Stories behind Ironman

By BRIAN WALKER

Staff Writer

COEUR d'ALENE — Ironman 70.3 Coeur d'Alene competitors have mountains of motivation for competing in Sunday's triathlon.

"Athletes range in age from 18 to 75," said Ryan Lobato, Ironman spokesman. "Occupations include firefighter, stunt man, doggy day care manager and lifeguard."

More than 2,100 athletes representing 17 countries and 44 states will compete in the race that includes a 1.2-mile swim in Lake Coeur d'Alene, 56-mile bike portion and 13.1-mile run and ends on Sherman Avenue.

The race starts at 6 a.m. with the first male expected to finish around 11 a.m. and female 11:20 a.m. The official race finish is around 3:45 p.m.

Here's a look at some of the stories behind the participants:

• Oldest Ironman — Kenneth Marker, 75, of Hayden, will be the oldest competitor.

• Youngest Ironman — Mortan Utley, 18, of Ladera Ranch, Calif., is the youngest athlete.

• Getting through the Gauntlet — Dave Neale, 43, Spokane, grew up in a broken home and struggled in school, but was the first in his family to graduate from college. He earned a master's degree after serving in the Marines and surviving Somalia. Neale has been through two knee surgeries, watched his mother battle breast cancer and lost his brother and father in the same year. To battle through, Neale focused on triathlons to learn more about himself and to be a happier father, husband and friend.

• Woman Carries Son's Ashes — The son of Cassandra Heide, 55, Colville, Wash., committed suicide in 2006. She spent three years struggling with depression and, by the time she recovered, weighed 315 pounds. She started swimming to lose weight and, after several triathlons, she lost 130 pounds in two years. Heide will carry her son's ashes with her in hopes of her first Ironman finish after falling short in two previous attempts.

• Persevering through Poverty — Bonnie Benitz, 40, Richland, Wash., was a single mother living in poverty and overweight when she began exercising with encouragement from her sister. With improved confidence, she became the first female in her fire department. Her sister then convinced her to compete in triathlons, which has provided inspiration to her daughters and others.

• Veteran of Valor Pursues Record — Michael Mendoza, 38, Mokena, Ill., is a 10-year Marine veteran attempting to break the Guinness World Record for most Ironman 70.3 races completed in a year at 23. A Purple Heart and Navy Cross recipient, he's raising money for wounded service members to pay for sports recreation fees and adaptive triathlon bikes.

• Over Mountains and Monsters — Rebecca Edwards, 37, Bozeman, Mont., is a survivor of a physically abusive relationship and started her own business as a single mom. Formerly a mountain climber, Edwards turned to endurance sports to show her daughter how strong women can be.

• Quest for Confidence — Jennifer Conder, 37, Las Vegas weighed nearly 300 pounds. When she was 14, she remembers seeing the Kona race on TV and believed it would be a pipe dream to finish an Ironman. She has lost more than 140 pounds and has enrolled in her first Ironman.

• Ironman for Mental Illness — Adrian Hunter, 32, San Francisco, lost his younger brother to a drug overdose. He has raised more than $17,000 for mental illness awareness.