My Triathlon journey started through a chance “encounter” with the sport. It was September 2000 and the Sydney Olympics were drawing to a close. It may have been the last day of competition if my memory is correct…(it rarely is :)). I was lying in bed with an extremely painful herniated disc in my lower back. flipping TV channels i stumbled on the last few minutes of the first ever Olympic Triathlon race. I missed the swim and bike portions altogether but watching I saw a young Canadian, Simon whitfield storming through his competitors. Apparently he was in 26th position after the bike having suffered a minor crash. Impossibly he passed competitor after competitor as the CBC announcer’s excitement soared with their commentary. At some point in the last 200 meters he passed his final rival and sprinted to a dramatic finish and the worlds first Triathlon Olympic gold. That day that performance brought tears to my eyes and i said to myself that one day i would do a triathlon.
In the fall of 2000 I was in bed a full six weeks and subsequently had months of physiotherapy before I was pain free. It took me another 15 years before I made good on my promise to take up triathlon. This blog is in part about my Triathlon experiences leading up to qualifying for worlds and in main about my post qualifying preparation for worlds in Pontevedra Spain 2026.
The Road to Spain: An Age Group Athletes Journey 