AND SUNDAY AT 7... HAVE A CHANCE TO END VERMONT'S SEASON ONCE AND FOR ALL THE 25TH EDITION OF THE LAKE PLACID IRONMAN - - WILL TAKE PLACE THIS WEEKEND -- AND THIS YEAR'S GROUP OF TRIATHLETES HAVE SOME SPECIAL STORIES. THAT INCLUDES FORMER CANADIAN HOCKEY PLAYER TODD CLARKE -- WHERE LAKE PLACID -- WILL BE HIS FIRST EVER IRONMAN TRIATHLON. CLARKE WHO WAS AN ONTARIO HOCKEY LEAGUE CHAMPION -- WITH THE OTTAWA 67s IN THE 1980S -- SHIFTED TO THE NEW SPORT INITIALLY IN 2017 -- WHEN HE RACED IN HIS FIRST HALF IRONMAN AT 50 YEARS OLD. HE SAYS THAT THE COMBO OF THREE DIFFERENT SPORTS MIXED INTO ONE RACE -- IS WHAT INSPIRED HIM TO SHIFT HIS FOCUS TO TRAIN FOR TRIATHLONS. <TODD CLARKE - FORMER OHL CHAPMION / IRONMAN TRIATHLETE> "So I was intrigued by the swim, bike, run side of things, I thought I'd give it a try and here I am today, after my first half IronMAN I thought to myslef I'm never going to do this again ... a week later I booked my next one, It really is a unique sports by crossing that finish line. There is no better feeling." AFTER LAKE PLACID -- CLARKE PLANS TO DO ANOTHER HALF IRON MAN
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Former Ontario Hockey League player to take part in first Ironman in Lake Placid
"I'd thought I'd give it a try and here I am today," said Todd Clarke
Eric Kerr
New York Sports Reporter
Ironman Lake Placid features several participants each year, and all of them have their own unique story. That includes former Ontario Hockey League champion Todd Clarke. The former professional for the Ottawa 67s says the combination of three different physical activities at a high mileage has been a fun challenge for him to take on. "I was intrigued by the swim, bike and run side of things," Clarke said. "I thought I'd give it a try, and here I am today." Clarke first started triathlons at 50 years old, entering his first half ironman in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He then added another half ironman in Muskoka, Ontario, in 2018 before he tried his first full ironman in 2021 back in Chattanooga. That opportunity was canceled due to COVID-19 with travel restrictions from Canada into the U.S., but Clarke still shared how excited he is for his first full Ironman in Lake Placid in 2024 and how he plans to keep doing more IronMANs for as long as he can. "My goal would be to do this until my legs fall off," Clarke said. "I'll be doing it for a long time until I'm not capable of doing it. It's just so much fun." Clarke and the rest of the triathletes in this year’s Ironman will start their race early Sunday, July 21 with the 2.4-mile swim at Mirror Lake.
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. —
Ironman Lake Placid features several participants each year, and all of them have their own unique story.
That includes former Ontario Hockey League champion Todd Clarke. The former professional for the Ottawa 67s says the combination of three different physical activities at a high mileage has been a fun challenge for him to take on.
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"I was intrigued by the swim, bike and run side of things," Clarke said. "I thought I'd give it a try, and here I am today."
Clarke first started triathlons at 50 years old, entering his first half ironman in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He then added another half ironman in Muskoka, Ontario, in 2018 before he tried his first full ironman in 2021 back in Chattanooga. That opportunity was canceled due to COVID-19 with travel restrictions from Canada into the U.S., but Clarke still shared how excited he is for his first full Ironman in Lake Placid in 2024 and how he plans to keep doing more IronMANs for as long as he can.
"My goal would be to do this until my legs fall off," Clarke said. "I'll be doing it for a long time until I'm not capable of doing it. It's just so much fun."
Clarke and the rest of the triathletes in this year’s Ironman will start their race early Sunday, July 21 with the 2.4-mile swim at Mirror Lake.
