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2006 Ford Ironman Triathlon
World's Largest Massage Team Update
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Over 150 massage volunteers from around the world delivered hands on
post race relief to the world’s best triathletes at the Ford 2006 Ironman
Race. The massages started around 3pm and ended by 1:30am with the last
finisher, Sister Madonna (a 76 year old competitor racing in her 32nd Ironman).
The dedication and hard work of the volunteers made the day an event to
remember!
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This year’s team included volunteers from Australia, Japan, Hawaii, and
the mainland. Race day began for the Massage Volunteers on Friday with
transporting all the tables and equipment to the Ironman site, sleeping
overnight with the tables (someone needed to watch over all those Earthlite
beauties) and moved into sunrise on race day with the traditional Hawaiian
blessing of the massage tent. All day Saturday volunteers worked hard to
set up the tent with massage tables, supplies and refreshments for the
athletes. Everything was ready before the first of the elite triathletes
crossed the finish line around 3pm.
The massage team was really humming with great energy by 6pm since many
of the athletes complete the race between 6 and 8pm and most of them head
right to the massage tent in anticipation of a great post race massage.
Therapists worked very hard to provide an effective massage in less than
10 minutes so the very patiently waiting in line triathletes would not
get too ‘cool’ before they could get on the table.
As 10pm rolled around the group of volunteers and athletes had thinned
out but the energy was still going strong. The last 4 athletes to finish
the race before the official stop time of midnight received massages every
bit as wonderful as the elite finishers 8 hours earlier – and from therapists
who had been at the event all day – including a few who had been at the
tent at 5am to be part of the blessing.
Everything wrapped up on Sunday, beginning with an 8:30am start time
to set up the Volunteer Mahalo (thank-you) Party offering fun, lots of
excellent homemade food and a raffle of gifts and services donated by local
Hawaiian merchants. The eagerly anticipated climax to the party was the
raffling of two (2) brand new and beautiful Luna Massage Tables generously
donated by Earthlite of California, premier massage table and supplies
manufacturer.
Finally the supplies were loaded back up, the tent broken down, the dirty
linen bagged and carted away and the last of the volunteers called it a
day around 2pm Sunday afternoon.
It was another outstanding event enjoyed by all the volunteers and triathletes
and next year’s race on Oct 13 should be just as rewarding and full of
energy.
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| To register as a volunteer contact The Hawaiian Island School of Massage
at (808) 323-3800 (on Island) or (866) 928-9645 (toll free off Island)
or info@hawaiianmassageschool.com. We look forward to hearing from you! |
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