Triathlon

“To me, it’s the only race that counts,” says triathlete Tim DeBoom of the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. And when it counts, DeBoom comes ready to play: he captured the world title in 2001 and 2002, and after a freakish setback in 2003, he’s eager to stand on top of the podium again.

Triathlon History

Triathlons have become so popular that many people forget the sport actually originated with the Hawaii Ironman. In 1978, three existing Hawaii races – a 2.4-mile roughwater swim, a 112-mile bike race, and the 26.2-mile Honolulu Marathon – were combined to settle a friendly dispute over whether runners, swimmers, or other athletes were most fit. Fifteen men participated in the initial event, and the winner was dubbed “the Ironman.”

Today Ironman competitions are held around the globe, but the World Championship in Hawaii is still the prize every serious triathlete covets. With a rough Pacific swim, inevitable winds, and the blasting heat of Kona’s lava beds, this race is also the most brutal.

All About Self-Motivation

Tim DeBoom loves the challenge. “Racing-wise, Hawaii is it,” says the quiet athlete. “I like that place, and I like that race. I’m very driven to do well there.” To hear his family tell it, DeBoom is driven to do well in everything he attempts. In his home state of Iowa, he joined a swim team at age 6, and by high school he was state champion in the 100 backstroke. He also golfed, ran, played football, and graduated as salutatorian of his class.

In 1991, while studying exercise physiology at the University of Iowa (in expectation of enrolling in medical school), DeBoom entered a local triathlon and finished second. The hook was set. In the 1992 season, DeBoom won his age group in numerous races and finished a very respectable 150th overall in Hawaii. Given that his training regimen consisted of only 100 miles of cycling, 20 miles of running, and 20,000 yards of swimming a week, he knew that if he applied himself, the results could be awesome.

But no one could have known how awesome. DeBoom immediately captured the U.S. Amateur crown in 1993, and he took it again in 1994 before turning pro in 1995. Six years, some broken vertebrae (from a training run-in with a car), and a wicked amount of dedication later, the Ironman World Championship belonged to Tim DeBoom. A repeat victory in 2002 fueled his drive as much as it cemented his reputation.

Completely focused

As Hawaii’s 2003 Ironman unfolded, DeBoom was in a comfortable position to capture his third championship. (The record, six wins, is held by his friend Mark Allen.) Then, the unthinkable happened. Several miles into the marathon – the last stage of the race – DeBoom seized up in pain and collapsed, half conscious, in a medical van. After some anxious moments, it was determined that he had passed a kidney stone. “I’ve never watched that footage, and I don’t think I ever will,” DeBoom says. But disappointment only made him hungry, and now DeBoom may be in the shape of his life. Almost every waking moment at the Colorado home he shares with his wife, Nicole, is focused on another shot at the world title. In 2004 he took the podium at Ironman Germany and also finished first at the World’s Toughest Half competition in California, both essentially warm-ups for Kona’s main event. Even in the off-season, DeBoom tests himself with competitions like Red Bull Giants of Rio and leads cycling expeditions for would-be champions.

"Tim enjoys the work as much or more than the reward," explains Nicole, who is also a full-time triathlete. "I think that’s why he’s made it all the way to the top."