Leeanna Cass can't stop smiling—and for good reason. This former technology teacher is about to tackle her very first Ironman triathlon at the inaugural Jacksonville event this Saturday.

"I'm super excited," Cass beams. "It'll be an awesome experience."

But the road to the starting line wasn't always smooth. Cass spent years teaching technology in Jacksonville—a job she loved in a school she adored, but the subject matter never quite clicked. "It was really tough, a lot of tears on my way to school, leaving school," she admits.

So she made a bold move: she took a year off from teaching to dive headfirst into her true passion. Cass started coaching swimming for a local club team and at Providence School in Jacksonville. "I swam since I was three years old. It's basically not a job for me—it's awesome," she says.

Then came the game-changing invitation. A friend asked if she wanted to train for an Ironman. For most, that might sound like a crazy challenge, but for Cass, it was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.

The past eight months have been grueling: long hours in the pool, pounding the pavement, and logging miles on the bike. "Some days were double workouts, some days triple workouts. It can be up to one to three hours a day," she explains. Yet, she wouldn't trade a single sweat-drenched session.

"It really turned my life around," Cass reflects. "It opened new doors, meeting new people."

As she prepares to take on one of the world's toughest endurance events, Cass embodies the spirit of transformation. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, her story is a powerful reminder that sometimes the biggest leaps start with a single, brave decision.

The inaugural Jacksonville Ironman kicks off at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday. For Cass, it's more than a race—it's a celebration of a life turned around by passion, perseverance, and a little bit of chlorine.