This season, Jackson will tackle 3 full IRONMAN races: Placid, Frankfurt, and IM Worlds. Each presentsh unique challenge.

Triathlete Jackson Laundry is about to attempt something he’s never done before. He’s decided to enter the IM Pro Series and compete in not just one, but three full-distance IRONMAN events in just three months, chasing a 1.7 million-dollar purse and bragging rights for the most robust triathlete of 2024.

The new IRONMAN Pro Series was announced in October as a 17-race professional long-course triathlon series that kicked off with April’s 70.3 Oceanside and will culminate in the IRONMAN World Championships and will conclude with 70.3 Worlds in New Zealand.

The series includes six full IRONMAN events and eleven 70.3 races for both men and women, totaling 17 races, and will offer a $1,700,000 prize purse in addition to individual event prizes. It’s IRONMAN’s response to the competing PTO series that’s been steadily growing in popularity in recent years.

We caught up with Jackson to discuss his thoughts on the new series and what made him decide to jump straight into the deep end of full distance IRONMAN events. While Jackson has some very impressive triathlon accolades, his main discipline has been 70.3 events. Last year's results include a victory at IRONMAN 70.3 Michigan, a 2nd in IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta, as well as four more 3rd place finishes at other IRONMAN 70.3s. With a stellar 2023 season, Jackson now prepares for a busy race schedule ahead of him in his pursuit of an IRONMAN GC title.

Jackson is tackling the challenge with his IRONMAN debut on July 21st at Lake Placid. He will follow it up with IRONMAN Frankfurt in Germany on August 18th, and finish the incredible run with IRONMAN World Championships in Kona. We sat down with Jackson to discuss why he’s attempting such a crazy and physically challenging endeavor.

Jackson Laundry isn’t just another name in the triathlon world; he’s a force to be reckoned with, an athlete who thrives on pushing boundaries and redefining limits. As he embarks on his ambitious journey through the IRONMAN series, we delve into his mindset, preparation, and aspirations.

Jackson, you’re attempting the IRONMAN Pro Series this year with a pretty heavy schedule planned for the second half of the season. Where did this decision come from and what is your game plan?

I took the first part of the season to see whether I’d focus on the IRONMAN series or the T100 series. To be completely honest, I wasn’t seriously considering racing three IRONMAN distance races in one year. I thought it seemed too risky and wouldn’t suit my strength at the 70.3 distance, and with only one full-distance race in my past, I’m completely unproven at the distance. Since fulls are worth twice as many points in the series, it would be impossible to get a top-5 in the series without three fulls with the level of competition we have in the sport now, so I was thinking I’d maybe do one or two fulls and try to sneak into the top-10.

I did have some solid races in the first part of the year, but when my first chance at the T100 in San Francisco didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, it made the choice easy to jump into the IRONMAN Series. Then I started thinking, “Why couldn’t it be me who has three strong fulls and two strong halfs?”

If there’s one thing I’ve proven in my career, it's that I can be very consistent throughout the season. Last year I had seven podiums in 10 races. I have very few absolute homerun performances in my career, but so many very good ones, and that’s what the series is all about, rewarding consistency.

I have had plenty of strong 70.3 scores so far this year, so now I need to show that I can race well at three fulls to have a real shot at the series. It’s a big ask but I’m up for the challenge and can’t wait to give it a shot.

Is it true that you’ve only competed in one other Full-Distance IRONMAN and what inspired you to take on the IRONMAN Pro Series this year?

I’ve only done one full and it was IRONMAN Mallorca in 2021. I did it as kind of an add-on race at the end of a good season just to see how it would go. It went okay (finished 13th at 8:26:00) but I knew I’d need a few more years before feeling ready to tackle the distance properly. I was really just waiting for the right opportunity to come up at the full distance and the pro series presented just that.

Jackson putting in the long hours in Colorado. Photo Credit: Kenny Withrow.

