November 15, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: DEBORAH ROBERTS PUGH
(662) 377-3712
Visit www.nmhs.net for an electronic version of this
article.
STARKVILLE, Miss.—Five Starkville residents
recently conquered the Ironman triathlon in Panama City Beach, Fla., considered
one of the most grueling events in all sports.
Tracy
Stebbins Madar, Brian Arnett, Haimes Critz, Dwight Reeves and Mann Conrad
competed in the triathlon Nov. 6.
Madar, who serves as director of
North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point Wellness Center, set her sights on
the Ironman four years ago at age 36 and convinced the others to join her. “I
wanted to do the Ironman when I turned 40,” she said. “This was the year.”
Of the 2,400 participants registered
for Ironman Florida, 300 didn’t show up and 86 others didn’t finish the race.
The Ironman dates back to 1978 when six guys in Hawaii were debating who was in
better shape: the guys who participated in the Waikiki 2.4-mile Rough Water
Swim and swam from one island to another; the guys who participated in the
112-mile “Around Oahu Bike Ride,” which was originally a two-day race, or the
guys who participated in the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon. They decided the
person who could do all three would be called Ironman. That first race, 15 guys
started and 12 finished.
Today, in addition to Hawaii and Florida, other
U.S. Ironman triathlons are held in Lake Placid, N.Y.; Madison, Wis.; and Coeur
D’Alene, Idaho. There are 17 Ironman races total worldwide. Ironman is the
international standard for personal perseverance, commitment and achievement.
It is a unique personal challenge where finishing is its own victory.
-30-
November 15, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: DEBORAH ROBERTS PUGH
(662) 377-3712
Visit www.nmhs.net for an electronic version of this
article.
WEST POINT, Miss.—Two employees of the North
Mississippi Medical Center-West Point Wellness Center recently conquered the
Ironman triathlon in Panama City Beach, Fla., considered one of the most
grueling events in all sports.
Tracy
Stebbins Madar, director of the Wellness Center, and fitness specialist Brian
Arnett completed the Nov. 6 event.
Madar, who serves as director of
North Mississippi Medical Center-West Point Wellness Center, set her sights on
the Ironman four years ago at age 36 and convinced Arnett and three other
Starkville residents to join her. “I wanted to do the Ironman when I turned
40,” she said. “This was the year.”
She had previously competed in
several triathlons and one half-Ironman this past May. “I registered for the
Ironman Florida the day after last year’s race,” she said. “They reached their
limit of participants within 24 hours.” Once she was in, she began serious
training for distance.
Madar, who was among the 22 percent of
competitors who were female, finished in 16:50:43. “I was just hoping to
finish,” she said. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.” Arnett
finished the race in 11:08:48.
Of the 2,400 participants registered
for Ironman Florida, 300 didn’t show up and 86 others didn’t finish the race.
The Ironman dates back to 1978 when six guys in Hawaii were debating who was in
better shape: the guys who participated in the Waikiki 2.4-mile Rough Water
Swim and swam from one island to another; the guys who participated in the
112-mile “Around Oahu Bike Ride,” which was originally a two-day race, or the
guys who participated in the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon. They decided the
person who could do all three would be called Ironman. That first race, 15 guys
started and 12 finished.
Today, in addition to Hawaii and Florida, other
U.S. Ironman triathlons are held in Lake Placid, N.Y.; Madison, Wis.; Coeur
D’Alene, Idaho. There are 17 Ironman races worldwide. Ironman is the
international standard for personal perseverance, commitment and achievement.
It is a unique personal challenge where finishing is its own victory.
-30-