Leuteneggers typical week of training for the Ironman
Monday: He goes on a one-hour bike ride that covers 15 to 16 miles. In the evening he completes an open water swim in Madison.
Tuesday: He goes on a 45 to 55 minute recovery run with a targeted heart-rate cap. He then does strength training in the evening usually squats, lunges or dead lifts.
Wednesday: Leutenegger attends a master's swim class in Monroe and swims up to 5,000 yards. He does a tempo bike workout for two hours in the afternoon, riding up hills and coasting down. He then completes a transition run for 30 minutes after getting off his bike.
Thursday: He has a hard track workout where he runs for 1 hour, 20 minutes continuing to run 400- or 800-meter runs at a certain pace. He closes the day with a recovery ride on his bike.
Friday: Leutenegger attends a master's swim class in Monroe. In the evening, he has strength training and a short bike ride. He caps the day off with a 45-minute run.
Saturday: He does a five- to seven-hour bike ride and then closes with a 30-minute transition run.
Sunday: Leutenegger runs for about 2 hours, 30 minutes. In the afternoon, he goes on a recovery bike ride or swim.
MONROE - Dustin Leutenegger wasn't an athlete at Monroe High School in the late 1990s and he only recently learned how to swim.
But now, at the age of 34, he is an Ironman with a dream of competing in the world championship in Hawaii next year.
The Ironman is a series of long-distance triathlon races. In a full Ironman, participants swim 2.4 miles and then ride a bike 112 miles and finish with a marathon run of 26.2 miles.
In his first Ironman last year, the Ironman Wisconsin in Madison, Leutenegger placed 54th overall out of 2,990 participants and 13th in the 30- to 34-year-old age group.
"The first one you will always remember," Leutenegger said. "Last year my goal was to have fun and remember the moment."
Leutenegger has been running in half marathons throughout this year and will compete in the Southern Door Half Ironman Triathlon this weekend in anticipation of the Ironman Wisconsin on Sept. 11. That's when the 2000 Monroe High School graduate hopes to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii in 2017.
"I would like to finish top three," Leutenegger said of Ironman Wisconsin. "I want to qualify to go there (Hawaii) in 2017. That fuels the drive. I have learned to be more fast through the transitions. When you are taking off your bike shoes the clock doesn't stop. I'm stronger than last year swimming, biking and running. I have learned to be more aggressive in the swim. I used to be scared to swim hard. Now, it's OK to swim hard."
Leutenegger said he's shooting for a time of about 9 hours, 45 minutes.
Leutenegger wasn't a star athlete at Monroe High School or in college. In fact, he didn't compete in any sports in high school.
"When Dave Hirsbrunner was the Monroe cross country coach he would always ask me to go out for cross country in high school," Leutenegger said. "I was into cars. That was it. Now he sees me running and riding."
He is still interested in cars. In fact, he is a mechanic at Dearth Motors.
But six years ago, Leutenegger started running 5K races. Then he watched Ironman Wisconsin in 2013 before running in the Chicago Marathon and was intrigued.
"I had my heart sold on training for a triathlon," Leutenegger said. "It (the Ironman) seemed challenging to me."
Leutenegger joined the master's swim class in 2014 at the Green County YMCA and learned how to swim.
"I couldn't swim the length of the pool," he said of his start. "I wanted to see if I could swim. I didn't know, and you just keep on going and slowly you get better."
He said it was an additional challenge adjusting to swimming in open water.
He bought a bike and started to train for Half Ironman competitions. Also known as Ironman 70.3, they consist of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run.
The Ironman Wisconsin experience and his training has sparked him in his Half Ironman competitions this year. Leutenegger finished 64th out of 3,300 participants and third in his age group in the Half Ironman in Oceanside, California in April. With that performance, Leutenegger qualified for the 70.3 Worlds in Australia.
"I can't afford to go there, and it's one week before the Ironman in Wisconsin," he said.
In Chattanooga, Tennessee, in May, Leutenegger placed 50th in a Half Ironman and was fifth in his age group.
As a mechanic, Leutenegger is used to being in control. While competing in an Ironman there is a lot more left to chance. He can't always pinpoint potential stumbling blocks like he dissects issues in cars.
"There is a lot more you can't control," he said of being an avid Ironman participant now. "In running you don't have to worry about mechanical failures. I think you have to worry more about your bike. It seems more challenging to me."
Two areas he can control are his training and diet.
"Leading up to it (Ironman) the biggest thing is you have to do the training," he said. "If you don't do it then it won't be pretty."
In addition to working a full-time job as a mechanic, Leutenegger is dedicated to training with his coach, Blake Becker of Madison. He trains for multiple events every day.
