Top Ten: Who You Callin Tough?

Awhile back, I chanced upon an article on Sports Illustrated entitled 'The 25 Toughest Athletes'. Toughness, in the context of the article, pertained to anything from grace under pressure, to the ability to overcome injury and personal setbacks, to fighting through pain or just utter domination. This is certainly a bar-room type conversation which nobody really wins, but proves to be interesting nonetheless.

The article included some of the obvious ones like Tiger Woods (whose mental game is second to none), Kobe Bryant (who can dominate when he wants in Michael Jordan fashion), Rafael Nadal (he's just a grinder. Period) and Allen 'The Answer' Iverson.

There were a few more interesting names like Anderson 'Spider' Silva (Current UFC Middleweight Champion, best pound for pound MMA in the world), Fedor Emilianenko (One of the toughest MMA Heavyweights) and Floyd Mayweather (#1 Boxer in the world) - real world tough guys. The rest were a merry mix of athletes, who were mostly american football and hockey players. The lone Triathlete was Chrissie 'Chrissie Who' Wellington, 2 time defending Kona Champ.

Although up to a certain extent, I agree with the article, I'd like to make my own top ten of the toughest triathletes. The elites will always be elites, and there's no doubt how tough they are so I have chosen to highlight the ones who finish in the dark (most of them).

It'd be tougher than completing an Ironman to cut the list down to 10, so just allow me to pick some of my favorites. Here they are, all inspiring...in no particular order.

1. Dick and Rick Hoyt - Together, they have completed over 200 Triathlons, 60 Marathons, and inspired millions with their story. For the runners out there, Dick and Rick have the following personal bests: (Marathon 2:40, Half Marathon 1:21, 10k 35:48, 5k 17:40). Need I say more?

2. Sister Madonna Buder - She's the 'Nun on the Run'. The oldest woman to complete the Ironman Triathlon (at age 76). She has completed over 20 Ironman Triathlons since she started in 1982 (at age 52).

3. David 'The 100 Mile Man' Goggins - This weightlifter transformed himself into an UltraAthlete in months, won Ultraman (triple Ironman Distance) on a rented bike! Daily workouts include 20-30 miles of running, 50 miles on the bike and 90 minutes of weightlifting.

4. Jonathan 'Blazeman' Blais - Fighting ALS, he completed the Ironman at Kona in 2005, and became the first person with ALS to complete the Ironman. Although he did not need to, he log-rolled over the finish line, an act which those who race in his support, continue to follow. The next year, he returned in a wheelchair, and was only a spectator. In May 2007, he died.

5. Scott Rigsby - The first Double Amputee on prosthetics to complete the Ironman. Having no legs didn't stop this man from Tri-ing. Through his racing, he continues to inspire amputees and double amputees to look beyond their physical disability.

6. Brian Boyle - From Coma to Kona! It's difficult to sum up in a few words what this young athlete has done, but he escaped death a few times, and came back, learned to walk again, and eventually became an Ironman.



7. Sarah Reinertsen - The first female amputee to finish the Ironman Triathlon. She holds or has held world records at 100m, 200m, 400m, Half Marathon & Full Marathon distances. She is also the youngest member of the U.S. Paralympic team.

8. Jason Lester - Already an Ironman, Jason persisted through many obstacles, which included the loss of his family and a near-fatal accident which left him with one arm. He will be taking on a more difficult challenge this year - Ultraman Hawaii - a double Ironman distance held over a few days.

9. Marc Herremans - This once Elite athlete has bagged two top ten finishes with a best 6th at the Ironman World Championships. A near fatal cycling accident left him crippled from the waist down. Keeping his Kona dream in check, he transformed himself, and in 8 months captured the Ironman World Championship in the Handicapped Division.

10. Julie Moss - Julie's crawl towards the finish line at Ironman Hawaii in 1982 will always be remembered as one of the sport's most inspiring moments. Competing as research for her thesis in Exercise Physiology, she found herself in the lead but severely dehydrated with 2 miles left in the race. Her body had given up, but her mind and heart had not.

Now...who you callin tough?