In honour of this weekend’s Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and the amateur heroes of the 100km Brisbane to Gold Coast Bike Ride for Charity in the wet, we decide this week’s theme should celebrate Insane Endurance Sporting Events week.
Endurance Sporting Events are only for the very fit or insane, most of us respecting them for the fact that we couldn’t be arsed doing it ourselves.
We salute those who took on endeavours this week, and as per usual we list our favourite Endurance Sporting Events of all time.
Ironman World Championships
The Ironman World Championships are probably the most insane of the Endurance Sporting Events.
3.862km Swim, 180.2km Bike ride, and marathon length 42.2km run.
Truly insane. And this year’s winner – Patrick Lange – did the whole ting in under 8 hours for the first time ever.
Respected but insane.
English Channel Swim / Swim from Cuba to Florida
Nothing says Insane Endurance Sporting Events than swimming a ridiculous distance between two pieces of land for no good reason. Other than to do it and/or break a record.
And nothing says Endurance Sporting Events than requiring yourself to be covered in grease to achieve the feat.
The English Channel is by far the most well known, and Susie Maroney the most famous person that we can remember. There also a pub in Dover somewhere that has people’s Channel crossing times on the walls.
Swimming from Cuba to Florida is almost as impressive, and you used to get to meet Castro.
We are still waiting for someone to break the reported Pumicestone Passage crossing record of ex Olympic swimmer Karen van Wirdum, perhaps someone in the spirit of Celebrate Insane Endurance Sporting Events Week could attempt it again.
3000ft El Capitan Rock Climb Without Ropes
This certainly ticks the box as one of the great Endurance Sporting Events. But it really isn’t an event more of a solo achievement.
Alex Honnold was the person to do it without any safety gear, described in detail here.
It would be more impressive if it wasn’t flogged as a motivational tool in workplaces by those who have very little to offer otherwise.
Cliff Young & Ultra Marathons
Who doesn’t love an older gentleman taking on Ultra marathons?
Cliff Young became a household name in the 1980’s, and we remember him and his Westfield’s Ultra Marathon races.
We even found a Youtube clip to enjoy.
FINALLY….
Previously we would have said sitting and listening to the Channel Nein Cricket team and their summer of cricket was one of the great Endurance Sporting Events. Great now that the Channel Nein team have lost the broadcast rights on Cricket. Sadly they have spread the dickheads across Fox Cricket and Channel Seven now,
We actually came up with a guide of who plays where.
Now we’ll just say, unfairly, that watching 80 minutes of any Wallabies game is one of the Endurance Sporting Events you could endure.
