After a nationwide campaign that drew more than 2,000 entries, Beachbody, LLC, creators of Beachbody Performance supplements, announced that six everyday people have been chosen to start a journey toward one of the most difficult challenges imaginable: becoming an IRONMAN®.

“Make Me an IRONMAN,” created by Beachbody Performance in conjunction with IRONMAN and other endurance brands, is designed to make the world’s most challenging race accessible and achievable for everyday athletes.

The participants will be given a full suite of support on their journey, including an entry to an IRONMAN-owned race in North America in 2017, coaching through an IRONMAN U™ certified coach, as well as specialized equipment and Beachbody Performance premium sports nutrition supplements throughout the training period. Winners will also receive Quintana Roo triathlon-specific PRthree racing bikes, ROKA wetsuits, Zoot Sports custom race & training kits, Pearl Izumi cycling shoes, Rudy Project helmets and Hoka One One running shoes.

The participants comprise an array of inspiring life stories, like that of Zach Boivin, 30, of Castleton, NY. Zach was clinically obese at 330 pounds when he watched the 2015 IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon. Inspired by the athletes he saw that day, he lost 130 pounds, and hopes to finish his own IRONMAN race to cap a remarkable weight loss journey.

Anne Parkhurst was, at 56, nearly 200 pounds, struggling with poor health and supporting her ailing parents. A few encouraging words from her triathlete-doctor led her to a healthier lifestyle, and four years later, the Goodyear, AZ resident is a happier, healthier person. Just a few years after having lived an inactive lifestyle, she is now eager to take on an IRONMAN challenge.

Cynthia Rozyla, from Hayden, Idaho, is no stranger to endurance sports, being a member of local triathlon and running clubs. But the bubbly 63-year-old has an aching history with the brutal 140.6 distance, having not one, but two, “Did Not Finishes” in her history – a blemish she hopes to overcome with the additional support of Make Me an IRONMAN.

Jason Glazier of Santa Rosa, California, also powered through dramatic weight loss. Not long ago he found it hard, at 270 pounds, even to tie his own shoelaces. And running was simply too painful. The 43-year-old used little more than firm resolve to stop giving up when things got tough, and is now much slimmer and an endurance athlete looking to take on an IRONMAN triathlon.

Cassandra Harmon of Louisville, Kentucky is no stranger to hard work. This single mom works tirelessly to provide for her son. Formerly overweight, the 28-year-old now has training as her passion, is an avid swimmer and obstacle racer.

Heather Sonley of Madison, Wisconsin has made giving back her whole life’s work. As a race organizer for Susan G Komen events, this active 27-year-old is finally getting the chance to get something back for herself, and is looking forward to achieving her IRONMAN dreams in her home town.

“For most people finishing an IRONMAN race is an impossible dream,” said Jon Congdon, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Beachbody LLC. “Running a marathon alone is an extraordinary physical feat, but in an IRONMAN triathlon, you’re tacking on a marathon after a 2.4-mile swim plus a 112-mile bike ride. We believe that the unique formulas in Beachbody Performance supplements will help people to realize that dream. Beachbody Performance combines the best of nature and the latest in exercise physiology and sports science to help athletes maximize their training. Make Me an IRONMAN brings together enthusiastic participants with Beachbody Performance and other tools for the life accomplishment of finishing an IRONMAN race.”

“We recognize that taking on an IRONMAN event is the ultimate challenge for so many,” says Cameron O’Connell, Senior Director of North American Sales for IRONMAN. “It’s exciting to have a partner like Beachbody Performance reward a group of deserving athletes and to provide them with the coaching and support they’ll need to cross the finish line.”

About Beachbody

Beachbody, a worldwide leader in health and fitness headquartered in Santa Monica, California, was founded in 1998 by Carl Daikeler and Jon Congdon with the mission to help people achieve their goals and enjoy healthy, fulfilling lives. Beachbody’s formula of world-class fitness, nutrition, motivation and support has proven again and again to deliver genuine and lasting results for its customers. Through its digital interactive platform, Beachbody On Demand, the company is primed to lead the fitness industry in innovation, by providing individualized lifestyle solutions tailored to customers’ goals. Beachbody On Demand, featuring more than 400 streaming workouts, is available through its own mobile app for iPhone, as well as on Apple TV, Roku TV models, Amazon Fire and Google Chromecast, and now in over 120 countries around the world through BeachbodyOnDemand.com. With its portfolio of iconic brands including P90X®, INSANITY®, 21 Day Fix®, and CIZE®; its “Daily Dose of Dense Nutrition” superfood shake, Shakeology; a rapidly growing Beachbody LIVE certified instructor community, plus the more than 400,000-strong Team Beachbody Coach network of independent distributors, the Beachbody name defines the power of putting a healthy lifestyle within everyone’s reach. For more information please visit Beachbody.com.