Pro triathlon duo Sam Long and Lara Gruden says ‘I do’
The couple tied the knot in Indian Wells in front of friends, family, and triathlon rivals
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Instagram/Samgolong
American triathlon power couple Sam Long and Lara Gruden tied the knot in Indian Wells, Calif., on Saturday. The duo said “I do” in front of friends, family, and some of their fellow competitors, including Canadian Lionel Sanders and Bermuda’s Ty Butterfield.
The wedding is a wonderful ending to what was a fantastic season for Long. He has been a strong force on the middle- and long-distance circuits in recent years, and 2024 proved to be no different, as he won three races, reached the podium in several others, and climbed the PTO rankings.
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Long opened his season with a win at Ironman 70.3 Pucon, then finished second at three straight races (including a near loss to Sanders at 70.3 Oceanside) and won 70.3 St. George in May. He didn’t return to the podium until September, when he won Ironman Chattanooga. With multiple great and strong showings, he closed out the year as the top-ranked American man in the PTO and fourth overall. He was also ranked third in the PTO this season for both cycling and running.
Gruden hasn’t raced in a couple of years, but she was a solid figure on the 70.3 circuit. In August 2023, she gave birth to her and Long’s first child, a baby boy named Leonardo. Since then, she has taken a step back from racing, although as she has discussed publicly, she still lives a triathlon-centric life, training as she had for years before becoming pregnant and continuing to support Long in his racing journey.
Now, the couple has made it official, and they will enter the 2025 season as husband and wife. After such a stellar year, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see Long get back on major podiums soon, and Gruden and Leonardo will be sure to be present when he does.