By
Laurie Burstein
The thrill of the race, training to reach their highest level
of fitness, and camaraderie with fellow racers, are a few reasons
cited by St. Louis executives for what drives them to train
hard for marathons, triathlons and ironman races. Here are profiles
of four leading executives who discuss their training regimens
and what motivates them to stay in the race.
Charlie Boyce
President, Innsbrook Corporation
Age 41
Located 45 minutes west of St. Louis is Warren County, Innsbrook
is a resort situated on 7,400 wooded acres with 87 lakes. It’s
also the perfect place to hold triathlons says Innsbrook President
Charlie Boyce.
About five years ago, the resort began hosting triathlons and
soon after Boyce took up the sport. Boyce says the setting at
Innsbrook lends itself to the biking, running and swimming involved
in a triathlon.
“The participation in our triathlons is really great,” Boyce
says. “We have a lot of property owners at Innsbrook who are
involved from novices to more experienced competitors. And we
have a lot of national champions that come here too.”
“We also raise a lot of money for charity,” Boyce says. The
next Innsbrook triathlon is set for June 23 with 100 percent
of the proceeds benefiting the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation.
Those who are interested in the race can go to www.ultramaxtri.com
for details.
When training for a triathlon, Boyce’s routine consists of swimming
3,000 meters, biking 50 miles and running 10 to 15 miles each
week. On off days, he plays ice hockey. He works out five to
six days-a-week anywhere from one to three hours-a-day.
Boyce is a vegan, which means he eats no meat or dairy products.
For breakfast he usually has a power bar and a banana, lunch
is a veggie sandwich or bean and rice burrito and for dinner
he usually has pasta and salad. Though restrictive, Boyce says
this diet helped him lose 40 pounds and lowered his cholesterol.
“I still drink a beer now and then,” he laughs.
So, why do it? “I love the challenge and the fun of training
and racing, “Boyce says. “It also keeps you regimented and organized
at work and the stress release is invaluable.”
Boyce is also pleased that having the triathlons at Innsbrook
has carried over to the 150 employees at the resort. “The triathlons
have brought an awareness that has rubbed off on our employees.
I am seeing more employees who walk or run before work or at
lunch. This race has had a great effect on everyone.”
Patricia Nooney
Managing Director, CB Richard Ellis
Age: 50
Patty Nooney has three Ironman races to her credit and after
her first one she was hooked she says. Her best time is 12 hours
and 47 minutes achieved in Arizona last year. An Ironman competition
involves a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile
marathon.
As managing director of CB Richard Ellis, a large commercial
real estate firm, Nooney heads up all business development,
oversees a team of managers and brokers, and is in charge of
leasing and investments. But she still finds time to train.
A typical day for Nooney starts at 5 a.m. with an hour to hour
and a half workout and then it’s off to the office where she
gets in at 8 a.m. and works until 6.
Nooney usually does two or three workouts in each discipline
(biking, running and swimming) each week, plus lifts weights.
On this day, she had taken a 5:15 a.m. master swimming class
at the Center of Clayton.
“It becomes part of your routine,” Nooney says. “I like to put
in the training. You’re challenging yourself.”
As for her diet, she just eats healthy and goes for moderation.
But when you are training like she does, you can usually eat
just about anything and not gain weight she says.
She enjoys sharing her hobby with her co-workers and employees.
“I encourage people to get involved in what they enjoy. I see
that more people are getting into training and running, “Nooney
comments.
Her intense training regimen has certainly helped in business
she says.
“It carries over into a disciplined approach in how you handle
everything. I feel better and I have more energy. It’s the best
stress reliever there is.”
Since most of her vacations usually revolve around competing
in a race, Nooney says with a laugh that she decided to “take
it easy” last summer and hiked the Grand Canyon with her husband
instead.
Tom Irwin
Executive Director, Civic Progress
Age: 56
Tom Irwin has run 30 marathons in his lifetime and is still
going strong at age 56. Irwin got the running bug while in the
Marine Corp. in the 1970s and ran his first marathon in 1977.
As a Boston native, his Dad always took him to watch the Boston
Marathon as a child. Perhaps that’s what inspired him to run
that particular race six times.
Today Irwin is the very busy executive director of Civic Progress,
an organization of chief executives from leading companies across
the region. He is also training for two big upcoming races—the
Half Ironman in August and the Marine Corps. Marathon in October.
His training regimen begins each morning at 5:30 a.m. and looks
something like this: Monday swim for one hour; Tuesday run six
miles; Wednesday indoor spinning or biking depending on the
weather, and when training for an Ironman running eight to 12
miles; Thursday more biking; Friday one hour swimming; Saturday
a long bike ride of 80 to 100 miles followed by a run of five
to 10 miles; Sunday more swimming and running.
Irwin eats a healthy diet consisting mainly of complex carbohydrates
and protein. Breakfast might be a whole grain bagel with peanut
butter, a salad for lunch, and chicken or pasta for dinner.
He snacks on protein bars and estimates he eats about 1,500
calories per day.
In 32 years of training, Irwin says he never gets bored. “I
really enjoy the camaraderie of training with groups of people,”
he says. “I get to meet so many different kinds of people from
all walks of life and all ages.”
Irwin continues, “When you train and complete a race, there
is a profound sense of accomplishment. It really helps you handle
any work-related stress. A long run is a great place to think
and put everything in perspective.”
Training for races is sometimes a family affair for Irwin. He
ran a half-marathon with one of his three grown daughters and
his wife is training for a half-marathon, too.
Completing a race in the face of great adversity is something
Irwin knows about. He finished an Ironman race with a separated
shoulder in November.
“Training and running a marathon really helps you deal with
life. It is just as much a mental activity as physical—maybe
even more so. It teaches you not to quit which is really a metaphor
for life.”
Greg Smith
Member, Husch & Eppenberger
Age: 53
Greg Smith is the Chairman of the Business Division of Husch
& Eppenberger, LLC (a large law firm in Clayton) and a Member
of the Firm’s Executive Committee. He is also proud to say that
his relay team in the St. Louis Marathon placed 16th out of
176 last year and the average age on his team was 55. One of
his team members was Tom Irwin.
Though Smith doesn’t train as strenuously as Irwin, he runs
five to six miles every other day and lifts weights on the other
days. If he is not in the gym by 6:15 in the morning, Smith
says his favorite time of the day to workout is in the afternoon
about 2 p.m.
Convenience is also a big factor for Smith who walks from his
office in Clayton to his health club. “I really like to work
out in the late afternoon when it’s not crowded,” Smith says.
“I walk across the street to workout, come back and have a salad
at my desk and I’m ready to get back to work.”
Smith says his training routine has had a very positive impact
at work. “Working out has helped me in many ways. First, I have
more energy and I also need less sleep. I’ve also noticed I
don’t get sick, so I hardly ever miss time at work.”
“You just feel so much better when you exercise,” Smith says.
“That’s motivation enough for me.”
