TRTATHLEN W|TH .I.NARY APPROACHING MULTISPORT...
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rl\LKtNGi TRTATHLEN W|TH STEVE JctNAS .I.NARY MORMLS APPROACHING 2OO MULTISPORT RACES F ome years ago in an exchange of \ correspondence with Dave Scott, I Y happeneci to seno nim a copy of a photo of me finishing the triathlon at the International Masters Games held at Hagg Lake, Ore., on August 20, 1-998. In one communication, evidentiy misreading what I had said in describing the photo, Dave said, "l particularly enjoyed the attached cover photo of your 4th place finish at the Masters Gamesl you look awfully freshl" In responding to Dave I said, "My finish in that race was 4th from last, not 4th place!" I went on to say: "My freshness is a measure of my approach to racing: to go out at a comfortable pace, make my primary objective crossing the finish line, and have fun.,, I am writing this column on July 10, 2009. As of today I have completed 198 multisport races - 12L triathlons and 77 duathlons (and yes, as a former non-athlete I have a record of every one of theml) On August 9, 2009, I planned to do what will be my Z00th multisport race, the Central Park Triathlon in New york City, (Yes indeed there is a Cpf,, with the swim in an open-air pool at the north end of the park.) A non-athlete into my mid-4Os, I originally took up runntng as a way to get somewhat fit for the first time in my life. I got into triathlon, at age 46, because I thought that cross training sounded like a good idea, and the races themselves sounded like fun. And bov was I right - on both countsl But from the beginning I have been slow. And as i get older, even though I am in better shape than ever, I am getting slower. Nevertheless, I am having as much fun as ever, maybe even more (especially in races in which there are 3 or fewer of us in my shrinking acfive age cohort: when I cross the finish line I even get a plaquel). Throughout my triathlon/ duathlon career I have followed one of mv major precepts not only for sport, but for life itself : "Explore your limits; recognize your limitations." I recognized very early on my principal limitation in our sport: I was just slow in all three events, it would take an awful lot of work to become even reasonably fast, and I didn't want to do that. 5o I began to explore my limits, first as to distance. In the summer of 1985 | completed my first long race, the Green Mountain (W) Steelman (a half-ironman-plus event). Three weeks later, | finished the Cape Cod (MA) Endurance (an lronman-distance event). In both races, I finished last but under the time limit and very happy, Now in my 27th racing season, having explored how long a race I can do (having started five and finished three, the lronman distance was definitely my limit, and my last of those was the Great Floridian in 1994J I am well into the process of exploring for how long I can continue to race. When I did my 100th 10 years ago, I set my sights on doing my second hundred by age 75 and being in a race as a member of the 80-plus age group. Well I have been lucky enough to get to 200 by age 72. Sfill looking at racing in the 8O-plus, I am now hoping to have at least 250 races under my belt when I get there. My top five triathlon experiences, so far? First was, of course, my first race, the 19g3 Mighty Hamptons Triathlon at Sag Harbor, Ny Not only was | flying mentally for at least two weeks after it, but having found nothing in the then-limited triathlon literature aimed at beginners, in the transitjon-area after the race I determined to write the book that became Triathloning for Ordinary Mortals. While as you know I do not consider "doing an lronman,, the gold standard of our sport, for me, that former non-athlete, second was finishing that first lronman, at Cape Cod. Third was finishing my 1-00tf multisport race, the 1999 Mighty Montauk. I began going to ITU Age Group World Championships in the mid-00s, again because my age cohort started to shrink. My fourth top experience was my first Worlds finish, at Lausanne in 2006. {Due to hypothermia in the swim. I had a DNF at my first Worlds at Madeira lsland in 2004.) The fifth top will be when I make that expected finish line-crossing at Central Park on August 9, 2009. There were many other races I have enjoyed of course (and, yes, a few that I didn't, for a variety of reasons). But equal to my top racing experiences in our sport has been getting to know so many wonderful people. To name just a few, there were Ray and Donna Charron, organizers of the original Mighty Hamptons, who did so much to launch triathlon in the northeast back in the 80s; Fred Feller, owner of Carl Hart Bicycles of Middle lsland, Nt personal friend and benefactor; Dave McGillivray, early leader of our sport in New England; my friend from the days of Tri-Fed, Mark Sisson; mV USAT special friends Tlm yount and many others too numerous to name; John Hanc, health and fitness writer non-parallAle for Long lsland,s Newsday and Runners World; Lew Kidder, editor and publisher of the old Triathlon Today, who gave me a chance to write about my favorite sport every month; and last, but certainly not least, my good friend Dan Honig, without whom triathlon/duathlon racing in the New York metropolitan area would not be at anything like the level it is. What's the secret of my longevity in the sport, you might ask? | think that part of it is precisely that I don't go very fast in the races, I don't go very fast in m'y tra.iffing, ind while I am very regular in training on a year-round basis I don't do a heck of a lot of it. Throughout the season I average 5-5 hours per week, all three sports, and I count mv minutes in the races towards my weekly totals. Thus I limit the pounding and I don't get injured much (and those injuries I do get are usually minor). Most importantly, I keep it all in perspective. I do triathlons and duathlons; I don't let them do me. And I keep having fun. For if it ever stops being fun, I will know that the end of mv career in the sport is at hand. r
Transcript of TRTATHLEN W|TH .I.NARY APPROACHING MULTISPORT...
