Dan Dantzler- Going For Broke
by Coach Matt Russ
I first met Dan Dantzler when he came in for a bike fitting. After working for two hours on his fit, we were getting close, but still had a ways to go. This was not a normal fit; Dan had one leg that was significantly shorter than the other.
Dan grew up playing sports. He was captain of his high school swim team and starting goalkeeper for his soccer team when he suffered a severe car accident that crushed his legs. He had 13 breaks in all the major bones of his lower legs and ankles, resulting in a month in the hospital, another three months in a wheelchair, and a litany of surgeries to attempt to repair the damage. There was initial concern he would not be able to walk, much less, run again. His left ankle was partially fused, and, with extensive rehab, he was able to get back on his feet.
A young man heals very quickly but this type of trauma affects the body for a lifetime. Dan's knee and left ankle were scoped to repair cartilage damage that was probably due to the compensation for his injuries. Even with these issues, at the age of 37, Dan is still competing in triathlon and going strong. Although his training had been somewhat unstructured, he did have a dream goal; to complete a half-Ironman event.
My initial reaction was to try and to talk him out of it. You only have one body to carry you through this life and there is no sense in wearing it out for one event. Dan still suffered with a lot of pain and inflammation, especially in the ankle. I explained to him that the training could further degenerate the cartilage and accelerate the joint deterioration. The smart thing to do was to stick with shorter distance races and mitigate the wear and tear on the ankle, especially from running.
Although Dan listened and heard what I said, he still wanted to give it a shot. His brother and best friend were doing the race and I could tell he was looking for a challenge. I could also tell that Dan was a very stubborn person and would probably go it on his own. He has a certain soft-spoken determination about him. I knew his training plan would require some creativity and thinking outside of the box. I also considered I may be his best shot at getting him to the finish line intact. Dan is a very smart guy and he understood the risks. He agreed to give up the race if the ankle got too bad and he also agreed this would be his first and last long race.
Dan was very compliant with his training plan and rarely missed a workout. I explained how important it was to avoid over-training, especially for him, and that he must track his soreness, stress levels, and recovery. The software we use allowed us to quantify and communicate these metrics and Dan would upload his heart rate data to the software after each workout. We used soft surface runs, pool runs, and cross-training on the elliptical trainer to help alleviate some of the impact stress while training for the run. I analyzed his stride and concluded he was already naturally doing what he needed to do in order to lower impact stresses. His doctor also injected his ankle with a newly-approved “joint fluid” that helps with degenerative injuries like Dan's. This seemed to help, at least temporarily.
Our goal was to build just enough endurance to complete the run while focusing on the swim and bike legs for speed. Dan is an excellent swimmer and really poured himself into the workouts. We prescribed long runs every few weeks and, although the ankle did not like them, his endurance gradually grew. I could tell he was discouraged by his body sometimes but he would throw himself into the next workout twice as hard—he wanted this race.
A few weeks out from the Florida Half we started his taper. I believed he was as prepared as he could be but I was still nervous, as was Dan. We set up a sound pacing, fueling, and hydration strategy. The only unknown was how the ankle would react on race day.
Dan started off with a great swim, but the heat index that day was 102 with no wind making the bike leg it very challenging. Dan stuck to his fueling and hydration plan and maintained a steady 18 mph.. Having his mother, brother Sam, friend Joe, and, most importantly, girlfriend Mary at the race to support him helped a lot. Dan and Joe finished the bike together and started off on the run where they passed Dan's brother, Sam, working his second loop. This gave him a bit of a boost. Dan stayed true to his pacing strategy and walked as needed to give his ankle a break. One of the great moments for me as coach was hearing the excitement in his voice after the race. Dan finished in 6:51, just under his goal of 7 hours.
I think the race proved a lot of things to Dan. It was proof that he could still get in great shape at the age of 38 and that he had the level of drive, determination, and focus he knew was there but needed to demonstrate. In Dan's case, his physical limitations presented an extra challenge but made also made his accomplishment that much sweeter.
Dan (center), friend Joe (left), and brother Sam (right)
Matt Russ has coached and trained elite athletes from around the country and internationally for over ten years. He currently holds expert licenses from
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