Wisconsin Lawyer
Vol. 75, No. 8, August 2002

Ironman Lawyers

by Craig M. Witz

Balancing the practice of law and a personal life is hard work. This article profiles a group of Wisconsin bar members who have figured out a way to strike this delicate balance and who are gaining valuable personal and professional benefits while doing so.

On Sept. 15, 2002, seven Wisconsin attorneys will compete in Wisconsin's first-ever official Ironman triathlon in Madison. One of only five such officially sanctioned events in North America, the event will bring approximately 2,100 athletes from across the country and around the world to compete in one of the most grueling, and inspiring, events in the world of sport.

Participating in an Ironman is grueling. Training for an Ironman is exhausting and time consuming. How do these attorneys find time to maintain a practice, train for a major athletic event, and have a personal life?

As a group, these attorney-athletes really don't have much in common. Their ages range from late 20s to mid-50s. They serve as attorneys in small, mid-sized, and large firms, as corporate counsel and as government attorneys. Some of them have newly minted law school diplomas while others have been in practice for decades. They are single, married with no kids, parents of small children, and empty nesters. Their fields of practice include business law, personal injury, real estate, estate planning, and governmental affairs. Their athletic backgrounds vary; some have a lifelong history of fitness activity while others are relatively new to the sport of triathlon or working out.

What they do share is a love of triathlon and an appreciation for the benefits the sport provides to their professional and personal lives. And they all agree that any attorney could find the time and energy to participate in these events.

The Ironman

For those not familiar with the sport, triathlon is a race consisting of first a swim, then a bike ride, and then a run. Most triathletes compete in shorter or "sprint" distance events of a quarter-mile swim, 15-mile bike ride, and 3-mile run. Longer "Olympic" distance events consist of a 1-mile swim, 26-mile bike ride, and 6-mile run. And then there is the big kahuna - the Ironman - the ultimate event in the sport.

Legend has it that the Ironman was born over an argument in a Hawaii drinking establishment. A group of Navy Seals was arguing about who were the fittest athletes in the world - swimmers, cyclists, or runners. They resolved that there was only one way to find out and that was to do all three at once. So on Feb. 18, 1978, 15 competitors decided to put themselves to the test by swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and then running a 26.2 mile marathon - the now well-established standard Ironman race distances. From those humble beginnings, the sport of Ironman has evolved into an international phenomenon with 18 sanctioned races worldwide.

Training and Time Management

As you might imagine, training for one of these events is a massive effort requiring many hours in the pool, on the bike, and out on the run. And all of our Ironman attorneys need to balance that with substantial hours behind the desk. What is the secret to finding time to get in the training and still maintain a practice and a personal life?

Our attorney athletes train year round and average between eight and 12 hours per week. During the couple of months immediately prior to the Ironman those hours can spike up to 20 to 25 hours per week. It might surprise some that none of the attorneys interviewed said that training time compromises their law practice. But it does require them to adopt a "flexible regimen" to get in the hours. Some work out every day before work, or at lunch, or after hours. Others know how many hours a week they have to work out and squeeze in the time as they can during the week and make up the rest on the weekends. And there are trade-offs; more time working out and less time going out for beers after work or sitting in front of the TV.

Steven Cain, an attorney with Houseman & Feind LLP in Grafton, admits it can be tough to find the time. "Some days you just can't do it - but you find the time elsewhere" and, he adds, "the key is to plan, plan, plan." Cain, 28, is the youngest of the Ironman attorneys from Wisconsin. Wisconsin Ironman will be his third Ironman event, having successfully competed in Ironman Florida in 1999 and 2000.

Everyone agrees that it also is important to have a supportive family and work environment that allows you to juggle your schedule to fit in the workouts.

The Time Commitment is Worth It

All of the Ironman attorneys agree that there are substantial personal and professional benefits from participating in these races. Cain notes that he has more endurance to get through the day, feels better, and has less stress.

Stephen Hartman, a partner in the Trapp & Hartman firm in Brookfield, recites a long list of benefits: "more endurance, a higher level of energy and focus at work, I can get by with less sleep, I've got less stress, it lowers my blood pressure, and most importantly, it allows me to eat frozen custards whenever I want!" Wisconsin will be Hartman's first Ironman event. However, at 53, Hartman is not a newcomer to endurance events. A runner since the 1960s, he has completed 10 marathons and 11 ultra-marathons ranging from 31 to 50 miles. He adds that long runs focus the mind and "I've done some of my best thinking while running." He notes, "Participating in endurance sports have given me balance, and I am a better attorney and person for it."

David Braithwaite's enthusiasm for triathlonsis infectious. An attorney with the Wisconsin Division of Hearings & Appealsin Madison, Braithwaite is the oldest of our attorney athletes at 56. He was active in triathlons in his 40s, took a decade off, but got back into the sport last year so that he could compete in his first Ironman event in his hometown. According to Braithwaite, the benefits are many. "It is a wonderful feeling - I feel great mentally and physically and have a lot more energy." He has competed in many three-quarter and full marathon events, including the Boston Marathon. Braithwaite also appreciates the support of other triathletes he has met while training. "Everyone is encouraging and helpful; it is like we are not competing against each other but against the course - it's great."

Donald Locke, an attorney with the James T. Locke Law Offices in Milwaukee, notes that triathlon training is a great stress reliever and, because he is training in three different sports simultaneously, that it hones his time management skills. Locke states, "The focus is on quality, not quantity." With several marathons under his belt, including the Boston Marathon, Locke got into triathlons four years ago specifically with a goal of completing an Ironman. This will be his second Ironman event; he successfully completed the Lake Placid event in 2001.

