Every year with Ironman we like to go and watch the cycle leg somewhere to support these amazing sportsmen and women. Like last year we joined a big number of other supporters at Grass Roof next to Seaview Road as you can see them going both ways.
This past weekend was Ironman weekend in the Bay and Port Elizabeth showed off as usual. Beautiful weather, great scenery and, most importantly, excellent support. One of the things most Ironman visitors to PE comment about is the support along the course. We headed out to Seaview Road at Grass Roof and joined a couple of hundred other supporters cheering on the Ironman competitors on the cycle leg.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYhdYCsOiiA&w=500&h=400]On the 1st and 2nd of September 2018, Nelson Mandela Bay is playing host to the 70.3 Ironman World Championship here in Port Elizabeth. Check out this stunning host city video that has just been posted by Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism. Not just is Port Elizabeth one of the best Ironman venues in the world, it also boasts fantastic scenery, history, culture, wildlife and food for visiting competitors and their families and supporters.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBokxilvWjI&w=500&h=400]This Sunday its time for the 2017 Ironman African Championship here in Port Elizabeth. The excitement is building up and the vibe is especially evident on the beachfront. To get you in the spirit of the event, here is the highlights package from last year's event.
Preparations for this weekend's Ironman African Championship along with the related events, Ironkids and the Corporate Challenge, taking place on Saturday is in full swing on the beachfront.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IadgC9ls0k&w=500&h=400]Probably one of the biggest pieces of sport news of the year broke about two or three weeks ago when Port Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela Bay was announced at hosts for the Ironman 70.3 (also known as Half Ironman) World Champs in 2018. The event is even bigger than the annual Ironman African Championship that takes place in the city and attracts over 3 000 competitors from around 70 countries along with all their families, supporters as well as international…
No doesn't that just look inviting? And before somebody comments about the fact that the water is probably cold because there are all those people on the side and nobody in the pool. This was taken at the Ironkids event last weekend. The people are parents and supporters watching the kids in the water in the other pool.
This is a scene that played itself off over and over at Saturday's Ironkids event. Fathers doing the run leg along with their kids (often with mothers a few steps behind). But if it only was as easy as it sounds. Most of us huffed and puffed along carrying bags and cameras, taking photos, encouraging the kids to keep going and sidestepping other parents and the general public along the way. Not quite as easy (or dignified) as it sounds.…
One of the main reasons we wanted to go down and support the runners along Beach Road during Ironman was to cheer on four of our friends taking part. We parked our camp chairs in front of the McArthur pool complex and settled in for the evening. Our friend B had a tough time on the second loop of the bike so she was slightly behind the others but we decided to stick it out till she passed us the last…
After we spent most of the day on Sunday supporting the Ironman cyclists we headed down to the beachfront after dinner to spent some time supporting those same Ironmen and women on their running leg. Loved Die Burger's poster that said "Moenie omkyk nie" (Don't look back). I don't think I saw anybody look back. I think they are just too tired to care what is happening behind them.