‘Rusty Lady’ takes on Ironman
Local businesswoman and resident, Charmaine Hand, has finished her cycle race. She has 5h30 hours to finish the marathon at Ironman in Port Elizabeth.
She completed the swim in 1h25 and went through 132km in the cycle race in 7h55.
Charmaine is a Bedfordview resident and Bedfordview Athletics Club member. She and her husband, Peter, own the Rusty Lady Deli Bistro in Kensington.
During an interview yesterday, Charmaine said she is excited and ready to compete for the fourth time.
She finished the last race she participated in, during 2012, in 16 ½ hours. “My first race was great. I became sick in my second and the third was difficult. About 600 people did not finish the 2012 race due to harsh weather. I did not compete last year because we had opened the Rusty Lady,” said Charmaine.
With a 3.8km swim, 180.2km bike race and 42.2km run Ironman is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. However, thousands take on the challenge every year. “Ironman is like a personal challenge for me. I never like doing the easy things. Ironman is challenging and so far has been a new journey every time. It is like a drug to me,” said Charmaine.
Before the race, Charmaine said she was feeling fit and ready to take on the 17 hour challenge…. with the aim of finishing before cut off of course.
She said the day was going to be more challenging because the cycle course has changed. “It is going to be tougher because there are more hills. It is going to be an emotional day. It is every time I participate. When I pass my husband I get a lump in my throat because of the excitement and I push on,” she said.
