Ironman Fever - 10/10/10

Today is the 10th of October 2010. Yesterday was the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii. Having developed a recent heightened interest in triathlon, I followed the race coverage with great interest. Technology allowed me to watch the race, live, for as long as I liked (or could deal with having an American voice in my apartment). :)

Biggest shock when I read that Chrissie Wellington, reigning triple world champion and my biggest hero, had pulled out of the race due to illness. Chrissie is, without a shadow of doubt, the best female triathlete at long distances, in the world today. The woman is a tough cookie, who does not think that merely winning a race is good enough. She is out there to push all boundaries, to challenge contemporary belief that men are stronger than women.

And yet, she did not race yesterday. So a new World Champion was crowned today (because I live in the wrong time zone). Similarly, on the men's race, 37 year old Chris McCormack beat the odds to win his 2nd World Champion title, not bad for someone scientists dismissed as "you'll never be World Champion".

All this brings me to an interesting observation. That really, anything could happen, in this wonderful sport I race called triathlon. So many ways a race could go right or wrong, anything is possible really.

Against some strange and wonderful odds, I have ended up here today. 3rd in my age group category in the European championships duathlon. 2nd in my age group in the Danish long triathlon. Top 10 finish in the world championship duathlon for the run segments. And in one month's time, I will see where I place in the world, in half Ironman.

Which brings me to the point of this whole entry. I think the time has come for things to get serious in triathlon for me. "For fun" was a good philosophy for the last 4 years, but I think I want more. And what better day than the 10/10/10 to make a decision like this.

I solemnly declare, today, on the 10th of October 2010, that I will try my utmost best, to return to Hawaii. Not to do a half Ironman as I did in June this year, but to participate in The Real Thing, the Ironman world championship. A long road lies ahead of me.... but Game On! Let The Challenge begin.

I am 30, and it is 10/10/10, by any calendar convention. A good sign.