Resident David Baker finished his third IronMan competition in the top 25 percent of his age group.

David Baker completed his third ironman on Aug. 16. Submitted photo

Submitted by Kingswood Oxford School

Combating 90-degree heat, Kingswood Oxford History teacher, coach, and choral director David Baker ’04 completed the third IronMan competition of his life on Aug. 16, in the rustic village of Mont-Tremblant, Canada.

Baker, a West Hartford resident, finished in 11:58, among the top 25 percent of his age group and the entire field, and achieved personal bests in the 2.4-mile swim and the 112-mile bike portion. These were followed by a 26.2-mile run through the Le P’tit Train du Nord, a former railway bed turned into the longest linear park in Canada, which was paved for the event.

“My total time was slower than I had hoped, but the was mainly due to the extreme heat,” he said. “Mont-Tremblant typically is 70 degrees Fahrenheit at this time of year, perfect for endurance sports, but yesterday was 90!”

David Baker competed his third ironman on Aug 16. Submitted photo

“My run was slow and steady, and overall I had a negative split – meaning, the second half of my run was faster than the first half.”

Baker, who completed IronMan competitions in Lake Placid, NY, in 2011 and 2013, trained for and competed in this year’s event with his uncle. In November 2012, Baker ran his first 50-mile ultramarathon, in Washington County, MD.

“It was a very hot, but also a very great day,” Baker said.