Author: adam

It’s tough not to get nervous and panic a bit when you’re crammed in the water, among hundreds of other triathletes, waiting anxiously for the gunshot to start the race.

The challenge ahead appeared so daunting. And considering the months of training; the late nights and early mornings; and all the people who helped me get to that point, the pressure to perform quickly built up.

I worried about all the things that could go wrong out on the course: a cramp in the open water; a flat tire on the side of the highway; a misstep on a lava rock.

I wanted to dominate this race for my supporters, my coaches and teammates, the patients and families who benefit from Team In Training and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and for my aunt Leslie.

But it’s tough to take yourself too seriously when the back of your neck reads, “It’s not a race till I poop myself.”

Continue reading Lavaman: 2:44:09

Tri for Les 2012: Lavaman

One month ago I was in Parker, Arizona having dinner with my Team In Training teammates on the eve of the Bluewater Triathlon. It was the first triathlon for many of us in the room and I for one could feel the butterflies in my stomach as I picked at the pasta and salad on the plate in front of me. Up until that point, for me, the triathlon was dedicated to my aunt Leslie Whitfield, who lost a 19-year battle to breast cancer in February of 2011.

But during our aptly named, “Inspiration Dinner,” one of my teammates stood in front of the room and shared her reasons for joining Team In Training: her husband, and father of their young son, tragically died from cancer a couple years ago. And as you would expect, it was devastating, leaving her feeling helpless. She joined Team In Training to fight back and move forward. It was something tangible that she could start, focus on and finish.

Surprisingly, this was the first I’d heard of her amazing story. And it blew me away. I had been swimming, running and biking with this woman three days a week, for four months straight, and had no idea she was dealing with that kind of a loss or had such a moving connection to the cause.

Continue reading Same name, new fight

Twenty minutes before the start of the Bluewater Triathlon someone asked me, “So, what’s your strategy?”

Barefoot, jittery, cold and nervous, I thought about it for a second, and proceeded to swing my arms around to loosen up.

“Dominate,” I said with a smirk. “And pass on the left.”

We both laughed, knowing full well that this was my first triathlon and that I was being somewhat sarcastic.

And even though a part of me wanted to dominate and pass as many people in the race as possible, another part of me stepped back to remember what this triathlon was really about.

Continue reading Tri for Les: Bluewater complete!