5 Cool things that happened at Ironman Coeur d’Alene

With the record-setting day going on in Roth and forest fire smoke cancelling races in Mont-Tremblant and Quebec, the 20th year of racing in Coeur d’Alene might have slipped under the radar for many. In case it did, here are a few things you should know that happened at the Idaho full-distance race yesterday.

(And we’re focussed on “cool” things that happened, so we’re going to avoid talking about Sam Long’s multiple flat tires that forced him out of the race.)

Mel McQuaid takes third … at 50. First 50-year-old on an Ironman podium?

OK, so we’re a bit biased on this one since Mel is a columnist with the magazine, but her third-place performance (55:57/ 5:01:02/ 3:20:39 for a total time of 9:22:03) is pretty impressive as far as we’re concerned. It is hard to argue that McQuaid has got better as she’s aged (she is, of course, a three-time Xterra and two-time World Triathlon Cross Tri Champion), she sure has enjoyed some impressive Ironman results over the last few years. Last year she was also third at Ironman Wisconsin to go along with a fifth in Lake Placid and sixth at Ironman Arizona. In 2021 she was third at Ironman Chattanooga. In 2019 she was second at Ironman Wisconsin to go along with her fourth at Ironman Arizona.

The six-time Kona champion Natascha Badmann had a couple of podium finishes when she was 49 at Ironman Malaysia and Ironman Vichy, and Dede Griesbauer won the Ultraman World Championship last year at the age of 52, but as far as I can tell, McQuaid is the only person to have finished in the top-three at an Ironman race.

Dougin and Jill Walker finish six Ironmans on six continents in six weeks

We wrote about this amazing couple from Florida who were embarking on an epic adventure around the world as they prepared for the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championship in Cairns.

Dougin managed to finish that race third in his age group, then rounded out the incredible tour with a fourth-place in the 55 to 59 category in Coeur d’Alene.

Florida couple takes on the challenge of 6 Ironmans on 6 Continents in Six Weeks

Dougin’s goal was to finish all six races in under 12 hours – he was pressed a bit to get that done at their first race, Ironman Lanzarote, but he finished in 11:54. Dougin finished in Coeur d’Alene in 11:22 got that job done.

Despite winning her age group at the Philippines race and having earned a qualifying slot for Kona later this year, Jill doesn’t take as competitive a view of her racing. She finished in Coeur d’Alene in 14:28, good enough for 18th in her 55 to 59 age group. While her son Drew wasn’t in Idaho, he had travelled with the couple to the other five events in their adventure. His best way to make sure his mom would check in during the marathon? He’d stand next to a dog – she can’t resist stopping to say hello.

The Walkers won’t be taking much of a break – they’re off to Lake Placid next month, then will be taking on the world’s oldest bike race, Paris-Brest-Paris, in August. The pair are looking to complete every Ironman in the world, so we’ll no-doubt see lots more of them in the future.

Ironman Canada race director Susie Ernsting wins her age group

How’s that for “walking the talk?” We know that she won’t be able to compete in Penticton – she’s likely pretty busy that week – Ironman Canada race director Susie Ernsting had an impressive day in Coeur d’Alene. She finished 11th overall (10:12:59) and won the 40 to 44 age group!

Speaking of walking the talk … Triathlon Magazine writer Kevin Heinze makes the podium

In what had to be one of the most competitive age categories of the day, regular contributor Kevin Heinze took third in the men’s 60 to 64 age group. He finished just 28 seconds behind the age-category runner-up Bob Morris, and three minutes and four seconds behind the age group winner. Brad Applegate.

What do you think – do I ask Kevin to write a story on how to shave 30 seconds off your Ironman time for the September issue?

Impressive overall wins for Jodie Robertson and Chris Leiferman

Coeur d’Alene was Jodie Robertson’s second Ironman title – she won Ironman Texas in 2017. Considering she didn’t take up the sport until she was 30, a pair of Ironman titles is a pretty impressive achievement. A former 2:34 marathon runner, Robertson works full time as a music teacher in addition to her impressive triathlon talents.

Chris Leiferman was another late starter to the pro ranks – he didn’t turn pro until he was 27. Now a decade later, the Boulder native (he’s originally from Minnesota) adds the Couer d’Alene title to a list of four other Ironman wins (Mont-Tremblant, Boulder, Louisville and Florida being the others). Leiferman came oh-so-close to making the podium at the Ironman World Championship in St. George last year, taking fourth.

Leiferman was almost five minutes behind the lead group out of the water, then managed to ride his way up to the front of the race, coming off the bike a few seconds behind Matthew Marquardt, a first year pro who has burst on to the scene after winning the 25 to 29 age group in Kona last year. Somehow Marquardt lost almost 100 seconds to Leiferman in transition, and would find himself almost four minutes down at the halfway point of the run. The gap would slowly drop, but Leiferman hung tough for the win, coming across the line in 8:06:41, just 2:07 ahead of Marquardt, who adds the runner-up finish in Idaho to his third-place finish at Ironman Texas earlier this year.