Introduction

The Puerto Rico Ironman returned after a two year covid break. In 2020, the event was cancelled two or three days before it was to have occurred; many of the atheletes were already here in San Juan.

The event, technically a half-iron man, consists of a 1.5 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and a 13.2 mile run. It typically draws competitors from all over North and South America. One would think the South Americans, given that the March event is at the end of their summer season, would have an advantage over the winter-bound North Americans.

All three legs begin and end close to our apartment building and so I bring my cameras and look for photo ops. Here are some of my images, with brief explanatory remarks.

Preparations

Things begin to happen three or four days before the event.

Balloons are placed in the Condado Lagoon to mark the swimming course. The swimmers enter the water along the north shore (to the left), swim around the end of the lagoon and return to the right of the markers along the southern shore. They will pass under a highway bridge and exit the water via a ramp onto the Paseo de Caribbe.

The lagoon, closed to motorized vessels, is home to three or four kayaking venues, including one that features night kayaking excursions. Local ecologists are trying to reestablish mangrove trees along the southern shore of the lagoon, to the right of the image above.

This is the ramp the swimmers use to exit the water, as set up the day before the event. The tape is apparently to deter tourists from thinking this is an entry to a swimming area.

The athletes begin arriving a day or two before the event. One sees them swimming, biking and running, presumably fine-tuning their conditionng. These swimmers are checking out the swim course. On the day of the event, volunteers will be in the water helping the swimmers up and over the ramp. Fortunately, the water is a comfortable 78 F.

The competitors leave their bikes and their biking/running gear in a guarded, fenced area the afternoon and evening before the event. The bike here, with a carbon fiber frame, has a list price of about $10,000.

Here are more bikes ready for the next day’s race. I suspect, given the low numbers and high tech bikes, these belong to elite professional athletes.

The Start

The competitors, in their swim gear, gather at the swimming start area. They wear color coded swim caps and start in assigned groups, at five minute intervals.

The swimmers were serenaded by a small band sponsored, appropriately enough, by a headache medication. They stopped, the crowd heard recordings of the US and Puerto Rican anthems, and the race began.

The athletes struck various poses while waiting for their group to be called.

Notice that each competitor wears a band around one ankle. I suspect that contains an electronic chip with the athelete’s name, home, contact numbers, etc. I further suspect the chip is interogated at various points along the course to keep track of an athlete’s time.

The Swim

I have found it difficult to take interesting pictures of the swim. All I get is churned up water with a few swim caps. Perhaps others can do better.

Swimmers in the Condado Lagoon. I took this as they were going under a highway bridge.

Swim-Bike Transition

After leaving the water via the ramp shown above, the competitors run to the fenced in area to get their bikes.

The athletes, many running barefoot, run about a quarter mile to get their bikes.

The crowds thin out as the runners move away from the ramp.

These two are about halfway to the paddock where their bikes are stored.

The racers move with their bikes to a start line. They can’t mount until they pass that line. Note the biker to the right has his biking shoes clipped to his pedals.

More bikers making their way to the mount line.

These bikers are almost at the mount line.

This racer is beginning the 56 mile bike race. He will go to Dorado and back, along a couse that is quite flat. The prevailing wind will be at at his back outbound; in hs face inbound.

Bike

The bike portion begins and ends in Parc Escambron. I stay within a block or two as I get my pictures.

The two riders above are leaving Parc Escambron as they begin the bike leg.

These two riders are entering the park as they near the end of the bike leg.

Bike-Run Transition

The bikers dismount at the same line where they mounted. They make their way to the paddock, change into their running shoes, and start the half marathon.

Two runners leaving the bike paddock and starting the half marathon. Runner 217 is Loubriel Ramirez of the United States. He finished in six hours and almost eleven minutes. I could not find runner 4017 listed in the on-line results.

Osmel Lopez of the US starting his run. He finished in under six hours, at 5:52:12.

Run

The half marathon makes two laps into and out of Old San Juan. I don’t find taking pictures of runners very interesting. They all look like they are in agony. But here are a few.

Javier Vallejo of Puerto Rico is almost finished with his first lap. He will enter the park, circle a post, and start his second trip into Old San Juan. He finished in 7:36:40.

Runner 928 is Brenda Flores of the US. She finished in 6:42:22.

Javier Pagan of the US seems happy to finish, which he did in 6:39:26.

Summary

The athletes had a typically nice Puerto Rico day. There was a bit of rain in the morning, and then sunshine with a nice breeze. Beno Melo of the US won, with a time of 4:14:07. Deborah Eckhouse of Canada was the highest placed woman, with a time of 4:49:46. For more details, and the race announcement for Puerto Rico Ironman 2023, go to www.ironman.com.

Sources

The photos are all mine. I used both my 35 mm camera (an old Nikon) and a Sony digital camera. I edited the images with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.