It is quite impressive to swim 2.4 miles, run a marathon, or bike 112 miles. Pick your endurance, stamina, workout poison.

Or, if you’re Meghan Bridges, do all three in succession. Talk about ultra impressive.

Bridges, on July 23, completed Ironman Lake Placid. The 2010 Newtown High School graduate finished the three-part race event in a time of 15 hours and 42 minutes under sunny skies and in temperatures that worked their way up to the middle 70s. The day started with 4:45 am arrival accompanied by a chilly 50-something degrees. Bridges went into the water at 6:30 and, after the bike ride, found the energy to run 26.2 miles to the finish line in the dark.

“The event was very challenging,” Bridges said. “I have been working up to this race for the past two years, doing half Ironmans and other short course triathlons. I started the focused training for this race in October 2022 — it’s been months of swimming, biking, and running. My favorite part of the race and the training was having my family and loved ones at the race. It truly takes a village to get you across the finish line and this race was no exception. I couldn’t have done it without them,” Bridges said.

As for what inspired Bridges to do this: It was a build-up from “easier” race events she got motivated to do after her collegiate athletics-playing career was derailed. This was her first Ironman event. Bridges has done several marathons and triathlons; she has run New York City Marathon three times, and Chicago Marathon twice.

“My college lacrosse career was cut short by injury and I started looking for something else to challenge myself. The most insane thing I could think of at the time was a half marathon. I truly never thought I could finish that race, and then I did. When I finished I started dreaming of a marathon, again with the assumption that it would never be something I could actually finish. Since then I’ve just been finding the next big race that seemed impossible and then seeing what I could challenge myself to do,” she said. “A full Ironman has been on my list of goals for the past two years, and I am so, so excited that I was able to accomplish it.

Bridges, who played Newtown High lacrosse for Maura Fletcher — earning All State and Academic All American recognition and winning four South-West Conference championships along the way — and also laced up the soccer cleats for Coach Marc Kenney, went to the University of New Hampshire on a lacrosse scholarship. She graduated from UNH in 2014 with a BA in Finance. Bridges currently lives in San Francisco with her fiance Daniel Cray. She is a director at People.ai

Preparing for such a challenging race is not easy, but Bridges enjoyed it.

“Training is honestly pretty fun for me. I really like having the schedule and knowing what comes next. My coach Kevin Prunty kept me motivated and excited — look him up if you need an endurance coach,” she said. “The training was six days a week since October, doing each discipline three times a week. Weekends were reserved for long bikes and runs, and living in San Francisco is such a great place to do that.”

“Meghan has overcome so many obstacles with injuries in her lacrosse career as a young athlete. It’s kind of like the old adage when God closes a door he opens a window,” Fletcher said. “Meghan may have been physically limited by her injuries but her ability to rehab and fight to get back is remarkable. Long-distance events like Ironman are not only physically challenging but equally as challenging mentally. I would have to guess that Meghan’s mental toughness was shaped by her high school and college experiences. I am so happy for her that she was able to achieve this goal. She deserves all of the good things that come her way. She was always willing to do the work and it has really paid off for her.”

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.