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Samson finished the Ironman

Samson is now a Ironman.

This how it was reported by MLB.com.

Reaching deep inside himself, Samson found the fortitude to become the first team president in any major professional sports league to complete the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

In a time of 15 hours, 36 minutes, a drained but elated Samson finished the ultimate test of endurance.

As he was taking his final steps to achieving a remarkable physical feat, the race announcer beamed: "David Samson, you're the first president of a major sports team to cross the finish line in Kona. And you are an Ironman."

While all of the above is true and it is a feat I don't think I could have accomplished at any point in my life, I would've drown in the swimming part, he didn't exactly shine amongst the local South Floridians.

In fact he finished dead last.

Locals: (Name, hometown, finish time, swim-bike-run splits) Anton Van Zyl, Fort Lauderdale 9:53:22 (1:03:21, 5:12:26, 3:27:38), John Marshall, Miami 10:50:01 (1:12:43, 5:34:08, 3:54:58), Carol Hessell, West Palm Beach 13:34:05 (1:15:19, 6:18:24, 5:42:44), Marty Frezza, Jupiter 14:26:33 (1:36:38, 6:51:45, 5:43:55), Dave Miller, Plantation 15:26:04 (1:33:51, 7:23:24, 6:13:10), David Samson, Miami 15:36:44 (1:46:54, 7:46:46, 5:43:53)

Carol Hessell, who finished ahead of Samson, is a 53 year-old nurse who completed her seventh Ironman.  Pretty impressive.

Anyway back to Samson, I should give him a break because not only couldn't I do it: he did it under very difficult circumstances.

But he never should have taken the starting line.

Samson, 38, the first chief executive of a major U.S. sports franchise to attempt the 140.6-mile race, developed a painful case of the shingles a month ago, leading both his doctor and his wife Cindi to try to talk him out of competing

I have friends who have had shingles and that is one painful disease to contract.

So how did he celebrate his achievement after going through physical adversity and torturous training.

Still riding an adrenaline rush nearly 12 hours after the completing the marathon portion of the competition, Samson was wide awake. To celebrate, he ate lunch on Sunday at McDonald's.

"I haven't had McDonald's in 15 months," said Samson, who trained regularly for more than a year to qualify

Ah, the celebration of champions.  

There is one thing that most people do, when they make the distance for the first time.

For those competitors willing to brand themselves for their achievement, there happens to be a tattoo shop near the finish line.

Samson said by telephone: "I will not say if I have an Ironman tattoo."

In other words, Yes.

Words that have never been spoken at FishStripes and will probably never be spoken again but I will say them now:  Congratulations Dave.