Category: Our Stories

At 70 years old and moving into retirement, I pulled out my bucket list to see ‘Ironman triathlon’ at the top.

Before I go any farther, I should let you know that I have a mythical Uncle Max whose philosophy for life was “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing”. Following Max’s approach, I thought that full distance triathlons were worth doing. With that, I began my planning and training.

Ironman Triathlon on My Bucket List

I swam competitively in high school and college. I ran several marathons in my 20s and 30s and picked up road biking in my 30s and 40s. In the early 1980s, I tried a 70.3 triathlon, my only triathlon until now.

The Ironman triathlon on my bucket list would be a real challenge, but something worth doing.

I started my training from a level of moderate fitness. Biking and walking were enjoyable. However, I had done no swimming in over 45 years.

I tried to be creative in my training as I had total hip replacement on both hips about 15 years earlier. My surgeon had told me to not run since running would wear out the new joints prematurely. Arthritis was also entering the picture.

Training initially went well. I trained with speed walking and occasionally a walk/run strategy.

Then I tore a hamstring. That didn’t stop me from swimming or some strength training. However, it limited my walking and biking.

Obviously, my training wasn’t going well. Eventually, I got back on track and was looking forward to my inaugural full distance (140.6 mile) triathlon, Ironman Wisconsin 2020.

However, Covid entered the picture and the race was canceled.

Setting My Sights on Ironman Wisconsin 2021

I regrouped and began a slightly more intense training program to prepare for the 2021 event. However, with the increased intensity and distance, I suffered a stress reaction and strained muscle in my left leg.

For the next ten weeks, I wore a boot and did no running or speed walking. After about eight weeks I could bike, but only for short periods and at low intensity. I basically took those 10 weeks off and started over again.

After restarting my training, I gained in fitness and confidence, lost some weight, and, despite a sense of chronic fatigue, felt good. I was well on my way to achieving my goal.

My goal was to finish the Ironman race, not win it. That meant I had 17 hours to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles over a technical and hilly course, and run (walk) 26.2 miles through the streets of Madison.

Nutrition is known as the “fourth discipline” of triathlon. It is a crucial component for people like me who will be on the course for nearly 17 hours.

I developed what I thought was a solid nutrition and hydration plan for the day. I wanted to stay hydrated and take in enough calories to maintain strength without causing an upset stomach.

Related post: What If I Want to Do An Ironman Triathlon? – Tom Lipp’s Story

Ironman Wisconsin 2021

Race day 2021 arrived. I thought I was ready to complete my top bucket list item, my first Ironman triathlon. The weather cooperated as temperatures were in the upper 60s. The wind didn’t start building until later in the day.

My swim went surprisingly well, I started out too fast, but settled into a manageable pace and came out of the lake feeling good.

Trouble on the Bike

However, within four miles of starting the bike course, my legs felt heavy and tired. I tried backing off the pace, but that didn’t seem to help.

The bike course is essentially a two lap route. I struggled to climb all the hills on the first lap. I also noticed pain in my quadriceps. Then they started cramping. These were hard cramps. I struggled but did finish the bike course. However, I was behind schedule.

I was also somewhat demoralized as I started the 26.2-mile run. I continued to experience cramping, was light headed, and was walking at a snail’s pace.

The reason? I was dehydrated and short on calories.

My hydration and nutrition plan was solid, but I “forgot” to follow it. Caught up in the excitement, and focused on the technical and challenging bike course, I didn’t eat or drink nearly as much as I should have. I struggled until just past mile 19 when I realized I would not be able to finish in 17 hours, the official cut off for the race. Because the dehydration had affected my reasoning power as well as my general wellbeing, I painfully withdrew from the race less than seven miles from the finish line.

Looking Back After the Triathlon

At the time, I considered this a failure. I felt I didn’t have the physical stamina, the mental toughness, and the discipline to complete this challenge.

However, in the weeks following the race, I looked back at all I had accomplished. I learned and improved swimming, biking, and pacing skills. I enjoyed pool and open water swimming and the long bike rides through the countryside. Most of the time, I had successfully completed challenging daily workouts. My overall health had improved. I was proud of my fitness level and that I had successfully met the rigors of a challenging training program.

