As you know, I work for Team in Training as their Triathlon Campaign Manager, which means for the last year I was overseeing all tri seasons, including the Ironman in NYC. Which was this past week. Wednesday we had the Inspiration dinner, amazing night. Our top fundraiser, from the NJ chapter, got up to $141K. Insanity. Our top NYC guy fundraised over 30K, which is also pretty ridiculously amazing. But, also very important, all these 90 people (65 from the NYC chapter, the one I have!) were training for, at least, 8 months, for the event. It was Saturday…

I did a little run in the morning, nothing crazy but I knew I’d have no time later… Ironman has a cutoff of 17 hours, and I need to account for all 65 participants at the end of the night, so I knew it was going to be a long day, and long night. 

Luckily, I had a VIP pass to all areas. Yey me. I found my friends there and it was nice to hang out (and get food, right after the lunch!). They had everything. From soft serve, to salmon, to cowbells and whatever you needed.

In the tent:

We were SO close to the finish… Look at the media waiting for the winner!!!!

From there you could see the finish a second before they finished, when they looked ok and excited!

Winner Jordan Rapp

One of my Team in Training Coaches: Megan Newcomer, finished in 10:03, a BEAST

My friend Baker, another beast!

Funny things… some people rolled through the finish line. I am sure one of you can explain this one to me. I am too lazy to look up where this comes from!

The Squirrel, IS AN IRONMAN. that thing actually crossed the finish line trying to escape!

Now.. as soon as you looked left the same thing would happen… well, to at least 70% of them! They’d cross that finish line and they’d drop right there. Half of that, would puke right there.

I don’t blame them. Even the guy rolling needed help. I would have screamed for a stretcher…

I had never been into these insane events… but I have to admit, pfffft, not easy… I will admit that it was quite exciting to hear the YOU ARE AN IRONMAN… Lots of them would tear up right there, hearing their name and the official YOU ARE AN IRONMAN. Okay, FINE, I teared up too. But you better never repeat this, I never said it, it didn’t happen. You have no proof.

Eventually I got tired of seeing happy-and-decrepit-two-seconds-later (and the music was loud, I am old) so we went back to the other side of the finish. So great to have all this access!

This is what the scene there looked like

The volunteers would line up on the side, and two of them would step up to the finish line to catch every athlete and walk them out, make sure they were ok or take them to medical if not, they’d pour cold water bottles down their heads/faces/back, take their chips, give them their finisher hat and tshirt (LOVE that idea, it is REQUIRED to finish to get it…!), and they’d walk and talk to them, to make sure they were actually okay. Loved it. 

Some more random photos I got there, during the 12 hours I was at the finish…

and my favorite picture of all….

Sam and Dave. Sam works with me. I think she’s officially my manager starting tomorrow, when I am done with the triathlon program and move onto marathon (yahooooo!!!!) and her hubby. They are just too cute. I felt a bit bad taking pics in such a private moment, but I am sure she would like them. I love her SO much. Dave is pretty effing amazing too. And an Ironman.

I know for certain (and I am the first believer in “Never say Never” as Justin would say) that I will never do a tri, and quite quite certain that I’d never do an Ironman. These people are insane. And it’s so freeeking amazing.

Ironman US Championship, in NYC this past Saturday!