The Riddle of the IronMan

Alec Riddle Ironman Race report and Background

Alec Riddle Ironman

Background

My late Stepson Reece Walton was the catalyst to me getting going again in sport (having let myself go and hit the Ton Up…. not a pleasant Ton believe me). When Reece passed tragically after being in a coma for 7 weeks, I committed myself to getting back into shape.

That was the spark, which became a flame, then a burning desire to compete….. and I was slowly but surely getting back into shape, improving my fitness and my outlook.

In 1985/6/7 I watched the winner of the Durban Ultra qualify for Hawaii, while I (the runner up) remained at home. In 1990 I eventually won the Durban Ultra and qualified for Kona but never got there due to sporting boycotts, so there has always been some unfinished business that needs settling on my bucket list.

In 2005 I set myself a goal of going to Kona in 2010, the year I turned 50 and steadily worked towards that. I managed to qualify with a 9h58 in the SAIM in 2010 and went to Boulder to prepare.

Unfortunately the weekend before I was due to transfer to Kona, I had a bike accident and shattered my clavicle. I returned to South Africa for a collar bone operation on my 50th birthday….. and Plan B was hatched…. 70.3 Worlds in Clearwater Florida just 7 weeks later…. No idea how but I managed a podium finish (3rd).

2011 the target was once again Kona, but I failed to qualify and almost went to Zurich to try qualify, but decided to give World 70.3 in Las Vegas a shot.

World 70.3 in Las Vegas Report