I did it. I finally did it. Three weeks ago, I crossed the finish line at Ironman Cozumel and a new start line for my road to Kona. Cozumel marked my 12th MDOT race and officially qualifies me for the IRONMAN Legacy Program.

The IRONMAN Legacy Program, introduced in 2012, is a way to recognize our most loyal and dedicated athletes and give them a chance to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship. Athletes who have completed 12 full-distance, IRONMAN-branded races—and who have never had the chance to compete at the IRONMAN World Championship —may be selected for a special slot to the coveted race.

It’s funny because a few days ago, a memory popped up on Facebook that showed me at the Ironman World Championships in 2017. I was in Kona for my USA TriathlonLevel II Endurance Coach course and Ace and I volunteered for the race. We were perfectly positioned to check in the VIPs and pros and later were able to walk out on the swim dock to watch the swim and bike start. It was thrilling! We also were able to watch the run course as the pros came into town for the first 10k of the marathon.

Video Capture of my Volunteer Spot at the World Championships in 2017.

I have watched this race on the tube for years and had athletes who have worked to qualify, but I never wanted to do it. Why in heaven’s name would you want to swim in choppy waters, bike in the windy (boring) lava fields and run in tropical heat and desert conditions? Now I get it.

The one thing I did not get to see that day was the finish line. Our travel schedule prevented us from seeing Mike Reilly call anyone across that line. On the plane home, the idea started to form that I would go back and cross that line myself. I am not fast enough to qualify for the World Championships by speed. So, I hatched a plan to get there by doing 12 races.

Last Tuesday, I submitted my application. I listed my races, my bib numbers, my finishing times and my story. I hit [SEND] and now my name is on the waitlist. According to the website: Due to the high demand of the Legacy Program and popularity of this event, there will be more eligible athletes than there are slots available, therefore athletes will be placed on our waitlist. The Legacy Program is a waitlist is based on the timestamp of their application submission.  The current waitlist extends to the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship. 

So, what now? We wait.

Comment