Last names give people a sense of identity that defines who they are and where they come from. With a surname like “Wild,” stretching the imagination for big dreams and living life to the fullest is without doubt, an expectation.
For Cindy and David Wild — two unrelated people who share a passion for the sport of Ironman — big dreams and big goals are exactly what define them.
On Sunday, while Cindy busted out a 15-mile training run on Alii Drive with the realization that a long-sought dream to finish her first Ironman World Championship race is about to come true, David also happened to be on Alii Drive, sprinting toward the finish line for his first win at Team Mango’s Pre-Ironman Triathlon Challenge.
Cindy Wild
Three years ago, Cindy Wild couldn’t swim well or ride a bike. As a real estate agent plugging away for 60-plus hours per week, she often wore the cap of the “weekend warrior” athlete — a runner who enjoyed doing marathons while squeezing in training over weekends to accommodate a hectic work schedule. But after volunteering for a few area triathlons, something clicked.
“Ever since I’ve lived here, I’ve been so inspired to see people doing Ironman,” Wild said. “I was motivated by everyday people who worked regular jobs to find the time to train and do it. Watching this race as a volunteer I thought that maybe someday I’d do it.”
After getting a bike and starting to swim in the ocean, Wild said she was able to compete in the Lavaman Olympic-distance triathlons, and has done the Ironman 70.3 Hawaii race twice. Adding her name to the lottery list sealed the deal for an opportunity to compete in this month’s world championship race — a grueling 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.
“When I got a lottery slot I knew I needed a training plan,” the 48-year-old said. “I got Rick Rubio the Monday after I found out and it’s helped me tremendously. Just knowing that I’m responsible for everything that he’s planned has helped to keep me motivated.”
Wild said she enjoys the bike segment because of it’s low impact on her body — unlike running that often requires a longer recovery time. On the other hand, spending the disciplined training time on the bike to prepare for the 112-mile distance came with its own challenges.
“Doing long rides has been hard,” Wild said. “The challenge is the extra time required to do the longer stuff. But somehow I make it work and know that I have to be really organized to get it done. My house is a disaster as I still put in 60-hour weeks at work. I just need to focus on the important stuff and let the small stuff slide.”
Treading the waters in Kailua Bay along with 1,900 athletes on Oct. 11 will already mean a sweet victory for Wild.
“Just knowing how much I’ve done to get here has been motivating,” she said. “I’ve trained in the wind, I’ve trained in the heat and now it’s go time.”
David Wild
A bad mo-ped crash Thursday, with some serious road rash, didn’t dampen David Wild’s spirit from winning Sunday’s Team Mango Pre-Ironman Triathlon Challenge. But that didn’t come as much of a surprise for a guy who squeezes in the most fun in every aspect of his life. For Wild, it’s just part of living up to his adventurous name.
“It was a definite confidence booster and got me excited to continue my training during the off-season,” Wild said of his overall win. “I was surprised of my win despite having injuries, but it made me feel that I still have a lot of potential in the sport.”
Wild moved to Kona in July to take on a special education teaching position at Konawaena High School and helps out as assistant coach to the boys cross-country team. Wild said his selection of the Big Island was pushed by a strong desire to travel, to experience the culture that he’s heard so much about, and to fulfill a needed vacancy within the Department of Education. It also happened to be the home of the Ironman World Championship race — an event he’s watched many times on TV.
As an avid triathlete and the co-founder of the Oakland Tri Club in the Bay Area, Wild hopes that one day he will compete at the grueling Ironman distance event as well as start Konawaena’s first triathlon club.
“I’d like to put in a few years of shorter distance triathlons before I consider tackling that beast of an Ironman race,” the 27-year-old said. “And I’m hopeful to begin Konawaena’s first triathlon club by next year which would make a huge impact to the kids that live down south.”
At Sunday’s Pre-Ironman Triathlon Challenge featuring a 1.2-mile swim, 15-mile hilly bike and 6-mile run, Wild exited the water in second place just after Joshua Myrick, and took the lead during the initial stages of the three-loop bike course. Kona’s Michael DeCarli used his bike strength to zip past Wild during the final loop, becoming the new leader and starting the run in first.
Wild, who won last year’s Dolphin Club Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon race — a frigid 1-mile nonwetsuit swim in San Francisco Bay, 13-mile bike crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and 14-mile run with nearly 8,000 feet of elevation gained — used his experience to take the lead back from DeCarli during the climb running up Hualalai Road. Wild continued a blazing pace on to victory with an overall time of 2 hours and 5 minutes.
“I was blown away with the organization of this race as well as the awesome people that I met afterward,” Wild said. “Getting to meet Ironman World Champ Mirinda Carfrae and Tim O’Donnell was the highlight. I was completely awestruck.”
With the Ironman World Championship next week, there’s no stopping Cindy and David in pursuing their goals and making their dreams come true. As for the “Wild Thing,” Cindy summed it up the best: “Whatever you set your mind to do, just make it happen.”