Ironman in The Woodlands: Fun facts and interesting information

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Approximately 3,000 athletes will compete Saturday in the Memorial Hermann Ironman North American Championship Texas Triathlon.

They come from all 50 states and 53 countries, they range in age from 18-78, they are airline pilots, chefs, firefighters, nurses, police officers, scientists, writers, students and more.

Here's a look at some notable competitors, courtesy of Ironman:

Anders Broman, 18, Eagan MN

Anders will be the youngest competitor at Texas this year. At the age of 8-years- old, Anders told his father "Someday I'm going to do an IRONMAN." This will be Anders first chance to complete his goal since turning 18. He is excited to accomplish a goal he set over 10- years ago.

Francisco Gutierrez, 78, Winnetka IL

At 78 years of age, Francisco will be the oldest competitor. He is also a retired neurosurgeon and hopes to finish this IRONMAN race and earn a slot for Kona.

Marcus Cook, 45, Houston TX

In only a year and a half, local Houstonian Marcus Cook dropped from 489 lbs. down to 233 lbs., an impressive drop of 256 lbs. While Cook attributes the first 100 lbs. to the gastric bypass surgery he had in September 2015, the rest is a product of good diet and a whole lot of swimming, biking, and running. It was the death of his close friend to cancer that was a pivotal experience. "Before he died, he said I'm dying because I have an incurable disease, and you're dying because you have a choice.’” This is when Marcus decided to make an about-face turn in his life. His healthy lifestyle has transitioned to triathlon training where he completed his first IRONMAN at IRONMAN Texas in 2017 with hopes of competing at Kona in 2018. With his Kona aspirations, he has committed to raise $100,000 for the IRONMAN Foundation.

Brian Loughmiller, 46, McKinney TX

Brian was Mayor of McKinney Texas from 2009 to 2017 and is preparing to race his sixth IRONMAN at IRONMAN Texas this April. During his time in office, he completed four full-distance IRONMAN races and five IRONMAN 70.3 races as part of his Mayor's Health Initiative.

Jeff Agar, 50; and Johnny Agar, 24, Rockford MI

Johnny Agar is not your typical aspiring IRONMAN athlete. At 24, Johnny suffers from Cerebral Palsy and is bound to his wheelchair. Despite the physical obstacles Johnny faces daily, this young man working toward his goal of finishing an IRONMAN alongside his father. Jeff Agar, Johnny’s father, is training harder than ever to reach the finish line, so that when they make it there Johnny is able to WALK with him on the final mile of the race. For the 2.4-mile swimming portion, Jeff will pull his son in a boat. During the 112-mile bike Johnny will be towed in a chariot and pushed in a race chair until just short of the finish line, where he will get off, and run the last exhilarating mile – so that they can cross at the same time, father and son, doing the unthinkable. This is evocative of the amazing father-son duo of Rick and Dick Hoyt (Team Hoyt) who completed marathons and IRONMAN races together. The Agars amazing journey was featured during the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship NBC broadcast and can also be seen in a national ad campaign with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

Caroline Gaynor, 34, Charlotte NC

Caroline has been a guide for visually impaired athletes since 2008. She has guided athletes through seven IRONMAN races, including the IRONMAN World Championship, and numerous IRONMAN 70.3 races. This will be the first race Caroline guides Randi Strunk, 35, a competitor from Minneapolis MN.

Derek Fitzgerald, 45, Doylestown PA

Derek became the first American heart transplant recipient to complete a full-distance IRONMAN race. Before that, he spent a decade battling cancer and heart failure as he suffered from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. After his first IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon, he co-founded the Tin Man Endurance Team comprised exclusively of heart transplant recipients. He also created a new foundation called The Recycledman Foundation whose mission is to educate and inspire supporters of advancements in cancer research, heart health, and organ donation. As an entrepreneur and technologist, Derek has spent the last 15+ years creating successful tech companies that specialize in building solutions for pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations.

Erick Lonis, 52, Costa Rica

Erick is a retired professional soccer player, who played 10 years for the Costa Rican of the National Team, leading the team as captain during the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in Korea and Japan. He also captained his club team, Saprissa during several seasons, where he won four championships and two CONCACAF Champions Cup. Now retired from his soccer career, Erick is looking to transition to the sport of triathlon and believes it is great way for retired athletes to stay active. With several IRONMAN 70.3s behind him he will taking on his first full-distance race at IRONMAN Texas this April.

Course details

• The 2.4-mile swim in Lake Woodlands begins at Northshore Park and ends at Town Green Park
• The 112-mile bike ride begins in The Woodlands, then enters North Harris County where athletes navigate two loops on the Hardy Toll Road before returning to The Woodlands
• The 26.2-mile run is entirely in The Woodlands and ends on Waterway Avenue

Additional information

• Where to watch
• Traffic impact