WEDNESDAY, 15 OCTOBER 2008
I met my family in the finisher’s enclosure and got plenty of hugs and took some pictures, but the main thing I wanted to do was to go back to the hotel, shower and then return to watch the later finishers come in.
The finish line at the end of an Ironman is a sight to behold but the finish at the World Championships is something else. It was packed and the noise was incredible. Cheering in those last few competitors was an unforgettable experience. Each one of those finishers is an Ironman with a unique story to tell. When it is announced that there is a finisher nearing the line knowing that they can be heard all over the town, the crowd go absolutely mad with encouragement. As a competitor it raises your spirits, gives you a second wind and being cheered in like that is an unforgettable and fantastic experience.
About 100 people either pulled out of this years race, didn’t make the cut off times or didn’t finish in time - it was a humbling experience to watch the last competitor run through the finish line just over 3 minutes past the midnight cut off time. Despite the crowd cheering her home she just couldn’t speed up enough to make it in time. She looked understandably devastated.
I’m relatively unscathed by my Kona race. I have a few blisters from wet running shoes – after dowsing myself with iced water during the run. Having also underestimated the effect of the harsh sun, salt and wind I’m horribly sun burnt. It was reassuring to sit at the awards ceremony though, with the other Kiwi athletes who all seem to be suffering from the same fate. Most of us seem to have been branded by the sun with our race numbers – the black marker pen actually acts as a decent sunblock!
In 30 years there has always been decent weather for the awards ceremony but ironically this year it was a complete wash out – (I think I took the Waikato rain with me!). The heavens opened and the tropical rain came down and kept on coming. As rivers of water ran through our feet we made an impromptu shelter under a table and sat watching the ceremony disintegrate, until the sound system failed and eventually the lights fizzed out. It seems that I just cannot escape the rain!
We spent the last few days exploring the Island of Kona, kicking back at the pool and snorkelling. I finished my holiday read, which was ‘50 marathons in 50 days’ by Dean Karnazes. I thought it was going to be about this completely nuts guy but he’s a great bloke. The book is both an inspirational read and a mine of information about running (including a section on chafed nipples!).
I met my family in the finisher’s enclosure and got plenty of hugs and took some pictures, but the main thing I wanted to do was to go back to the hotel, shower and then return to watch the later finishers come in.
The finish line at the end of an Ironman is a sight to behold but the finish at the World Championships is something else. It was packed and the noise was incredible. Cheering in those last few competitors was an unforgettable experience. Each one of those finishers is an Ironman with a unique story to tell. When it is announced that there is a finisher nearing the line knowing that they can be heard all over the town, the crowd go absolutely mad with encouragement. As a competitor it raises your spirits, gives you a second wind and being cheered in like that is an unforgettable and fantastic experience.
About 100 people either pulled out of this years race, didn’t make the cut off times or didn’t finish in time - it was a humbling experience to watch the last competitor run through the finish line just over 3 minutes past the midnight cut off time. Despite the crowd cheering her home she just couldn’t speed up enough to make it in time. She looked understandably devastated.
I’m relatively unscathed by my Kona race. I have a few blisters from wet running shoes – after dowsing myself with iced water during the run. Having also underestimated the effect of the harsh sun, salt and wind I’m horribly sun burnt. It was reassuring to sit at the awards ceremony though, with the other Kiwi athletes who all seem to be suffering from the same fate. Most of us seem to have been branded by the sun with our race numbers – the black marker pen actually acts as a decent sunblock!
In 30 years there has always been decent weather for the awards ceremony but ironically this year it was a complete wash out – (I think I took the Waikato rain with me!). The heavens opened and the tropical rain came down and kept on coming. As rivers of water ran through our feet we made an impromptu shelter under a table and sat watching the ceremony disintegrate, until the sound system failed and eventually the lights fizzed out. It seems that I just cannot escape the rain!
We spent the last few days exploring the Island of Kona, kicking back at the pool and snorkelling. I finished my holiday read, which was ‘50 marathons in 50 days’ by Dean Karnazes. I thought it was going to be about this completely nuts guy but he’s a great bloke. The book is both an inspirational read and a mine of information about running (including a section on chafed nipples!).