The New Goal

Endurance Radio is a podcast that features 15-minute interviews with athletes ranging from world class ultramarathoners to weekend triathletes. After listening to the same type interview over and over again, in which the athletes, no matter what their skill level, described singularly focused, dull lives, I thought i should try and get on as a man of the people triathlete with an actual life outside of training.

Below is the email I just sent to the host of the show; much like James Frey of "A Million Little Pieces " fame, I am willing to eaggerate for affect and fame.


Tim

I think you have a great show and I would love to be a guest on it as "the average, aspiring Ironman."

I am training for Lake Placid 2006, with Wildflower as an early test. I think I could provide real insights into the challenges of training for triathlons while trying to maintain a relatively normal life. In addition to covering the regular topics such as my exercise history, training regimen and diet, interesting anecdotes I could provide include:

1. Being normal. How to maintain relationships with some of my friends who don't "get" the Ironman. WhileI love training, I do not like to spend hours discussing it, and like friends with different interests. Much as some of them would disagree, I also like to have some sort of night life, which makes the 5:00 am run sometimes challenging.

2. Training and traveling. I live in San Francisco, travel a lot for work, and my two sons, potential 2012 Olympians in snowboarding, live in New York. I see them every other weekend, so have frequently been forced to exercise in airports or very early in themorning/late at night, resulting in some interesting stories.

3 Vanity. Triathlon training sucks the weight off of me and I don't want to be the 98 pound weakling, who is threatened by women, let alone can't get a date with one them. How do I fit lifting into a week of run, bike, swim, and does it hurt or help my performance?

4. Creative sponsorships. I work in a high tech PR firm and have managed to get clients to semi-sponsor me, a difficult challenge when the relationship tends to be all about them.

I really appreciate your consideration.