Dr. Reuther in the race that qualified him to compete in Hawaii
SOUTHERNSPOTLIGHT
Eye on the Prize
The territory in question is triathlons, and for Reuther, the landscape is incredibly familiar. An ophthalmologist at Carolina Eyecare Physicians by day, on the weekends and in the wee hours of weekday mornings, he is an athlete—relentlessly training for his next swim, bike and run.
Renowned Greek Philosopher Socrates once said, "What a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable."
The 42-year-old father of two has competed in eight Ironman triathlons in the last 13 years. Long-distance events consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a 26.2-mile marathon run, the races have a strict 17-hour time limit; however, for the well-trained athlete, the race is completed long before the time limit is reached.
Dr. Robert Reuther (Sport)
A local ophthalmologist is swimming, biking and running his way to personal victory / by Jana Riley
For Dr. Robert Reuther, the challenge to push his body to its physical limits is just another part of his daily life—but it does allow for some unique experiences. “It's kind of hokey, running down the street in spandex,” he admits with a laugh. “People look at you like you’re crazy, with your compression socks or ‘barefoot’ running shoes. Some of the attire can make you look insane to those outside the sport.” Shrugging, he smiles. “But that all comes with the territory, I guess.” 22
AZALEAMAG.COM / FALL 2012
“Some of the attire can make you look insane to those outside the sport.”
A native of New Orleans, Reuther attended Tulane University where he played soccer and squash competitively. After years of playing “high level squash,” he began to notice playing injuries. To combat the physical strain of the sport, he cross-trained by swimming, biking and running—activities less damaging to the joints. Then a spin class instructor urged him to try a triathlon, and he readily accepted the challenge. He got a mountain bike (which he acknowledges is not the preferred choice of most triathletes) and signed up. During the swim portion of his first race, he