Re: Ironman volunteers - comments on your experience
My fiance volunteered at both of my Ironman events.
In Madison for Ironman Wisconsin, she volunteered in the morning for Woman's Transition. She still brags to this day about her experience. She was not only inspired by these woman coming through Transition in their mental strength, but she was also humbled by exactly how grueling an event this could be. Knowing I was out on the swim course and yet so afraid of the "angry sea", it only made her much more nervous. But she absolutely love it. And she'd do it again. The best part was that her duties were over early on so that she could get out on the bike course, with the day still being so young, to cheer me on. She still wears her volunteer shirt with pride. I mean that. The volunteer position really helped her see the event from the inside, and the athletes not from the fuzzy-warm rose-colored glasses of her then fiance. The experience, I suppose, was probably glorified since that day marked the most memorable for us in our relationship. It was the day she had hoped for, but one she was not expecting. That day we both changed. And united. So the experience and how she talks about it could be biased.
Until in Idaho for Ironman Coeur d'Alene, where she volunteered, again in the morning, for Transition Bags, where she'd point athletes toward the row where their bags were, or sometimes where she'd actually retrieve the bags, or offer assistance. This was a bit different than the year before in Wisconsin, because here she just worked the bags whereas there (IMWI) she helped empty athlete bags and keep them moving along and not forgetting things, and then stuff all belongings back into bags once the athlete was gone. Volunteering at Coeur d'Alene cemented her thoughts of what Ironman is. It truly is amazing at how she is in awe of so many of the athletes. Being one of those athletes, it means more to me than words will allow, and it helps her understand exactly what the event means -- in preparation and mental fortitude. She brags to this day about her stint helping out here. Again, she loved it because of the course at Coeur d'Alene, in how once her duties were over, she was able to pumch our the entire downtown area, including Transition, and see me multiple times on the bike and run. For me it was absolutely fantastic, because of her enthusiasm and being so into the race and, even, my race, for her to see me so many times and tell me I was still on Sub-11 hour pace when I had no idea myself.
She enjoys the volunteering so much that she will volunteer in November when we go down for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater. And if family does not show up in Lake Placid next year, which they probably won't, she will volunteer again there.
Hope this helps. And if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to ask her for you or get you two in touch.
<-- that's me doing the happy dance!