Ironman Texas: A Volunteer Story, Part 1

I've been in a little training funk lately. It used to be that I would get pumped before every workout. I knew it would be tough, but I knew it would be worth it. Lately, it hasn't felt worth it. I need something new. I need inspiration.

Not coincidentally, I'll be surrounded by Ironmen (and Ironwomen) from 2pm - Midnight on Saturday as I volunteer at the finish line for the inagural Ironman Texas or IMTX. Some will be 1st timers. Some will be veterans. All will be something that I want to be. An Ironman.

I got to The Woodlands a little later than I'd liked and don't work until tomorrow, but I was still able to check out the event set up. Making perfect sense, the swim and bike sections are a lot more finalized than the finish area. I mean, they've still got about 8 hours after the start of the race before the finish line needs to be up and running. You win this round, Logistics.

The swim starts out across the lake and funnels into a channel that snakes through a residential area and is bordered by apartment buildings and a mall, the heart of the race and where the finish line is located. The channel looks to be about only 20yds across and, with an unblocked shoreline, you can get a great vantage point as the athletes swim by and finish their 2.4 mile swim (Very spectator friendly!). A 90 degree turn around the last buoy brings you to 10 sets of stairs you can pick from to climb out.



A 100yd run takes you from the swim to your bike gear bag and the changing tent. I couldn't tell where the wet suit strippers will be stationed, but they'll be there and it's always fun to see. I don't know if all IM organizers do this, but the gear bags are color coded so the athletes don't put the bike gear in their run bag and vice versa. Blue = bike. Red = run. Smart.

Looming high overhead like Walt Disney's Matternhorn, the giant white circus tent where athletes will grab some fuel, strip down, lube up, add sunscreen, and gear up for the bike now lies dormant and barren. I poked my head in. It's pretty bare with a couple rows of metal folding chairs and a curtain running lengthwise separating the guys from the girls. 8 port-o-johns sit untouched nearby...for now. 

Next to the tent is the bike rack area. It's the size of a football field and completely full of rack after rack of bikes. Another spectator commented that there were millions of dollars worth of bikes in there. With about 2500 athletes and the average tri bike running $3000, he was exactly right. It's pretty cool how the volunteers work here. When you get up to get your gear bag and run into the changing tent, someone else is running into the sea of bikes, finds yours and has it ready when you're set to go. Bike valet. What a great concept.

After riding 112 miles, you bring your bike back to where you got it, drop it off with the valet and run to your run gear bag and back into the changing tent. It's usually just a reapplication of sunscreen in here, maybe some compression socks, throw on the running shoes, and head on out. The course winds through the neighborhood area and goes off somewhere before heading back into the center of the mall area. A couple tight turns through the shopping areas, and then you make that last turn...It's such a huge psychological pick me up when you turn that final corner and see the arch over the finish line. I'm very excited to be there at the end when these amazing athletes finish the course and begin to realize what they've just accomplished.

From what I'm told, my job will be to "catch" the athletes as they cross the line. Basically I'm one of their escorts through the finish chute (get your medal, get your water, get your hat, get your shirt, hold your stuff while you take your photo)  until you can leave on your own or need to go to the medical tent. I can't wait to hear some great stories about the race. It's going to be incredible.

So now I'm back in my hotel, hydrating like an athlete, so I can withstand the 11 hours in 85F temps and 80% humidity. It's been pouring rain on and off over the last 12 hours so I'm sure we'll have some of that too. Can't forget about the gusty winds either. Gee, what kind of person would want to be out in this kind of weather for so long?

Easy. An Ironman.

Tomorrow, my shift doesn't start until 2, but I'm going to try and see how many different volunteer activities I can learn about...starting with opening the transition area at 4:30am. Who knows, they may not let me in. But what are they going to do, turn me away for wanting to help?

Stay tuned for Part 2!