History of Ironman:
During the awards ceremony for a Hawaii running race, a debate ensues among competitors about who is more fit -- swimmers, runners or other athletes. One of the participants, Navy Commander John Collins and his wife Judy, dream up a race to settle the argument. They propose combining three existing races together, to be completed in succession: the Waikiki Roughwater Swim (2.4 miles), the Around-Oahu Bike Race (112 miles, originally a two-day event) and the Honolulu Marathon (26.2 miles).
"Whoever finishes first, we’ll call the Ironman," said Collins. Fifteen men participate in the initial event held on February 18, 1978; 12 complete the race, led by the first Ironman, Gordon Haller. His winning time: 11 hours, 46 minutes and 58 seconds.
And thus, Ironman triathlon was born.
Since those humble beginnings, the sport of Ironman has developed into an international phenomenon. With 18 sanctioned races worldwide, Ironman touches all corners of the globe and has races on all of the continents of the world, except Antarctica.
Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid:
The first Ironman race added in the continental United States, Ironman USA Lake Placid, utilizes the beauty of the Olympic region and the surrounding Adirondack Mountains.
A tiny village of 3,000, Lake Placid has played host to a pair of Winter Olympic Games (1932 and 1980) and a host of other international competitions, and is well-known as a tourist destination. The victory in 1980, known as the ‘Miracle on Ice’ of the US Men’s Ice Hockey team over the U.S.S.R. team occurred at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid.
Despite only having hosted an Ironman event for a few years, Lake Placid is quickly becoming one of the top triathlon destinations around the world.
Thank you Jeff and congratulations!
The McCarty Cancer Foundation would like to thank Jeff Huebner for his incredible fundraising efforts. Jeff raised approximately $15,000 and we are truly grateful for his hard work and dedication. We would also like to congratulate him on competing in the Iron Man!
To learn more about Jeff's story, please see below.
As you may know, on July 23, 2006, I will participate in the Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid triathlon, which features a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a complete marathon (26.2 miles) all in succession. The Ironman is known as one of the most grueling athletic events in the world and also one of the most inspiring.
While I expect this to be a significant accomplishment, I fully recognize that it is inherently a selfish pursuit. So in following the steps of many others, I hope to raise money through the race for a worthy and meaningful cause. The McCarty Cancer Foundation is the perfect recipient of these efforts.
The McCarty Cancer Foundation is dedicated to funding research to discover a cure for multiple myeloma, a terminal cancer of the bone marrow and one of the fastest growing forms of cancer in the United States. In addition, the Foundation devotes funds to raising awareness of this cancer and improving the quality of life for myeloma cancer patients.
This Foundation has great meaning to me because in the 1990’s my uncle, John Marlette of Rochester Hills, MI, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Little did I know it at the time, but my uncle was sharing this experience with Craig McCarty, father of a former Detroit Red Wing hockey player, Darren McCarty. Growing up as a hockey player and Detroit area native, I certainly knew about the great Darren McCarty!
In addition, I recently learned that my uncle was involved with the founding of the McCarty Cancer Foundation. Hence, the connection to my hometown, love of hockey and most importantly, my Uncle John, makes raising money for the McCarty Cancer Foundation through the Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid triathlon all the more meaningful.
The description of the Ironman triathlon includes the words ‘grueling’ and ‘inspiring’. I equate those words with battling cancer. Hence, the most motivating factor in this whole endeavor is the hope that it will benefit future cancer patients!
Will you consider joining with me to support the McCarty Cancer Foundation through the Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid triathlon? The total distance of the race is 140.6 miles. Perhaps a contribution of $1 or even $10 per mile to help the Foundation’s mission? I know it would be greatly appreciated!
Contributions can be made online at www.januscharitychallenge.com/LP06/jeffhuebner or by calling the Foundation at 800-746-0355 before July 23. If you would like to contribute by check or just learn more, please contact me directly at 917-797-4218.
I will provide a post-race summary in August that includes the amount raised for the Foundation and my experience in the event.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Jeff Huebner