He also follows a healthy diet. Although he doesn't have any off-limit foods, he does stay away from eating foods high in sugar.
"I don't eat ice cream or sweets," he said. "I can still eat mostly what I want and still stay fit. I still have a cheat meal about once a week where I will get Culver's or order a pizza."
He eats oatmeal for breakfast and late morning he will eat eggs and have an apple. For lunch, he will eat a peanut butter sandwich and for dinner will have ground turkey that is 99 percent lean and fresh vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and kale with olive oil baked in the oven. He often eats avocados, walnuts and almonds.
"Having someone at home who can help you out with meal planning is huge," Leutenegger said. "My girlfriend has been a big support."
But now, at the age of 34, he is an Ironman with a dream of competing in the world championship in Hawaii next year.
The Ironman is a series of long-distance triathlon races. In a full Ironman, participants swim 2.4 miles and then ride a bike 112 miles and finish with a marathon run of 26.2 miles.
In his first Ironman last year, the Ironman Wisconsin in Madison, Leutenegger placed 54th overall out of 2,990 participants and 13th in the 30- to 34-year-old age group.
"The first one you will always remember," Leutenegger said. "Last year my goal was to have fun and remember the moment."
Leutenegger has been running in half marathons throughout this year and will compete in the Southern Door Half Ironman Triathlon this weekend in anticipation of the Ironman Wisconsin on Sept. 11. That's when the 2000 Monroe High School graduate hopes to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii in 2017.
"I would like to finish top three," Leutenegger said of Ironman Wisconsin. "I want to qualify to go there (Hawaii) in 2017. That fuels the drive. I have learned to be more fast through the transitions. When you are taking off your bike shoes the clock doesn't stop. I'm stronger than last year swimming, biking and running. I have learned to be more aggressive in the swim. I used to be scared to swim hard. Now, it's OK to swim hard."
Leutenegger said he's shooting for a time of about 9 hours, 45 minutes.
Leutenegger wasn't a star athlete at Monroe High School or in college. In fact, he didn't compete in any sports in high school.
"When Dave Hirsbrunner was the Monroe cross country coach he would always ask me to go out for cross country in high school," Leutenegger said. "I was into cars. That was it. Now he sees me running and riding."
He is still interested in cars. In fact, he is a mechanic at Dearth Motors.
But six years ago, Leutenegger started running 5K races. Then he watched Ironman Wisconsin in 2013 before running in the Chicago Marathon and was intrigued.
"I had my heart sold on training for a triathlon," Leutenegger said. "It (the Ironman) seemed challenging to me."
Leutenegger joined the master's swim class in 2014 at the Green County YMCA and learned how to swim.
"I couldn't swim the length of the pool," he said of his start. "I wanted to see if I could swim. I didn't know, and you just keep on going and slowly you get better."
He said it was an additional challenge adjusting to swimming in open water.
He bought a bike and started to train for Half Ironman competitions. Also known as Ironman 70.3, they consist of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run.
The Ironman Wisconsin experience and his training has sparked him in his Half Ironman competitions this year. Leutenegger finished 64th out of 3,300 participants and third in his age group in the Half Ironman in Oceanside, California in April. With that performance, Leutenegger qualified for the 70.3 Worlds in Australia.
"I can't afford to go there, and it's one week before the Ironman in Wisconsin," he said.
In Chattanooga, Tennessee, in May, Leutenegger placed 50th in a Half Ironman and was fifth in his age group.
As a mechanic, Leutenegger is used to being in control. While competing in an Ironman there is a lot more left to chance. He can't always pinpoint potential stumbling blocks like he dissects issues in cars.
"There is a lot more you can't control," he said of being an avid Ironman participant now. "In running you don't have to worry about mechanical failures. I think you have to worry more about your bike. It seems more challenging to me."
Two areas he can control are his training and diet.
"Leading up to it (Ironman) the biggest thing is you have to do the training," he said. "If you don't do it then it won't be pretty."
In addition to working a full-time job as a mechanic, Leutenegger is dedicated to training with his coach, Blake Becker of Madison. He trains for multiple events every day.
He also follows a healthy diet. Although he doesn't have any off-limit foods, he does stay away from eating foods high in sugar.
"I don't eat ice cream or sweets," he said. "I can still eat mostly what I want and still stay fit. I still have a cheat meal about once a week where I will get Culver's or order a pizza."
He eats oatmeal for breakfast and late morning he will eat eggs and have an apple. For lunch, he will eat a peanut butter sandwich and for dinner will have ground turkey that is 99 percent lean and fresh vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and kale with olive oil baked in the oven. He often eats avocados, walnuts and almonds.
"Having someone at home who can help you out with meal planning is huge," Leutenegger said. "My girlfriend has been a big support."
