The Joy Of The Ironman Martin Scates Competes For Pleasure, Not Awards

The Gatorade Ironman in Hawaii is the most prestigious of all the triathlon competitions. Martin Scates of Chewelah ran in his third one in October, making him one of a select group.

When you think of an iron man, do you get an image of some guy built like Arnold Schwartzenager and mean as a hungry lion on the prowl?

That image doesn’t fit Martin Scates.

Most Ironman athletes burn too much energy to bulk up like Arnold and competitions are as friendly as a church social.

Scates qualified for the Hawaiian triathlon by grabbing one of the 135 spots available at the Ironman Canada in Penticton, British Columbia, in August. It is one of six or seven Ironman competitions internationally approved to qualify people for Hawaii.

To be a true Ironman, a competition must consist of three legs - swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running a marathon (26.2 miles).

Scates competes in two full Ironman competitions a year, but he is not a fanatic about training.

“I don’t get enough time in the pool to train for the swim and the lakes are only open for a few months each year,” he said.

He arrives in Hawaii a week before the Ironman for the only good chance he gets to swim between the qualifying race and finale.

Scates is also limited in the number of days he can train on his bike.

So to Scates, finishing 466th in a cast of thousands is good enough. His best time came in 1994 when he finished in 10 hours, 17 minutes. He placed 240th that year.

Scates said he does not like to race in the heat and humidity of Hawaii, and his times show it. Though the races are the same distance, his times are a good hour faster in Penticton.

Scates is not considered a professional; he runs in the “second seeding” at Bloomsday, for instance.

“I do it for fun,” he said.

At Bloomsday - he’s run it for 13 years - his finishes include the top-200 three or four times. His best finish was “around 162nd.” He was 173rd this year.

Scates says it isn’t the winning that keeps him going.

“I enjoy the competition, but I enjoy the camaraderie just as much,” he said.

After running the Colville Quarter Ironman 10 times, he finally won it this year. The event consists of a .6-mile swim, 26-mile bike ride and 6.5-mile run. He mentions the win almost as an afterthought, even though there are 80-110 competitors each year.

Scates says everyone with whom he competes can do better on any given day than any one of the others.

“I might beat them this week, but they might come back and beat me next week, or someone else might, it doesn’t matter,” he said.

His idea of fun is exchanging stories after the competition when many athletes are sitting around sharing a brew.

Scates said, “You don’t have to be a fanatic” about training to enjoy the events from the competition to the fellowship.

“No matter what level you are on,” he said, “there are many others that will be right there with you all the way. Everyone should try it just once. Even if it’s just a bike tour.”

How long can he continue competing in the Ironman?

“I will keep doing this,” he said, “until I am dead.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo