Long before Luis Alvarez became a top Ironman triathlete and an advocate for the sport, he was, by his own description, a big, lazy couch-potato smoker. In 1983, at 21, he put out his last cigarette; a year later, he got off the couch and began running 10-kilometer races and a half-marathon in his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico.
His first real test came trying to walk 5 kilometers with his school classmates — he couldn't even make it halfway. Undeterred, he kept at it, adding swimming and biking to his daily training. In 1986, he raced his first triathlon in Laredo, Texas. "I finished fourth in my age group," he says. "It was a wonderful experience, not just the exercise, but the camaraderie that came with it."
By 2000, Alvarez felt ready for a full-distance triathlon — a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile marathon — which he completed at Camp Pendleton, California. He's finished at least one Ironman every year since, building a remarkable record along the way: 22 consecutive years racing Ironman triathlons, 33 inaugural Ironman races, 18 at venues no longer on the circuit, and 13 Ironman finishes within a single 12-month stretch, from November 2012 to November 2013.
Now CEO of Grupo Aloymex, a Mexican fuel-tank manufacturer, Luis took on another role two years ago: renaming the triathlon team he founded "Ironmex" and recruiting friends across Mexico to join him. His goal is to race one major Ironman each year, anywhere in the world; the team now counts 400 members, ages 18 to 67. "We're not part of any federation or sanctioned club — we're just a bunch of friends who enjoy traveling together and being part of this sport," he says. By 2005, 70 Ironmex members raced in Tempe, Arizona; 200 competed in Klagenfurt, Austria; and 350 — eighty of them women — turned out for a race in Madison, Wisconsin.
Luis has raced in every country that has hosted a full Ironman. In 2005 alone, he completed grueling courses in Arizona, Wisconsin, Hawaii, England, South Africa, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, and Australia. "Every time I do an Ironman, I'm inspired to do another, and crossing the finish line is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life," he says.
One of his most satisfying moments came before Ironman Lake Placid, when a competitor who'd lost over seventy pounds after being inspired by his story hugged him and thanked him for being there as she attempted her first Ironman finish.
In December 2010, Luis set his ultimate goal: completing his 100th Ironman at the 35th anniversary of the Ironman World Championship, alongside his son Jose Manuel. Reaching it meant racing 10 to 12 full-distance events a year — but 2013 brought an unexpected setback. While on a business trip in Germany, he was hospitalized with severe back pain from a herniated disc and a hernia. Once stable, he flew home to Mexico, where further specialists confirmed the diagnosis, and he underwent surgery that May. Well-wishes poured in from the triathlon community.
His doctor told him he wouldn't race again for two years. Just 60 days after surgery, Luis not only competed in Ironman Germany but finished in 15 hours, 1 minute, and 20 seconds. Three days earlier, he'd also pursued a lifelong goal — climbing Mont Blanc — and though bad weather and avalanches kept him from the summit, he took the first steps toward it.
Luis, better known as "Mr. Ironman," completed his 100th Ironman in 2013 at the World Championship in Kona, crossing the finish line with his son Jose Manuel in just under 16 hours (15:54:50) — the culmination of a journey that began 22 years earlier. "Of course, I had to walk portions of the marathon, but mission accomplished!" he says.
After 23 consecutive years, Luis has no plans to slow down. One of his original long-term goals was to become the oldest person ever to compete in an Ironman, and he hopes to keep racing for at least 20 more years. His next ambition: climbing the highest mountain on every continent.
Founder of the Asociación de Triatletas Mexicanos (ATM), Luis holds a Guinness World Record for finishing every Ironman race on the World Triathlon Corporation circuit. He's the first to admit he's addicted to setting new goals and chasing the feeling that comes with them. "Ironman takes a lot of the stress out of my work life, and my work life helps distract me from the stress of racing," he says. "Plus, I solve a lot of work problems while I'm training or racing." Learn more about his Mexican triathlete organization at www.ironmex.com.
Since this story was first told: Luis Alvarez has kept racing, passing 200 Ironman-distance finishes and reaching 215 by 2025 — among the highest totals of anyone who has ever raced the distance.