A record field will compete at the 27th Ironman New Zealand next Saturday, with 1500 entrants from 40 countries.
Many of them arrive in Taupo this week with inspiring stories to tell.
All ironmen athletes have made huge sacrifices to attempt the gruelling distance of a 3.8km swim, 180km bikeride and 42km run and many share the bond of rising above adversity.
For these athletes ironman has become a life-changing experience.
* Well-known North Shore triathlete John Friary has encouraged his son Liam who has lost 55kg on his journey to IMNZ.
* Donna Lloyd from NSW has lost 50 per cent of her body weight, Edward Mallett from Brisbane has lost 40kg in 18 months while Marieke Wijnen from Auckland has lost 55kg.
* Aaron Tregoweth was paralysed in a rugby scrum injury and told he would be unlikely to walk again. That was 2006 and five years later he is chasing his dream to become an Ironman.
* Hayden Goldsack from Auckland had 60 per cent of his body burned as a child and after numerous skin grafts he completed IMNZ last year and is back again.
* Tamirra Stewart from California suffered a serious head injury nearly 20 years ago and was told she would never walk again. IMNZ awaits.
* Australia's Mark Hansen was hit by a car, breaking his collarbone and scapula two weeks before last year's race - and lines up a year later to realise his dream.
* Jason Mann from Brisbane has recovered after breaking his first cervical vertebrae in his neck diving into a pool.
* Alaska's Michael Spence and Texan Mat Bush have both recovered from cancer to take on the IMNZ challenge.
* Aaron Fleming, told he would not be able to do any exercise in his life after a debilitating childhood health issues, is back for his second time in Taupo. Last time he raised a major amount for our official charity Cystic Fibrosis and became New Zealand's only torchbearer for the Beijing Olympics.
