We were about 6 km into our first bike lap, still chirpy and full of energy, but struggling with that long, slow poison of an uphill. We were about 12 people riding closely together (NOT DRAFTING) and it must have looked like a smarty box as we represented all categories of fitness levels and body shapes.

I clearly remember him. He had calves the size of my waist and must have weighed close to 120kg. He had the personality to match the colourfulness of his bike and a sense of humour to match his calves. He kept us all going and our spirits high and it was sad to know that we would lose him some time or another, but for the time being and knowing what the day still had to throw at us, he was cool water in the desert! Nothing could break this man’s spirit; he thought he was THOR (that is Thor Hushovd, the Norwegian cyclist)!

That was until some stranger from the side of the road, standing with a beer in his hand at 9:00 in the morning, shouted: “Hey FATTY, what are you doing on a bicycle?”

It looked as if someone had stuck a spear in Thor’s side and by the saddened look on his face, it must have penetrated his heart. My blood started boiling and I could feel the veins in my neck wanting to pop. I could see myself stopping right there and then and ripping Mr. Castle’s head from his shoulders. But I could also see the headlines. “IRONMAN ATHLETE DISQUALIFIED FOR ATTACKING SPECTATOR.”

Now this is what changed my life: Thor looked at Mr. Castle, smiled and waved, and then added: “I hope I see you next year on the bike next to me.....” In spite of being gutted and torn apart inside, in spite of training for months to conditioning your body as best you can, in spite of spending thousands of Rands on equipment, supplements, transport expenses, Thor showed the true spirit of being an athlete and being an Ironman. He just smiled and waved. It was not about him, but about something bigger, something that binds men and women wearing an Ironman Finisher T-shirt all over the world, something that lives in your subconscious.

I realized that all the dreams, training, early mornings, months and Rands came down to one thing, being your own hero! Don’t get me wrong, it is awesome if somebody realises the distance that one completes on the day, even the amount of training that goes into Ironman and the congratulations afterwards. No matter if I look like a world class athlete or if I am big-boned like Thor, if I finish in 9 hours or 17. But in the end you have to do it for yourself. If you do it for the acknowledgement of others, it will be empty and the goal post will always elude you.

I am a much worthier contestant for meeting Thor. I now compete against myself, measure my body against itself and my dream is to be a hero to only two people - my wife and my son.

Thank you Thor - you changed my Ironman experience and therefore my life.....

Ivan Baker