Professor, racing for niece, named Ironman 'hero'
| Monday, May 17 2010 05:18 PM
Last Updated Monday, May 17 2010 07:44 PM
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Contributed photo. Corey McKenna, who teaches education at Point Loma Nazarene University in Bakersfield, was chosen out of about 15,000 and named the Ford Ironman Everyday Hero. McKenna races in honor of his niece who died in December at age 4.
Contributed photo. Corey McKenna, who teaches education at Point Loma Nazarene University in Bakersfield, was chosen out of about 15,000 and named the Ford Ironman Everyday Hero. McKenna races in honor of his niece who died in December at age 4.
Corey McKenna, who teaches education at Point Loma Nazarene University in Bakersfield, said he had to look up the word "hero" earlier this month.
McKenna was chosen out of about 15,000 Ironman Triathlon participants after being named the Ford Ironman Everyday Hero during a race in Utah.
The assistant professor found that a hero was an "everyday person that tackles something bigger than they are," he said. McKenna raced in Ironman -- a run, swim and cycling marathon -- in honor of his niece, who died from cerebral palsy in December at age 4.
"(Hero) was never what anybody had called me before," he said. "I thought about that title, and I guess that does describe me. We are all heroes to someone."
McKenna competed at the St. George Ironman race May 1. The award is given to one person at each of the seven Ironman races in North America each year for significant contributions to a person, charity or organization.
McKenna is also the first recipient of the new award overall because St. George was the first race in the series. The award comes with a complimentary entry into any Ironman event in the United States, and also a $1,000 donation to a charity of his choice.
He chose Ride To Walk, a memorial scholarship he and his wife have set up in honor of his niece, Allison Ellis.
McKenna finished 874 out of 15,000 in Utah. Locally, McKenna races for scholarship money and will participate in a 5K run this summer. A video on the Ironman heroes will air later this year on the Versus television channel.
