Pretty cool. Former NFL offensive lineman Alex Boone was convinced by his wife to do Ironman Wisconsin. He retired in January 2021 (after 12 seasons in the NFL) so it was a fairly quick transition into an endurance event for a guy who stands 6’8" and had a playing weight of approximately 2 Jan Frodeno’s.
Per the article he dropped 85 pounds while training. Swam 1:35:07, Biked 7:18:48 and walked/ran 6:00:05 to finished in 15:51:36
I have a great interest in elite athletes from antithetical sports like the NFL who come to ultra endurance stuff. This guy (as a lineman) was even more extreme than… Butch Johnson? Dallas Cowboy receiver who did Kona in 1997? At least a receiver might run 100yds for a long effort, what’s the long effort for a guy like Boone, 4 seconds?
Ian
Forgive an Aussie who loves nfl, but didn’t Hines ward do this some time ago too? A lineman would have a hell of a journey at their size, 85 pounds is a massive drop too.
He raced at American Triple T last spring. He is a very large man
Yes don’t forget Hines Ward (Go Dawgs!) and Darryl Haley.
Yup, Ward did Kona in 2013
Swim: 1:20:01
Bike: 6:21:12
Run: 5:12:56
(13:08:15)
Would be interesting to know what his body composition change was. Looks like he played at 6’ and 205 lbs
Yes don’t forget Hines Ward (Go Dawgs!) and Darryl Haley.
Was not familiar with Haley. Looks like he was similar sized to Boone as a player (6’6†and 300+)
Yes don’t forget Hines Ward (Go Dawgs!) and Darryl Haley.
Mike Adamle is another NFL guy
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I remember at IM Alaska this year they announced there was a former NFL player racing, blanking on his name, I feel like he was a former Tight end, blanking on his name…
JP Losman, former first round draft pick and Bills qb did IM CDA last year.
https://www.tigernet.com/clemson-football/news/clemson-assistant-finishes-his-first-ironman-race-38194
Probably the one guy that wasn’t freezing all day long.
Probably the one guy that wasn’t freezing all day long.
Ya, he said nothing about being cold at all. This quote made me LOL big time:
Boone hadn’t eaten much all day—just Gatorade and chicken broth at the aid stations—but he hit both McDonald’s and Wendy’s that night.
I’ll bet that guy can really put it away!!! :)
He had the two things that would allow anyone to finish an IM, regardless of athletic background: a willingness to suffer and an unwillingness to quit.
I saw this morning on the local Indy news that Dallas Clark (former Colts TE) will be in Kona.
https://www.colts.com/news/dallas-clark-tight-end-ironman-childrens-hospital
Edit to add that he’s been training with Indy Car driver Tony Kanaan.
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It is pretty interesting. American sports greatly reward size, height, and explosiveness and skill. Football, basketball, baseball, (and to a lesser but still significant extent hockey) all reward the ability to either get in someone’s way, outreach someone, outsprint someone, or otherwise make a 1 second move for an advantage.
Should be obvious to everyone here, but general endurance sport requires small size, light weight, stamina, and high threshold. Basically the exact opposite. Both ends have people at the absolute peak of human ability, one is just more suited for television audiences.
Don Davey was in the Jacksonville area when I lived there for a number of years. Played for the Packers/Jaguars, and has done a few IM. Swimming in the same lane as him a few times made me realize just how large a NFL (even former) defensive tackle is.
Forgive an Aussie who loves nfl, but didn’t Hines ward do this some time ago too? A lineman would have a hell of a journey at their size, 85 pounds is a massive drop too.
Indeed. For someone who’s job was for many years to essentially defend a chunk of space from being invaded by very fast and very strong large people, it is a remarkable transformation.
Hines Ward had it much easier, although he was always a possession receiver.
He had the two things that would allow anyone to finish an IM, regardless of athletic background: a willingness to suffer and an unwillingness to quit.
Undrafted, placed on the practice squad early in his career and then had to play for Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly so he understood how to suffer.
He had the two things that would allow anyone to finish an IM, regardless of athletic background: a willingness to suffer and an unwillingness to quit.
Undrafted, placed on the practice squad early in his career and then had to play for Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly so he understood how to suffer.
Great article!
Also, former NHL’ers Mike Richter (Placid) and Tyler Wright (Canada).