Saturday night. Not a care in the world. My wife and I sat outside by our firepit
and enjoyed the perfect Central Oregon summer evening. It was our first free
weekend in almost two months. It was relaxing and it felt good. Friday we’d be
heading north to Seattle. I’d meet up with Jaime and Riley on Saturday and we’d
head to Lake Stevens together bright and early Sunday morning to race the
Ironman 70.3. Tonight though, it was all about kicking back.
I scrolled through my email and then logged on to Facebook. There was mention of the Socorro Chile Harvest Triathlon as well as the Leadville 100 among posts from my friends. I was reminded of a time 10 years ago when I tried to get started as a triathlete and the interesting turn of events that happened on that day in August.
My good friend Matt Perini was one of the organizers of the Chile Harvest Triathlon. I had known Matt since junior high. I knew he and his brother (who I knew as a swimmer at UNM) had gotten into triathlons. Maybe it was that connection that emboldened me. I’m not sure what caused me to take the bait but in May of 2004 I decided to print out a 10-week program in order to train for a Sprint Triathlon and I signed up for my first triathlon.
As I look back I blush a bit at my naivete. I was five years into my new career as a stay at home Dad. I had a six year old son and a soon to be four year old daughter. My training happened when my wife came home from work if it happened at all. I'd squeeze an early morning swim (if one could call it that) at the Y, or hop on the bike, or throw on the shoes and head out into the heat of the early evening between playdates and trips to the zoo or the park. Still, I remember throwing my bike into the back of my truck on a very early August morning and heading south to Socorro. The plan was to race, drive back to Albuquerque, and then head up to Breckenridge, CO where my wife would be attending a conference.
I drove south as the sun rose over the Sandias and cast a bright hue on Landron Peak. I was excited and a bit nervous, as I wasn’t sure what to expect. I don’t think I had even thought about transition. As I approached the exit for Belen my truck lurched, I heard a massive thump, and I began to lose power in my truck. I pulled off the interstate and saw that my transmission light had come on. I stopped and called my wife to let her know what had happened. The truck was driveable but just barely. I limped back to Albuquerque on back roads with my hazard lights blinking. A neighbor, who was a mechanic, recommended a transmission place fairly close to our house. After what seemed like a nervous eternity I pulled into the transmission place, met my wife, and we headed home to pack up the car and head north. I called Matt to tell him what happened. My current coach Jaime (who I didn't know at the time) was in that race that day and completed it in just over an hour.
Our drive north to Breckenridge was pretty uneventful. We decided to stop in Leadville for an early dinner and came into town just as the first racers were completing the Leadville 100. It was exciting to see these guys finish and the atmosphere was festive and electric. We had an enjoyable dinner and it was interesting to see some of the finishers make their way into the Golden Burro, chat them up, and hear them recount their adventures. It was a fun evening and we lingered as long as we could before making our final push into Breckenridge.
I scrolled through my email and then logged on to Facebook. There was mention of the Socorro Chile Harvest Triathlon as well as the Leadville 100 among posts from my friends. I was reminded of a time 10 years ago when I tried to get started as a triathlete and the interesting turn of events that happened on that day in August.
My good friend Matt Perini was one of the organizers of the Chile Harvest Triathlon. I had known Matt since junior high. I knew he and his brother (who I knew as a swimmer at UNM) had gotten into triathlons. Maybe it was that connection that emboldened me. I’m not sure what caused me to take the bait but in May of 2004 I decided to print out a 10-week program in order to train for a Sprint Triathlon and I signed up for my first triathlon.
As I look back I blush a bit at my naivete. I was five years into my new career as a stay at home Dad. I had a six year old son and a soon to be four year old daughter. My training happened when my wife came home from work if it happened at all. I'd squeeze an early morning swim (if one could call it that) at the Y, or hop on the bike, or throw on the shoes and head out into the heat of the early evening between playdates and trips to the zoo or the park. Still, I remember throwing my bike into the back of my truck on a very early August morning and heading south to Socorro. The plan was to race, drive back to Albuquerque, and then head up to Breckenridge, CO where my wife would be attending a conference.
I drove south as the sun rose over the Sandias and cast a bright hue on Landron Peak. I was excited and a bit nervous, as I wasn’t sure what to expect. I don’t think I had even thought about transition. As I approached the exit for Belen my truck lurched, I heard a massive thump, and I began to lose power in my truck. I pulled off the interstate and saw that my transmission light had come on. I stopped and called my wife to let her know what had happened. The truck was driveable but just barely. I limped back to Albuquerque on back roads with my hazard lights blinking. A neighbor, who was a mechanic, recommended a transmission place fairly close to our house. After what seemed like a nervous eternity I pulled into the transmission place, met my wife, and we headed home to pack up the car and head north. I called Matt to tell him what happened. My current coach Jaime (who I didn't know at the time) was in that race that day and completed it in just over an hour.
