John O’Callaghan completed his first Ironman in Hamburg nine years ago. After decades of marathon running and triathlons, this was a step into an entirely different league. The challenge began with a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a punishing 112-mile bike ride, before finishing with a full 26.2-mile marathon. “It was my first Ironman and I said to my coach, ‘my objective is to finish,’” he recalled. Not fully grasping what lay ahead, O’Callaghan lost valuable time in transition, wrestling his way out of his wetsuit and into cycling — and later running — gear. Thirteen hours and eight minutes after…

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