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Matt Jackson

Fellow YMCA member, Matt Jackson of East Moline, is about to start a whirlwind trek across the United States competing in several Ironman and Triathlon events.

“In 2017 I made the decision to complete my first Ironman. With a background in running and one marathon under my belt, I sought the title of “Ironman”. I had no experience swimming, and my childhood bike was a BMX to get me to school. After 8 solid months of training, Mike Reilly announced me as an Ironman at Madison with a time of 11:38:36. After posting a decent time, I was hooked and completed my 2nd Ironman 5 weeks later. My new goal was to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Kona,” said Matt.

Kicking off Matt’s 2022 events will be a Full Ironman Distance Event at the Two Rivers YMCA on Saturday, February 19. He will start his day when the YMCA opens by swimming 4,225 yards (2.4 miles) in the pool, followed by 112 miles on a bike in the Wellness Center. He will cap off the day running 26.2 miles on a Y treadmill.

After this event at the Y, Matt will compete in the following schedule on his self-proclaimed “Road to Kona”:

  • May 7th – Ironman World Championship St. George
  • May 22nd – Ironman Chattanooga 70.3
  • June 26th – Ironman Steelhead 70.3
  • July 23rd – Iowa DeWitt Sprint Triathlon
  • July 30th – Route 66 70.3
  • August 20th – Great Illini 70.3
  • October 8th – Ironman World Championship Kona

Matt is looking forward to sharing his journey with his friends at the Y and the entire community. “I hope to inspire others to set and reach their own goals as I chase a professional career.”

Read more about Matt’s journey on his blog: roadtokonamj.blogspot.com


Road to Kona Challenge

Think you’ve got what it takes to swim, bike, and run the full distance of an IRONMAN?

Join the Two Rivers YMCA "IRONMAN: Road to Kona Challenge" and we’ll give you 9 weeks to complete this full IRONMAN distance event. Or do “Double or Nothing” and do twice the distance over 22 weeks.

Dates:
March 1st - May 7th 

“Double or Nothing” runs May 8th - October 8th 

Fee:
$20 Members / $30 Community

+ optional purchase of a Challenge t-shirt, tank top, or long sleeve shirt

Details:
•  Participants will log their miles online.
•  Miles can be completed anywhere.
•  Can run,  walk, or jog.
•  Challenge apparel can be purchased even if full distance was not completed.
•  Miles completed in the March 1 - May 7 challenge do not count towards the “Double or Nothing” challenge.

Register: bit.ly/RoadToKona2022