Miss-Delectable
New Member
- Joined
- Apr 18, 2004
- Messages
- 17,160
- Reaction score
- 7
Great Falls Tribune - www.greatfallstribune.com - Great Falls, MT
Marc Jette, a graduate of the Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind, knows just what it takes to be an Ironman contender.
"It's serious," said the 34-year-old who recently completed an Ironman in Arizona. "It's real stuff."
Serious is right.
Ironman competitors swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, then run 26.2 miles in a single day. That's quite an accomplishment, especially considering Jette once struggled to take even a single step.
A triplet, Jette was born deaf as a result of cytomegalovirus, or CMV. While his brothers weren't affected, CMV almost killed the newborn Jette.
"Thanks to my parents taking care of me and the hospital staff, I was able to live," he said.
Jette's family adjusted to his deafness but the virus set him back physically.
"He didn't walk until he was over two and a half years old," said his mother, Mary. "When he walked, that was a real big event in our house."
By age 12, Jette starting running.
His father joined him.
"We ran at night," Jette explained. "I just developed a love for it."
During his teen years, Jette ran track while simultaneously attending Great Falls High School and MSDB. After graduating from MSDB in 1990, he ran track and cross country at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in biology, Jette moved to Arizona and earned a teaching certificate. Then, while teaching high school, he kept running — including marathons — and completed a master's degree in education in 2004.
He decided to pursue Ironman competitions less than four years ago.
"He didn't know how to swim for competition," said Bettina Warnholtz, president and head coach of Racelab. "We had to teach him."
Now Jette swims several times a week, both on his own and with a group. He trains in two sports most days, while maintaining a job and family.
Warnholtz, a certified Level II USA Triathlon coach, said Ironman competitions are different than traditional triathlons. The distances are farther, there are more rules, and more equipment and supplies are required. Because of that, people with disabilities rarely compete. In fact, Jette is the first deaf person to ever compete in the Arizona Ironman-Tempe.
Jette entered his first Half Ironman in 2004, shortly after he began training with Warnholtz. He completed the 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike race, and 13.1-mile run in 7 hours and 33 minutes.
"He didn't have a wetsuit," Warnholtz said. "He didn't even have a road bike. He rode 56 miles on a mountain bike. That is very difficult to do."
Jette told his coaches he would take an hour off his time by the following year. In 2005, better prepared and with the right equipment, he achieved that goal, completing his second Half Ironman in 6 hours and 12 minutes. Still determined to improve, he vowed to take another hour off his time by 2006. He did, completing his fourth Half Ironman in 5 hours and 21 minutes.
His new goal it to complete a Half Ironman by October in under 4 hours and 50 minutes.
"He is very determined and very motivated," Warnholtz said. "He is very sharp. Very intelligent."
"If you are prepared, you can do it," Jette said.
Whenever Jette competes, he wears a sign on his shirt that tells others he is a deaf competitor. That sign is important.
"Ironman competitions are difficult," Warnholtz said. "There is a lot of communication going on between athletes that he can't hear, like when competitors call out they are going to pass. He also can't hear race officials or the start of the race."
And he can't hear the crowds. Racelab members have learned to work with that by cheering for Jette with hand and arm signals.
"We make sure we raise our hands in the air, kind of like a wave, so he knows we are there supporting him," Warnholtz said.
Sometimes, though, nature conspires against Jette, like it did during his first Full Ironman.
In the early morning swim Jette said the conditions were perfect. But two hours into the biking portion of the race, a strong wind howled.
The 45-50 mph wind continued all day and hampered Jette's goal of finishing in 12 hours.
"It took me 14 hours and 38 minutes. It was so terrible. It had the wind and it was cold, but that stuff happens. It's the luck of the draw, right? But I feel great. I did it!"
Jette plans to continue competing in Half Ironman and Full Ironman competitions. He'd like to qualify for the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. This elite race allows only 1,700 of the world's toughest competitors. Still, Jette is determined.
"I've learned a lot since my first Full Ironman. I'm sure I will improve."
He believes others can accomplish a lot if they try hard enough.
