Experience the resonance of achievement through the voice of a legend; Mike Reilley's iconic "You are an Ironman" has echoed at finish lines worldwide, stirring the hearts of thousands. Our conversation with Mike takes us on a journey through his extensive career as an announcer, where his voice has become a symbol of achievement in the endurance sports community. From his start in the 70s to his 33-year tenure at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, Mike shares the origins of his announcing career, his choice to take up the microphone over competing, and his unwavering dedication to the sport.

The stories of triumph over adversity don't end there. We shine a light on the inspiring tale of Brian Boyle, whose harrowing recovery from a life-threatening accident led to his remarkable Ironman achievements, a testament to the incredible resilience embodied by athletes in this community. The episode also serves as a critical reminder of the importance of proactive health testing – a message underscored by the mention of an Ironman competitor's own health scare. Mike's connection with fans and his personal touches on each copy of his book exemplify the intimate bonds within the Ironman world. Prepare to be moved, inspired, and encouraged to listen to your body as much as you listen to the stories that connect us all.

About the Guest:

Mike has done on site announcing and television for Running and Triathlon events worldwide since the late 70’s, this has placed a microphone in his hands at over 1000 endurance events.  He is best known as the “Voice of IRONMAN” and he has called IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii for 33 years.  Mike is the only person who has been inducted into the IRONMAN Hall of Fame (2011), the Running USA Hall of Fame (2017), and the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame (2018).

Mike has called 214 Ironmans worldwide to his famous and heartwarming phrase “You Are an IRONMAN!” Over a Half a Million triathletes worldwide have heard those words. Some say they are the greatest four words in sports.

Mike’s endurance on IRONMAN day is legendary.  Staring at 5:00 am welcoming athletes into transition and then putting them in the water.  His day ends 19 hours later and his energy and enthusiasm at midnight is as great as it was for the overall champions much earlier in the day.

He and his wife Rose, who has run a marathon, reside in Poway, California.  Daughter Erin is Mom of grandsons Graham and Leo, she is a Boston Marathon Finisher and her husband Andrew is an IRONMAN finisher.  Son Andy owns Race Place event publication and Eventgrow.com based in Southern California, he is a 2013 IRONMAN Arizona finisher.  

About Paul:

To learn more about Paul and the Iron Dad Book, head on over to https://irondadbook.com.

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All right. Hey, everybody. Welcome to Gut Checks the stories of hope and inspiration, parent perseverance. Gosh, I'm so delighted here to have Mike Riley had the voice of Ironman strides, Chief motivational officer, author of finding my voice, which includes tales from Ironman the world's greatest event. As I was saying to Mike a few minutes ago, I've got my own personal signed copy. And as you can see over my shoulder, he's got that listed there too. And like it really is such such an honor to have you here today. Oh,

thank you very much for having me. Yeah,

absolutely. So So you know, we've got a couple of different audiences here, Mike. And we're at first I'm going to address the Ironman community and then some for those people who may not know you. For those in the Ironman community. Obviously, you know, Mike, your dream really is about hearing his voice and celebrating your finish of the 146.9 140.6 mile race. And for those of you who don't know, Mike, let me read a little bit from his biography. Mike has done on site announcing and television for running and triathlon events worldwide since the 70s. So you've probably started that when you're like six or seven years old.

Oh, good. I was gonna say 11. So you're good. Okay. So we've got that

figured out. Yes. And he's placed his microphone and the ham in his hands at over 100 Your elbow for 1000 endurance events. He's known as the voice of Ironman, and he's called the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii for 33 years. He's the only person who has been inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame. The running USA holophane and the USA Triathlon holiday. Mike is called 214 World Ironman races worldwide, with his phrase, and it will be hard for me not to tear up when I say this. You are an Iron Man. Yes,

you are, Paul.

Over a half a million of us. Have you heard Mike say that. And they they really are the four greatest words in sports. And Mike, I can't tell you how much those words meant to me at different times. You won't remember this. But actually eight years ago, you had a contest on Facebook. It wasn't even a contest. But you said he if you've got stories of people who've overcome tremendous things, and then Ironman put in a little bio, and you would call and leave a voice message. And there was one day that this phone call came up from somewhere in California and I didn't know was and then I thought Wait, no way to possibly be intend to hear your voice message at the end. I was was something I played just hundreds, if not 1000s of times. So just to hear that what was great. Mike, so back back to Mike's bio beer for a second. Mike and his wife Rose who's run a marathon they live they live in Poway, California, which is just a little bit outside of San Diego, right. Poway. Poway? Oh, yeah, okay. Holloway, and he has a daughter Erin, and a son, Andy, grandsons, Graham and Leo, Do you have anybody else as part of your little tribe that you've got there? We

have. My sons and daughter in law have a baby coming in in July, so there'll be a third grandchild.

