He Finishes Ironmans Wearing 50 Pounds of Firefighter Gear

Robert Verhelst is a 34-year-old firefighter for the City of Madison, Wisconsin, who lives in nearby Waunakee. An Air Force veteran and dedicated endurance athlete, he draws on his varied experience to inspire others to fully participate in life. Approachable and direct, he gives people a framework to believe in following their own dreams, ideas, and passions.

For the average person, it's hard to imagine what it takes to complete an Ironman triathlon — a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile run. Now imagine running that final leg carrying 50 pounds of firefighter gear. The first time Rob attempted it, he didn't know what to expect, even after twelve years of wearing that same gear into burning buildings. He knew it would be hot and heavy — the harder question was whether he could overcome it mentally.

It goes back to September 11, 2001. Rob had been a firefighter for less than a year and was on duty that morning. As soon as he heard the news, he knew he had to go to New York. By the time he reached Ground Zero two days later, the mission had shifted from search and rescue to search and recovery; he spent the next eight days helping comb through the rubble. Years later, ahead of the attacks' tenth anniversary, retired California firefighter Lorenzo Abundiz visited Rob's firehouse to talk about his foundation, Code 3 for a Cure, which raises money for firefighters diagnosed with cancer.

Today, through his Ironman races, the man known as "Fireman Rob" (firemanrob.com) raises funds for Code 3, alongside Destination Donation, an endurance team he co-founded to promote organ donation through athletic events. He has become Code 3's biggest individual fundraiser, raising more than $20,000 to date. Verhelst also draws motivation from the unity the country felt after 9/11 and the camaraderie he finds in Ironman racing. "It's not a cause, it's just remembering how we came together as a country after 9/11 — that perseverance, that commitment, that teamwork really is something I carry with me during every one of those Ironmans," he says. "I can see it in the endurance athletes; along the way, they help me finish these races."

He tries not to train when his kids are around, sneaking in sessions early in the morning, late at night, or at the firehouse instead. "I get in what I can get in, and beyond that, I just really keep an active lifestyle. I think that's the biggest thing that helps me out." His racing gear — helmet, coat, bunker pants, and an air pack firefighters use for breathing — weighs 30 to 35 pounds on its own. "Getting myself to the point of becoming uncomfortable, and getting past that to keep going," is something Rob says he learned in the Air Force. His message resonates differently with different people, but the goal is the same: to show that people can push through their pain and conquer challenges that look insurmountable — because if what he's doing causes him pain, and he can push through it anyway, so can they.