Tempe, Arizona
We had signed up last year to volunteer but I ended up getting the flu the night before. My son Christian was very disappointed and wanted to make sure we spent plenty of time at the race this year. So my son and my wife and I all signed up this year for two different assignments. One of the biggest challenges was finding a babysitter for our 3 year old Vayden that could watch her until 1:00 a.m. The weather was great and there was no wind. What a perfect day for racing. I told Lori I thought someone might break the 8 hour mark today.
Lori, Christian and I arrived at run aid station #6 about 6:30 p.m. The athletes were about to hit 12 hours straight when we encountered them. We got to see all kinds of situations. The three of us found an unfulfilled niche amongst the many volunteers handing out potato chips in little cups to athletes. We did that for about 2 hours. During the time we spent at Aid Station #6 two people stood out. One was named Eric. Eric had a huge visible spasm in one of his legs. He was obviously in intense pain as he hobbled forward. We were all worried about him. He had a blank stare and looked as if he might pass out at any minute. Another athlete that made an impression was this elderly woman with only one leg. She seemed to be struggling a bit but was in good spirits. Mike Reilly would tell us her story later at the finish line.
We arrived at the finish line with 3 hours to go until mid night. The finish line is the place to be. They had drinks, pizza, sandwiches and In & out burgers for the volunteers. Initially we were in charge of medals. We saw our friend Eric who had looked so questionable at run Aid station #6. He had made it! Also During this time a guy by the name of Dave, who I would later find out was from Delaware, collapsed a few feet from me. Another volunteer and I tended to him. He was very out of it for a few moments. He had this blank stare and I was afraid he died for a second or two. Eventually we asked him his name and he told us ‘Dave’. The other guy asked him if he knew where he was. For the first time his blank stare vanished into a smile and he happily answered “The finish line”. Dave may not have been able to answer what state, country, or even planet he was on, but he smiled when he said “the finish line.” It had obviously taken everything in him to make it to the finish, and he had done it. I told him that he had left it all out on that course and he should be proud. I was proud of him. I had never met Dave before, and as I was holding his sweaty body on the cold asphalt, I couldn’t help but love him. It is hard to explain, but this complete stranger had made me proud to be part of the human race. That was a moment I will remember.
After about an hour of various jobs the team captain asked me if I would take on a new job. It ended up being the best job ever. For the last two hours I was assigned to sit in a chair literally a foot in front of the finish line and take down bib numbers in the order they crossed the line. This gave me the best seat in the house. I got to see every expression and emotion as they crossed the line. I got to high five them and had Mike Reilly dancing around in front of me. For the last hour the pros came down and I met and congratulated Eneko Llanos who won the race in 07:59:38. I was right about the 8 hour mark. Llanos is only the second man in history to break 8 hours on American soil. The first happened just three weeks ago in Florida. I also congratulated Lindsey Corbin who placed 2nd in the women’s. I like her because she is from Montana and always wears a cowboy hat across the finish line. I was amazed watching the pros dance and have fun. They did not seem sore or tired at all.
During the two hours I spent there on the line I got to see many things. Among the highlights was a 74 year old man finishing 140.6 miles. I also watched as Mike Reilly told everyone the story of the elderly woman in her 60’s who he had pronounced an ironman years earlier at Kona who was later hit by a car while training and lost her leg. After recovering from losing her leg she had attempted several times to complete and Ironman but had been unable to successfully finish. Tonight with all of Tempe on their feet cheering, she crossed the finish line. It was neat to later learn that she qualified for Kona. Another moving moment was when close to midnight tow athletes came around the corner basically carrying and elderly gentleman who could no longer move forward without assistance. These athletes put their own finish in jeopardy to make sure the elderly gentlemen made it across the finish line by midnight. Then as midnight approached all of Tempe was again on their feet for 56 year old Patricia Tilotson from Delaware. Mike Reilly was running behind her pushing her on with all of tempe on their feet screaming. She crossed the line in what has to be the closest finish ever. I looked up her time. Her time was 17:00:00. That was an incredible moment for all of us. She looked like she was hurting bad, hunched over and giving it everything she had left. That was an amazing moment to witness. We got home and at about 2:00 a.m. my wife and I looked at each other and we were still wired and not tired at all. If you ever get a chance to volunteer, or even cheer in the stands in those hours that approach mid-night, do it! You will never forget it.
