Hard to imagine? It’s crazier than you think: for a few elite athletes, that ordeal–Sunday’s Xterra World Championship–will be their second bonecrusher in eight days. Last weekend they tore through the Hawaii Ironman–nine hours of swimming (2.4 miles), biking (112 miles) and running (marathon)–then crossed the finish line thirsting for more. Triathletes call it The Double: a feat of endurance so absurd that only 30 nutballs attempt it each year. The Double’s male and female winners–the fastest combined time in the two races–take home $1,000 (big deal) and the title of world’s toughest athlete (big deal).
No one’s ever won both events, and many racers believe it’s impossible. The Xterra injury tent is so busy that Maui Memorial Hospital’s disaster team, which handles tsunami relief, works the race as a training drill. Even the man who designed the Xterra course, Dave Nicholas, won’t try it himself. “I’ll do it when they offer insurance that covers suicide.” Go ahead and nod. There’s a simple reason the athletes love it, says Reid, now attempting his fourth Double: “We’re crazy.”
