An Ironman triathlon is one of the great events to target for any endurance sports enthusiast. It has been around since the late 70’s when Navy Commander, John Collins argued with friends about who is fitter, a long-distance open water swimmer, a 100-mile cyclist or a marathon runner. Why not combine all three into one event? Whoever completed it would be considered a true Ironman. Thus, Ironman triathlons were born.
Scott Tinley, one of the founders of the sport, once said that there are generally three things you can do in the modern world that will really strip away everything and expose what your character truly is – military combat, high altitude mountaineering and Ironman racing. Combat and Himalayan climbing may be out of reach for most of us but doing an Ironman is possible for many. We live in a comfortable world mostly. We rarely get to explore our mental and physical limitations and see what we are truly made of. Ironman is a great way to see what lies beneath all of the layers that society has built up around you. Ironman offers no guarantees. You may train for months and months and end up not finishing. The weather may be awful, you might lose your goggles on the swim or have flat tires on the bike. You inevitably will have to overcome something, especially yourself, to get to that finish line. That is the reason you see so many emotional tears at the finish line of an Ironman. Everyone from the fastest pro to the last place finisher has had to dig deep an overcome adversity to make it to that line.
Ironman is at its heart an adventure race. It starts with 2.4 miles of open water swimming. This is the crux for many. Open water is scary. You can drown. There is physical contact, cold water, wildlife and a large distance to cover away from shore. Swimming is the entry barrier to the remaining events. The fact that the swim is wild gives Ironman racing its character. Getting up at 4am and hurling yourself into freezing water at 7am for a 2.4 mile day will get anyone’s heart racing. You have to overcome plenty of fear and self-doubt to complete that swim.
The cycling leg is the fun part. 112 miles is a true challenge for any cyclist. Add in sun, wind, and hilly terrain and you have the makings of a great cycling challenge. And this is only part two of the three acts. Cycling training can take you places and you can see sights you might otherwise not see, like a snow-covered Sonoran Desert at 6am on a February morning. You also learn to deal with mechanical issues, like fixing a flat tire or a rubbing brake. Being far from home with just a few tools and some knowhow can feel liberating, empowering and a bit scary. The confidence and fitness that you gain on those long training rides come in handy on race day.
The marathon leg is where your soul really gets exposed. You may get hot, tired, bonked. You may feel sick, have blisters and be sunburned. What do you do? Everything inside of you says stop running, sit in the shade, drop out at the next aid station. This is where you have those deep conversations with yourself. How do you want to look back on this moment? Do you want to give in the deamons and get immediate relief or press on and avoid years of regret? These are the internal conversations we rarely have to face in day-to-day life. By entering an Ironman, you are embracing the fact that you will reach this moment and have these thoughts. There is no avoiding it. Are you up for it? You won’t know until somewhere out there on that marathon journey.
So, take up the challenge and do an Ironman. It may be the hardest thing you ever voluntarily take on. See what your made of and embrace the journey. For every year you wait, you will just be one year older when you do. Roll the dice and put yourself out there. Do you have what it takes to be an Ironman? Find out.
