Aaron Patel
Aaron first discovered the Ironman when he was 6 or 7. While on summer vacation, Aaron watched the NBC rebroadcast of the previous year's World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. He was in awe of what those athletes could do... over unfathomable distances and through the most inhospitable terrain. How was that possible? And why would anyone ever want to do that? The allure of the Big Island had gotten its hooks in Aaron and it wasn't letting go. He knew he was going to do that race.
Unfortunately, Aaron took a slight detour in high school when he decided he liked cheeseburgers more than exercise. By his junior year, Aaron's weight topped out at 280 pounds. What turned it all around was a dare to run with the cross country team. He didn't have to be good, he just had to survive. Aaron finished in the back of the pack in just about every meet he had that year, but by the end of it he started to enjoy running.
Aaron ran casually through college, 30 minutes on the treadmill a few times a week until he met a friend who had just run his first marathon. That seemed crazy to Aaron, but his friend managed to talk him into running a half marathon. The race was almost entirely downhill and at the end Aaron was so exhausted that he said, "I could never EVER run a full."
A year later Aaron was back at the same starting line... with a full marathon bib number.
A few weeks later, Aaron learned just how little he knew about training and recovery. Aaron ended up with a stress fracture in his right foot. In order to keep up his cardio fitness while letting his foot heal, Aaron bought a bike. After a few weeks of riding to school, he heard about a local duathlon (run-bike-run) and decided to give it a try. Putting multiple sports together was a fun change of pace for Aaron, so he found a sprint tri a few weeks later and signed up.
That first triathlon was a disaster. It was a 300 yard pool swim and Aaron walked at least half of it. He only swam if his feet couldn't touch the bottom. The bike was longer than anything he had done before (14 miles) and he was lucky he could run a single step of the 5k. But... Aaron said he has never had more fun! That afternoon Aaron turned on the TV, with a cheeseburger in hand (old habits are hard to break), and NBC was airing the previous year's Ironman World Championship! It was a sign. Aaron got on the computer and found the only Ironman race open to general entry at the time: Ironman Arizona... just 50 weeks away.
Aaron completed 15 triathlons his first year and 3 Ironmans his second year (not the best idea). He earned a podium finish at Ironman Louisville the 3rd year. Aaron has completed 6 Ironmans and more than 70 triathlons. Aaron has hired a coach...and now become one as well. He is still focused on getting to the starting line in Kona, but now he gets to help other people reach their goals as well.
Coaching Qualifications
- Playtri Certified Coach
- USAT Certified Coach, Level 1
- USA Cycling Certified Coach, Level 3
- USA Track and Field Certified Coach, Level 1
Racing Experience
- 6 Time Ironman Finisher
- 70.3 World Championship Qualifier
- Personal best of 10:48 in 2007 (Ironman Louisville)
- 1st overall at Longhorn Aquabike
- SMW Region Duathlon Elite 2007 (19th overall)
- 9-time marathon finisher
- 2-time age group winner at SunMart 50K ultra-marathon
- Finished (and had FUN) in more than 70 triathlons!
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