Lori, Christian and I arrived at run aid station #6 about 6:30 p.m. The athletes were about to hit 12 hours straight when we encountered them. We got to see all kinds of situations. The three of us found an unfulfilled niche amongst the many volunteers handing out potato chips in little cups to athletes. We did that for about 2 hours. During the time we spent at Aid Station #6 two people stood out. One was named Eric. Eric had a huge visible spasm in one of his legs. He was obviously in intense pain as he hobbled forward. We were all worried about him. He had a blank stare and looked as if he might pass out at any minute. Another athlete that made an impression was this elderly woman with only one leg. She seemed to be struggling a bit but was in good spirits. Mike Reilly would tell us her story later at the finish line.
We arrived at the finish line with 3 hours to go until mid night. The finish line is the place to be. They had drinks, pizza, sandwiches and In & out burgers for the volunteers. Initially we were in charge of medals. We saw our friend Eric who had looked so questionable at run Aid station #6. He had made it! Also During this time a guy by the name of Dave, who I would later find out was from Delaware, collapsed a few feet from me. Another volunteer and I tended to him. He was very out of it for a few moments. He had this blank stare and I was afraid he died for a second or two. Eventually we asked him his name and he told us ‘Dave’. The other guy asked him if he knew where he was. For the first time his blank stare vanished into a smile and he happily answered “The finish line”. Dave may not have been able to answer what state, country, or even planet he was on, but he smiled when he said “the finish line.” It had obviously taken everything in him to make it to the finish, and he had done it. I told him that he had left it all out on that course and he should be proud. I was proud of him. I had never met Dave before, and as I was holding his sweaty body on the cold asphalt, I couldn’t help but love him. It is hard to explain, but this complete stranger had made me proud to be part of the human race. That was a moment I will remember.
After about an hour of various jobs the team captain asked me if I would take on a new job. It ended up being the best job ever. For the last two hours I was assigned to sit in a chair literally a foot in front of the finish line and take down bib numbers in the order they crossed the line. This gave me the best seat in the house. I got to see every expression and emotion as they crossed the line. I got to high five them and had Mike Reilly dancing around in front of me. For the last hour the pros came down and I met and congratulated Eneko Llanos who won the race in 07:59:38. I was right about the 8 hour mark. Llanos is only the second man in history to break 8 hours on American soil. The first happened just three weeks ago in Florida. I also congratulated Lindsey Corbin who placed 2nd in the women’s. I like her because she is from Montana and always wears a cowboy hat across the finish line. I was amazed watching the pros dance and have fun. They did not seem sore or tired at all.
During the two hours I spent there on the line I got to see many things. Among the highlights was a 74 year old man finishing 140.6 miles. I also watched as Mike Reilly told everyone the story of the elderly woman in her 60’s who he had pronounced an ironman years earlier at Kona who was later hit by a car while training and lost her leg. After recovering from losing her leg she had attempted several times to complete and Ironman but had been unable to successfully finish. Tonight with all of Tempe on their feet cheering, she crossed the finish line. It was neat to later learn that she qualified for Kona. Another moving moment was when close to midnight tow athletes came around the corner basically carrying and elderly gentleman who could no longer move forward without assistance. These athletes put their own finish in jeopardy to make sure the elderly gentlemen made it across the finish line by midnight. Then as midnight approached all of Tempe was again on their feet for 56 year old Patricia Tilotson from Delaware. Mike Reilly was running behind her pushing her on with all of tempe on their feet screaming. She crossed the line in what has to be the closest finish ever. I looked up her time. Her time was 17:00:00. That was an incredible moment for all of us. She looked like she was hurting bad, hunched over and giving it everything she had left. That was an amazing moment to witness. We got home and at about 2:00 a.m. my wife and I looked at each other and we were still wired and not tired at all. If you ever get a chance to volunteer, or even cheer in the stands in those hours that approach mid-night, do it! You will never forget it.
