Who wants to do this?

NOT ME!!

Now add in about 2000 more athletes and you have what is also known as the beginning of the most ridiculous, entertaining, amazing, etc. event I've EVER been to in my life...

IRON MAN!!

Saturday morning Ryan and I woke up at 4 am and drove from Tallahassee to Panama City to support his brother in law, Jamey, who is crazy enough to have done this insane race.

I've expressed to many people my lack of any form of understanding of the triathalon world.

I've sworn I'll NEVER participate.

I've said that I don't like them...blah blah blah.

ALL of that went out the window as soon as I saw the beach PACKED with THOUSANDS of participants and spectators at 7 am, waiting for thes crack heads to jump in the freezing water to start off their 9 hr+ race/adventure with a 2.5 mile swim.

Word of the event, used by even all my little tri buddies: IDIOTS!!

After about an hour, the morons pop out of the water and run to transition to their bikes to set off for something like 120 miles.

My thoughts on this: WHY?!?!?!

If I were to swim that amount (which wouldn't happen...I would definitely drown after one lap around the course), the absolute LAST thing I would even consider doing is jump on a bike for a good 5-6 hours.

Yeh, NO THANKS!

My thoughts would be either: a) take me to the hospital and put a morphine pump in me for a good 2 days

OR

b)Bring on the margaritas!!

AND THEN IF THAT WERENT ENOUGH...

guys, it gets worse...

after 6 or 7 miles, its time for a MARATHON!

Again, IDIOTS!

No, but really, it was trully amazing and probably the most incredible thing I've ever seen.

The amount of training that these 2500 people have put into this one event is unreal.

The intense dedication these people have is beyond admirable.

And the determination to keep pushing after HOURS of pain and torture is something I cannot fathom.

The looks on their faces when they crossed the finish line wer priceless.

HUGE men with tears rolling down their cheeks...a very humbling scene.

And if that doesn't do it for you, the little girl who was waiting on her dad at the finish line who grabbed his hand, ran the last few steps with an ENORMOUS smile.

"No, I'm not crying!!"

There was not a dry eye in the place.

What an amazing experience...one that I highly suggest you watching, even if you don't know anyone doing it.

Jamey earned MAJOR cool points in my book!!