The IRONMAN Executive Challenge takes the stress-inducing planning out of triathlons so business professionals can focus on their training and race-day performance.
Accomplished business executives aren’t afraid to face challenges head-on. They may even crave these types of experiences, and competing in an exhausting fitness event, like an IRONMAN triathlon, satisfies that desire outside the office. But figuring out the logistics — your accommodations, your bike tuning, your registration — is often just as strenuous as competing in the event itself. The directors behind IRONMAN, the world-renowned 140.6-mile race, know how much of a pain point this planning can be, particularly for professionals working overtime.
Their solution: the IRONMAN Executive Challenge. This turn-key race package includes all the necessary arrangements, allowing executive athletes to put 100 percent of their energy into one of the world’s most challenging triathlons — and have a luxury experience, says Troy Ford, the program’s director. “Our athletes have really busy lives, trying to juggle the training on top of it all, so we're able to provide a very easy experience with IRONMAN XC,” he says.
Photo Credit: IRONMAN
What It Takes to Be an IRONMAN Executive Challenge Athlete.
To take part in the Executive Challenge, you’ll need to apply specifically for the XC program. But there are no set-in-stone job requirements for the athletes, and career-minded individuals from finance, tech, medical, and other sectors often participate. Many XC participants have done a 70.3 or full IRONMAN race before signing up for the Executive Challenge, but first-timers are also welcome, says Ford. What’s most important, he explains, is having a similar mindset and dedication to the sport.
Amid busy work and travel schedules, they’ll squeeze in rides on stationary bikes, swims at hotel pools, at 30-minute runs on business trips, says Ford. And they’ll sleep a little less and cut meetings short to ensure race training doesn’t fall to the wayside, he adds.
In the process, the XC athletes might have their blood pressure and cholesterol levels improve, but more notably, they see mental-health benefits, too, says Ford. “Going for a six-hour bike ride, you're going to have the time to work through a lot of mental things,” he adds. “I think it's personal therapy. It helps them resolve business issues, and it helps them become really good at becoming efficient in their life. There's not a whole lot of downtime for them in general, but they become even more efficient by training for this sport.”
Of the 60 to 70 athletes who have competed in the five Executive Challenge races this year, only one person has decided to pull themselves out of the race, Ford shares. And many post impressive race finish times, he adds. It’s a testament to these business leaders’ abilities to overcome setbacks and push through when the going gets tough. “They know that there's something good around the corner,” says Ford. “As they race more, they learn that when their stomach feels terrible or their head is pounding with a headache, ‘If I can get to the next aid station and get some caffeine or get something to eat, I can patch myself up. I might slow down a little bit, but I can keep going.’”
And the grind never stops. At the awards ceremony after the 2023 Chattanooga 70.3 race, Ford overheard several XC athletes planning to get back to training just two days later. Some competitors even race three to five times a year through the Executive Challenge, he adds. For many, IRONMAN XC is a lifestyle — one that just so happens to help business deals come together, too.
Here’s what to expect from the premium triathlon package.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
The Full IRONMAN Executive Challenge Experience
Being an XC athlete isn’t easy, but it does have its perks. Executive Challenge athletes are able to sign up for their race early — up to a year out — and late in the game, when many general entry race spots are filled, says Ford. Accommodations are included, so participants don’t need to spend their minimal free time hunting down a hotel.
On race weekend, athletes will have a private check-in and a welcome reception with their families. There are private race briefings (breakfast included) and logistic luncheons, during which pros will tune athletes’ bikes. When a participant forgets to bring their race belt or earplugs, or when the airport damages their bike, the XC team will get it taken care of, says Ford. “We want them to be able to check out of reality for the few days surrounding the race,” he explains. “We want them to know that we have their back and have all the details covered, so that way, they can immerse themselves completely in the race.”
Family members will also receive VIP credentials and have access to special viewpoints along the course to cheer on their loved one, says Ford. “They get super close to all the action,” he explains. “The family members are literally there the moment they come across the finish line. They get to award them with the finisher’s medal and get a big, sweaty hug from their athlete. That’s a super special, top 10 moment in life for most of these people.” To cap off the weekend, athletes and their families are invited to an Executive Challenge awards ceremony, during which some finishers receive a slot to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship, says Ford.
Of course, there is a higher price tag to be an IRONMAN XC athlete; a general entry admission for the 70.3 race in Boulder, for example, costs $469, while the Executive Challenge package will run you $6,700.
But that doesn’t stop participants from coming back year after year. Roughly 70 percent of XC athletes are repeat participants, Ford estimates. And this is largely due to the camaraderie that develops among XC athletes, he says. “At the awards dinner, you can really feel it strongly because they were in, like, a war together — they battled the course that day,” he adds. “They all have that common bond that they were, [for example], 2023 70.3 Chattanooga finishers, and they all have a story to tell about the swim current or this one hill on the run that was crazy steep.” Lifelong friendships are established, as are, unsurprisingly, business relationships, says Ford.