Nick Felix & Peter West Completed the Ironman in Kona, Hawaii

We are so proud of our great friends Nick Felix and Peter West for competing in the ultimate challenge of an Ironman in Kona, Hawaii!

Ironman competitions take place around the world and are regarded as an esteemed event to win. The competitions are extremely long-distance triathlons organized by the World Triathlon Corporation. The typical race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile run. This distance is much longer than most triathlons. Participants do not get a break once the race has started. The Ironman also has a time limit of 17 hours to complete the race in its entirety.

The Ironman mantra, that just finishing is a victory, was created when Julie Moss, a competitor in the 1982 Ironman Competition, fell just yards away from the finish line, giving up her first place finish. The event in Kona, also named the Big Island of Hawaii, saw 1, 731 athletes officially start the race, but not all were able to complete the grueling Ironman.

Both Felix and West spent countless hours training for the race. The Ironman has five key principles for living the triathlon lifestyle: balance, consistency, endurance, adaptability and recovery. These principles place focus on the necessary things needed to train for an Ironman. It is recommended that participants train for at least six months before competing, but for many participants these competitions take years to prepare for.

Although the first Ironman Triathlon took place in Hawaii in 1978, it is a particularly difficult environment to compete in because of the warm water, strong, gusting winds, and extremely hot weather. Felix and West both endured the obstacles and completed the race. They can now call themselves Ironmen.

Kevin Purvis, another member of The Bike Doctor team, was in Kona to capture all the action and cheer on his friends. Here are some great photos of the competition. Just click on the images to view them larger.

Congrats to Nick and Peter!