Madison hosted the 8th annual Ironman Triathlon Sunday, drawing more than 2,400 athletes into the city and pitting them against a grueling succession of events.South Africa’s Raynard Tissink won the race with a time of 8:45:19. Amy Marsh of Austin, Texas, was the first woman to finish with a time of 9:43:59, securing the women’s championship.

The course features a two-loop swim of Lake Monona totaling 2.4 miles and a 112-mile bike course running from Lake Monona to various county roads on the west side of Madison. A 26.2-mile marathon topped off the day of activities, with the course running through various parts of campus and the downtown area, including Camp Randall Stadium, the Howard Temin Bike Path and Capitol Square.

All told, the event, which originated in Hawaii in 1978, is a 140.6-mile race through the Madison area.

The triathlon affected various bus schedules and traffic. The Engineering and Parking divisions issued a statement warning of traffic delays in the downtown and near westside area late last week.

Athletes had 17 hours to complete the course, staring at 7 a.m. and ending at midnight.

Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said he is a big fan of the event since it draws in visitors to the city and pumps money into the local economy. While he said he was not going to compete, he could be found doing the “carbo-load” before the race.

“I love the Ironman,” Cieslewicz said. “It’s just fun — all those fit people in all that Lycra.”

Jan Guenther, 50, of Minneapolis, is a five-time Ironman competitor who has been training six days a week for about one to three hours. As Ironman Wisconsin was her 5th triathlon, she said she has had a continuous, year-round training schedule since 1985.

“You are always nervous,” Guenther said. “Everyone always seems in better shape and skinnier.”

As an Ironman veteran, Guenther said she keeps coming back for another Ironman because it relates to her career as a sports store owner.

“The Ironman is a general level of fitness and outdoor activity that I love,” said Guenther, who won her age division for the 2009 Ironman.

First-time Ironman athlete Erik Enstad, 38, of Chicago, said two days before the race he was “a ball of nerves.”

“I woke up today and I wasn’t sure if I should finish my coffee,” Enstad said. “My heart is about to jump out of my chest.”

Enstad said he trained six days a week for about two to eight hours, adding nutrition is very important.

Enstad gushed about the city of Madison and its allure for Ironman athletes.

“Madison is a cool, fun city,” Enstad said. “It’s the perfect place for Ironman.”

Enstad added the reason Madison has become such a favorite destination for the triathlon is the support it receives from the community.

“It’s such an amazing thing to see� — the crowd cheering people on, people staying until the very end of the race,” Enstad said, adding the community’s energy is “inspiring.”