Their husbands have waited two years, say Susanne Wittmann and Kathy Biendl.

The two are standing on the banks of the Main, below the Römerberg, in the blazing sun at around 30 degrees.

They had extra T-shirts made to cheer them on.

Her men actually wanted to go to Frankfurt last year to take part in the Ironman triathlon - but it was canceled due to the pandemic, and the athletes' training was useless.

"The mood was already depressed," says Wittmann.

Biendl adds: “We suffered there too.” But now the wait is over, her men are taking part in the Ironman - which this year is only taking place with restrictions.

Several thousand athletes normally compete in the Ironman in Frankfurt.

Once again, the professionals and amateurs had 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running ahead of them.

We swam in the Langener Waldsee, the bike course led through Frankfurt, Schöneck, Nidderau, Altenstadt and back again, we ran along the Main - with a view of the skyline.

Due to Corona, the usual route had been changed slightly to avoid crowds.

"May the strength be in you"

The first athletes got into the water around half past six. The race management had postponed the start because some buses were late. However, the start was not too early for some viewers. “It was really nice to start with the sunrise,” says Fabienne Notalello. They have a sign with them that shows the Marvel superhero "Iron Man". They drove off to Düsseldorf that night to support their brother Gianluca, who is taking part in the Ironman for the first time. “It's awesome to be part of this event,” says the viewer Sofia Contino, who is in a group with Notalello. "And support is particularly important for athletes who are taking part for the first time."

In order to be able to cheer on Gianluca, they bought extra VIP passes. Actually, this time the Ironman takes place without a spectator because of the corona pandemic. Only registered relatives have access to cordoned-off areas, there is a mask requirement and a distance requirement. The number of participants for the athletes is also limited to 1500. The destination at the Römer, which attracted several thousand spectators in earlier years, is even covered this time with a privacy screen to keep spontaneous onlookers away. However, this only works in part: As the day goes on, more and more people come to the track, albeit fewer than in previous years.

The music stages and parties that normally take place at the Ironman are also missing, but music is played from a loudspeaker system.

On the banks of the Main, where the athletes walk directly by, hang posters with slogans such as “May the strength be in you”, people with VIP access take photos of themselves as they approach the finish line.

There is always cheering and applause for every athlete.

Especially after the second transition zone, where the athletes switch from cycling to marathon, the spectators stand in line.

After a good eight hours over the finish line

Karin and Gerhard Kemmerer are also at the transition area, albeit as helpers. You have to make sure that the bikes are handed in properly and that the start as a runner is compliant with the rules. And of course everything has to happen as quickly as possible, after all, none of the athletes want to lose time here. “You are broken in the evening,” says Karin Kemmerer. “But it's always nice to see the boys and maybe to cheer them up a bit,” says Gerhard Kemmerer. You have been following the Ironman for years. How was the past year without Ironman? "Bad," says Gerhard Kemmerer.

The competition is a special event for the athletes.

Many of them train for a whole year or change their diet.

Silvio Sudero has already done this twice, in 2000 and 2006 he himself ran in Frankfurt.

Today he is there as a spectator.

“This spirit, the distance and the cult make the Ironman.

Once you've done it yourself, you're always torn as to whether you shouldn't do it again.

On the other hand, it always hurts in the end, ”he says.

After seven hours, 59 minutes and 18 seconds, the Swede Patrik Nilsson crossed the finish line first.

Many more athletes will follow in the hours after that.

And each of them is cheered loudly by the spectators who crowd at the advertising boards and stand in the stands.

You've all waited long enough for this, after all.