We arrived still at night, there was a slight mist in the air, the water was calm, a true mirror of water, we only notice some current through the inclination of the buoys, we could fell in the air the nervousness that hovered over those who came, this was most noticeable among the athletes, but also among those who were there to help them.
It’s necessary to go back more than 40 years to realize how it all began. Hawaii, in 1978, a group of 15 military personnel stationed there, encouraged by John Collins, who challenged them to put together the three toughest competitions in that archipelago: the Waikiki Rough Water Swim, where athletes have to swim 3.8km; a race around the island by bicycle, covering 180km; and the 42,195 km Honolulu Marathon. Of the 15 athletes who on February 18, 1978 launched themselves into the Pacific waters, only 12 completed the 226km of the challenge. Gordon Haller, a US Navy veteran, stands for triathlon history as the first Ironman winner.
A few years later, a group of triathletes in their way to Porto, returning from a triathlon, begin to cook the idea of having a race at this mythical distance in the city. The idea starts to grow and on October 7, 2017 the Spirit of 78 Triathlon was born, an event that aims to honour these 12 pioneers.
The initial idea was based on providing the experience of an Ironman distance race, without the high costs that the vast majority of distance races have. In order to honour the heroes of 78, athletes are encouraged to perform the race as close as possible to the first race, this includes the use of steel bicycles, with the gear shift selectors in the frame, the use of equipment from that period, as speedos and knitted top. But the most important thing is to have athletes in the start line with moustaches, sideburns or beards similar to those used in the 70s.
Participation in the Spirit of 78 Triathlon is limited to a restricted number of athletes, who are chosen from all those interested in participating. Being one of the initial objectives of the race to honour the first Ironman heroes, each athlete is drawn a bid number and the name of an athlete who has stood out in the distance over the past 41 years.
Returning to the present, the same day many had their eyes set on Hawaii at the Ironman World Cup final and saw Jan Frodeno become world champion, many others had their eyes set on Porto city and on the 41 athletes who started the third edition of Spirit of 78 Triathlon.
The longest day of the year, by these bands, was attended by a very diverse group of athletes, which included 2 women, 5 totalist athletes of the race, the two champions in title, Margarida Reis and Pedro Reis, one of the big names of the long distance triathlon in Portugal, Rafael Gomes, and many others who have spent many hours preparing for this adventure. And as it should be, the vast majority of athletes appeared dressed up as they should.
As a practical point of view, the race has been designed with only a single supply point, so that athletes' volunteers and assistants are not scattered and separated from each other, making the assistance task much more difficult. Since the first edition that turned out to be a winning bet, the epicentre of the event becomes a party, with music, a lot of animation and with hundreds of people ready to help athletes whenever they pass through there, with the supplies or with words of encouragement, which help them to make the distance much less painful.
The swimming, done in the Douro River, had the usual 4.2 km, which, being a little more than the original 3.8 km, this extra ends up being compensated with the river flow, although this year was not so strong as in previous years. Here the race deviates somewhat from the original, as it requires the use of neoprene suits, for safety's reasons, we must realize that the waters are not exactly those of Hawaii.
The cycling segment takes place in a 30 km course along the winding road, which athletes have to go through 6 times, thus having 6 passes in the fuelling zone, situated next to one of the returns.
The running segment was conceived in a course of 7 km, also with 6 laps. But unlike cycling where fuelling is done at one end, the fuelling zone is exactly halfway through the running course, allowing athletes to feed every 3.5 km. The inland section of the race is made on a footbridge just above the Douro river. To the opposite side the race is done on the wide promenade until near the centenary Maria Pia bridge.
The entire race is in line with Ironman's beginnings, the aforementioned outfit, the bicycles, the assistance and feeding responsibility of each athlete's, and the timing, which is all done by hand, but leaves nothing to be desired from modern timing.
The day started early, with the sun still hiding behind the hills, as the athletes were teleported to 1978 and were all lined up for start another adventure on the Douro River and its banks.
The first athlete getting out of the water was Paulo Esteves Pereira, who stayed shortly in front of the race, as Rafael Gomes passed him, wanted to show early on why he had travelled to Porto, taking the first place, no longer to let it go. It should be noted that he presented himself dressed up, having brought the bicycle with which he became Portuguese national junior champion in the 90s, having beaten the Spirit of 78 Triathlon record with the time of 9:54:40. The second athlete to finish was Valter Nogueira, who soon in the bicycle won second position and gave his best to try to approach first place. The most disputed place and that had more owners throughout the race, was the third, with João Sousa getting to it already in the running segment. João took his participation in Spirit a little further than all the other athletes, besides the steel bike, speedo and top, wore a helmet used in the seventies, and regarding to the necessary fuel, he decided to give up bars, gels and isotonic, having kept racing only with food based on sandwiches, crackers, marmalade, bananas, coke, chocolate and water.
In women, the great champion was Margarida Bleck Cunha Reis who revalidated the title and joined Pedro Reis as two-time champions of the Spirit of 78 Triathlon. Second was Carmen Santos Lima, who a few months ago knew little about triathlon and being very resilience finished the race with a big smile on her lips.
The icing on the cake was saved to the end, as the athletes reached the finish line they were handed a trophy, a trophy that is a replica of the trophy given to the finishers of the first edition of Ironman. This trophy exists at the initiative of an athlete present in last year's edition, Pedro Conceição, when he proposed to do for all who finished this replica. This year he returned to race again and in his suitcase he brought back the small figures. In the future it will become the prize for all those who dedicate themselves and finish the Spirit of 78 Triathlon.
On this autumn day, the true spirit of the first edition of Ironman was lived, the relaxation, the conviviality, the mutual help and the camaraderie that, despite making the race more relaxed, did not let the competitive part be neglected. We could see the athletes in the last positions smiling and supporting the others they came across with as if they were in first place. In the end the faces of those who were cutting the finish line showed smiles torn from ear to ear. The general feeling was that by 2020 everyone would be back at the starting line.
More than a race, it's a family!
