"My mother wanted to make me tough," said the Fort Lauderdale firefighter from Miami.
It worked.
Evans, despite a season interrupted by four hurricanes and working long shifts, including one of 96 consecutive hours, was among the dominant triathletes and adventure racers in Florida during the 2004 season, which ends this weekend in South Florida with three triathlons.
"The hurricanes were tough," Evans said. "Luckily, I don't take any time off. I train year-round. When the hurricanes hit, my training went downhill."
The 6-foot-2, 199-pound Evans, 28, dominant in both his age group and Clydesdale (190-pound-plus) division, competes Saturday in the Publix Family Fitness Weekend Championship Finale at Club Med Sandpiper in Port St. Lucie. The event was rescheduled from Oct. 1-3 because of storm damage in the Port St. Lucie area.
Evans, a 2002 national sprint champion, won his second national title this year by capturing the Clydesdale division national Olympic distance title at the USAT Age Group National Championships in Shreveport, La. He was the only winner from South Florida.
Evans has a streak of 28 triathlon and adventure victories. He just has to finish Saturday's sprint race to clinch the Clydesdale series title. The sprint distance is his favorite, he said.
Evans has always been athletic. He was a competitive swimmer and water polo player in high school and college at Maryland and Florida Atlantic. He has been kayaking since he was 14. He surfs and kite surfs.
"Sports are my thing, it's what I enjoy most in life, that's what I love," Evans said. "I love my job and all, but I don't think anyone enjoys working 96 hours in a row. Maybe somebody does, but it's not me."
Evans has had his share of sports-related surgeries, including three knee reconstructions and two arthroscopes.
"I went a year and a half of not walking," Evans said. "It was tough but helped me come back stronger."
Two other long-distance triathlons are scheduled for Sunday. The Miami Man Triathlon is South Florida's first Half-Ironman Triathlon (at Larry and Penny Thompson Park). An Olympic distance race will also be held.
The event was rescheduled because of the hurricane.
