Category: Our Stories

Older adults give many reasons for beginning or continuing to train for and compete in triathlons. Senior triathlete Howard Glass is the first person to tell me how triathlon changed his mind, his thoughts.

Prologue

Following our hour and a half phone call during the evening of Tuesday, September 4^th, Howard Glass and I agreed to resume our conversation after I had finished a draft of his triathlon story. However, before we talked a second time, Howard’s daughter, Lydia, replied to my email to Howard, informing me that her dad had unexpectedly passed away on September 9^th.

While Howard’s passing impacted some of what I had included in my first draft, the principal message from his story stayed the same. Howard openly shared about the struggle that eventually sparked his love of triathlon. I hope my record of our conversation will inspire you as much as he did me. He was a remarkable man.

Introducing Howard Glass

Howard began telling his triathlon story by recalling his move to the United States from the UK, where he had spent the first part of his life working in the real estate industry. After falling in love with the Florida Keys during his first visit to the USA in 1991, Howard purchased a wooded lot in the Keys in March 1992. His plan was to build a home here for him, his first wife, and daughter Lydia.

He returned to Florida three days after Hurricane Andrew in August 1992, to complete plans for the house with an architect. In November, he and a builder he had hired broke ground on the project.

While in Florida, Howard worked alongside the builder to help complete the family’s new home. However, since he was in the country on a tourist visa, Howard was required to return to the UK every 90 days. As a result, the house took two years to complete.

Eventually, Howard received a green card, which allowed him to live full-time and work in the USA. He and his family moved to their new home in Florida, and he began working at Home Depot.

Cycling, A Life Changer

I asked Howard what his experience with endurance sports was before training for triathlon. His one-word answer was, “Zero.”

Before beginning to train for his first triathlon in 2009, Howard said, “I had never run before, had never had a bike before, and I could swim a little.”

So, what caused Howard to train for a triathlon? Following personal events that led to him moving to Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, Howard says he developed severe depression. He began taking medication to treat his depression.

For helping a realtor friend work on her house, she and her two brothers bought Howard a road bike. As he began riding, he found the depression lifting. After about three months, he had weaned himself off the medication.

Howard carried this experience with him. He remained convinced that the combined benefits of exercise and his focus on triathlon kept the depression away.

Related Post: Triathlon For a Healthy Brain – Pat & Joan Hogan’s Story

First Triathlon at Age 68

Howard continued biking, then added running and swimming to his exercise routine as he trained for and completed a Sprint triathlon in Jupiter, Florida, in 2009.

Over the next two years, Howard did a couple more Sprint triathlons. In 2010, his finished his first Olympic distance triathlon in Miami, Florida.

“Like an idiot, I thought I could do the Disney half Ironman in June. This race taught me I needed to hydrate, especially in Florida during the summer. But I didn’t know how to hydrate. After the bike, which I finished with an average speed of about 18.5 miles per hour, I found I couldn’t change gears to run the half marathon.”

Recognizing that Howard was dehydrated, race medical staff brought out a stretcher, which they used to move him into a tent. Howard said, “They gave me a couple of bags of IV fluid. Suddenly, I felt great, so I asked if I could get back into the race.”

Their answer was clear: “You’re done.” That was Howard’s first experience being severely dehydrated.

A few months later, in October, Howard took another shot at the half Ironman distance, the Atlantic Coast Triathlon in Amelia Island, Florida. The flat bike and run courses led to his best time for a half Ironman, 6 hours, 11 minutes. A month later, he did a second half Ironman in Miami, Florida.

Howard Becomes An IRONMAN

After finishing this race, he packed his bike and flew with it to Seattle, from where he rented a car and drove east across Washington state to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for his first full Ironman. He arrived two days before the race. The first morning, he went to the lake where the swim would take place, put on his wetsuit, and went for a short swim in the 53°F water.

The short practice swim did not prepare him for the full, 2.4-mile swim during the triathlon. For the race, the swim involved two loops of a 1.2-mile course. After completing the swim, he went into a tent with heaters to warm up. After warming, he went out on the bike leg in a short-sleeve shirt in the 45°F air. He admitted to knowing nothing about aid stations. He finished the bike leg, then fast walked the run course, finishing just before midnight. After collecting his bike and packing it in the car, Howard returned to the hotel for a warm shower.

His First Kona Slot

The next day, he returned for the banquet and awards ceremony, where he collected his first Ironman finisher medal and second place age group award. This result, especially on a tough course, gave Howard a lot of confidence.

Over the next four years, Howard completed another five full Ironman distance triathlons. One of these was the 2012 Ironman Lake Placid (Lake Placid, New York), where he was the only finisher of six in his age group. This finish earned him a slot for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Another confidence builder.