Congratulations, congratulations. One thing that I have not mentioned on this is that as we are rolling out my book, iron dad, that Mike and I are in the process of talking through that they'll probably be reading the book is part of the audible version. So really encourage people to be part of that. And I mentioned already that I also have got this awesome photo of the two of us a couple of years ago. Anyway. 214, Ironman triathlons, it's a lot like, as participants we always know. And we say, Wow, I want to hear Mike do this. But how did you even get involved in doing these announcements and doing the insane? Recognizing tequilas, they cross the finish line?

Well, firstly, I always tell people well, I'm Irish, and I'm full of you know what, so getting on a microphone was always pretty easy. I noticed a lot of running events and triathlons in Southern California, you know, way back in the day. And then, in 1989, I was asked to come over to Kona to be an assistant announcer because they had a head announcer. And I was going to do the race that year. So I was training for it. I was a little apprehensive. I said, You know what, I've got my hotel, I got my flight. I want I want to do the race. Well, they just kept, you know, convincing me and I said, you know, I can always do the race. Well, that was 33 years in a row where I could have always done the race. When I, I always felt, even though I worked out and trained like the athletes do and, and I trained with a lot of my buddies who were doing Ironman, so I was out there with him a long time. And but the thing is my Iron Man was being on the microphone, I couldn't see myself, once I started, I couldn't really, really see myself off it. And so it just kept going on and on year after year, and new races would come in like Lake Placid and 99. And, you know, I do 24 Or all of those Wisconsin comes in. So it when you say 214, it seems daunting, sometimes when I think about it, but they're already in the past. So they already gone. And it happened. But I don't know how I did it for so long. And with such long days, I think it was just because the passion I have for the event and the athletes is probably it is as simple as that.

Well, it's obviously not simple. I mean, you're for what you do, it's 19 hours that you're involved in a race. And could you kind of talk through the process of what that day is like for you. Because I can imagine, you're not getting any sleep that you're you are maybe as nervous as so many of the participants.

But I always thought about sleep as a commodity I could I could have when I'm on the plane going home or when I get home. So at the race, okay, there wasn't a whole lot of sleep. The night before I'd wake up probably I you know, I never set an alarm, I never had to set an alarm. So I'd wake up at 334 and then start meandering down to the site and welcoming the athletes into transition at five, telling them what's going on for the day. Make sure you do this, make sure you do that. Make sure you put your bags here or there, you know the whole deal. And then moving over to the swim start and getting them all corralled in so they can get into the water. And that's when I really wanted to give the encouragement that I know I would want if I was standing there, because nerves were just coming out of people's ears. They're so nervous at that time. And I see it in their faces. So I I don't know, about 10 years ago, I went down, right to the start of this swim as athletes were walking in high five of your body. And next thing you know, I started getting a lot of these hugs and people would come up and go Mike, I need a hug. Dude, I don't know about this. I go, you'll be fine. And I'll see you at the finish line. I would tell everybody I see you at the finish line, though. Yes. And I go you promise? And they'd say yes. And I go Don't be breaking promises. You know. I just were the add on so many people written me, oh my gosh, yeah, High five me at the start. And it settled me down and got me going. So that's a big part of the day. Because it just, it sets the tone it sets. You know, when the race starts on time, and everybody gets into the water and good fashion and the rest of their days gonna, it's gonna roll out fine. Sure things can happen. But that beginning of the day, and then you know, I just start going through the day and bringing them out of the water, watching them head out in their bike and then have a hot corner, maybe halfway through the bike and call them to there and then bring them off the bike and then have a hot corner, maybe halfway on the run or let me come out of transition talking to a mare that just went on and on and then you know about three, three o'clock I'd have to get to the finish line go Okay, here we go. He was funny, I go to the finish line. After all day working and doing my deal I shouldn't say work because I've never called it work it was more than that was better than that. So I would get to the finish line and just say to myself, I baby here we go rock and roll. Now we now we begin you know because shooting the pros in and bringing the age groupers in till that 17 hour mark the midnight hour was it was special I was I was blessed and honored to be able to be the one to recognize the accomplishments of people that so many of them went through hell to even get to the start line let alone that finish and I just wanted to make sure they were taken care of. And that's that's what I do. I just wanted to take care of everybody and and and make them happier. Maybe then they are

