Most members of the Loyola community are used to seeing Donna Adams, residential area director, behind a desk in Carrollton Hall. But she can also be seen training for the half Iron Man, which she will participate in on April 17.

The half Iron Man will consist of a 1.2 mile swim in Lake Pontchartrain, followed by a 56-mile bike ride through New Orleans and ending with a 13.1-mile run through City Park.

Training for the Iron Man is no easy task and requires dedication and motivation.

Adams’ racing team, Venom Multisport Racing, puts its focus on training individual athletes to their fullest potential. Adams trains for hours every day, and says training for the race never really ends. Adams believes she will reach her peak at about the 12th week of training.

“I train between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. every morning, and then again after work around 5 p.m. for another couple of hours,” Adams said.

There are many different training programs available for athletes who wish to compete in the Iron Man.

If you can’t consult a professional, you can turn to Internet websites like http://ironman training.net that offer tips for picking the right workout program and steps for executing the workout plan once the right one is selected.

The website targets the three areas of the triathlon: running, biking and swimming, and gives specific advice on how to choose the right workout plan for each individual.

“When selecting a workout plan, it is different for everyone because everyone is at different fitness levels. I typically do an 8-12-week workout plan before a big run. However, training is pretty continuous throughout the year; we may get December and a little bit of January off, depending on how late we race,” said Adams.

Adams relies on an online training program that she and her training partner decided on. The program consists of different workouts each day that focus on different aspects of the race.

“For example, Mondays I swim 4,000 yards, whereas Tuesdays I may bike for two hours and run for eight miles, or maybe even complete one of the strength training routines that are on the website,” said Adams.

After an intense workout, Adams relies on “Fluid,” a muscle recovery drink that replenishes muscle energy levels, supports a stressed immune system, reduces inflammation and aches and most importantly to Adams, allows her to feel replenished so she can train harder the next day.

Although Adams enjoys the race itself for multiple reasons, her favorite part is the preparation that goes into the race.

“I’ve learned having a race to look forward to helps keep me motivated so that I can perform well on race day,” said Adams. “My favorite part of the race itself is the bike, because I have improved a lot from where I began,” said Adams.

Adams knows she still has room to improve when it comes to swimming.

“I am still working at getting stronger; however, I have someone who helps me with my speed workouts in the pool, so it’s getting better,” said Adams.

Adams has always been a natural runner, but she began having issues with one of her feet and was advised to stop running.

Although she recently took part in the Rock n’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon, Adams says she enjoys not having to constantly be on her feet when competing in a triathlon.

Adams is rapidly approaching her first half Iron Man, and she knows that it has taken time and motivation to get into the physical and mental shape she is in.

The Oschner half Iron Man kicks off at the New Orleans Lake Pontchartrain Beach Front on April 17.

Michelle Gingras can be reached at [email protected]