{"669252":{"#nid":"669252","#data":{"type":"news","title":"The Journey of a Georgia Tech Ironman","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAs the Georgia Tech women\u0027s basketball team recently completed its \u003C\/span\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ramblinwreck.com\/gallery-jackets-arrive-in-barcelona\/\u0022\u003Eforeign tour to Croatia and Spain\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E, another Yellow Jacket is preparing to represent the Institute abroad. Colin Wegner, a third-year chemical engineering student, will compete in the 2023 Ironman World Championship in Nice, France, on Sept. 10. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWegner is a fourth-generation Georgia Tech student, following in his family\u0027s footsteps to attend his dream school, just as he followed in his father\u0027s footsteps as a child when the two would run together. At the age of 12, Colin and his dad, Torsten Wegner, signed up for a sprint triathlon. They haven\u2019t slowed down since, although Colin does believe he\u0027s caught up to his dad. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0022He\u0027s a good cyclist,\u201d Colin said. \u201cI\u0027m definitely stronger than he is now \u2013 finally, after a long, long time.\u201d When asked if Torsten would agree, Colin replied, \u0022Grudgingly, yes.\u0022\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAfter honing his skills over the years, Wegner decided in early 2022 to cross an item off his bucket list by competing in a full 140.6-mile Ironman Triathlon \u2013 a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle race, and a 26.22-mile run. On a November day in Panama City Beach, Florida, Wegner crossed the finish line with a time of 12:02:10, qualifying him to compete in the upcoming world championship in the 18 \u2013 24 age group. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0022It always seemed like such a lofty goal,\u201d he said. \u201cBut here I am, a normal college kid getting ready to compete on such a grand stage.\u0022\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EDealing with the already busy schedule of a Tech student, Wegner has learned how to balance the addition of his rigorous training schedule, which includes early morning trips to the North Georgia mountains as he prepares for the hilly terrain he\u0027ll face in September, both on foot and on the bike. The training can be just as mentally taxing as it is physically, but with one competition under his belt, Wegner understands that there are no shortcuts on the road to France. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFor his first Ironman, he says, \u201cI would take days off here and there and sometimes cut my runs short because I was hurting or tired. But, after feeling unprepared for the run during the race, I realized how important it is to train to run through that same pain on race day. I feel much more prepared this time by just being far more consistent and pushing through soreness and really leaning into the \u0027hurt locker,\u0027 as it\u0027s called.\u0022\u0026nbsp; \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EApplying the same competitive drive to the classroom, Wegner has maintained a 4.0 GPA through his first two years at Tech. He credits the supportive nature of the Institute for allowing him to pursue his dreams of competing at a high level. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWegner is still deciding what path he\u0027ll take after completing his degree, and while he doesn\u0027t foresee competition becoming his day job, he\u0027s eager to see where his dream takes him. \u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0022It\u0027s very mentally and physically grueling, but I love the competition and even enjoy the training. It\u0027s something I\u2019ll carry on throughout my whole life. Whether I end up doing really well, we\u0027ll find out, but making a career out of it is not the plan right now,\u0022 Wegner said.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EWhen the starting gun is fired in early September, Wegner will be proudly donning a Georgia Tech tri suit while his family \u00ad\u00ad\u2013 and the entire Tech community \u2013 cheers him on.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Fourth-generation Tech student Colin Wegner will swim, bike, and run a total of 140.6 miles in the upcoming 2023 Ironman World Championship in France."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EFourth-generation Tech student Colin Wegner will swim, bike, and run a total of 140.6 miles in the upcoming 2023 Ironman World Championship in France.\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/span\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Fourth-generation Tech student Colin Wegner will swim, bike, and run a total of 140.6 miles in the upcoming 2023 Ironman World Championship in France."}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2023-08-30 14:04:57","changed_gmt":"2023-08-30 15:10:59","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-08-30T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-08-30T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671534":{"id":"671534","type":"video","title":"The Journey of a Georgia Tech Ironman","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA fourth-generation Yellow Jacket, Colin Wegner will swim, bike, and run a total of 140.6 miles in the upcoming 2023 Ironman World Championship in France.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1693408041","gmt_created":"2023-08-30 15:07:21","changed":"1693408041","gmt_changed":"2023-08-30 15:07:21","video":{"youtube_id":"Czm693HmLCA","video_url":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/Czm693HmLCA"}},"671530":{"id":"671530","type":"image","title":"Colin Wegner competes in the Ashville Triathlon. Submitted photo. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EColin Wegner competes in the Ashville Triathlon. Submitted photo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1693404769","gmt_created":"2023-08-30 14:12:49","changed":"1693404769","gmt_changed":"2023-08-30 14:12:49","alt":"Georgia Tech student Colin Wegner competes in the Ashville Triathlon. Submitted photo. 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","file":{"fid":"254614","name":"Colin Wegner and Family.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/30\/Colin%20Wegner%20and%20Family.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/08\/30\/Colin%20Wegner%20and%20Family.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1658235,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/08\/30\/Colin%20Wegner%20and%20Family.jpeg?itok=yLlaJZwW"}},"671533":{"id":"671533","type":"image","title":"Colin Wegner crosses the finish line at the Panama City Beach Ironman Triathlon in November 2022. ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EColin Wegner crosses the finish line at the Panama City Beach Ironman Triathlon in November 2022. Submitted photo.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1693405811","gmt_created":"2023-08-30 14:30:11","changed":"1693405811","gmt_changed":"2023-08-30 14:30:11","alt":"Colin Wegner crosses the finish line at the Panama City Beach Ironman Triathlon in November 2022. 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