When Laura Malcolm crossed the finish line at the Ideal Beach Triathlon on June 28, she wasn’t just completing her first race in more than a year—she was receiving one of the event’s highest honors.
Malcolm, an accomplished endurance athlete from Sawyer, Michigan, was named the 2025 recipient of the Heart of a Warrior Award, presented each year by Surf Internet to a competitor who demonstrates exceptional resilience. Her selection recognized a hard-fought return to racing after years of health setbacks, including long COVID and a serious car accident.
“It’s extremely meaningful to receive this award after having dealt with some health challenges in the past and more recently,” Malcolm said. “It’s extra meaningful to receive something that’s symbolizing the spirit of the race because it's easy in a triathlon to get caught up in winning or competing. When you go back to a place of gratitude for being able to do this, and the joy of being out here in nature, pushing your body to whatever those limits are, it means something.”
Malcolm’s story is one of grit and grace. A veteran of multiple Ironman and half Ironman races—including the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon and the Celtman Extreme Triathlon—she went from scaling mountains on foot to struggling to walk across her home after developing long COVID in early 2020. Her recovery came slowly, marked by small but hard-earned milestones.
Over time, Malcolm began participating in local Midwest races at a much slower pace. In the summer of 2023, she completed a 60k ultramarathon through the tough terrain of Bryce Canyon in 11.5 hours. But just as her momentum began to build, she was sidelined again—this time by a motor vehicle accident that cast doubt on her ability to compete.
Yet she returned. And not only did she finish this year’s Ideal Beach Triathlon—she placed in the top three of her age group.
“I’m racing in a different place now, with a different mentality,” Malcolm said. “To get this award, knowing the background of it with Toby, and what I’ve heard of who he was as a person, I’m very honored to receive it.”
The Heart of a Warrior Award was created in memory of Toby Deweese, a close friend of Surf Internet CEO Gene Crusie. The two met around 2014 while exploring a potential business merger and bonded over their shared love of endurance sports. Crusie, who had taken up triathlons as part of a personal health journey, inspired Deweese to compete in the 2015 Ideal Beach Triathlon. Tragically, Deweese passed away during the race.
Crusie, who was serving as both a competitor and race director at the time, stepped in to coordinate the emergency response. In the wake of the tragedy, he helped establish the Heart of a Warrior Award to honor Deweese’s legacy and the qualities he represented: perseverance, positivity, and unwavering encouragement for others.
“Every year, we look for someone who’s had to dig deep—who’s overcome something to even be here,” Crusie said. “Laura is the embodiment of that spirit. What’s always stuck with me is how she showed up last year to cheer on friends at the Michigan Ironman 70.3—even though she couldn’t race herself. I was struggling on the final run loop, and there she was, in the same spot every time, cheering me on. That positivity, even in the face of her own challenges, is exactly what Toby stood for.”
This year, Crusie was joined by Surf Internet team members Scott Franko and Jim Gasparotto to present the award to Malcolm during the triathlon’s closing ceremonies.
For Surf Internet, the award reflects more than a sponsorship—it reflects the company’s commitment to human connection and showing up for the communities it serves, values that start at the top with Crusie himself.
Organized by triMichiana and benefiting the Michiana Family Center, the Ideal Beach Triathlon welcomed participants of all ages and ability levels with race categories including a Sprint Triathlon, Team Relay, and youth events.
To learn more about Surf Internet’s community involvement and services, visit surfinternet.com.