quote, you certainly did that for me. Certainly, when I've done a few of my I've done sets and as I've done the six Ironman. I've had both my hips replaced. I'm a cancer survivor. I've had 12 surgeries. I'm duct taped and super glued together more than you can imagine. And where you're saying that people have gone through hell to get there. Each Iron Man for me finishing has been a celebration and getting to the to your point of being calm and relaxed, where you have given high fives and you have recognized as, as we've gotten in, has made it just an a transformative experience. So thank you for that. And I don't know if people say that to you as much. So, you've, you've called and you've talked to hundreds of 1000s is, as you said, you are an Iron Man. Do you have one? That's your most favorite? Yes.

Absolutely. It's the last chapter of my book. Chapter. Yes.

Yeah. Can you say a little bit about that?

Yeah, you know, I've had the honor to call a lot of people into the finish line. And when you get to call someone, you know, a friend or a relative of a friend, and they tell you about them, or somebody maybe I grew up with, which I've called people in that I've grown up with. And it's just, it's just so cool to do, and sons and daughters of friends that do Iron Man's. But when in 2014, my son who played minor league baseball decided to become an Ironman. I thought about that a lot before. And I trained with him. And he got it. He got a tri bike and did the whole deal. And on race day, I'm thinking, Oh, my gosh, I hope I can hold it together. I mean, I'm bringing my boy and he was, what, two or three years old when I started announcing Iron Man's. And yeah, he and my daughter have been around that life, and me leaving and coming back, and then going to Kona and going to races and but now he's a participant, he's, he's one of the many that I have the honor to be able to bring through the finish line. So he did Ironman Arizona, and when he was coming to the finish line, I said to Tom Ziebart, my announcer working with me, I said, Tommy, if somebody's coming close to Andy, sorry, I'm not gonna get that guy or that woman because I'm gonna make sure I get my boy. He goes, Oh, yeah. And somebody did. They came in right in the chute. Tom got him because I went down to greet them. And as he was running towards me, I did it all and call them an Iron Man and my wife was standing next to me with my daughter. My wife had the metal, she put it around his neck, my daughter had the mylar blanket. It was a cold night, wrapping it around his shoulders. The three were Haagen, and then I hugged and then somebody was coming in. So I brought him in. And the three of them just kind of turned around and walked away from me. I'm going. That's it. There we go. And something I had never done before. They were about 10 feet behind me, you know, heading to the back of the chute area, to take care of them. And I just yelled it out one more time. I said to everybody, I said I don't do this, but I'm doing it now. I hope you'll forgive me. I said, Andy Riley, you are an Iron Man's for the second time at the finish line. And this is what I got there walking away. He didn't even turn around. He goes like this puts a stump up in the air. I see it from behind. I go okay. And yeah, he went 11 and a half hours. So well, after that. I went back to the stage and go, Alright, here we go. Come on, keep going. You

just had to reset and keep going for several months. 11 and a half hours is a great time, though. Yeah,

he was first Ironman. Yeah, it's pretty, pretty darn good. That's really

amazing. Well, you would mention your book and and boy, it has been so inspirational to me. And there's so many different stories that you got that you've talked about in the same with your podcast to have people who've really overcome adversity in so many different ways. Are there and I'm sure we could spend hours talking about your greatest memories. But are there any others that really jumped out for you in these whether it's in your book or podcast or your different times?

Yeah, there's a lot of you know, it's amazing fall, I'll be talking to someone and they'll remind me to go Mike remember when I go? Oh my gosh, I remember that. I mean, I I can't remember everything but when I'm reminded is the date and the year and what happened I got I remember that he killed me. I had a woman. Send me a message today. And she said in the message, Mike, I don't know if you remember me, but I finished the Ironman. And, uh, you brought me in you were down down below. I think it was montavilla Yeah, it was I remember Molotow blown up in Canada. And as I called her an Ironman and pointed to I was standing right next to her. She looks at me and she screams and yells you bet your ass I am awesome. I started laughing. And she sent me a message this morning about something I haven't talked to her probably since then. And Get down if you remember me. And she told me, I wrote back I remember that vividly. I was so funny.

