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Rick Rano shares his love of competition Let’s Talk Triathlon
Rick Rano is an active member of the Westerville community, part of the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Club and a local real estate agent for Re/MAX Affiliates, Inc. He’s also a passionate Ironman participant who began competing 12 years ago. He has competed in Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Hawaii and Ohio. It doesn’t end there – Rano has also competed in four local Olympic triathlons and two Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathons.
His accomplishments are impressive, considering he began this journey when he was 43.
“I got started, I like to say, as my version of a mid-life crisis,” he says. “I was 43 years old and had not ridden a bike since I was 20 years old. ... I thought playing golf each summer was fun, but I wanted to challenge myself both mentally and physically. I have a high-stress job of selling real estate, so this was the perfect release for me, and getting the benefits of fitness was pleasing.”
Preparing for a grueling challenge like an Ironman is a daunting task. Luckily, he has a phenomenal coach close by: Carrie McCoy, swim coach and owner of JustTri, a Columbus-based triathlon training organization.
“She is a fearless leader and focuses on the mental and nutritional preparations,” Rano says.
Each Ironman takes him between 12 and 15 hours, so mental preparation is essential.
Nowadays, he follows a personalized training regimen and has specific goals
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that he must accomplish each week. Those goals include swimming two miles twice a week, biking an hour twice a week and running twice a week for 30 to 60 minutes. On Saturdays, he rides for 70 to 90 miles with a 30-minute run afterwards. On Sundays, to truly get in the Ironman mindset, he does what he calls his hardest workout of the week: a biking and running combination where he cycles for 90 minutes, runs for 30 minutes, cycles again for 60 minutes and finishes with a 30-minute run.
“Training for the Ironman is very intense and time-consuming,” Rano says. “Much of the physical work is the training schedule that you prepare for in the months leading up to the race.”
And while most of us are sweating just thinking about all that exercise, Rano insists that his focus is on keeping a good attitude and being positive, especially on race day.
“If you have completed your training, then you have the physical part, but most of the focus is on being positive on race day, making sure you smile a lot, thank the volunteers, encourage and be encouraging to other athletes,” he says. “This helps later in the race.”
As any exercise enthusiast knows, your diet is half the battle.
Breakfast
Two hard-boiled eggs
Post morning workout snack
Smoothie or shredded wheat cereal
Lunch
Salad with chicken
Afternoon snack
Protein bar with walnuts, almonds or cashews
Dinner
Small portion of meat with cooked vegetables
Rano hopes to put all of his training into action in the Ohio 70.3 Ironman in July. He has competed in this race three times, but missed the 2019 event for good reason – it fell on the same day as his daughter’s wedding.
Staying active is in his DNA. His father, a role model, was Westerville’s first full-time parks director. Rano is proud to have parents who are still his best friends today.
“My dad was very straightforward and my favorite quote of his is, ‘Son, today is the first day of the rest of your life, so don’t waste it,’” Rano says.
Growing up with a father like his, Rano was encouraged to dip his toes in lots of athletic activities. Nowadays, he and his wife, Tess, a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo and previous owner of a karate studio in Westerville, have encouraged their three children to do the same.
“Being 55 years old, I am blessed to have a great, supportive wife that allows me to continue this crazy schedule, but more importantly, the journey of life with her. ... I know I won’t always be able to do this type of extreme endurance sport, but have already started to plan for the next stage as I took up pickleball this past winter. I really enjoy the activity and the people are nice and welcoming, but don’t let that fool you, because you make one mistake and that competitive pickleball player – many are senior citizens – will smash that ball right back at you.”
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