Ever since Dave Scott and Mark Allen faced off in the legendary Ironman World Championship in Kona in October 1989, I have been fascinated with the sport of triathlon. Until that race, Scott had dominated the Lava fields of Kona, winning the championship six times. Meanwhile, Allen had won every major triathlon race in the world—except for Kona. Both men were incredible athletes, and I admired their remarkable mental and physical stamina. How could anyone race 146 miles, let alone complete it in less than eight and a half hours? After swimming and cycling alongside each other for most of the race, Allen made his move 23.5 miles into the marathon, breaking away during the final uphill section. Scott finished with a time that would have won every previous Ironman World Championship: 8:10:13, but Allen was just a minute faster at 8:09:15. I was in awe and vowed to someday race an Ironman myself.
As the years passed, I enjoyed running for fitness and participated in the occasional 5K or 10K race to keep my competitive spirit alive. However, my dream of becoming a triathlete and racing in an Ironman remained unfulfilled.
In 2011, at the age of 54 and dealing with my share of running injuries, I realized I needed to incorporate swimming and biking to balance my love for physical activity. My little town of Coldwater, Michigan, hosts a “mini-triathlon” consisting of a 300-yard swim, a 10K bike ride, and a 5K run. I signed up, began training, and competed in my first triathlon that fall. From that moment, I was hooked.