Two years ago, Zdeno Chara of the Stanley Cup-winning Boston Bruins traded in his hockey skates for running shoes. Since then, Chara has completed eight marathons, including two Boston Marathons, one half Ironman and one full Ironman, and is scheduled to compete in the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii this October.
“My athletic career after retiring from hockey naturally gravitated towards endurance sports,” Chara, a former Bruins captain, told Runner's World in an email interview. “I'd always enjoyed cycling and running, so the transition to triathlon felt like a natural progression.”
Plus, he says, triathlons, like ice running, allow you to push yourself to the limits in multiple disciplines: The Ironman distance includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a marathon.
Challa says endurance sports have elements that resonate with him as an elite athlete: the meticulous preparation, the consistency of training, the determination to overcome physical and mental barriers, self-discipline and sheer grit when it counts.
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In 2023, the 6-foot-9-inch Chara ran the Boston Marathon in 3 hours, 38 minutes, and 23 seconds to raise money for Team Hoyt. This year, he improved that record to 3 hours, 30 minutes, and 52 seconds. Then, a week later, he ran 3 hours, 11 minutes, and 4 seconds in London. (His best time, though, is 3 hours, 10 minutes, and 24 seconds, which he ran in Houston in January.)
“Every marathon I've run holds a special place in my memory,” Chara said, “but running the Boston Marathon stands out as an unparalleled experience. Boston isn't just a city to me, it's home.”
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Chara standing at the finish line of the 2024 Boston Marathon.
Chara spent most of his NHL playing career in Beantown and “formed a deep connection to the community. Running 26.2 miles through streets lined with familiar faces and places adds an emotional dimension that's hard to put into words.”
He calls the Boston crowd legendary.
And Chara is good friends with race director Dave McGillivray, who surprised him at the finish line of the Half Ironman in June by inviting him to run with him in Kona. (No rest for the weary.)
“One of the greatest surprises I received along the way was the mentorship and support I received from Dave,” says Chara, who also works with marathon runner Becca Pizzi. “Dave's connections in the running and triathlon communities opened doors I never knew existed.”
In the run up to the Kona event in October, Challa is spending 18 to 20 hours a week training in various disciplines, with a particular focus on recovery.
“It's a delicate balance, especially since I'm still adjusting to the demands of an endurance sport after years of hockey-specific training.”
He used the Ironman race in Kalmar, Sweden on August 17 as a stepping stone to Kona.
According to Triathlon magazine, he completed the swim in 1 hour, 26 minutes and 8 seconds, the bike in 5 hours, 12 minutes and 3 seconds, and the marathon in 3 hours, 48 minutes and 54 seconds, for a total time of 10 hours, 40 minutes and 48 seconds.
The pro hockey player turned multi-sport athlete is excited about his newfound community and the unique challenges that lie ahead.
“Being immersed in the endurance sports community has been one of the most rewarding parts of my athletic career since retiring from hockey,” said Chara. “This new chapter has opened up a whole new world for me. The transition from professional hockey to endurance sports has been more rewarding than I could have ever imagined, and I look forward to reaching many more finish lines in the future.”
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Heather is the former Food and Nutrition Editor for Runner's World magazine, author of the Runner's World Vegetarian Cookbook, and a seven-time marathon finisher with a best time of 3 hours 31 minutes, but she is most proud of her half marathon times of 1 hour 32 minutes, 5K of 19 minutes 40 seconds, and mile of 5 minutes 33 seconds.
