COEUR d'ALENE - When Tayler Petticolas heard about the new CDA Iron Series, it was like she caught a second wind.

Petticolas was the youngest and only female of the nine finishers of the inaugural Iron Series award program for participants who complete the 26.2-mile Coeur d'Alene Marathon, the 2.4-mile Coeur d'Alene Crossing swim and the 108-mile Coeur d'Fondo bike race in the same year.

"I would have done the marathon and the Crossing, but the Fondo was questionable," said the 18-year-old Petticolas, adding that the Iron Series pushed her to enter the bike race on Sept. 27 along Highway 97.

"After I heard about the series, I thought, 'I have to do it.'"

Petticolas, who graduated in May from Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy, returned home from Northern Arizona University to compete in the Fondo.

"I'm so glad that I came home," she said. "Coeur d'Alene is a beautiful community to compete in."

Other 2014 Iron Series finishers were Thomas Bassler, 50; Craig Brosenne, 49; Brian Cleary, 49; Caleb Hiebert, 34; Ivan Iverson, 38; Steve Rozier, 47; Thomas Tessendorf, 57; and Ben Tran, 36.

The finishers were honored with a medal and certificate during a recent awards dinner at The Coeur d'Alene Resort.

Petticolas' decision to enter a race she was on the fence about prior to the Iron Series launch is a prime example of what organizers want to accomplish with the series. It's about pushing to go that extra mile, stirring athletes from their comfort zones and promoting all the races at the same time.

"I think that the Iron Series is a great idea as far as coordinating events," Petticolas said.

Brosenne, Rozier and Tran met several weeks before the Coeur d'Alene Marathon in May to launch the Iron Series. Brosenne said the series promotes healthy lifestyles and is meant to assist athletes with summer fitness goals.

Tran worked on the marketing and creating the medal, while Rozier and Brosenne hammered out all the other logistics.

"We wanted the Iron Series medal to be significant and memorable," Tran said of the 4-inch medal, which has logos of the three races engraved on it.

Organizers hope the momentum for the series will continue in its second year.

"We anticipate at least 100 people will try to complete the 2015 CDA Iron Series," Tran said.

The races support local nonprofits such as the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation, Coeur d'Alene Area Swim Team (CAST), Union Gospel Mission and the North Idaho College Booster Club.