Just over 13 hours of fierce activity, including running, biking, and swimming, is more than overwhelming to anyone attempting it. Such a challenge proved to be no big deal to American/Arizona history teacher Jeff Gurecki as he finished the Ironman triathlon with a time of 13:32:07. He talks about his experience saying, “The Iron Man taught me what I can do.”

About a year and a half ago, Gurecki started his training for the triathlon totaling 15 hours a week. In the fall of 2013, he finished an olympic, about of quarter of the Ironman distance, and soon moved on to completing a half. Gurecki knew it was all worth it when he decided, “Any endeavor is going to take time and going to take hard work.”

Looking ahead to the future, he was confident he was ready, but the most rigorous training didn’t start until right before the school year, where some swimming sessions reached 4000 meters and even hitting a few 100-mile bike rides. “I know what it takes to be successful really at any sport,” Gurecki states about his discipline to face the 45 mph headwinds, the windiest day on record for the Ironman Arizona during the bike.

Gurecki wasn’t the only one in need of support during the long hours of competing, Jenny Gurecki had her own dedication tested while she stayed at home with the couple’s 15-month-old twins and four-year-old daughter. The long hours of training were taxing on the family, but it all paid off when Jenny saw her husband cross the finish line after spending the entire day in support.

Not only has the Ironman changed his own life, but it has also come into play with his coaching style. After training 15 hours a week with extensive workouts, Gurecki doesn’t take notice to his players’ complaints anymore and continues to push his team to their limits, just as he has. Conditioning for a short time hasn’t begun to compare to the intense training he remembers. “It’s falling on deaf ears,” he says.

As next year’s head girls’ cross-country coach, Gurecki intends to use his time wisely for other competitions as well as his team’s own endeavors. “The coaching and competing, they always go hand in hand,” he says. Gurecki’s five hour triathlon run will be put to good use for motivation as he continues to workout with the group.

Inspiring others as well as family and friends, Gurecki will serve as a model for hopefuls pursuing any efforts, athletic or otherwise. He aspires to compete in other triathlons saying, “It’s just one foot in front of the other, you know you’re almost done, so you just have to keep going.”