With the Ironman World Championships on the agenda for Saturday, at least one entrant in the pro men's division is just happy to be making it to the start line. Yes, it have been five long years since Pete Jacobs was crowned World Champion on Alii Drive. In the proverbial tri-athletic wilderness ever since that great day back in 2012, Pete hasn't exactly set the triathlon scene on fire since then. It's almost as if his competitive flame was extinguished, suffering from below-par performances as well as a few DNS's and dreaded DNF's.
This period must have been excruciating for one of the sports more cerebral – and off-beat – characters. Pro sport is cruel. Fellow competitors and pundits are quick to judge and write struggling athletes off as "has-beens" or "head-cases," kicking a man or women when they're down. And that's not really fair. After all, it sure isn't an easy path from part-time athlete/full-time landscaper to World Champion over a gradual and progressive period of hard work. I'm sure Pete has had his fair share of negative criticism over the past few years, and that must have played on his mind like a broken record.
So it's really exciting to see a happy and healthy Pete Jacobs not only on the rebound, but sharing his journey with the public. Pro athletes are typically secretive and guarded when it comes to preparation. And they have to be – their careers literally depend on preserving their privacy and getting on with job. But their are certainly some exceptions, and Pete certainly fits this bill. After seeking the counsel of the renowned health practitioner Dr Phil Maffetone. Slowing down, paying attention to diet and lifestyle, and embracing the process form the basis Phil's simple - and hugely successful – philosophy. And it works. Phil is credited with fixing many a broken athlete, helping them rediscover and rejuvenate themselves through a bigger picture approach. It's like the late great Dr Ron Holder "curing" middle-distance Zola Budd's chronic injury woes the late-80s: sure, Ron's much heralded Yellow Pages shoe inserts helped fix Zola's structural imbalances, but he also introduced her to a classic music, poetry and developing other interests outside of the sport.
Back to Pete and the Australian triathlete has been guest on several podcasts of late, including this one. Give them a listen and you could learn something. Embracing the process, educating oneself about diet and physiology and, most importantly, asking questions. The road back to peak athletic performance might not be smooth but it's worth the voyage of self-discovery.
Look forward to the book Pete.
Aloha!
