NORTH BRUNSWICK – Howard Uniman has completed 17 marathons, 100 half marathons, two dozen triathlons, three half Ironmans and one Ironman competition – 98 percent of which took place within the last decade.
The 63-year-old North Brunswick resident always lived an active lifestyle. He liked to run because he said it gave him the feeling of flying.
As a child, living near Babbage Park, he would walk to the area of Linwood Middle School to play basketball. He was part of the North Brunswick Pop Warner Indians early on in the existence of the program, but played soccer at Linwood because there was no football team. He played football and basketball at New Brunswick High School, and played football at the University of Pennsylvania for two years before a concussion sidelined him.
He pursued a career in advertising for four years, but then decided to go to law school. It was during his law career that he said he looked at his co-workers with paunches hanging over their stomachs. Watching then-President George Bush taking a run while on TV, he said, “He’s the president of the United States and if he can find the time to run, what the hell is wrong with me?”
“This isn’t my self-image. I don’t want to be like them,” he recalled.
Uniman said he started with a 5K and though he had difficulty, he stuck with it and decided to try a half marathon.
He chose an 18-mile race in Long Beach Island to commemorate the 11 Israeli athletes killed by Palestinian terrorists in the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Saying running wasn’t a life-changing experience, nor a lifelong ambition, he decided next to apply for the lottery for the New York City Marathon in 2005. His 5-hour, 20-minute stint just happened to coincide with this 50th birthday.
“I didn’t want to be one-and-done. I was getting healthier. You’re never too old to do something,” he said. “Age isn’t a limit and shouldn’t be a limitation.”
His next challenge was the Ironman Kona World Championship. A former Red Cross advanced swimmer, certified lifeguard and certified SCUBA diver, he decided to try a triathlon which combines swimming, bike riding and running. He did some sprint races to practice, working his way up to Olympic distances.
Since he was able to successfully complete a half Ironman, he set his sights on a full one: a 2.4-mile swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride and a full 26.2-mile marathon.
“It was nervewracking and a lot of work,” Uniman said, especially because it was freezing and very windy.
At mile 100 he hit a piece of wood in the road and flew off the bicycle, leaving him with a lasting shoulder injury. However, he finished the entire race in 17 hours.
“That one might have been a one-and-doner,” he laughed.
Uniman said he generally does not concentrate on his finishing time, mostly because, “I don’t want it to be work. Work is work. I don’t want this to be work, I want it to be enjoyment. I don’t obsess over it.”
Plus, he does not want to push himself too hard and cause an injury. Besides his shoulder, he did suffer with an Achilles problem.
Yet this year, Uniman already has several races planned.
He completed the Rutgers Unite Half Marathon in New Brunswick on April 15 at a time of 1:57.
The metric 100 mile Tour de Franklin bike ride to benefit the Franklin Food Bank will be April 29. The 50-mile Farmlands Flat Tour in Lincroft is May 6. A half marathon in Brooklyn is set for May 19. Then, the New Jersey State Triathlon is July 21 and 22 in Mercer County Park.
With the next half Ironmans set for July 15 and Aug. 26, he’ll train five days a week: swimming on Wednesdays and Fridays, indoor biking on Tuesdays, indoor running on Thursdays, a long bike ride on Saturdays and a long run on Sundays. He will sometimes ride with the Central Jersey Bicycle Club and the Princeton Freewheelers.
“I do it because I get enjoyment out of it,” he said. “And it’s a distraction from the daily grind.”
He also does it to spend time with his family. His wife Diane, son Harry and daughter-in-law Amanda, and son Max and daughter-in-law Liz frequently cheer him on along the course. Harry has done a half Ironman and a full marathon, while Max is supposed to compete in the New York City Marathon.
Despite all of his success, Uniman has confronted challenges – both physically and mentally.
“Certainly there are physical challenges along the way and various injuries to address. Any athlete will have to deal such issues,” he said. “I believe that the biggest struggle or challenge is what takes between your ears. The physical side, you can train to a certain level of fitness and just keep at it. The training for the races like a marathon and Ironman can be a grind. It’s the ultimate in gratification deferral – plugging away day after day even when your race is months away, dealing with self-doubt, am I good enough to compete or take on such a task day after day?, pushing yourself just to suit up and get out of the house – most of the time by yourself, early mornings, or late nights after a long day of work. Dealing with bad weather conditions, extreme cold, or high heat and humidity-seldom ideal weather conditions, it can be lonely and daunting. To some degree I have been accustomed to gratification deferral via sports most of my life: daily practice on the football field or gym getting ready for a game or college and a law degree to pursue a profession. The challenge is just sticking with it. Setting interim goals to make the journey more palatable. Visualizing the rewards -certainly helps. Getting to the starting line and it’s a great thrill when you cross a finish line-no matter the distance,” he said.
He said he believes most people, with a little encouragement and support, can take on these challenges.
“Undertaking big goals and making it happen for me is worth it in the end. I hope that by example, I have been able to inspire others that no matter your age you can take part in these sports and be rewarded both physically and mentally,” he said.
Although he has no specific goal in mind, Uniman is focused on his health and said, “I want to run marathons in my 80s or 90s.”
He may be well on his way, as his father lived to 100 and his mother lived until 95. Joe Uniman drove until age 98, didn’t need a walker until age 99, and frequently went to New York to watch the marathon.
“I get a big kick out of it. I’m 63. A lot of people think they can’t do it – but they can. But they don’t,” he said. “Winning is just getting to the starting line.”
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].