Ironman Raleigh 70.3

Silly Mr. Raleigh! You're bronze, not iron.

Triathlons. I'm not sure whose addiction is worse: my husband's or mine. He loves racing; I adore shooting. So when my husband signed up for Ironman Raleigh 70.3 in 2013 I was beside myself at the thought of being able to get photographs of a race that brings people from 20 different countries together in an effort to test their physical and mental strength. To say that I had a fantastic time shooting last year is a gross understatement. In fact when registration for the 2014 race opened up, I'm not sure who was more excited about my husband's participation again this year: him or me.

Triathlons amaze me for so many reasons. What other sport allows an average athlete to toe the very same starting line with professionals, completing the very same course, on the very same day? For that matter, what sport allows physically challenged athletes to jump in on the action as well? Race morning almost always chokes me up because of this.

When I was in high school I played soccer and basketball. But I never got to be on the same field as Mia Hamm, nor did I ever get to shoot hoops next to Michael Jordan. And for that matter, a person with two prosthetic legs would have had to play in a completely different league than either of us if they wanted to enjoy the sport. But in triathlons, the average athlete who can finish the distance in the time allotted, is in. But this begs the question: who can possibly be "average" when finishing a Half Ironman?

So what did I get to see this year? Plenty! And for much of it, I saw it through misty eyes and a camera lens. Here is a quick breakdown of just a small part of what I got to experience as a bystander this year.

This isn't a view I, personally, get to see very often. I'm more of a night owl who wakes up before sunrise for triathlons.

Meet Mary Beth Ellis. I got to "chat" with her for a few minutes during the expo the day before the event. She is an 8x Ironman Champion since 2011! To say that I was a blubbering fool after realizing who she was would be kind. I even forgot to ask for a selfie!

The gentleman on the right did the entire event (no relay here)! It warms my heart that not only did he get the opportunity to do the same course as the pros, but he got to warm up with them before the race!

I am always encouraged when I see men and women who don't look like your average triathlete accomplish the amazing feat of finishing. I don't think this woman's smile ever left her face. She was beautiful from start to finish!

This was the swim start for my husband's wave. As they entered the water, the announcer informed all bystanders that this group had by-far the least amount of athletes wearing wetsuits. These crazy men were quite proud of that statistic... my husband included!

As a Disabled Veteran of the Army, I am a proud member of Team RWB. Every time I saw somebody "flying the Eagle" (wearing a Team RWB logo on their kit) I shouted to/for them. I even saw three amazing athletes (one of whom is a dear friend of mine) flying the flag as they ran the half marathon to complete the race. 

I seriously doubt the Race Director could have picked a better backdrop for the finish chute. While the photographers with FinisherPix were busy getting images of triathletes crossing the finish line, I was snagging shots with the State Capital in the background.

Care to see more? Check out the rest of my images in my online gallery. And stay tuned for more beautiful moments through the lens of my camera!