Employee continues fitness journey, works toward Ironman 70.3

Anthony Melton, a technology services employee, competes in the 2016 Cypress Triathlon. He will compete in the Ironman 70.3 Austin, which consist of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1 mile-run in October. Each distance is half of a standard Ironman triathlon.

The day after completing his first marathon, Anthony Melton took the morning off. But the feeling was weird for the technology services employee.

He’d spent the better part of two years training for the feeling he had the day before – accomplishment and fulfillment. Melton doesn’t listen to music or wear earbuds while he runs and trains, instead thinking about family and friends who have passed away, their families and the causes he’s bringing awareness to in competition.

So the break was brief. Melton has essentially been training and competing ever since. And his next will be the hardest to date.

Melton will compete Oct. 29 in the Ironman Austin 70.3, which consist of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run. Each distance is half of a standard Ironman triathlon, but each is timed with non-qualifiers not allowed to continue the race. All athletes have 8 hours and 30 minutes to finish.

Anthony Melton, a technology services employee, will compete in the Ironman 70.3 Austin, which consist of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run, in October in memory of Walter and Richard McCaine, and the Houston Aphasia Recovery Center.

“I am not sure exactly how I came to this point that I wanted to continue and continue for a cause or help other with their fitness goals,” said Melton, who will be competing in memory of Walter and Richard McCaine, and the Houston Aphasia Recovery Center. “I could be driving to the gym or just out training and something would pop in my head that would push me hard.”

Melton has run a number of marathons for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, doing so in support of a cousin’s nephew who was diagnosed with leukemia at two years old but later beat the disease. The McCaine family has supported Melton’s fundraising efforts and he wanted to honor long-time friends.