In October of that year, he completed the Ironman in Kona, finishing 9^th of 24 in the men’s 70-74 age group. A month later, he finished Ironman Florida first of fourteen in the same age group. This finish earned him a slot for the 2013 Ironman in Kona.

“Mike Riley knows me well”

In 2013, Howard made his second trip to the “Big Island” of Hawaii for the IRONMAN World Championship. With this and other triathlons leading up to the Kona trip, Howard finished thirteen Ironman races in a row. “Mike Riley [the iconic ‘Voice of IRONMAN’] knows me well,” said Howard. Then, in 2014, he added “Boston Marathon Finisher” to his list of endurance sports accomplishments.

All totaled, Howard competed in 30 to 35 half Ironman and 32 full Ironman triathlons. His half Ironman triathlons were in areas as different as Augusta, Georgia and Argentina, or Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada and Muncie, Indiana.

Howard’s full Ironman triathlons included (in alphabetical order):

• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Chattanooga, Tennessee
• Coeur d’e ‘Alene, Idaho
• Cozumel, Mexico (3x)
• Florida (2x)
• Kona, Hawaii (2x)
• Lake Placid, New York (3x)
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Texas (2x)

Of these, he has finished all but five of the half Ironman and 17 of the full Ironman races. Howard chalks up some failures to finish, or DNF (Did Not Finish), to not feeling well or not feeling prepared on race morning. Still, he did not finish others through “overexuberance”. He said, “I tried to do three Ironman triathlons in one month while traveling over 5,000 miles by car, all in my mid-70s. I DNFed all three.”

Life Happens

Over the last two or three years, Howard slowed, deferring many registrations. Recently, he had cataract surgery on both eyes and a second melanoma surgery. The latter forced him to put swimming on hold for several weeks.

Despite deferring his registration for the Ironman Cozumel half Ironman distance this year because of the surgeries, Howard was training for the full distance triathlon in Cozumel set for November. From his knowledge of this course, Howard was confident he could complete this triathlon even though he would have had only about six weeks of swim training after these surgeries.

How Howard Trained for Triathlon

Howard never trained with a coach. However, this was something he was thinking of changing. Howard told me, “not having a coach has cost me a fortune.” It hurt him to spend money on the race registration and travel to the race venue, then not finish the race.

However, this did not mean that he did not prioritize training. Even at this stage in life, Howard trained five days per week. This included biking three times per week, running two to three times per week, and swimming. During the training sessions, he also practiced hydration and eating, race skills critical for long course triathlons.

Advice for Those Thinking of Starting Triathlon Later In Life

According to Howard, starting triathlon later in life may have made it easier. Howard attributes his ability to continue training for and racing in triathlons, at least partially, to his late arrival to the sport. He told me, “When I started, my body was ok. It had not been overused.”

With the need to train as the first advice for others thinking of starting triathlon later in life, Howard offered a second piece of advice: You have to have a will to finish a race despite all the variables that come with multi-sport endurance racing. “You don’t need to be fast, but determined to continue.”

He also told me he had learned to pay closer attention to details of a triathlon he considered doing, especially as he became older. What are race distances? What does the race course look like? Are currents likely to be a factor during the swim? Will hills and/or wind affect the bike leg?

He also suggested that we look at the finisher times from previous races. What are the cut-off times? Can you make the cut-offs? Is this a race you can finish? Or, is it one for which you could win your age group?

Triathlon and Depression

Howard’s motivation to train stemmed from two reasons: a desire to live healthy later in life, and a concern that without regular exercise, he might face another battle with depression. At the time of his death, Howard had a long list of Ironman triathlons he planned to complete. Through these, he hoped to return to Hawaii for the next men’s IRONMAN World Championship in 2026.

I appreciate Howard’s willingness to let us see into to his life before and after triathlon. His transparency can benefit those who also struggle with depression. While one solution seldom fits all situations, endurance exercise in general and triathlon more specifically is a win-win solution for a significant problem that is growing throughout the world today.

A Daughter’s Tribute

Howard’s daughter Lydia wrote a tribute to her father, which she shared with me. Here is part of it:

Click here to read Howard’s obituary.

Have Questions or Comments?

Please leave your questions and comments below.

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Affiliate Disclosure

One of the unexpected joys of writing for the Senior Triathletes website has been meeting people like Laurent Labbe. Laurent has become a friend over the years, as he has shared his experiences with triathlon and lessons from the sport. I have followed him to numerous countries through triathlon and multi-day bike races. And, I have learned from his lessons in swimming, biking, running, nutrition and hydration.

