Offstage! Published April 28, 2011 By Tech. Sgt. Brooke Emery The USAF Band JOINT BASE ANACOSTIA-BOLLING, D.C. -- Most musicians would agree that excellence is achieved when the mental and physical aspects of creating music work together to allow one's performance to reach a higher level. It is no wonder that many professional musicians strive for that same sort of excellence in their endeavors outside the musical realm. An example of this is found in Tech. Sgt. Joe Bello of The United States Air Force Band's Ceremonial Brass, who after months of dedication and hard work completed the Ironman Arizona Triathlon in November 2010. When asked why he wanted to take on the grueling training regimen required to complete the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run, Sergeant Bello said, "I wanted to do an Ironman because I enjoy the physical challenge as well the mental challenge. My sister got me involved in triathlons because of her love for the sport. I've done several half Ironmans (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run) and wondered about how twice the distance would feel." Although he initially started training with a great deal of enthusiasm, the time and attention that training took eventually began to take its toll on Sergeant Bello. "Training in the winter is just plain hard. I did not look forward to the days I had to be on the bike trainer for 3 to 6 hours due to snow or cold," he said. Very early mornings became a regular part of his routine. "I would usually train in the morning before ceremonies, because after a ceremony, my body is shot, especially in the heat of the summer." Sergeant Bello said setting goals helped him work through those tough training moments. "I guess the best aspect of training is when I would see my times improve throughout the season. I set personal records for each distance I did this year including a half hour off my half Ironman time and almost a half hour off my Olympic distance (1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 10K run) times. It was rewarding to reach my goals during the season." As the big day approached, he began to see his training pay dividends, and his goals changed. "My ultimate goal in training for my first Ironman was originally just to finish. As the training progressed, I came up with a goal of finishing in fifteen hours. Since the Ironman race always begins at 7 a.m. and ends at midnight, finishing in 15 hours would mean crossing the finish line at 10 p.m." To earn the title of Ironman, participants must complete the race in seventeen hours or less. Bello eventually achieved his goal time, finishing in a remarkable 13:56. He described approaching the finish line as "...the ultimate euphoric feeling I've ever felt. It's hard to put into the words the joy, happiness, and overall sense of accomplishment you feel." Although Sergeant Bello had balked at doing a second Ironman during his initial training period, the sense of accomplishment that he felt as he completed each element of the race started to change his mind. "I thought about doing another Ironman before I completed the Arizona race, but I was extremely burned out by the end of my training this year. After I finished the race and throughout, I thought that it really wasn't that bad. I actually had a great time!" Though he hasn't committed himself to another Ironman race yet, that hasn't stopped him from continuing to set goals. "My goals this year are to get faster and complete two half-Ironmans in less than 6 hours," he said. "If that goes well, I will most likely sign up for Ironman Wisconsin or Florida for 2012." Click to read a short biography of Tech. Sgt. Joe Bello. For biographical information about other members of The U.S. Air Force Band, please see the Ensembles section of our website.