While most of us spent Thanksgiving break catching up on lost sleep and enjoying leftovers, Adam Peruta, assistant professor of strategic communication, was in Tempe, Arizona, competing in the Ironman, a triathlon that comprises a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run -- a total of 140.6 miles. Athletes have 17 hours to complete the event.

The competition was...