Road to Ironman with Derek Garcia Nov. 25, 2011
In the months leading up to the 10th anniversary of Ironman Coeur d'Alene on June 24, 2012, Derek Garcia will be writing a monthly column keeping the community updated on his adventures as well as what the hundreds of athletes from the Inland Northwest are doing in preparation for the race.
When Ironman came to town in 2003, I had little understanding about what exactly it was that was coming to town.
Triathlon is definitely still considered a niche sport in the USA, but the growth has been tremendous over the last 10 years. There have really only been a handful of towns, currently nine in North America, to host Ironman events.
Coeur d'Alene, not unlike the other select cities to host these events, has embraced this race in its own unique way.
IT IS really amazing how for Kootenai County residents the word Ironman now brings an image that our community is really proud of.
Where in most towns in America Ironman brings thoughts of an armored up Robert Downey Jr., we have people like local athlete Brian Hadley, who finished an amazing fourth during the 2011 Coeur d'Alene Ironman in his first year as a pro. This sport and this race continue to grow despite a struggling economy.
Rather than reliving the glory days by playing beer league softball (no shame there), many are LIVING the glory days racing at 40, 50, or even 60 years old, and are racing alongside such athletes as the Ironman world champion Craig Alexander, who won our race in 2011.
More people are commuting to work on their bikes, and 35-year-old mothers are getting in the best shape of their lives, all due to the goal of competing in what many consider the hardest one-day endurance event.
Our community is truly better because of this event, and in June of 2012, the 10th anniversary of the Coeur d’Alene Ironman will take place. More local athletes than ever will be competing, and more of your neighbors, co-workers, and friends will be involved somehow. Last year there was close to a 2:1 ratio of volunteers to the 2,500 athletes that were racing.
WHAT COULD be negative about this event? Maybe you hate spandex. The increase in spandex-clad individuals roaming town in the summer has definitely increased — which I guess could be a positive depending on the stature of the individual.
Traffic is definitely challenging on race day, especially anywhere near Sherman Avenue. At your place of work one might encounter “that guy” who never stops talking about this yearly endurance event.
Fortunately for our beloved Coeur d’Alene, we have had the chance to embrace not only nine individual champions who have crossed that finish line in first place, but also each year we get to celebrate the thousands of locals who have taken on this enormous challenge.
We get to be inspired by those in our community who overcome obstacles that all of us have to face daily, but they are dedicated enough to see it through to that finish line on Sherman Avenue.
I ENCOURAGE you to be inspired and uplifted by these people. Be inspired to start a daily workout routine. Be inspired to get back into shape. Be inspired to use a bike to commute to work when the weather permits.
Because this is how it started for many of those who compete in Ironman. You may never want to race a triathlon, but I hope that the discipline and dedication of so many of our neighbors will inspire you to break through and reach your own personal goals.
Now go burn off some of that tryptophan!
Derek Garcia owns his own personal coaching business, Derek Garcia Multisports, and will be competing in his first year as a professional in 2012. Contact Derek at [email protected].