So what does it take to participate in this madness..besides the hellish training and expenses? Endurance? YES! Determination? CHECK! Then add in courage, passion and self confidence. Yes, self confidence to know you can do it. It takes a healthy confidence to get to the finish and to relax and enjoy the journey. A wise friend of mine told me this and I agree.
It also strikes me that these qualities are needed for life in general and would serve anyone well.
actuallyhere 
Totally agree. Too bad this was the last year, after so many.
It is. 30 years of history in the making. I think there will be a lot of nostalgia for years to come.
Those Ironmen and (women) are amazing. The amount of determination and dedication they display throughout their 10+ months of training leading up to the race is impressive. I was just at the NYC Ironman finish to cheer on a friend. It was such a moving experience to see people come across the finish with tears in their eyes.
It is great that you were able to be there cheering for your friend. I can’t even imagine what they go through to train and then compete. Its got to be incredible when they cross the finish line. We were able to cheer the athletes during the marathon portion. It felt like the least we could do. I wish I had volunteered.
Volunteering is a great idea. If they hold another one in NYC I’ll definitely volunteer.