Chances are you’ve seen the iconic video —in my opinion, one of the most moving in all of sports history.
In it, a woman struggles to the finish line of a little-known race that billed itself as the toughest one-day test of endurance on the planet.
The year was 1982, the event was the Ironman–just five years old at the time–and the woman was Julie Moss.
Exhausted, repeatedly collapsing and rising to wobbly legs after 140+ miles of swimming, biking, and running, 23 year-old Moss was passed just yards from the finish line. Moments later, in a gutsy display of determination, Moss refused all help and crawled across the finish herself to nab second place.
The moment was captured on ABC’s Wide World of Sports and helped propel the Ironman World Championship to its current status as a major sporting–and media–event. With 28 Ironman races each year around the world that build to the World Championship race, the main event boasts a prize purse of $650,000 and a significant number of sponsored athletes who build careers around competing for its title. This year’s race was held on October 13 in Kona, Hawaii, and the NBC Special about it airs this Saturday, October 27 from 4-6 PM ET.
One of the more interesting races-within-the-race involves that very same woman who crawled across that finish line so memorably 30 years ago: Julie Moss. Now in their 50’s, Moss and the woman who passed her for first place, Kathleen McCartney, will go head-to-head once again in this year’s race. You can read about their friendly rivalry here.
Also racing this year is Natascha Badmann, a six time winner who, at the age of 45, pulls off a finish this year that proves that age is but a number. The men’s race is worth watching as well, with 3-time winner and current course record holder Craig Alexander returning to defend his crown against smack-talking 2-time winner Chris McCormack (who beat him in their last matchup in 2010).
If you’re a member, the DC Tri club is hosting an Ironman viewing party at Penn Social at 801 E Street NW. Check out details here. If you’re not a member but have been thinking about joining, there’s never been a better excuse to do so–and a better time and place to get inspired. You can join the club here.
Catch the action this Saturday, 4-6 PM ET on NBC!
