I’m doing research for a writing assignment and need input. In your opinion, what were significant Ironman Hawaii Moments? Think outside the box, beyond the 1989 Mark vs. Dave battle.
the book “25 years of the Ironman Triathlon World Championship” is filled w/ stories. Heres my favorite.
Klaus Barth in 1985 finished 8th. He thought that because of this he would be wearing the number 8 when he competed the next year. Instead, they gave him the number 48, saying that his finish was a fluke, the feild the previous year was weak and the conditions were such that much better athletes weren’t there, and these athletes, who were better than him (even though they never raced together), deserved the low numbers. Now Klaus had been training all summer with 150/10 mi bricks, so he knew he was ready. When he finished that day, he proved that he didnt deserve number 8, he deserved a number better than that, by finishing 4th, behind only Dave Scott, Mark Allen, and Scott Tinley. And he did this at the age of 37.
How long until the paper is due? If you have time, get a copy of Mike Plant’s book “Iron Will” and read it. There are some amazing stories in there.
In 1982, there were two races in the same year. The first was in February, and then they permanantly moved the race to October. I think it was in the October race that Dave Scott recorded the fastest splits in all three legs of the race, something that Plant says was remarkable given the growing sophistication of the event.
In the 1984 race, (again, as told by Plant) Mark Allen opened up an 11 minute lead over Dave Scott by the end of the bike ride. Allen held on during the run until he reached the Queen K, but soon thereafter he was weaving, walking, and even fell to the ground several times before Scott went by (it’s amazing for me to envision the Allen of the 1990’s being reduced to that – but perhaps that is what made eventually made him great).
There are some neat stories of how Scott, Allen, and Tinley “met” each other during the Ironman. In the February 1982 race, I believe that Tinley rode up beside Dave Scott and said, “Hi. How ya’ doing?” Dave Scott said he was having a rough patch at that point, and he thought, “Wow, what a sportsman. My chin is on the handlebars and this guy wants to have a conversation.”
Then Allen tells about the October 1982 race. He rode up beside Dave and said, “So, do you want to go for a run after this?” He said Dave just shifted down and rode away.
Within the Ironwar race (but outside the box) I always thought that Dave and Mark never spoke to each other all day long. But I recently read a story where Allen says that Dave’s wife Anna was along the race course (maybe with his infant son) and she was cheering for Dave, which caused him to surge a little. Allen said out loud – sort of to Dave and sort of to himself – “That’s not fair.”
This sounds like an incredible project. Check out that book if you get a chance. If you need specific quotations or more help, let me know.
Ray
Thanks…good one. We’ve got the book around here. I know if I flip through it I’ll get some good inspiration.
Meanwhile, please send me more Ironman moments, pro or age group. I’m also working on collecting Ironman stories before they get lost.
'78 has the best stories as far as I am concerned, at least in view of how people prepare today. 3 people in that race bought or borrowed bikes for that race the week before the race, having never ridden before (except when kids). I had never ridden more than about 12 miles at any one time in my life (I heard about the race 2 weeks before it). I passed one of them (Henry Forest) at about the 25 mile mark (he passed me when I was taking a shower after the swim) and he turned to me and asked me if I knew how to shift one of these things. I think all of them finished.
Please pardon the vagueness of these comments, but I tend to remember things the way I want to:
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From the early years, a guy’s finishing the marathon the next monrning, and had to laugh at the paper boy delivering the results of a race he was still completing.
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From 2003’s NBC coverage, dude passes out on the run, wakes up gets up, walks a while then jogs into the finish.
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From 2003’s NBC coverage, Natasha Badman puking on the side of the road, but still stretching out her calves between heaves.
1999 Sian Welch & Wingnut crawling neck and neck in a race in the last 100m, that’s dramatic and should be there.
How about the only 2 (I think ) sprint finishes:
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IMNZ 1990 - Ken Glah and Pauli Kiuru (sp?) sprint toward to finish. Pauli gets stuck/lost in the crowd then barely out sprints Glah for the win.
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Roth 2003 - Macca v. Lothar - another amazing sprint finish.
After 8+ hours, these were truly amazing feats!
I agree with Roth 2003. IMO, the other great races were the first sub 8 and Van Lierde’s record.
Personally, I don’t get off by seeing people puking, passing out, crawling, and losing control of their bodily functions. To me that is a sign of poor race preparation and/or trying to race beyond one’s ability.
Another poster wrote about Luc van Lierde. I have an interview taped prior to the 1996 Hawaii Ironman. It was primier tri journalist Bob Babbit interviewing rainer Muller.
Muller had finished 3rd the previous year, and was part of a huge German contingent set to take Hawaii by storm… Zack, Hellriegal, Dietrich, Leder, etc.
