Ironman attracts military members

Maj. Neil Snyder, stationed at Fort Leavenworth, trains Sunday in Leavenworth for the Ironman 70.3 Kansas, which will be June 14 at Clinton State Park outside Lawrence. Snyder will be competing in the Armed Forces Challenge bracket of the triathlon on a team with other Fort Leavenworth soldiers.

What is an Ironman?

The Ironman 70.3 Kansas is an event in the Ironman triathlon series. It is known as a half-Ironman because athletes will swim 1.2 miles at Clinton Lake, bike 56 miles in Douglas County, and run 13.1 miles on the course, totaling 70.3 miles. A full Ironman competition has a 2.4-mile swim, 112 miles on the bike and a 26.2-mile run.

The event is scheduled for June 14.

Rock Chalk … Run!

An event planned in connection with the Ironman 70.3 Kansas is still lining up volunteers.

Rock, Chalk … Run!, a fundraiser for the Health Care Access Clinic, will be on Saturday, June 13, and will feature 10K and 5K races. Volunteers are needed for a variety of positions on race day in addition to some pre-race projects. For more information or to volunteer, contact Sally Zogry, volunteer coordinator, at 841-5760, ext. 209, or by e-mail at zogrys@healthcareaccess.org.

Army Maj. Neil Snyder hasn’t had a shortage of excitement during the last decade.

Snyder, 32, who is stationed at Fort Leavenworth’s Command and General Staff College, has been deployed overseas five times since 2002. He served in Afghanistan twice in 2002 and has done three tours in Iraq — in 2003, 2005 and 2006.

Also during his 11-year military career, Snyder has managed to train for the grueling triathlon race known as the Ironman series.

“Being an officer in the Army was always something I wanted to do,” Snyder said. “That requires a great deal of physical strength, endurance and commitment. That’s the same kind of qualifications it takes to prepare for an Ironman race.”

Snyder will be one of dozens of service members who will compete in the Armed Forces Challenge bracket of the Ironman 70.3 Kansas race on June 14 at Clinton State Park.

More than 2,000 triathletes total are expected to compete in the race, where they will swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and run 13.1 miles.

This year’s race has taken on a military theme, including the special armed forces bracket. Snyder has been training with other members of the Fort Leavenworth team.

He said the physical demands of training for such a grueling race go hand-in-hand with the training that soldiers have to endure.

Snyder first took an interest in the Ironman triathlon when he was stationed in Hawaii, home to the original Ironman race.

“I watched a race up close for the first time, and I was hooked,” he said.

Since then, he has fit triathlon races around his deployments.

The task might seem daunting but Snyder enjoys balancing his deployments with seeing his family, his health and his job.

“It’s about multitasking, and that’s the exact same thing you’re doing in an Ironman race,” Snyder said.

He is proud to participate in the Kansas race this year with his Fort Leavenworth team. Also, at least three wounded veterans who are competing as triathletes through Operation Rebound and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, will take the course this year, which inspires Snyder.

“I personally like being part of my local community. I think it’s important that the military take an active role so we can remember what we’re fighting for in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Snyder said.