One Quick Learner

By John Boel

Remember that kid in school who you both despised, and admired, because he picked up everything so fast? That kid who tackled and conquered every challenge in record time, while you were far from finished? He resurfaced recently in my adult life. His name is Robert Biven.

Some of us know him as Sgt. Robert Biven of the Louisville Metro Police Department. Many of us in the media remember him as the kind Public Information Officer for the Jefferson County Police Department before merger. Lots of triathletes are meeting him these days, though briefly, because he's the one who's passing by them. And if they only knew that he didn't even start this multisport gig until two years ago. They'd really be bummed. That's right. In basically two years, Biven has progressed exponentially from starter distance sprint triathlons to recently completing his first Ironman. And he wasn't even an average finisher. He recently smoked Ironman Florida in 12 hours, 26 minutes. That makes me ill. But I had to ask him how, in two years, he went from 20-mile long triathlons to a 140-mile long tri in which he says he felt so good at the finish line that he could have kept running.

“I've always been a runner,” Biven says, “but I had Achilles surgery after an injury. When I got my injury, I started multisport training just to be healthier for my body.” His first step was the same beginner step that many of us around here take. He signed up for the E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park sprint triathlon. “I can still remember the hardest part of that first tri. The wake up call was getting off the bike and running. I came from a running background and didn't understand what they meant by the word ‘brick' until you actually feel it.”

Biven immediately fell in love with the people in this community who participate in triathlons. “I was surrounded by a new class of athlete, and everybody was so accepting, welcoming, and encouraging from start to finish, as well as eager to share training information and their philosophies and things like that. That's really what attracted me to it.”

He progressed rapidly through events like Tri-America's Olympic-distance event in Louisville, and by the end of his first year, he placed second overall in the Fort Knox Gold Vault triathlon. So he did what any rational person would do. He signed up for Ironman Florida. He registered for an Ironman without even completing a half-iron distance event. That's kind of like running your first 5-K, and then trying to register for the Boston Marathon.

And when he stepped to the starting line of Ironman Florida on Nov. 4th, he was greeted by the worst possible scenario: stiff wind kicking up huge ocean swells. “It was white-capping like crazy. Actually, a 35-year-old drowned during the swim. It was definitely frightening for a while. I got stung by a jellyfish halfway through the swim. But that didn't even phase me because I was making sure I could breathe. Once I got through the swim, we had 25 mile-per-hour headwinds for three-quarters of the way on the bike. I never pushed it. My plan was to be conservative the whole time. Then when I got to the run, I could've kept on running when I was done. I was feeling that good.”

Now, I recently did the half-iron distance Toyota Challenge up in Ohio, and we had whitecaps in the swim. I was petrified. I almost quit about 10 times, and my time was more than 10 minutes slower than usual. So I can't imagine tackling an Ironman as fast as Biven did, and the having to deal with huge ocean swells, a drowning, and being stung by jellyfish.

So what's next for Biven? Qualifying for the Boston Marathon, and of course, another Ironman.

“I've definitely got the bug now. The most intimidating part is the swim. The mass start of Ironman is supposed to be the biggest spectacle, and it is, because 2,300 people are jumping in at the same time. But add to it the rough water conditions that day, and that was the most intimidating. But the most memorable part is definitely the feeling you get coming into the finish.”

If you're reading this, don't get depressed. Veteran triathletes like me might look at this and say ‘I can't do a 12:26 Ironman in my next life.' Aspiring triathletes are probably thinking ‘I can't go from nothing, to an Ironman, in two years.' But Biven is saying ‘You might be surprised.' His best advice: take small steps.

“I think the biggest aspect of it is setting small goals that are achievable for you to keep you motivated through out your training process. But the reward is certainly worth it in the end.”

So shoot for the moon this year when it comes to your New Year's resolutions and goals. You might be surprised at how fast you get there.

John Boel is a 41-time Emmy winning news anchor at WLKY-TV. He's married, with two daughters, and is an avid runner and triathlete.