Josh The Athlete
I won my first 10K when I
was nine years old. (Good Neighbor Day 12 and under) I won the following year
as well.
 |
| Way back when. |
After
owning the 12 and under category for several years, I moved on to other sports....
Soccer
 |
| Too bad I had no hand-eye coordination |
Weight lifting
 |
| Lets just say it's a good thing I moved on from this endeavor |
Finally,
after fighting my body’s natural inclination for endurance sports by lifting
weights and putting on more than 60 lbs. of muscle, I gave in and delved into
the world of adventure racing.
Adventure
racing is essentially biking, paddling and running (and sometimes swimming,
ascending, rappelling, obstacle courses) from one predetermined checkpoint to
the next. The first one to the finish wins.
The catch is you have to navigate your way from checkpoint to checkpoint
using only a map and compass. Oh, did I mention they span in duration from 8 to
72 hours…non-stop?
Adventure
racing pushed my physical limits further than I though possible. The temperature at the start of the North
Georgia Adventure Race was eight degrees.
At that very same race I hallucinated due to extreme fatigue during the
second night. My partner and I still
managed to finish the race.
One
race covered more than a marathon on foot, over 100 miles on the bike and
gained more elevation than climbing Mt. Everest. I managed to dislocate my shoulder during the
kayak section of a 24-hour race I was racing solo. After swimming to shore with one arm and
climbing up to a set of train tracks above the river, I walked several miles
until I managed to find someone to drive me to the hospital.
One
of the first races of my second season I ended up performing CPR on my teammate
because she got pinned against a rock during the whitewater kayaking
section. She survived and went on to
live a normal life. They gave me a ‘hero’
medal although I don’t think I deserved it.
It was a team effort that got her out of the water and to the
helicopter.
I
also dabbled in a few 24-hour mountain bike races. My partner and I would take turns biking
around the course. The object was to
complete as many laps as possible within 24-hours. I think we came in second once.
Then,
something unexpected took me out of the racing scene for a while.
Her
name is Iris. I met her mom when she was
three. She’s been the love of my life
ever since. I legally adopted Iris when
she was five.
Iris
enjoyed watching me race and I enjoyed having her there cheering the
loudest. The demands adventure racing
has on both time and money had me reprioritizing my life.
It happened again. The birth of my
youngest, Sydney. As I raced, the
near-drowning of my teammate loomed in the back of my head. I questioned the risk and the loss my family
would incur as a result. I decided to
move on from adventure racing and give triathlons a try.
I
completed my first triathlon in 2010, the MarshMan Triathlon, (4th
in my age category) and was instantly hooked.
It wasn’t until 2012 that I thought I had put it all together to become
a good sprint-triathlon competitor. I’d
won my age category in two races and was looking for redemption at the
MarshMan. Unfortunately, while playing
paintball with my brothers, nephews and nieces, I slipped in some mud and
dislocated my shoulder…again. I managed
to complete the MarshMan less than a month later (I did the breast stroke the
entire swim) and still came in 4th in my age category. The hunger was still
there. 2013 would be my year.
I
met my coach, Mark Kotarski, in October and we planned for a successful
2013. My first two races, one sprint and
one Olympic distance went well (1st in my age group) and I was
looking to take the rest of the season by storm. That is, until knee pain ground everything to
a halt. As I was recovering from the
knees and getting back on form, a second injury (stress fracture) landed me
back in recovery mode and ruined nearly three months of racing.
Finally,
September came and I was able to compete again.
First was an aquabike (my foot wasn’t ready to run just yet), which is a
swim-bike race. I placed third overall. The second and final triathlon of the year I
ended up winning my age category.
Josh The Dad
I am more than just a
father. I am a husband to a wonderful
wife and a role model to my readers –many of whom are teenagers.
I strive to live as an
example for my children and leave behind a legacy of kindness, work ethic and
perseverance. I work a full-time job in
online marketing while writing, racing and being a parent and husband.
I lost my mother to
cancer when I was 19, my father to COPD just over ten years later. It is difficult to explain the origins of my
drive and determination without delving into the deep recesses of my mind –a
place seldom visited, yet it is that drive and determination that pushes me
every day to set an example for my girls.
What are we but lessons passed on to the next generation?
Of all my accomplishments, I am most proud of
being a father and a husband. Both roles
offer more challenges than any race (especially when your daughter becomes a
teenager, I can assure you) or event.
Similarly, the rewards of being a father and husband far supersede any
podium finish or world championship qualification.
Josh The Author
In June of 2012 I
published my first novel, Exiled. The
first book in a series (The Never Chronicles) about a teenage sorcerer who is
wrongfully convicted of murdering his mentor and banished to the sorcerers
version of Alcatraz.
In March of 2013, I
published Tristis Manor, a darker and
deeper tale about one of the characters from Exiled.
To quote one of my
readers, who oftentimes summarize books better than their writers:
“… this is a beautifully
written story of jealousy, abuse, and how a child survives and copes with the
aftermath of trauma. This novella deals with physical, emotional, verbal, and
sexual abuse in a very frank manner.”
All proceeds for the first six months of its
release were donated to RAINN.
RAINN: The nations
largest anti-sexual violence organization.
One of “Americas 100 Best Charities” –Worth magazine
I am currently working on
the second book in the series, Evasion,
which should be released in 2014.
For more information
about Josh The Author (J. R. Wagner) CLICK HERE and check out my Goodreads author profile or visit my website, TheNeverChronicles.com
Athlete Profile (short
version)
Josh Wagner
Home town: Downingtown, PA
Coach: Mark Kotarski
Sport: Triathlon
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Date
|
Race
|
Place
|
|
December
|
Rehobeth ½ marathon
|
49th/1200
|
|
October
|
Cape Henlopen Tri
|
First –age group
|
|
September
|
Bethany Beach aquabike
|
Third -overall
|
|
June
|
Try-it Tri
|
First-age group
|
|
May
|
Escape from Ft. Delaware
|
First –age group
|
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