IRONMAN IN HAWAIIHawaii may be one of the world’s greatest paradises. However, for one day a year, it becomes the scene of the world’s most gruelling endurance race: the Ironman World Championship. The original Ironman was conceived during an awards ceremony in 1977. Here, athletes engaged in the usual debate about which sport creates the best sportsmen. They wanted to organise an ultimate race to settle the debate once and for all. The athletes came up with a race that combined a 2.4 mile sea-swim in water too warm for the benefi t of wetsuits; a windy 115 mile bike race; and a 26.2 mile running race in baking hot Hawaiian conditions. When the event was held later that year, there were only 15 competitors willing to drag themselves through such a monumental sporting challenge!

When top athletes Dave Scott and Mark Allen joined the Ironman event in 1989, they re-defi ned the meaning of ‘no pain, no gain’. The athletes came off their bikes together and ran the rest of the 24 miles of the marathon side by side. They both dared the other to go faster. Such was the strength of these two athletes that they pushed harder than anyone could have imagined, leaving their nearest rivals miles behind them. Eventually, Mark Allen broke away to claim the victory, setting an incredible marathon record of 2:40:04 that still stands today. It was probably one of the greatest performances in the history of endurance sports.

As Ironman grew into the monster brand it is today, it became harder to participate in the event. It has become so popular that places are available only for locals and champions of similar events. Nevertheless, the event remains the pinnacle of the sport for triathletes around the world. It has reached almost mythical status despite, or perhaps due to, the fact that few of them will ever get the chance to race there. It holds sway over would-be Ironman fi nishers all over the world. This truly classic event never made clear whether swimmers, cyclists or runners are the strongest sportsmen. It does show, however, that Ironmen are top-notch athletes. They are capable of rising above themselves and, at times, doing what is thought impossible.

Do it yourself? Have you ever thought about signing up for a triathlon competition, but wonder if you have enough endurance to reach the fi nish line? I can assure you, without proper preparation neither you, nor anyone else can fi nish a triathlon. So look up a training schedule on the internet and start today! After a considerable amount of training, you’ll fi nd out that it’s not as bad as all that. Even though a triathlon can be physically demanding, you’ll see that you are capable of doing much more than you could have ever imagined! Set goals and work towards achieving them. And remember, whatever you do, never give up!

Adapted from: triradar.com

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