Planning for Ironman Wisconsin 2022

Now it’s on to 2022. There was some unfinished business in Madison. I developed a better training plan, enhanced my nutrition and hydration plan (and resolved to follow it closely), and sought the advice of a biking consultant. The training was tough, but I had that sense of pride after each workout, because I faced the daily challenges and met them. Over the next 10 months I again gained confidence, strength, and endurance. I was ready to become and Ironman.

When training as a “senior” athlete, the concept of age is a huge challenge. I don’t mean that if you are old, you cannot train. When I was going through an intense workout I would think that this is way too hard for a 72 year old so I should back off on the intensity and the duration, and even add more rest after the workout. But I don’t think of myself as a 72 year old and won’t use that as an excuse. There are times I feel so good that I forget I am 72 and think I am 40 and I should be doing more. Logically, I should back off and train smart, but I still don’t feel 72 so the battle continues

Unexpected Weather on Race Day

I watched the weather forecast daily as we approached race day. I was expecting moderate to warm temperatures and strong winds. Not ideal, but I was ready.

Unfortunately, as we know, weather forecasts are not always accurate. The night before the race, rain entered the picture and stayed with us for the next 40 hours. Not only was it raining, it was “cold” (55 degrees) and the wind was averaging 15 to 18 miles per hour.

It was pointed out to me that at 72 I was the oldest competitor in this year’s race. I began to wonder what I was doing in cold, rainy and windy weather for 17 hours

Swim

As we wait to start the race, we are standing in mud, with rain and wind. We are wearing wet suits and swim caps but somehow are still cold. When the race begins we hit the water which was 71 degrees and actually felt good. Although I had a very strong year of swim training, my swim went poorly. I never found a rhythm and had some difficulty dealing with the rough water. I finished and actually felt okay as I exited the lake and moved toward the bike.

Bike

When changing into bike clothes, I was cold and shivering. I had difficulty using my hands. But after a few extra minutes, I was on my bike, ready for 112 miles in the rain and cold.

I followed my nutrition and hydration plan closely. However, because my hands were becoming numb, I had to stop on the side of the road to open packets or squeeze my water bottle. Despite that, my mindset was good. I was on pace to complete the triathlon.

I ignored the cold and kept pedaling. By 40 miles, I had difficulty braking and switching gears and even holding on to the handlebars and was shivering violently. No cramps this time. My legs were cold but working fine.

Then, at about mile 82, I felt my back tire go flat. Normally, a flat tire would not have been a big deal. I would hop off the bike, repair the flat, and move on. I’m not very good at repairing flats. This would normally be about a 10 minute process.

This was not the case today. Because of the cold, my hands weren’t working properly. I was shivering violently. It took nearly 10 minutes for me just to open my saddlebag and to remove the wheel from my bike.

But it got worse. I could not remove the tire from the wheel because I had no feeling in my hands. On top of this, my core temperature continued dropping because I was no longer working hard.

The End of My Race

I was finally rescued by spectators who gave me a ride to a rest stop where I could warm up. There were five other bikers already at that rest stop suffering from the cold and wet conditions. Eventually, the weather conditions caused over 35% of the participants to not complete the race. I was one of them.

Reflecting on My Race

Was I disappointed? Yes.

But I was also proud because my mindset during the race was to continue despite the rain and cold. I withdrew because of safety issues (couldn’t brake, switch gears, or hold on to handlebars) and because I could not repair a flat tire.

Again, I reflect on the journey. I have trained for nearly 3 years, learned new skills, developed improved physical and mental toughness, enjoyed the training and felt an almost daily sense of accomplishment. My wife has given me continuous support and encouragement. I may have even inspired my son to take up running and be more active.

My Bucket List Still Includes an Ironman Triathlon

I am proud of the journey and the accomplishments. Since I believe I can check off the box on my bucket list next to ‘Ironman triathlon’, I will be back again next year.

If I fall short, I will look back on all the satisfaction, sense of accomplishment and fun I have had along the way. It is a long journey but I enjoy the ride.

A race is just one day, but the training is months and years. The rewards from daily training and accomplishments far outweigh one day.

About Steve Stewart
Steve and his wife Karna live in Big Lake, Minnesota. Steve is retired after 36 years in residential real estate sales and 13 years in school administration and teaching. He also coached high school swimmers for nearly 25 years. Steve and Karna have four adult children and two grandchildren. When not training, Steve enjoys travel, reading, and volunteering at his church.

