TUCSON, Ariz. — With 75 years of life experience, trials, and tribulations, the ageless wonder Bob Knuckey has mastered the charm of pace.
"You have to pace yourself."
Over the years, Knuckey has competed in over 400 races, making his triathlon debut at age 60.
He's coached by Barrie Shepley.
"I remember after my first one, my wife and I were walking across the bridge after getting my bike, and I yelled, 'I'm never doing another one of these again in my life!' and Barrie was walking underneath the bridge, and he was like 'Yes you are!" Knuckey said.
Knuckey went on to compete in 11 triathlons, becoming a 3x Ironman Champion and record holder in the men's over 70 age group.
"The sport is my life. I don't look at my age as a deterrent, I just do what my body will let me, and it seems to let me do a lot."
Knuckey and Shepley, an Olympic gold medalist coach, have been training together for almost forty years. The two Canadian natives have spent the last ten winters escaping the chilly climate, living and training in Tucson.
"I would run in minus forty-degree weather," Knuckey said.
With the Ironman World Championship's typically held in Hawaii, Knuckey has dubbed the Old Pueblo the perfect place to train.
"Before Hawaii last time, my coach had me go up Mount Lemon, come back down, and go up again-twice. I've been here three months; I've done Mount Lemon twelve times."
However, Mount Lemon has no match for Knuckey's next challenge.
As the Ironman World Championship approaches, Knuckey will prepare for a course in Nice, France, that has never been completed by anyone his age ever before.
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Breanna Isbell is a reporter for KGUN 9. She joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2022 after receiving her bachelor’s degree in sports journalism from Arizona State University in May. Share your story ideas with Breanna by emailing breanna.isbell@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
