Past Races

Shawn Demers

St. Cloud, Florida

In July 2017, at 48, I decided to stop abusing my body and adopted a vegan lifestyle. In February 2018, I figured I should drop alcohol as well because I was getting healthier. In the spring of that year I read Rich Roll's Finding Ultra, and on June 6 of that year after finishing the book and doing little to no research, I called my wife and said I am going to start training and do Ironman Florida 70.3 and Ironman Florida in 2019. When she did not talk me off the ledge, I then told my friends, who also did not talk me off the ledge. I had two more chances someone would talk me out of it, but my physician and the cardiologist I went to see said "you are in excellent health (though maybe mentally a little off for trying to do this), go for it, and good luck." I was in! I never looked back. I self coached through IM Haines City 70.3 in April 2018, and after nearly dying (not really literally) I knew I had to get a coach and up my game. I hired a coach in May 2019 (who introduced me to Infinit), and a new athlete me was born. I completed Ironman Florida and met my original starting goals in the sport. However, I am long from done. This sport has changed my life and you cannot find anyone more passionate about triathlon than I am. 2020 race schedule was a bust (as it was for everyone else as well). Sooo...in 2021 I had a fair summer race at Heartland Tri; just set a PR in IM Augusta 70.3; and finished Florida again 2021! 2022 brings me back to Augusta and Florida. I swear next year I’m changing it up!