Reflections on the World Championship

On Saturday, I spent several hours watching the 2011 Ironman World Championship. Both the men's and women's races were exciting.  And, after watching the pros win their titles, I came back awhile later to watch some acquaintances and friends of friends cross the finish line.  My general takeaways from the day:

• Obviously to qualify for the event you have to be really really really good (or get a lottery slot). Over HALF the field was cleared in under 11 hours!  The pros can do what they do because training is their job.  But all these age groupers who came in during the nine to eleven-hour range is just insane.  It's awesome.  But it's insane.  And, I'll admit, a little depressing.
• Most of the pro men are extremely attractive.  Unfortunately, most of the pro women are not.  Last summer I was on a flight with Meredith Kessler, and she was commenting how the pro women all look like men while they are racing.  She said she makes it a point to paint her nails red before every race because she needs something to feel like a woman.  I get that. 
• Since the pros are outside all of the time, they are quite leathery.  My fair skin struggles with the sun every weekend.  No matter how much sunscreen and lip balm I apply and re-apply, my cheeks and nose are red and my lips slightly burned every Saturday and Sunday.  And, the Speedo lines, bike shorts, bike jersey, tri top, and the sock tan I'm sporting is super sexy.
• The people who finished in Kona in what I suspect my time range will be in Arizona were 70+.  I'm planning to find myself a grandma to walk with on that run course.  I tracked Lew Hollander.  He was featured in the 2010 Ironman documentary.  This guy is 81 and swears the baked potato he puts in his special needs bag is what gets him to the finish line.  He says he plans to live to be over 100 and will keep coming back every year until he can't finish.  I looked up his times and we are pretty similar in all the areas.  Nick told me that when things get hard in Arizona, to remind myself that three 80+ year olds crossed the finish line in Kona.  I'll be thinking of Lew.  And wondering if I should have put a potato in my special needs...