Ironman Ferocity: A 35th Anniversary Chat with Heather Gollnick

The start line of an Ironman race in the women's pro category was a rough place to be in the 2000s, especially if Heather Gollnick was on the start list.

Gollnick was approachable and affable. Fans were happy to roll up for a photo and media members loved talking to her about how her season went. She was a popular figure at the pre-race press conference, with a wide smile that was genuine.

But it was also a pro-level facade. Because on race day, all bets were off. 

In the 2000s, Gollnick regarded as one of the most tenacious racers on an Ironman or Ironman 70.3 starting line. With a balanced attack, Gollnick was especially feared on the bike. She had a driving power through her diminutive frame. It was finished with a relentless run that generally saw her to the front of the race, passing all those early leaders. All those women who knew there would be no smile; Gollnick was simply a beast to deal with on race day, and they'd likely end up with the short end of the stick.

The Wisconsin native was one of Quintana Roo's most successful female athletes in history. From the iconic Wildflower Long Course Triathlon and countless Ironman 70.3 wins, to an impressive five Ironman victories (2002 and '03 Wisconsin, 2003 Coeur d'Alene, 2007 Arizona and 2007 Louisville), and tons of Kona starts, Gollnick was a force on the course. Those back then will recall when she crossed the finish line her three children were there, and the exhausted Gollick would kneel down, re-issue that signature smile of hers, and grab the three into a massive bear hug.

"It was so much fun to go into a race, at peak fitness after putting in hard work, ready to see what I was able to do," the current Lynchburg, VA. resident says. "The thing is, I still love it. I still love getting the most out of myself."

She looks back fondly of her days racing with QR backing her efforts.

"I absolutely loved my bikes," she says, "and the QR team was the just the best. I remember racing in Kona one year. (QR engineer) Brad (DeVaney) came to me to grab my bike and get it perfect for the race. It was years ago and nobody did that back then for their pros. I thought that was the coolest thing ever."

Gollnick was not just a race-winning machine; she was asked her thoughts on a custom design for her bike... a decision that ended up making for one of the most popular signature paint designs in QR history. 

"They asked what I wanted, and I said 'pink camo'. I gave them some ideas on it and they came back with a bike design that I absolutely loved," she recalls. "And I think it ended up becoming a design that was offered to the public in the model line, which I thought was awesome!"

Gollnick left the pro racing scene and quickly transitioned to Spartan Race action, making a showing on TV several times as one of the most ardent and ferocious competitors on the circuit... not surprising anyone familiar with her triathlon acumen. 

Today, she not only runs her own triathlon coaching group, but she also serves as head triathlon coach at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia—where those three kids she was hugging nearly 20 years ago are all attending.

"This is the future of our sport," she says. "It's a wonderful mix of experiences; many of them are just beginners and some are top in their age group, I'm so grateful to be able to pass some of what I know on to them and help them reach their goals in the sport."

And she'll still line up at races, taking age group podium "I'm never gonna miss that desire to perform at my best. It's still fun for me, so yeah, I'll keep racing as long as my body will let me!"

And all with an infectious smile.

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