That's awesome. So

I, matter of fact, I had a guest on my podcast today. It's not out yet we recorded it. He's in my book, Brian Boyle. He was an 18 year old, high school swimmer that was coming home from swim practice and got crushed by a garbage truck. He died eight times on the operating table. As a matter of fact, one surgeon came into the room and said to the his colleague, the surgeon working on him said, Why are you working on that cadaver? And the surgeon said, as long as he's got a heartbeat, I'm putting them back together. And it's a well documented story about Brian Boyle. And he became like a son to me, because I put myself whether my son or daughter, if that happened to them, gosh, what would I do as a parent? And that was 2004. That dude came to Kona in 2007, and did that race as an NBC story. He went through 36 transfusions, he lost 100 pounds. He shouldn't even be alive. And the son of a gun of three years later, he didn't do an Ironman. And this year, he's doing his seventh Ironman, and Ironman Maryland. So it's my book. I haven't done a lot of people from my book on the podcast a few. But Brian is just a dear young man and I loved his parents met his parents, I know him very well now. And and when I met Brian, he was just this young kid. And now he's a father with three children. Well, I love all my life moves on and a good way for him perfect

Well, in life moves on in a good way for so many different people. And I know for me, and for so many others, how much Ironman has transformed our lives. And I certainly would say the same thing that mean, when I was first diagnosed with cancer, one of the very first things I was saying to doctors was great, how soon is it going to be before I can start training again. And that it was I made a point that it was six months after I finished chemotherapy, that I was at a starting line. And that it was incredibly important to so so and I know one of the things I read was where you're saying, you remember so many of these things. I think I read that you've got a journal for all the different races too. So that how many journals do you have, if you've done all these, all of these different races

that I've got? I've got it. The journal is a journal where I may only have me put my glasses on. I may only have two lines about the race. But this right here, this is the original piece of paper when I started it, you can believe that and oh, well on it. I had somebody said to me. Hey, how many races have you done? Where'd Ironman Florida go? Let's add them up. Pull out a piece of paper and okay, there's Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand. 37. At that time I started this it was 37 he started this in 2002. So from then on, I just started putting the date. What happened what? I remember New Zealand 2010 My notes so much better than 2009 Great weather ceremonies were perfect. Finish Line was epic. One of the top five ever of my career. The last three hours absolutely rocked. I love the Kiwis mean stuff. And I have that beautiful, every every race. And I handwrite it. I probably should, you know, get it in the cloud. Trust me if if the House would start on fire that go out with my passport.

Might be even more important than your passport. Right? Because you'll always replace the passport that can't be replaced. Exactly. Right. Exactly. Well, well. That's incredible. Well, I, I I know that. I mean, you've done so many. And you and I were talking just beforehand that do you have slowed down? How many? How many races you're doing and I think we both said that you're not retired? In fact you're doing weight class and celebrating the 25th. But and but you've shifted and you've got so many other things going on. We've got stride on the cheek motivational ups or can you say a little bit about that? Because I was really intrigued. What does that you're the motivational officer for hundreds of 1000s already, but what does it mean to be part of that with trade on?

Well, the triad training system is huge with their online apps and how people can check their training and the coaches can put it in there and and part of it is they have different levels. One level is called Pegasus one's unicorn and and they attain those different levels by In certain workouts or doing certain races, well, I went into the studio and recorded about 200 voiceovers for those apps. So when people well do get to a different level, they may hear, Congratulations, you made the Pegasus level, I cannot wait to see you making unicorn, keep it up, have a great one out there and ride safe. You know, I did like to on a different one. And so what I do now is I get so many messages from that. Mike, you talk to me today and the app, went through a different level with my training, and tried out is now the official training partner of Ironman, which is fantastic. But they they just have incredible training system. Coaches like Mark Allen, it's funny Mark Allen said to me, when I first started talking to him about it, he goes Mike, if I had this type of training system, and coaching, when I was raising, because out of one Kona, eight, nine times, not six, I mean, that's just that's a heck of a testament. And it's making, it's making life very easy for coaches so that they can really key in on all aspects of the athlete's life. What's going on today? How old are you? What's going on at work, everything's put in. And Jeff Brewer, the creator of try dot was creating artificial intelligence seven, eight years ago with this, and it is now perfected it to where it's an incredible system. So I love being a part of their team. And, and they they they actually said to me, you know, Mike, we'd love to accentuate your voice and have your voice part of the business. And, and, you know, keep it going. I said, Great. I don't have to travel the 14 Ironman events a year. Yeah. Right. Although

a lot fewer frequent flyer miles that you're getting there.

