At almost this time last year, I was on the start line of the great St. Croix Triathlon wondering what I was doing on the start line. My job title since 1996 was professional triathlete. I was one of the lucky few triathletes who could earn a decent income racing.

I worked hard and would always become extremely upset when people labeled me as talented. Does talent train 40 hours a week? Regardless, I wanted out. I did not want the gun to go off.

I wanted to go home.

The gun did go off!

I paused.

I managed to get racing and eventually crossed the finish line - my last triathlon as a professional. I have not been on a start line since. I did not touch my bike for months, drove by the pool and used my running shoes for hiking. Months went by – I gained some weight and discovered non-aerobic sports.

I eventually found myself at flying school where I struggled with learning something new. It was my new challenge. I tried so hard but I struggled. As luck would have it, one of the head flight instructors was a triathlete. We became friends and struck up a deal. I would help him with his training and he would help me with my flying.

Anyone who does triathlon knows that it is very addictive – I was back triathlon training again. I could not just do one workout. I could not do one sport. How can you ride without running and swimming? The more I ran, the more I swam. The more I swam, the more I rode. I was hooked again.

Tonight (April 25, 2007) is my first race since St.Croix. It’s a local Wednesday night mountain bike race in my new home of Squamish. I am nervous. I am one of the few in the neighborhood who would rather go up a 9 mile fire road than descend a steep single track.

Tonight is all part of a plan to get back to doing some Xterra races. I will never be a professional athlete again. The fire in me to dig deep when the gun goes off is gone; but, I want to race.

I consider myself a part time coach and student.

I continue to work for PowerBar, Specialized, Oakley and consult with Newton Running.

I enjoy getting in a workout or two a day and hope I can hang with the other fellows my age.

Triathlon is my fun rather than my job.

Wish me luck and see you at the races.

Yours in sport,

Peter