Through our email exchanges, Laurent has introduced me to his wife and children. I have especially enjoyed seeing the ways his family has become part of the sport.

A New Challenge

So, it affected me profoundly to learn of another race Laurent has recently entered, this one against cancer.

A few weeks ago, Laurent sent me an update, a message I have come to enjoy eading. But this message was different. He began with the statement, “Unfortunately, this year was complicated for me.”

The message continued with, “All started quite well with the Hong Kong Marathon in January and my best time as an old guy (5 hours, 20 minutes) and in February, Oman IronMan [IM] 70.3. I finished, not as well as I was expecting. Running was still difficult for me.”

“I registered again for the Nice [France] full IM with my son again. (We did the 2019 version together.) But, some unpredictable events crashed my plan.”

Laurent had been training for Nice, despite “long time abdominal pain.” At the beginning of April this year, his doctors found a cancerous tumor on his colon. Through two surgeries, one in mid-April and the second at the beginning of May, the doctors removed the tumor.

Despite the surgery and thanks to Laurent’s good physical condition, he recovered fast, even surprising his doctor. He was home within one week of surgery. Two weeks after the second surgery, he was back to biking,

Then, after the oncologist confirmed the cancer during a followup in late May, Laurent began a six-month oral chemotherapy treatment.

“Of course, I had no choice but to postpone the June IM in Nice. Instead, my son and I decided to try Barcelona on October 5^th this year, despite my still being under chemotherapy treatment.”

If Cancer Were Not Enough Challenge For Laurent’s Next Triathlon

Despite his recovery from surgery and some new effects of the chemotherapy, such as multiple blisters on his feet and always being tired, Laurent decided to go for a bike ride the day he was leaving Hong Kong for holidays (vacation) in France. During this ride, which followed a rainy night, his front wheel slipped on a turn resulting in him falling on the road.

“Thanks to my helmet, nothing happened on my head. But I had strong pain in my chest. I finished my ride anyway, but a few days after arriving in France, an X-ray confirmed a broken rib. So with that, I could not run, the swim was difficult (even though I did some), and biking was difficult as there was pain with every small shock from the road. During one full month, I could do nothing.

“Back in Hong Kong at the beginning of August, I was able to finally restart training, under the severe heat of Hong Kong,” wrote Laurent.

Even with the help of a remote French coach, Laurent found it difficult to return to his previous level of fitness. “I still cannot easily run 10 km or ride 40 km.”

Still, Laurent’s doctor encouraged him to continue with his plans. Besides, his internet research has produced articles supporting this decision. “The sport will reduce the side effect of the cancer medicine and it is good to do it.”

So, as the date for IRONMAN CALELLA-BARCELONA approached, Laurent made the trip to Spain. Even if he is not sure he could finish this triathlon, he was anxious to see his son and his son’s pregnant wife. She was carrying his first grandchild.

Ironman Calella-Barcelona

Laurent arrived in Barcelona from Hong Kong on Friday before Sunday’s race. The entire trip, from its beginning to arrival, was just as he had hoped, smooth and uneventful. After reconnecting with his son and daughter-in-law on Friday night, Laurent and his son planned to do some light exercise on Saturday. A mechanical issue with his son’s bike resulted in them canceling their swim practice.

Setting A Goal

Laurent wrote, “My plan was simple. Finish within 16 hours. Based on previous times, I set a goal of 2 hours for the swim and T1 and 8 hours for my bike plus T2. This still left me 6 hours for the marathon. I thought I might need this since the run was my weak part.”

Because of his lack of run training and the effect of the chemotherapy medicine, Laurent had not returned to his previous run pace. He said, “I had to go as fast as I could on the swim and bike to keep 6 hours or more for the run.”

“In reality, after many hours of training in swimming over the last months, I made an amazing time for me, 1 hour, 27 minutes. My previous PR [personal record] was 1 hour, 45 minutes. I almost caught up to my son who finished the swim in 1 hour, 22 minutes. I was feeling good.

“My plan for the swim, to stay away from the crowd of swimmers and concentrate on the stroke I had praticed, worked.” He was off to a good start, finishing 30 minutes earlier than his goal.

The story on the bike was similar. Keeping an eye on his heart rate to keep it in a safe area for him, he was able to average 26 km/hour over the 180 km course. He finished the bike leg in 6 hours, 45 minutes, more than one hour ahead of his goal.

Finishing With A Personal Record

With these results, Laurent set out on the run with confidence. He had more that seven hours to complete the three loops of the 14 km course. After running the first loop at a “very slow (7 km/hour)” pace, he increased his speed in the second loop to make the cut-off time for the third loop. This loop was difficult.

