My husband is an IRONMAN!!!

HE DID IT! What an amazing weekend. I am still high from the excitement of the event. I do not like to watch sports, but I had a blast being a spectator while Pete completed his first Iron Distance triathlon. We have to turn the volume off to watch the video because the whole time I was recording I was screaming in excitement as Pete passed by. The way this course was set up, I got to see Pete 6 times during the race and Pops snapped some really great pictures while I videoed and screamed my head off. My heart would race as he neared and passed each time. I am so incredibly proud of you, Pete!

Here is how the day unfolded...



7:00 am - This is Pete right before the start of the race. Wet suit on, transition set up, ready to go...




7:15 am - The craziness of the mass start swim. Actually Pete said this one was not bad. 160 people started the race. Here they all are beginning their 2.4 mile swim in Lake Hefner, Oklahoma City. It was a 1.2 mile loop that they had to do twice. The water was 75 degrees which made it wet suit legal. The wet suit helped keep their bodies on top of the very choppy water. It was a difficult swim because of the waves.


8:45 am - finished with the swim! Pete completed the swim in 1:27.


After you come out of the water, the volunteers help strip your wet suit off of your body. That is what I am going to volunteer to do next year! :)


In transition 1, wet suit off, bike shorts, jersey, shoes, helmet and glasses on...let's bike!

8:48 am - start of the bike portion, heading out for a 112 mile ride



11:45 am - coming up to the bike turn around. This was the half way point on the bike; 56 miles down, 56 more to go. He looked so good. Still smiling!


12:15 pm - we drove over and cheered him on as he passed one of the bike aid stations. He was very surprised to see us at this point.



2:50 pm - Finished with the bike!!! 112 miles in 6:02! And still smiling! Amazing. This was after swimming and biking in 90+ degrees for over 7 hours. What a trooper.



3:00 pm - coming out of transition 2 to start a marathon run in stifling heat. By this point Pete had made a friend and they decided to run together.



5:15 pm - Nana and I wait to encourage Pete at the half way point on the run.


5:20 pm - Here he comes! No running buddy anymore. Pete comes up to the turn around solo and smiling. Looking great and feeling strong. 2:20 and 13.1 miles into the run he is doing so well that he does not even need his special needs bag....



he just makes the turn and keeps on trucking. See ya at the finish babe!



7:25 pm - Pops, Nana and I were standing at the finish line and had calculated that if Pete was able to maintain his pace from the first half of the marathon then he would be coming up the path in 30 minutes. As we were discussing this we hear over the loud speaker "and here comes Pete Underwood from Burleson, Texas finishing his first ever ironman!" We screamed and grabbed the cameras just in time to catch his unbelievable finish. He had finished his 2nd half 30 minutes faster than his first. Incredible. He trained to do a negative split and after 12 hours of non-stop motion and burning heat he was able to execute that with a 4:28 marathon. I could not believe my eyes.




Pete's official finish time was 12:10:02. His goal was 15 hours. I'd say he blew that out of the water. He was the 16th person to cross the finish line. Only 105 of the 160 athletes who started were able to complete the entire race due to the heat. The overall winner was interviewed on stage and he said that this was his 3rd ironman and by far the hardest because of the choppy swim and the heat.


My husband, the ironman! I am so proud!

The athletes are encouraged to go to the med tent and receive IV fluids to help rehydrate after the race. I was able to sit with Pete and hear all about his monumental day out on the course. I cannot describe to you how excited and proud I am of his accomplishment. Way to go, Pete! I love you!

**And a very special thanks to Pops and Nana for coming and taking the awesome pictures, driving me around, paying for all of my food...etc.

**And a VERY special thanks to Grandma Charlotte for keeping the girls all weekend so that I could devote all of my attention to Pete. She did not tell me that she also had Jacob and Zach, so she was just as busy as Pete this weekend! You are awesome, we love you!