Like Michael Jordan at full effort, Larsen rides here with his tongue out on his way to a 2:14:06 record bike split at Wildflower that lasted seven years.

In his triathlon coming out party, Steve Larsen smashed the Wildflower bike record and held on for a fourth overall finish. Here he stands quietly alone at the awards ceremony.

Larsen shows the effort at the end of a rugged triathletic baptism at Wildflower.

Next time out, Larsen sliced through a top notch Half Vineman bike field. Here he leaves Chris Legh, Cam Widoff and Mike Pigg in his dust halfway through a 2:07:31 split.

Steve Larsen rides flat out at Half Vineman 2001.

Even more impressive than his well-known mad bike skills was Larsen's ability to suffer a race-winning pace in a very new discipline - the run.

Larsen never looked back at the world class runners chasing him at Half Vineman.

Check the beautiful stride that led Larsen to victory with an impressive 1:14:42 run.

Two champions enjoy a post race moment at Half Vineman 2001. Chris Legh congratulates Larsen on his big first win.

On a brutally tough windy day at Kona, Larsen's 4:33:32 bike split topped Normann Stadler by 12 minutes.

Larsen overcame an 8:45 deficit after the swim by Mile 95 on the bike, then led the field by 5 minutes at T2.

After six miles at 6:30 per mile pace, Larsen started to fade with nutrition problems.

Still, Larsen held off eventual winner Tim DeBoom until Mile 11, whereupon he faded to a 3:19:09 marathon.

After his 9th place 8:56:28 finish, Larsen cooled off in Kailua Bay. Had be duplicated his Lake Placid run, he would have been in a duel to the finish with DeBoom. Had he simply run 3:06, he would have finished second.

Mark Allen, with son Mats nearby, consoled Larsen: "You finished on a day when there were dead bodies left and right - the most top names who have dropped out here, ever."

After knee injuries and a IT band issue precluded a Kona rematch in 2002, Larsen was in top form in 2003 but technical problems forced a DNF. When sponsors hit economic woes, Larsen retired as a full time pro later that year.

While his competitive fires burned bright, Larsen reserved his greatest warmth for his wife Carrie and their five children.

Taking up triathlon again for fun, Larsen scored an overall win at the 2008 World's Toughest Triathlon in Auburn California before he ran into difficulties at Kona.

Seemingly puzzled at his off day, Larsen finished 70th in 9:19 at Ironman Hawaii.

Universally admired, loved by virtually everyone who knew him, Steve Larsen collapsed and died during a track workout at home in Bend Oregon on May 19.