Derek Garcia was living in Coeur d’Alene when he heard that the Ironman was coming to town. “My first thought was that the Ironman was, for some reason, abandoning the Big Island of Hawaii and moving their event to Idaho,” he laughs. Before he did his first multi-sport race, he thought that once you put…
By Lee Gruenfeld, guest contributor to Babbittville.com When the waters receded, Noah thought it a blessing. Here at Wildflower…not so much. To read about the relentless California drought, now in its fifth year, is one thing. To have it thrust in your face with shocking clarity is quite another. Just two years ago, athletes here swam…
Liz Lyles did her first triathlon in a surfing wetsuit and on a borrowed mountain bike without clip on pedals. She won her age group. The mother of two turned pro in 2012 and won Ironman Wisconsin that same summer. In October of 2014 she was the first American when she took seventh at the…
Heading into its 33rd year, is there a half Iron distance event that has the history and prestige of Wildflower? I don’t think so. Besides the classic half distance course, there is also an Olympic and mountain bike triathlon, plus a full weekend of camping, music and camaraderie. If you haven’t been, what are you…
Heather Jackson and Jesse Thomas came on together with Paul Huddle and me to chat about their favorite all-time race, the Wildflower Triathlon. Heather, the former hockey player, has won Wildflower three times in a row. Thomas, the former basketball player and steeplechase star, has won four in a row. During our conversation they both committed…
Heather Jackson started off her 2014 season with her third win at the infamous Wildflower Triathlon and the plan was in place to race Kona in October for the first time as a pro. An injury changed everything and the goal became Ironman Arizona where she just took third. It’s always great to chat with…
Terenzo Bozzone from New Zealand is only 29 years old, has five World Championship Titles and has been racing triathlons for nearly half his life. We chatted about moving from Olympic format to the Ironman and Ironman 70.3, his course record that still stands at Wildflower, training with and learning from two-time Ironman World champion…