by Lisa Schauer
Herb Spicer, 71, of Great Cacapon departs today for Florida to compete in the Iron Man global series — his 15th triathlon — this Saturday, May 16 in Jacksonville.
The course consists of a 2.4-mile swim down a river, a 112-mile bike ride around the city, and a 26.2-mile full marathon. Those who finish on time will qualify for the Boston Marathon.
Spicer is feeling confident, and should he place first in his division of 70 to 74-year-olds, he will proceed directly to the Iron Man world championships in Kona, Hawaii.
“I’m an older person, and I want to give people hope. You’re never too old,” said Spicer in an interview with The Morgan Messenger.
At age 29, Spicer was overweight and out-of-shape. One day, after a bout with severe chest pain, he discovered a book on the Pritikin diet and began following it religiously.
Popular when released in the 1970s, the Pritikin lifestyle eventually fell out of favor due to the difficulty of sticking to its very low-fat, plant-based diet combined with a daily exercise recommendation of 30 to 90 minutes of cross-training.
Defying the odds, Spicer stuck with the program. Today, at about 5’10” and 127 pounds, he carries the physique of a much younger man.
At age 44, Spicer became a certified personal trainer, an avocation he continues.
Two years later, he competed in his first Iron Man competition and has never looked back.
Since relocating to Great Cacapon from Frederick over a year ago, Spicer’s goals include leading personal training for all ages in Morgan County.
