Sand Springs City Official Training IronMAN Marathon

The Director of the Sand Springs Parks Department is spending his downtime training for Ironman! 

112 miles on a bike. 2.4 miles swimming in open water on Keystone Lake. Then a 26.2-mile run. All in 17 hours.

"For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to do something that would just put you at the end of your rope," said Jeff Edwards, Parks Director Sand Springs. 

Jeff Edwards is spending office hours at Case Community Center.

After work, he's training for his first Ironman.

"It is usually about 1 and a half hours to two hours of training during the week after work and Saturday is about a 5-hour training day and then Sunday is about a 2-hour training day," said Edwards. 

Jeff has never competed in a triathlon before, let alone an Ironman. 

"I am what they call a couch to Ironman," said Edwards. 

He is loving the process though and surprising himself along the way.

"I have never swum in open water- especially in a competition. I have never biked that far, especially with 5000 feet of elevation climb, and I have never in my life enjoyed running. I am finding a way to like all these things," said Edwards. 

Jeff says the long training sessions give him the opportunity to think about the things and the people he cares about most.

"I have got two girls, they are both about to be seniors...what are they going to do when they grow up, where are they going to be in life...what are I and my wife going to go do when we get to retire," said Edwards. 

This is Jeff's way of finding a work-life balance.

"To me, it is like this epic journey," said Edwards. 

The Ironman is May 22nd.

Jeff's goal is to finish his Ironman in 14 hours or less.