rl\LKtNGi TRTATHLEN W|TH STEVE JctNAS.I.NARY MORMLS
APPROACHING 2OO MULTISPORT RACESF ome years ago in an exchange of
\ correspondence with Dave Scott, I
Y happeneci to seno nim a copy of a photoof me finishing the triathlon at the InternationalMasters Games held at Hagg Lake, Ore., onAugust 20, 1-998. In one communication,evidentiy misreading what I had said indescribing the photo, Dave said, "l particularlyenjoyed the attached cover photo of your 4thplace finish at the Masters Gamesl you lookawfully freshl" In responding to Dave I said,"My finish in that race was 4th from last, not4th place!" I went on to say: "My freshness is ameasure of my approach to racing: to go out ata comfortable pace, make my primary objectivecrossing the finish line, and have fun.,,
I am writing this column on July 10, 2009.As of today I have completed 198 multisportraces - 12L triathlons and 77 duathlons (andyes, as a former non-athlete I have a recordof every one of theml) On August 9, 2009, I
planned to do what will be my Z00th multisportrace, the Central Park Triathlon in New york
City, (Yes indeed there is a Cpf,, with the swim inan open-air pool at the north end of the park.)A non-athlete into my mid-4Os, I originally tookup runntng as a way to get somewhat fit forthe first time in my life. I got into triathlon, atage 46, because I thought that cross trainingsounded like a good idea, and the racesthemselves sounded like fun. And bov was I
right - on both countslBut from the beginning I have been
slow. And as i get older, even though I am inbetter shape than ever, I am getting slower.Nevertheless, I am having as much fun as ever,maybe even more (especially in races in whichthere are 3 or fewer of us in my shrinkingacfive age cohort: when I cross the finish line I
even get a plaquel). Throughout my triathlon/duathlon career I have followed one of mvmajor precepts not only for sport, but for lifeitself : "Explore your limits; recognize yourlimitations."
I recognized very early on my principallimitation in our sport: I was just slow in allthree events, it would take an awful lot ofwork to become even reasonably fast, and I
didn't want to do that. 5o I began to exploremy limits, first as to distance. In the summer of1985 | completed my first long race, the GreenMountain (W) Steelman (a half-ironman-plusevent). Three weeks later, | finished the CapeCod (MA) Endurance (an lronman-distanceevent). In both races, I finished last but underthe time limit and very happy,
Now in my 27th racing season, havingexplored how long a race I can do (havingstarted five and finished three, the lronmandistance was definitely my limit, and my lastof those was the Great Floridian in 1994J I amwell into the process of exploring for how longI can continue to race. When I did my 100th 10years ago, I set my sights on doing my second
hundred by age 75 and being in a race as amember of the 80-plus age group. Well I havebeen lucky enough to get to 200 by age 72.Sfill looking at racing in the 8O-plus, I am nowhoping to have at least 250 races under my beltwhen I get there.
My top five triathlon experiences, so far?First was, of course, my first race, the 19g3Mighty Hamptons Triathlon at Sag Harbor, NyNot only was | flying mentally for at least twoweeks after it, but having found nothing inthe then-limited triathlon literature aimed atbeginners, in the transitjon-area after the raceI determined to write the book that becameTriathloning for Ordinary Mortals. While as youknow I do not consider "doing an lronman,,the gold standard of our sport, for me, thatformer non-athlete, second was finishing thatfirst lronman, at Cape Cod. Third was finishingmy 1-00tf multisport race, the 1999 MightyMontauk. I began going to ITU Age Group WorldChampionships in the mid-00s, again becausemy age cohort started to shrink. My fourthtop experience was my first Worlds finish, atLausanne in 2006. {Due to hypothermia in theswim. I had a DNF at my first Worlds at Madeiralsland in 2004.) The fifth top will be whenI make that expected finish line-crossing atCentral Park on August 9, 2009.
There were many other races I have enjoyedof course (and, yes, a few that I didn't, for avariety of reasons). But equal to my top racingexperiences in our sport has been getting toknow so many wonderful people. To namejust a few, there were Ray and Donna Charron,organizers of the original Mighty Hamptons,who did so much to launch triathlon in thenortheast back in the 80s; Fred Feller, owner ofCarl Hart Bicycles of Middle lsland, Nt personalfriend and benefactor; Dave McGillivray, early
leader of our sport in New England; my friendfrom the days of Tri-Fed, Mark Sisson; mV USATspecial friends Tlm yount and many others toonumerous to name; John Hanc, health andfitness writer non-parallAle for Long lsland,sNewsday and Runners World; Lew Kidder,editor and publisher of the old TriathlonToday, who gave me a chance to write aboutmy favorite sport every month; and last, butcertainly not least, my good friend Dan Honig,without whom triathlon/duathlon racing in theNew York metropolitan area would not be atanything like the level it is.
What's the secret of my longevity in thesport, you might ask? | think that part of it isprecisely that I don't go very fast in the races,I don't go very fast in m'y tra.iffing, ind whileI am very regular in training on a year-roundbasis I don't do a heck of a lot of it. Throughoutthe season I average 5-5 hours per week, allthree sports, and I count mv minutes in theraces towards my weekly totals. Thus I limit thepounding and I don't get injured much (andthose injuries I do get are usually minor). Mostimportantly, I keep it all in perspective. I dotriathlons and duathlons; I don't let them dome. And I keep having fun. For if it ever stopsbeing fun, I will know that the end of mv careerin the sport is at hand. r
