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Athletes flex their fiscal muscle: Half Ironman today fills tourism coffersPromises kept: Starnes to compete in today's Ironman 70.3 to honor his late daughter
The last time an Ironman competition took place in Chattanooga, Ivy Dodson was a volunteer manning a water station on Barton Avenue.
"I handed out water at mile 11 and mile 22," the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student and Starbucks employee said of last September's event. "I fell in love with it."
She fell so madly in love with it that when today's Sunbelt Bakery Ironman 70.3 gets under way at 6:50 a.m. with a 1.2-mile swim on the northeastern side of Maclellan Island, she'll be a participant rather than a volunteer. Moreover, come September, when the big boy Ironman returns to the Scenic City -- the 70.3-mile event is half the length of a full Ironman -- Dodson hopes to conquer that torture test also.
"I've been training 18 hours a week for this one," the former gymnast said. "It's going to take even more time to be ready for that one."
But that's not really why she did it. Dodson was first moved to enter today's competition after talking to police officer Robert Starnes, whose inspiring story is featured on the front page of today's Times Free Press in an excellent article by Jim Tanner.
"He comes in our shop all the time," she said, "and hearing his story got me thinking about doing an Ironman."
It also inspired her mother, Lori Ivy, to enter, though neither mother nor daughter has previously run such an event.
"Both my mother and I have active lifestyles," Dodson said. "We like to go hiking and stuff. But we've never done anything like this."
Stories such as Dodson's and Ivy's and Starnes' will be on display throughout our town today, much as they were last September when the full Ironman arrived for the first time. And those stories of everyday people doing extraordinary things are what make these grueling athletic tests both important and interesting.
After all, for all we hear about Generation Entitled, here's Dodson, working daily at Starbucks while doggedly attempting to complete the final 13 hours of her degree in Early Childhood Education at UTC and -- oh, by the way -- training daily to be able to complete today's 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run.
"Everyone in my life has been very understanding," she said Saturday morning. "My bosses, my family, my friends. I couldn't do this without their support."
Yet as great her story is today, especially if Dodson and her mom can complete the entire course, she actually is shooting for something far bigger and more inspirational in September, when the full-sized Ironman returns.
"My plan is to be part of the Emily's Power for a Cure team," Dodson said. "There are 26 of us right now. We have to raise $1,900 each by September. I've already raised some money, but I've still got more to go."
Emily's Power for a Cure was formed after Emily Ransom, who was known as the Pink Power Ranger Princess, lost her fight with Stage IV neuroblastoma on Feb. 20, 2006.
Ever since then, the Hixson-based charity has helped with immediate needs such as meals and hotel expenses for those families whose children are fighting cancer.
In an added twist this year, Power for a Cure is partnering one Ironman participant with one cancer victim. Dodson is paired with Ringgold resident Melody Hudson, who was diagnosed with Stage 4S intermediate-risk neuroblastoma when she was 10 months old, underwent immediate surgery at Erlanger's Children's Hospital and is now in remission.
"I haven't gotten to meet her yet," Dodson said. "But hopefully we'll have some contact before the September race."
Until then, she'll continue to study, train, make lattes, frappuccinos and anything else ordered by her Starbucks customers -- especially Starnes -- and do everything possible to raise the remaining money needed to help Team Emily's Power for a Cure.
"Neuroblastoma is a nasty disease," said Melody's mother, Kelly, on the Power for a Cure website. "And no one -- especially a child -- should have to go through this."
Perhaps that's why Hudson noted of the Ironman 70.3 she and her mom will attack today: "We wanted to be a part of something bigger than ourselves."
And for those willing to look, there's always something bigger out there.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.