FUEL Designer Tackles Triathlon

FUEL designer Bill Bollman always wanted to do a triathlon. But he was busy with work and family, “and the swimming always held me up,” he says. This summer, the desire to push through that obstacle propelled him into an intense training regimen – including hours in the pool – that led to his successful completion of the XTERRA off-road triathlon at Iowa’s Sugar Bottom Recreation Area.

The August 1 event consisted of a 1,500-meter swim, 22-kilometer trail ride, and 10-kilometer run. Bollman was sponsored by FUEL and ProActive Health, a FUEL client who provided him with its Epicor Dietary Supplements to promote balanced immune health.

Known for his edgy design, Bollman designed his own tri-suit capturing the energy and grittiness of the off-road endurance event with a bold geometric look that seamlessly incorporated his two sponsors. He also wrote a blog (williambollman.blogspot.com/) that chronicled his demanding preparation, from the joys of training with his children to the lows of exhaustion and motion sickness.

In it, he described the deeply human impulse that fueled his endeavor: “Driven to push ourselves to a place without limits. It purifies the spirit and makes us more humane. And when you make it to the end it’s a new beginning or opportunity to live this life with vigor.” In the end, he wrote, the triathlon “took everything I had but it gave back more than I could have imagined. It gave me strength to face the unknown…clarity to see the possible.”

The end was indeed a beginning for Bollman, who is training for his next triathlon.

Bill Bollman
Creative Director

Bill Bollman is FUEL’s Creative Director. Before co-founding FUEL in 2001, he worked for Horizon Communications, JW Morton and Basler Design Group. Bill studied Illustration at Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo, Iowa. An expert in the “old ways” of hands-on print production, these skills influence his work in the digital world to this day. His work throughout his career has been featured in international publications including Graphis, How International Design, Communication Arts, and The One Book as well as numerous design annuals and reference books.

Hometown: West Union, Iowa
Involved in Design and Marketing since 1988
Interests: Fitness, Travel, Movies