Triathlon Magazine Canada
May - June 2007

Although David James Elliott has a prosperous career in television and film, he's after a sub-12 hour Ironman.

It's not difficult to picture David James Elliott.  Just mention the long running television show JAG  and most anyone you talk to immediately can picture him.  What most don't know is that before the 46-year old from Milton, Ontario, became a television star he had visions of singing in a rock group and over the last few year has become an Ironman triatlete.

Elliott's career in music was short lived.  After quitting high school to be in a band, he returned and graduated at 19.   He was accepted at Ryerson University, which the CBS-JAG website generously describes  "a Canadian arts college equivalent to Juilliard".  It didn't take Elliott long to become an accomplished actor.  From 1985 - 1988 he starred in the CBC series Street Legal.  His break in the US came with guest spots on hits such as Melrose Place and Seinfeld. Although Elliott remains a busy actor, enjoying a new generation of fans from the CBS hit Close to Home, he still finds time to pursue triathlon.

Elliott got his start in the sport 7 years ago when his publicist ask him if he wanted to participate in a relay leg of the Nautica Malibu Triathlon, an event devoted to raising money and awareness for charity.  Elliott had a long career in track and field and was always into running, but at 6'4" and 230 pounds, he was often injured.  When approached by the Malibu tri, Elliott admits he didn't even know what triathlons were.  When he found out it entailed a half mile swim, 18 mile bike and four mile run, he decided to do the entire race himself rather than only one leg.  "I never bothered to learning to swim"  Elliott says of the time leading up to the Malibu tri, "I almost drowned.  But I made up time on the bike and run."

Elliott enlisted Bill Jewel, a coach for the University of Southern California swim team, for some expert coaching and his triathlon career began.  He was hooked, and after doing Malibu decided he wanted to do an Ironman.  And not just any Ironman, but the mother of all events - the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kona Hawaii.  "I'm a sick man", he jokes.  Kidding aside, Elliott says he was drawn to the sport because "you not beating your body one way."  Going into the event in Kona, Elliott says he didn't try to pressure himself with unrealistic expectation, "We trained, my buddy and I, and followed our training plan.  But would the training show up {on race day}?  "We didn't know how to push in each discipline to have enough for the end."  In the end he finished in 13:31:13.

Race day anticipation coupled with the responsibilities that come with being a celebrity, and Elliott quickly realized more was expected of him than simply finishing the race.  "There were cameras following me everywhere, and they expect you to be funny," says Elliott, who went on to note that its difficult to be the showman when you are trying to focus on a race like Kona.  However, once the race started, Elliott says he had a "good swim, then we held back on the bike and the marathon was a killer.  It was so hot, and by the end of the day were kind of goofy.  Then, a couple of days later, I couldn't get out of bed"

Elliott went on to do a number of races, including the San Diego Triathlon Challenge in La Jolla, California, a half-Ironman distance event benefiting the Challenged Athletes' Foundation.  In fact, most of Elliott's racing has been for charity.  "If I'm invited I try to show up" he says.  "I did the Ride for the Roses, then hosted the event for Robin Williams."   Elliott rode with Tyler Hamilton for about 40 miles, although Elliott says "Lance [Armstrong] was gone on the first hill."  In addition to a number of marathons, Elliott has also run two Boston marathons to raise awareness for the Salvation Army's youth program.

With long days on the set of Close to Home Elliott faces the same training challenges as any age grouper working a 40-plus hour week.  The balance of a job, family, and training can be a delicate one.  "I stay active year-round, and train six to seven days a week.  I can't ever say exact times a day to train, so I race whenever I have time."  Elliott has a training option wherever he goes.  He keeps bikes at several different training partners' homes, as well as a bike at his own house.  He'll tell you the location of almost every lap pool in Los Angeles and of course, a run workout can fit in just about anywhere.

But he's realistic about the lifestyle, which for him includes one Ironman a year, as well as a couple of marathons or half-marathons.  "It can be a bit of a pain in the ass sometimes," Elliott says with regard to what his training means to wife Nanci Chambers and their kids Stephanie 13, and Wyatt, three.  "Before I did Ironman [Hawaii],  I ran it by my wife," knowing he needed her full support to commit to the race.  "It's not too bad until you get into the brick training days.  The bike takes a lot of time, and then if you have to head out on a run..." Elliott continues.

Elliott trains one discipline per day, and after all those years playing in bands, music is key to his workouts.  "I have pretty eclectic taste.  My 13-year-old daughter keeps me current on the new music," says Elliott, who listens to everything from the Beatles to the Killers while training.

Elliott will become even more intimately familiar with his MP3 collection as he sets his sights on another Ironman this year.  Like so many Ironman competitors, now that he's finished an Ironman, he wants to get the next one done faster.  His goal for this year is not an easy one: "I want to finish an Ironman in under 12 hours.  I know it can be done."