The once calm water turned to a sea of foam and suds as 1,442 swimmers began the world-famous race referred to by triathletes as, the ultimate human stress test. Two minutes later, Bramblett came out of the water. The bike portion of the race took cyclists through barren, dry lava beds in the midday sun, where temperatures exceeded 97 degrees. Wind gusts of 60 mph were not uncommon on the course, referred to as the road to hell. According to Miller, about 80 miles into the race, time begins to slow.
Minds become numb, begging the body to stop.
It becomes a mind thing, he said. It s an internal battle to overcome the demons that find their way into your head in a distance like this. Mentally you have to be tough, said White. When you re out in the middle of nowhere, it s tough to stay focused. You have to keep pushing.