Volunteering at Ironman Florida
I got a little choked up as I heard Mike Reilly announce, "At the end of the day today you will all be Ironman" moments before the cannon boomed and the swarms of 2000 swimmers entered the Gulf of Mexico to start their 140.6 mile journey. I also got choked up when I saw the last 100 yards to the finish line. WOW! I've seen that scene in my mind, it seems like thousands of times, when I train. Seeing it in person was amazing to say the least. I want that! I will have that!
I volunteered at a penalty tent earlier in the day for a few hours but my first real "hands-on" experience volunteering was as a 'catcher' at the finish line from 6 - 10PM. The drama that was unfolding as these guys were crossing the finish line was unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. I was truly honored to be the first person to interact with the athletes as they crossed over. The majority of them were first time Ironmen. They genuinely appreciated my presence, and most importantly, my shoulder after such a long grueling day as I guided them to get their much deserved medal, finishers t-shirt and finishers hat.I'm enjoying my last couple weeks of my 'offseason' doing very light training just to keep up my fitness level. I have a half-marathon that I will do next month but I'm not going for a PR. Just gonna do it as a long run that I'm paying for. I want to do more right now but my tri-coach insists that I just chill for the next couple weeks after the racing season I did this year. Training for my first half-Ironman race, the New Orleans Ironman 70.3 starts on the 17th.
This has been a helluva year, one of the greatest years of my life, and I'm glad I got to share it with you guys as it played out. I've got my fingers crossed for Kona and I'm officially registered to race next year in Florida. I'll be proud to call myself an Ironman at least once over by this time next year. :)
Best of luck on your journey!
Chad
You've seen it in your mind's eye and now in person. What an image to keep you motivated through the next year.
Cassie
The gal that came in 5th at Kona, Linsey Corbin, is from here in Missoula, MT. I didn't know until recently that she does workshops in town occasionally. I'll start looking for them. Not really interested in joining the club since I don't have a lot of time to train these days, but a few workshops here and there would be good. I'll do a full one of these years, probably Coeur d'Alene.
There's also a fella in my pharmacy class who is doing the 70.3 championship in Florida I think it's in the next week or so. He's trying to convince me to do the 70.3 in Boise this coming June, but I'm not sure I'll have the training time during the school year. If not it will be Calgary in August. There's a 70.3 in the works sometime next year, just not sure where yet.
Be good to yourself, and thanks for being that one other person keeping me motivated to work at tri.
Linn
Yeah, I stood in the volunteer line on Sunday morning and got my slot for November 7, 2009. Hopefully Florida will be my 2nd full course but if it's my first I'll be just as pleased to cross the finish line.
Was your friend that was catching in her late 30s to early 40s with short light hair and glasses? I always had too many 'customers' to chat with any of the other volunteers but I did get a few moments to talk to that nice lady. I didn't catch her name though.
I'm sitting down with my coach next week to discuss my racing schedule for next year. I'll be doing 4 or 5 races tops with 2 of those being 70.3 and hopefully 2 full courses. I won't have everything in stone until January though.
What's your schedule looking like next year? Maybe we can meet up for a race.
Chad
I'm supposedly getting knocked up after IMAZ, so who knows. I might be volunteering at IMFL...I have a lot of friends racing it.
I'm not sure if Sara had her classes...she does have light brown straight hair. AND she is quite the TALKER-so you may have met her!
