INFINIT’s CEO Michael Folan had the opportunity to chat with Olympian and pro triathlete Ben Kanute, a captain’s pick for Team USA in the 2022 Collins Cup. We talk mantras, “dad strength” and how Ben balances his growing family with the demands of training. Plus, what a typical 30 hour training week looks like, how he eats and drinks to keep “feeding the fire” throughout the race season and beyond.
Growing up in Falmouth, Maine, Clara Brown was an avid athlete enjoying everything from gymnastics to running and skiing. One of four siblings, her parents were keen on keeping the family active and involved in a variety of activities and sports. At the age of 12, Clara’s life changed forever when she sustained a serious injury at gymnastics practice, leaving her with a broken neck and a damaged spinal cord.
While 2020 brought about a pause on the races and events, INFINIT Pros Ryan Petry and Alexey Vermeulen also witnessed the pandemic-driven uptick in people starting to ride. Being lifelong lovers of cycling, they sought out a way to help really immerse these new riders into the sport. This is where the From the Ground Up Project was born. Out of thousands of submissions that came in from across the country, Ryan & Alexey had the difficult task of narrowing it down to just 3 riders to take under their wing and equip with everything needed to start training.
At 17 years old, Shangrila Rendon and her family moved from Manila, Philippines to Chino Hills, California. She entered the states as a teenager and took on the heavy responsibility of supporting her family as they worked to establish their new life in a new country.
I’m a triathlete, and like most endurance athletes, I have always predominantly relied on races to fuel my motivation and training. That changed this year when my fourth race of the season was cancelled, and I was faced with the challenge of adjusting plans last minute. It was frustrating and overwhelming but deep down I knew I would find something else to keep me moving. It wasn’t long before my coach texted me, asking if there were any challenges that I wanted to try to keep my motivation high. Funny enough, I already had a challenge mulling in the back of my mind.
About 3 months ago (April 2020), my best friend mentioned he would be taking on the Tushars Mountain Run — A 100k race with nearly 21,000 feet of vertical ascent, that covers some of the most majestic terrain in Utah on August 1st. At the time, I still had hopes of racing IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder that day, so I laughingly said “good luck with that.”
Triathletes, or really endurance athletes in general, are a particular breed. We tend to be hyper-focused on the details and enjoy living a regimented and controlled lifestyle. Often though, life shows us that it has different plans. When Professional Triathlete Matt Russell was 8 years old, his mother was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. Throughout the five years that she battled the disease, Matt learned many valuable lessons from her, including how important determination and carrying a positive attitude can be. Those lessons in determination and positivity were pulled to the ultimate test in 2017.
The Ironman of IndyCar Joins Team INFINIT. Now racing for Chip Gnassi Racing, Tony tackled the 2020 racing season, driving the No. 14 car in five events with AJ Foyt Racing. Kanaan went into the 2020 season with a record 317 consecutive starts, including winning the 2013 Indianapolis 500. He’s not only “the Ironman” of IndyCar Racing, but Kanaan is also an Ironman triathlete, having even competed at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
Rudy von Berg had a breakout year in 2018 with a 10th place finish at the 70.3 World Championships, 1st place at the Wildflower Triathlon, and several 70.3 wins including the European Championships and South American Championships. He also took the tape at last year’s 70.3 Nice, which is the site of this year’s IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships coming up on September 8th.
Rachel Langdon, pro cyclist and member of Team INFINIT, has powered through the 2019 race season and set a high standard in the world of cycling. Challenging herself with multiple day stage races this season, Rachel took first place in the Whiskey City Twilight Challenge and placed in the top 10 each day of the 11-day Tour of America’s Dairylands stage race.
