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Reality Television Star Gearing Up For 140.6-Mile Odyssey in Hawaii
October 1, 2007 – When Andy Baldwin, star of the 10th season of the hit reality show, The Bachelor, steps up to the starting line in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on October 13, 2007, he will be 140.6 miles away from completing his fifth Ford Ironman World Championship in six years. Baldwin will be among the more than 1,700 triathletes scheduled to race in the Ford Ironman World Championship, which consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. Athletes will be tested both mentally and physically as they attempt the three disciplines, in succession, over the duration of up to 17 hours.
At just 30 years old, Baldwin, who is currently employed as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant and serves as an undersea medical officer for a special operations dive unit stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, is an accomplished triathlete with six Ironman finishes, five Ironman 70.3 finishes and three USA Triathlon All-American titles to his credit.
"The Ford Ironman World Championship in Hawaii is a race where you can experience an entire lifetime in just one day. It is a challenge of epic proportion that tests both one's physical and mental toughness. You learn a lot about what you are made of out there in the lava fields of Kona. Once an Ironman, the belief that "Anything is Possible" is one that you can carry throughout life.”
A four-time finisher at the Ford Ironman World Championship, this year Baldwin will be racing to raise money through his non-profit initiative, www.got-your-back.org to support the families of those servicemen and women who have given their lives for our country.
Originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Baldwin was a competitive swimmer who earned ESPN's “National Scholar Athlete of the Year” title in 1995. Following high school, Baldwin attended Duke University, where he was a varsity letter winner on the men's swim team and began training for marathons. After graduation, he moved to the West Coast for medical school - where his love for triathlons began.
Baldwin became interested in cycling and decided to combine his new hobby with his strong swimming and running abilities. He participated in his first triathlon in 2000, and has since competed in a variety of triathlons worldwide, to include Ironman New Zealand, Subaru Ironman Canada, St. Croix Ironman 70.3 and Ford Ironman Louisville.
For more information on the Ford Ironman World Championship or to learn more about Ironman, visit Ironman.com.
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