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[/media-credit]More than 2,000 people set off from Law Park Sunday morning with 140.6 miles ahead of them in Wisconsin's sixth annual Ironman Triathlon.
The competitors began their morning with a 2.4-mile swim, followed by 112 miles on bike, and then a 26.2 mile run.
Maik Twelsiek from Germany won the men's division, and Gina Ferguson of New Zealand won the women's division, according to the Associated Press.
For one athlete, 51-year-old Joe Bonness of Milwaukee, yesterday's race marked the completion of his 50th Ironman Triathlon.
"'Addicted' is the word," said Bonness' wife with a laugh, who was loyally waiting for him at the finish line.
Bonness finished the race in 9 hours and 44 minutes, which, according to his wife, makes him the first place winner within the 50-54 age group by at least an hour.
When asked how he stays energized throughout the race, Bonness said he takes about an ounce of a high carbohydrate gel every ten miles.
"I try to consume about 500 calories an hour," Bonness said.
Within the next two months, Bonness will compete in the Hawaii and Florida Ironman races as well.
From a security standpoint, Dane County Sgt. R.J. Lurquin said the event went very smoothly. Lurquin and his team of officers were responsible for patrolling a majority of the bike portion of the race.
"We didn't really experience any problems at all," Lurquin said. "Probably the biggest problems we had were at some intersections where spectators were stepping into the road — we had to remind them to stay out of the road, but certainly nothing that needed more attention than that."
Success with the security of the race was no easy feat, considering the sea of spectators that came out to cheer on the racers.
Competitor Mike Vance, who completed his second Ironman race in Wisconsin and fifth Ironman race yesterday, said the support from spectators was a tremendous help.
"The crowd up here is fantastic all across the course," Vance said.
According to Vance, the feeling of crossing the finish line with fans cheering, music blaring, and announcer calling your name was irreplaceable.
The event, in its entirety, ran from 7 a.m. Sunday to midnight.
Check out some additional commentary by Badger Herald features editor Alec Luhn in The City Within.
