TDS

In the spotlight: triathlete David Althoff

Stcoix Tri 12There aren’t many people who have done so many triathlons they don’t remember exactly how many they’ve done. But David Althoff, IT support technician at VISI (a hosted and managed services company that is part of TDS), can’t come up with an exact number off the top of his head. He thinks he’s done, “around 20,” since he started doing triathlons in 2006.

What makes David’s story extra amazing is he only started training for his first event as a favor to a friend (who ended up backing out before the race). Prior to his first triathlon David wasn’t particularly into running, biking, or swimming. But, he finished that first race and has been hooked on triathlons ever since. David’s next event will be one of the most well-known triathlons in the world—the Ironman.

The Ironman triathlon, in David’s words, is special. There is a definite mystique about finishing one of the longest triathlons around. The Ironman requires participants to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles in less than 17 hours. The next Ironman will be in Wisconsin, in the Madison area, on September 8, 2013.

While you could argue that simply completing the grueling event is a win, David’s goal is to finish the Ironman in less than 12 hours. He’s been training since December of 2012 to make that goal, long before he started working at VISI in April. But perhaps that job change was meant to be because, when he was scheduled for New Employee Orientation in Madison, Wis. he came a day early so he could practice the nearby Ironman bike route.

LTF Bike 2013Biking isn’t the only training he’s done though. He’s been working to increase his running, swimming, and his biking to build his endurance. His training hours peaked in mid-August at 20 hours a week, followed by incremental decreases in the weeks following to let his body rest a bit before the event. David said with a laugh, “Welcome to my part time job. Triathlons are definitely a lifestyle.”

If you’re in the area, be sure to come out and cheer David on. He says he’ll be wearing the same black, white, and red “Now” outfit he’s wearing in the photos and will be bib number 1804. But, even you can’t watch the race, you can be sure he’ll have a big smile on his face at the end when he hears the words, “David Althoff, you are an Ironman!”

Fun training facts: last year David ran 862 miles, biked 1117, and swam 13. So far in 2013, David has already put in over 2,500 total training miles—the same as the distance between Chicago and Caracas, Venezuela!

About Missy Kellor

Missy works on the Corporate Communications team and reports stories to TDS employees and customers. This is right up her alley because she’s an extrovert and also a big fan of research (really, she’ll look up just about anything that strikes her interest). Missy is a native of Madison, Wis. with an undergraduate in Anthropology and a master’s degree in Life Sciences Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her interest in the Internet as a mass media shaped her work towards a PhD in Journalism and Mass Communications. She’s also worked as an editorial assistant, copywriter, and production artist. In her off hours, Missy is a crafter, Pinterest addict, reader, wife, and mom of two kids.

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  1. It’s not fun—but it’s rewarding! | TDS Home - September 4, 2013

    […] from Missy Kellor: When I spoke with Brad about this news piece, I mentioned David Althoff and his upcoming Ironman event. Brad commented that while the Ironman is rewarding, it’s […]

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