Many college students find it challenging to fit in a few workouts a week. But Weinberg junior Ashley Mason spends up to three hours at the gym every day.

Mason is preparing for an Ironman triathlon, a grueling race that encompasses swimming 2.4 miles, biking more than 100 miles and finally running a 26.2-mile marathon. The race is scheduled for Nov. 5 in Panama City, Fla.

“Training for the race is definitely a process,” said Mason, who began preparing this spring after a biking expedition in New Zealand.

Mason follows a training program created by a German coach, and is no newcomer to conditioning. The Glencoe, Ill., native began racing in high school and was the youngest woman to finish Chicago’s Wild Onion Urban Adventure Race, a 27-hour race through the city.

The race course included climbing the stairs of the Sears Tower, rollerblading, canoeing, rappelling down a building on Navy Pier and orienteering through area woodlands. She has also competed in numerous other races, including four half-Ironman triathlons.

“The first thing I said when I crossed the finish line after my first (half-Ironman) was, ‘I’m never doing the whole thing,'” Mason said, smiling.

In the end the challenge of the renowned “ultimate race” proved impossible to resist, Mason said.

“Someone once told me I couldn’t do it,” she said. “That made me want to finish even more.”

Training is not only a time commitment but also a financial drain, because of the $425 entry fee and the “ridiculous amount of gear” athletes need for the race, Mason said. Necessary equipment includes “a road-racing bike, a wet suit, biking and running shoes and shorts, a helmet, sunglasses, a camelback (backpack) water bottle, heart rate monitor” and various energy bars and electrolyte replacements, Mason said. Costly hotel stays, plane tickets and shipping fees for bicycles and equipment are also part of participation.

Mason’s friends said they are amazed at her determination.

“It’s a really psychotic race,” said Paul Clark, Weinberg ’04 and Mason’s boyfriend, who will go to Florida to watch her compete. “Ninety percent of the time I talk to her, she’s exhausted.”

Education junior Rachel Asher said she also admires her friend’s grit.

“I definitely think it’s impressive she has the drive to (train),” Asher said. “She’s really not pretentious about it at all, although not many people could do it.”

For motivation, Mason said she looks not to a particular athlete but rather to the satisfaction of completing such a feat.

“My inspiration is the picture of the finish line,” said Mason, who added she plans to get a tattoo of the Ironman logo to commemorate the race. “I have to cross the finish line. I don’t care how long it takes me.”

Overall, Mason said she sees the race as the ultimate challenge.

“It will be the most fun thing I never want to do again,” she said.

Reach Allison Bond at [email protected].