Our drive north to Breckenridge was pretty uneventful. We decided to stop in Leadville for an early dinner and came into town just as the first racers were completing the Leadville 100. It was exciting to see these guys finish and the atmosphere was festive and electric. We had an enjoyable dinner and it was interesting to see some of the finishers make their way into the Golden Burro, chat them up, and hear them recount their adventures. It was a fun evening and we lingered as long as we could before making our final push into Breckenridge.
A year passed and once again I set my sights on the Chile Harvest Tri. I trained
a little better, and even convinced my friend Jim to join me in the race. Heck, we
even drove down to Socorro and biked and ran the route in 100 degree heat the
weekend before the race. The Tuesday before the race I received word that my
aunt had died. The funeral would be held that weekend in Farmington and I was
asked to be a pallbearer. Once again, my thoughts of completing a tri were
dashed.
It wouldn’t be until 2006 that I would finally be able to complete a triathlon. That year my friend Jim and I would register for the Jay Benson Tri in Albuquerque. I remember seeing and talking to Matt as he was one of the course officials. Jaime was there too, though I didn’t really know him at the time. We had met previously the year before at a holiday party we hosted (his wife had been hired as a hospitalist by my wife) but it was just that one social occasion. Maybe we nodded or yelled encouragement to one another as we passed one another on the out and back run course that began the race. All I remember is chatting with Jim while we ran, doing the bike portion on my old steel frame mountain bike, and slogging my way through the pool portion of the race. It was fun and I finished 30 minutes behind Jaime, who no doubt had probably already headed home to celebrate Mother’s Day with his wife and daughter.
The following year I had signed up for the Jay Benson but came down with strep throat the morning of the race. That was the last attempt at racing a triathlon until I moved to Bend. I put the thought out of my mind, became a teacher once again, juggled parenthood, and got fat. It wasn't until I turned 50 and took a look in the mirror that thoughts of doing a triathlon returned. It wasn't until I met back up with Jaime that I got serious about doing something about it and resolved to become a triathlete.
As I looked back at some of those results and thought about that time 10 years I was amazed at the changes that occurred and a little bit of the kismit that had taken hold. This year I completed a sprint tri (with a longer swim than the Jay Benson) in a time that was 28 minutes faster than my first effort. The person that I nodded to, and knew only briefly in a social setting is now my coach and a good friend. He and I have done a half ironman and a long course race together and we’ll do another one this weekend. I hope either next year or the year after next to attempt and complete my first Ironman and hopefully he and my family will be there to witness the moment.
It’s been an interesting turn of events and it was fun to reflect back on those memories. My children are now older and more self-sufficient, one is in high school and the other is finishing up middle school. My wife is now carving out her own niche in racing mountain bikes when she’s not working. And as for myself, this guy who struggled to show up and just complete his first tri has adopted the triathlete lifestyle and is looking forward to his next half ironman. Life is good.
It wouldn’t be until 2006 that I would finally be able to complete a triathlon. That year my friend Jim and I would register for the Jay Benson Tri in Albuquerque. I remember seeing and talking to Matt as he was one of the course officials. Jaime was there too, though I didn’t really know him at the time. We had met previously the year before at a holiday party we hosted (his wife had been hired as a hospitalist by my wife) but it was just that one social occasion. Maybe we nodded or yelled encouragement to one another as we passed one another on the out and back run course that began the race. All I remember is chatting with Jim while we ran, doing the bike portion on my old steel frame mountain bike, and slogging my way through the pool portion of the race. It was fun and I finished 30 minutes behind Jaime, who no doubt had probably already headed home to celebrate Mother’s Day with his wife and daughter.
The following year I had signed up for the Jay Benson but came down with strep throat the morning of the race. That was the last attempt at racing a triathlon until I moved to Bend. I put the thought out of my mind, became a teacher once again, juggled parenthood, and got fat. It wasn't until I turned 50 and took a look in the mirror that thoughts of doing a triathlon returned. It wasn't until I met back up with Jaime that I got serious about doing something about it and resolved to become a triathlete.
As I looked back at some of those results and thought about that time 10 years I was amazed at the changes that occurred and a little bit of the kismit that had taken hold. This year I completed a sprint tri (with a longer swim than the Jay Benson) in a time that was 28 minutes faster than my first effort. The person that I nodded to, and knew only briefly in a social setting is now my coach and a good friend. He and I have done a half ironman and a long course race together and we’ll do another one this weekend. I hope either next year or the year after next to attempt and complete my first Ironman and hopefully he and my family will be there to witness the moment.
It’s been an interesting turn of events and it was fun to reflect back on those memories. My children are now older and more self-sufficient, one is in high school and the other is finishing up middle school. My wife is now carving out her own niche in racing mountain bikes when she’s not working. And as for myself, this guy who struggled to show up and just complete his first tri has adopted the triathlete lifestyle and is looking forward to his next half ironman. Life is good.
No comments:
Post a Comment