‘Ironmom’ Heather Ketcham on quest for world qualifier position
By Jason Emerson
Cazenovian Heather Ketcham is on a quest to qualify for the world Ironman competition in Hawaii this year, and she is heading to Spain this weekend to make it happen.
Ketcham, who has been competing in triathlons for eight years, will enter her fifth consecutive Ironman race in Barcelona, Spain on Oct. 7, and will be bringing her three daughters along with her: Taylor, Julia and Vivianne.
“I am so thrilled my children get to experience Spain and France, making friends near and far,” Ketcham said. “I am one for the spirit of adventure and this journey is so exciting because of the people I have met along the way in our amazing community and surrounding communities.”
Ketcham was a swimmer in high school and college, and a synchronized swimmer and coach of synchronized swimming at the YMCA for 15 years. In 2009, she did the local Iron Girl competition in Syracuse and found herself hooked on the sport. She began doing longer races, and eventually competed in the Lake Placid 2014 Ironman race, the Tremblant Ironman in 2015 and 2016 and back to Lake Placid in 2017. In 2015, Ketcham went to the World Championships for the 70.3 distance in Austria and now she is on a quest for a world qualifier position in the 140.6 distance.
While Ketcham works full time, manages a busy household with three daughters and coaches locally part-time, she also trains in the early mornings in Cazenovia Lake or in area pools from Cazenovia to Syracuse University.
“The students and friends in the community often call me Ironmom and I can’t thank residents and local businesses enough as I swim bike or run I stop in or near by for water. Residents are gracious for a hose on a hot day, or neighbors near and far honking and cheering or leaving water in their mailboxes or a banana along the way,” Ketcham said. “I have trained hundreds and hundreds of miles as drivers keep a watchful eye. Friends help me coordinate car pools for many activities that span across three children that very involved in the arts and athletics.”
