Volunteering at the Lake Placid Ironman 2009

The Lake Placid Ironman was a fantastic and motivating experience. I was moved to tears at several points throughout the day as I witnessed the sheer strength and determination of the human spirit. Watching an Ironman is an experience that I would recommend to anyone.

John and I signed up to serve as volunteers, and that was an excellent decision for so many reasons. First, volunteering gave us priority registration for the 2010 event, and I’m happy to report that we are registered. This consideration is not insignificant since Lake Placid has sold out onsite in previous years, and this year was no exception. Several hundred volunteers stood in line on Monday morning, along with another several hundred athletes who hoped that there would be some slots left. No doubt there were a few that walked away disappointed. (The event only permits about 2400 athletes.) For anyone who is considering an ironman – at Lake Placid or anywhere else – do yourself a favor and volunteer. You can sign up online at the specific event’s website.

Volunteering was also excellent because we were so close to the athletes. We were assigned to the swim cipro chute, working to keep spectators out of the area, to keep the carpets safe, and to pick up any objects that the athletes may have dropped. As the competitors came out of Mirror Lake following their 2.4 mile swim, John was able to get phenomenal pictures, like this one:

1swim.winner

The Czech Republic’s Tereza Macel was the first athlete out of the water at 50:48, beating all of the men and women to transition 1. She went on to take the female title, with a commanding 12 minute lead over the second place female, Hillary Biscay. (More information about the race results is available here: http://triathlon.competitor.com/news/twelsiek-macel-dominate-in-victories-at-ironman-lake-placid/).

Volunteering was also great because it allowed us to feel a part of this spectacular event. I was proud to help these athletes, and got a slightly sore throat from cheering all day long. And, though it may sound trite, I was happy to give back to the sport. Many volunteers have worked the races in which I’ve participated, and without them, the events would not be possible at all. I will absolutely volunteer again – it was a great experience.