Welcome to Planet Ironman

Welcome to Planet Ironman ...

Where body fat is illegal.  This is the registration tent.  I usually get a little intimidated by the muscle-bound titans who show up at half-Iron events.  Planet Ironman is a whole other level.  We went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things.  Normally, Wal-Mart is the best place to get a snapshot of the people who inhabit the city.  But we saw a bunch of skinny folks from all over the country, buying frozen pastas, chocolate milk, and band-aids.  One guy was already wearing his timing chip on his ankle.  (In case the race got moved up?)

Where if you don't have a $12,000 aero bike, stay off the main drag.  There is a nice piece of road between our hotel and the official hotel -- about 8 miles of smooth road with a bike path in parts.  There is a constant parade of high-end tri bikes rolling in both directions.  It's like rolling thunder, without the noise.  Or the mustaches. 

Where the Gods of Ironman rub shoulders with the mere mortals.  It's not every day that Miranda Carfrae (world champion 2011, second from right) strolls into town and takes photos with age-group triathletes.

So far, I've enjoyed the Iron experience.  I enjoyed Chesapeake Man in 2006, but this race feels glossy and professional, like a Maserati filled with Mad Men characters.  It has been nice to soak it in, and to enjoy the event.

Oh yeah, I suppose there is a race in 2 days also.