Colorado Athletes in Kona: Kyle Lehman

I can still clearly remember the afternoon a few years ago at a family bbq on 4th of July weekend. We were listening to my uncle talk about how intense his marathon training was as he prepared for to run the NYC Marathon for the second time. I looked over to my cousin, and as cocky 23 year olds with no formal running background, we both unanimously agreed that it didn’t sound that hard and we could run one of the marathons. How hard could it be? After a few months of training, a stress fracture in my leg, and an incredibly painful marathon experience, I learned just how hard endurance events can be both physically and mentally. But that feeling of accomplishment when you cross the finish line was something I will never forget. I was hooked on endurance sports from that moment on.
Fast forward a few years and I am now an avid triathlete with an extreme passion for the sport. I have completed 6 Ironman distance events, a dozen or so 70.3’s and various Olympic triathlons. I have met some spectacular individuals and heard incredible stories along the way. My goal when I started my triathlon journey was to complete an Ironman, but once I checked that box I got hooked on the idea of racing on the Big Island. I put all of my focus into IM Choo in 2015 with hopes of qualifying for Kona. With the help of my teammates, family, and friends I had an incredible race and finished 2^nd in my AG and got my spot! I look at Kona as the opportunity of a lifetime to race with the worlds best. It’s incredibly intimidating but at the same time super exciting and I am counting down the days! It will be not only my first time racing Kona but also my first trip to Hawaii and I can’t wait to experience the culture, relax in the beauty of the island, and then give it everything I have on race day!