Doesn't a 2.4-mile

swim in the Pacific Ocean sound good?

How about following

it up with a 112-mile bike ride, followed by running a marathon? No, this

isn't some new form of grueling punishment for convicts. This is what

it takes to be an Ironman.

Ken Thorsen,

a teacher at Whitewater Middle School, has dreamed of competing in the

competition nearly all of his life, and in May he'll get his chance.

Thorsen became

interested in running track while in high school. He joined the cross

country team and captured almost every award possible. He went to college

at Auburn University and wowed coaches with his running ability. He was

headed for a professional career in track and field when a motorcycle

accident during his junior year at college silenced those thoughts.

Thorsen graduated

from college and began a career working with people who suffered from

alcohol and drug abuse. The competitive bug was still inside of him and

in 1999 he began training again. Last year, Thorsen competed in 17 races,

finishing in the top 10 in 14 of them. His success landed him on last

month's cover of Atlanta Sports and Fitness magazine as one of the publication's

athletes of the year.

Thorsen trains

between 30 and 40 hours a week. He stretches, lifts weights, rides a bike

and swims to prepare for his competitions. While he is a serious competitor,

he is also dedicated to his family and his teaching career. Thorsen gets

a tremendous amount of support from his family, which enables him to put

the time he needs into training.

"I get

as many hours on the road on my bike as I can," said Thorsen. "Often

my 6-year-old son rides with me. This is something he wants to do, so

I let him and this gives us time together."

This is Thorsen's

first year teaching at Whitewater. He discusses the Ironman competition

with the students in his classes and finds ways to work it into their

daily lessons. He even finds that his training has made him a better teacher.

"To do

this type of training you have to be very disciplined. I have learned

a lot about discipline in the past couple of years and that knowledge

is helping me with my job."

Thorsen will

compete in the Ironman Competition in California in May. If he does well

in the competition, he will have a shot at earning a spot in the World

Championship Ironman in Kona, Hawaii in November.

"My goal

is to finish the Ironman competition in California. If I perform well

enough for the world championship, that would be great, but if I don't

it will still be a dream come true."

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