An Ironman triathlon comprises of:
- 3.9 km swim (max timing: 2 hours 20 minutes)
- 180 km bike (max timing: 8 hours 10 minutes)
- 42.2 km marathon (max timing: 6 hours 30 minutes)
An Ironman completes the above within the max timings.
This is crazy. How could anyone have completed the above??! We are talking swimming 78 times the length of a swimming pool, cycling from Yishun to Bedok 9 times and finish off with running 100 rounds around the stadium, on the same day, one right after another. Unimaginable.
The first Ironman took 11:46:58 in 1978. The fastest Ironman today took 7:41:33. People have shaved 4 hours off in 40 years.
The slogan for Ironman is "Anything is possible". Indeed. If I ever complete such a grueling race, that's exactly how I will feel.
Nope, I am not ready to take up an Ironman challenge. It is a good reminder for me to embrace challenges. It may not have to be a big challenge like Ironman, but small challenges daily. It serves to:
- motivate myself - Reminding myself that I can be and should be stretched further.
- make myself happy - Through doing and completing the challenges. It feels like something tangible is being achieved.
- keep my mind active - stimulating and exercising that muscle of mine.
"Swim 2.4 miles! Bike 112 miles! Run 26.2 miles! Brag for the rest of your life" - Founder of Ironman, John Collins.
