Kailua-Kona, Hawaii - Steve Spitz's fellow competitors at the 2009 Ford Ironman Triathlon World Championship might have been as prepared as he was to take on the challenge, but no one was more prepared. He had logged literally thousands of miles in the water, on bike and on foot leading up to the 2008 race only to be derailed by a bicycling accident. He then endured the pain all over again so when it came time for the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile marathon in the brutal Hawaiian sun, he was as ready as ever.

It took the 1986 Pierson graduate two years to reach the starting line in Hawaii and a brisk 12 hours, 47 minutes to complete the legendary Ironman. The road was arduous but he confessed that it was well worth it.

Spitz's time of 12 hours, 47 minutes, beat his previous best at the Ironman distance by nearly an hour.

"I ran probably the best race I've ever run in my life," Spitz said. "I wanted to swim within a certain range, I wanted to feel good coming off the bike and be careful with pacing. It was the race I thought I could race, but it actually turned out better than I could have expected. I stuck with my race strategy and pretty much hit everything spot on, which never happens."

Spitz, who once weighed close to 250 pounds, cut about 80 pounds in training to run in the 2008 race. He was on pace to take on the challenge until he collided with an SUV during a biking training session, breaking his collarbone and effectively ending his hopes of entering. Physical therapy was lengthy - Spitz counted 146 sessions, not to mention he slept on his back for four months, his arm completely atrophied and his range of motion was limited. He didn't swim for more than seven months. Finally back to health, Spitz, 41, took on a training regimen every bit as rigorous and was in the best shape of his life heading to Hawaii.

Never mind that the temperature surpassed 100 early on race day - the epic journey had Spitz itching to hit the ocean bay in Kailua-Kona, which he finally did with 1,600 other competitors at 7 a.m. on October 9. He entered what he called "a sea of arms, legs and bodies" that was "as chaotic as it looks on television." In the race that he'd played out in his head, he'd hoped to finish the 2.4 miles and climb the shore between 1:10 and 1:15. Right on schedule, he came in at 1:14 and boarded his bike.

By bike, the path took riders north along the coast to the village of Hawi and back, with the early miles in the return trip especially challenging. After traveling through the famous lava fields with relatively little resistance from a traditionally stiff Ironman wind, Spitz made the turn and hit what he'd been told was "the real meat of the ride." It was at mile 80 that he came face-to-face with imposing winds that persisted almost until the transition. At one point, he slowed to 18 miles per hours despite the fact he was going downhill. Spitz resisted the temptation to burn himself out cutting through the wind and completed the second leg in just over six-and-a-half hours.

Spitz not only completed the Ironman but also raised $15,000 for his choice charity, Vitamin Angels.

The marathon doomed many of the competitors on what was a brutally hot day. Spitz felt strong heading into the latter half as he made the final climb out of town to the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway. Like the bike, the run then weaved through the lava fields where few spectators stood, making it a lonely trek for the parade of weary competitors. The sun set as Spitz entered the final third of the 26-plus mile run and soon he and others were in complete darkness save for a glowstick provided to entrants for such circumstances. Spitz powered through the night, managing to avoid hitting the wall that oftentimes claims runners.

Even after spending a half-day in motion, his best was yet to come. Passing a number of competitors over the final stretch, Spitz, who hoped pre-race to simply survive the marathon, entered the last mile with more energy than he expected, so much so that he ran it in 7:43, by far his quickest on foot that day. He barreled up Alii Drive to the finish line and, thanks to a 4:41 marathon, registered a time of 12:47 to shatter his previous record for an Ironman race. It put him in 1,271st place in a field largely consisting of triathlon pros and veterans. For a first-timer, the finish was ideal.

"It was a day of suffering for a lot of people, but I did not suffer," said Spitz, who in addition to finishing the race raised $15,000 for his choice charity, Vitamin Angels. "I felt great the whole race. I felt measured, I had my pacing down, and I truly felt like I was in control of the day, which was so surprising. I have a feeling it's because it just took me so much effort. to get there. I had done all my suffering before race day, and race day was just a celebration as long as I raced a smart race."

Spitz praised the organization of the race, saying "they truly have it down to a science." The Ironman has 5,000 volunteers, many of whom fly in from the continental 48 states, stationed along the path from start to finish. A pre-race camp in which Spitz and several others participated was run by professional coaches and triathletes. A recap of the Ford Ironman Triathlon World Championships will be aired on NBC on Saturday at 4:30 EST.

He doesn't have any plans to race until he competes in the California Half Ironman in March. He has entertained the idea of putting his name in for the 2010 lottery, from which Hawaii Ironman wild card entries are drawn. In the meantime, he'll revel in what was a monumental achievement.

"People from all over world shared a common goal and understood how everyone worked so hard to get there," Spitz said. "I gave it my best shot, my one and only shot, and there are very few times in life that there's such an epic build-up to something and it still exceed expectations."