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Have you ever asked yourself, “Should I do a triathlon”?

If you have been thinking about doing your first triathlon or going further with the sport, John Dean is a good guy to know. He has seen and experienced a lot through his 101 (and counting) sprint to Ironman triathlons.

I should warn you that John will most likely tell you to go for it. And, if you are older, he will also tell you “age should not be a limiting factor in triathlon”.

John Dean’s Triathlon History

The Senior Triathletes’ community represents a mix of backgrounds and experiences. Many trained for and completed their first triathlon later in their careers. Others are now training and competing in retirement.

There are also individuals like John Dean for whom triathlon has been a nearly lifelong adventure.

After completing his first triathlon 30 years ago, John continued with the sport. When we spoke recently, he had completed his 101^st triathlon.

The Journey Began With Running

John’s path to triathlon began nearly 40 years ago with running. Like many of us, running was a means for him to lose some weight gained after having given up smoking.

John’s initial goal was to complete a 10k race in under 40 minutes and to finish a marathon. He told himself that once he met these goals, it would be time to move on to something a little less strenuous, like fishing or golf.

However, once John easily met those two goals – his first 10k time was around 39 minutes and his first marathon time was 3 hours 25 minutes, he kept going, trying to improve his times.

For the next ten years, John competed in running races from 5k to full marathon distances.

Including his 101 triathlons, John has raced almost 300 times. Most of these have been running races, though he has also done a few duathlons and swim races.

“Should I Do A Triathlon?”

In January, 1992, John’s friend, Peter, invited him to complete a triathlon during August in Norfolk, Virgina. Fearless and eager to take on a new challenge, John answered, ‘Sure, I’ll do that’.

However, after looking deeper into triathlon over the next couple of days, John called his friend. A bit panicked, John asked Peter, “Isn’t there swimming involved in a triathlon?”

Peter confirmed to John that there is swimming in a triathlon. The problem was that John did not know how to swim.

Upon learning this, Peter unsympathetically replied, “Well, you have eight months to learn to swim”.

So, John went to his local pool and spoke to a lifeguard. The conversation went something like this:

Coach: “How far do you need to swim?”

John: “A mile.”

Coach: “How far can you swim?”

John: “How long is the pool?”

Coach: “25 meters.”

John: “In that case, I can swim 24 meters.”

Coach: “Then let’s get to work.”

Those who are holding back from doing a triathlon because they either do not know how to swim or are not comfortable swimming should take heart. John started his inspiring triathlon journey being unable to swim a single length of the pool.

Actual First Triathlon

Not wanting to embarrass himself in front of his friend on race day, John registered for a triathlon near his home before the August race. As luck would have it, one of the Bud Light Series triathlons was scheduled for May in nearby Delaware.

John’s experience with this race, his first triathlon, convinced him he would be ready for the August triathlon, at least enough to not embarrass himself.

Second Triathlon

John’s second triathlon, the one in Norfolk, Virginia in August 1992, was bigger – meaning more participants – than his first. For this race of about 1,200 triathletes, organizers required all triathletes to rack their bikes in the transition area during packet pickup the day before the race.

The next morning, on race day, John arrived while it was still dark to finish setting up his transition area. Much to his shock, his bike appeared to be missing. He wondered, “Why would someone steal my $400 hybrid bike when there are all these $5,000 and even $10,000 bikes here?”.

With a walk around the transition area, he eventually found his bike. He had mistakenly racked it in the wrong place on the previous day. This was the first of many lessons John would learn from triathlon.

John had not set high expectations for this race. So, when he wound up near the middle of all finishers, John decided to continue with triathlon.

John’s Most Memorable Triathlons

It is easy to imagine that out of his hundred-plus triathlons, John has had some wonderful experiences.

What have been John’s most memorable triathlons? He described three.

Racing in Cold, Rainy Weather

A not so pleasant but valuable experience came during one of his early triathlons. This race took place in Columbia, Maryland on a May day John described as “cold, rainy, and miserable”.

His sleeveless wetsuit and bare feet provided little protection against a temperature in the 40s °F. John remembers feeling “cold to the bone” before and during the swim.

The first oddity came during the swim. A group of swimmers donning red swim caps he encountered about three-fourths of the way through the swim had vanished by the time he reached shore at the end of his swim.

