After watching IMH I have the fever to do one again. Hats off to you fast Iron finishers, but I’m now an official sap for all those tough finish stories. Guess it helps to be one. I’m not asking you to trade in your fast shoes, but look at the agony and joy of us backmarkers. Give me the results and show two hours of the faces and people coming in over the line–priceless, the crap even made me tear up.
I tear up when I see someone like Sarah Reanartsen (sp?), the AKA amputee who worked her ass off and almost made it. She earned her way there, she obviously worked to get there. Anyone who has done one-legged drills on a bike can appreciate what an amazing feat it is to bike 112 miles at Kona with one leg. Incredible. Too bad she missed the cutoff. I felt her disappointment.
I don’t tear up when I see some of the crap like Ryan whatisname who gets in becuase he’s a C-list celeb from some ‘reality’ show and is made to like special because he finishes with a mediocre time. I’m more impressed with people who QUALIFY and finish.
Last but not least, I’m glad Dick Hoyt has said it’s his last try at Ironman. I’ve seen enough of the Dick and Ricky show.
“Ryan whatisname” real name is Ryan Sutter. Was a college football player and firefighter before he became a celebrity. You really think his time of 11:38.26 was really just a "mediocre time?" What was your time in Kona this year? I’d say he had a pretty outstanding performance in Hawaii for his very first trip there, celebrity or no celebrity.
Hey. Easy on Dick and Rick. Those two have ten times the heart of everybody on this forum combined.
dick hoyt ran a 2:40 pr marathon pushing a cart with his son in it.
he ran 22 boston marathons in a row, 62 total marathons, with his son in his cart.
it’s amazing, really amazing.
i hope he recovers from his angioplasty surgery and competes again soon. i hope he gains even more coverage for what he is doing, and maybe more respect.
Thanks Q Rooster for saying what I was thinking. Plenty of people who qualified didn’t match that time.
OK, you’re right that’s a damned good time, better than I’ll ever do. I didn’t catch that from the NBC broadcast. But I still would be more impressed if he earned his spot by qualifying like most of the rest of the athletes. The facts that he played football or was a firefighter are irrelevant, they don’t earn anyone else a Kona slot. He “earned” his slot by being in a cheesy TV show which I would have to assume is also an NBC property.I think the celebrity crap cheapens the event. What other sport allows people to participate in their world champioship event based on their TV celebrity status? Any third rate TV celebs in the Olympics? The Superbowl? World Series? Wimbledon?
Anyone else think the M-dot made by that little girl on the lava fields out of bleached coral was spooky? Looked like bones to me.
I got the itch again while watching and decided to see if this might be my lucky year.
There have been Ironmans on every week lately but none of them hold a candle to a real production like NBC does as far as bringing out the emotion (and can’t decide which I like better)
I also think its important to remeber before we come down hard on Ryan for not qualifying that he was racing to raise money for chairty. In my book thats more important then his time. He has the opportunity to raise money b/c he was on a TV show and I respect him for putting his fame towards a good cause rather then sitting on it. In my book it would have been worse if he had turned down the free slot. It really was a win win situation. He raised money and brought exposure to the sport and he didnt take anyone elses slot. I’m sure they just added one for him.
Dan