How have you been preparing for the rigorous race schedule ahead of you? I imagine you’ve had to make a few alterations to your training prep to be able to handle such a load leading into Lake Placid?

The training hours have been consistently 24-28 all year (excluding race weeks), and in this most recent block it's been 28-30. For the first part of the year, my training was almost all at home in Guelph Ontario, and stayed the same as usual, focused on the 70.3 distance. I always do 90% of my riding indoors on the trainer because I just get better work done there. I swim six times a week, run five times a week, and bike five times a week. Each week is pretty similar with two hard bike workouts, two hard runs, one long run, and three to four hard swims. The rest are all easy days focused on recovery. 

Around early June, I began extending my long rides and runs to prepare for Lake Placid. After racing 70.3 Mont Tremblant, I headed to Colorado for altitude training, spending two weeks in Castle Rock (6100 ft) with Matt Hanson and one week in Boulder (5300 ft) with Lesley Smith. These weeks were intense, significantly increasing my bike volume to 13-14 hours per week, about three more than my usual 70.3 training, while swim and run volumes stayed the same.” 

The key sessions have looked a fair bit different as well with quite a bit of time at IRONMAN pace on the bike and the run, which is a pace I would typically avoid when training for 70.3s. I have maintained some work at higher efforts as well to ensure I maintain a high threshold, so I feel very confident I’ll be ready to handle the race dynamics very well as a relative newbie at the full distance.

IRONMAN Lake Placid, known for its stunning scenery and grueling course, is the first stop on Jackson’s journey. The rolling hills and unpredictable weather conditions are enough to test even the most seasoned athletes.

You’re heading to Lake Placid for the first time in your career, what’s your gameplan for your first Full IRONMAN?

From everything I’ve seen online and heard about the course, It’s a very tough one on the bike and run. Lots of hills all day! I do love hilly courses as long as it’s not too technical, so this one should be great for me. The variable course makes the pacing strategy a little bit different, I’ll have to increase power up the hills for sure which I’ve prepared for in my training. It will be a fine balance between racing aggressively to stay in the mix with the other athletes and pacing myself to ensure I can finish strong on the run. The run course has a long uphill section on each lap so pacing that properly on lap one will be critical.

The conditions are pretty variable over there, but it’s quite similar to where I live (less than 7 hours drive away) so I should be able to handle any heat and humidity, or rain, or whatever the course throws at me!”

Next up is IRONMAN Frankfurt, a race that’s notorious for its fast, flat bike course and a crowd that’s known for its incredible support. Frankfurt is where Jackson plans to capitalize on his cycling prowess, aiming to gain an edge over his competitors.

What’s going to be different between Frankfurt and Lake Place?

Frankfurt will be a very different challenge than Lake Placid with such a flat bike course. The swim will be critical to get into a strong bike pack. My training will focus on making sure I can minimize the swim deficit for certain. The races in Europe have an incredible amount of depth, and the European Championship will certainly bring out many strong athletes. I think it will be important to race my race on the run and not get too carried away early on with all the excitement of the crowds and a championship-level event.”

Culminating his journey is the IRONMAN World Championship, where the best triathletes from around the globe make their annual pilgrimage to Kona, Hawaii, to compete for the coveted IRONMAN title.

For Jackson, this race is more than just another competition; it’s the ultimate test of his career.

“Worlds is the dream,” he said. “It’s where all the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication come together. It’s not just about winning; it’s about proving to myself that I belong among the best.”

As Jackson prepares for the challenge ahead, his focus remains unwavering. His journey is not just about competing but about pushing himself to new heights and inspiring others to chase their dreams with relentless passion.

“I’m excited about what lies ahead,” Jackson said. “The races, the challenges, the victories, and even the setbacks – they’re all part of the journey. The IRONMAN series has pushed me to try something I never have before, and no matter what happens, I’ll become a stronger athlete from the challenge. I’m ready to give it everything I’ve got.”