Click
here to downloadMEET Pete Friddle: IronMan Competitor
How long have you been a member?
5 years, since June 8, 2007
Why did you decide to join the YMCA?
The Foglia Y is a wonderful facility that has all the resources needed to get ready for any big athletic endeavor. The equipment is first rate and the pool is a great place to train.
Why do you think the YMCA is important in your community?
The Y is a centerpiece of the Lake Zurich community. One only need to drive through the parking lot on a busy weeknight and see all the activity taking place. There is a home for everyone from kids on the ball fields, to new exercisers, to serious athletes all training for success.
How does the YMCA motivate you to have a healthy lifestyle?
The Y is my place to go to help to train for the Ironman. For those who don't know, an Ironman is comprised of 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, and 26.2 miles of running. The race starts at 7AM and ends at 12AM, so one has 17 hours to finish to call themselves an official "Ironman".
Eleven years ago I picked up a copy of Runners World magazine and, after reading a few articles, decided to register for my first 5K. I had done some strength training before this time, but just didn't ever stay motivated long. Having a goal race on the calendar gave my training purpose. I now had a reason to get out of bed in the morning. I kept training and kept learning about my sport until I ran my first marathon in 2003.
About that same time, I started to try some shorter triathlons. The two new sports gave me that much more to train for and to learn about. I took a masters swim class in Peoria, IL and the coach made us write a goal on a slip of paper. The instructions were very specific. We were told to write the goal as a statement, as if it were already complete. I wrote, "I finished an Ironman Triathlon before my 40th birthday".
This year I set out to make that goal a reality by bringing my training to a new level. I've spent many early mornings in the pool and countless hours in the gym and on the roads to prepare myself for Ironman Louisville on August 26, 2012. The training has been intense. A typical week of training usually includes about 14 hours of training with a heavy focus on time on the bike. My alarm clock goes off during the week at 3:40am so I have time to train before I go to work and some days I train after work as well. Having the Y right around the corner makes getting in the training that much easier as the hours of training are piling up fast!
Do you have any healthy lifestyle advice for other members?
The word "lifestyle" is the way that I look at it. Things don't always go according to plan, but knowing that exercise and healthy eating are a way of life, one never gets too far off track. Enjoying the journey as well as the destination helps to realize that all this hard work will pay off!
