On Sunday, my brother-in-law’s brother-in-law (that’s a mouthful, isn’t it?) competed in a half-Ironman competition up in California wine country near the Napa Valley (dubbed the Vineman Ironman). Our goal was to cheer him along during his race transitions and as he made for the finish line. In between, our plan was to visit wineries and enjoy a summer’s day.
What we didn’t realize is that temperatures were going to be above average and hover around the 100-degree mark. As we melted in the heat holding up hand-lettered signs, we thought we had it bad. The sun blazed down and there was very little shade to find relief. We chugged on water and complained and day-dreamed about popsicles, while the Ironman contestants streamed by, some on bike, some on foot. They were pedaling, they were running, they were stressing their cardiovascular systems—all this when just standing there was enough to break into a sweat. I could not imagine how they were doing it.
Even under the best of circumstances, the half-Ironman triathlon is an extreme endurance challenge in which contestants have to swim for 1.2 miles, bike for 56 miles, and then run a half-marathon at 13.1 miles. While I’d heard of the Ironman before, I’d never witnessed it first-hand, and I was shocked to hear how many of the contestants had come from out of town to compete from places like Hawaii, Oklahoma, Mexico, Australia, and Massachusetts. Clearly, these competitions inspire a lot of travel.
For the athletes, it’s a chance to see countryside they might not otherwise see. Most stay in town a couple days before or after the race, and many bring their families. As a self-professed non-athlete, I can’t say I’ve ever been on such a trip, but after this weekend, I’m realizing that they’re a huge draw for many people.
Ironmans take place all across the world, from Switzerland and China to New York and right here in California. But I’m wondering, if you’re going to choose to participate in an Ironman, why you’d do one in the height of summer in a hot climate. Isn’t the race itself hard enough without adding in extreme weather conditions? Or, is that part of the attraction?
