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| Gordon Ramsey and announcer |
Gordon Ramsey from Hell's Kitchen, was one of the athletes we watched check in. Highlight is a video of his interview.
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| A biker meets with the check in volunteer |
David and I went down to the pier on Friday for the Ironman bike check in. This is the opportunity to see the athletes individually, fresh and eager. Since we don't see the bike part of the race, we can see their $5,000 bikes, specialty helmets, shoes, and gear bags. Volunteers check all the equipment to be sure they have the right things, and don't have the wrong things in their transition bags. They export them to their spot on the pier where they park their bike. It is all very organized.
We were just going to stay for an hour, but stayed all afternoon. The announcer was interviewing a past three time winner who was giving tips on how to pace yourself; Gordon Ramsey was being interviewed as he came into the chute. They would announce if someone who is a contender was checking in. A volunteer told me they would never do the bike check in again. It was exhausting walking back and forth to the pier. I guess it is even more exhausting helping athletes with the transition, especially from bike to run. They say they are all sweaty and tired and dirty.
Along the chute representatives from bike companies, helmets, shoes, pedals, wheels, sunglasses, etc. were counting their products as they went by. We could not walk anywhere near the actual pier.
I talked to a woman and asked her what her diet was before the race. She said she ate a huge meal that morning and would not eat much the rest of the day, maybe soup. She would have some oatmeal the morning of race day. She said you have to be very conscious of your digestion on the course. She had her own snacks, water, energy drinks and sponges. She said she knew she would get to the aid stations too late for sponges. You don't want to have to poop. Someone said they sometimes urinated in the sponges that they stuffed down their pants. There are port potties all along the routes.
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| A bike going down the chute to be checked in |
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| Another athlete, the finish line, almost complete, in background |
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| An excited female athlete |
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| Bikes waiting to get checked in |
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| An athlete stretching |
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