Inspirational! This mom did an actual Ironman at her house during lockdown

Sporting event after sporting event has been cancelled in SA and around the world as officials attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. This has left many people who have spent months training for events feeling out of sorts and, of course, disappointed.

So when the Ironman African Championship was postponed to November (it was supposed to be held on March 29) those who had spent hours working on their fitness in the pool, on the bike and running were left with little option but to wait another eight months to race day.

Except Charlotte Raubenheimer. Having decided last year that she was going to do the race to help raise funds for a man who needed a wheelchair, Raubenheimer went ahead with her own Ironman at her house.

How, you ask?

In a Facebook post, her husband Jean said she felt she owed it to the people who had contributed to her campaign to raise funds to carry on with the race.

“On lockdown day 2 she asked me to tie her foot to the fence to try stationary swimming in our pool. Then to put the triathlon bike on the stationary trainer. I thought she was planning a training session.”

And the next morning she got up and did her race, her Ironman.

“At 7am she started with a 90-minute swim. She was cold and determined as she transitioned to a 6 hour, 15 minute ride on a stationary bicycle! This torture was somewhat relieved by the friendly volunteers at the fixed aid station (the kitchen).

“As you can imagine a marathon is a long way to run after a morning spent swimming and cycling to that extent, but a marathon in the garden with 1,580 (calculated) turns is just crazy.”

Jean said while most runners hit a dark place between 25 and 35km into a run, his wife had other things on her mind.

“She suddenly reminded me to take the meat out of the freezer for today's lunch! A woman's mind is a strange and very busy place.”

She finished in a total of 13 hours and 11 minutes.

Just all the damn feels.