Yeah, I know. That's a tough one. That's a tough one. Well,

it but Well, well, that's just incredible. And that's tried a training system. I know that I will certainly as I'm preparing for Ironman, California this fall, check it out. Yeah, for sure. I'm probably a little bit behind. Well, well, let's pivot a little bit want to be super sensitive to your time. And, you know, so we've talked a little bit about this podcast is called gut checks. And because it's for me, as a colon cancer survivor, there are different aspects to it that gut checks can be hard conversations with your doctor, or as an Ironman triathlete, we have gut checks every day. What does gut checks mean to you?

Oh, gosh, gut check means to me reassessing yourself, making sure you've got things in order. And gut check is, is honesty. That's what it means to me. The a, and if you do a true gut check of yourself. You, you know, you can maybe mislead the truth or lie to other people, but you can't do that yourself. That's what gut check means. I mean, some people may, you know, tell you something like they told you pa about having cancer. And you know, it's an instant gut check, like what the heck is going on here. And I've had so many friends and family, same thing happened. So I but I'm a positive person, I want gut check to be a positive thing. In other words, if I failed at something today, you got to do a gut check and go, Well, that's on me. I'm the cause of my own experience. How can I improve that? And not fail on it again.

That's, that's beautiful. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Just thinking a little bit, you mentioned about my experience of being diagnosed. And one of the big things that I'm trying to increase awareness and advocacy of is the importance of getting screened, and the importance of having colonoscopies and I know that you and I, and it's actually kind of funny for me to, even though I've been having these discussions now for 12 years here I am saying Mike Riley, can you tell me about your cancer experience or, or your screening experience? And and you had mentioned to me that you had and I'm not asking for anything personal, but maybe could you say something? So for anybody who might be hesitant about being getting screened, or having those conversations with their doctors, what would you say to them?

Wake up, get it done? Don't be a baby. Don't you know just because you think something might be uncomfortable or you think the doctor may tell you something you don't want to hear? Just me you want to hear those words, even if you don't want to hear them. And I think it's a matter of men being lazy, you know if if you need to get your first colonoscopy at 60 or 50 or whatever it is, and I'm an advocate of Peter at Dr. Peter apt to with his medicine 3.0 And he wrote a book called out live on actually getting a colonoscopy if it's in your family earlier, 30 years old, 40 years old. So he get it done. I mean, you've the problem with triathletes and runners. And I'm saying this in a good way is we are, we think we're infallible, because our heart rate in the morning is at 42. Because we got to 80 mile ride in and popped off six mile run afterwards, because we work out. Because we feel we eat correctly and have a good diet. You know what, that's great. But there could be something going on inside, whether it's hereditary, whether it's just happening that you do not know about, and it can you know, whether you get your heart checked, or your colon or whatever it may be, you got to get it done. I, you know, I say to if you haven't done it, make the appointment today, or tomorrow, Call up the doctor and make the appointment. Don't be Don't Don't be one that you figures you can just get by it. And because sometimes when the news comes, it can be too late. And it's on you, you got to be proactive about your life, not wait for things to happen and react to them. So be proactive and get tested today. Today, today.

Well, I think to bring up a great point in this Ironman triathletes, that we're always fighting injuries, and we're always pushing through and we're always discounting, whether it's that pulled hamstring or the upset stomach that oh, we're gonna power through it. And I know I was in that case that I had symptoms. I had done an Ironman Triathlon five marathons, and that it was only before it was almost too late that I was so well. Well, thank you, Mike. I so much appreciate your time today. One thing I I want to say to you is like Riley, you are an Iron Man. So thank thank you so much for your time today. Definitely everybody when you get a chance, pick up Mike's book, it is great. Check Out Check Out trader training systems and, and, and take care of your health. So

and if you do buy my book, you can send me a message at Mike at Mike riley.net. And I'll tell you where you can send it and I'll sign it and send it back to you. So books coming in all week long to my address and and signing them and sending them back. So I love doing that. Beautiful. Well. Thank

you. Thank you, Mike. Everybody. Mike Riley. Thank you. You're

welcome. Thank you