2007: Taking a look back at the year's top 10 stories

This weeks local paper (Gateway Newspapers - Trib Review) did an article looking back on the year's top 10 sports stories. My journey to Hawaii made #8 on the list.

Click Here for the entire article

8. Man of Iron
Irwin resident and Penn-Trafford graduate Chad Holderbaum proved that he is one of the best athletes in the world this year when he competed in the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii this October. The 27-year-old engineer at Westinghouse crossed the finish line in 846th place with a time of 11 hours, six minutes and 38 seconds. The event featured a 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2 mile run. "It was pretty much the hardest race I've ever done as far as the heat, the winds and everything in Hawaii. It was pretty brutal," he said.
"It was definitely a life-changing experience. It was very humbling being there with the best of the best." Holderbaum, a 10-time letter winner at Penn-Trafford, qualified for the Ironman championships after placing 58th out of more than 2,200 competitors at the Lake Placid Ironman. He plans to make a return trip to Hawaii next year if he qualifies again.

posted by Chad Holderbaum @ 7:52 AM Comments: 0