Julie Ann Gerhard, a 34-year-old former collegiate swimmer turned high school physics teacher from Spokane, had done something no one in Ironman history had attempted. She’d registered in the "retro exhibition" category, which allowed vintage gear. Most chose old steel-framed bikes. Julie Ann chose a 1987 one-piece swimsuit: high-cut, neon-pink with turquoise chevrons, a suit last seen on a Baywatch extra.
The internet called it a stunt. The forums said she’d quit by the first buoy. Julie Ann Gerhard - IRONMAN SWIMSUIT SPECTACULA..avi
The drone shot opened on Kailua Bay at 6:42 AM—glass water, volcano haze, and 2,400 triathletes treading a carpet of bubbles. But the commentators weren't talking about the pros. They were zooming in on Lane 14. Julie Ann Gerhard, a 34-year-old former collegiate swimmer