My name is Josh Wade and I live in East Tennessee. I graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2009 and started working as an Environmental Engineer at Alliant Corporation. I married my beautiful wife August of 2009 and I love her more and more every day! I found myself overweight and unhealthy in the spring of 2010 and knew I needed to make a change. My interest in running was sparked after my sister Jennifer ran the Country Music Half-Marathon. Shortly after, she came in to run a local 5k with my dad and I decided to join them. I had been running a couple of miles a day for the last week and thought the race would be a breeze…we were going to run 10 minute miles, after all. Embarrassingly enough, I found myself walking after 2.5 miles. My sister’s boyfriend came back for me and ran the last half-mile with me. I was watching TV the week after the race and came across the Ironman 70.3 World Championships on NBC. Michael Raelert was the overall winner in 2010 and I could not believe he was running sub-6 minute miles in the half-marathon of the race. I was amazed someone could be in such phenomenal shape and made the decision right then that I would start training for triathlons. I have come a long way since that first 5k in the short time I have been racing. I have done two half-marathons, a full marathon, four sprint triathlons, one Olympic distance, and a half ironman! I recently got my first overall win in a 5k and am competing for age-group wins and top-10 finishes in triathlon. My dad recently started triathlon and we are now on this journey together. I love endurance training! It is keeping me physically and mentally fit and with God’s help and continued support from my family and friends I can continue to get faster and compete for the overall win!
My wife and I after my first half-ironman. She is my reason for living and I don’t know what I would do without her!
Did I fail to mention that she is hilarious?…and full of good advice! Well now you know.
The old man. He recently got into triathlon and is burning up the roads to get faster! If he spends any more money on triathlon I think this may be grounds for divorce. HaHa!
Bailey Wade…the first born!
Our special little man…Oswald Copperpot.
triandkeepup.wordpress.com 
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Josh – great reading about your transition into triathlon! A wonderful inspiration. Thanks for stopping by my blog, always good to learn about others’ experience in the sport.
Josh, I really enjoyed your blog!!! I am so proud of you!
Josh,
Loved reading your blog. It’s hard to believe have far you have come in such a short time.
Love you
Josh I read your blog. Good stuff, I’m proud to be your father in law. I love Ashley’s blog too. You and Ashley were made for each other and you and your dad make a great team.
Looking forward to reading your blog! Your wife is a riot . . . in 6 weeks, for the first time, I’ll be watching a triathlon instead of doing one! I got my amazing husband (52) to do his first one ever. We’re trying to use the Triathlon to get into shape so we can be together forever.
Oh, and tell your wife: “extra bouyancy, baby!” 😉
Thanks! So glad you are enjoying it and I will tell Ashley! Tell your husband good luck!
Love the blog Josh! Are you racing the Chattanooga Waterfront in a couple of weeks? Did it last year it is a great event!!
Thanks! No I’m not planning on racing again until July 14th. I had to have a few weeks to get in some recovery and some build weeks for a half-iron at the end of the season. I have heard it is great and really need to do it next year!
Hi Josh,
I’ve loved following your blog, as my husband’s just getting into Tri’s and I find the sport fascinating! Wondering if you would ever be willing to post some specific swim workouts–while I’m not training for a triathlon, I do go to the pool with my husband and would love to get a leg up on some swimming.
Thanks!
Sure! I’m glad you are enjoying the blog. I will post some swim workouts…and where I get most of mine from!
Josh,
I like your story of getting into triathlon, and look forward to following your blog! Best of luck on the rest of your season this year!
Thanks so much!
Hi Josh! Wow just reading what you’ve done & how much you’ve progressed is awe inspiring. Keep up the great work. And I love the photos of Bailey Wade & Oswald Copperpot (awesome names!)
Thank you so much! I’m glad you stopped by!
Great inspiration! It’s amazing how far you can go if you just tell yourself you can. And having family support is so critical….I’m lucky to have that too.
It is very critical! Thanks so much for stopping by and I will be following your blog, too!
Actually, farting in your wetsuit may keep you more buoyant. The problem will be the stench when you strip the suit off.
I love your Prefontaine quotes, btw. I’m right now in an absolute tri-slump and I think I need words of wisdom about now.
LoL…my wife is a character. I am a huge Prefontaine fan. What kind of slump are you in? Are you struggling for motivation to compete in tri’s or to train? I have struggled with both! Thanks for coming by!
I’ve done a dozen sprints, one Olympic, several 5km swims and three 70.3. I just lost 35 lbs and started training for a 140.6 and its frustrating to see that the extra weight is not where the speed is at. My times haven’t really changed between 70.3s.
I watched that Prefontaine movie with Sutherland, really great story! Seems a tad similar to the racecar driver, Senna.
Your wife sounds like a really cool gal. I get the feeling she’d like my stories. Hee.
That’s awesome! Congrats on the weight loss. I didn’t get significant gains in speed until I upgraded my bike and started some serious speed days on the bike and run a couple times a week. Since I started speed days, I have moved from middle of the pack to competing with the top guys. Just keep working!
And I love the Prefontaine movie…it is impossible to watch that movie and not want to go run a four minute mile!
As the great Gershwin said, “Nice work if you can get it.” A 4 min mile is cool but if I try that, my legs start saying very loudly, “it ain’t happening!”
Yeah, it’s hard to keep the chin up when you’re slow in all three disciplines. But I’m working on it.
Wow! Great blog and great achievements Josh – having only just completed my first sprint triathlon I have no idea how people manage a full Olympic distance one! Well done and keep it up!
Sam
Thanks Sam! Congrats on your first sprint! The Olympic Distance will come with time and training. Just keep putting in the miles and the distances will progress as your fitness does!
Great blog. Really inspirational to read about how you got into triathlon and all the progress you’ve made. This year I’m just focusing on building my endurance and getting through my Ironman, no matter how long it takes. Maybe next year (when I’m not doing another full IM) I’ll focus more on the speed.
Thanks man! Good luck on your Ironman. That’s the goal in the long run!
Any specific full picked out yet? The good thing about most of them filling up a year in advance is it forces you to commit to the training.
Nope I haven’t picked one yet. Maybe Florida? I might do Rev 3 though so I’m not sure.
Great story. I am glad that you decided to something. It is good to have a passion with your family. How old is your dad? I love talking to over 50 athletes. Keep up the good work. I am about finishing the race and enjoying the process. If winning was a possibility I may change my mind.