Auke Bay - Ironman Alaska 2022 (August 11, 2022)
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Ironman competitions have gone mainstream and worldwide, moving far beyond the original, cultish, extraordinary Ironman races in Hawaii. Now marketed and conducted widely as IRONMAN productions, the distances and inherent physical and mental challenges remain the same. Triathlons in various lengths are popular, but full Ironman triathlons are the epitome of a swim-bike-run triathlon. The durations of the most elite full Ironman performances are substantial and the efforts unrelenting. The current Ironman world records for men and women are respectively 7 hours 40 minutes and 8 hours 26 minutes. But the greater durations of less-than-elite performances shouldn’t be mistaken as less stressful or less accomplished. Even a “casual” Ironman competitor faces great physical and mental challenges.
IRONMAN, now big business, came to Alaska in August 2022. The epicenter of 2022 IRONMAN Alaska was the UAS Auke Lake campus. On a cool, gray morning that promised rain, about 865 entrants milled around the Auke Lake boat ramp waiting to start the swim leg. The low water temperature required the projected 2.4 mile swim distance be shortened, for safety. This decision favored some athletes and disfavored others, since most entrants were stronger in one or two events than in the third.
Auke Lake looked serene. A few swimmers couldn't wait to get wet. Eliza and Justin Dorn, Juneau triathletes, are loose and happy in the start area. (She was the fifteenth overall woman; he had a terrific bike leg but was unable to finish the run.) Others relax and wait for their swim group to start. A canoe's bright reflection adds pre-start color to the lake's dark water.
Then, the start.
Swimmers entered the cold lake in staggered waves to minimize contact. The fastest swimmers made the most of this leg and ran into the paddock where they transitioned to the bike leg.
Most began transitioning as they ran from the lake to the bike paddock.
Liz Cullen catches up at the start of the bike ride with a fast swimmer. Cullen was ultimately the overall women's winner. The racer with the yellow bike had plastic bags in her bike shoes in an attempt to keep her feet warm.
Amber Stull, an experienced Anchorage triathlete, takes a tight position soon after the bike start.
Mckinsey Loan pedals out.
Even on a wet day, hydration is important.
A pleased competitor is about to start her bike leg.
Despite a cool, wet day, and the prospect of 112 miles of riding before running a full marathon, entrants are happy.
The bike leg of a full Ironman is 112 miles, and it took a double loop on the Glacier Highway north from Auke Bay to get that distance. The rain kept its promise, and riders contended with wet roads, spray from passing vehicles, and road grit, plus rough pavement at the most distant parts of the double loop. Even though race conditions were not exactly ideal, it was impressive to see cold, wet riders maintaining enough equanimity to wave or raise a thumb and smile at spectators cheering them on.
Suzanne Dvorak, standing beside the bike course two miles from the bike finish, took a series of great slow-shutter action shots of wet, but happy riders. The first is of Alex Whetman, already well ahead in the bike leg. (This group of images mistakenly bear my watermark; they should have shown Suzanne's. An issue to be fixed soon.)
John Bursell was, indeed, First, in his age group (and the 21st overall man).
Liz Cullen is on a mission.
Thumbs up for cheering spectators.
Not long after these racers passed Suzanne, they began rolling into the bike finishing lane at UAS, before transitioning to the run. The first biker in was Alex Whetman.
The bike finishing chute was sometimes crowded, and some riders were better than others at slowing down before the bike finishing line.
Justin Dorn finished a very strong bike leg.
Anchorage triathlete Todd Jackson slows for the bike finish. He finished fifteenth overall in the men.
Riders prepared for the run transition in different ways: dismounting early, and grimacing.
Approaching the bike finish, Amber Stull unlatches her shoes so she can run barefoot to speed her run transition. The sun briefly favored her bike finish, but her legs were covered with grit from the long, wet, and dirty, ride. She was the eighth woman finisher and fastest Alaskan woman overall.
She has a smile for the course workers as she finishes the bike stage.
Meanwhile, the leaders were already into the run. Alex Whetman crosses the run starting line.
The final leg was a full marathon, 26.2 miles, and required a double passage through the UAS campus. This meant that the top entrants were entering the finishing chute about the time many entrants were just finishing their first running loop through the campus. And also about that time, the rain returned, drenching the course (again) and all the entrants (again).
Liz Cullen floats in mid-air at the start of the run. Only 26.2 miles to go..
And about half a marathon later, still leading even on un-corrected time, Alex Whetman powers through his first loop at UAS.
There were injuries.
Rain drops bounce from the pavement during a cloudburst. Runners were dampened but undeterred by dense rain.
Overhanging moss loved the weather.
Even strong competitors trying to maximize their times had moments for their supporters.
Alex Whetman, form and pace not much different than when he started 26.2 miles earlier, sweeps toward the finish chute.
Franklin Rice is happy with his strong second:
And very happy to be finishing third:
A little stress is appropriate when finishing an Ironman with a great result (eighth overall man).
Never a better time for a strong finisher to unfurl the Ukrainian flag than in the finish chute.
Todd Fisher was the top Alaskan man in 15th overall.
In 21st overall, with a fine result, Juneau triathlete John Bursell.
Those who were just finishing their first UAS passage maintained stoic calm.
Liz Cullen celebrates as she enters the finish chute.
And still on course, steady, fast, and inscrutable:
I had agreed to photograph the event for the Anchorage Daily News, but after about nine hours, weather and the approaching ADN deadline prevented me from watching all the Alaskan entrants (about 70 entrants in total) finish. Watching and photographing was itself an endurance event. It was inspiring to watch the most elite athletes, but it was equally inspiring to watch more casual entrants confront both the physical stresses and the mental hurdles — walls, really — of the approaching two-loop ride in the rain and the two-loop marathon run.
