By Michael Hohmann
He hasn''t worked out in two weeks. In his profession, that''s unheard of.
After recovering from a pulled hamstring in the International Strongman competition two weeks ago, Mapleton resident Van Hatfield began working out again this week to compete on a team with some of the strongest men in the world. He only has three weeks to get ready for his next competition.
In these competitions of intense strength endurance, athletes must flip tires ranging in weighing from 800 to 1,000 pounds, a distance of almost 100 feet.
Athletes also lift giant 'atlas stones,' weighing 265 to 385 pounds, onto platforms of varying height.
The events of each Strongman meet vary, but in every meet, athletes must prove their strength and endurance by moving large objects a considerable distance.
The International Strongman competition in October, where Hatfield pulled his hamstring, determines the strongest national team in the world.
However, on Dec. 12, Hatfield will join with three athletes from other countries in another international competition: Poland v. World in the Strongman Super Series.
In the super series competition, four of the strongest international competitors go head to head against a team from the hosting country. This year it is Poland, a country legendary for its Strongman competitors.
'I''m very flabbergasted to even be invited to this thing,' said Hatfield, a three-year resident of Mapleton.
His world team is comprised of athletes from Lithuania, Norway and the Ukraine, and together they will take on Poland. Two of his three teammates have won International Strongman competitions before, and the third teammate has been a runner-up for the last three years.
Super series officials do not often invite Americans to participate in the competition. Hatfield said Americans often don''t compare in strength to International competitors in the first place, but he is grateful for his chance to compete.
'To be placed with those athletes, I''m like ''Holy cow! You''re kidding me!''' Hatfield said. Hatfield put Mapleton on the map in early October when he won the 2004 MHP Pro National Championships in Atlanta. More impressive is the fact that this is the first year he has competed in Strongman competitions.
Officials had already chosen the U.S. team earlier in the year, but were so impressed with Hatfield''s recent performance, they bumped one of the other four to allow Hatfield to represent the U.S. The team later finished third overall in the International competition.
Justin McClure, assistant strength coach in the BYU Athletic Department, has been helping 33-year-old Hatfield train for his competitions. Besides being one of the few drug-free Strongman athletes, McClure said Hatfield''s success also comes from his consistent training.
'His strength workouts are very organized,' McClure said. 'He doesn''t do anything except the for the exact events he will be competing in.'
McClure first started working with Hatfield four years ago when Hatfield competed in power lifting. When Hatfield sustained a chest injury in a power-lifting event, McClure encouraged him in his decision to try Strongman because of his overall body and strength endurance.
'Strongman just naturally fit him,' McClure said.
After being trained by McClure for years, Hatfield now works with him to help BYU athletes build their own strength endurance.
Muscle strength is not Hatfield''s only asset. Besides being physically impressive, McClure said Hatfield is extremely polite and generous.
'He is probably one of the most humble guys ... of anyone I know,' he said. 'Being as big and strong as he is makes it even more dramatic.'
Hatfield spends all of his downtime with his wife, Jenie Hatfield, and his three young children. Instead of continuing his training sessions at BYU, he recently began training at home. He uses a full set of free-weights as well as all the Strongman event equipment he would use in a meet.
'Before, it was definitely hard because he left for work at five in the morning, got home at five at night, would slam a protein shake, and was out the door to the gym again,' Jenie said. 'Now that he is training here it is definitely a lot easier.'
But despite the fame and prestige, his wife said there are sacrifices with having a husband as an athlete.
'If we need to go out of town and it is going to mess up his training schedule, he doesn''t want to go because he is so determined like that.'
Despite the hardships, she said she supports him more in Strongman than in any other former competing he did. She said the other competitions were more focused on self-gratification than Strongman.
Hatfield still maintains a clear focus on his family and job compared to other Strongman athletes that neither work nor have families.
Regardless of how he does in the Poland competition, Hatfield said he hopes to do well in the Arnold Classic Strongman Competition in Ohio next March.
Each year, Arnold Schwarzenegger hosts a Strongman competition that rewards competitors more than any other event. This year''s winner will take home a $50,000 cash prize in addition to a new H-2 Hummer.
Strength athletes must receive personal invitations to the event. Although Hatfield is still in his first year of Strongman competition, he has already received his invitation.
'If I was to actually do well and win, I would probably never drive the hummer ... my wife would,' Hatfield said. 'She might let me ride in it every now and then.'
More than all for the fame of being an internationally recognized Strongman athlete, Hatfield said he is grateful for his abilities.
'I think I have some talents that the big man upstairs gave me,' he said. 'I want to fulfill those talents and see how far I can go with them.
Timeline of Van Hatfield''s Strongman competitions
1. U.S. National competition -Atlanta-October 8, 9 & 10, 2004
2. International competition-Caribbean-October 17-23, 2004
3. Poland v. World-Poland-December 12, 2004
4. Arnold Classic-Columbus, OH-March 2005