Nowadays, Babbit is a member ofboththe USA Triathlon and the Ironman Hall of Fame.
The whole idea was that it wasnt a race; they did it because people were just running.
Theyd run five miles, theyd run 10 miles, theyd go to the track, says Babbitt.
They called it a triathlon.
Before it was an event, says Babbitt, it was a really intense way to break a sweat.
Next thing you know…they put on this 5.3-mile run, 5-mile bike ride, and 600-yard swim.
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They called it a triathlon.
They had no real desire to make the triathlon into a worldwide phenomenon.
That is untilSports Illustratednamed five-time Tour de France champion Eddy Merckx the worlds fittest athlete.
Its Amazing How Its All Connected.
Were going to put all three of them together and well call the winner the Iron Man.
Just like that, the Ironman started as an intensified riff on the triathlon.
And soon, it would be known worldwide.
In February of 1978, 15 starters and 12 finishers made good on their promise to one-up Merckx.
The race, which had started with a mere 15 people, now drew hundreds.
Within minutes, ABCs phones were ringing off the hook.
Across the globe, people were wondering, How is Julie Moss?
Viewers were smittennot just with the two athletes, but with their inspiring grit.
Run, bike, or swimor maybe do all three.
Mosss fight to stumble over the finish sparked a worldwide demand for more triathlons.
Swimming and biking safeguard the joints and muscles of runners who might otherwise find themselvessidelined by injuries.
Babbitt just celebrated his 69th birthday and he ran 30 (yes, 30) triathlons in 2019.
Our sport is the fountain of youth, he says.
I know what it takes for me to be faster now than I was 20 years ago.
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