Two friends conquer Chattanooga Iron Man

They say the best friendships stand the test of time, and for local endurance athletes Brian Sumner and Tim Hugley, that statement was pushed a step further… 140.6 miles further to be exact.

Earlier this month, the duo hit the road to Chattanooga, Tennessee where they signed up for and conquered an Iron Man Triathlon – a race that only one of the two had previous experience in.

“I remember going over to Brian and Kristi (Sumner’s) house and seeing stuff about Brian’s triathlons and I was very interested in that sport, but I had never done anything like it outside of marathons,” said Hugley.

The Idea

After initially meeting through their wives Kristin and Jody on Dancing With the Steele County Stars in 2023, it didn’t take long for Sumner to convince his new friend to join him on the Iron Man journey.

“I had just finished an Iron Man the previous year and I was encouraging Tim to maybe do one with me. I kind of kept pressing him on it, and he showed interest. We talked about which on to do and we settled on Chattanooga,” said Sumner.

While Sumner entered Chattanooga with three previous Iron Man finishes under his belt, Hugley was set to join him for his first ever triathlon.

The Training

“My experience started a year prior, every day leading up to the race. I trained for a whole year. I had run 28 marathons, but I’ve never trained for the swimming and biking, so it was a brand-new experience,” said Hugley.

While Hugley’s marathon experience paid dividends during the course’s 26.2-mile requirement (a standard full marathon), he was going into the required 2.4-mile swim and 112-mile bike ride with little-to-no experience.

“Learning how to swim correctly, keeping up with my nutrition and the long miles on the bike was easily the hardest part of the training. I was biking to Mankato and back to get used to the 100-mile bike ride. I began to wonder, ‘Am I crazy for doing this?’ So many days during training I doubted myself, but Brian was always telling me, ‘You can do it,’” said Hugley.

Friends and Family Fun

The day prior to the Iron Man competition, Sumner and Hugley were able to enjoy a special treat: Watching the two families’ kids compete in the Iron Kids event.

However, once the spectating was over, it was time to lock in for race day.

The duo showed up together and were placed in the same dive-in lineup to begin their swimming portion of the course, but soon afterward, the two separated for the first time.

“A lot of time in these races, you really have to run your own race,” said Sumner. “We went into it with the mindset that we had to run our own races.”

But it wouldn’t be the only time they saw one another.

“We were on our run and I was up on a bridge, and there he was down below, miles ahead of me. I got his attention and it was a major boost in confidence and energy,” said Hugley.

Yet, that brief moment wouldn’t be the only familiar face they saw on their running trail.

“Before we even got off to start our day, we ran into Jody too. She was out training for the Twin Cities’ Marathon the next weekend,” said Sumner.

Jody’s preparation for her own race led her down a local trail that just so happened to be the one that led toward the starting line for the swimming portion of the race.

“I found a trail, the only one that I could find that wasn’t super hilly, and about two miles in I heard a loudspeaker. I thought, ‘No way.’ When I came out of the clearing, I saw the athletes lined up for their swim. I thought it was going to be impossible to find them, but there they were at the back of the line waiting for their turn to dive in. So, I got to talk to them and watch them go in,” said Jody Hugley.

Race Results

Starting with the swim, Sumner and Hugley kept in close formation with the former finishing in one hour and six minutes and the latter crossing in one hour and eight minutes.

Up next was the bike, where Sumner pulled ahead due to his experience.

Sumner was able to finish in seven hours and four minutes to Hugley’s eight hours and six minutes, putting the former over an hour ahead on the course.

The race wrapped with the marathon – the one portion of the course where both have a wealth of experience.

Sumner crossed the Iron Man finish line in 14 hours and one minute upon completing his marathon in five hours and 30 minutes, starting his wait for his friend.

“I started getting tired around mile eight of the marathon, but I was running next to this lady and she said, ‘Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. It helped me keep going,’” said Hugley.

Hugley did just that and crossed the finish line in five hours and 48 minutes to cement himself as an Iron Man in 15 hours and 28 minutes.

“It was a lot of fun. Every time you’re able to go out and compete in an Iron Man, you learn more about yourself and the dedication it takes to accomplish something so difficult. I’m so proud of Tim and how well he handled his training and the race. He did an incredible job,” said Sumner.

The Message

Competing in the race was as simple as wanting to prove something to themselves for Sumner and Hugley; it was also about sending a message to their kids.

“I want to show my children that you can do hard things. I want them to know that if you put your mind to something – even something that for some people might seem unfathomable – you can do it. Anyone can do it,” said Sumner.