James is training with Coach Gregg Edelstein
I live in Washington, D.C. and grew up just a few miles outside of DC. I work for a commercial real estate company called EDENS, and my role is mostly in construction management. I've always been into fitness, but I ran my first full marathon three years ago, and it opened up the world of endurance sports to me and encouraged me to keep challenging myself. I had no idea how to swim properly (and probably still don't) before the Nation's Triathlon in 2017, but I took a few free community swim lessons and watched YouTube videos to figure it out enough to finish the race. I kept up the training through 2018, and stuck to a plan that Gregg put together last summer to finish my first Ironman in September.
My main race this year is IRONMAN Mont-Tremblant. I like to travel and I wanted to combine my interest in traveling with a race that was completely different than IM Maryland. I'm looking forward to taking a road trip with family and checking out some new places along the way. The biggest challenge for me this year will be the bike, because that is the area where I want to improve the most before taking on the hills at IMMT.
James and his wife Leslie on vacation
My family is split between Newcastle, England and Jersey, Channel Islands and my sister and I are the first in our family to grow up in the United States. I was born in Jersey and was 3 when my parents and sister moved to the U.S.
I knew Gregg through EDENS from when I worked on a project in Boston in 2017. Gregg was in the DC office last summer and was working on his coaching certification, so it was perfect timing.