Why do people do Ironman?

I know my reason is a little different,, I wanted to get better at doing tri's, I always here that you need to get a good base, do lots of long slow training, so I knew that I wouldnt' do it unless I was signed up for a race that scared me.. an ironman

Very nice!  2 IM w/i a week.....awesome....and for a worthy cause, aplastic anemia.  Glad to hear your wife is in remission. 

My reason is purely selfish....it channels my tendancies towards 'excess' to something healthy that I enjoy.

Good interview!  I like what you said about leveraging yourself to something bigger than you.  I will use your inspirational story to find a good cause for my next IM.

~Mike

I take care of people every day who ignore their health and are overweight, diabetic, have heart disease, lung disease, and a host of other problems.  My dad ignored his health most of his life and is diabetic, has had a couple heart attacks and open heart surgery, a pacemaker, has lung disease, and at the age of 71 acts like he's 90.  I refuse to be like them.  Having an Ironman and other races as a goal every year provides even more motivation.   

IM South Africa is held in my home town.  I went down to watch one year and said to myself:  "that looks like fun".  The next year I did it.

Because I really love seeing the look on people's faces when I tell them what an IM invovles, and that, yes, it's all done in one day

 I love the challenge (my first will be Ironman Cozumel 2009) ... I have one life to live and I want to get as much out of it as possible.  Why, people may ask ... WHY NOT? I say!

Also BECAUSE I CAN.  I did IMFL in 2006 in a large part because I wanted to raise money for Moffitt Cancer Center where my parents were both treated.  Janus Charity Challenge allow IM triathletes to raise money for the charity of their choice so that was what I did.   I'm slow, but I finished in the alotted time and raised a bunch of money for cancer research in the process.  I'm doing the same this year

So Why?  I do this for Christine(Lucy) whom we recently lost to cancer in a violent and unbelievably fast way.  She too wanted to be an ironman and will not get that chance now.  For Terri (Bunnyrunner) Currently fighting breast cancer with so much courage and dignity she amazes me on a daily basis.  For my friend Susan (also a triathlete but not on BT) who is also fighting breast cancer.  For FisrcutB8 (rob, testicular cancer) for Scott (spokes cancer survivor) for my mom and dad (breast and lung) For all the other Bters and their families fighting the fight against this horrible illness.  They all remind me to take nothign for granted and to keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Surgery chemo and radiation are way harder than triathlon.