Recognized to associates, household, and people on the triathlon circuit as “The Quad Father,” meet Nick Tierney; a 46-year-old athlete from Delaware, OH. Tierney is not any stranger to overcoming challenges each on and off the course. And regardless of a busy residence life with a loving spouse and 4 youngsters, he’s by no means as soon as thought of hanging up the sneakers. M&F sat down with the “Iron Dad” to seek out out the place he will get his power from, how he balances all of it, and why being lively is non-negotiable.
Tenacious Tierney’s journey is a testomony to the indomitable human spirit. A former soccer participant and downhill skier, he discovered his true calling in triathlons and made his Ironman debut in Kentucky in 2011. However life threatened to get in the best way when his spouse gave beginning to quadruplets in 2012. It pressured Tierney to place his Ironman goals on maintain. The Ironman consists of a 1.2-mile (1.9km) swim, 56-mile (90km) bike journey and a 13.1-mile (21.1km) run, and can’t be undertaken with out due preparation.
Due to his dramatic change of way of life, these round him concluded that his triathlon days had been possible over. However this devoted dad had different concepts. In a coincidence, he returned for the 2013 Ironman Kona Impressed program, incomes a coveted entry to the Ironman World Championship mere months after his youngsters had been born. Not solely did he compete, and full the race, however he additionally raised funds for the Elenore Rocks charity, proving that his coronary heart is as massive as his family. Since then, “The Quadfather” has been unstoppable. A 3-time finisher of Ironman, Louisville, his story reminds us that with dedication and keenness, we will stability household tasks with our private objectives. Right here, we put the pertinent inquiries to Nick Tierney:
As an athlete, what was life like earlier than you had kids? It’s essential to have had extra time to coach and get better?
Wanting again, previous to having kids I had on a regular basis on this planet to coach nevertheless it by no means felt that approach and on reflection my coaching load was not that prime in comparison with my quantity at this time. Everybody’s life is busy, however you may all the time make time for what’s vital to you. After kids, I turned a lot extra environment friendly with my coaching, largely by waking up earlier and going to mattress very early once we put the children to mattress. When it’s essential to, you could find a number of time all through the day to coach that usually could be wasted via different pastimes like TV and social media.
I’ve finished my coaching throughout industrial breaks, on the playground, and working stairs throughout work breaks. (Tierney is a registered nurse and anesthetist) I all the time attempt to keep lively with the children, too. I liked working with the push stroller, doing Tabata within the pool with them on my again, and bouncing them on the trampoline once they had been little. These days we get pleasure from 5Ks, hikes, and bike rides collectively!
Discovering that you simply had been going to be the daddy of quads will need to have come as a shock!?
We discovered we had been having quadruplets early on in our being pregnant. My spouse needed to have an early ultrasound. And the obstetrician sat down and defined what she noticed on the image. I used to be at work and my spouse referred to as, asking me to come back residence early for the day. She mentioned it wasn’t an emergency, however I wanted to come back residence immediately. I used to be confused and frightened all on the similar time. After we sat down, she positioned the ultrasound image on the desk. I noticed the 4 infants and was so completely happy! We had been attempting to get pregnant for a very long time at that time, so I used to be very excited.
It will need to have been an superior second, however did you additionally surprise in case your athletic pursuits would come to an finish?
Not as soon as. As a matter of truth, whereas my very supportive spouse was on mattress relaxation within the hospital, I did a neighborhood 100-mile crew relay with a gaggle of associates and ran the steps when visiting the hospital! The one hiccup we had was that I used to be signed up for Ironman, Wisconsin. It was the identical time that my kids had been due, so I needed to pull out of that occasion. When the children had been nearly one-year-old, we packed them within the van and traveled to New York Metropolis for the New York Triathlon.
Then, that October we additionally had the chance to journey to Kona with Ironman via the Ironman Basis. Athletic occasions have been a constant a part of our lives and we now have concerned the children as a lot as attainable. I hope that by seeing us have an lively life, it’ll level them in the suitable path once they need to make their very own choices.
That’s so inspiring, though many individuals will surprise the way you match all of it in!?
