Meet Joel Pates

GE Power Service Sales Manager

Home base: East Cobb

Family life: Married to Danielle and father to three boys — Soren, 9, Fletcher, 10, and Jensen, 11

Work life: Sales Manager at GE Power Service

Age: 46

Joel Pates got serious about sports at a young age. He started playing football in fifth grade and went all the way through college, playing defense in college for the Army West Point sprint football league. He loved football but track was his main sport. He was an accomplished sprinter and long jumper throughout high school and college.

After college, Joel found a way to stay fit and have a social outlet through intramural football and softball. At age 22, he began competing in triathlons, both sprint and Olympic-length. In 2014, Joel did his first half Iron Man. “I wanted to push myself to see if I could do it,” says Joel. “I don’t like to run long distances. I like to sprint. The Iron Man forced me to run farther.” He completed a full Iron Man the following year in 13 hours. Now Joel is training for a half Iron Man this September.

How do you get your steps in?

“I work. I’ve got three boys. We have a busy life and I don’t like to get up early. So, I go to the gym from 10:30 p.m. to midnight after the family has gone to sleep. I swim for a mile and then I bike for a half hour to an hour. If I can fit a workout in during the day, I’ll run for three to four miles in my neighborhood.”

How many races have you competed in?

“Tons, lots of 5K and 10Ks. My wife Danielle and I have done two marathons and three half marathons together. Doing a Half Iron Man in September is a good fitness goal for me. Paying the fee for a race always helps me get focused on training because I know it’s coming up. My goal is to complete it under six hours.”