About Our Founder
Joe McMahon, R.N.
Founder, USA Triathlon Race Director and Official
Peasantman founder Joe McMahon moved to the Rochester area at age 20 and began his triathlon career soon after. He's been actively organizing, directing, and participating in races ever since. He is the founder of First Knight Racing, which includes the management of Peasantman Steel Distance Triathlons and the Keuka Lake Tri.
His athletic background includes over 500 races, including 38 full distance triathlons and counting (which includes four Steel Distances), 75+ marathons, 17+ half distance triathlons, over 300 multi-sport events, 5k's, 10k's and half marathons. He's been a member of Rochester Area Triathletes (RATS) since 1991, and spent two years as their Vice President. RATS is the second oldest multisport club in the country. Right now Joe is unofficially the #2 athlete in New York State for most full distance triathlons completed, and is well respected in a number of statewide triathlon clubs.
Joe was race director for a Buffalo-based 5k charity race for four years. After that, he became race director for Daniel's 5k in Churchville, NY which raises money for cancer charities. The race has since been handed over to Daniel's parents as Joe pursued the founding of Peasantman. To date, Joe has been a participant or leader of teams that have raised over $920,000 for assorted charities.
Outside of racing, Joe is the owner of a successful Rochester sign manufacturing company, E-lite Neon Signs, LLC, as well as First Knight Enterprise, an antiques and collectibles store specializing in coins and numismatics.
After a brief career in nursing, Joe's sign business experienced rapid growth. At the beginning of the pandemic, however, he saw the need to return to nursing in an acute care unit specifically for Covid at URMC, where he remains on staff per diem as an assistive RN.