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 isn’t 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 energetic 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 desires 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 life-style, these round him concluded that his triathlon days had been doubtless over. However this devoted dad had different concepts. In a accident, 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 large as his family. Since then, “The Quadfather” has been unstoppable. A 3-time finisher of Ironman, Louisville, his story reminds us that with willpower and keenness, we are able to steadiness household obligations with our private targets. 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 well?
Wanting again, previous to having kids I had on a regular basis on the planet to coach but it surely by no means felt that means and looking back my coaching load was not that top in comparison with my quantity at this time. Everybody’s life is busy, however you possibly can all the time make time for what’s essential to you. After kids, I grew to become a lot extra environment friendly with my coaching, principally by waking up earlier and going to mattress very early after we put the youngsters to mattress. When it’s essential, you will discover quite a lot of time all through the day to coach that usually could be wasted by way of different pastimes like TV and social media.
I’ve carried out 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 energetic with the youngsters, too. I beloved working with the push stroller, doing Tabata within the pool with them on my again, and bouncing them on the trampoline after they had been little. These days we get pleasure from 5Ks, hikes, and bike rides collectively!
Discovering that you just had been going to be the daddy of quads will need to have come as a shock!?
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 on the image. I used to be at work and my spouse known 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 nervous all on the identical time. After we sat down, she positioned the ultrasound image on the desk. I noticed the 4 infants and was so pleased! 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 reality, whereas my very supportive spouse was on mattress relaxation within the hospital, I did an area 100-mile workforce 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 youngsters had been virtually 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 by way of the Ironman Basis. Athletic occasions have been a constant a part of our lives and we have now concerned the youngsters as a lot as potential. I hope that by seeing us have an energetic life, it’ll level them in the correct course after they must make their very own selections.
That’s so inspiring, though many individuals will surprise the way you match all of it in!?
Stability in life is essential and I really feel that we do 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 rise up at 4 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings for lengthy exercises. No, I can’t exit and watch Monday night time soccer video games. And sure, I’ve missed essential weddings and birthdays as a consequence 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 one in every of us is round to care of the youngsters. 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 carried out large blocks like January to Might and August to November. It’s principally for working occasion preparation. I cut back my quantity within the lighter months to get well. As of late, with the youngsters being 12, it’s simpler to get good quantity whereas faculty is in session!
My spouse may be very supportive of my athletic adventures and even participates with me. She was one in every 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 after I crossed the end line. That was superior! She’s my greatest fan, an amazing spouse, and an exquisite associate in all my adventures.
The Ironman itself is extraordinarily taxing. How do you sort out the assorted levels?
Working is my strongest occasion and I get pleasure from it the a lot 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 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 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! Possibly 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 Whole Health club exercise machine within the basement. I can mimic a swim stroke for 15-20 minutes and get dry-land exercise in after I’m time-crunched and in want of some swim power.
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 profitable 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 identical 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 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 after 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 end result 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 rise up round 4:30-4:45am relying on my work schedule. On my days off and when the youngsters are at school or at camp, I’ll do a protracted session exterior. Tuesdays and Thursdays are quick, so I often attempt to get in a swim exercise on these days. Weekends; I rise up early and get in a long term and bike. When it will get near race time, 3-5 weeks out, I often do two large 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 go the time. Swimming is completed within the pool and I complement with my aforementioned Whole Health club bench machine.
What would you say to dads that say they don’t have the time to be energetic?
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 desires and make them a actuality. Everybody has a difficult story however together with the various excuses as to why you possibly can’t do one thing, if you need it, do it! It could take some life-style adjustments and sacrifices but it surely’s so value it. Nothing is healthier than working laborious and sweating for a dream. The tougher you’re employed, the larger the reward while 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!
