Vogue Executive Discovers 'Thrill of Life'
Triathlete and publisher Tom Florio describes his unusual hobby.
June 27, 2008— -- By day, he is a high-powered overscheduled executive. But unlike other well-to-do middle-aged men, 52-year-old Vogue magazine publisher Tom Florio picks up an oar instead of a golf club to let off steam.
In May, Florio took part in the vaunted Vogalonga, a 22-mile epic race with some 1,800 boats through the canals of Venice, Italy.
"I just thought the idea of it sounded thrilling," Florio said. "It's just this — people lining the street, you know, the canal and the bridge — it was just brilliant. It was spectacular. It was a real rush."
It's also 22 miles of ridiculously hard work. But not the kind of thing that is foreign to Florio, who a little more than 10 years ago decided he wanted to shape up.
"I started just wanting to get healthy — you know, went to a doctor to quit smoking, went to a nutritionist and joined a gym," he said.
Florio started competing in triathalons, and in a way, the gondola is just another step in his shape-up revolution. But the training wasn't easy: He spent hours with a gondolier in a small pond in Central Park
"Initially I just went around in circles and all the tourists in the park laughed and took pictures of me. It was sort of like a Woody Allen movie," he said. "I thought it was funny, too. You know, you have to enjoy how ridiculous the whole thing is."
But at least he hasn't fallen into the water — not yet, anyway.
He dismisses the idea that this might possibly be a midlife crisis or some kind of vanity project for a rich man. He says he does it simply because he can.
"Anytime you get to do something that takes you out of your element and opens you up to new culture, new value systems, new group of people," Florio said. "I don't know, for me it's like the thrill of life."
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