Just curious about after finishing an Ironman. For those of us finishing late until the night it seems like there is a lot of stuff to take care of like collecting all your bags, bike, ect? Is it just like any other race, when you’re done, you’re done… go get your stuff and leave?
Just finished my first in LP. Two nice ladies grabbed me after coming through the line and would not let me go until I answered a bunch of basic questions and they were convinced I would not keel over and did not need the medical tent. Was given finishers shirt, medal and hat. Got picture taken in front of the wall with my medal. Went to the food area and sat and ate an drank for a while. Then got my bike first and then got my t1 and t2 bags. Used the bike like a shopping cart with the bags on the aero bars to carry all of the crap. I then wandered aimlessly looking for my family. After what seemed like forever I found them and went back to the hotel where I proceeded to lie under a blanket shivering for a half hour or so. Then shower, more food and back to the finish line to enjoy the rest of the show. Good luck!
If you’re very fortunate, there will be a bar within walking distance of the finish line. Then these questions will be unnecessary! 
an Ironman is no different than other races: cross finish line, get your finisher gear, take finisher picture, go to massage tent to get a massage, grab some food, then grab your stuff and go…
The major difference is that one to two volunteer will be there to make sure everything is ok as soon as you finish the finishing line!
I was very very disapointed with the food though… that being said… a) everybody is picky and b) your stomach will dictate things…
Cheers,
Fred.
Not quite true, once you grab your stuff you may go back to the hotel to drop of your stuff, shower, eat, maybe even take a little nap. Then you go back to the finish line and cheer folks on until it is midnight.
That is what makes an Ironman experience very special and different from other triathlons.
Herbert
an Ironman is no different than other races: cross finish line, get your finisher gear, take finisher picture, go to massage tent to get a massage, grab some food, then grab your stuff and go…
The major difference is that one to two volunteer will be there to make sure everything is ok as soon as you finish the finishing line!
I was very very disapointed with the food though… that being said… a) everybody is picky and b) your stomach will dictate things…
Cheers,
Fred.
Then you go back to the finish line and cheer folks on until it is midnight.
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What if you happen to be one of those people rolling in around midnight? ; )
Although in a daze, you appreciate all the folks that are hanging around for YOU and cheering YOU on.
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What if you happen to be one of those people rolling in around midnight? ; )
Granted I forgot to mention the cheering thing which again is not different than other races… maybe and probably more people and Mike Riley (sp?) which makes it a party!!!
Fred.
Then you go back to the finish line and cheer folks on until it is midnight.
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What if you happen to be one of those people rolling in around midnight? ; )* *
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That would be me! (although to not anger the ST elite I will be doing no rolling!)
This is what I do:
Although I am not religious thank The Good Lord for giving the privlege to compete and the good fortune and strength to finish. Thank Doug and Mike for helping me and hope they saw me finish from above. Remember all my wife and friends who sacrificed to help get me here. GET RID OF THAT FINISHER MEDAL! They are bad luck. Give it to someone who helped get you to the race as quickly as possible. Hit the massage tent and get rubbed out for a few minutes. Take some anti-inflammatories. Eat some real food, preferably something that is salty. Walk a little. Get your pee-soaked clothes off. Shower. Try not to pass out so you can watch the last finisher come across (presuming it isn’t me). Pass out. Enter the same damn race in the morning for the next year. Forget about the whole damn thing for two months and read books and sleep in.
It also pays to acknowledge that even though that race was beastly difficult many people face much more difficult challenges every single day of their lives and without the good fortune of choice in the matter.
At IMCDA they had a ticket or something that I could fill out or give to my wife to use to checkout my bike/gear bags. maybe it was just the bike, not certain as we did not use it. If they do that for your IM, you can have someone pickup your gear while your out running.
My wife did this for me at IMLP a few weeks ago, getting my bike and transition bags while I was out on the run and bringing them back to where we were staying. It was awesome not having to lug everything back after the race.
My wife did this for me at IMLP a few weeks ago, getting my bike and transition bags while I was out on the run and bringing them back to where we were staying. It was awesome not having to lug everything back after the race.
