Local duo will attempt to complete Ironman triathlon
By Ed Nadolski
Editor in Chief
Dan Bocock knows what it feels like to cross the finish line of an Ironman triathlon. He’s done it three times.
Jacob Smith, on the other hand, has never experienced the antagonistic mix of exhaustion and exhilaration that comes with finishing what many consider the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance.
That said, if the two are able to cross the finish line Sept. 8 at the Madison Ironman event, they know it will be as much a triumph of kindness and friendship as it is an achievement of athletic prowess.
For those unfamiliar with the Ironman Triathlon here’s a primer: It’s a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride followed by a 26.2-mile run.
In short, according to those who’ve done it, it’s a grueling test of training, pre-race preparation, logistics, nutrition, endurance and willpower – even for elite athletes.
And that’s if all they have to do is get themselves across the finish line.
In this case, Bocock and Smith will be working to get each other across the finish line.
As members of My Team Triumph, Smith – who has spinal muscular atrophy, a form of muscular dystrophy, and uses a motorized wheelchair to get around – is the captain and Bocock is the angel, who provides the manpower for the duo.
Smith will be in a raft tethered to Bocock for the swim portion and will transition to a “chariot” (a racing wheelchair) for the biking and running portions of the event.
“It’s different than crossing the finish line alone,” said Bocock, 32, who is director of building and grounds for the Burlington Area School District. “It has been enjoyable to see how much Jacob enjoys being part of this.”
A new challenge
Bocock, an accomplished endurance athlete who’s dedicated the past decade of his life to training and competing, admitted he likes the challenge that being a member of My Team Triumph presents. But not as much as he likes the satisfaction Smith gets in experiencing the thrill of competition.
The challenge in front of the teammates is considerable, according to Bocock. They’ll have a 17-hour window in which to complete the three segments of the grueling course through the City of Madison and the rolling hills of the state’s driftless area.
And although Bocock has completed the Ironman course in just over 12 hours and was at one time recognized as a top-10 percent competitor worldwide for his solo effort, the task of pushing and pulling Smith along with him renders those times meaningless.
“You get people who are crawling and bleeding,” Bocock said of the solo competitions. “Lots of people hit the wall.”
He said it isn’t hard to image the added difficulty of propelling another person over the 140-plus mile course.
So is it the biggest challenge Bocock has faced?
“Oh, yes,” he said with a laugh. “Probably the most painful, too.
“It’s a total mind game,” Bocock added. “It’s telling yourself you can do it when your body tells you to stop.”
Comfort is key for Smith
Smith is facing challenges of his own. To date, the longest distance the two have completed was a half-Ironman event in Door County. That event (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, 13.1-mile run) took them 7 hours, 14 minutes to finish.
Prior to that, the competitions tackled by the two over the past year were sprint or Olympic distance events, which are considerably shorter courses.
Smith, 18, who will attend the University of Wisconsin Madison this fall, said his greatest challenge is maintaining some level of comfort throughout the competition.
“The half-Ironman in Door County is really when I realized I need painkillers on board,” Smith said, adding that his go-to analgesic is ibuprofen.
He said there is a lot of trial and error involved in adding the right combination of foam wedges and padding to keep him comfortable and engaged.
That is especially the case with the chariot, which, he said, “is not the most comfortable.”
Maintaining an acceptable level of comfort over 17 hours will be key, he said.
“I was nervous after Door County,” Smith said. “The biggest concern is to be as comfortable as I can the whole time.”
Finding the right words
During the event Smith’s primary duty will be motivating Bocock. After more than a year of competing and training together, Smith admits there isn’t much more he can say to his angel.
“I’m kind of at the point where I don’t have anything else to say,” he said, noting it’s a balancing act between offering chatter that is motivating rather than distracting.
According to Bocock, the key to finishing the race will be his performance the first two segments. Participants have a 10.5-hour window to finish the swim and the biking portions.
That means the pair must average 13.75 mph over a 112-mile cycling portion that includes more than 6,000 feet of elevation change.
“If it means I will have to give up my legs for the bike I will,” Bocock said.
If that happens, another Team Triumph member, Missy Houtakker, will step in for whatever portion of the run that Bocock is unable to complete.
Missy, who is the wife of Jeremy Houtakker, one of the leaders of the Lake Geneva chapter of My Team Triumph, accompanied Smith and Bocock during the half-Ironman in July.
“My goal is to get Jacob off the bike in decent shape, but the ultimate goal is for Jacob to finish,” he said.
Bocock’s plan, however, is to be the person to push Smith across the finish line.
“I’m not going to lie, I like challenges,” he said.
Training routine
To prepare for the race Bocock has logged 1,677 miles on the bike, about 43 miles of swimming and 556 running in a period from April through last week.
Those mileage totals are actually less than he put in prior to his solo Ironman events, but this go-round features more strength work to account for the added weight of Smith and the chariot.
Recent training rides included an 82-mile trek with 100 pounds of weight in the chariot and a 40-plus mile loop on the actual course near Madison with Smith in tow.
Bocock has begun to taper his mileage in the lead up to the event.
Regardless of what transpires on Sept. 8, Smith’s parents, Bobbi and Kerry, are grateful for the things Bocock and My Team Triumph have done for their son.
“It has helped Jacob expand his boundaries,” Bobbi Smith said, noting her son is now comfortable with the handlers he encounters during the transitions from raft to the chariot for both the bike and run.
“Dan is an amazing guy,” Bobbi Smith said. “I feel he’d do anything for Jacob. He’s an extension of us out there.”
How you can help
My Team Triumph has a mission to enrich the lives of people with disabilities by fostering authentic relationships through the teamwork of endurance athletics. To support the team of Jacob Smith and Dan Bocock as they prepare for the Madison Ironman, click here: DONATE. Donations to the non-profit organization will also make it possible for others with disabilities to know the thrill of crossing the finish line.
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