Even an Ironman occasionally will bend or even break.
Erlanger officials said Monday that 14 of the 2,500-plus athletes who participated in Sunday's triathalon ended up needing medical treatment with several of them hospitalized.
Sunday was one of the hottest days on record for Sept. 25 in Chattanooga, which made the event, which included a 2.4-mile swim in the Tennessee River, a 112-mile bicycle ride, and a 26.2 mile marathon, even more grueling than normal. Temperatures reached 97 degrees, the hottest recorded temperature since 1913.
Nearly 600 spectators were also treated in the medical tent, most of them for heat-related issues.
Other reported medical problems included cuts, minor orthopedic injuries, soft tissue and muscle injuries, dehydration and chest pain, according to Erlanger spokeswoman Jennifer Homa.