Crossing that line was the most exhilarating thing I have ever done in sport. I did a lot of rock climbing and mountaineering. I've had some pretty good highs topping out from a difficult climbs, and I have missed that in triathlon. Some how crossing the line of a race just isn't the same, it never had the feeling of conquering something. If you do the training, finishing a triathlon is easy.
Ironman is different.
The distances are just as artificial as a perceived line of weakness in a rock face, and there are certain physical requirements needed to complete both a triathlon and a rock climb. But Ironman required from me a mental strength which I have only every needed before in climbing, and it's winning the mental battle that was so special, so exhilarating. I was told before the race that Ironman was all in the head, and they were right. I needed the mental discipline to plan the logistics, the work through the plan and to maintain an early steady pace when it seemed just too easy. I needed to work through the bad times and not get carried away during the good times.