Schmidt, 27, qualified for the Ironman World Championships for his third year in a row this year, which is no easy feat. Ironman representatives report that more than 50,000 athletes from more than 50 countries attempt to qualify for this famous endurance event each year. Out of that number, fewer than 2,000 typically make it to the world championships. According to the Ironman website, this year 1,797 athletes from 48 different countries are registered for the world championships, and every state in the United States is represented. The website also reports that the athletes are varied in their ages. The youngest competitor is a 20-year-old woman from Lithuania, and the oldest are two 68-year-old women from California.

In order to compete in the world championships in Kona, athletes must place in a qualifying race—and there are hundreds held all over the world each year. In his first year Schmidt placed in the Ralph's California Half Ironman in Oceanside, Calif. This year he placed in the Ironman Coeur d' Alene in Idaho, which took place at the end of June.

What Ironman athletes must complete in the competition is nothing short of awe-inspiring and grueling. First, they begin with a 2.4-mile swim. Then, they must hop onto their bikes and ride 112 miles. As if that's not enough, they must run a full marathon—26.2 miles—to the finish line. They must complete all three legs of the triathlon within 17 hours.

Ironman representatives estimate that training for an event of this magnitude "typically requires 18 to 24 hours per week for between six to eight months to develop the stamina and endurance needed to complete this 140.6-mile event."

Schmidt has lived in Saratoga for nearly four years. However, he says his grandparents have been here since the 1960s. Schmidt graduated in September from Palmer West College of Chiropractic in San Jose. He now works with two other chiropractors at SCORE—Sports Chiropractic Occupational Rehabilitation Exercise—Clinic in San Jose. He says that the skills he has gained as a chiropractor have helped him immensely in his health and athletic training.

"It plays a big part in helping me train and stay healthy, that's for sure," he says.

Schmidt began his athletic career in middle school and high school, when he ran cross country and wrestled.

"That pretty much got me into athletics," he recalls. He continued running through his undergraduate studies at Eastern Washington University, but says it was difficult because he was getting injured too often, due to running too many miles in training.

When he first considered training to qualify for Ironman, Schmidt says he found it to be a welcome change, because he was then spreading out his training over three different events, rather than pushing too hard at only running.

"Running less mileage helped me stay healthy," he says.

Not that the Ironman competition is easy, he admits.

"It's a long day. It's tough, it's hard," he says. Schmidt adds that the weather in Hawaii can make it difficult as well. "The humidity is pretty high; it's really hot and humid out there. And it can get pretty windy."

Schmidt says that no matter how much an athlete trains, inevitably the unexpected will occur.

"You have to be patient throughout the whole race. You have to keep it together, mentally," he says. "So many things can happen in the day. Somewhere along the line, something's gonna happen that you're not prepared for."

Schmidt says that he loves living and training in Saratoga.

Most of all, Schmidt says, he just loves getting out there in the outdoors and being active.

"You could take away the race, and I would still love it, just getting out there and riding."