It’s a long journey from the couch to a triathlon, but Tom Gorman is well on his way. Gorman, associate director of marketing and communications for the College of Engineering, dove headlong into competitive athletics for the first time in nearly 15 years when he began training for the Motor City Triathlon, which will take place June 26 on Belle Isle.
“I first had the idea to train for a triathlon a year ago,” Gorman said. “Athletics has always been a big part of my life. I’ve played sports, studied sports, I’m a sports fan and I worked in athletics here at the university for seven years.”
A milestone birthday found him in a reflective mood. “I turned 35 last August and realized I’m not getting any younger,” Gorman said. “I also realized that I got into some bad habits related to nutrition and physical activity, and just decided that it was time to make some changes.”
Gorman believes that lifestyle changes tend to be more successful if they happen gradually. “I made some adjustments, but I’ve found that making drastic changes just sets you up for failure. So I started watching what I eat a little more closely and establishing a regular fitness routine, and it’s worked pretty well so far.”
Gorman’s workout routine is challenging and vigorous. “Mondays and Fridays, I’ll do some weight training and get in a quick two-mile run. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I’m in the morning cycling class at the Mort Harris Recreation and Fitness Center. Wednesdays are reserved for running, and Saturday mornings I play tennis. Sundays, I generally take off from formal exercising, although I might burn a couple of calories chasing the kids around the house or doing some chores.”
A triathlon consists of swimming, cycling and running. Gorman’s strength is swimming, but he’s looking to excel at all three. “I was a varsity swimmer in high school. Running has never been my strength. That’s the discipline where I have the most work to do and where I’ve put most of my focus as I train.”
As the weather improves, his daily regimen will incorporate “brick” training, which involves doing a bike ride and a run consecutively to prepare his body for the quick transition of disciplines. To get race-ready, Gorman also recently ran in the Fox Sports Detroit “I Ran The D” 5K, the first competitive running event he had done since age 14.
Although his three young children don’t really see their dad training every day (he typically tackles his regimen in the hours before the work day begins), his wife has been very supportive. “She sometimes thinks I’m crazy for getting up so early, but she understands that this is important to me.”
After the triathlon, Gorman said he will probably compete in others. “Most of what I hear and read indicates that once someone competes in a triathlon, they tend to want to do it again and again.”
In the end, Gorman sees this endeavor as an exercise in discipline and self-improvement. “It’s about setting a goal for myself and trying something new, and also realizing I want to stay fit and maintain high energy levels. I think it sets a nice example for my kids. It really boils down to something simple: You just want to do something that makes you feel good about yourself.”