October 26, four members of the UNCW Club Triathlon Team will take on one of the hardest races known to man—an Ironman Challenge. The Beach2Battleship is a long-distance triathlon that includes a 2.4 mile open water swim, a 112 mile bike ride and concludes with a marathon run of 26.2 miles.

The PPD Beach2Battleship is an internationally recognized iron distance and half iron distance triathlon. Participants come from all around the country and world to experience this competition, and Triathlete Magazine named it as one of the top 5 iron distance triathlons in the world.

 UNCW student and Ironman competitor Tate Devlin said, “As far as training goes, I would say it takes at least six months to prepare for this race. We have been following an intense regimen training schedule, waking up extremely early to get in a practice before class. Weekends have been the hardest as we usually do a long ride on Saturday, and a long run on Sunday. This weekend we will bike 100 (miles) Saturday morning, then run 20 miles Sunday, so it just takes a lot of time and patience to get ready for the race.”

The PPD Beach2Battleship will start with a swim in the channel that is connected to the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Then competitors will continue, biking 112 miles from Wrightsville Beach through the northern section of Wilmington and then up towards White Lake. Lastly, competitors will muscle through a two loop out-and-back run starting and finishing at the Battleship North Carolina.

Participants competing in the Beach2Battleship will have seventeen hours to complete the race starting at 7 a.m. However, most competitors are not trying to win the race, they just want the thrill and accomplishment of completing an Ironman.

Stephanie Hale is a UNCW student and Triathlon club member competing in the Beach2Battleship. “I decided I wanted to do the full Ironman last year after volunteering at the run aid stations during the full Ironman.  I just saw the determination and drive in all the competitors, and I knew that I wanted to be part of that. I think it is a huge accomplishment to say that you have completed an Ironman race,” said Hale.

The PPD Beach2Battleship Full and Half Iron Distance Triathlon has sold out of its 1750 registration spots. All of the Beach2Battleship proceeds will be contributed to the Wilmington Family YMCA.