Courtesy Photo | Capt. Shaun McIntosh runs through the barricades at Camp Taji to train for the long...... read more read more
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By Spc. Matthew A. Wright
CAMP TAJI, Iraq – Capt. Shaun McIntosh, an Apache helicopter pilot assigned to Bravo Company, the 8-229th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, has participated in several triathlons to prepare for his biggest triathlon, the 2011 Ford Ironman Arizona, set in Tempe, Ariz.
McIntosh, a Nicholasville, Ky., native, trained and participated in his first triathlon in 2005. He placed second in his age group. That is where he found his calling. “Even though I had the cheapest and slowest bike on the course and almost drowned on the swim, I was hooked.” McIntosh said.
Over the years, he raced in more than 10 triathlons. Even though he continued to train for the short distance triathlons, he wanted more. “I soon became ready for a different challenge,” McIntosh said.
He changed his focus from the three-sport event to the one he found the most compelling, the run. “I dropped the bike and swimming trunks, and started logging miles on my shoes,” he said.
He eventually started competing in the 10-mile race. He said he wanted to do more with his personal life and get away from the mundane and everyday lulls and stresses. The 10-mile run turned to 15, then 20 miles. He kept looking for new challenges as he increased his distance. “I constantly looked forward to the weekends to explore new places and challenges,” McIntosh said. “Eventually I ran into challenges like being lost in lower Alabama on a 32-mile fun run.”
He competed in more than five marathons, a 50K ultramarathon race and multiple small races. McIntosh decided to take over as Bravo Company physical fitness officer and use his experience and training to help his soldiers to exercise and improve on their Army Physical Fitness Test scores.
“It’s an awesome feeling to see your soldiers strive for a goal and achieve it,” McIntosh said.
McIntosh wanted more. He decided to transition back into the triathlon events. While he was racing, he ran into some wounded vets who were running as well, and this inspired him to race run the biggest triathlon event, the Ironman. Just before his arrival in Iraq, he signed up for the Ford Ironman Arizona. The ironman race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race and a 26.2-mile run for a total of 140 miles within one day. He has been training diligently for this event while at Camp Taji. McIntosh works the night shift and as soon as he gets off work, he heads to the pool to swim laps three days a week. He also trains for the bike portion on his stationary bike in his room to keep up his endurance as well as dividing his running between the treadmill and running the roads on base.
The rigid exercise program and diet he follows, helps boost his endurance for one of the most extreme competitions for athletes. One issue is the heat of the desert of Iraq and the harsh temperatures which go as high as 130 degrees in the summer. Yet he uses that to his advantage.
“It [the heat] helps me out,” McIntosh said. “The Ironman is in Arizona, so running in the hot weather acclimatizes me for it.”
McIntosh decided to use his new sport to accomplish some good. While on his deployment, he decided to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. The WWP is a charitable organization that “works to raise awareness and enlists the public’s aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and to provide direct programs and services to meet their needs.”
He set up a web site through WWP so people can donate and help him reach his monetary goal for all his races and the Ironman. “The inspiration I get from the Wounded Warrior Project [WWP] keeps me on the bike, treadmill and the pool,” McIntosh said.
What started out as a way to challenge himself will end up with him helping others as well. McIntosh wanted a purpose and running the triathlons and racing the long distance races for Wounded Warrior, gives him that sense of purpose.
| Date Taken: | 06.15.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.15.2011 07:24 |
| Story ID: | 72102 |
| Location: | CAMP TAJI, IQ |
| Web Views: | 250 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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