david as an athlete and martial arts student

As a triathlete, David completed 28 IRONMAN® distance races, including the IRONMAN® Hawaii World Championship. In 2007, he was inducted into the Vineman Triathlon Hall of Fame, and his image appears on the back of all finishers’ medals from that year. Overall, he has competed in more than 100 triathlon events, as well as a dozen Spartan Races and standalone marathons.

David is entering his 11th year of ninjutsu training — the self-protection systems of the Japanese ninja — as a transformative path to living more peacefully, safely, and happily in the modern world. As Toshitisugu Takmatasu wrote, “Ninjutsu epitomizes the fullest concept of self-protection through martial training in that the ninja art deals with the protection of not only the physical body, but the mind and spirit as well.” He currently trains with Shinobi Martial Arts in New Hampshire.

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In David’s Own Words:

Why did I become a triathlete?

 

While serving as a young officer in the U.S. Navy, I was diagnosed with cancer. After undergoing extensive radiation and surgery, I wanted to prove to myself that, even though I had cancer, cancer did not have me.

 

I signed up for my first triathlon in the summer of 1995 – a sprint-distance race in Atlantic Beach, Florida. I remember nervously lining up with the other athletes at the starting line with my swim wave, but when the starting gun went off, all my fear and anxiety disappeared. I finished in the middle of my age group in that race, but I was instantly hooked. Two years later, I discovered IRONMAN Triathlon® (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run) and knew this was my event.

 

What makes successful triathletes successful?

 

This was my burning question. For over 15 years, I immersed myself in the sport of triathlon both as an athlete and a coach. I went back to graduate school on my own dime to study exercise physiology and earn a Master of Science degree. I hired the best coaches to coach me so I could learn how they coached their athletes. I have coached hundreds of athletes at all levels and with diverse backgrounds and experiences. I researched triathlon training topics in depth, presenting seminars and webinars alongside other experts, including 6-time IRONMAN World Champion Dave Scott. The training principles and practices that I discovered and utilized led me to a personal best time of 8:51 at the IRONMAN distance and to wins at Vineman (twice) and Blue Devil Triathlons (three times).

 

Are you still competing in triathlons?

 

No. I experienced burnout, overtraining, and injury in 2008 that ultimately led me to stop competing in triathlons in 2010. This experience has helped me gain a new perspective on the potential hazards of being an endurance athlete. Since then, I have shifted my approach to training, focusing more on long-term health, mobility, and well-being.

 

What have you done since 2010?

 

After I stopped competing in triathlons, I participated in Spartan Races for a year, culminating in the Spartan World Championship in Killington, Vermont. After that, I began to explore other embodied practices, including rock climbing, stand-up paddleboarding, and martial arts. Since 2014, I have immersed myself in ninjutsu (the self-protection systems of the ninja), making it the focus of my PhD dissertation. I am using the practice as a path for personal transformation.

 

I remain active and continue to exercise regularly, but not at the same intensity or volume as I did when I was a triathlete. I now incorporate more mobility, flexibility, breathwork, and meditative practices for overall health, mobility, and well-being.