Sweat, wind, sun, water, Powerade, spandex and desire are all you need to know that you are racing an Ironman.
Jen Fidelman joined 36 of her teammates from IronTeam LA, as they competed in Ironman Hawaii 70.3 in Kona, Hawaii – one of the most spectacularly beautiful Ironman courses of all time.
Dressed in purple, Jen and her teammates raced 70.3 miles for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The team collectively raised over $330,000 to support this organization and they worked hard to finish this 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run.
Beginning at Hapuna Beach at 7am with a cannon blast and 74 degree water, the first 1.2 mile leg of this race was a wetsuit-free swim. Racers plunged into the water with black numbers on their arms, blood-pumping through their bodies and hopefully enough fuel to keep them going.
The ocean was rough with whitecaps and buoys that wouldn’t stay put, adding .6 miles or more to this leg of the race. But the elements didn’t stop anyone from fighting to finish!
Then came the 56 mile bike ride. Not only is this one of the most difficult courses, complete with a section called “Hell’s Kitchen,” but this year, participants were surprised by some of the toughest conditions that the Ironman has ever seen due to the elements. The winds were so strong that it became a smart move to watch the person in front of you on the bikes to anticipate the next huge gust of wind coming.
A 13.1 mile run through a mixture of dirt, gravel, pavement and a swampy golf course was the last leg of the race. Again, the wind was an issue making it feel like you were running in place at times.
Lance Armstrong was the first to finish flashing a shaka to the spectators at and he just happened to set a course record on one of the most challenging days. Livestrong!
After a long and exhausting day, Jen was happy she succeeded in completing the race. Those hours and hours of training over a 7 month period, along with the tremendous support from her Team in Training coaches, mentors and teammates helped Jen reach her goal of completing her first Half Ironman with a smile.
What’s next? Ironman 70.3 Vineman in Sonoma on July 15th – stay tuned!
Check out the race in action!
See what athletes had to say about the course and the weather before the race!
She is definitely a winner in Gunn | Jerkens’ heart!
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Tags: Gunn/Jerkens, Hawaii, Ironman, jennifer fidelman, Lance Armstrong