Written by: Anna Haggard
Posted: Monday, 23 June 2008
As triathlons explode in popularity and the recent Ironman USA in Lake Placid, N.Y., sold out in under an hour, the new Westchester Toughman Half Ironman in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., will satisfy the niche for the ultimate challenge. The event, scheduled Sept. 21, 2008, is the first half-Ironman in Westchester County and the only half-Ironman open to registration within a four-hour radius.
Up to 500 athletes will hit the scenic course that winds through Croton Point Park and throughout Westchester County. Athletes can tag team the event by signing up as a relay. And prize money is awarded for top finishers and relay teams.
The first leg of the race is a splash into a protected area of the Hudson River for the 1.2 mile swim. Athletes will feel like they are swimming in a bay instead of a river, according to Toughman Half Ironman Director Richard Izzo. Following the swim, athletes peddle 56 miles throughout Westchester. The last portion of the event is the hilly half-marathon course (13.1 miles) around the Croton Damn.
Not only is the course aesthetic, but the Westchester Toughman Half Ironman will be a community event. A big barbecue will follow the race and the proceeds will go to needs of the local municipalities.
“I’d like to the see the money we raise stay in the community,” said Izzo.
Izzo said after introducing the half-Ironman in Westchester, he hopes to introduce the Ironman USA as well.
See www.westchestertoughman.com.
The rare athlete will remember that feeling and devote his/her life to sharing it with others. Rutland, Vt. resident Steve Lulek is an example of such an athlete. 
