Kendall Ebanks was only known as a world-class amateur boxer until the start of this year when he became a fitness trainer.
Now he is also a triathlete and this weekend he attempts an Olympic-distance triathlon in Miami.
Ebanks is representing his fitness group Flashy Nation and sponsors Anytime Fitness in the Escape from Miami Triathlon, starting and finishing at Escape Island with the swim around Biscayne Bay. Sam Young and Marlon Crowe Jnr. may be making the trip too.
Boxing training hasn’t slackened off, Ebanks has simply found the time and energy to prepare for the gruelling Miami event of a swim of 1500-meters, 40k bike and 10k run.
Balancing boxing, triathlon and coaching classes is tough but so is the 23-year-old light-welterweight.
“It’s hard but the reason I do it is because I’m dedicated and give my all to my goals,” he said. “Being the best is what it’s about so it is very intense training for both sports but I get it done, it just means two or three training sessions a day sometimes.
“Luckily, my triathlon work is the conditioning part of my boxing training so that fits perfectly.”
Ebanks hopes to qualify either in boxing or triathlon for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. He said, “I look at triathlon and say ‘Wow! This is going to be tough!’ With hard work, dedication alongside a great team in Flashy Nation, and the guidance of my coach Will Balderamos, it’s possible.”
Unlike boxing, in triathlon he is not an elite athlete yet, but that is the aim. “It’s a short window so we are working extremely hard to reach the level we need to be at,” Ebanks said. “Flashy Nation is thankful to guys like Marius Acker, Marius Deysel, Trevor Murphy, Aldo Bertagna and the Cayman Islands Triathlon Association for their advice, pointers and encouragement. There are a lot more to name so I hope nobody feels left out.”
Although some of his Flashy Nation colleagues – like DJ Evans and Pedro Lopez Ramos – are more experienced and better than Ebanks at triathlon, there is a collective spirit with the attitude of helping, not rivalling each other. “Within Flashy Nation, we have fast runners, strong swimmers and outstanding cyclists so we have to work together on our strengths and weaknesses as we are all new in triathlon,” Ebanks said.
Flashy Nation have just come out of their endurance phase of training and are tapering down for November’s Cayman Islands Triathlon.
“It’s going to be awesome!” Ebanks said. “If anyone is interested in joining the Flashy Nation team and start triathlon training with us you are more than welcome. Don’t worry about keeping up, just get started, improvement will happen.”
For further information on training, email: [email protected].
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