Ironman World Championship Lottery Anticipation

We are less than 24 hours from hearing who is going to be able to follow their dreams, and who will have to wait another year.

I hope that I am one of those that gets to chance to follow the crazy dream that I have had since I was a child.  I remember the day like it was yesterday.  I was 13 years old, watching the 1988 Ironman World Championship, and thinking, "That looks impossible!"  I do remember, however, feeling that someday I would have the chance to do it.  Now if it was up to me, I would do it tomorrow, but alas, it is not up to me.  It is up to chance.

According to a statement for the World Triathlon Corporation:

Beginning in 2012 the Ironman Lottery will select 100 general Age Group athletes, 100 Legacy athletes plus five Physically Challenged athletes, to compete in the 2012 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i. Winners will be announced on April 15, 2012 at 12 p.m. ET on Ironman.com. One entry per athlete, duplicate entries will not be valid

Here are the qualification for the Legacy Athletes:

To enroll athletes must meet all four of the following requirements*:

1.       Athlete must have completed a minimum of twelve (12) full-distance Ironman-branded** races (includes existing and past events) by December 31, 2011

2.       Athlete has never participated in the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i

3.       Athlete must have completed at least one Ironman event in 2010and 2011

4.       Athlete must be registered for an Ironman event in 2012

*Legacy athletes will be required to submit their information during online registration.
**2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

Since there are approximately 70,000 lottery registrations, and I am not a legacy athlete, my chances are slim; but there is still a chance.  Although, I don't think it would be impossible for someone like me to qualify for the Ironman World Championship, it would take several sacrifices that I am not willing to make.  Training for the Ironman Texas has really been hard for not only me, but my family.  My wife has been amazing the whole time.  I know my limits with her though.  If I dedicated the time & money that it would take to achieve a qualification spot, I would risk losing her.  I would also risk that if I worked on becoming a Legacy Ironman.  I would never let that happen, so I am left with only one option since purchasing a foundation slot from Ebay takes an average $50,000.00 winning bid.  That option is the lottery.

Finishing the Ironman Texas on May 19th will do a lot for Shawn's Anomaly.  I know that it will bring the awareness locally that it desperately needs, but it would not hold a candle to what finishing the Ironman World Championship would do.  Shawn's Anomaly is a world issue, a world problem, that affects children all around the world.  It is obvious that the best place to raise awareness would be on the stage of the Ironman World Championship.  We will just have to wait and see if that stage will be available for my family this year at 12:00pm EST tomorrow.

I have a feeling that I will be somewhere in the small hills of Montgomery County tomorrow on a bike doing my century ride when the winners are announced.  Since I get emails on my phone, and WTC will be emailing the winners, I just hope I don't crash if I receive good news.  If I do, and you are around, please pick me up, dust me off, and pinch me.  I know I will have to be convinced that I am not dreaming.