Once in the transition area, John had difficulty getting out of his wetsuit. He also fell twice trying to mount his bike. Something seemed off, but he was not sure what was happening.

The feeling that something was wrong continued after he was on the bike. Pedaling was unusually slow and difficult.

Convinced of a problem with the bike, maybe one brake dragging on the rim, John got off the bike to inspect it. He could find nothing wrong, so he remounted the bike and continued with the same difficulty.

Once again, he dismounted and checked his bike. He still couldn’t see anything wrong with the bike.

Fortunately, John eventually realized that he had been riding uphill, a fact he had not grasped prior to this. It was this sense of confusion that suggested to John the possibility of hypothermia.

Now, rather than mount and ride his bike, John ran with his bike on the bike course. As he warmed, he could eventually remount his bike and finish the bike leg and complete the run.

Thankfully, John had recognized the onset of hypothermia before it became more serious.

Racing With the World’s Best Amateur Triathletes

A much more pleasant experience occurred in 2016 after John qualified for the World Team at the USA Triathlon Age Group Championships in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

He and his wife, Jeanne capitalized on his high place finish at nationals to travel to Cozumel, Mexico, where John competed in the World Championships. After the race, they took some extra days for rest and relaxation in the sun and sand on this Caribbean island.

The course on this Caribbean island was flat. The weather was hot and humid. However, what made this race truly memorable for John was the chance for him to compete alongside some of the world’s greatest age group triathletes.

Becoming an Ironman

John’s sole experience with Ironman came in training for and competing in Ironman Lake Placid (Lake Placid, New York). He enjoyed the experience enough to plan a second Ironman race.

However, while training for it, John realized he would rather skip rocks or play ball with his young grandkids than do a long training ride or run. Acting on this feeling, John changed his plans and returned to focus on shorter distance triathlons.

How John Trains for Triathlon

Early in his triathlon career, John filled some skill gaps in swimming and biking through “several swim coaches and one bike coach”.

As we have already learned, the swim coaches took him from a non-swimmer to one able to complete an Ironman triathlon swim. His bike coach taught him both how to train (“ride lots of miles”) and proper technique (“remember to both pull up and push down to maximize power throughout the stroke”).

After these experiences with coaches, all positive, John returned to self-coaching. He continues today to be his own triathlon coach.

Training as a Lifestyle

Training is an integral part of John’s daily routine. Each week, John trains two days each in swimming, biking, and running. The seventh is a rest day.

On the swim days, John spends at least one hour in a local pool. Over this hour, John will swim a mile through intervals of between 5 and 20 minutes of swimming, separated by brief breaks.

On the two bike days, John typically joins one of two groups for a ride of between 25 and 35 miles. Many of the rides are on the Lewes-Georgetown Trail, a rail trail easily accessed from his home.

As with the swim training, John prefers to run on his own rather than in a group. On these days, he will run between 4 and 8 miles.

This is a typical schedule since John has learned to stay flexible in his training to avoid injury.

What About Technology?

John wears a sports watch with built-in heart rate monitor to track distance, pace, and heart rate. However, he does not actively use metrics from the watch during training.

Instead, John prefers to train based on feel, sometimes referred to as perceived exertion. At the end of each training session or race, he asks “Did I give it my best?”.

John’s Advice for Other Current or Would Be Senior Triathletes

You have a glimpse of where John has come from, his achievements, and how he continues in triathlon.

What are his top pieces of advice for beginner and current triathletes?

#1 – Give It a Try

John’s email signature includes a quote (included below) from author and personal development coach Michelle Landy. John’s belief is that anyone thinking about triathlon should consider her statement.

Triathlon is far from impossible. Many of us are evidence of this, so “give it a try”.

“It’s impossible, said pride,
It’s risky, said experience,
It’ s pointless, said reason,
Give it a try, whispered the heart.”

Michelle Landy, Author and Coach

#2 – Make Time for Recovery

John has learned that we need time for recovery to minimize injury. “We can’t train seven days a week.”

He believes he would still run even if he had not gotten involved in triathlon. However, John is also convinced that, had he continued running without mixing it with swimming and biking or other physical activity, he would have spent more time nursing injuries.

This is a common argument in favor of triathlon over single sports.

#3 – Pay Attention to Nutrition, Especially for Long Course Triathlon

Triathlon training and racing can burn many calories. This is a key appeal for many who get involved with triathlon, especially when weight loss is a goal.

