The sports entertainment show ‘Iron Girls,’ which ended in November last year, attracted attention through the ‘triathlon challenge’ of four actresses. A triathlon, which requires continuous swimming, cycling, and running, is often referred to as ‘a sport that challenges human limits.’ The most difficult of these, the Ironman course, lasts up to 17 hours, and those who cross the finish line within the cutoff time are awarded the internationally recognized “Ironman” designation. Choi June-seek, a professor in the Department of Psychology, completed the extreme course twice. We caught up with the real-life “Ironman” to find out what makes triathlon so appealing, as it’s a sport that's gaining new attention thanks to the popularity of “Iron Girls."

To the untrained eye, the composition of a triathlon is breathtaking. You have to swim nearly 4 kilometers, then quickly switch to a bike and then run 180 kilometers. It doesn't end there. The final gateway is the full marathon (42.195 kilometers). None of this is easy, as the race starts at 7am and doesn't finish until midnight.

He participated in the Ironman competitions in New York and Jeju in 2003 and 2007, respectively. He clocked 12 hours and 39 minutes in his first race and 14 hours and 12 minutes in his second attempt, which he participated in in celebration of his 40th birthday. It's been 17 years since his second race, but he remembers the exhilaration of that day like it was yesterday.
“When you're crossing the finish line, the announcer calls out each person's name in an amazing voice, and then he yells out, ‘You're an Ironman!’ Your stamina is already depleted, but the moment you hear that, your spirit perks up and you feel an indescribable sense of accomplishment and pleasure. It's not just me - I've seen people come to the finish line crawling because their legs gave out on them, but at the word 'Ironman,' they're jumping and tumbling, making you wonder, ‘Where did they suddenly get all that energy?' It's amazing, isn't it?”

Started with jogging, then marathons, then became fascinated with triathlons

He first started running in 1992, shortly after he moved to the United States to study. He didn't speak much English, didn't have any friends, and spent a lot of time alone, but he noticed people jogging every day. It was a strange sight for him, as he hadn't been athletic or interested in sports since he was a kid. He had always finished last in races, but he thought, “If it's like that, running alone, I can do it."
“I did a 3-kilometer run near my school. It was killing me, but I felt strangely good - I was experiencing a runner's high (the euphoria you get from running). Running every day with my PhD colleague got me into marathons, too. One day, when I mentioned that I could also swim, he was thrilled and invited me to do a triathlon with him. And he showed me a video.”
It was a video of a 1982 race in Hawaii involving an athlete named Julie Moss, who is considered a legend among triathletes. Moss, who was in a state of exhaustion during the race, sat down and got up repeatedly, but did not give up and eventually crawled across the finish line. Although she didn’t come in first, this dramatic scene created by her strong will to overcome her own limits reminded the public of the meaning of the sport called ‘triathlon.'

“It was so poignant, and it made me wonder, ‘What is it that makes them do that?' I went from running to marathons to triathlons. But to help you understand the triathlon, let's break down the terminology. A triathlon includes swimming, cycling, and running, but they all have different names depending on the distance. The shortest is the Sprint, where you swim 1km, bike 20-30km, and run 5-10km. The middle level is 1.5km swimming, 40km cycling, and 10km running, and is called the ‘Olympic Distance.' It is also an actual Olympic sport. For longer distances, there's the ‘Ironman' regimen, where you swim 3.8 kilometers, bike 180 kilometers, and then run the full marathon (42.195 kilometers). In fact, ‘(ironman) triathlon' is a term that refers to this Ironman course, not to all triathlon distances. It's not just for special people, anyone can challenge themselves. I've done it (laughs).”

Exercise is the ‘kick' that makes the dish called life taste better

Exercise is now an integral part of his daily routine. He commutes to work by bike whenever possible, except in winter, and enjoys hiking in the mountains. Many of his fellow professors, graduate students, and others have taken up running or cycling at his recommendation. A basic psychologist who studies behavioral neuroscience, he describes the effects of exercise as the strongest evidence that the mind and body are connected.

“The fact that intense exercise improves emotional and cognitive functioning through the release of substances such as endorphins and growth factors in the brain is well supported. So when you're in a stressful situation, it may be a better solution to briefly switch your brain's functioning with exercise, rather than continuing to dwell on the problem. I would definitely recommend exercise, especially to young people, because compared to my youth, everything is so abundant nowadays, and yet so many young people feel unhappy. I think it's a result of living in a highly competitive society and being constantly compared to others, especially on social media. Exercise, on the other hand, especially hard workouts that leave you gasping for air, gives you time to focus solely on yourself. Of course, a more fulfilling sport like triathlon is preferable, but whichever sport you choose, I hope you can add a little “kick” to your life, in the words of ‘Black and White Chef.' Is it weird that a psychologist keeps talking about exercise? Not really, because I believe that exercise strengthens not only muscles, but also the ego.”

Between research, teaching, and family life, it's been 17 years since his last challenge, but another triathlon is still on his bucket list. When I asked him what his dream is, he beamed: “To compete at 65, if conditions permit, with my late son, who would have been 23, to celebrate my retirement,” he said. We hope that his third challenge will be a success and that he will once again enjoy the glory of ironman.