The air was quiet as athletes stared at blank ceilings, waiting for the alarm to go off to begin one of the biggest days of their lives. For 3,000 athletes, their Sunday was much more than a day of rest and hanging out; they were about to do an ironman.
For many triathletes, this is the big leagues: the super bowl of their triathlon careers. On Sept. 7, over half of the participants had never attempted to complete the 140.6 mile race. Their bodies would be broken down, but their hearts and minds had to continue to drive on.
Two UW-La Crosse juniors Daniel Traverzo and Zach Woodcock lined up to take their first crack at the monumental race.  Both Traverzo and Woodcock have been competing in triathlons for at least five years.
Before the race, Traverzo stated, “I have been training for this race for the past year and this is something I have always been inspired to do.”
In the heart of Madison on the beach of Lake Menona, the athletes gathered their things together, calmed their nerves and hugged their loved ones one last time before going into battle.  As the cannon went off, a tidal wave of hands and feet could be seen as the athletes swam the first few hundred yards. The 2.4 mile swim is just the warm up for the long day ahead.
After exiting the water, Woodcock and Traverzo looked strong going into the 112 miles of hilly biking. The two loop course was full of twists, turns and hills. Volunteers and spectators crowded the course to cheer for all of the athletes. The scenes on the bike course would outdo even the most decorative parties. Many fans cheered alongside monkeys and bananas, sumo wrestlers and speedo wearers, hoping to get the athletes to flash a quick smile as they pounded away pedaling up the hills.
As the final miles cruised by on the bike, the athletes had a “short” run of 26.2 miles, or what some call a marathon. The athletes ran through the streets of Madison as the crowds cheered throughout the course. All shapes and sizes could be seen out on the course, and there was no one out there that didn’t have a story. Whether it is an athlete that has lost 100 pounds and changed their life, or another who is staying clean from drugs by competing in the ironman race, each one is special.
At the finish line, it was a party for the ages. Music blasted and emotions ran high as athletes completed the day long journey all the way up until midnight.
Once Traverzo finished the race, he nearly collapsed in pure happiness. “There is no greater feeling than finishing this race,” he said. “I had my ups and downs, but seeing that finish line was something I will never forget.”
Each athlete came across the finish line with the biggest smile anyone could attempt to make. Such a feat can only be capped off with the words of the announcer shouting, “You are an ironman!” The journey to accomplish this race is nothing short of extraordinary and only those who have done it can explain the feeling.