Dying To Ask

What's your "why?" Mark Goldman's "why" for being an Ironman is simple. "I can because they can't." They are the 13 Americans the Ironman athlete competes in honor of in the 13 for 13 Heroes Mission. Goldman said, "13 for 13 Heroes is simply a mission to complete 13 Ironman, full distance or half distance races in honor of each of the 13 service members who we lost on August 26th of withdrawing from Afghanistan after our 20-year presence there." Goldman is a husband, father and businessman from Minneapolis. He's a recreational athlete who turned to Ironman racing to test his personal limits and improve his health. The Ironman is a 140.6-mile endurance race featuring a 2.4-mile swim, 112 miles of cycling and a 26.2-mile run. The explosion that took the lives of the 13 service members at the Kabul Airport made Goldman think his athletic efforts could bring attention to the sacrifice military families make. Each of his races takes place near where one of the heroes grew up. Goldman races with an American flag tu