Hard work. Dedication. Drive. These are words that get thrown around a lot, but every once in a while, someone comes along and truly lives them out. Drew is one of those people.
When I think back to where this all started—just a couple of dumb cardio battles on the assault bike and rower last winter and spring—I never imagined it would evolve into this. What began as small competitions to push each other turned into a full commitment: months of discipline, sacrifice, and consistency, all building toward one of the toughest tests of human endurance—the Ironman.
I’ve had the privilege of training Drew since he was young. I watched him grind through football, battle in the trenches as a lineman at UWEC, and now completely transform himself to take on a challenge of a different kind. To drop weight, enter the Clydesdale division, and train for something as demanding as an Ironman takes a rare kind of grit. It requires more than fitness—it demands character.
On race day, Drew delivered. Finishing his first Ironman in 12 hours, 30 minutes, and 46 seconds, he placed 78th in his age group and 450th overall out of more than 1,300 competitors. Those numbers are impressive, but what they represent matters even more. They reflect a journey marked by resilience, belief, and an unwillingness to quit.
Askesis. Agon. Arete. Discipline, struggle, excellence. These aren’t just words I’ve lived by—they are the very qualities Drew embodied on this journey. He embraced the suffering. He refused to back down. He crossed the finish line not just as a competitor, but as an Ironman.
Drew has set an example of what’s possible when you combine hard work with self-belief. He’s proven that goals aren’t just dreams—they’re commitments waiting to be earned. And while this Ironman was a finish line, it’s also just the beginning.
Congratulations, Drew. You’ve earned every step, every mile, every ounce of pride that comes with the title: Ironman.