A Unbelievable Week!

It all started the Thurs. before Thanksgiving with all of the Ironman festivities and banquets. We are down on Mill every day for something. The dinner is very interesting. They give all the stats. In this Ironman there were 2400 athletes and there were 34 countries represented and all 50 states. Crazy huh! We are just lucky there happens to be one of these races in our back yard. The most athletes are in the 40- 44 age division! WOW!! I really think this is the only sport where people are All ages and the crazy thing is the 40 year old are the fastest!!!!! There was even a 77 year old man doing this. For those of you that dont know my dad did this race. He watched my brother and Derek do this about 1 1/2 years ago and decided then and there that he was going to do it. He's been training hard. He would get up at 2:30 in the morning so that he would have enough time to get a long enough work out in before work. Now thats committment!
Here's one of the road closure signs.

Race morning starts by getting up at 4:00 am and leaving the house by 4:30am. Transition area opens at 5. Thats where you check your bike, get in your wet suit, get marked up with your race number etc. Here they are about to jump in the water . The race starts at 7:00. You can see its still dark and COLD!!! I bet they are all nervous here! I know I am!! You just never know what the day is going to bring. Its hard watching them. There are times when they are hurting and tired. Their body may be cramping up, they may feel sick. Its a long day!

This is us after the swim start waiting for them to come in. Its a 2.5 mile swim. Ironmans are mass starts. Its a unbelievable sight to see over 2000 people start swimming at the same time.

Derek and Scott did awesome. They came in together. What are the odds of that? They did it in 1 hour 2 min. Wow! Rick is just a crazy swimmer. He came in at 1:09 and he never even trains on his swimming. A natural fish! My dad came in at 1:20 WOW!! For those of you who dont swim often, 2.5 miles is like doing 160 laps in the pool!! CRAZY HARD!!

This is the bike transition area. Thats just 2400 bikes waiting to go.

This is my brother and his wife when he finished.

Heres Derek and I. He broke the 12 hour mark and finished in 11 hours and 49 min. WOW!!

Here they are!! Scott and Rick actually finished together at aroun the 12 1/2 hour mark.

This is right after my dad finished!

My moms proud of him as we all are!

Derek and I were lucky enought to fly out to California the next day! My mother n law came over and watched the kids for us. It was such a needed vacation.

We went to Sea World!

We had a blast!

We came back just in time for Thanksgiving. Can you believe this is the only picture I got all day. I think I was to concerned about eating =) We ate twice! My moms at noon and then Dereks brothers at 3:30. Great fun!!


Then today we had my sister n law Kristens baby shower at my house! Once again no pictures! How lame am I ? Its been one FULL and GREAT week!