Brian Goodyear took a nasty spill in January 2006 while training for the New Zealand Ironman.

He "went down," as he put it, biking in Kane'ohe.

How nasty was it? So nasty that he broke his collarbone, fractured five ribs and punctured a lung. He had surgery to put in a titanium plate in his clavicle.

Yet just three months later he was back on the training track. Goodyear, a psychologist who lives in St. Louis Heights, attributes the quick comeback to his physical condition before the accident, the support of family and friends — and to his determination.

"Having a pretty good level of fitness to begin with really helps with recovery," Goodyear said. "And I was pretty strongly motivated."

He's been a regular runner and, to a certain degree, swimmer for almost half his life. Four years ago he took up triathlons, which involve running, swimming and biking.

In October, he competed in the Ironman World Championship in Kona.

"This was the experience of a lifetime for me," explained Goodyear, who trains often with friends. When he's really in high gear, he joins the training clinic Boca Hawaii.

Exercise can be as beneficial to people's mental health as it is to one's physical health, especially in a group setting, he said.

"It's serves as a motivator, to know you're going to be getting together with friends, an opportunity to talk story while working out," Goodyear said.