Recognized to pals, 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 house life with a loving spouse and 4 children, he’s by no means as soon as thought-about 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 start 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 experience 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 have been seemingly 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 children have 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 huge 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 will steadiness household duties 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? You need to have had extra time to coach and get well?
Trying again, previous to having kids I had on a regular basis on this planet to coach nevertheless it by no means felt that method and on reflection my coaching load was not that prime in comparison with my quantity right this moment. Everybody’s life is busy, however you possibly can all the time make time for what’s vital to you. After kids, I turned 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 you’ll want to, you will discover numerous time all through the day to coach that usually can be wasted by way of different pastimes like TV and social media.
I’ve finished my coaching throughout industrial breaks, on the playground, and operating stairs throughout work breaks. (Tierney is a registered nurse and anesthetist) I all the time attempt to keep energetic with the youngsters, too. I liked operating with the push stroller, doing Tabata within the pool with them on my again, and bouncing them on the trampoline once they have been little. These days we take pleasure in 5Ks, hikes, and bike rides collectively!
Discovering that you simply have been going to be the daddy of quads should have come as a shock!?
We came upon we have 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 return house early for the day. She stated it wasn’t an emergency, however I wanted to return house immediately. I used to be confused and anxious all on the identical time. Once we sat down, she positioned the ultrasound image on the desk. I noticed the 4 infants and was so blissful! We had been making an attempt to get pregnant for a very long time at that time, so I used to be very excited.
It should 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 a neighborhood 100-mile staff relay with a bunch of pals 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 have been due, so I needed to pull out of that occasion. When the youngsters have 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 by way of the Ironman Basis. Athletic occasions have been a constant a part of our lives and we now have concerned the youngsters as a lot as attainable. I hope that by seeing us have an energetic life, it’ll level them in the best course once they need to 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 a superb job with that in our house. 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 vital weddings and birthdays as a consequence of beforehand scheduled races however my rapid household at house comes first.
My spouse and I do our greatest, dividing labor at house and at work so one among 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 hold issues fairly constant. The previous few years, I’ve finished huge blocks like January to Might and August to November. It’s principally for operating occasion preparation. I scale back my quantity within the lighter months to get well. Nowadays, with the youngsters 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 one among 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 obtained 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 greatest fan, a fantastic spouse, and an exquisite companion in all my adventures.
The Ironman itself is extraordinarily taxing. How do you sort out the assorted phases?
Operating is my strongest occasion and I take pleasure in 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! 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 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 12 months. However I’m guessing competing isn’t about profitable the race, however the course of of coaching and finishing it?
Having 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 may 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 have 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 making an attempt to regain swim health. My most resent Ironman consequence mirrored my coaching and I’m hoping to get nearer to five hours once more subsequent 12 months.
Inform us extra in regards to the coaching course of
I practice 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 outdoors. 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 future and bike. When it will get near race time, 3-5 weeks out, I often do two huge coaching days to try to get my desired quantity. That’s about 80% to 90% of every self-discipline’s distance. I do most of my driving and operating within the basement at nighttime. I’ll watch TV reveals to cross 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 modifications 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 while you cross the end. My end at Burning River introduced me to tears. Not many others knew what I had achieved however the satisfaction I had in myself will go together with me to the grave!