"If they just have desire and determination, if they stick to their goals, they can do a lot. The secret to success is to just get up and get going."
The working part, he signed with a smile, is easy.
Marc Jette, a graduate of the Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind, knows just what it takes to be an Ironman contender.
"It's serious," said the 34-year-old who recently completed an Ironman in Arizona. "It's real stuff."
Serious is right.
Ironman competitors swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, then run 26.2 miles in a single day. That's quite an accomplishment, especially considering Jette once struggled to take even a single step.
A triplet, Jette was born deaf as a result of cytomegalovirus, or CMV. While his brothers weren't affected, CMV almost killed the newborn Jette.
"Thanks to my parents taking care of me and the hospital staff, I was able to live," he said.
Jette's family adjusted to his deafness but the virus set him back physically.
"He didn't walk until he was over two and a half years old," said his mother, Mary. "When he walked, that was a real big event in our house."
By age 12, Jette starting running.
His father joined him.
"We ran at night," Jette explained. "I just developed a love for it."
During his teen years, Jette ran track while simultaneously attending Great Falls High School and MSDB. After graduating from MSDB in 1990, he ran track and cross country at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in biology, Jette moved to Arizona and earned a teaching certificate. Then, while teaching high school, he kept running — including marathons — and completed a master's degree in education in 2004.
He decided to pursue Ironman competitions less than four years ago.
"He didn't know how to swim for competition," said Bettina Warnholtz, president and head coach of Racelab. "We had to teach him."
Now Jette swims several times a week, both on his own and with a group. He trains in two sports most days, while maintaining a job and family.
Warnholtz, a certified Level II USA Triathlon coach, said Ironman competitions are different than traditional triathlons. The distances are farther, there are more rules, and more equipment and supplies are required. Because of that, people with disabilities rarely compete. In fact, Jette is the first deaf person to ever compete in the Arizona Ironman-Tempe.
Jette entered his first Half Ironman in 2004, shortly after he began training with Warnholtz. He completed the 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike race, and 13.1-mile run in 7 hours and 33 minutes.
"He didn't have a wetsuit," Warnholtz said. "He didn't even have a road bike. He rode 56 miles on a mountain bike. That is very difficult to do."
Jette told his coaches he would take an hour off his time by the following year. In 2005, better prepared and with the right equipment, he achieved that goal, completing his second Half Ironman in 6 hours and 12 minutes. Still determined to improve, he vowed to take another hour off his time by 2006. He did, completing his fourth Half Ironman in 5 hours and 21 minutes.
His new goal it to complete a Half Ironman by October in under 4 hours and 50 minutes.
"He is very determined and very motivated," Warnholtz said. "He is very sharp. Very intelligent."
"If you are prepared, you can do it," Jette said.
Whenever Jette competes, he wears a sign on his shirt that tells others he is a deaf competitor. That sign is important.
"Ironman competitions are difficult," Warnholtz said. "There is a lot of communication going on between athletes that he can't hear, like when competitors call out they are going to pass. He also can't hear race officials or the start of the race."
And he can't hear the crowds. Racelab members have learned to work with that by cheering for Jette with hand and arm signals.
"We make sure we raise our hands in the air, kind of like a wave, so he knows we are there supporting him," Warnholtz said.
Sometimes, though, nature conspires against Jette, like it did during his first Full Ironman.
In the early morning swim Jette said the conditions were perfect. But two hours into the biking portion of the race, a strong wind howled.
The 45-50 mph wind continued all day and hampered Jette's goal of finishing in 12 hours.
"It took me 14 hours and 38 minutes. It was so terrible. It had the wind and it was cold, but that stuff happens. It's the luck of the draw, right? But I feel great. I did it!"
Jette plans to continue competing in Half Ironman and Full Ironman competitions. He'd like to qualify for the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. This elite race allows only 1,700 of the world's toughest competitors. Still, Jette is determined.
"I've learned a lot since my first Full Ironman. I'm sure I will improve."
He believes others can accomplish a lot if they try hard enough.
"If they just have desire and determination, if they stick to their goals, they can do a lot. The secret to success is to just get up and get going."
The working part, he signed with a smile, is easy.