The Iron Man competition is one of the most grueling challenges a person can undertake, invoking a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a standard 26.2-mile marathon. Participants train diligently for months, maybe year to compete in such a physically demanding event. When Todd Hollis decided that he would participate in the 2005 competition, the land events didn’t faze him at all.
Not knowing how to swim was the complication.
Hollis, a Pittsburgh lawyer, had to sign up for swim classes at the YMCA before he was able to compete. He took swim lessons after work next to children, wearing flippers. Standing tall at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 190 pounds, Hollis had a difficult time learning to float. But Hollis said that he couldn’t worry about the land events until he knew he could swim.
Once the race was underway, Hollis was very surprised that he wasn’t the last swimmer. He continued through the race, and finished in 16 hours, 17 minutes and 29 seconds. He placed 1,873rd out of 2,400 starters and 33rd our of 353 starters in his age group.
Hollis is a graduate from the Duquesne University Law program and practices criminal law. He started the Messiah project soon thereafter: offering his legal services to impoverished youth and asking them to perform community service as an exchange. Hollis said he would like to see that the world was a better place when he leaves it than it was when he arrived.
Additional Resources:
Todd Hollis Homepage
Todd Hollis On Directorygiant.com
Todd HollisOn MakeASearch.com
Todd Hollis On DTList
Todd Hollis Profile My Opera
Todd HollisiLand