Identified to pals, circle of relatives, and the ones at the triathlon circuit as “The Quad Father,” meet Nick Tierney; a 46-year-old athlete from Delaware, OH. Tierney isn’t any stranger to overcoming demanding situations each off and on the path. And in spite of a busy house existence with a loving spouse and 4 children, he’s by no means as soon as regarded as placing up the footwear. M&F sat down with the “Iron Dad” to determine the place he will get his power from, how he balances all of it, and why being lively is non-negotiable.
Tenacious Tierney’s adventure is a testomony to the indomitable human spirit. A former football participant and downhill skier, he discovered his true calling in triathlons and made his Ironman debut in Kentucky in 2011. However existence threatened to get in the best way when his spouse gave beginning to quadruplets in 2012. It compelled Tierney to position his Ironman desires on hang. The Ironman is composed of a 1.2-mile (1.9km) swim, 56-mile (90km) motorbike journey and a 13.1-mile (21.1km) run, and can’t be undertaken with out due preparation.
On account of his dramatic trade of way of life, the ones round him concluded that his triathlon days had been most likely over. However this devoted dad had different concepts. In a accident, he returned for the 2013 Ironman Kona Impressed program, incomes a coveted access to the Ironman International Championship mere months after his children had been born. No longer best did he compete, and entire the race, however he additionally raised budget for the Elenore Rocks charity, proving that his center is as giant as his family. Since then, “The Quadfather” has been unstoppable. A 3-time finisher of Ironman, Louisville, his tale reminds us that with decision and keenness, we will stability circle of relatives tasks with our private targets. Right here, we put the pertinent inquiries to Nick Tierney:
As an athlete, what was once existence like prior to you had youngsters? You will have to have had extra time to coach and get better?
Taking a look again, previous to having youngsters I had at all times on the planet to coach nevertheless it by no means felt that approach and looking back my coaching load was once no longer that prime in comparison to my quantity nowadays. Everybody’s existence is busy, however you’ll at all times make time for what’s essential to you. After youngsters, I turned into a lot extra environment friendly with my coaching, most commonly by means of waking up previous and going to mattress very early once we put the youngsters to mattress. When you want to, you’ll in finding a large number of time right through the day to coach that usually could be wasted thru different pastimes like TV and social media.
I’ve performed my coaching right through industrial breaks, on the playground, and working stairs right through paintings breaks. (Tierney is a registered nurse and anesthetist) I at all times attempt to keep lively with the youngsters, too. I beloved working with the rush stroller, doing Tabata within the pool with them on my again, and bouncing them at the trampoline once they had been little. At the present time we revel in 5Ks, hikes, and motorbike rides in combination!
Finding that you just had been going to be the daddy of quads will have to have come as a wonder!?
We came upon 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 at the image. I used to be at paintings and my spouse referred to as, asking me to come back house early for the day. She mentioned it wasn’t an emergency, however I had to come house straight away. I used to be perplexed and frightened all on the identical time. After we sat down, she positioned the ultrasound image at the desk. I noticed the 4 young children and was once so satisfied! We were seeking to get pregnant for a very long time at that time, so I used to be very excited.
It will have to had been an ideal second, however did you additionally ponder whether your athletic interests would come to an finish?
No longer as soon as. As a question of truth, whilst my very supportive spouse was once on mattress leisure within the health facility, I did a neighborhood 100-mile crew relay with a gaggle of pals and ran the steps when visiting the health facility! The one hiccup we had was once that I used to be signed up for Ironman, Wisconsin. It was once the similar time that my youngsters had been due, so I needed to pull out of that tournament. When the youngsters had been virtually one-year-old, we packed them within the van and traveled to New York Town for the New York Triathlon.
Then, that October we additionally had the chance to commute to Kona with Ironman during the Ironman Basis. Athletic occasions had been a constant a part of our lives and now we have concerned the youngsters up to imaginable. I’m hoping that by means of seeing us have an lively existence, it’ll level them in the fitting route when they have got to make their very own selections.