During the last 4 km of the third and final loop, Laurent’s son, who had finished earlier, joined him. While Laurent approached the end of this race, his son sprinted ahead so he could video his father crossing the finish line.

Laurent finished in 15 hours 17 minutes, well of ahead of his goal and one hour faster than his previous time for this triathlon. He wrote that he approached the finish line “with tears in my eyes as I made it. My body was full of pain, my feet full of blisters.”

Lessons From Triathlon With Cancer

Laurent wrote, “I can read other stories on [the Senior Triathletes] website [that] are very strong too.” He is referring to the amazing things other older athletes are doing, despite the challenges of age and health issues. Stories like that of Michael Morris in Cancer Can’t Slow Triathlete Down are also encouraging.

“Cancer [does] very tricky things. Day to night, you move from healthy status to a sick person, which all impacts the family, relations with your kids or your wife. It’s not easy. I’m still thinking that to keep running (in both meanings) for a race goal can be a good way to kick out the sick mindset. But not easy.”

“My older kids and some close friends followed me, encouraged me and this was great. My son’s wife was there as well, waiting for me after swim, bike, and doing the run. So good, she is so nice.”

While this triathlon was not easy, Laurent showed himself and some family that even with a cancer, even under chemotherapy, we can train and do some hard things. He said, “I wanted to shout at the arrival,’I have a cancer and I did it.’ “

Share Your Questions And Comments Below

Have you trained for a triathlon while being treated for cancer? If so, what have you learned?

Do you have questions for Laurent?

Please share your comments and questions below.

Comments: Please note that I review all comments before they are posted. You will be notified by email when your comment is approved. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a comment is published.

What’s next for you in triathlon or other multisport racing? With registration for next year’s triathlons beginning to open, this question may be one you are asking yourself.

It has been a little over one year since I achieved my goal of doing a triathlon in all 50 states of America. So, the “what’s next” question is one I have been asking myself a lot. It’s also a question others who know of my recently completed triathlon goal have been asking me.

In this post, I share my thoughts hoping to learn more about your plans and goals.

Longer Distance Triathlon

I am sure that most people who have completed more than one or two triathlons think about doing longer distance races. For me, this started about mid-way through my 50 state triathlon journey. Since I viewed the marathon as my greatest challenge for completing an Ironman triathlon, I started by training for and completing a half-marathon. In my plan, the half marathon was a stepping stone to a full marathon.

An injury and challenges at work at the beginning of the next year sidelined my plan to run a full marathon during the year. I never resumed training for the iron distance.

Still, I have always wondered if I can do what so many of you in our community have done. It seems natural to wonder if we can go further.

There is also value in inspiring those who come after us, such as children and grandchildren. By taking on tough challenges, we can be part of the movement to change people’s perspective on age. Triathlon has certainly done that for me.

However, I no longer see this as a priority. Investing 12 to 14 hours per week training for an iron distance triathlon is not a commitment I am ready to make. While I still train for sprint distances, my days include many other activities around the house and with my wife, other friends, and family.

Maybe I should set my sights on an intermediate distance triathlon, such as the international distance. Along with this, I might aim to compete at the National Senior Games, Pan-American Masters Games, or World Masters Games.

Aquabike Racing

I credit senior triathlete Nikki Austin for getting me to consider this option. In preparing Racing For Fun – Nikki Austin’s Story, I learned about the aquabike multisport event.

Running has always been my most difficult leg. While I have trained in running the most of the three legs, following the “train your weakness” philosophy, I am still slow.

On the other hand, the guy who performed my bike fittings tells me that my body is made for cycling. And, biking has been my strongest leg.

For this reason, the aquabike multisport event appeals to me. I have swam and ridden the distances of a half iron triathlon many times. I just need to get an updated fitting and/or different bike seat to be comfortable over the distance.

New Venues for Sprint Triathlons

Even after considering alternatives to the sprint distance, I still come back to my first triathlon love, sprint. This morning, I read a comment on SeniorTriathletes.com from a reader about the most beautiful venue for a triathlon. Her’s was June Lake, California.

That caused me to think about other places across the USA, some in which I had once considered doing a triathlon. What if we went back to these? Certainly, there are plenty of new places to explore, new experiences waiting to be enjoyed, and new people to meet.

What’s Next for You?

Clearly, I have not made up my mind on what’s next for multisport training and racing. The only thing I am certain of is that I need to stay physically and socially active for healthy aging.

Are there other multisport race-related goals you are considering? Please share your plans and the motivation behind these.

Comments: Please note that I review all comments before they are posted. You will be notified by email when your comment is approved. Even if you do not submit a comment, you may subscribe to be notified when a comment is published.