'Congratulations Scott Combs from Clarksville TN! You ARE an Ironman!'

Thanks for your support, encouragement, prayers, thoughts, good vibes, and energy! Scott had a 16 hour workout and completed the Ironman Endurance Event. He was in the top 1/3 of swimmers (2.4 miles of open water swim) and did excellent on the hilly bike (112 miles) and survived the run (26.2 miles)! That was his first marathon, by the way. He is now one of the few in this unique and prestigious fraternity. Knowing about your support, carried him through the race. Thank you for your friendship!

Although it is an individual sport, it sure takes a community to help an athlete preserve in training, preparation, and the event itself. I know I’ve said this before, but if you have never had the pleasure of witnessing a Triathlon, make it your goal! The Tri community is like no other sporting community. In ways, I think it is even more tight-knit. Also, the fans are relentless. Fans will NOT let you give up in a Tri.

The one aspect I love is the unspoken bond of triathletes…..especially Ironman Triathletes. They give each other a certain nod as if it was a secret handshake. And sometimes, words are not spoken but energy and acceptance is. It’s a fraternity of an elite few who choose to test the limits of the human body, defy the odds and bleed with determination, guts, and stamina.

If you ever see the Ironman symbol, congratulate that athlete. Not only did that person endure such a fantastic event, but also a year+ worth of intense training. Ironman is a journey, not a destination! The ‘M-dot’ symbol is that of determination, endurance, and hope that anything is possible. Anything! Obstacles are just excuses…and neither have to stand in the way of goals and dreams.

I’m proud of Scott for enduring this. It’s an amazing life goal and huge accomplishment! I am counting down the seconds till it’s my turn! (PS. If you recall to a blog post a year ago, I lost the coin toss on who was going to participate in this event! Ah!)

Thanks again! If you are ever near me and my lap top, let me know and I’ll walk you through detail by detail with the 400+ pictures that were taken=) The 20 hour day went by incredibly fast, and Scott says the same. It was fantastic. I can’t wait till the next Ironman I get to witness or participate in. Definitely a huge highlight in life!