Double Ironman Triathlon. 2 total hip replacements.

Double Ironman Triathlon


2 total hip replacements

History of Ironman Triathlon

Started in Hawaii in late ’70s

Result of a bar bet over whether the swimmer, biker, or runner was the better athlete.

Combined three existing events:

2.4 mile ocean swim

112 mile bike ride

26.2 mile run

Order is always Swim, Bike, Run

Larry Piper’s Background

17 marathons, 1974 – 1983

12 bike centuries, 1976 – 1986

10 ‘sprint’ triathlons, 1978-1986

2 total hip operations, 1988 – 1989

1 total right shoulder, 1989

Retired from DOW, March 1993

Felt I had one more athletic goal

Set these Goals

Train for -

Qualify for -

Enter -

Finish -

Be an official finisher in < 36 hours

For the 10th Double Ironman Triathlon

to be held in Huntsville, Alabama, on

Sep 4-5, 1994


Began ‘serious’ training June, 1993

(15 months away)

My job was to train.

Backed off from all Clubs, all

Paddleball, and all to-do lists.

Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Checked Out the 1993 Event

Drove to Huntsville – visit friends

Talked myself on to the team of

Stephen Johnson, Canada

Very hot day, slept ~ 4 hrs; saw a swimmer quit from hyperventilation; saw how support operates.

Maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of way in training.

Checked Out the 1993 Event


Qualified by:

Riding 228 miles at National 24 Hour Challenge, Grand Rapids, June 15, 1994.

Swam 3 hours at Midland Community Center pool on July 15, 1994.

Bike Qualification

Swimming at Edenville

Swimming at Edenville

Picture of Aerobics and SERIOUS books

Aerobic Training

Almost all training was aerobic.

Very little anerobic training.

Guide was Dr. Ken Cooper’s 1969 book, Aerobics, in which he says 30 points/week for a healthful heart, lungs, and vascular system.

Included: swimming, biking, walking, rowing and stairmaster (no running).

Aerobic Training

30 points/week is any of the following:

1.7 mile swim, or (40 min/mile)

8 miles run, or (8 min/mile)

30 miles bike, or (15 mph)

75 minutes rowing, or

30 minutes stairmaster, or (> 50%)

20 miles walking (< 17 min/mile)

Aerobic Training

My training reached 60 points/day

(14 X normal)

3.3 miles swimming, or

60 miles biking, or

30 miles race walking, or

15 miles running, or

150 minutes rowing, or

120 minutes stairmaster

Aerobic Training

My training actually consisted of a little each day of swimming, biking, walking, rowing and stairmaster.

I was able to avoid any injuries.

I went over 60 days without missing a single workout.

June 4, 1994, turned out to be a ‘date that became a turning point in my quest’.


Picture of training log


Entry blank sent in July 20, 1994

Acceptance received Aug 2, 1994


Picture of acceptance letter


Picture of entries


Article in MDN


Article in FREEP


Developed logo and mantra

Picture of T-shirt, both sides


Judy – Head of the crew (Car 1)

She will decide when to quit

Scot – Canoe, go-fer, pacer (Car 2)

Robyn – Timer & Photographer


Arrival 3 days early

Pre-race meetings

Pictures of headquarters, officials


41 in the WORLD qualified

39 actually started

21 repeaters, 18 of us first timers

2 women, 37 men

1/3 foreign, 2/3 United States

half blue collar, half professional

8-10 were ‘supermen’

10-12 more were superb athletes

remaining (me) were just very well trained


Picture of individual entrants

Occupations, nationality


Swim was in Tennessee River, each contestant with canoe escort.

Bike was on Huntsville Arsenal, 10 loops of 21 miles. No traffic.

Run was in Huntsville, 26 loops of 2 mile course. Lots of traffic.


Herb Lang, Isaiah 40:12

Robyn forgot to start stopwatch!


Planned to drink/eat every 20 minutes

Lot of rain in 1994 gave us a good current to swim with.

All four species of poisonous snakes in U.S. are indigenous to Alabama!

Used a balloon on boat for visibility.

Last out of water. Judy breathing again!


Picture end of swimming

Last out of water

7 to 9 am

The Question We All Have

Can I ride 224 miles on the bike…

after swimming 4.8 miles,

in the Alabama heat on Labor Day,

and keep eating & hydrated,

and not get sick,

and not lose too much weight,

and keep within the cutoff times,

and not start out too fast.


Biked always with a companion plus one car following me.

Don Wallace, 1993 finisher, full professor at Univ. Alabama in Civil Engineering.

Talked the entire time.

Music plays a role.


Picture of biking


Hit the wall at 80 miles biking.

Hottest part of day.

Thought I might have to quit.

Butterscotch pudding saved me.

Judy kept me going.


Wind died down towards evening

Switched to a lighter bike

Rode through the night in fog

Finished about 4:00 am to the strains of Hail To The Victors

Not the last bike finisher

Winner had already finished


15 minute shower

Felt good when starting the walk

Crew grabbed about 4 hours sleep

Judy walked with me after daylight

Don Wallace back for 2nd marathon


Had to do a 2 mile loop, 26 times

Stretched 20 sec after each loop

Race walking on sidewalks

Race headquarters was the Gus Grissom High School

Eclectic bunch of pacers

You are way past addrelin help


At 26 hours, middle runners are beginning to finish.

Emotions really got to me.

Laid down to rest about 28 miles, and I almost didn’t get up.

Told meet director I would finish around 35 hours.

Lost my gyroscope about 34 hours.


“Does your orthopedic surgeon know what your are doing?”

First thing said to me as I crossed the finish line by Ray Sheppard, meet director, himself a doctor of gynecology


20 minutes to shower before awards

Declined IVs

Lost 2 pounds overall

Burned 7600 calories on biking


36 of 39 finished

#2, #6, #12 seeds dropped out

#1 John Quinn, talked of quitting

“In 36th place, competing on two artificial hips, finishing in a time of 35 hours and 38 minutes, from Midland, Michigan, USA, Larry Piper”


Went to bed at 10pm; awake 41 hours

Woke at 3 am to write down my feelings

Called MDN with story; learned two days later I had been inducted into the Midland County Sports Hall of Fame.

Spoke at Milan Prison in December based upon Free Press article.


The highest compliment paid to me was by Steve Bozeman, a five-time finisher of the Double Ironman, and career Marine…

“God, you’ve got guts.”


Don Casper – friend, presenter for Hall of Fame, coach, sports business owner

‘I knew if it came down to heart, you would be able to finish.’


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Double Ironman Triathlon. 2 total hip replacements.

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