The height of physical activity for some people is getting off the sofa to change the TV channel (an emergency situation when the remote can't be found).
Now imagine a weekly fitness schedule that includes six miles of swimming, 200 miles of cycling and 45 miles of running. Now imagine following this routine while maintaining a 3.5 GPA as a full-time chiropractic student. Steve Gangemi doesn't just imagine it, he lives it, as an 8th quarter student at Life College.
Wanting to make a name for himself in the world of Ironman competitions, Steve competed in the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii this past October 26th. A first-time competitor, Steve completed the race with a time of 10 hours, 22 minutes and 54 seconds, finishing 386th out of more than 1,400 competitors.
The Ironman competition begins with a 2.4 mile swim, followed by running a marathon (26.2 miles), and with energy to burn, a 112 mile bike race. Most triathletes come to the sport with a strength in one of the three events. But Steve approaches the race in a more even fashion. Training for the Ironman called for a dramatic increase in the amount of time committed to preparation. Getting properly ready for the event required training about 20 hours a week: a combination of swimming, cycling and running. And to make sure that he stayed on the right side of the line between peak physical condition and overtraining, he saw his chiropractor once a week.
Steve didn't slack off on his studies while training, either. This past year, he competed in all 14 Ironman qualifying events while carrying a full-time academic load at Life and maintaining a 3.5 GPA. His schedule included not only the toughest rounds of science and professional courses, but the beginning of his student clinical practice.
Steve believes that training for the Ironman holds additional benefits not related to athletics. "I know that training for this event helps me in the rest of my life as well. When I'm not as fit as I could be, then I'm not as good all around."
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