I uploaded some of the photos Suzanne Dvorak and I took (her slow-shutter-speed photos of the leading riders are exceptional) both for submission to the ADN. I then uploaded many more to my IRONMAN Alaska website gallery. The link to that gallery is: https://www.zenfolio.com/bobeastaughimagery/p130634629 The ADN ran most, with a long story in the electronic edition. Here is the link. https://www.adn.com/sports/2022/08/08/anchorages-todd-jackson-leads-local-contingent-in-ironman-alaska/ The link works, but may not be visible unless you are a subscriber or guest. The ADN article focused on Anchorage athlete Todd Jackson. At the ADN's request near deadline I sent in two Jackson shots (biking, running) and the ADN led with the running shot of Jackson about to finish. I moved all those early uploads to a new gallery just for them. The link to that “elite” gallery is: https://www.zenfolio.com/bobeastaughimagery/p732028649 The same images are also in the main Ironman gallery, although some were reedited.
Selecting images for submission on deadline for the ADN was prompt, but it took much longer to go through all the image files produced by three cameras to select, process, and upload photos to the main Ironman gallery, since there were about 7400 to consider. The full gallery includes Suzanne Dvorak’s fine panning shots of most of the leaders in the rainy bike leg, about two miles from the finish. You might enjoy reliving a wet ride.
As always, huge athletic effort was on display. Many thanks to the athletes for their fine performances and gritty efforts.
I missed a lot of Alaska athletes, unavoidably, given the transitions and the weather and my primary responsibilities. There were times I had to simply cover the cameras and stop shooting (a luxury the entrants couldn't afford). I finally, as the rain continued and the time flew, had to quit shooting and begin selecting the files needed by the ADN. Since I was credentialed with Ironman for the ADN, my responsibility was to get high quality images to the ADN on deadline. Shooting every competitor and every Alaskan would have been inconsistent with that responsibility, even apart from the weather.
All photographers want their work seen, and I did two things to encourage that. First, I contacted IRONMAN media to see if the organization might want to use my images somehow.
Second, on August 24 I enabled a price list for my main gallery, mainly so anyone can get small digital files for free. I am only offering three items for "purchase." The smallest digital image files are appropriate for smartphones, etc., and anyone can "buy" them for free. Just select the image you want and "buy" it in the low resolution size. Go to checkout, where the assigned price is zero. Thus, the image is free. You will get an email with download instructions. Most people don’t want giant posters of themselves, and small 2x3 or 4x6 images are plenty.
Many will not want any image. They are welcome to browse through the gallery without charge.
There is one other purchase option: a commercial high-res file is $260 (plus tax). I am offering this reluctantly, to prevent commercial piracy.
I urge everyone to support the regular Ironman photographers by purchasing from them preferentially. I don't want to compete with photographers whose income probably depends on sales. I figure my small free files are too low-res to threaten “real” sales from the Ironman photogs. I would like people to see my work, but I am not seeking sales.
But, as usual, if there are any actual sales of my race photos, I will donate the proceeds to the Alyeska Ski Club, a 501(c)(3), whose ski races I photograph. As always, please email me if you have any questions or comments. [email protected]
Thanks for looking.
By the way, these are the captions I sent the ADN with the photos I submitted:
Bib 79
Canadian Liz Cullen, the top woman finisher, celebrates as she enters the finishing chute for the IRONMAN Alaska, at the end of the marathon, the final event, 10 hours and 23 minutes after beginning, with the swim leg, and transitioning to a 112-mile bike ride, before starting the full marathon.
Bib 121 (red and yellow jersey)
Juneau’s John Bursell splashes into the finish of the last event, the marathon, in the IRONMAN Alaska, after first completing the swim and bike segments. He won his class, age 55-59 and was the 21st overall man.
Bib 145 (white top, in finishing chute)
Alex Whetman of the Salt Lake City Tri Club is within a few exuberant steps of the finish line after giving a dominant performance in the Ironman Juneau. He was the first man overall, finishing 12 minutes 22 seconds ahead of Franklin Rice, in second.
Bib 710 (biker in black)
As she approaches the finish line for the bike leg of the Ironman Alaska, Anchorage’s Amber Stull starts taking off her bike shoe to speed her transition to the marathon run. The sun was briefly bright when she rolled in, but mud and dirt on her bike and legs were caused by rain on the road during the bike leg.
Bib 145
Alex Whetman, who ultimately won the Ironman Alaska by more than 12 minutes, dismounts from his bike before transitioning to the marathon. His visor reflects the bike finish line and road center line.
No bib number showing (silver helmet, blue Felt bike, red truck)
Rain during the bike leg of the Ironman Alaska didn’t dampen Jetson Swayze’s spirits, even through his tires and passing vehicles, kicked up spray and road debris. He was the eighth man overall and second in 35-39.
bandaged leg
Injuries were inevitable during the grueling Ironman Alaska race, and cool, wet conditions also prevented some competitors from finishing.
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After a lifetime of mainly expressing myself with words, my postings here will mainly rely on images. They will speak for themselves to some extent, but I'll usually add a few comments of explanation. I've taken photographs for decades, since the 1950's, inspired in part by my father's photographic skill. Four years of photo assignments and quality darkroom time eventually gave way to decades of casual and family picture-taking. I re-immersed myself when I left film and turned to digital.