SAM HOLNESS has had autism since he was four years old. To him and his father Tony, autism is his “superpower,” neither a disability nor an obstacle.
Sam is an endurance athlete. According to an article written by Rosie-Lyn Thompson on April 4, 2022, on euronews.com, “Sam Holness is an endurance athlete. He’s completed triathlons, an event consisting of swimming, cycling and running. He’s run numerous full 26-mile marathons and half marathons and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. The Ironman champion holds a degree in sports science and also lives with autism. His mission in life is to prove that autism is a superpower and not a disability that prevents him from achieving his dreams.”
His father Tony is his coach, bike mechanic and taxi driver all rolled into one. Holness is an only child and I believe that parents should encourage their child or children in pursuing and going after their dreams rather than discourage them.
According to the same article, “His father, Tony, also happens to be his coach.” It added: “Being a coach means that I take him out every day to do his training and nutrition and I’m also his taxi driver as well as his bike mechanic. I really do everything to make his life as an athlete simple and that’s my primary job.”
Sam already knew how to swim before his parents discovered he has autism—which caused his speech to be delayed.
A year ago, Sam competed in one of the toughest endurance races an athlete can face, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship. The Thompson article says, “He competed in the grueling Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Forever etching his name in history, he finished the race in five hours and 44 minutes, becoming the first triathlete known to have autism to cross the finishing line. The Ironman race consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run, one of the toughest endurance tests an athlete can face.”
Sam does triathlon specific training and workouts for 22 to 24 hours a week. His father Tony explains, “My job is to make sure he does the sets in the times that we’ve set the lap. Make sure he has nutrition, his liquids and if he needs any sort of power carb bars to keep him going throughout the session as well, but those sessions are primarily about speed and power.”
Tony focuses on Sam’s pacing and speed, having him jog slowly for 10 minutes then sprint for 2 to 5 minutes. We wonder if there’s plyometrics incorporated into his training.
All the training and workouts have been not without challenges. For Sam, it’s route maps, orientation and physical interaction.
Sam’s parents took on the challenge by getting Sam into judo. People with autism avoid personal contact with others and stick to a daily routine. Sam’s father narrates the first time Sam got into the water as told in the euro news article, “The same happened with his triathlon. I remember the first time he went in the water, he was reluctant, the gun had gone off and he sort of stood around and looked at the water, put his toes in it, looked around it. The last thing was he took a breath and then jumped in. Once he jumped in, he was off.”
Sam’s story has inspired and motivated parents of autistic children from all over the world. His story has shined a light on the challenge that is autism and on exercise and taking up a healthy and active lifestyle.