Ironmanlife: Fighting Depression through Ironman

Eric tried to take his life last year, now triathlon has become his best therapy

In January, 2009 Eric (he's asked that we not publish his last name) hit rock bottom. He'd been chronically depressed for as long as he could remember. For years he coped by self-medicated through various substances (including alcohol) and talked to counselors and therapists. He "coped" until that fateful day in January, though, when he tried to kill himself "by drinking three bottles of wine, swallowing a bottle of Valium and cutting my wrists." UPDATED WITH COMMENTS.

Luckily enough he wasn’t successful in his attempt. He admitted himself to an inpatient treatment center.

“While in treatment, we exercised every day at 6:30 AM,” he wrote in an e-mail earlier this week. “While I was always athletic, I had let myself go and maxed out at a whopping 315 lbs. I had always loved watching the Ironman on TV, and decided that since I was “forced” to exercise every morning, I might was well try to train for a sprint triathlon. After leaving treatment in May, I set my goal to complete the Musselman Sprint Triathlon (Geneva, NY) in July 2009. Two months later, I crossed the finish line in 2:00:47 and began to cry uncontrollably. I had achieved something I never thought possible, and in the process I fell in love with triathlon.”

Now, with five triathlon races under his belt, Eric is getting himself ready for Ironman 70.3 Syracuse this fall.

“I have also managed to influence my two best friends to get healthier and take up endurance sports (both ran the Buffalo half marathon with me; one of them has joined me in competing in triathlons and the other is training for a marathon),” he says. “All told, we have lost over 200 lbs combined in the past year (I now weigh in at 230 lbs) and have raced in over 10 events. My tri buddy and I even took fourth and fifth place, respectively, in our age group at one event!”

He’s also determined that his efforts can help others who might find themselves in a similar situation.

“The message I am looking to pass along is the message of hope and change. I want to raise awareness about mental illness. It is a disease just like cancer that can be just as, or in my opinion even more, debilitating. By raising awareness about mental illness, I am hoping that the stigma can be eradicated and it becomes an issue we can talk about without fear or judgment. I am also hoping to get more people to look to exercise as a way to enjoy life and share time with others. While triathlon may be somewhat of a personal sport, I have spent many hours training with my friends – hours I will never forget and that I would not normally have gotten to spend with them if not for running and triathlon. Finally, I am hoping to help people realize that any obstacle can be overcome. Whether you are trying to run with no legs (like Rudy Garcia-Tolson), see with no eyes (like Aaron Schiddes), or beat a problem dealing with life (like me), embracing positive changes and setting new goals can help you achieve anything you desire.”

You can reach Kevin Mackinnon at kevin@ironman.com