Bear Schickel
M 18-24
“It’s hard to stay motivated when you don’t have races on the calendar, but it feels really good to get back and this is what motivates me to train. I love this feeling of working really hard and suffering until the end.”
Hayley Chura
F Pro
“It’s hard! And you don’t realize how much you miss the community until you get to be back around it again. It was so much fun to come back to a race and see everyone so hyped. I had really missed the energy of being around a group of triathletes who are excited to race.”
Kim Kilgroe
F Pro
“Sticking with the process and having the consistency throughout whether there’s a race on the calendar or not will pay off. Everyone has been away from racing, but if you love doing the sport and stick with it then it will pay off when you get back to racing. Keep rolling with it and adapt. It’s been really fun to get back on the race course.”
Caitlin Standifer
F 30-34
“It feels so good to be back; it’s almost normal. I’m just so happy to be back to doing what we love to do. Last year was so hard—it was tough to ever get into a rhythm. Without racing, I started to feel a little bit lost. It feels really good to be back out here.”
Ursela Knezevic
F 35-39
“To just enjoy every moment. I’m really grateful for the logistics that Ironman has put together to get a race on. I think it’s really awesome to see everyone out here giving it their all, despite some of us not being in pools for a long time and not being on the road in some cases. So my biggest takeaway is just gratefulness—gratitude for the moment.”
Connie Hughes
F 40-44
“With races being continuously postponed I didn’t keep up the training like I probably should have. I thought it would be canceled! Racing has motivated me to get ready for the next events, which will be Salem [70.3 Oregon] and then 70.3 Worlds.”
Kevin Capasso
M 50-54
“I love it. It was incredible to be back out here. I missed it so much. I forgot how hard it is! And how much you have to push yourself to get to the finish line.”
Rod Matteri
M 55-59
“It was so much fun to be back out here. I’ve been waiting for two years to get back out on the course and this place didn’t disappoint. The course was fanatic. It was a little warm, a little hilly, but it was so awesome to be back.”
Ivan Rodriquez
M 35-39
“It’s really hard because last year we had our races lined up and we trained and then one after another was canceled. It was overwhelming. It’s really hard to stay in this lifestyle and to stay in shape when you don’t have races on the calendar. Leading into this race I didn’t believe it was going to happen…. Being out here and racing is something I won’t take for granted.”
Patrick Louchouarn
M 55-59
“Gratitude. Just being happy to be out here with people who love doing this sport. This one is in such a beautiful place. I’m just so very very grateful.”
Marlene Zeug
F 45-49
“Attitude of gratitude. I’m just so grateful. I had no expectations. I came out here to just to my very best and be flexible. It’s just awesome to be back out here.”