Ironman Western Australia - Good Luck!

This weekend will see one of the A-race for many friends i know personally. Ironman Western Australia will take place in Busselton and I have been eyeing this race for a long time. But alas, due to luck (or the lack of it not able to sign up on time) and monetary restrictions, I've postponed this "dream" for the past 3 years.

IMWA - image from Video Capture of the video below

Come this weekend, a Malaysian Contingent will be racing this race. The like of Cynthia Gan, Nik Raiha, Doc Yap Eng Hui and Cheng Fook Wah - four people I know inside and outside of Facebook, will be racing this weekend. The 140.6miles race will be done in maximum of 17hours. For the Pros, nothing more than 9hours. The Pros will be inspirational - but none will be more inspiring that the average people racing the race : the Age Groupers.

Participant names in the local paper. Image from Cynthia's Facebook. Spotted Cheng and another Fellow Malaysian (Henry Wong) in the list.

My four friends above will be racing the 3.8km swim, 180.2km bike and 42.2km run - making it a 226.2km (140.6miles) journey. For some of you that might not know what or why the big deal about this race, you first would have to understand what is triathlon race. I've wrote a blog entry here.
Ironman, not to be mistaken with the movie with the guy in red that can fly, is actually a brand name from World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). Attempting a distance (140.6miles) such as these are also known as "Iron-distance". It is a race that many trained for at least a year. A camaraderie that perhaps only those that has attempted and successfully completed it understand. For the like of Cynthia, Eng Hui and Nik Raiha, it is their first Iron-distance race. An A-race that will allow them to brag finishing. A Race that I wish and hope that they will preserve, continue and finishes. When they cross the line (before the clock strikes) in 17hours, they will be known as "Ironman".
This is a race not about the distance, but it is about how long you can keep going.

Remember, You are racing with no one but yourself. My salute to all of you racing this weekend.
Meanwhile...
I be racing this weekend in Putrajaya. It will be a short 1km Swim - 30km Bike - 8km Run. I might not be doing Irondistance, but I will be SwimmingBikingRunning. Putrajaya holds a lot of promises to host world class triathlon events. I am hoping one day, the Irondistance race will return to Malaysia.