Darren's Ironman

I wanted to write the most important details of this epic race. 

VINEMAN Ironman Race

There could be so much said but these are the things I want to remember most. 

We were super lucky to find a different hotel room that was right through these trees two days before the race started.  Our original hotel was much much much farther away. 

Guernville, California

BEAUTIFUL

Dan LaRiviere, Darren, Kyle Issac

Pre race

Let the race begin. 2.4 miles of swimming in a dammed section of the Russian River

I need to add somewhere in here how proud I am of Darren.  He didn't just train and train and keep training.  He studied out every detail of how to do an ironman well.  He did very well. 

Dan is the much better swimmer and got a great head start on the bike. 

Darren was amazing.  He was out of the water in under an hour and a half. 

The times on the clock should all be back three minutes since Darren's group started one wave after the first starters....just FYI

Darren is in the middle with a green cap. 

Dalls... off and racing. A long 112 mile hilly course to go. Kyle was right behind him

We saw Darren out on the course... he was so focused he didn't even see us. 

We had lots of us cheering on our husbands/brother. 

This is wine country in California so imagine rolling hills with beautiful countryside

... none the less... rolling hills!

They started to all come in. Ranging from about 6 hours on the bike to 6.5 hours on the bike

I can not comprehend what it must have felt like to think.... And now I am going to go run a marathon. 

AWESOME!

And then the marathon.  Darren had torn a tendon in his knee 2 months before the race.  He had to cut back all his running and lots of biking to allow healing. Then do physical therapy, and doctor visits. oh my! But he was amazing on the run. He hadn't run more than 15 miles once since he had hurt his knee and he did a 4 1/2 hour marathon.  Great time. 

His goal was to finish in under 12 hours. After his knee injury it was to just finish without re-injurying himself. He finished in 12 hours and 35 minutes.  That is a great time.  He is ready to do it again and beat that time!

And at the end... they all made it. 

Great job boys!