Hockey Legend Zdeno Chara Just Completed His First Ironman. Now He’s Thinking Even Bigger.

Endurance sports, Chara said, have elements that resonate with him as an elite athlete: meticulous preparation, training consistency, determination to power through physical and mental barriers, self-discipline, and when it’s time, sheer grit.

In 2023, Chara, who stands at 6 feet, 9 inches, ran the Boston Marathon in 3:38:23, fundraising for Team Hoyt. This year, he bested that time with a 3:30:52. And a week after that, he ran 3:11:04 in London. (His fastest, though, is 3:10:24, which he ran in Houston this past January.)

“Each marathon I’ve participated in holds a special place in my memory,” Chara said. “However running the Boston Marathon stands out as an unparalleled experience. Boston isn’t just any city for me—it’s home.”

Chara spent most of his NHL career in Beantown, “forging a deep connection with the community. To run 26.2 miles through streets lined with familiar faces and places adds an emotional dimension that’s hard to put into words.”

He calls the Boston crowds legendary.

And Chara is close with the race’s director, Dave McGillivray, who surprised him at the finish line of his half Ironman in June—with an invitation to join him in Kona. (No rest for the weary.)

“One of the most incredible surprises along the way [in my journey into endurance sports] has been the guidance and assistance from Dave,” said Chara, who also works with marathoner Becca Pizzi. “Dave’s connections in the running and triathlon communities have opened doors that I might not have even known existed.”

As Chara prepares for Kona in October, he spends 18 to 20 hours a week training across disciplines, which, he said, heavily focuses on recovery.

“It’s a delicate balance, especially as I’m still adapting to the demands of endurance sports after years of hockey-specific training.”

He used the Ironman in Kalmar, Sweden, on August 17 as a stepping stone toward Kona.

He finished in an overall time of 10:40:48, completing the swim in 1:26:08, bike in 5:12:03, and marathon in 3:48:54, according to Triathlon Magazine.

The hockey-pro-turned-multisport-athlete is excited about his newfound community and the unique challenges that lay in his future.

“Being immersed in the endurance sports community has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my post-hockey athletic journey,” Chara said. “This new chapter has opened up a whole new world for me. The transition from professional hockey to endurance sports has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined. I’m eagerly looking forward to many more finish lines to come.”

Heather is the former food and nutrition editor for Runner’s World, the author of The Runner’s World Vegetarian Cookbook, and a seven-time marathoner with a best of 3:31—but she is most proud of her 1:32 half, 19:40 5K, and 5:33 mile.