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Dr. Eric Robinson, Dr. Kelsey Reely, and Trey Reely suited up and completed the grueling Ironman 70.3 in Chattanooga on May 19. Sponsored by Unity Health, their tri-suits proudly displayed the hospital’s logo.

“As a physician at Unity, I felt proud to wear my Unity triathlon kit,” Robinson says. “I feel that promoting health and healthy lifestyles is as important as treating illnesses—and hopefully with their support, we can encourage others to become involved in living healthy and active lifestyles.”

Robinson, a Unity Health cardiologist, has been a runner most of his life. He has completed 13 marathons, including the Boston marathon the past two years. With his goal of running the Boston Marathon accomplished, Robinson began to consider what would come next.

“I began to consider new goals which led to buying a road bike,” Robinson says. “Then I began to talk to Kelsey Reely while he was training for the full Ironman race in Tulsa and that is where my interest began.”

Reely convinced him to sign up for the Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga and that was it—his intensive weekly training began—composed of 6-8 hours of bike training, 45 miles of running, two days of swim workouts and weight training.

“Doing endurance sports has changed me by helping me realize that I can make time to train and compete at a high level while still having a very busy medical practice and family life,” Robinson says. “It has helped me to prioritize my health and nutrition. I also feel that being a cardiologist, I am not just talking the talk.”

Dr. Kelsey Reely works in internal medicine at Unity Health as a hospitalist. He also serves as the White County Health Officer and is the associate medical director for Hospice Home Care.

While athletics and fitness have always been a part of Reely’s life, training for triathlons began as an escape from the grind of medical school.

“I decided my third year of medical school that I needed a healthy way to cope with stress,” Reely says. “I had always wanted to do one, but it can be intimidating to jump in on your own and it is a big investment up front to buy all the gear. Growing up, my grandfather, dad and I would do 5Ks together, so I always had an interest in endurance sports and looked up to people that were dedicated and in good health and good shape.”

Reely took on the challenge and he’s been competing in events ever since.

“It’s opened my eyes to what is possible,” Reely says. “I truly believe if I can do it, anyone can do it. Checking off big bucket list goals comes with a great sense of accomplishment but has also helped me to move on with my life and refocus on what’s truly important and what gives my life meaning.”

Reely has an Olympic distance triathlon planned for the summer and intends to stay active in endurance sports, jokingly commenting that he’s now going for “the shorter the better.”

Trey Reely, Kelsey’s father, made up the third part of the racing trio. He jokingly refers to himself as the “Everyman” since he represents the common man.

“I do not have special athletic gifts—just a desire to stay healthy, set challenges and work to complete them,” Reely says. “I appreciate Unity for sponsoring my participation in the Chattanooga 70.3 even though I am not elite in any sense of the word. I think it shows their concern for the health of everyone of all ages, shapes and sizes.”

Reely’s path to triathlons came when he was having knee problems, so he began to bike instead of run. Like he did with Robinson, Kelsey Reely suggested that his father give a triathlon a try.

“When he suggested that, I added swimming to my exercise regimen since it was a low-impact exercise,” Reely says. “When I warily added running back into the mix, I found that the knee problems were no longer there.”

Reely’s first event was a triathlon sprint in September 2022 and since then, he’s participated in the Tulsa Ironman 70.3, the DeGray Lake Triathlon Olympic distance, the Memphis St. Jude Ironman 70.3 and the Chattanooga 70.3.

Reely trains six days a week. He spends most of his time swimming at the Searcy Swim Center and bikes on his indoor trainer. At 62, he doesn’t take this ability to exercise for granted.

“[Doing triathlons] has made me more appreciative of still being able to exercise,” Reely says. “Most of my life, I have done it more for health reasons than joy, but now I truly treasure the experience since I will not be able to do it forever.”

Reely plans to participate in a few events each year with one marathon per year.

“They have triathlons all over the United States, but my requirement now is that the swim be in a river with the current and the run and bike portions have a flat course. Because of this, the Waco 70.3 will probably be next for me in 2025.”

While triathlons and Ironman events may not be for everyone, all three men encourage everyone to find an activity they enjoy and dedicate themselves to it.

“Not only is it great for one’s physical health and endurance, but it’s also a great stress reliever as well,” Trey Reely says.

“Exercise is one of the most important things for our mental, physical and spiritual health,” Robinson says. “We were made to move. I always encourage people to find anything active that they like and pursue it. It doesn’t matter if it’s walking, hiking, gardening, riding a bike, riding a horse—just be active and move.”

-Ashton Ray, Guest Contributor