March 19, 2015
San Juan hosted a professional ironman competition last Sunday. It was actually a half ironman – 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, 13 or so mile run. It began with the swim in Laguna Condado, with transitions to bike and then run in Stadium Sixto Escobar. These are all close to my apartment so I spent the morning watching and taking pictures.
The swim began with groups entering the water at five minute intervals. The elite, professional athletes started first, at 6:50 am. I’m not sure of the criteria used to place competitors in subsequent starts, or waves as they are called. In any case, when I got there, most of the 1500 or so athletes had at least started their swim, and the professionals had completed theirs.
The swimmers were close to the end of the first leg when they came under Puentes Dos Hermanos.
It was a beautiful morning for a swim.
A ramp had been placed in the lagoon, near the Caribe Hilton. The swimmers were helped up the ramp to begin their short run to the transition zone.
Volunteers in bright orange t-shirts helped the swimmers up the ramp.
The athletes next ran about a quarter of a mile, often in bare feet, to start the bike event. Note that they are wearing some kind of ankle bracelet. I suspect this is an electronic tag of some sort to help with timing the different legs of the event.
Athletes are running to start their bike event.
The athletes ran into the arena, usually used for soccer or track and field events, to get their bikes. It was closed to the public so I went to the exit. They had to reach a line outside the stadium before they could mount their bikes and start their ride. The route took them to Dorado and back, and traffic was controlled the whole way to allow them an unhindered ride.
The bikers rode out of the Park on Calle San Agustin on their way to Dorado and back.
At the completion of the bike ride, the athletes dismounted before a specified line, and ran with their bikes into the stadium. They then put on their running shoes and began the run, essentially three laps to Old San Juan and back.
The end of the bike ride.
These are the elite competitors, and they look comfortable starting the run.
The runners made three trips to and from Old San Juan, so there were runners going and coming along Avenida Munoz Rivera.
Runners going to and coming from Old San Juan.
The runners, after their third lap, entered a chute to the finish line. Here are some of the elite athletes finishing the event.
Runners nearing the finish line.
The winner, Igor somebody (I have to check) from Brazil finished the event in under four hours.
I have to wonder about the event’s name, though. I mean, it is here in San Juan. The Spanish word for iron is some form of ferro, from the Latin ferium. How about translating Ironman to Spanish, at least for this event? I propose FerroHombre. If you want something a little more genteel, how about FerroCaballero? That even has a bit of poetry to it, don’t you think? I can see the t-shirts now.
If you want me to follow up on this, send a check for $10,000 or whatever you can afford, and I’ll get right on it.
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i enjoyed viewing your Ironman entry. As you know, I avoided the area. I would appreciate your further information.
The best I can do is 2 for 1 at Douglas Pub, which should be another entry on your blog.