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Monday, November 21, 2011

Former Arizona Diamondback, Eric Byrnes Finishes Ironman Arizona

All those who chose to oppose his field must yield!

Among the nearly 3,000 athletes who participated in the 2011 Ford Ironman Arizona triathlon on Sunday in Tempe, Arizona was former Major League Baseball star Eric Brynes.  Byrnes is now an on air analyst for the MLB Network after 12 years in the big leagues with multiple MLB teams including the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Byrnes was no where close to being in Ironman shape only 11 months ago but now he’s an Ironman athlete who just finished swimming 2.4 miles in Tempe Town Lake, cycling 112 miles through the desert landscape of southern Arizona and running a full marathon in 10 hours and 45 minutes.

...Byrnes remembers racing one of his triathlons and getting crazy comments yelled at him,  “I was kind of the joke of the triathlon. People were yelling, ‘Go beach-cruiser dude!’ as I was getting passed by 16-year-old girls. As many of us know….it only takes a taste before we are ‘bit by the bug,” he said.

Repoz Posted: November 21, 2011 at 10:05 AM | 10 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: announcers, arizona, athletics, media, television

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   1. Ivan Grushenko of Hong Kong Posted: November 21, 2011 at 02:47 PM (#3998396)
Yay Byrnsie!
   2. dr. scott Posted: November 21, 2011 at 03:45 PM (#3998442)
Funny, he was kind of the joke of the Oakland outfield as well. Ive learned to like him much more since he left my team.
   3. Shooty would run in but these bone spurs hurt! Posted: November 21, 2011 at 03:52 PM (#3998450)
He was capable of moments of brilliance, though. He was just a a great athlete who just never got "baseball smart".
   4. The_Ex Posted: November 21, 2011 at 04:22 PM (#3998481)
Wasn't he always a bike rider? Didn't he ride to the stadium each day?

If I remembered correctly he had the biking and running experience/background, that just leaves the swimming.
   5. Shooty would run in but these bone spurs hurt! Posted: November 21, 2011 at 04:25 PM (#3998487)
that just leaves the swimming.

I'm surprised he has the buoyancy...
   6. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: November 21, 2011 at 05:36 PM (#3998594)
Damn, it did look like he was having fun when he played. Now, he looks like he's having fun broadcasting. I bet he was the most enthusiastic triathelete out there.
   7. phredbird Posted: November 21, 2011 at 06:05 PM (#3998622)
i do like his enthusiasm on tv, though i don't know how long i could sit next to him. he kinda comes off a little ADHD.
   8. Never Give an Inge (Dave) Posted: November 21, 2011 at 06:21 PM (#3998641)
Awesome...that is an incredible feat of endurance. Good for him.
   9. Sleepy was just “inspecting the bunker”, y’all Posted: November 21, 2011 at 08:35 PM (#3998813)
“I was kind of the joke of the triathlon. People were yelling, ‘Go beach-cruiser dude!’ as I was getting passed by 16-year-old girls.


Gotta love his sense of humor, but his finish time was actually not bad at all--he finished #302 out of almost 3000 participants. About half the people that beat him were "pro's", and he did actually beat a couple of "pro's" his age or younger.

My brother-in-law ran this race as well, and finished almost four hours behind him. He's in phenomenal physical condition, and he's very proud just to have finished.
   10. valuearbitrageur Posted: November 21, 2011 at 08:43 PM (#3998830)
I was surprised he didn't quit or stop trying pretty early in the race....

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