TUESDAY AT 11: Special report to show why Ironman swim keeps many away
LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - I've already had four people approach me in the last week and say they're going to pay the $650 and attempt the Ironman Triathlon either next year or in 2017.
Ironman Louisville wrapped up a successful 140-mile event a week ago, moving it from August to October and 3,200 of us loved the difference in the weather.
Every year, I have several people call, write, or walk up and start talking about trying an Ironman distance Triathlon. One of the officials in Ironman told me the athlete surveys they do show the No. 1 reason more people don't attempt an Ironman is out of fear of the swim. It's only 2.4 of the 140.6 miles the race covers, but it's downright scary being out in the open water with 3,200 other thrashing swimmers around you. You get kicked and hit in the head many times over. You run up on others and have to stop and go around them. You feel like a running back on 3rd and 1 and you just can't get through the line.
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Near the end of the race this year, I ran up alongside a guy walking during the marathon with his arm in a sling, doing whatever it took to finish. I asked him about the bike wreck, assuming that's how it happened. He told me it happened during the swim. A half mile from the end, with his arm fully extended, someone kicked him and separated his shoulder.
This guy finished out the swim and then did the 112-mile bike ride with a separated shoulder. That's an Ironman.
In a WAVE 3 News special report on Tuesday at 11 p.m., we fan out by land, sea and air to show you the rigors of the Ironman swim, then talk to athletes and an expert about what you can do to overcome the chaos.
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