Volunteering and Spectating at IMWI

Another GREAT experience Sunday volunteering, spectating and cheering about 15 people I knew racing Ironman Wisconsin. It was really amazing and powerful to experience the race firsthand on 9/11. I was told in the morning that a number of first responders had been awarded slots to race on the anniversary. Incredible.

I parked near the swim start and Monona Terrace and biked over to watch the start. Saw the boats and kayaks getting ready to head out to the swim course in Lake Monona.

Spotters gearing up

Walking up the up the terrace...a few interesting sights....some guy was hammering pushups...maybe this was his pre-game swim? Watched him do like 20 or so. Saw Kevin & his wife walking down to the start.

From the terrace looking down on the swim staging area

Beautiful morning....looking out at the swim start from the middle of the Monona Terrace ramp.

Looking at the early morning swim I couldn't help but think of a friend I met at our Wed. morning early morning open water swims. I first met Denny last year at the OWS, and this year he and I would chat after our swim about all things triathlon and Ironman, as he was training for his first full at the age of 65.

In early August he accompanied some friends and the host of our OWS to the 70.3 in Boulder, to watch and cheer them on. The Friday before the race he was out in the morning for a training ride on his bike. He had an accident. No cars were involved. It is believed he was going quite fast on a downhill and blew a tire, went over the handlebars, and crashed bad into his head. He was wearing his helmet, and it was working properly...and it was secured properly.

A vehicle saw him just after it happened and called paramedics. Denny was unconscious and airlifted to a hospital in Denver. He was on ventilators for a month. He never came out of it, and doctors advised his family based on the MRI and brain scans, infections, and complications that he would never be the same man he was, nor the man he wanted to be. The family had to make the decision to end the life support.

He was just on a training ride in prep for the Ironman.

He was supposed to be in Madison.

I have thought about him often over the past month, and my heart and thoughts go out to his family. So so sad and tragic.

Watching the Ironman swim was pretty awesome....it was interesting to see it unfold as a whole. After they were into it for about 5 minutes I headed to the top of the ramp to get a good spot overlooking transition. As I walked up the remaining part of the ramp an athlete was running down in their wetsuit! 5 minutes late! I heard the guy was able to start late....just in time. What a way to start the day.

The first male pro getting set to grab his bike. He led after the swim and also after the bike.

female pro getting to her bike

Age group racks. I had this awesome spot on the ledge overlooking transition with hardly anyone else around.

One of the local Tri clubs from around Madison had special kits made for 9-11.

At 8:30 CST overlooking transition on the top of the Terrace two fet fighters did a fly by. Gave me chills.

Got to my aid station on the run course around 11:30am to get set.

Under the bridge at mile 4 getting ready for the onslaught.

The lead pro male at mile 4. His five minute lead off the bike was down to three minutes at mile 4, and he was overtaken at mile 7 I think.

This pro actually stopped completely to enjoy the buffet at our aid station on his first lap.

Run aid station overlooking Lake Mendota

Saw this guy in full firefighter gear walking at about 5pm. He had on a race belt with a number. Not sure about his story

Kevin on the run toward the end of his day....making his way to the finish! Saw pretty much everyone I knew on the course. It's much easier to spot people on the run, compared to the bike aid station I did last year!

Congrats to everyone who raced this weekend!