The Ironman and other Interesting Athletic Events

Shannan and I watched snippets from the recent Ironman World Championship on television. I’m of the opinion that any woman or man who seriously takes on that challenge has a story to tell. We particularly enjoyed hearing the vignettes of the human spirit to overcome insurmountable odds not only to live, but then to express an appreciation of life through this grueling athletic event.

Watching the full-day event boiled down to a one hour summary still made it clear that to finish the course you need not only an iron body, but an iron will as well. I tip my hat to those folks, but have no interest in throwing my hat in the ring with them. I have enjoyed unorthodox physical activities such as participating in a race that started at midnight. I have several times run in two separate races in the same day and once I ran in three. The Mount Marathon race is a category unto itself, straight up a mountain and back down again. I’ve raced on beaches and even on a course meant for horses and riders, complete with hedges, hurdles and creeks.

Some silly, some painful, but mostly all fun. I hope to sign up for more of those types of races along the way, as this sort of thing makes daily exercise more interesting. However, too much could go wrong in tedious Ironman training, not to mention the excruciating competition. Any manner of things could go astray: body mechanics, exhaustion, exposure, or just a bad day. Just thinking about it, makes me sweat. I am happy to admit that all those women and men are better athletes than me.


Tom