They were discussing whether or not there would be a penalty for assistance so he walked to avoid a possible penalty. Pretty inspirational!

When I worked support for IMH we gave out wheels , tires, tubes, bikes and mech help bu the bunches. Not sure what went on with him, but whatever he will go down with the big ones in Hawaii Ironman history.

The bike was totaled and a new wheel wasn’t going to do it. He said he was offered another bike to ride but he considered it outside assistance and declined.

Dave

Wasn't it a NBC camera motorcycle that hit him? Thought I read that somewhere, but of course they didn't mention that detail on the telecast.

Pretty convenient way to generate another human interest story.

Would it be considered outside assistance if another athlete stopped and offered to leapfrog (ie the two shared one good bike ans swapped running with the broken bike) with him?

Yes, it would be outside assistance. Example, years ago Greg Welch and wife Sian were racing IM Japan. Greg flatted on the bike, Sian caught up to him, gave him her wheel, he went on, she dropped out. Results, Greg DQ'd for outside assistance, Sian DNF'd for nothing.

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Have you hugged Your Mom today?

I always thought a fellow athlete could stop and help you change a tire or give you a water bottle etc

It was an official Ironman motorcycle with an observer on the back - not a camera moto.

So am I not allowed to throw someone a spare tube or tire levers? Or is it more a matter of degree?

If Greg & Sian blew their race by helping each other, then it must be a matter of degree. That's shitty, because I remember them saying at the IMC pre-race meeting that you can receive assistance from another racer, as they are not considered to be someone from "outside the race", therefore, not outside assistance. Maybe with the pro's the rules are slightly different. However, I recall reading a report from one of the pro's who race the Xterra this year (the week following IMH), and he flatted at least 3 times. Running out of his own tubes, other racers donated theirs. No problem.

Regarding the guy who walked the last bit of the bike this year at IMH, at the awards ceremony, Cannondale presented him with a new bike. Pretty cool considering he wasn't even riding a Cannondale.

Ok, my bad...

Couldn't he have rigged up his cranks to his front wheel and ridden it like a unicycle. It would have saved his feet :-)