Tom Larson, director of land use and environmental affairs with the Wisconsin Realtors^® Association in Madison, sums up the benefits. "The balance makes you a better attorney." This will be Larson's second Ironman. He also completed the Lake Placid Ironman in 2001.

Race Day

Ironman Wisconsin will start with the participants lined up for a mass swim start in Lake Monona. For Locke, this is the toughest part of the day - the anxiety and prerace jitters, knowing he is about to compete against some of the fittest people in the world in an all-day event.

At 7 a.m. the starting cannon is fired, and all hell breaks loose. If you haven't swum with 2,000 other people, imagine trying to swim in a blender - that's what it's like. It is a mix of arms and legs flailing through the water in controlled confusion. You don't take it personally when the guy passing you from behind clobbers you on the head, because you probably did the same thing to the swimmer you just passed. The fastest swimmers will finish the 2.4 miles in roughly 45-48 minutes, while the average swimmer will take between 1 hour, 10 minutes to 1 hour, 15 minutes. Athletes have 2 hours, 20 minutes to complete the swim (until 9:20 a.m.).

After the swim athletes will head to the transition area at Monona Terrace to change into cycling gear and head out on their bikes. The 112-mile bike course traverses the rolling hills around Verona, Mount Vernon, Mount Horeb, and Cross Plains. On a bike, these "rolling hills" become steep inclines best described as punishing, tortuous, unforgiving, and [bleep]. The fastest athletes will finish the bike course in 4 hours, 30 minutes to 4 hours, 45 minutes, typically finishing at about 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. The "average" cyclist will take about 6 hours, 30 minutes to 7 hours to finish the bike course. Athletes have until 5:30 p.m. to finish the bike ride. For Cain, the toughest part of the day is about mile 90 on the bike. "Your toes are getting numb in your bike shoes, and you start to think about that marathon ahead of you."

Following the bike segment, athletes again head to the transition zone, to drop off their bikes, change into run gear, and head out on the final leg of their day - a 26.2-mile marathon through Madison, down State Street, and across the University of Wisconsin campus. The top Ironman triathletes can finish the run in 2 hours, 40 minutes to 2 hours, 50 minutes. The average triathlete takes about twice that long, from 4 hours to 4 hours, 30 minutes, to finish the run. Cain and Larson note that at about mile 13 on the run, things can get pretty rough. Those who pushed too hard earlier in the day start dropping off. And your body starts telling you, if it hasn't already, that it is time to stop.

Those who survive will finish the race on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard by the Monona Terrace Convention Center. The top male finisher typically comes in around 8 hours, 20 minutes to 8 hours, 30 minutes for total time (about 3:20 or 3:30 p.m.), while the top female finisher typically is an hour or so after that. Most of the athletes finish between 11 and 12 hours (6 to 7 p.m.) after starting. But athletes have until midnight to finish, and some complete the triathlon just prior to the deadline.

It is fun to watch the leaders of the pack and the professional triathletes competing earlier in the day. However, according to Hartman, who used to be the race director for the Lake Front Marathon in Milwaukee, the real drama and excitement is watching those later finishers struggle across the finish line and push themselves to new limits.

Watch the Ironman Competition

If you are interested in watching the performance of these attorney athletes on race day, Sept. 15, you can join the 20,000 to 30,000 anticipated spectators. If you really want to get close to the action, serve as one of the 4,000 volunteers needed to put on a race of this magnitude. For several days prior to the event there will be prerace festivities at Monona Terrace, including morning swims, 5k runs, and live entertainment. Details will be provided at www.ironmanwisconsin.com. Live Internet coverage, and the ability to follow particular athletes through the day, will be available on race day at www.ironmanlive.com.

Get Involved in Fitness

Are you interested in following in your colleagues' footsteps - if not into an Ironman, at least into a triathlon or fitness regimen? According to Cain, "Every average person can do this if they put their mind to it and set aside the time ... all shapes and sizes can do this." Hartman adds, "Any attorney could do this."

Jon Becker and Michael Miller are attorneys with Reinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren, Norris & Rieselbach S.C. in Madison. For both, Wisconsin will be their first Ironman. This is Becker's first season participating in triathlons, although he has completed two marathons in previous years. Miller was active in triathlons during college but only got back into the sport last year. They both suggest that attorneys get into the sport via an introductory class or training program offered by local health clubs, YMCAs, or colleges. Alternatively, newcomers can link up with a local training group, which usually can be found through a local bike or running shoe store. Training with a group can improve the learning curve and adds a social dimension to the training regimen.

Larson recommends getting the whole family involved. His children have competed in special kids' triathlons often held before large races. And his wife has volunteered at events in which he has participated.

If you are interested in competing, the Ironman is scheduled to remain in Wisconsin until 2006, and registration for next year's event will open on Sept. 16.

While all of our Wisconsin Ironman attorneys are male, 11 female attorneys from outside Wisconsin will compete in this year's event. These Ironwomen come from 11 different states, including Alaska, Florida, California, and Illinois, and Washington, D.C. Their ages range from 31 to 50. Which begs the question, will one of our readers take the challenge to be the first female Wisconsin Ironman lawyer in 2003?

Conclusion

Not all of these attorney-athletes have met each other, but among those who have there is a special camaraderie. Their competitive focus is not on beating each other but on pushing themselves. For all, competing in these events provides very real and tangible personal and professional benefits, and all welcome and encourage other attorneys to get involved. According to Larson, "This event is not a race against others, but a race against yourself. So much of this sport is about heart - it's not about how fast you go but how deep you dig."

Wisconsin Lawyer