What a day! This was by far the most fun I had at the Hawaii Ironman as an spectator. I was a spotter for an NBC camera man so I got to see the race fairly close. Hopefully you will like the pictures I took. I predicted that Faris Al-Sultan and Michelle Jones will win the Ironman and I was all pumped up as both of them led the races most of the day. Only at the end Michelle got passed by Natasha Badman preventing me from a sweep. Check my post on the men’s race prediction. It played out fairly close to what I had envisioned.
I am not sure what it is about the Ironman that exposes everyone. I am going to call it the race of truth. There is no hiding. There is no pretending. As I was watching the professional men at the top of he hill on Palani Road and I was amazed. The list of Ironman champions from other lands was endless. Even athletes that have broken 8 hours on other Ironman races where struggling just to get to the top of this hill. The combination of pressure, competition, heat, wind and terrain is just too much for many. To race well in Kona one needs total physical and mental preparation and a little luck.
All day today I was reminded of how much fun it is to race well here. Just thinking about competing here next year was getting me all excited. But I also have to remind myself of all the hard work required. One has to be in the best shape possible. I hope I can do it. I would be lying if I said I just want to finish next year. Sometimes I think I can really do well and perhaps get an age group podium spot. Other days I get negative and think that it would be too hard to take 10 years of Ironman racing and just jump right in and be at the top of my game. I just have to wait and see how it all plays out.
Another thing that I look forward to doing is to cross the finish line with my kids Camilo and Sofia. Today Robert Schloegel one on our athletes found himself in the middle of a battle to the finish line with a small group of men, one which was in his age group. As he was approaching the entrance to the finish line shoot with about 100 yards to go I heard him scream “GO”, “GO”. He was directing his kids to enter the finish line shoot as soon as possible and get a head start. As I turn my head I see these three kids sprinting as fast as possible with their dad right behind. It was the most beautiful sight. All three kids had matching shirts and were about the same size. I guess you just have to be a dad to see the beauty of this one. The two age group contenders must have decided that the right thing to do was to finish together as if you look at the results they have the same finishing time. That is real Ironman spirit.
Our team performed real well today. The wind conditions were real good for them and many recorded personal records including a podium spot and about 4 or 5 top 10 finishes in their age group categories. Some of our beginners and first time Kona and Ironman contestants did real well also. Charles Johnson who previously recorded a DNF here in 2003 came back to earn his finisher medal. Another notable markallenonline athlete is Richard Holcomb who we have coached for over three years. Richard is legally blind. He was featured 2 years ago during the Ironman TV coverage. Today Richard finished the Hawaii Ironman for the second time.
The highlight of the last hour of racing was watching the first ever 80 year old finisher of the Ironman. Robert McKeague became that by finishing in 16 hours 21 minutes.