Mark Dodge...you are Ironman!!!!

Today was Ironman Louisville 2010 or what Jeremy dubbed Mark Dodge Day! Jeremy got up at 4 am and took his friend down to the water...he said you could feel the nervousness in the air! Jeremy came back and got Riggs at 6:00 and Riggs and Jeremy saw Mark start this unbelievable day!

We all camped out on the corner of 393 to give him a cheer at about his 80 mile marker...which he later told Jeremy was about the time the bike really started to get to him.

The Hardy party then headed downtown to see him transition from the bike to the run! We waited with such excitement and it was so amazing to see him running toward us all smiles....it was so touching to see him pause for a minute on this journey to see Kirsten and the kids.



We went home and did our day...all the while knowing with every activity we did Mark was out there running in the heat...trying to become an Ironman. Jeremy, the boys and I went down to the finish line to wait for him to finish. It was electric with excitement and emotion as these athletes...walked, ran, and crawled over the finish line...some with smiles pointing up to heaven, some doubled over in agony with tears streaming down their faces...and then came Mark and he was beat...and he was tired...but he was smiling and he was an Ironman!

We were all so proud of Mark...and felt so lucky to be there to share this amazing experience with him...Jeremy was so touched by this acomplishemnt of his childhood friend...and as Mark crossed the finish line the first thing he said was to Jeremy..."your doing this next year...you can have my bike!" And I know Jeremy would love to...we'll see!