KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) When Keene’s Tate Matte joined My Keene Now & Next last Saturday on WKBK Radio, he didn’t just recount a race — he shared a transformation. The 22-year-old local athlete reflected on his improbable rise from basketball player to world championship triathlete, offering listeners a glimpse into what it takes to compete on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

Just a year ago, Matte had never competed in a swim, bike, or run race. But after discovering the Ironman triathlon — a grueling 140.6-mile event combining a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and full 26.2-mile marathon — he decided to take on the challenge. By the summer of 2025, he had qualified for the Ironman World Championship in Nice, France, after earning a top finish at Ironman Lake Placid.

“It was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Matte told listeners, describing the mountainous French course that pushed his endurance and focus to the limit. “There was never a moment in the race where I stopped and walked. My thing is just keep moving, just keep moving and get to that finish line.”

The race marked Matte’s first international competition — and his first trip overseas. He faced early setbacks when his luggage went missing on arrival, but he took it in stride, drawing on the discipline that has defined his short but remarkable athletic career.

Matte placed 60th in his 18–24 age group and was the 13th American finisher in the men’s division. Yet for him, the real victory was mental. He emphasized that finishing an Ironman requires not only physical strength but also determination and focus through hours of pain and fatigue.

“When you find something that you love doing, it’s easy to show up every day,” he said.

That mindset has carried Matte far. When he first began training last year, he was still running his landscaping and excavation business, TNX Land Management, in Keene. He balanced 20-hour training weeks — swimming, cycling, and running — with long workdays, often consuming 4,000 to 5,000 calories daily to sustain his energy. His nutrition strategy, which he calls the “fourth discipline,” included everything from energy gels to Coca-Cola during the race.

Matte credits his parents, both teachers, for modeling the work ethic that fuels him. “Watching them show up every day made me realize that consistency is everything,” he said.

Now back home in Keene, Matte is already looking ahead. His next goal: to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in 2026 — the most iconic event in the sport.

Listeners can follow Matte’s continuing triathlon journey on Instagram and TikTok, where he documents not just the highlights, but the hard days too. As he told WKBK’s audience, the key is staying real and staying moving — one mile, one goal at a time.

Listen to the full interview: