In March of 2009, Ironman Triathlon officials announced that St. George would be the newest destination for one of their premiere triathlon competitions. Just two-thousand five hundred athletes will be allowed to compete in this race which will be just one of seven Ironman full-distance triathlon races in the United States.
What is Ironman?
A triathlon event that consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run. Athletes that compete in these events put in significant hours of training and must complete the event by midnight (the day of the race), to be considered an official finisher.
Saturday, May 1st, 2010 marked the first time an Ironman Triathlon event has ever been hosted in St. George, Utah. After two years of arduous preparations approximately 2,000 male and female athletes from around the world, began the event by swimming a 2.4 distance in the cool waters of Sand Hollow Reservoir.
On May 11th, Eric Sullivan, the fastest amateur triathlete came and spoke to the students at Diamond Ranch. He came in 15th overall with a total time of 9:35:19. He spent 30-35 hours a week training. And he had some great advice for the students:
- You have to be stubborn, never give up, and stay focused on your goals
- Be grateful for what you have and never forget that it could always be worse
- Plan ahead but don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Take large challenges one day at a time.
- Mental Strength is just as important as physical strength.
- Overcoming challenges becomes easier when you know you have teammates who are counting on you AND you know that they are there for you.
Thank you to Eric for coming and motivating our students. Excellent job on your triathalon!!
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