At first glance, Jim Quinn and Tony Ray do not seem to have much in common.
Jim is from the southern United states - the great state Georgia - and has
a background in a "traditional" sport: He started swimming when he was 8 years
old and evolved into a triathlete after college. Tony Ray, on the other
hand, grew up on the other side of the world, in Australia, and was introduced
to the decidedly nonmainstream sport of surfing when he was 7 years old: His dad
gave him a surfboard for Christmas. So what do these two world-class
athletes have in common? AIM products!
Since being introduced to the
AIM products, Tony has caught the wave and is riding high. He has
discovered new strength and believes that this has translated into
moving to the next level.
"Since I’ve been on the products, I’ve
had a lot of success. They’ve really helped. In November 1997, I won the
OP Pro Surfing Championship in Hawaii, which is one of the most
prestigious in the world."
Last February, at the Reef Big Wave
Team World Championship ’98, in Baja, Mexico, Tony placed second after
Carlos Burke snuck ahead of him in the last 15 minutes of the final
hour. And in April, Tony competed in the Rip Curl Bells Pro, where he
again surfed against the best in the world and outsurfed the four-time
world champion, Kelly Slater.
Tony is not hesitant to give credit
to AIM products. "They work for me, I just really like them. I can
definitely feel a difference in my energy levels, especially with Green
Barley. I usually take about three teaspoons of Green Barley and two to
three capsules of Bee Pollen a half-hour before I paddle out. It’s
amazing the difference this makes."
Tony finds these products not
only beneficial for the extra energy during competition, but also for
recovery time. He feels this is important, especially considering the
paddling involved and the heat in which a surfer is working.
"In
surfing, you have to paddle out to catch the waves, and this can be
tiring. You really are never sitting still. You also use a lot of energy
in the heat, so I’ll come in and have another couple of spoonfuls to
recover, especially if I’m surfing again a couple of hours later.
"Since I’ve been using the AIM products, I don’t feel any fatigue in the
heat. I have no doubt that the products help me with my endurance and
recovery. Because of this, it’s much easier to keep a clear head, and I
find I’m less likely to make errors and my judgement and
moment-to-moment decision making in a heat is much better. It’s clear
thinking. The products really help."
Tony also has a lot in common
with the AIM lifestyle. He began doing yoga in 1988, largely because
surfing uses different muscle groups in different ways, so it often
leaves the body in a muscular imbalance that can develop into neck and
back problems. Yoga led Tony to a vegetarian diet and an awareness of
the importance of diet.
"I was always very health-conscious and
very diet-conscious. I feel best when I stick to the raw food diet. When
I do that I’m flying, I just have so much energy."
Energy is a
must for Tony. He specializes in big-wave surfing, a demanding event
where surfers paddle out to catch and ride 20- to 25-foot (6 to 7.6 m)
waves, which translates into some 50 feet (15 m) from trough to crest.
Tony likens this to speeding over a downhill ski course in which the
slope is continually changing shape and moving with you! At the end, you
are exhilarated and exhausted.
Tony’s introduction to the sport
was a family affair: Both his father and grandfather surfed and still
surf, and when Tony decided to go pro, he had his family’s support.
Tony was introduced to AIM products through Henry Simmons, an AIM
Director. He first met Henry in Indonesia in 1995 on a surfing tour, and
when they were reconnected in 1997, Henry introduced him to the AIM
products. Since then, Tony, with the help of the AIM products, has
caught the wave and is sitting on top of the world!
Jim was introduced to the AIM products by his mother, AIM Member Janice
Quinn, while he was swimming competitively for Johns Hopkins University
and training intensively with two Olympic medal winners. Jim admits he
was a bit skeptical about "green juice," but "After adding Green Barley
to my diet, I proved her right by clocking personal record times later
that summer."
After earning 12 all-American honors for his
performances at the NCAA Swimming Championships, Jim’s success has
continued as a triathlete. This sport, which combines swimming,
bicycling, and running, is a grueling test of speed and stamina. Jim
finds AIM products especially helpful from the endurance angle:
"Since I began taking Green Barley in 1990, it and other AIM products
have enabled me to achieve tremendous breakthroughs in my performance
both as a collegiate swimmer and as a triathlete. I’ve noticed a
dramatic improvement in my recovery time during training that has
allowed me to train longer and more effectively. I’ve also developed
greater endurance as a result of the nutrients I get from the AIM
products, giving me a vital edge during competition. My resistance to
injury and illness has also improved."
Has this done anything for
him? In 1997, Jim placed first in his age division and second overall in
the National Triathlon Championships in Columbia, MD, and in the 1997
World Triathlon Championship in November in Perth, Australia, he had the
best time among all U.S. competitors in his age group and was ninth
overall.
Jim’s family also played a big role in introducing him to
athletics. His mother and father introduced him to a summer swimming
league when he was 8 years old, and he did well enough that his coach
suggested he begin year-round competition. Now, as a world-class
triathlete, he has not forgotten the early role his parents played,
noting that "I would not be where I am today without their support and
encouragement."
As focused as Jim is on athletics, he has not
forgotten other aspects of his life. Other goals he has set for himself
include spiritual growth, being an inspiration and role model to others,
and self-improvement.
Thanks to AIM and others, Jim has been able
to leave his job as a paralegal and concentrate full time on his next
athletic goal: to make the U.S. Olympic Team. Although the competition
is fierce and only two or three triathletes will represent the United
States, Jim believes that God has given him the capability to meet this
goal: "God has given me the strength to be where I am today, and I’m
going to continue to demonstrate my best effort."
