Huh.

Two things that made me audibly react to my computer yesterday:

1. Lance is back. Google it for details. Finally the Tour will be compelling again.

2. World Triathlon Corporation, owners of all things Ironman, sold to a group in Rhode Island. Slowtwitch reports it here. WTC has owned Ironman for really the entire modern era - everything we know and love about Ironman goes back to how the family-run WTC has chosen to maintain and grow the brand. This is an interesting business development for Ironman, and I don't know what - if any - changes might come. The addition of the 70.3 series in the last couple of years has, I think, really enriched the Ironman brand. This private equity group is in the business of buying - then maturing, then selling. So it stands to reason to their objective will be to, of course, create even more value in the brand so they can sell it in a few years. Will this mean more Ironman races? More Kona slots or flexibility? Increased race fees? Licensing deals where I can go buy an Ironman toothbrush at Wal-Mart? Do nothing at all and let it mature on its current course? Who knows. For now, those are details that are interesting for the businessman in me to think about, but otherwise I think I'll just let it be behind the curtain. It will have no bearing on my life for IMWI 2009, and I'm not interested in getting so into the machinery of Ironman that my experiences as an athlete are in any way influenced by what happens around a board table. Still, interesting times.

I've got a whole general post I'll be writing all about the volunteer experience this year, so stay tuned for regularly scheduled programming soon.