Long before the first patients arrive or the day begins to take shape, Dr. Natalie Stewart has already put in work most people will never see. By sunrise, she’s in the pool, on the bike or logging miles on the treadmill, training for one of the most demanding endurance events in the world: an Ironman triathlon.
An Ironman is a one-day race that includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a full 26.2-mile marathon, all completed within 17 hours. It’s widely considered one of the toughest tests of physical and mental endurance.
Natalie, owner of Mason Elite Dentistry and a Deerfield Township resident, has completed three Ironmans, including the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. A lifelong athlete, she grew up playing basketball, soccer and softball. After the birth of her second child, she completed a marathon and began looking for what was next.
“Because we were already biking and running, a triathlon seemed like a great challenge,” Natalie explains. “The full Ironman seemed daunting, but after finishing our first 70.3 race [half-Ironman], we knew we could make it happen.”
That challenge quickly became a shared pursuit with her husband AJ, a Mason native. They built a routine around early mornings, long workouts and a commitment to pushing their limits, all while raising two young children and managing busy careers.
Training now takes 12 to 15 hours each week, often beginning before 5 a.m. with strength sessions during lunch breaks. It’s a schedule that requires discipline and purpose.
Natalie’s first full Ironman in Texas tested more than endurance. Battling fear in the open water, she pushed through a tough swim before regaining confidence on the bike and run. Months later, at Ironman Chattanooga, she faced another setback when the swim was canceled due to severe weather after weeks of training.
Still, she adapted and qualified for Kona.
“I remember running down the red carpet. It’s a magical moment,” Natalie reflects. “But being an Ironman athlete means choosing perseverance over comfort, dedication over complacency and grit over quit, even when no one is watching, and the work feels hardest.”
Now, she’s setting her sights on Ironman Lake Placid this July, one of the most difficult courses in North America. It will also mark the first time she and her husband compete in a full Ironman together, with their children there to watch.
Her goals are ambitious: a 10:30 finish time, a podium spot in her age group and the chance to earn a professional triathlon card.
“I’ve always wanted to be the best dentist, wife and mom,” Natalie shares. “Now I would love the opportunity to race against the best women in the world.”
A Drive to Thrive
Her drive is rooted in something deeper. When Natalie was 10, her father passed away suddenly from heart complications at 41, an experience that shaped her outlook.
“I vowed that I would do everything in my power to prevent the same fate.”
Today, that promise fuels her every early morning, mile logged and finish line crossed.
To those considering their own starting line, Natalie advises: “Find a challenge, sign up, commit and make a plan to achieve it.” And then begin.
“Being an Ironman athlete means choosing perseverance over comfort, dedication over complacency and grit over quit, even when no one is watching and the work feels hardest.”
“Find a challenge, sign up, commit and make a plan to achieve it.”