However, in longer training sessions and longer races, it may be necessary to take in calories to supplement those consumed. On top of this, we need to train our bodies to take in these calories while continuing to bike and run to avoid digestive distress.

#4 – Thinking About Ironman? Get Family Buy-in

It takes a certain amount of Type-A personality to compete in triathlon. Therefore, it’s not surprising that many who have done shorter distance triathlons consider competing in longer distance races.

If this is you, first decide if longer distance is a priority. If it is a priority, next get your family’s agreement. The longer the race distance, the longer the training. Training for a half or full Ironman distant triathlon requires many hours each week over several months.

Several other senior Ironman triathletes whose stories I have published have echoed this advice.

Related post: What If I Want to Do An Ironman Triathlon? – Tom Lipp’s Story

Other Benefits

John has experienced another important benefit of training for a triathlon. Swimming, biking, and running are all means of stress relief.

There is even further benefit of endurance sports like triathlon. Medical research has shown that physical activity delays or prevents mental decline. As one example, here is the summary of a 2011 research report.

A rapidly growing literature strongly suggests that exercise, specifically aerobic exercise, may attenuate cognitive impairment and reduce dementia risk.

Ahlskog et al., “Physical Exercise as a Preventive or Disease-Modifying Treatment of Dementia and Brain Aging”, Mayo Clin Proc. 2011 Sep; 86(9): 876–884.

What’s Stopping You?

John recalled his recent conversation with a woman while both were at their local pool for a swim. Upon seeing his Ironman tattoo, she asked him about triathlon.

The conclusion to their conversation was John saying, “Try doing a triathlon. They are fun. Plus, you will meet great people.”

What is holding you back from getting into triathlon?

Please share your questions and concerns with those of our community in the Comments section below.

Imagine being retired or near retirement and at the start of your first triathlon. Or, the triathlon could be the first of a longer distance. Are you feeling prepared? Or are you worried if you have trained enough?

According to Mark Bartolomeo, you can not only feel, but be, mentally and physically prepared for the triathlon using the same disciplines that got you to this place in life. Goal setting and planning followed by executing the plan are just as important for triathlon as they are for other parts of our lives, including work.

That has been Mark’s approach. And, it surely seems to work as he continues to become more fit and go longer triathlon distances in retirement.

Mark Bartolomeo’s Path to Triathlon

When I first met him in April 2021, Mark Bartolomeo was in the final stages of preparing for Ironman 70.3 Gulf Coast, his first in-person half Ironman. Within the next month, he completed this race.

Five months later, when we spoke to gather information for this post, Mark was training for Ironman Florida. Just before finishing this post, Mark completed Ironman Florida, his first full distance triathlon.

How did Mark arrive at a place where he is achieving more in triathlon with age?

Mark tracks the beginning of this path involving triathlon to around age 55. He realized it was time to take off some of the extra weight he had put on. It was also time to change what he called an “unhealthy lifestyle”.

Mark started running, sometimes on a treadmill and sometimes outside. His running shoes became a regular part of luggage when traveling for work. He also started eating better, prioritizing high quality whole foods.

Over three years, Mark shed 65 lbs.

What To Do With Extra Time in Retirement?

After retiring from full-time work as an executive in the wireless communications industry, Mark found he had “a lot of extra time”.

He told me “I asked myself ‘what am I going to do with this time?'”.

Besides running, Mark had, in his earlier years, enjoyed biking. Growing up on Chesapeake Bay, he had also spent a lot of time in and on the water. He had even taught watersports in his teenage years. Retirement gave him time to continue running while resuming biking and swimming.

He saw the unique benefits of mixing swimming, biking, and running for “a full-body workout”. Soon, Mark put the three sports together, completing his first triathlon, a sprint distance race at Fort Island Gulf Beach near Crystal River, Florida.

The experience was enjoyable. Part of this came from the accomplishment, but some of it came from the venue. Mark calls this triathlon “beginner-friendly”, with its “calm swim and flat roads for biking and running.”

Mark followed his first triathlon with several more sprint triathlons, including more at Crystal River and others in Clermont, Florida. He eventually also did a couple of Olympic distance races.

Distances for each of the legs of an Olympic distance triathlon are roughly twice those for the sprint distance. For Mark, this was a reasonable step toward a longer term goal to do Ironman races.

