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What Ironman Means to Me...
- Created: Friday, 23 September 2016 13:30
- Last Updated: Tuesday, 27 September 2016 12:55 Thursday, 29 September 2016 23:10
By Erin Sontowski (bikesandcatsrightmeow.blogspot.com)
A few short weeks ago I was a spectator at the epic IRONMAN race that took place in Madison, WI on September 11th. It was my first experience being up close and personal at an Ironman branded full race. I even went the extra mile and spent a few hours of the day volunteering in the sunscreen station. Which, surprisingly, was a great place to be at! I got to see all the people off the bike into their run. Plus, they started using spray sunscreen this year, so I didn't even have to rub lotion on the many strangers that came through! Which, honestly, with the amount of beautiful and toned people I saw, wouldn't have been that bad. ;)
But, in all reality that experience was incredibly emotional, and it was a very important weekend for me as a fellow triathlete. While I wasn't there competing, I still experienced this unbelievable energy that I don't even think I can describe in words, but it was absolutely life changing. I have always known that someday I wanted to attempt to complete an IRONMAN, but after this...
weekend, I was convinced that now was the time for me to take this next step forward. It's hard to not get swept up in the atmosphere in Madison. From the very beginning of the day, to the dark and dimly lit hours of the evening, there are thousands of fans lining the streets cheering on the athletes. I have never been to any race like it, and I believe that Madison is such a special race just for that reason. We all know that fan support at a race gives you this superhuman like boost on even your most painful day, or when you don't think you can go on it helps propel you forward. I couldn't help but tear up when I saw people cross that infamous finish line, and I felt so moved every time Mike O'Reily announced their name. Especially when I watched my friend, Drew Sciacca, cross the line and become a first time IRONMAN. I was thankful for sunglasses at that moment, as I don't think I had a chance in hell of hiding my tears as I watched his family and our friends cheer him on to the finish. He had just spent a little over 11 hours pushing himself to a limit most will never dream of. He was a frickin rockstar.
