Worth celebrating
Devin Heilman | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 11 years, 4 months AGO
<p>Derek Garcia, of Post Falls, celebrates as he approaches the finish line of the 2013 Ironman Coeur d'Alene on Sunday. Garcia, a professional triathlete, was the first local male to finish the event, in its 11th year, in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Chrystie Hjeltness, of Coeur d'Alene, reacts after finishing Sunday's Ironman triathlon.</p>
<p>After winning the 2013 Ironman Coeur d'Alene and jogging back up the finish line chute, Ben Hoffman hugs his girlfriend Kelsey Deery. Hoffman finished the event with a time of 8:17:31, setting a course record.</p>
<p>T-Roy Brown, of Bend, Oregon, runs along Lakeside Avenue during the marathon portion of Sunday's Ironman Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Kristi Stocking cheers just a few feet before completing Ironman Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Nathan Birdsall, of Coeur d'Alene, gives high fives to spectators while approaching the finish line of Ironman Coeur d'Alene on Sunday.</p>
<p>Volunteer Dave Tolliver offers post-race support to athlete Michael Rushton beyond the finish line.</p>
<p>A young spectator waits with a checkered flag for the first athletes to cross enter the finish chute of the 2013 Ironman Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Steven Tyson, of Sandpoint, takes his final strides of the 2013 Ironman Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Award medals for 2013 Ironman Coeur d'Alene finishers are lined up on a table near the finish line.</p>
<p>Spectators cheer in support of Ironman athletes on their way to the finish line.</p>
<p>Ironman elite female Olesya Prystayko of Clermont, Florida warms up early Sunday morning before the swim portion of Ironman 2013 at the Coeur d'Alene City Beach.</p>
<p>Ironman pro, Christine Anderson from Boulder, Colorado splashes water in her face in preparation for the start of the swimming leg of the Ironman Coeur d'Alene triathlon Sunday morning.</p>
<p>Triumphantly raising his fist, Brad Heuer of Coeur d'Alene enters the water at City Beach Sunday morning during Ironman Coeur d'Alene 2013</p>
<p>Sunday morning Ironman Coeur d'Alene participants rush into Lake Coeur d'Alene as the triathlon commences.</p>
<p>One of the first female Pros to exit the water after the swim section of Ironman Coeur d'Alene, April Lea Gallatly of Sugar Hill, Georgia runs through the gate leading to City Park Sunday.</p>
<p>Surfacing to take a breath, Michael Rushton of Baker, Oregon swims in Lake Coeur d'Alene Sunday morning during the Ironman triathlon.</p>
<p>Neil Amadio emerges from Lake Coeur D'alene after his first lap of the swim portion of Ironman Coeur d'Alene early Sunday morning.</p>
<p>Ironman triathletes flooded Lake Couer d'Alene Sunday morning.</p>
<p>Johns Creek, Georgia local Finn Smith ties his shoe in the transition area between the swim portion and the cycling section of Ironman Coeur d'Alene on Sunday.</p>
<p>Riding in first place, Ironman pro Ben Hoffman of Boulder Colorado cruises along Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive Sunday during the 2013 Ironman Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Ironman pro and Coeur d'Alene local, Nathan Birdsall blazes around a corner going onto Sherman Avenue Sunday during Ironman Coeur d'Alene 2013.</p>
<p>Cecil Pegram of Billings, Montana rolls off his bike after being knocked off balance by another cyclist Sunday afternoon at the turnaround on highway 95 during Ironman Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Riding down highway 95, Katie Anne Macinnis of Calgary, Alabama pedals through the bicycling portion of Ironman Coeur d'Alene Sunday.</p>
<p>Volunteer Chris Kidd entertains Ironman triathletes along highway 95 with his band "Hell America" Sunday.</p>
<p>Laura Herman exhales heavily while running down Sherman Avenue in Sunday's Ironman Coeur d'Alene triathlon.</p>
<p>At Ironman Coeur d'Alene Sunday evening, Gregory Kirkner of Duxbury, Mass., keeps pace along Sherman Avenue during the marathon leg of the triathlon.</p>
<p>Michael Krulc of Tacoma, Washington takes a turn onto Sherman Avenue Sunday evening as a man kicks his feet up for a while at the 2013 Ironman triathlon in Coeur d'Alene.</p>
<p>Amy Craft of Houston, Texas gets cheered on by Ironman spectators Sunday afternoon as she runs up 9th Street during the marathon section of the triathlon.</p>
<p>Russ Porter sports a "Mr. Beaker" mask from "The Muppet Show" as he volunteers at Ironman Coeur d'Alene Sunday.</p>
<p>A cyclist makes his way up a grade on U.S. 95 during Ironman Coeur d'Alene on Sunday.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - "You are an Ironman!" the announcer declared as they crossed the finish line on Sherman Avenue on Sunday.
Some runners let out primal roars as they neared the end of the race. Others wore beaming smiles, or jumped around in dances of glory. A few collapsed, exhausted from the day's arduous journey, their eyes glossy and on the verge of tears.
But on many of their faces was the look of victory. They conquered the 11th annual Ironman Coeur d'Alene.
At least 45 athletes from Coeur d'Alene and the surrounding area participated in the triathlon, which entailed 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running.
Derek Garcia of Post Falls was the first local male athlete to cross the finish line. His wife and sons greeted him with loving embraces. He kissed his 3-year-old on the head, as moisture dripped from his brow. It was Garcia's third Ironman. He said he trains about 25 hours a week all year 'round.
"I just really appreciate our community," he said. "They really lift me up." He said his family is also a driving force and inspiration for him to do well in the races. Garcia was in the male's pro division, and finished with an overall time of 9 hours, 19 minutes, 24 seconds.
This was Nathan Birdsall's fourth Ironman Coeur d'Alene, but he has also participated in events in Arizona and Louisville. Birdsall, of Coeur d'Alene, said the race gets easier when mile 24 is crossed because the finish line is so close.
"You feel great up until the point when you cross it," he said. "All the pain hits you that you've kind of been putting off."
Birdsall went straight from the finish line to the medical area to catch his breath. He has exercise-induced asthma. Although it wasn't much of a problem, he said the longer races can bring it on. His plans for the evening weren't quite as exciting as his day.
"I'm perfectly content with a shower and some couch time," Birdsall said. His overall time in the men's pro division was 9:57:27.
"It wasn't the time that I wanted, but I gave it what I had," he said. "I'm happy with myself for toughing it out. It was a good day."
Also to cross the finish line early was Steven Tyson of Sandpoint. Tyson was in the men's 35-39 division and finished with an overall time of 9:33:50. Last year was his first Ironman Coeur d'Alene.
"This year, I'm doing it for my dad who passed away in February. He's my inspiration," Tyson said. He said he was really happy with his results, but also glad to be done.
Chrystie Hjeltness of Coeur d'Alene, the top local female finisher for the second straight year, has participated in 18 Ironman, 10 of them in Coeur d'Alene.
"I feel really good, considering," she said, a bit exasperated after finishing the race. She also said she was happy to be done. Her time was 11:56:33 in the female 45-49 division.
Running just moments behind Hjeltness was Jaimee Myers of Coeur d'Alene. Myers finished in 11:58:16 in the female 25-29 division, and said she felt amazing because she shaved almost two hours off her 2011 time.
"My coach kicked my butt," she said. She has participated in two Ironmans and one half-Ironman. Myers trained for four months, but had to take some time off when she contracted bird flu. But that didn't stop her.
"I love the crowd and I love the energy, and there's a lot of fast girls in my age group I try to keep up with," she said.
For Ironman Coeur d'Alene results, visit www.www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/ironman/coeur-dalene.