Fr. Dan competed in his 13th Ironman competition on July 24, 2011 at Lake Placid, NY
Fr. Dan's Iron Friar Challenge
With the motto "work hard, pray hard, play hard," Father Dan Callahan is not an ordinary man. He is a Franciscan Friar of the Atonement and the Pastor at St. Joan of Arc parish in Toronto. He is also a highly accomplished tri-athlete.
The grueling 140.6-mile journey consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.4-mile run. All must be completed in 17 hours for athletes to earn the coveted title of Ironman. Fr. Callahan takes part in the event to raise money for the friars' ministries. This year he is raising money for St. Joseph's Rrehabilitation Center in Saranac lake, NY, and to purchase a new sign for St. Joan of Arc parish.
At 60, Fr. Callahan finds the hours of exercise he does each week "very much a prayerful thing." He says, "When your body is active, your mind is free and becomes an emotional and spiritual clearinghouse." This distinctive combination of spiritual and physical stamina has earned him the nickname "Iron Friar."
Fr. Callahan sees this as his way of investing in those whom the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement serve — including the homeless and those suffering from alcoholism, drug addictions, and HIV/AIDS. He knows that his athletic accomplishments grant him a certain respect with those who have lost their way, as he can speak from a unique perspective of knowing what it's like to push oneself towards a seemingly impossible goal. To those who have told him that he inspires them, Fr. Callahan insists thaty they are his inspiration. "I struggle hard for one day during this race; they have to struggle every day for the rest of their lives."
