for a long time I have been dissatisfied with the amount of info about the early years of the Ironman on the internet.
There is virtually no info available. No results (ok, the first 10 are easy to bring by), very few pictures. Otherwise: Nada.
So I have started to gather that info and I´m getting there. I have all the race programs and most of the result pages.
I am planing to put on a web-site that will cover that era indepth. From the beginning to Ironwar in 1989. I started triathlons in 1989, so this is what got me motivated to try a tri.
the very first Ironman program from 1981. Complete with rules, the original course and all the contestants from 1981. I also left all the advertisements in, as testimony of the early years (Ironmanhairstyle anybody?).
My hope is that people who have been around during that era will provide me with more stuff to put on the future site.
You provide the info, pictures, T-shirts (or picture of t-shirts), race-numbers, bike-numbers…everything imaginable and I will put in the time to photograph, scan and put online. Deal?!
I have to say that I’m very excited about your project. That program you put up of the 81 race, I just saw over at Dan’s house. I didn’t keep my old ones for the most part, so I will be stoked to see all the others. I will look through my stuff and see what you might me interested in. I may have a couple results booklets too… Are you going to have a seperate website for all this stuff??? I’ll mentione it to Dan, maybe there is something we can do here at ST…
that would be very cool if I could get some support from you guys.
Yes, I will put on a seperate site for this. I´m working on it but will put it online sometime later when it looks a bit better than right now. Work in progress…
@ everybody: Look at the contestants. Anybody familiar?
Look at the run course: Out and back on the old airport strip and circling the new terminal. That was news for me. Cool!
Axel , Love the idea ! I have all the programmes ( except 81 - thnaks for that ) and most of the race posters and all the videos and a couple of slideshows too for all these years , I also have several results booklets etc .let me know if I can help
I am interviewing several folks who did Ironman 1978 and 1979 and I love those interviews a lot, but that bad thing is that almost no one of those Ironman has any pics of that time.
I am interviewing several folks who did Ironman 1978 and 1979 and I love those interviews a lot, but that bad thing is that almost no one of those Ironman has any pics of that time.
Herbert
No pictures, but I do still have the bike I used.
The “very first Ironman program” was 1980, not 1981. It was “David” Scott’s first race (and victory). John Howard came out of the water about one hour back, but still managed second (with a great bike). Jim Lampley - in ultra short running shorts - and Diana Nyad - “these esoteric …” - were the commentators. Truly, truly a classic.
Axel,
I am really interested in your idea. I have every triathlon/Triathlete ever published and can dig through that for information if you need it…It is nice to see interest in the old days before aerobars and wetsuits. I am not sure where Gordon Haller is now I trained with him when he lived in Pennsylvania. The last I knew he was in Colorado.
I’m sure there has to be someone on ST that knows someone or is in the television broadcasting field that would know where to get copies of these early races.
An adiitional point , once they are located , we get them forwarded to WTC perhaps to get them available in DVD format. I am actually surprised they haven’t put any races prior to 92 on DVD yet neither.
I was there for 1989. I don’t recall much. It was my first IM. My one distinct memory of the day was when on the run I crossed paths with Allen and Scott. I was heading out to to the turn ( A giant blow up Bud-Light Can in the middle of the Queen K!!) and they were headed for the finish. I was running through an aid staion and was passing people and was, I running out near the yellow line. Allen and Scott, running shoulder to shoulder, were as well and I passed within inches of them.
The other memory I have of '89 was that it was like a small club event, by todays standards - everyone seemed to know everyone else really well.
Herbert , would love to see interviews with Chuck Neuman or Thomas Boughey both guys did a couple of the first races , Chucks post race interview after finishing 2nd is a classic !!
Thanks, that was awsome.