That’s so inspiring, even though many of us will surprise the way you are compatible all of it in!?
Steadiness in existence is essential and I think that we do a excellent task with that during our house. I made social sacrifices to coach for my occasions simply as maximum staying power athletes do. I don’t keep out overdue on Friday nights. And I rise up at 4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings for lengthy workout routines. No, I will’t move out and watch Monday night time soccer video games. And sure, I’ve overlooked essential weddings and birthdays because of prior to now scheduled races however my rapid circle of relatives at house comes first.
My spouse and I do our very best, dividing hard work at house and at paintings so certainly one of us is round to care of the youngsters. Conversely, I think that lacking a exercise doesn’t have an effect on my coaching load so long as I stay issues lovely constant. The previous few years, I’ve performed giant blocks like January to Might and August to November. It’s most commonly for working tournament preparation. I cut back my quantity within the lighter months to get better. Nowadays, with the youngsters being 12, it’s more uncomplicated to get excellent quantity whilst college is in consultation!
My spouse may be very supportive of my athletic adventures or even participates with me. She was once certainly one of my pacers on the Burning River 100 path race. We’ve run 5K marathons in combination. In Boston she raced the 5K, the day prior to the marathon, and I were given 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 once superior! She’s my greatest fan, a super spouse, and a phenomenal spouse in all my adventures.
The Ironman itself is terribly taxing. How do you take on the more than a few phases?
Working is my most powerful tournament and I revel in it the many of the 3 disciplines. I’ve run Boston in 2022, 2024, and feature even long past 100-miles at Burning River. Swimming is my susceptible spot and takes essentially 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 wintry weather. I truly don’t like getting out of the water after which heading directly out to the chilly air. Open water swimming in Ohio isn’t truly a prime level both! Possibly if lived somewhere with higher high quality swimming spaces, I’d be extra vulnerable to leap within the lake for a dip. My savior is my Overall Fitness center exercise gadget within the basement. I will mimic a swim stroke for 15-20 mins and get a excellent dry-land exercise in once I’m time-crunched and in want of a few swim energy.
You made an overly first rate time of five hours, 45 mins and 51 seconds in Louisville this 12 months. However I’m guessing competing isn’t about successful the race, however the procedure of coaching and finishing it?
Having the ability to swim, mountain motorbike, and run across the backyard with them whilst coaching all on the identical time is one thing I by no means may believe no longer doing. And, as a nurse anaesthetist, I in finding myself a lot sharper mentally and technically higher with affected person care after my morning workout routines. I think a excellent morning exercise is one thing I’ll by no means forestall 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 no longer been in a pool since 2019. And 2024 was once a humbling revel in seeking to regain swim health. My maximum resent Ironman consequence mirrored my coaching and I’m hoping to get nearer to five hours once more subsequent 12 months.
Let us know extra in regards to the coaching procedure
I teach within the morning, 6 days every week. I rise up round 4:30-4:45am relying on my paintings agenda. On my days off and when the youngsters are at school or at camp, I’ll do a protracted consultation outdoor. Tuesdays and Thursdays are quick, so I generally attempt to get in a swim exercise on the ones days. Weekends; I rise up early and get in a long term and motorbike. When it will get just about race time, 3-5 weeks out, I generally do two giant coaching days to check out and get my desired quantity. That’s about 80% to 90% of each and every self-discipline’s distance. I do maximum of my driving and working within the basement at the hours of darkness. I’ll watch TV presentations to move the time. Swimming is completed within the pool and I complement with my aforementioned Overall Fitness center bench gadget.
What would you assert 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 truly wish to do, you’ll find time for your individual desires and cause them to a truth. Everybody has a difficult tale however at the side of the numerous excuses as to why you’ll’t do one thing, if you wish to have it, do it! It should take some way of life adjustments and sacrifices nevertheless it’s so price it. Not anything is best than operating arduous and sweating for a dream. The tougher you’re employed, the larger the praise while you move the end. My end at Burning River introduced me to tears. No longer many others knew what I had achieved however the satisfaction I had in myself will move with me to the grave!