THE Big Race 2

I was impressed. Still am.

Melbourne (Australia) hosted the inaugural Asia Pacific Ironman championships late March this year.
I wrote to you about it.

I dabbled in Sprint and olympic distance triathlons through the late-80s and early-90s. Back in the day 80-85% of people who took up triathlons were ex-runners. Not so now. Triathletes often begin as themselves.

They, like runners and all athletes, compete and participate for their own reasons: it's the challenge, and the promise, and the rebuttal. And the commitment. Sometimes it's for the pain, the discomfort, and overcoming them. And, returning to do it all again.

Sometimes it's for proof. Proof that we can commit, and plan; proof that we can dream, and do; proof that we can start, and finish; proof that we can try, fail, learn and retry.

It's essence...proof that we're still alive.

In a world that has shrunk, and where human communication and interaction is more through emails, facebook, voicemail, tweets, blogs (hehe) and being linked-in, it's nice to know that we can still 'guts-it-out',  feel, be exhilerated, experience pleasure and pain at the same time, and achieve a very personal yet shared goal.

This is what racing and competing does. This is what being an athlete - competing for a prize - is all about. The Big Race highlights this.

THE big race can take one or a number of forms.   It's the one:

• the only (running) race you ever do
• the one athletic event you participate in
• the one key moment where, in primary/elementary or high/secondary school, you decided being an athlete was or wasn't for you
• the one thing remaining on your bucket list
• the only marathon or trail run or mountain run you'll ever do
• the only time as a 100m runner you will - for your Club's sake - run the 4x800m
• the one event or race you put work, family and friends on hold for a few months
• the race/event that ultimately defines or welcomes or presents or breaks you
• the one that turns or redirects you
• the one that deters you
• the one that inspires you
• the one that rattles you
• the one that really hurt(s)
• the one chance you've got at representing your school, club, state, country
• the last chance you've got to qualify
• the only chance you'll get to compete for Commonwealth or Olympic gold

The one and only last chance you've got for that proof...the proof that you're worthy, the proof that your capable, the proof that you dreamt and did. The proof that you are alive.

It's THE race. And regardless of all the Ironman races and marathons and ultras and adventure racing niches evolving and being marketed around our small globe, Ironman Hawaii, is the race for many triathletes.

It's Kona and it's history.

Oh, and it's "Dig Me" beach.
After all, as people we all want to be 'dug' or 'got' or 'understood'.

That impresses me too