Published: October 12, 2008 12:28 am            

America's health: Cromwell defies trend

Even as statistics show America’s overall health on the decline, some people are defying the trend and stand out as examples of fitness and health. One of those people lives in Enid.

Justin Cromwell, publisher of Garfield County Daily Legal News, recently competed in an Iron Man competition in Oklahoma City. Triathletes can compete in four different lengths of competition: Sprints, Olympics -- which is the international standard -- Half Iron and Iron Man.

The Iron Man involves swimming, biking and running. The swim is 2.4 miles, then 112 miles biking, followed by the final leg, which is a 26.2-mile marathon run. The Sept. 20 competition in Oklahoma City was the first time Cromwell has competed in Iron Man, although he did a triathlon race four years ago. He finished in 14 hours, 49 minutes and 33 seconds.

The majority of his races are sprints distance, such as the annual Willow Lake race sponsored by the YMCA every year. That race involves a 500 meter swim, 12 to 15-mile bike ride and 5K run.

Cromwell has been a swimmer since college and before the Denny Price YMCA built its new pool was part of a group of master swimmers who regularly used Enid High School pool.

Cromwell is 44 and competes in the masters level for individuals age 40 and over.

Before competing in the Iron Man he trained with his training partner Justin Klein, who competes in the overall division.

“It’s important when you’re training to have a partner, someone to get you out there in the morning,” he said.

Iron Man training is more involved than sprint and Olympic distance training, and he followed a strict training plan, working about 23-hours a week. The race centered around Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City. The bike route was up MacArthur Rd. to Waterloo Rd., making a 56-mile loop, which bikers rode twice. The swimming portion was in Lake Hefner, and runners ran around the lake.

“For a triathlete, the Iron Man is like climbing a mountain — you do it because it’s there,” he said.

Cromwell has wanted to compete in an Iron Man for a long time and joined a couple of friends who have done it. It was a personal challenge. His wife told him he would never do it again, because the intensity of the training affected the entire family. He has not participated before because his children were young, but now they have grown to the extent he can be gone from them for a while.

“I won’t say I won’t do another one. In a year or two I may want to do another,” he said.

Training for the Iron Man requires commitment. Training involves working to a certain level and going on to the next level when you feel you are ready. However, when the actual race starts the hardest part is mental. Cromwell’s most difficult point was mile 18 of the 26.2-mile race.

“You are uncomfortable for most of it, and you manage your discomfort and your energy level, he said.

Early in the race he felt good and wanted to go faster and had to maintain his energy. He became ill at mile 18 and again at mile 20. The last six miles he was dehydrated, but there was nothing he could do because he could not keep anything down. Klein and fellow runner, Mike Hampton, helped him finish the race.

“The last two miles getting to the medical tent and getting an IV kept me going,” he said.

His family also gave him mental support, he said.

Recovery takes about three to six weeks before an Iron Man runner is ready to compete again. Cromwell said he was sore for a week and is lucky he has no lasting injuries that runners worry about, such as tendonitis.

“It definitely stresses the body,” he said.

Iron Man competition is aerobic, rather than an anaerobic workout because the individual still needs to digest food. He competed in the Olympic distance earlier, which he finished in two- hours-and-50-minutes. That race involved him going as hard as he could.

The process is both physical and mental for Cromwell. It is a health issue and a challenge. Cromwell understands the importance of eating well and the competition gives him a reason to.

“You feel better on a long run is you give your body what you need. When putting your body under stress, the more nutrition, the better,” he said. “Besides, there’s nothing better for stress management than a good workout.”