what it means to be an ironman

How would someone replicate the feeling one gets of getting your goggles kicked off, being swam over the top of, trying to sight without getting smacked.

Or on the bike trying to figure out if you have the ability to pass that person in front of you without getting a passing violation, going over 40 mph down a grade and wondering how you are going to get past the group going slower who are riding abreast.

And of course the mind games that arise on the run as you see some people stop and puke all over, or the ones that are hauled off and you wonder to yourself: what just happened to them that might happen to me around the next bend?

Running a 5k race is much different than running 3.1 miles on a training run.  Multiply that 20 times for the IM race.

Just a thought.

Oh boy. Here we go again. This topic does create some emotion.

I like salt and extra butter please.

This thread ........AGAIN?

+1  Except I would call 'em "ironman".....since "Ironman" is a trademark and now used for 70.3 distance too .

I would also salute their self-motivation.  I always find excitement & support of organized race makes it easier to go long distance vs doing same distance alone & self-supported. 

Hmmm, this is interesting. When I read the OP's post I thought well, yeah, that would make you an ironman but then when I read Tasman's(sp?) response I totally agreed(from my limited experience) that part of being an ironman is you went thru the "war", there's just so much to get thru to get to the finish line.

So when I think about someone completing the full distance in pristine conditions I feel as someone else said, that the person is capable of finishing an ironman.

OK play on!

Patsy

Nice brick.

The person who does that and tells no one doesn't care what I think.  The person who does that and tells everyone, thinks themselves to be one, and doesn't care what I think.  They want to call themselves ironman, woman, flamingo,  that's fine.  

I think I'll have some chips too.

HECK YEAH THEY ARE!!!!! And probably more accomplished as they did it on their own, no support, no fans, no one but themselves. They are also dedicated not to have the spotlight on them for the duration of the race and no one to "show off" to. How could one not possible consider them not an Ironman?

Kind of a fun thought as well too. You could decide on your own course, not have to worry about people drafting off you, just cars instead as the roads are open.

I would venture to say a self-supported Ironman is much more difficult mentally then competing in an 140.6 sanctioned race.

Oh, this is gonna be good

If a tree falls in the woods and no one hears it, does it make a sound?