The Scenic City provided a stunning backdrop for more than 3,000 athletes taking on the 2023 IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga triathlon on Sunday.

Many of those athletes were had incredible stories to tell.

Brent and Kyle Pease from Atlanta represented The Kyle Pease Foundation at today’s race.

"In 2011, The Kyle Pease Foundation began after Brent crossed his first IRONMAN finish line, and Kyle, born with Cerebral Palsy, asked the question, “can people in wheelchairs participate in endurance sports?” A decade later, Kyle will be competing in his fifth IRONMAN Triathlon, and The Foundation continues to empower athletes with disabilities to compete in the multisport and endurance world. To date, The Foundation has supported hundreds of athletes across more than 3,600 finish lines."

Their goal is to “raise awareness of inclusion for all through sports but to also raise $600,000 to continue and expand the Inclusive Employment Program with The Kyle Pease Foundation.”

Read more about The Kyle Pease Foundation here.

Another amazing local at the race today was Pat Eubanks.

Eubanks is a hero in many ways; she worked over 20 years with the Chattanooga Police Department serving citizens.

But she is perhaps best known for cheering on IRONMAN competitors for years as well and is known for collecting wristbands.

Her favorite words of encouragement are “Pick ‘em up and lay ‘em down!”

For more race times and results, visit the IRONMAN website.