HOME TEAM : Local Athletes Tackle Ironman

10 AREA TRIATHLETES COMPETE IN EVENT

While it might appear to the naked eye as just a triathlon, 10 triathletes from Northwest Arkansas view it as a culmination of hard work, discipline, sacrifice, and commitment.

Those 10 participants set out Nov. 29 in the Ironman Cozumel to fulfill an objective that most people will never get to attempt, or would even want to.

“It’s truly an earned title,” said David Redfield, one of the 10 who was competing in his first Ironman competition.

“After completing it, you see how truly special it is to belong to such an elite fraternity of men and women who have committed themselves not to athletics, but to completing an objective few will ever know or accomplish.”

Northwest Arkansas Triathletes is a second-year team of 86 triathletes that competes in USAT, the governing body for triathlon sports in the United States.

“It’s home to the best triathletes in the state of Arkansas,” Mike Corral, a veteran who competed in his eighth Ironman in Cozumel, said of the team. “That’s a bold statement, but it’s true.”

An Ironman triathlon is the longest and most grueling triathlon an athlete can go through, as it consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike, and a 26-mile marathon run, all of which is done without a break.

The athletes train for months in advance, spending countless hours away from their families or duties, such as school, work or other actitivies.

“Doing an Ironman is by no means easy,” team member Ty Hoffine, who completed his second Ironman in Cozumel, said.

“I personally train for about six months in order to get ready for one. Not only is it taxing on your body, but can be taxing on your personal life as well. Your spouse and kids have to be in it as well. They have to sacrifice just as much as we do.”

Two University of Arkansas students that are members of the team competed in their first Ironman in Cozumel.

Jason Corral was the youngest participant in the entire field and finished, and classmate Willy Pickhardt also finished, doing well enough to win a slot to compete in Kona, Hawaii, in the Ironman Hawaii.

“Trying to get to the Hawaiian Ironman is every triathlete’s dream,” Mike Corral said. “I’ve been once and it’s one of the top five things I’ll do in my life. It is the Super Bowl or World Series of our sport.”

Northwest Arkansas Triathletes compete in USAT-sanctioned events against teams from a four-state region — Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

Before Ironman Cozumel, the team went to the Redman Competition in Oklahoma City and took first place in its division.

In Cozumel, the team built off the strong showing in Oklahoma City and performed well on a foreign stage.

The support has grown from the community as well, and they are sponsored by a variety of local businesses and organizations, including Fleet Feet in Fayetteville.

“They have supported us from the beginning,” Mike Corral said.

Other businesses that support the triathletes include Ozark Orthopedics in Fayetteville, React Performance Training in Fayetteville, Northwest Primary Care Willow Creek, All Sports Productions, New Creature in Rogers and Skin Strong.

John Williams, a team member who completed his fourth Ironman in Cozumel, said it best when he talked about the rewards of being an Ironman.

“The most rewarding part was seeing so many Northwest Arkansas Triathletes finish, just knowing all the sacrifices that they and their families endured,” Williams said.

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