I signed up for my first Ironman in 2007. But in typical WTC fashion, I had to wait 52 weeks before I could actually toe the line in Coeur d'Alene, ID in 2008. There are pros and cons with the Ironman brand economics supply and demand laws. I agree with most people that it is crazy, expensive, and crazy expensive. But the experiences I've gained through this sport have far exceeded the $600-$700 in entry fees per race.
But I digress. The real reason for this post is to reflect on how far I've come in the sport and to acknowledge that what was once a dream became a reality - twice! In December of 2007, I recall posting on Facebook a status of something along the lines of, "watching the Ironman World Championships on NBC and dreaming BIG!" My friends made funny to supportive comments, but I was serious. Even before watching the television replay I knew Kona was something that I wanted to experience someday, even if it would take me a few years.
Fast forward to June of 2010, nearly 3 years and 2 tearful rolldowns later. On June 27, 2010 after 10 hours and 42 minutes, I secured my invitation to triathlon's world stage. I won my age group at Ironman Coeur d'Alene that year and didn't have to worry about any slot allocation. I was in! My BIG dream of competing in Kona became a reality on October 9, 2010. And then I was lucky enough to experience it once again on October 8, 2011.
The NBC broadcast is where many people begin their journey and start to dream BIG. Here is the trailer for this year:
This year's broadcast will be played on December 10, 2011 1:30PM PST. Look for #1841 and in the meantime, dream on!
-ck
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