As someone who took up racing two years ago, its amazing to think, I've never watched a race, not even when I tried to run a few years ago, I've never really watched a race from start to finish and since I withdrew from Ironman 2013 I wanted to still experience it. I've watched Ironman on TV since the early 80's and always thought, wow, one day I would need to try this, so it went on my imaginary bucket list. It was a wish but I never thought it would happen. Even watching an Ironman was on my bucket list and I was not disappointed!I volunteered for beach assistance. I got up at 3am on Sunday morning, you could feel the excitement and nervousness in the air. I'm sure very few people who were doing Ironman slept the night before. I wandered out from my hotel about 4am, to my delight Starbucks was open! Grabbed a coffee and headed to the free shuttles. There were already a lot of athletes there getting marked (marking was happening near the T2 section), a full bus took off to the water and my bus was full when it left, it was barely 430am.
The mood on the bus was mostly up, nervous, the guy beside me was quiet, understandable! Then two Australians got on the bus, with sort of a Fuck yah mother fucker we're doing Ironman today attitude! I got there early and not surprisingly a lot of athletes were there already, I'd say about 1/3 of those participating in the day. When you looked at the lake it was calm like a bath-tub, steam was rising. It looked absolutely perfect for a morning swim!My assignment that morning was helping the athletes out of the wetsuits as they came out of the water (strippers!) We didn't really have much to do until the athletes starting coming out of the water so we helped them until their wetsuits. I know its hard to get into one on my own so if we saw someone struggling we just went and start helping them. The elite men were to start at 650am, the women at 653am then everyone else in a mass start at 7am, no matter if they were in the water or not. They had to swim out 200 metres and tread water until the start.
One of the best parts of the morning (before the swim started) was the man who just saw his wife and daughter into the water for their first Ironman, then, the announced said broke the surprise, he was going to Ironman with them! This was probably the third time I cried that morning. It was pretty cool, he had secretly checked in his bike, gotten marked, brought his wetsuit. He had his trisuit on under street clothes, quickly changed and got into the water to a rounding applause from those that were on the water watching and all of the volunteers!! So exciting!!!
About 740 the first elite man was out of the water (HOLY SHIT!). The elites don`t want our help, the people that want our help are the newbies! Just before 8am the athletes started out of the water and our job started. Man was it fun! We were told if we hadn`t `stripped` wetsuits before we should watch a couple rounds and then jump it. It`s not overly difficult to do, just need to help them out when they come out of the water. Some were funny. After saying to one guy `don`t worry, we`ll have to stripped out in a matter of seconds` his response was, where have you been all of my life. Another older athlete said as were helping him out `please don`t lose my speedo`. One girl from Manitoba was so bad ass that she swam the entire thing in her bathing suit!!! She got serious props from all of us on the beach! Total badass.
I was mentally cheering on all of the athletes still in the water. They were starting the count down for when everyone had to be out of the water. Probably 20 people didn`t make it. Some because of medical reasons when they got out of the water. most because they were still in the water. At the cut off there were people just right there but weren`t allowed to continue (like, a second or two late). Ron Zalko (founder of Ironman Canada) said that if they wanted to try again next year he would pay for their entry fees!
We did some clean up and then I walked back up to the village. I watched some of the bikers pass and, wow, hams! As they passed people they would put their hands to their ears or wave their hand up in the air...wanting us to cheer them on. There were some impressive bikes (its like bike porn to me), amazing riders! I went and joined up with my friends that were there. My friend Erika bought me a cowbell! Woot! Now I could be really loud and annoying while cheering!
We wandered over to T2, watched some runners take off, then wandered over to the farmers market for a break, tea and turnovers then back to watch the action. We were hanging out for a bit watching the runners around the 4 or 5km point. We saw a few people with good sense of humor! A buy in a tuxedo t-shirt (actual bike shirt), one dressed up like a school boy, another as spider man and someone with a plaid shirt (again, an actual bike shirt!).Then it was finish line time!! We were there early so we got to see the top men and women cross. Trevor Wurtele was the male and Uli Bromme the top female. I know she spent the last few hours at the finish line as well! So very cool.
I got to watch a couple people finish their very first (don`t know if last) Ironman. Both were over 40, both had sub 12 hour 30 minute Ironman times! Impressive! I spent most of the next 5 hours at the finish line. Yacked to people from all over the world, some were there to cheer on random strangers (like me!) and some were there watch their family or friends come over the finish. Got to mock an American because he was complaining he couldn`t stop saying Eh! I told him it`ll never go away and he`s now officially a Canadian! There were also some French people who seemed to be violently cheering on their friends. Was pretty funny to hear and watch!
The last two hours of the finish line were the most moving, and tons of fun! About 10-1030 the finish line was 4 to 5 deep in spots, one to two deep in others. Runners came down the finisher chute high-fiving on both sides, one runner stopped and proposed to his girlfriend (she said yes). A mom came down and was greeted by her son (about four) dressed as Ironman. Another dad was joined by his five kids (all under the age of 7).
The last runner came across at 11:57 and some seconds. Then the countdown and the course was officially closed.
There are so many emotions that I felt that I haven`t shared, and might not. There are other stories I experienced that I haven`t shared yet. I also have pictures that I`ll share once I download them. It was a long day for me, not NEARLY as long as the athletes. Everyone, whether an 8 hour 40 minute finisher or 16 hour 57 minute finisher deserves as much admiration as possible! I do lean a little more towards the 16 hour 57 minute finisher though. Most were struggling, sweating, hoping to make each cut off. There`s a reason the crowds are bigger from the 14.5 hour marker and on. Random strangers cheering on random strangers. Seems like a perfect way to spend a lovely Whistler evening to me.
I feel so inspired to pick up the training and I`m going to make it to 2015. I`ll be in line Monday, July 28, 2014 to sign up! And PS, my hotel is already booked for 2014 to volunteer again!