Brian’s wife and the others we were staying with did this for all of us who were racing. It was a huge relief to finish and not have to worry about all of our gear. Although I think Cindi stole my watch.
We had to give them the “bike retrieval ticket” with our race number on it before the race. I think someone mentioned that they had to show ID and the volunteer wrote down their personal information on the back of the ticket to help ensure that gear wasn’t stolen. I believe they opened the transition area at 6pm for people to go in and start retrieving gear.
I tell my kids to stand under the clock and wait for my wife to find someone to snap a picture of us, but not before she can push people aside, clear them out of the shot, and get into the picture herself…
“OK, that one was great. Now, let’s take another for safety and then one more - a silly one… cheese!”
It’d be great if they could stop the clock on my finish time, too, for the shot.
- Volunteers and/or family/friends surround you.
- Everyone asks if you are doing OK.
- If coherent, reply-mumble-stutter “yes.”
- Get picture taken (note glassy eyes).
- Proceed to collasp & have no control over your legs.
- Get taken to med tent.
- Either deny, “I’m fine damn it!,” or accept, “I’m not feeling sooo ggggggg…,” & be placed on cot.
- Have between 3 & 6 liters of IV fluid pumped into you.
- Drift in & out of consciousness.
- Be escorted out of med tent after a couple of hours.
- Swear you’ll never do another one.
- Get a quick massage.
- Have a beer.
- Pick up bike next day.
- Wait a couple of months & then start pondering “If I just do an extra century in training…”
- Repeat as necessary.
I load my stuff into the car, then grab the cooler of cold beers I strategically placed in the car and head back to the stands and yell until I lose my voice. I have only done 2 IMs, but both times I have stayed until midnight, I think I will do that at every IM I do. Plus I figure, if Mike Lovato can chug Champagne in the finishing chute, then, I can drink beers in the stands.
I ate a large Papa John’s pizza, then spent the next hour in pain miserably attempting to gather my belongings and drive the car back to the hotel… Bring a friend who won’t bitch much to help.
My experience–only 1 so far.
Crossed the line, totally wasted.
Got cap, space blanket and medal.
Convinced the catchers that I DIDN’T need the medical tent.
Walked around, found the porta potty.
Tried to get massage–told to return later.
Went to my bike where I had some water and recovery drink powder–aaaahhhh!
Then some gatorade endurance–mmore aahh! .
Found my dry goods bag, where I had stashed my cell phone. finally able to contact my family.
Collected T1 and T2 bags.
Went to find a massage–no luck again.
Associate calls my wife’s cell phone (50min p finish) with my finish result.
Family cold, no jackets, since it had been warm day. they wanted to get food.
Went for a shower and some real food and check results on computer.
thirsty as hell during dinner.
Too excited to sleep.
Like others mentioned…support crew. Having family or friend get bike and stuff is AWESOME! Just to be clear: no, crossing the finish line at IM is not like any other race and you won’t want to get stuff and leave. You will want to hang around.
Best thing to do the next day…go try to find your special needs bags :). My favorite tag line on slowtwitch was about people looking through bags.
I hear my name being called as I cross the line and all of a sudden I am an Ironman, forever. I get my stuff and my escort helps me over to my family who are waiting behind the fence. They are smiling and crying as they hug me and tell me I did it and they are proud of me.
I start talking real fast ,trying to tell them everything that happened during the day, all at once. I walk around looking for the food tent but somehow I can't find. I go by the massage tent but I don't want to wait in line so I leave and go over to my bike. I realize there is no way I can get all my stuff by myself so I go back and get my son to help me. We get my stuff into the car and I want to go back to the finish line but I am getting cold and starting to shiver so we go back to the room and I shower and eat something and then watch the last hour on the computer.....pretty cool. I stay up for a little while but I am sleeping by 1:30am.
I get up at 5:30 and go to town to get a cup of joe. I see some friends and other people wearing their finishers hats and shirts. I go back to my room and get my hat. I buy way too much finishers stuff and I sign up for 2008. I want to go faster next year and I will train harder and smarter.
But I did it, and no matter what I do, or don't do, the rest of my life, I will always be an Ironman.
There is something about that that I like.