Peter Anderson | Meet The Team

Longtime IRONMAN Foundation Athlete, Peter Anderson, was selected to be an IRONMAN Foundation TEAM IMF Ambassador for the 2016 season, where his passion and expertise are vital to showcasing what The IRONMAN Foundation is all about. He began his journey with The IRONMAN Foundation in 2009, when he raced his first IRONMAN as a Foundation Athlete, and has been an incredible ambassador for our programs ever since. Luck seemed to be on his side after all the good he has done for IRONMAN communities, as he secured his slot to the 2016 IRONMAN World Championships through the Legacy Program Drawing and he could not be more thrilled! With IRONMAN Vineman also on the schedule, Peter will be fundraising again this year as an IRONMAN Foundation TEAM IMF Ambassador, and continuing to help us make a difference our communities through fundraising and goodwill.

IRONMAN Resume 

My first IRONMAN was the 2009 IRONMAN Arizona, where I competed as a Foundation athlete.  In total, I have sixteen IRONMAN completions, three of them with Foundation entries.  I raced in Utah when the DNF rate was 29% (IRONMAN St. George- 2012), at 2015 IRONMAN Coeur d’Alene when the temperature was over 100 degrees, and at 2015 IRONMAN Arizona when it rained all day. Three times, when things didn’t go as planned, I finished in the last hour of the race, pushing those cutoffs.  Every single IRONMAN race was a remarkable experience and at least 80% fun.

Why did you decide to #RaceForMore this year with The IRONMAN Foundation?

I love it!  I started my IRONMAN experience as a Foundation athlete and I enjoy my IMF races the most.  I am never going to podium at an IRONMAN but I always feel like I win when I support the community through The IRONMAN Foundation.  It’s just a great feeling.

What has been your most successful method of fundraising thus far? 

After the first donations from friends and family, it gets tougher.  So to get people involved, I start asking for small donations, often just $10.  These add up.  And more importantly, these small donations are usually the first connection my donors have with The IRONMAN Foundation.  Those connections will last, helping to spread the word about the IMF, and leading to more donations in the future.

Any words of Wisdom for first-time IRONMAN Athletes? 

There’s nothing like your first.  The day is so intense, however, that it can blur together in your memory.  During the race, from just before the start gun to after you cross the finish, take occasional mental snapshots to remember the moment.  Notice how things look, how you feel, what’s happening around you, and acknowledge what an amazing experience it is.  And put a donut in your Bike Special Needs bag.

Fun Facts? 

My longtime girlfriend and I are getting married in September and the 2016 IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawai’i will be our honeymoon.