Taking On New Challenges

Over the next two years, Mark trained for a half Ironman triathlon. With most in-person triathlons being canceled in 2020, Mark completed his first half Ironman virtually during the pandemic.

While there were many negatives associated with COVID-19, Mark found at least one positive.

Auto traffic in The Villages, Florida, where Mark had moved when he retired, was almost non-existent. Now, he could ride safely on the roads within The Villages for both training and the virtual race.

Related post: Bright Spots in Triathlon From COVID Restrictions

As racing in the USA began to re-open in 2021, Mark put this training to the test with the Gulf Coast Ironman 70.3.

Not stopping there, he continued to train for and complete Ironman Florida in early November.

Triathlon Training With Coaches and Friends

Retirement has given Mark more flexibility in training. This has made it easier to train with a group of like-minded, similarly motivated individuals. The extra time has also allowed him to train longer and with greater intention and to recover properly.

Relearning to Swim

Early in his triathlon journey, Mark realized he needed help with swimming. For this, he involved a swim coach who helped him develop a proper stroke and breathing technique.

“Biking and running performance are mostly about physical endurance and mental toughness. In contrast, swimming is the one leg of triathlon for which speed is most affected by technique. You can tell those who were Olympic contenders and college swimmers.”

Building Endurance for Triathlon Performance

Besides involving a human coach for swimming, Mark has found virtual coaching through TrainingPeaks to be effective in both cost and results.

With TrainingPeaks, the athlete (that’s you if you are preparing for a triathlon) completes a questionnaire showing the time available for training. You also indicate the distance (e.g. sprint, Olympic, etc.) and date of the race for which you are training.

With this information, the virtual coach produces an initial training plan. The virtual coach sends workouts to a linked smart watch and bike computer. Results from the workout (heart rate, pace, etc.) are then uploaded to the TrainingPeaks website. Here, they are analyzed and used to track progress and adjust future workouts, all with an eye to the athlete having their best performance on race day.

The cost for this training is reasonable (tens of dollars for the entire plan), based on the number of weeks in the training plan.

Training With a Group

Mark trains with a group within The Villages Triathlon Club who are all preparing for longer distance triathlons. The weekly TrainingPeaks-generated workout plan is flexible so he can adapt it to the schedule of others in this group.

However, a typical training week for Mark and the core group who are training for Ironman distant triathlons looks like this.

• Sunday – long run of 13 or more miles followed by a 2,500 yard swim.
• Monday – short (1-1/2 hour) bike ride.
  • NOTE: Mark does some of these bike rides on a smart trainer linked to his bike computer.
• Tuesday – speed run comprising a 10k run at a fast pace.
• Wednesday – short (1-1/2 hour) bike ride.
• Thursday – hill run comprising a 10k run in an area with moderately steep hills.
• Friday – 80 to 100 mile bike ride followed by a 6 to 10-mile run.
• Saturday – long (2,500 yard) open water swim.

Training with a group that includes life long Ironman triathletes near his age has unique benefits. Experienced senior triathletes with whom Mark trains have helped him with the technical aspects of training. They have also helped him develop mental toughness needed to perform in stressful conditions that can arise in both training and racing.

Mark’s Advice – ‘Start Short’

According to Mark, triathlon is a sport in which nearly everyone can take part. Along the way, you too will benefit from the all-around exercise accompanying swimming, biking, and running.

One of the wonderful features of the sport of triathlon is that there are distances for every level of experience, fitness, ability, and desire. Many accomplished sprint and Olympic triathletes will not consider doing an Ironman distance race. And, I have met senior triathletes who do Ironman triathlons but have no interest in sprint distance race because of the overall faster pace.

If you are still not sure, start with a “beginner-friendly” super sprint or sprint triathlon. Let us know in the Comments below if you would like help with a training plan.

It’s Not All About Triathlon

Triathlon training must include time for rest and recovery. Mark has found other activities to fill these times, including taking classes at The Villages Enrichment Academy. Occasionally, you can also find him hitting the golf ball around the many courses within The Villages.

Your Turn

I hope Mark’s story, one of starting triathlon later in life and continuing to push his personal limits in retirement, encourages you.

Share your questions and comments about Mark’s triathlon story below.

Also, let us know in the Comment section below if you are interested in sharing your triathlon journey with our community.