Babbit asked Muller which German he picked to win the race, and Muller said (with his German accent), “No German. Luc van Lierde.” Babbit (like most other Americans) was unfamiliar with Luc, even though he had been quite successful in Europe. Babbit said that he had never heard of him, and continued the interview, “If you are in the lead with 5k to go, what German do you NOT want to be running stride-for-stride with?” Muller came back again, “No German. Luc van Lierde.”
The interview kind of fizzled from that point, but as it turns out, they were talking about the right guy, as LVL went on to break the course record as a rookie and become the first European to win the race.
I also have to give comment to Dave Scott’s comeback(s)at ages 40 and 42.
How 'bout Marc Herrmann’s '03 finish…his story is a perfect example of the Ironman spirit. The guy finishes 6th OA and is poised to better that next year - gets hit by a car on a training ride and is paralyzed. Does he hang it up? Hell no…he trains his ass off for Kona '02 only to be sidelined after the swim with a urinary tract infection that he isn’t even aware of. Time to throw in the towel? Don’t think so…he comes back in '03 and goes the distance. I was on Ali’i Drive when he came in and it choked me up pretty good to see the look on his face - pure joy and determination.
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John Howard wins back in the early 80’s on something like a 4:29 bike split. First and perhaps last time that Kona’s men’s race was won on the bike.
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Hellriegel, as a rookie in 1995, goes out by himself and puts 13 min on the Mark Allen group/press motorcade only to be caught at mile 22
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PNF 8 Wins…but the most significant is the one she did in ~8:55
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Karen Smyers, winning the Hawaii Ironman and ITU World’s in pretty well back to bak weekends in 1995. Has anyone even come close to peaking for short and long course like that.
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Roth 1997. 4 Men Sub 8
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Hawaii 1996, Van Lierde goes 8:04 as a rookie after spending 3 min in the sin bin. Hellriegel goes something like 8:06 and still finishes second. I believe the faster time ever for a person not winning the race.
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Which one of Badmann’s wins off the front on the bike, sometimes holding the same pace as the lead men’s group all the way back from Hawi.
Is there any better story than Dick and Rick Hoyt father/son team?
Go to Ironmanilive.com, click on the “Road to Kona” box and drag down to “Ironman 25th Aniversary.” Lots of good source material (just remember: “Plagiarism Sucks. Don’t Do It.”)
Another great story comes form the 25th Anniversary Ironman coverage from NBC. Sister Madonna Buder is recalling an incident on the marathon. She was having a really bad day. Someone by the side of the road, (with a lawn chair, I believe she said) kept telling her she couldn’t make it, to just drop out and take the rest of the day off, no one would care. “That was the Devil, tempting me,” she said. “but I fought him back and finished. That wasn’t my fastest race, but it was my best.” Or something like that.
- John Howard wins back in the early 80’s on something like a 4:29 bike split. First and perhaps last time that Kona’s men’s race was won on the bike.
I agree that the 4:29 is significant but I thought he faded to 3rd that year and won the next year riding 5:03 but swimming and running much better.
How 'bout the controversy of 1986 when Patricia Puntous crossed the line first but then was DQ’d for drafting on the bike?
The move to Kona in 1981 also did a lot to increase the “mystique” surrounding the event.
You guys rock! Keep 'em coming, but I’m focusing only on Hawaii (oahu or kona). All of these stories are great moments in Ironman’s history. I know most of them and can research them for accuurate details.
The Madonna Buder one may be confused with a story Lynn Brooks told one year about wanting to drop out and the devil was sitting in a lawn chair having a cold beer. I’ll check the book for facts. It also sounds like something Madonna would have said.
Give me age group/volunteer stories that you seen/heard/experienced.
Gonzobob, you may be correct. My memory may have faded since the early 80’s. As for Howard’s 4:29 bike, some have argued, that this was done in the wake of an ABC TV van, but I’ve also heard the same of the 89-96 races too :-).
The Madonna Buder one may be confused with a story Lynn Brooks told one year about wanting to drop out and the devil was sitting in a lawn chair having a cold beer. I’ll check the book for facts. It also sounds like something Madonna would have said.
My bad. You’re right … it was Lynn Brooks. I knew it was someone, an age grouper, who’d been to Kona a number of times. Lynn has that fantastic streak of Kona appearances. I just remembered the Devil part, and figured it was Sr. Buder.
Catholic boy presents his palms, awaiting the sting of the ruler.
What about the Chuckie V beer incident in 1999 (?). Check out his version of the story at http://www.xtri.com/article.asp?id=262
basically, he was disqualified after taking outside assistance of some beers (and a hamburger). I talked to him about that and he said that afterwards, IMH said he would never be allowed to race there again (later rescinded) but IMCanada welcomed him to race there as long as he wanted to and welcomed him with open arms.