The Ironman triathlon is an endurance test consisting of a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bike race and a 26.2-mile run ? all to be finished in succession in a 17-hour span.

In his early 20s, Ruppenthal ran track and cross-country for Towson University. After graduation, he missed being in shape, so he began to train.

“I was working in construction and decided to come home,” Ruppenthal said. “I started working out and running again. Then I saw signs for the Ironman, and thought, ?That?d be pretty cool if I could do that.? I fell in love with it.”

So, he quit smoking and about five years ago, he began extensive training. Ruppenthal finished last November?s Ironman Florida about 1 hour, 10 minutes after the qualifying mark. But his time was strong enough to earn one of 200 winning tickets in the 6,600-person Ironman lottery. He found out his name was selected in mid-April.

Now, he spends 15 hours every week training for the Ironman. Each week, he runs between 30 and 40 miles, bikes between 100 and 150 miles and swims about 10,000 yards.

“It?s like having a part-time job,” he said.

Ruppenthal finished a 50-mile ultra-marathon in Connecticut in 8 hours, 50 minutes, and he?s looking to complete the Ironman in less than 11 hours. Although he?s still adapting to the water, the Towson graduate is willing to do what it takes to learn.

“Swimming is my weakness,” Ruppenthal said. “It?s just something I?ve never done at a competitive level, so you?re learning stroke mechanics and learning to be a fish in water.”

It has been a long journey, one Ruppenthal doesn?t plan on stopping after his October trip to Hawaii. He?ll keep working because pushing the limits is what has taken him this far.

“After I did my first half-Ironman, I thought there?s no way I can finish this,” Ruppenthal said. “When you hit the wall once, and you hit your second and third winds in a marathon, you finish and you?re happy. But to do essentially three marathons in succession ? it?s an amazing feeling.”