Before training for multisport

December 2004 105 lbs lost on the road to Ironman USA

Hometown: Canandaigua, NY

Birth Date: 02/21/1959
Wife: Caroline (married 25+ yrs.)
Children: Sara (21), Laura (19)
Years in Multisport: Starting 2nd full season
Occupation: Director of Information Technology for Citizens Communications
Races Completed:
2003 – Fingerlakes Triathlon (Olympic Distance)

2004 Eagleman - ½ Ironman Musselman - ½ Ironman Timberman - ½ Ironman Fingerlakes Triathlon (Olympic Distance)

2005 6/12 – Eagleman - ½ Ironman Cambridge, MD 6/25 – Tinman - ½ Ironman Tupper Lake, NY 7/24 – Ironman USA Lake Placid, NY 8/22 – Timberman ½ Ironman Gilford, NH

Q and A with Fred Arden
How did you become involved in triathlons?
I have an interesting background. I was your typical 44 yr. old, overweight American male before I became involved in multisport racing. I decided I needed to get in better physical shape and try to lose some weight. Innocently enough, with encouragement from my daughter Laura who was lifeguarding at the time, I started swimming at the local pool. There I met my friend and mentor, Ron Burke. As an Ironman competitor Ron encouraged me to get involved in triathlons as a way to help me achieve my goal to get in shape. It took about 9 months of slow steps but I finally completed my first tri and have been hooked ever since.

Do you have a most memorable moment and what was it?
That is easy since I am relatively new to the sport it is all still fresh in my mind. The feeling I had when I actually crossed the finish line in the 1st triathlon I ever did is the reason I am now hooked on this sport.

What's your favorite race and why?
It is hard to choose just one favorite race, I haven’t done them all yet!!! Each race I have done has something special about it that will keep me coming back. What do you attribute your successes along this journey to? I think that setting short-term realistic goals and taking small steps has helped to keep me focused. As an example, in the beginning I couldn’t run 2 minutes straight so I made that my goal, run 2 minutes straight without stopping. When I achieved that goal I would set a new goal – one a little more difficult but not out of reach. The ability to achieve these small goals allowed me to enjoy my successes no matter how small. I also haven’t put pressure on myself to say I must do this or that in a certain amount of time. I often remind myself it took me 25 yrs of inactivity to put the weight on and I can’t expect it to come off overnight. Of course, most of all, encouragement from family and friends has made it so much easier to keep going.

Training for an Ironman is a demanding, time-consuming process. How do you stay motivated and inspired along the way?
So far for me it has been somewhat easy to stay motivated. When I first started this journey I had no idea what an Ironman event was and certainly didn’t think it was even anything I could realistically hope to ever compete in. I remember standing in a parking lot talking to Ron Burke about the Ironman. At that time I told him there was no way I could ever do such a thing because of my size. Ron explained to me that people of all shapes and sizes compete in Ironmen events for all different reasons but the key for most people is determination and commitment. I didn’t actually buy into that idea at the time but put it in the back of my mind for future use. Now as I get closer to my 1st Ironman event I remember that conversation and use it as one of the motivators to keep myself going.

How do you spend your time away from the sport?
This sport doesn’t leave a lot of time for other hobbies. I like to spend time with my family as much as possible. Traveling to warm weather beaches is high on our list of favorite family things to do. Before I became involved in triathlons I raced dirt track stock cars for about 10 years, so I still like to attend the stock car races when I have free time.

Is there anything else you would like to let people know about you?
Yes, I’d like to let everyone know that you too can do this. Losing weight and getting in shape takes hard work and determination but the results are well worth the effort. I am a very changed individual since my weight loss. It is so easy to stay motivated and positive about everyday real life stuff now. I am often asked why I continue to workout so much even after I have lost the weight. I am never really sure whether I am running from my past of being overweight and unhappy with myself or if I am trying to change my future which was certainly headed down a path of dying as a young, overweight man. Also, I like to use the line I learned from Judy Molnar’s book “You don’t have to be thin to win”. It is very simple but it certainly fits for me – “eat less, move more” - that kind of sums up how I lost 100 pounds and got involved in what will be a lifetime of fitness for me.