VCU news

By Sathya Achia Abraham

Between training the next generation of periodontists, attending to patients in a busy dental clinic, managing a private practice and giving lectures, Thomas C. Waldrop, D.D.S, a professor in the Department of Periodontics in the VCU School of Dentistry, is also swimming, running and biking his way to an Ironman World Championship competition.

It takes guts and determination, and some may even say sheer superhuman strength.

Oct. 21 marks Waldrop’s sixth time competing in the Ironman World Championship. It’s a grueling triathlon that includes 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running, for a grand total of 140.6 miles – set against the tranquil island backdrop of Kona, Hawaii.

“Prior to competing in my first race, I pretty much thought triathletes were crazy, but now I’m hooked,” said Waldrop. “I see a triathlon as an individual sport. You’re in your own race. You set goals for yourself.”

For Waldrop, 60, who is nationally recognized for his clinical expertise and dental research in periodontics, the transformation into a fierce racing machine takes dedication, taxing physical training, and finding a delicate balance between work life, family life and everything in between. Not an easy task, but he manages it all very well.

Nearly every day starts at the crack of dawn, and Waldrop wakes with the drive to swim an extra lap, run another mile or ride a tougher circuit. Typically, he’ll complete one of the three disciplines before he heads off to begin his work day on VCU’s MCV Campus. He’ll start the day at the VCU School of Dentistry with residents and patients, advising them on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of gum disease or other diseases of the supporting and surrounding tissues of the teeth, such as bone.

Later in the day he can be found mentoring residents in seminars, conducting research projects or teaching surgical skills before dashing out to see his own patients at his private practice, where he may spend time into the early evening. Then it’s back out to training again – one last swim or run or bike before heading home to spend the evening with his family.

With his next big stop set for Hawaii, he has been pushing to increase mileage and intensity of workouts with the goal of peaking at the Ironman World Championships.

A dedicated teacher
Aside from competing in triathlons and pushing his body to the limit, Waldrop’s passion has been in teaching. As the director of the postgraduate periodontics program and the dental clinic at VCU, Waldrop works closely with students in a three-year residency program. During this time, residents learn to treat gum or periodontal disease and perform surgical techniques for bone and gum reconstruction, periodontal plastic surgery, gum surgery and dental implants.

“I’m a firm believer, that if you are an educator, especially in the dental and medical fields where you are constantly working with patients, you need to be out there doing the work yourself. If you’re not out there doing it yourself, you shouldn’t be teaching. You need to be on the cutting edge and at the top of the game,” he said.

Waldrop also stays active on the research front and has a surgical role in a new study led by David Burns, D.D.S., a professor of prosthodontics in the VCU School of Dentistry. The research team is looking at inserting dental implants into the lower jaw in order to hold dentures in place. Extensive gum disease can cause bone and tooth loss, and the lack of bone results in patients needing dental implants. The findings of this work could have significant implications in terms of treatment options patients for the future.

Game Day

Not only are participants in the Ironman World Championships up against the physical and mental strains of competition, but they’ve also got to battle the elements of the island. While the island of Hawaii may seem like paradise to most, it can represent a menacing force of nature to triathletes. October in the town of Kona, where the race is held, comes with scorching temperatures of 100 degrees plus and wind gusts up to 35 mph that can blow racers off their bikes. 

The race starts at 7 in the morning, and participants must complete the course by midnight. To get his race on, Waldrop takes time to visualize the circuit, creating a mental picture of the day ahead. He imagines each stage of the race and how he will transition from the swim to bike and then bike to run. Seasoned triathletes know to do this, but for the inexperienced, the entire event can be a shock to the system.

“In Kona you start off at the pier. The start gun goes off, and you and 1,800 others are headed for the bobbing buoys in the horizon. It’s nothing like being in a swimming pool. You’re getting hit in the face, and kicked in the ribs,” he said. Rounding the turnaround buoy, it’s then back to the pier to grab a bike and ride the Kona coast. A few hours later, it’s run time with a race to the finish.

While it may sound like it’d take a day or two for the ordinary, the pros will complete the race in just over eight hours, while tough competitors, such as Waldrop may take just up to 11.5 hours.

“I’ve learned that you can push your body beyond what you thought you could do. You need to be strong not only physically, but mentally too,” he said. “My number one goal is to have a good time. If you’re not having fun, it’s just not worth it.”