Utahn's Kona Ironman dream comes true in spite of debilitating disease

Utahn's Kona Ironman dream comes true in spite of debilitating disease

(June Anderson)


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HURRICANE — Three years ago, Lyle Anderson was barely able to walk. Saturday, he completed the Kona Ironman, finishing three hours ahead of his St. George Ironman time. Now, he is looking for the next challenge.

Saturday, Oct. 13, Anderson, 36, crossed the finish line in Kona, completing the race in 13 hours, 19 minutes and 30 seconds. In July, he won a spot in the race through the Kona Inspired campaign after sharing his story.

Six years ago, doctors told Anderson he had multiple sclerosis. Doctors told him he would likely rely on a wheelchair within a few years of his diagnosis. They said he should expect chronic aches and pains, as well.

In 2010, weighing 245 pounds and barely able to walk, Anderson started training for his first marathon to take control of his health. Exercise, he realized, helped control his MS. From there, he was hooked. He joined a triathlon club and has since completed 38 half marathons, seven marathons, two half Ironman triathlons, the St. George full Ironman and Kona.

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For Kona, Anderson trained about 20 hours, swimming 6 to 8 miles, biking between 200 and 300 miles and running 10 to 20 miles a week. For him, competing in the event was a result of hard work and a privilege to compete.

“There’s not many people who can say they’ve completed an Ironman, and there’s even fewer who can say they participated in the Ironman championships.”

With the help of favorable weather, Anderson cut three hours off his previous Ironman time. In 2011, he battled with poor weather conditions.

“I’m really happy. I’m really glad that I was able to not only participate in it, but I was very happy with my time,” Anderson said. “It was a much faster finish time than I thought I was going to be able to finish in. I was extremely happy with my overall experience.”

Though he was initially worried about the swimming portion of the event, the ocean was smooth and no sharks appeared – a “really strong fear” of his, he said.

The biking and running portions went well, though he said he came out with a blister on his left foot. Training on the steep hills of Southern Utah, fighting against the wind, he felt well-prepared for the rolling hills and strong winds of Kona.


If you don't ever push it, you'll never know, you just have the doctor's words, and in my case the doctors were wrong. They don't know what my body can and can't do, they just know what science tells them it shouldn't be able to do.

–Lyle Anderson


“Living down here, I ride on hills. There really isn’t any flat terrain to ride on,” Anderson said. “Compared to the hills here, the hills out there seemed like mild rollers. It made it a lot nicer. I felt like I had trained very well here for what I was getting myself into there.”

Throughout training and the event, he was able to maintain his MS. He has not had a flare-up in about seven years, he said.

“I think I’m behind on sleep. I think that’s the only thing affecting me right now,” he said.

When he was finished with the race, his wife asked how he was “going to top” his Kona experience. He hasn’t quite answered that question – he wanted to see how his body would respond to the Ironman – but he plans on more competitions for a long time. He plans on entering the Lake Havasu half Ironman next month and begin training in January for the St. George Marathon.

For now, he cherishes his body’s ability to fight against a disease that could disable him at any time and encourages other people to accomplish their exercise goals.

“If anybody is questioning whether they can or can’t do something like this, it never hurts to try,” Anderson said. “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and test your body’s limits to see what it can do. If you don’t ever push it, you’ll never know, you just have the doctor’s words, and in my case the doctors were wrong. They don’t know what my body can and can’t do, they just know what science tells them it shouldn’t be able to do. According to them, I would be in a wheelchair in five to 10 years. Well, I’m not in a wheelchair and I’m not listening to them. I’m going to keep doing it as long as I can. If I do end up in a wheelchair, at least I’ll be happy with the things I’ve accomplished.”

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Celeste Tholen Rosenlof

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