While the Tour de France has passed the midpoint of the race, there is another athlete that is looking to complete something that might be even more demanding that the French stage race.
James Lawrence, a.k.a. the “Iron Cowboy” is setting out to complete 50 full-distance triathlons, in 50 states, in 50 consecutive days. He started the 50-50-50 challenge in Hawaii on June 6th and is scheduled to finish in his home state of Utah on July 25th. In case you were wondering, a full-distance triathlon is a swim of 2.4 miles (3.9 km), a bike ride of 112 miles (180 km), and a marathon run of 26.219 miles (42.195 km).  That’s an incredible 120 miles of swimming, 5,600 miles of riding, and just under 1311 miles of running in 50 days, along with the travel involved to get from state to state.
Lawrence isn’t just swimming, riding, and running, because he is a glutton for punishment. Beyond being an inspiration to others to get out and be active, the Iron Cowboy is also supporting the Jamie Oliver Food Foundation to fight obesity.
One of his sponsors, Rudy Project, sat down with Lawrence to talk about his experience so far.
Rudy Project – Are you bored at all?
James Lawrence – “Not at all. It’s minute to minute, and the coolest part is all the amazing people we are meeting.”
Rudy Project – Sick of any food yet, or of food in general?
Lawrence – “Totally, I just want a simple green salad with a fork.”
Rudy Project – What is the single best thing you’ve experienced so far that you didn’t expect going into this?
Lawrence – “The support for my family. They are my biggest concern, and they’ve been supported by a nation.”
Rudy Project – Single worst?
Lawrence – “Lack of sleep and travel. I made a lot of logistical errors.”
Rudy Project – Who’s the most inspirational person you’ve met on this journey?
Lawrence – “My wife continues to inspire me daily.”
Rudy Project – When you complete this, who’s the first person that you’ll say “Told you so!” to?
Lawrence – “Myself!”
Rudy Project – What else can you possibly challenge yourself to do once this is over?
Lawrence – “Raising a million dollars…I won’t stop till I hit that goal.”
Rudy Project – How is the Rudy Project equipment helping you?
Lawrence – “I crashed in Tennessee and my Rudy Project helmet saved me. Now, the gloves protect my hand that has road rash, and I just love all my glasses.”
To learn more about Lawrence’s challenge, and see what he has left, visit his website:Â http://www.ironcowboy.co
Based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Scott joined Bike World News as the Cyclocross Editor in 2012 before taking over as Tech Editor in 2016. He has also worked as a photographer for various pro teams and shoot races along the east coast of the US, including the 2012 US MTB National Championships, 2013 UCI Cyclocross World Championships, and 2016 UCI Road World Championships. Scott has a passion for performance and technology, with 35 years of riding and mechanic experience. He also enjoys soccer, running, teaching group fitness classes, and is the founder of Lancaster Beard Company.
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