A. How you became a Triathlete:   I became a triathlete by accident.  I did not know how to swim 5 feet without sinking to the bottom of the pool in November 2008.  I was sort of embarrassed of myself in June 2008,  I had a 38-39 inch waist and weigh 225 and my cloths were getting tight and who wants to go to the pool being a "Fat Back". Some of this was in part that my knee's hurt so bad I could only walk about 2 inches at a time.  I felt like I was a 90 year old man and everyone suggested that I get knee replacement and during this time I have rotor cuff problems from use of the Bow Flex and I could not lift my arms over my shoulder.  Surgery was the last option that I would ever do. A friend of mine Tom Crumpton suggested for me to buy a bike and it would be better for my knee's.  So my first step was to buy a bike at Bike Cycle's in June 2008, it was a fancy Specialized city bike.  After a month I changed to a Cross trail bike, but was not satisfied, I wanted to go faster and then change to a road bike.  At that time I started biking about 100 miles a week and then it was getting to cold to bike.  Then I ask Shawn Spencer, what should I do next and he suggested to watch Tom Clifford run in a event and see if he can coach you to run. After seeing him beat everyone in a race in November 2008,  I joined his running group  and more fat started to leave this body and later on  I won my age group in a "Race for life 5k".  Shawn Spencer suggested to me one day that I should do Triathlons in November of 2008, I told him I did not know how to swim at all and I guess that cuts me out of Triathlons.  He replied, nope, "you got to get swim lessons" So swim lesson began in November 2008 and I did my first Triathlon in March 2009.

 

 

B. How you balance training, family, work, and life in general:-)   My family supports me  100%. My family has seen my father and father-n-law in the hospital after having heart surgery. My dad had a heart attack at the age of 49 and I was going down that same path.  Once you see a family member in the hospital hook up to machines, cause of bad eating, not exercising, etc;  you will never want your kids to see yourself in the hospital like I saw my dad"  Some of my balancing comes from trying to get the rest of the family to do events as well.  My family has participated in running events with me.   By being physically active gives you more energy to spend more time with your family and more productive at work. Not being being active, you are tired all the time and cannot give the devoted time to your family and job.

 

C. Good Training Tip:   Educate, Study, Observe the best in each discipline(Running, Swimming, Biking,  cross training and nutrition) and practice perfect until they become natural to you.  

 

D. Races that you are most proud of and why;  My hardest event was "Assault on Mount Mitchell:  105 mile bike race to the top of the mountain.  Known as one of the hardest bike races in the country.  Very few finish the race, and I completed the race the first time and knowing there are some whom have tried several times and have not completed

 

E.  Inspirations and any inspirational quote that you may have:  "I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me"    Philippians 4:13    I have to say this verse alot when trying to complete a race or an event.