Steadiness in life is essential and I really feel that we do a superb job with that in our residence. I made social sacrifices to coach for my occasions simply as most endurance athletes do. I don’t keep out late on Friday nights. And I stand up at 4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings for lengthy exercises. No, I can’t exit and watch Monday evening soccer video games. And sure, I’ve missed vital weddings and birthdays on account of beforehand scheduled races however my fast household at residence comes first.
My spouse and I do our greatest, dividing labor at residence and at work so considered one of us is round to care of the children. Conversely, I really feel that lacking a exercise doesn’t have an effect on my coaching load so long as I maintain issues fairly constant. The previous few years, I’ve finished massive blocks like January to Could and August to November. It’s largely for working occasion preparation. I scale back my quantity within the lighter months to get better. Nowadays, with the children being 12, it’s simpler to get good quantity whereas faculty is in session!
My spouse could be very supportive of my athletic adventures and even participates with me. She was considered one of my pacers on the Burning River 100 path race. We’ve run 5K marathons collectively. In Boston she raced the 5K, the day earlier than the marathon, and I received to cheer her on. At Ironman, Texas, she volunteered on the end line. She even put my medal on me once I crossed the end line. That was superior! She’s my largest fan, a fantastic spouse, and an exquisite companion in all my adventures.
The Ironman itself is extraordinarily taxing. How do you deal with the varied levels?
Working is my strongest occasion and I get pleasure from it the many of the 3 disciplines. I’ve run Boston in 2022, 2024, and have even gone 100-miles at Burning River. Swimming is my weak spot and takes probably the most motivation for me to leap within the water. A part of it’s discovering time to get within the pool and within the winter. I actually don’t like getting out of the water after which heading straight out to the chilly air. Open water swimming in Ohio isn’t actually a excessive level both! Perhaps if lived someplace with higher high quality swimming areas, I’d be extra inclined to leap within the lake for a dip. My savior is my Complete Gymnasium exercise machine within the basement. I can mimic a swim stroke for 15-20 minutes and get a superb dry-land exercise in once I’m time-crunched and in want of some swim energy.
You made a really respectable time of 5 hours, 45 minutes and 51 seconds in Louisville this yr. However I’m guessing competing isn’t about successful the race, however the course of of coaching and finishing it?
With the ability to swim, mountain bike, and run across the yard with them whereas coaching all on the similar time is one thing I by no means might think about not doing. And, as a nurse anaesthetist, I discover myself a lot sharper mentally and technically higher with affected person care after my morning exercises. I really feel a superb morning exercise is one thing I’ll by no means cease doing. When Covid hit, swimming pools closed, and race choices had been restricted. That’s once I jumped into the Extremely races and went for the Burning River 100. So, I had not been in a pool since 2019. And 2024 was a humbling expertise attempting to regain swim health. My most resent Ironman outcome mirrored my coaching and I’m hoping to get nearer to five hours once more subsequent yr.
Inform us extra in regards to the coaching course of
I prepare within the morning, 6 days per week. I stand up round 4:30-4:45am relying on my work schedule. On my days off and when the children are at school or at camp, I’ll do a protracted session outdoors. Tuesdays and Thursdays are quick, so I normally attempt to get in a swim exercise on these days. Weekends; I stand up early and get in a future and bike. When it will get near race time, 3-5 weeks out, I normally do two massive coaching days to attempt to get my desired quantity. That’s about 80% to 90% of every self-discipline’s distance. I do most of my driving and working within the basement at midnight. I’ll watch TV exhibits to cross the time. Swimming is completed within the pool and I complement with my aforementioned Complete Gymnasium bench machine.
What would you say to dads that say they don’t have the time to be lively?
To dads that say they don’t have time – If it’s one thing you actually wish to do, you may make time on your personal goals and make them a actuality. Everybody has a difficult story however together with the numerous excuses as to why you may’t do one thing, if you’d like it, do it! It could take some way of life adjustments and sacrifices nevertheless it’s so price it. Nothing is healthier than working laborious and sweating for a dream. The tougher you’re employed, the larger the reward once you cross the end. My end at Burning River introduced me to tears. Not many others knew what I had achieved however the pleasure I had in myself will go along with me to the grave!
