PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
IRON MAN … Montpelier resident Gage Crisenbery (above) recently competed in his first Iron Man event on Sunday, July 19, in Sandusky, Ohio. The 70.3-mile event featured 56 miles of biking, 13.1 miles of running, and 1.2 miles of swimming. The swimming portion of the competition was cancelled due to high winds and rough waters on Lake Erie.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com
Having successfully completed his first ever Iron Man 70.3 event in Sandusky on Sunday, July 19, Gage Crisenbery knew what it takes to accomplish a major challenge of covering 69.1 miles of biking and running all in one day.
The 2020 Montpelier High School graduate, who had participated in cross country, basketball, and track and field, became interested in the Iron Man after seeing a couple of people whom he followed doing it.
“It looked achievable and I wanted to do it, and kind of a fire just ignited me,” said Crisenbery.
Working full-time as an installer at Nofziger Door in Archbold, the 25-year-old Montpelier resident said it all begins with the mental aspect by preparing himself for the Iron Man.
“I do strength training in the weight room because swimming, running, and biking are the main three for that, and the weight training is huge,” said Crisenbery.
The purpose of weight training for Crisenbery is when he reaches a certain point, his muscles get fatigued while pushing himself to another level and to prevent injury.
Unfortunately, the swimming part of the Iron Man, which covered 1.2 miles, ended up getting cancelled due to hazardous conditions on Lake Erie.
There were about 1,300 people from all over the world who competed in the Iron Man, which also featured 56 miles of biking and 13.1 miles of running.
Having already participated in several half and full marathons in recent years, Crisenbery decided to compete in the Iron Man last December.
The 56-mile biking course led Crisenbery throughout rural Erie County. One of the routes he rode was from Sandusky to Fremont and back via county roads.
From there, he ran 13.1 miles through downtown Sandusky, completing two out-and-back loops twice to reach the full distance.
Crisenbery said the humidity really got to him along with the smoke that lingered from the recent forest fires in Canada.
His preparation for the Iron Man begins with an early morning run between four to seven miles around the area at least five days a week, or he would do weight training.
Crisenbery’s pre-Iron Man training included riding his bike five days a week. The week before, he had biked from Montpelier to Pioneer and back while totaling 30 miles.
For the swimming part, Crisenbery usually works out at the Williams County Family YMCA or finds a lake to swim, getting an open water feel.
“It’s a huge difference even in my training going from a pool to a lake, especially with the water temperature,” he commented.
Prior to competing in his initial Iron Man event, Crisenbery admitted that he was extremely nervous while having second thoughts going into it, but he wasn’t prepared enough.
“Competing in the Iron Man gets your nerves all up,” he pointed out. “I was sitting at the starting line that morning (July 19) and said to myself ‘I can’t believe I’m here’.
“Someone approached me like you’re taking it all in and it was a surreal experience.” Crisenbery pointed out that the Iron Man is a completely different environment than running a marathon or a half-marathon.
“I loved every second of it and I would like to see what I’m capable of and like to push limits,” he said after completing his first Iron Man.
He was accompanied by his mother, Brandi Crisenbery, and his brother, Collin Crisenbery, to Sandusky, who were there to support him.
“It meant a lot,” he said. “My mother told me, ‘You got this,’ and keep going, while my brother said, ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this,’ while admitting he was never going to do one.”
Reflecting on his successful first Iron Man event, Crisenbery wanted to push himself on the bike and being in the water more while trying to shave off time by at least thirty minutes.
“After that one, I’ve already been looking for more on my own and seeing if anyone would do it with me,” Crisenbery commented.
He has already set his sights on traveling to Puerto Rico in March 2027, competing in another Iron Man 70.3-mile event.
“You just enjoy the moment and take every second of it,” he concluded.
