In 1997, a 25-year-old former college water polo player and surfer from Danville, California, watched the Ironman Hawaii World Championship on TV, read a story about triathlon legend Mark Allen in Outside magazine, and got himself a bike. Twelve years later, Chris Lieto became the first triathlete since Allen to grace the cover of that esteemed publication. What happened in between? Oh, 80-plus triathlons, 17 sponsors, a rep as the fastest cyclist in the sport…and 15 huge victories, including three Ironman wins, a U.S. Ironman championship, and three top-10 finishes at the World Championship in Hawaii, highlighted by placing second in 2009. “When I was starting out, I set a lot of goals—that I was going to be like Mark Allen, the top American, the world champ, and on the cover of Outside—and people laughed,” Lieto recalls. “I took that as a driving force.”
No one is laughing now, but those milestones scarcely tell the story of a sometime mortgage broker who combines physical prowess, hard work, and mental toughness to succeed not only as a world-class athlete, but also as a family man, entrepreneur, role model, and ambassador for an increasingly popular sport. Not too shabby, especially considering the fact that just months after his first Hawaii Ironman in 1998, his best friend accidentally drove over his foot, fracturing it in more than 50 places. Though his surgeon said he’d never run again, Lieto bounced back and qualified for Hawaii the following year. Such resilience encapsulates the mindset required to excel in an endeavor that challenges its devotees at every turn. “I guess that’s what I’m most proud of in my career—going from a crushed foot to second in the world,” Lieto says. “So many times I’ve been flat on my face on the pavement, and I’ve been able to pick myself up and continue. You can’t get flustered—you have to focus on what’s right in front of you and stick to your plan.”
The ability to see the big picture, yet live in the moment, forms the foundation of Lieto’s strong faith, his loving relationship with his wife, Karis, and their two young children, the growth of his supplement company, BASE Performance, and his triathlon icon status—which even inspired his brother, Matt, to lose 60 pounds and become a pro himself. “What I first loved about the triathlon is the way it allows anyone to achieve something new and progress,” Lieto explains. “Now I want to make a difference, to promote it, to share my experiences, and to get people excited about setting goals and accomplishing things.” As he closes in on a world title, anyone care to bet against him?
