the marathon. They kinda do things from the most dangerous to the least dangerous so as they tire out during the day they don't have to be as concerned with drowning or operating machinery. (If a bicycle is considered machinery.) They also don't let folks sign up for the Ironman (or IronPerson, some of the men are women) unless they have completed some other fairly hefty marathons.

The swim is somewhere around two point something miles. They leave from the pier in Kailua-Kona and return to the same point. There is a whole herd of bicycles parked next to the harbor and somehow they all manage to find their specific bicycle in all that expensive metal and head off on a 100 mile bike ride. The last time I watched, the bicycle part went through Kailua town then along the lower road surrounded by the black lava fields up to Kawaihae and back. The wind shifted as the day progressed so for most of them they had a headwind both ways. I didn't follow them once they started running except for the beginning and end of the foot race. Which was the same start finish as the swimming part and bicycle part.

It isn't anything I'd ever want to do, but I'd love to be in a condition to think I could. ;P

[VTFrag]

Originally Posted by KonaKat

Ironman this year is Oct. 9th. Rates are generally the same as "high season" and sometimes yes, larger deposits and cleaning fees. There were about the same amount of athletes last year but evidently less friends and family and fans because bookings were down a bit from years past. We have some that come back every year to units that we manage, and it's always fun to talk to people from all over the world. The Athletes "Parade of Nations" is always fun to watch, too.

If you have never watched the finish line on Ironman Day, it's a fantastic experience and quite inspiring when you see not only the professional athletes, but the everyday moms, dads, grandparents whose families may join them for the last few blocks; the disabled, the amputee, the paraplegic, cross that finish line.

I understand the swimming is the first phase. Is that correct?

[mdand3boys]

Yes, swimming comes first.

There are two Iron Man events on the Big Island.

Iron Man 70.3 is scheduled for June 5th, 2010 and takes place along the Kohala Coast. It is about 1/2 of a normal event.
1.2 mi. swim • 56 mi. bike • 13.1 mi. run

The regular Iron Man is scheduled for October 9, 2010, in Kailua-Kona. It is called the Ford Iron Man World Championship and is open only by qualified status. You have to have earned your right to be in it.
It is a "full size event".
2.4 mi. swim • 112 mi. bike • 26.2 mi. run

World Championship » IRONMAN.com

[mokeanne]

here's one of my favorite stories from iron man.



YouTube - Dick & Rick Hoyt

[Lisa From Maui]

Hawaii Ironman World Championship, Kona, Hawaii. First held in 1978 on Oahu, only five years after the sport of triathlon was founded; it was later moved to Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii. The cycling stage of the race covers more than a hundred miles over lava flats on the big island of Hawaii, where mid-day temperatures often reach over 110 °F (43 °C) and cross-winds sometimes blow at 55 MPH (90 km/h). The race is often challenging even to competitors with experience in other iron-distance events. Source: Triathlon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Lisa From Maui]

Harder than the ironman? The Ultraman!

The Ultraman World Championship is a three-day race held on the Big Island.
6.2 mile (10-km) ocean swim +
90 mile (145-km) bike ride, with vertical climbs that total 6,000 feet +
171 mile (276-km) bike ride with total vertical climbs of 4,000 feet +
52 mile (84-km) run (a double-marathon)

This event attracts athletes who seek to explore the extreme in physical and mental abilities. The race is limited to 35 athletes on an invitation-only basis and attracts participants from around the world. Racers must have reached their 20th birthday prior to the start of stage one. Ultraman has been mostly unchanged since its beginning and was designed to not just be long but to be “an athletic odyssey of rediscovery, showcasing one of the most breathtaking places on earth.” according to race organizers (Curtis Tyler, 1983). source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrama...ance_challenge)