In homage to the men and women competing in the Ultraman World Championship starting today and finishing Sunday this weekend after Thanksgiving, and in rueful sorrow I am unable to be there this year, I offer some of my favorite photographs from the 15 years since my first appointment with this triathletic circumnavigation of the Big Island of Hawaii.

All photographs © Timothy Carlson

Alexandre Ribeiro of Brazil rides toward the Red Road with volcanic steam venting in the background. The win was his 3rd of six Ultraman titles.

Intense moment during the 10 kilometer swim from the Kailua Pier to Keauhou Beach on Day 1 in 2011.

Vito Bialla rides past the Nene Crossing in 1998.

The apogee of beauty on the southern seaside section known as the Red Road for the crushed red volcanic rock that has sadly been paved over. Worse, race organizers abandoned this exquisite spot in favor of a boring section a hundred feet inland.

Cowman A-Mooha riding the Red Road section in 1999.

Holger Spiegel’s mother hands him a water bottle during the Day 2 bike in 1998. Spiegel set a still-standing men’s race record of 21:41:22 that year, which withstood a 21:41:49 challenge by Jonas Colting in 2004.

Riding under a tropical canopy of trees.

Jeff Landauer and Gary Wang wait for the light to change in Hilo on Day 2 of the 2006 Ultraman.

Riders pass by a tangle of trees in Hilo.

Jonas Colting rides to the lead with a commanding 7:34:16 split on Day 2 of his second Ultraman victory in 2007.

Alexandre Ribeiro and Miro Kregar set their watches and tear off into the lead of the double marathon in 2009. Ribeiro won his 4th victory.

Ribeiro and Kregar have make it a habit to run together. On this day in 2012, Kregar won the run and Ribeiro took his 6th overall Ultraman triumph.

Sergio Cordeiro preferred to run barefoot. On this day in 1998, the 44-year-old Brazilian posted the fastest double marathon of the day - 6:16:46 - and finished 3rd overall in a time of 24:00:39.

Shanna Armstrong ran to her 4th of 6 Ultraman women's overall victories in 2008. Hula skirted pace runner won style points.

Alexandre Ribeiro and Miro Kregar run past bright red bougainvillea in the 2009 Ultraman double marathon on Day 3.

Eric Seedhouse of Great Britain ran a second fastest 6:22:50 run on the final day of the 1998 Ultraman. Seedhouse, who won in 1996 and placed second to Peter Kotland in 1997, was second this day.

Navy SEAL David Goggins, who assuredly had the most ripped physique of all Ultraman contenders, was 10 minutes behind winner Jeff Landauer in the 2006 Ultraman.

Physically challenged triathlete John McLean of Australia was foiled by the 15,000 total feet of climbing on the bike legs on Day 1 and Day 2 and did not make the cutoffs. Allowed to participate on Day 3 in 2006, McLean crushed the double marathon in 3:39:55.

Amber Monforte cools off her legs after winning the race and setting a women’s course record of 24:07:11 in 2010.

Hiroe Fukushima of Japan won the women’s Ultraman title in 1993. But on the Day 3 double marathon in 2000, she missed the 12 hour cutoff by a minute and a half. Here she is crying from the stress of making the 2000 Day 1 cutoff by two and a half minutes.