2008 Woodie Awards
McGonigal becomes an Ironman
Keats travels to Hawaii for triathlon competition
Bethany Hergert, Staff Writer
Issue date: 11/14/06
Last Updated: 12/26/07
April McGonigal, Duvall Resident Director, cheered on her husband Keats as 1,700 competitors of the 2006 Ironman World Championship Competition in Kona, Hawaii leapt into the ocean for the first leg of the race.
"It's emotional and exciting, and it's a bit of a relief for me to see that start," April said. "All the training and time, and it's finally here."
The triathlon, which took place on Oct. 21, consisted of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run. Among the competitors were 100 professional athletes. Most of the competitors finished, and of those, Keats placed 554th with a time of 10 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds.
"The whole experience was fantastic," Keats said. "I really enjoyed the race itself. The last 15 miles or so of the bike [race] there was a little bit of a tail wind, and we were coming back into town, where you dropped your bike, and the energy of the crowd was amazing."
The training for the triathlons was a large commitment. Keats trained six to seven days a week, averaging 20-25 hours a week. He began this training in October 2005 to prepare for the Coeur D'Alene Ironman competition.
Keats qualified for Ironman Hawaii last June at the Coeur D'Alene competition. He placed eighth in his age group of 25-29 year olds, despite a mild concussion from being kicked during the swim.
The top five finishers were picked to compete in Kona, but because of conflicts, three dropped out and Keats qualified for the World Championship.
As a participant in these competitions, each athlete can choose an organization to raise money for through the Janus Charity Challenge. Janus, an investment company, will either double or add funds to whatever amount the athlete raises.
Keats chose a multiple sclerosis research organization after April's diagnosis last year and raised $10,000 for the Coeur D'Alene competition and $500 for Kona.
"The Ironman can be seen as a metaphor almost for our marriage because there are tough times," April said. "There have been tough times within the last year with my being diagnosed with M.S. It represents the ups and down and the challenges and the blessings that have come as a result."
"It's emotional and exciting, and it's a bit of a relief for me to see that start," April said. "All the training and time, and it's finally here."
The triathlon, which took place on Oct. 21, consisted of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run. Among the competitors were 100 professional athletes. Most of the competitors finished, and of those, Keats placed 554th with a time of 10 hours, 22 minutes and 49 seconds.
"The whole experience was fantastic," Keats said. "I really enjoyed the race itself. The last 15 miles or so of the bike [race] there was a little bit of a tail wind, and we were coming back into town, where you dropped your bike, and the energy of the crowd was amazing."
The training for the triathlons was a large commitment. Keats trained six to seven days a week, averaging 20-25 hours a week. He began this training in October 2005 to prepare for the Coeur D'Alene Ironman competition.
Keats qualified for Ironman Hawaii last June at the Coeur D'Alene competition. He placed eighth in his age group of 25-29 year olds, despite a mild concussion from being kicked during the swim.
The top five finishers were picked to compete in Kona, but because of conflicts, three dropped out and Keats qualified for the World Championship.
As a participant in these competitions, each athlete can choose an organization to raise money for through the Janus Charity Challenge. Janus, an investment company, will either double or add funds to whatever amount the athlete raises.
Keats chose a multiple sclerosis research organization after April's diagnosis last year and raised $10,000 for the Coeur D'Alene competition and $500 for Kona.
"The Ironman can be seen as a metaphor almost for our marriage because there are tough times," April said. "There have been tough times within the last year with my being diagnosed with M.S. It represents the ups and down and the challenges and the blessings that have come as a result."
For this reason, The Whitworthian asks readers to be responsible and respectful in any comments posted. The responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not the whitworthian.com. Readers are also encouraged to report questionable comments by e-mailing editor@whitworthian.com.
Be the first to comment on this story