And as it’s proven on a yearly basis, someone can be amazingly athletic and conditioned enough to get through the running and paddling without a problem, but if they don’t have the intestinal wherewithal to stomach 72 ounces of beer afterward, it was all for nought.
And also all over Wendy Burch’s shirt.
First established in 1974, Hermosa Beach’s Ironman challenge has a deceptively short and simple set of instructions, which state that contestants must run the beach for one mile, paddle a surfboard through the water for one mile, and then down a six-pack of beer.