Clearwater, FL — Dr. David Minkoff, M.D. (http://www.drminkoff.com) alternative healthcare expert, educator and triathlete, completed his 35th Ironman race at the full Ironman Arizona, in Tempe, November 2008. Over 2100 competitors from all over the world raced at Ironman Arizona where Dr. Minkoff finished in the top ten of his age group 60-64. To reach this outstanding and difficult goal, Dr. Minkoff has completed Ironman races in Hawaii, California, Florida, Arizona, Canada and New Zealand.
Ironman races are known as the elite and toughest of all triathlon races. Triathlons themselves are grueling and a full Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run.
For Dr. David Minkoff, it started in 1974, while doing his Residency in San Diego. He caught the marathon bug after American Frank Shorter won the gold medal in the marathon at the Munich Olympics.
Then in February 1982, Dr. Minkoff and a close friend who was an investment manager were watching ABC sports coverage of the Hawaii Ironman race. They saw the dramatic finish of Julie Moss crawling across the finish line to claim second place. Her courage and determination were inspiring and Dr. Minkoff and his friend both decided they wanted to be triathletes.
But who had the time to train and do this? With three young children at home and just starting his medical practice it didn’t seem realistic. His investment friend said, “Give me all your money and I will invest it for you and in five years we’ll both retire and we can do this.” But that night Dr. Minkoff couldn’t sleep. He kept thinking that he couldn’t wait for five years. Ironman fever was in him. The next morning, Dr. Minkoff found a used racing bike in the want ads, went to the nearby YMCA and joined the pool to start swim training.
Eight months later he was at the starting line in Kona, Hawaii, at the Ironman World Championship, to compete in his first of 35 Ironman races.
“It was a very hard race, and in middle of the marathon, I thought, ‘I never want to do this again.’ Then, somehow the next day it didn’t seem so bad. And by the time I was on the plane going home, I was ready to come back the next year and improve my time. That zeal has never left me to this day,” enthuses Dr. Minkoff. “I like the lifestyle and the training. I like having my body feel fit, in shape and healthy. I love the challenge of pushing myself to do my best.”
To the question of how he does it, Dr. Minkoff explains, “Being fit means good nutrition and taking care of yourself. The aging body requires optimum nutrition to continue to perform at its best and the most important part of that nutrition is getting a quality protein. I count on Master Amino Acid Pattern (http://www.bodyhealth.com) to do that and have for the last 5 years. It has served me well.”
There is a lot of confusion among athletes regarding nutrition that Dr. Minkoff addresses as an educator. It was also a natural progression that a segment of the clinic he founded, LifeWorks Wellness Center (), specializes in sports nutrition. The clinic works with some of the top professional cyclists, NASCAR drivers, baseball players, football players, triathletes, and motor-cross racers, with great success.
To reach his current record of 35 Ironman races, Dr. Minkoff competes in full Ironman races one-three times a year and a ½ Ironman or Olympic distance Ironman a couple of times a year. And it’s not over – his 2009 schedule is already set.
Dr. David Minkoff also currently devotes time to writing and research. The book he is writing, “How To Live To 120 and Feel Like 35,” explores the difference between chronological age and biological age and explains the steps one can take to lengthen his/her lifespan while retaining feelings of youth, energy, vitality, and health in his/her body. The book is intended to be a handbook for the body. For more information about Dr. David Minkoff and to read more of his work visit http://www.drminkoff.com.
