James Lawrence holds the world record for most Ironman races completed in one year, at 30. It's a bonkers achievement–and he intends to shatter it this summer.
Dubbed the “Iron Cowboy” thanks to his penchant for running the 26.2-mile portion of the Ironman (which also includes a 2.4-mile swim and a 112-mile bike) in a cowboy hat, Lawrence has another epic undertaking up his sleeve. His goal: to complete 50 Ironman races . . . in 50 states . . . in 50 days.
Technically, the 38-year-old triathlon coach and personal trainer won't go down in history for the feat, because the 50 races are unofficial. Lawrence and his family plotted the courses.
“Logistically, we had to figure out how to physically get ready for this,” he says. “And then we had to figure out how to travel between every single state to find every course,” including spots in far-flung Hawaii and Alaska.
So why the heck undergo such a beastly challenge if glory isn't the endgame? “For me, it's not about the world record,” says Lawrence, who is vying to become the 2015 Ultimate Men's Health Guy. “It's about impacting people's lives.”
Lawrence runs to raise awareness and funds for a non-profit that combats childhood obesity. At the end of every running portion of his Ironmans, he's inviting supporters from around the U.S. to join him and run the final 5K of the race with him.
The marathon of mega-marathons kicks off June 6 at midnight in Kauai, Hawaii, and concludes July 25 in the native Utahan's home state. (Check out his schedule here.)
Most guys would be proud just to complete one Ironman in their lifetime, but Lawrence is unwavering in his conviction that his body is up for the task.
“I wouldn't have committed to doing it if I didn't think it was possible,” says the man who will be biking 5,600 miles, running 1,310 miles, and swimming 120 miles in 50 days.
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“What's interesting for me is because I designed all the courses and did everything with GPS, I have mentally already completed all of the courses,” he says. “Now I'm just preparing my body to accomplish it physically.”
That prep includes a rigid regimen of 8- to 11-hour training days.
Lawrence will be traveling with a massage therapist and a chiropractor during the 50-day journey to keep his body as close to healthy as possible.
“There's no question I'm going to be dealing with small pains, aches, strains, things like that,” says Lawrence. “We're just going to do the best we can to overcome them. But that's like life–when something arises, you figure out what the solution is and you keep pressing forward.”
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