Ironmanlife: Inspirational Pros Racing in Arizona

Kevin Mackinnon catches up on some of the pro athletes competing at Ford Ironman Arizona

Today's oh-so-entertaining press conference - Michael Lovato, who ran the show, sure knows how to keep things fun before an Ironman - also included some very inspiring news about three of the pros in attendance: Tyler Stewart, Chris McDonald and Leanda Cave are all doing their bit to use their racing to help raise money for causes that are close to their heart.

At the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona last month, Stewart's bike seat came off at about the 60-mile point of the ride. For 20 miles she continued to ride, standing the entire way, while she tried to signal to the technical support crew that she needed help. Despite the fact that they were finally able to duct tape her saddle back on at 80 miles, Stewart's race was all but done – her legs were completely fried. While you might be impressed by her 5:19 bike split, for a woman who has biked a 4:47, it wasn't the performance she had wanted.

Stewart told us today that one of the reasons she made sure she got to the finish line in Kona was because she was raising money for the Northern California Cancer Center.

“My step dad has lung cancer,” she said. “It (raising money) helped me cross the finish line. We do this for fun – there are people who deal with a lot more pain than we do. How can I quit if I don't want him to quit.”

Even before she left for Kona, Stewart was making a difference. On September 6^th she organized a special fundraiser – a spinathon that lasted 4:47:59, the time she rode at Ford Ironman Florida last year, which remains the fastest bike split ever posted at an official Ironman. Each of the 19 athletes who took part in the event kicked in $447.59 for the chance to ride a stationary bike for just under five hours.

Sitting right next to Stewart at today's presser was Leanda Cave, who has been rolling across finish lines for a few years to help raise awareness for her cause of choice – the Blazeman Foundation which is raising money to try and do something about ALS, or Lou Gherigs disease.

“There's not much research and support for people with the disease,” Cave told us today. “I was Inspired when I met Jon Blais. He fulfilled his dream to finish the Ironman. I work with Mary and Bob, Jon's parents.”

Here in Arizona, the Blazeman Foundation will have a huge presence – they'll be manning one of the aid stations out on the run. And, you can be sure, we'll get to see Cave's finish-line roll once again. Ironically the one time over the last few years Cave didn't roll was in Kona – where she was suffering so much as she came to the line she couldn't even try to lie down.

McDonald is sporting a mustache for the entire month to raise money for prostate cancer research. “It's Movember,” he said at today's press conference. “I'm doing this with some of the guys from blue seventy and nuun.”

According to the official website, www.movember.com, “Movember (the month formerly known as November) is a charity event held during November each year.

“At the start of Movember guys register with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants, known as Mo Bros, then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their Mo (Australian slang for moustache), raising money and awareness along the way for men's health and the fight against prostate cancer.”

Triathlon is a sport where it's easy enough to spend a good portion of your life training, eating and sleeping. When you actually make your living doing the sport, it's even easier to do just that. Cave, Stewart and McDonald are proving not only that one person can make a difference, but that even those of us who figure we can't really do have the time and ability to do our bit.

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