Triathlon: The Bachelorette star turns athletic dream into reality - Ryan Sutter to compete in the Ironman Triathlon World Championship

March 30, 2004 – Reality-TV star Ryan Sutter, known for sweeping The Bachelorette’s Trista Rehn off her feet in front of millions of TV viewers, will compete in the 2004 Ironman Triathlon World Championship. On October 16, Sutter, a 29-year-old Colorado firefighter, will join more than 1,600 athletes in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii for an incredible 140.6 mile journey.

The Ironman Triathlon World Championship, regarded as the most prestigious endurance event in the world, consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. The race tests every athlete’s physical and mental strength through some of nature’s toughest elements, including scorching temperatures and winds gusting to more than 45 mph in the lava fields.

Sutter has always been a driven and competitive athlete. After an illustrious football career at the University of Colorado, he fulfilled a lifelong dream by playing a brief stint in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. Sutter has now set his sights on another challenge - to become an Ironman. Ryan’s drive to compete in the Ironman is two-fold, as he also hopes to raise money for the Firefighters National Trust, a non-profit organization for which he is now the national spokesperson.

“I have been captivated with the Ironman since I was a kid. This is a chance to push myself mentally, physically and emotionally while being able to give back to my profession. I am looking forward to the journey ahead,” says Sutter of his new challenge.

The Firefighters National Trust was founded in August 2001 by a group of firefighters who recognized the tremendous void left by their fallen brothers. They realized what those heroes had sacrificed while saving others and wanted to assist the families who were left behind. On September 11, 2001, the FNT was one of the only organizations already designed specifically for the cause of fallen firefighters. Assistance is provided through Immediate Income Bridging, Grief Counseling and Scholarships.

Ryan will be utilizing several Ironman-branded products including Cannondale, Computrainer and TIMEX. Sutter will also be working with eight-time Ironman Triathlon World Champion Paula Newby-Fraser, as well as professional triathlete Josiah Middaugh, to achieve the perfect plan to accommodate his firefighting schedule and the training conditions in Vail, CO.

In the coming weeks, you can learn more about how you can also support to the firefighting community through Ryan’s Ironman quest by logging onto ironmanlive.com.

This year, Sutter will join ranks with several other notable celebrities who have become an Ironman, including former Super Bowl champions Butch Johnson and Daryl Haley, and former Baywatch star Alexandra Paul.