Augusta welcomes thousands for world's largest Ironman 70.3

Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- As the sun rises over the Savannah River, Jim McMenamin and his crew are preparing for 3,700 people to jump in the water.

McMenamin is the Public Affairs Officer and Operational Officer of the Coast Guard Auxillary Flotilla 21 in Augusta.

"It's a tremendous amount of excitement," McMenamin said. "The town opens up for these people. We're really proud to be part of it. Just being a little tiny cog in the big wheel."

A small part of a big race. It's the largest Ironman of its size in the world.

While the Coast Guard Auxillary crew is working hard to keep the swimmers safe, the athletes are swimming 1.2 miles.

47 states and 34 countries are in Augusta to swim, bike and run; like Jim and Rinny. They're champions in the men's and women's race, but they have a little more in common than that.

For the second time in Ironman history, a married couple are the winners out of thousands.

"We've been racing professionally for almost 15 years. It's been a long time," Timothy O'Donnell, the men's winner, said. "This is the only time we've ever won a race together, so yeah, they're sweet when they do."

But even after a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1 mile run, they say the sweetest part was seeing their newborn's face at the end.

The couple said, "Isabelle is 13-months. Izzie for short. It's really changed our perspective on racing this year. It makes us realize that it's not all about getting out there and doing workouts."