On a sunny day in high altitude triathlon paradise, 13-year Boulder pro resident Justin Daerr and Colorado born and bred Danielle Kehoe won their very first Ironman in Boulder, Colorado’s inaugural 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run contest.

All photographs © Timothy Carlson

After the small pro waves began in the water at the cannon, the rest of the 2,300-plus athletes from 50 states and 58 countries began their day as they crossed a timing mat on shore on a rolling start.

Heading out into a one loop, 2.4-mile swim course that used up a great deal of the Boulder Reservoir.

Boulder Reservoir was filled with swimmers.

Mark Hillers swam 58:57 and finished 6th overall in 9:19:44.

Jorge Rodriguez of Lyons, Colorado 33rd in men's 40-44 in a time of 9:56:27.

Jeannette Mucha of San Carlos, California biked 6:03:51 in her way to a 34th place finish in women's 40-44.

Riding on the rolling hills on the way to Lyons.

Nice signs! Volunteers cheer on the riders.

Audra Kammerer of Evergreen Colorado rounds a corner on the course’s farmlands north of Boulder. She biked 5:46:57 on her way to a 4th place finish in women's 45-49 and a 26th place women’s overall in a time of 11:11:59.

Roberto Guerra Ramirez of Mexico City biked 5:49:46 and finished 36th in men’s 25-29.

Riding past a big stack of hay.

A crowd of riders who were lucky that no marshals were in the vicinity.

Kipling Brady of Thornton, Colorado biked 5:37:56 but did not finish the run.

Pro Scott Defilippis of Normandy Beach, New Jersey biked 4:47:48 on his way to a third overall finish in a time of 8:54:19.

Australian 70.3 maestro Richie Cunningham swam a race-best 50:28, biked a race best 4:24:47 and led halfway through the run before fading to a 3:09:49 marathon and second place.

U.S, Naval Academy triathlon coach Billy Edwards biked 4:42:06 and ran 3:27:02 on his way to an 8th place overall finish in 9:19:40.

Curt Chesney of Boulder, Colorado ran 3:09:22 and won men’s 45-49 and placed 4th overall in a time of 8:56:45.

Danielle Kehoe passed Laura Bennett just after the halfway point of the run on her way to a women's race-best split of 3:16:34 and her first Ironman overall win in a time of 9:19:54.

Justin Daerr hugs his wife Brooke after his long-sought first Ironman victory – in his home town, no less.

No finisher was bursting with more joy than Danielle Kehoe.