Humble Beginnings

As I enter my 22nd year in triathlon, I am somewhat reflective on how I got here and how it all went by so fast. I first started in 1986 when I was attending college in San Diego. Prior to that, I was a pot-smoking surfer without a whole lot of ambition (duh!!!!) working as a bartender and skating by in junior college.

I had just broke up with this girl who I worked with at the bar. I kinda got wrapped up a little too tight on this one and made myself miserable wondering what she was up to...and with whom. So, I decided to take up jogging as a means to run by her house and check up on her. I think they call that "stalking" nowadays. Anyway, it was on one of may many treks by her apartment that I ran into one of my surfing buddies from San Clemente. My friend Craig Neher was going to SDSU and I had not seen him in about a year. He was running the opposite way and recognized me as we passed. He mentioned that he wasn't surfing too much anymore because he was doing this thing called triathlon. He invited me to come run with him and some of his friends in Pacific Beach. I took him up on his offer as I didn't have too many friends yet in San Diego.

The next week, I showed up at his place at 6AM on a Tuesday morning. There was this whole group of guys all milling about in front of his apartment. Funny thing was, no one besides Craig was talking to me...they pretty much ignored that I was even there. I would get dropped and Craig would drop back and pace me back up. This went on the whole run. For some strange reason, I came back on Thursday, and the same thing happened. This went on for about 2 weeks!! Finally, the guys figured I wasn't going anywhere and started to warm up to me. This proved fortuitous for me as most of these guys, unknown to me, were some of the early pioneers in the sport and taught me an awful lot about training and racing that I still use today over 20 years later.

For starters, there were these two brothers...twin brothers named Wally and Wayne Buckingham. If their names sound kind of familiar, they were there racing at Fiesta Island on that fateful day in 1974 when our sport was born. They were local legends within the running and triathlon community and some of the fastest guys in town. Then there was Emilio DeSoto, before he became a world-famous clothier. I think he was still lifeguarding and going to school getting his MBA. Next, there was Rob Bistoudeau, another lightning-fast runner who could drink as hard as he could run. Doug Roberts, the human cartoon character, was there too...the guy who started Reynolds Composites and developed the Ouzo Pro fork. Next was Carter Goodnough, who I probably owe as much to as anyone. Another tall, lanky guy that always kept me honest in hanging on to the back of these really fast guys. Bill Hippe, Barry Culp, Drew Renick...so many good guys.

I miss those days as I start the downward side out if my 5th decade of life....half of it in the sport of triathlon. As I reflect about the past, I get excited for the future, because with all those guys I mentioned above, only Emilio and I are still racing competitively. It has become a lifestyle for me...one that has seen many transitions as I have matured, started a family, career, divorced and right back to where I started in 1986.

Beer Mile

Another off-season diversion...Beer Mile. We had a lower than expected turnout. Some of the noted participants were Pete Valentyik, JZ, Mark Schenk, Karol Kristov, Eric Schwartz, Brad Seng, Greg McCullough, Jen Baer and a few other Boulder locals...just out for a little drag racing in the drinking and running game. Pete was the definitively the "alien' in our group as he drinks beer like a sailor and runs like a Kenyan. I definitely had the edge in the consumption department, but was a tad slack on the speed. Schwartz made me work the 3rd lap as he had been breathing down my neck on the previous lap. In the end, Pete won with a 6:45 mile (that includes drinking 4 Tecates), yours truly second with an 8:20. Third came down to a foot race between Schwartz and JZ...it's kinda pathetic to see a grown man and former professional athlete throwin' elbows on a girl in the turn...but a podium is a podium,!!!!!! And Joanna didn't puke this run..me thinks she's been practicing.

2007...boy oh boy...what an interesting year

Normally, I don't give in to the whole New Years resolutions, and sayings like ' it will be so much better next year...I can't wait'. But after the last 12 months, I am now one of those people.

My 2007 really started the end of July 2006. At the time, I was married and after 7 years, the time had some for my wife to break the news to me that I had been ducking and avoiding for some time. She wanted a divorce...it wasn't working anymore. Three days later, my wife qualified for Ironman!!! After some discussion, we decided I would stay until after the race. Race day came and went. The day I came back from Kona, I moved my shit out of the house and into a condo down the street.

A few weeks later, my father fell ill and ended up in and out of ICU over a period of 6 months. Meanwhile, my chronically sore shoulder ended up being diagnosed as a torn labrum. Surgery was scheduled and I chose to go back to San Diego to have a specific surgeon repair me. My surgery went well, but the next day, I got word that my dad was terribly ill and was not expected to make it through the night. My friends Pete and Michellie let me borrow their car to drive from San Diego to Vegas. I was fortunate enough to spend the last remaining hours with my dad.

My shoulder was not progressing in rehab and it was determined I had developed adhesive capsulitis, or better known as 'frozen shoulder'. Rehab was a long, arduous process that would take many months to get back to full function. Meanwhile, I moved into Boulder and felt like I was turning a corner in my life. I dug the people and the energy here, I made some great new friends and acquaintances. The 2nd day of moving, I dropped a 32 inch TV on my foot. Good news is the TV and my foot were not broken..bad news was I had a severe bone contusion. I couldn't even wear shoes for about 5 weeks, let alone run and ride. Damn, this year was starting to get ugly. Two weeks later, I contracted West Nile virus and felt like I had mono for the next 6 weeks. I thought, what the hell else can go wrong now??? Ooops, shouldn't have said that!!! My mom had a pulmonary embolism and was undiscovered on the floor of her apartment for 3 days. She had some neurological damage and it was decided she had to live in an assisted living facility

Finally, October came again. I decided at the last minute to go to Kona for Ironman. I had a lot of friends racing and I had a business opportunity to check out. I ran into my friends Paul and Noreen Thomas. While speaking to Noreen about the ghastly year, she reminded me that everything really started on the downhill slide right after Kona, and since it was now 1 year later, it was a brand new year. I liked that idea very much and embraced it like it was a 21 year old virgin.

Ever since that day sitting on the pier with Noreen, things just seem to be happening much better for me. I already like how 2008 is shaping up.