There Is Something Magical About Ironman Triathlon
It brings out the best of people
In five weeks, I will be driving to a city in New Zealand, Taupo. A place where people are passionate and supportive of their Ironman athletes. A place full of natural beauty with a lake blesses with clear water coming from the snowy mountains and in the proximity of numerous mountain walking tracks, and majestic scenery close and afar.
On 2nd March I will be joining my two other teammates for Ironman 70.3 team triathlon. I can hardly wait to experience the ecstatic atmosphere created by the Ironman community. People come together in one unity and purpose — to help every athlete cross the finish line. There will be hundreds of race volunteers on the course assisting the athletes with food and drinks, race officials keeping the athletes safe, supporting families staying on course for hours for their loved ones, and heaps of people cheering on the athletes from dawn to midnight.
I am training hard and having fun. I am very grateful that life taught me to turn my stress to running. I ran further and further. Then I learned about cycling. Like running, I cycled further and further. Until one day I watched an Ironman event live when I served as a volunteer in 2009. I wanted to cross the Ironman finish line. I wanted to experience what it was like. One thing that stood between the finish line and me was my water phobia and not knowing how to swim. The drive and desire to cross the Ironman finish line was always stronger than fear. I became an Ironman in 2012.
From then on instead of doing the whole triathlon solo, I invited two teammates to join me.
This year our team swimmer Brenda, who overcame her shoulder injury and surgery, will be ready for a great swim.
Our team cyclist Andrew, who just completed a half Ironman triathlon distance event last week, will also be ready on the start line.
I have been training and loving it. On race day, I will be, like in previous years, wearing my Star Wars top and running cap with a propeller sitting on top, waiting for Andrew to pass me the timing transponder at the transition. I will run. I run my heart out. I run to show my gratitude to my teammates, to my wife who is suffering from her ongoing strokes that she gave me so much laughs and fun for the time we spent together, to our families, friends, work team, church, Medium family here, and government agency that supports us.
I know I will receive a few smiles and cheers from the spectators and fellow athletes on the course.
I enjoy comments like, “I like your hat.”, “Your hat helps you run faster, haha.”
My race outfit is my gift to the Ironman community. It is a day of fun and joy.
Veronica Llorca-Smith is a book author and writer, also an Ironman triathlete. Her writing journey is truly amazing and inspiring.
