Profile of Jason Baletsa
Originally published in Smithsonian’s The Torch, Sept. 2008
With just five miles to go, Jason Baletsa suddenly found himself in trouble. Without warning, one of the tires on his carbon-frame 2008 Guru Crono bicycle went flat, forcing him temporarily out of the race. Sidelined for the next 20 minutes in the pouring rain, anxiously waiting for assistance, Baletsa began to question his decision to compete in the 10th anniversary of the Ironman USA Triathlon. Nearly eight months of training would be wasted if he couldn’t make up for lost time soon and get back on the course. And then, a reprieve: A race support vehicle pulled up and replaced Baletsa’s tire, allowing him to continue. “Changing flat tires on the fly is not my strength,” Baletsa jokes. “It’s a good thing help arrived when it didotherwise, I might still be out on the course.”
For many of us, present company included, working out is a concept that elicits groans and scowls. Getting in shape is one of those New Year’s resolutions that usually tapers off around February, and exercise happens only incidentally, when an elevator or subway is out of service. The concept of voluntarily swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and then running an entire marathon (26.2 miles) is difficult to graspyet that is exactly what Baletsa did on July 20th in Lake Placid, NY. What’s more impressive is that he did it in under 12 hours, finishing 622nd out of 2,400 participants, under the worst weather conditions in over a decade.
Baletsa, who has worked as Assistant General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel since March 2007, admits that he has always been athletic. A competitive swimmer since childhood, he has been competing in triathlons for the past six years, finishing several Olympic distance runs and three half Ironman races. He attributes part of his success to his swimming background, since most new triathletes fear the swimming race the most. If you are considering doing an Ironman or any triathlon race, Baletsa suggests setting realistic goals and not worrying too much about the competition. “Just go out and run your own race and don’t let the race get the best of you,” he advises.
To stay on track, Baletsa hired a professional coach with 25 Ironman-distance finishes to design weekly workouts for him. For the first few months, Baletsa focused on building cardiovascular fitness and endurance, exercising on average 7-10 hours per week. As the race neared, his training intensified, reaching a peak of 16 hours a week with two workouts per day. “My typical schedule would consist of four days of swimming, three days of cycling and three days of running, and two days of strength training,” Baletsa explains. “Monday was my only rest day.”
However, becoming an Ironman requires more than physical prowess psychologically, it is incredibly exhausting and tests even the strongest individual’s discipline and motivation. “Forcing yourself out of bed every Saturday and Sunday at 5:00 a.m. to go work out really punishes you mentally. You start thinking about the race 24/7,” said Baletsa. Having a supportive network of friends and family is essential, since in the months leading up to the Ironman, training becomes all-consuming. According to Baletsa, “You have to be pretty selfish at times. You need a good support group that won’t be upset if you bike for seven hours on Saturday and then spend the rest of the day on the couch with an ice bag.”
The last month of training proved to be the most difficult for Baletsa, but what kept him going was imagining the thrill of crossing the finish line and hearing the announcer shout, “You are an Ironman!”
That moment was incredibly moving and a highlight of the experience. “You really learn a lot about yourself and what you can achieve with enough discipline and the right focus,” says Baletsa. “There are times when you will think it’s impossible and you can’t do it, but if you train smart and have a good race strategy, then anything is possible.”
Up next for Baletsa? He could begin training for another Ironman as soon as 2009. “If you asked me the day after the Ironman, I would have said no to another race,” Baletsa says. “Now, with a few weeks behind me, I’m thinking about a foreign Ironman, maybe Australia or New Zealand for 2010.” Baletsa’s only request: “Don’t tell my family!”