Becky and I spent last weekend in Madison volunteering and watching the 2011 Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon. I can't imagine a better example of sportsmanship, determination, camaraderie and support...and that's just among the spectators. I've never done an Ironman, so I'm not sure how it feels from that side of the cheering, but I know I got goosebumps and was moved to tears several times throughout the day as a spectator.
If you ever go to watch an event, don't just pay attention to the leaders. Yes, there is a lot of cheering for the first swimmer out of the water, but that is nothing compared to the last swimmers. The ones struggling to make the 2 hour 20 minute cut off. The cheering for those swimmers, and the smiles on their faces when they make it out of the water is priceless. And when a thousand people standing on the shore are yelling and clapping and banging cowbells to try and encourage swimmers on, even after the time limit has passed and we all know they will not be able to continue in the race...it takes your breath away.
Our race day volunteer duties were at the end of the bike ride (which is 112 miles by the way). A group of volunteers meets the riders at the finish and helps them off their bike. The first several riders barely slow down and sort of hop off the bike, never stopping and just continue on running into the transition area. Again, it is fun to watch those athletes, but to me, it is much more fun to watch the riders that come in three, four, and even five hours later. The ones that tell you with a smile on their face that they never want to see their bike again. Or the ones that can barley lift their leg high enough to get off the bike (and they still have a full marathon to run!). The riders showing bad cases of "road rash" asking where they can find some band-aids. These are the people that get the loudest support from the crowd. Everyone is there cheering for their own family and friends....but in those hours and for that day, we cheer for everyone.
One of my favorite moments from Sunday was at about 5:28 p.m. (the cutoff to finish the bike is 5:30) about twenty-five volunteers met a rider about 200 yards from the finish and ran along beside him to make sure he wouldn't slow down. (I get tears just thinking back on it.)
And then of course there is the finish line itself. After 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running (walking, stumbling, shuffling) thousands of people cheering, the music blaring, the announcer yelling names of people as they finish with emphatic "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!" I've been to 4 Ironman races, and I have to admit that I've never seen the winners finish. That's because they finish well before the last of the bikers finish the bike portion of the race, and I'm always still watching them. But I have been there at midnight, when the last several people finish. That's 17 HOURS!!!!! after the race began. There's nothing like standing near a group of people, strangers from all of the country, and suddenly one of them yells, "THERE SHE IS!!!!" and a dozen people (all in matching "support team" shirts) go crazy yelling and crying and hugging and jumping all at once. The joy is infectious, and we all share a little in it. We become an extended member of their support team for a minute....until the someone else yells "THERE HE IS!!!" and it all starts over again.
I can't wait for next year's triathlon...to feel the energy and support and to see all of the extended members of "Team Becky!"
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