Gordon Haller

Gordon Haller is an athlete best known as the winner of the first Ironman Triathlon in 1978.

Haller was born in 1950 in Oregon, USA. He grew up in Forest Grove, Oregon, and received a degree in physics from the Pacific University, Forest Grove, Oregon.

After graduation, Haller joined the U.S. Navy as a Communications Specialist in Hawaii. Later, he left the navy and worked a few odd jobs.

In 1978, Haller was a taxi cab driver working the night shift. During the day, he would do his workouts which would usually include running, cycling, and swimming. He'd then have a nap before going back to work.

While in Hawaii, Haller used to participate in local athletic competitions, and usually, win. In 1978, Haller, along with a friend, signed up for the Honolulu Marathon. Midway through the race, Haller dropped out due to a foot injury. While waiting for his friend to finish the marathon, he overheard a conversation about the dare the Navy Commander John Collins made. The dare involved competing in an athletic event that incorporated all three major athletic events of the island - Waikiki Roughwater Swim (swimming), Oahu Perimeter Relay (cycling), and Honolulu Marathon (running) - into one. The winner would be called Ironman.

Upon hearing about it, Haller thought to himself that he could take on this challenge, as he was already training regularly in swimming, running, and cycling.

Haller competed in the Ironman challenge on February 18, 1978, at the island of Oahu, and won the race, finishing it in 11 hours, 46 minutes, 58 seconds. He was 27 years old at the time.

He participated again in 1979 but finished fourth. Haller continued to join triathlons and marathons, even flying to other countries like New Zealand just to participate in them.

In his own words:

In a 2007 interview with Competitor Magazine:

It's just an amazing experience... certainly something I didn't expect to have happen way back in the beginning.