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Most of you know who I am through the sport of triathlon...and for good reason. I have raced, volunteered, worked, and produced some form of triathlon since 2004. In that time, I have brought visions to life. Some were a grand success, and others simply didn’t work out...
Most of you know who I am through the sport of triathlon...and for good reason. I have raced, volunteered, worked, and produced some form of triathlon since 2004. In that time, I have brought visions to life. Some were a grand success, and others simply didn’t work out. But most of you don’t know my real love came from the Mid-Atlantic Super Series. MASS was a mountain bike series in and around Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. Me and my buddy Romolo would travel every weekend to a new destination and give it our best. Rom would always race in the expert class, and I would race in the Sport class (there was also a beginner class). After achieving some success at the Sport level I decided to bump up to Expert. Whoa. A whole new level of fitness was awaiting and I promptly finished last in my first race. Oh well. I remember asking Jeremiah Bishop, who was/is, a world-class rider, how he navigated the trails so well while descending so fast. The man was easy in his delivery, “I’m always shifting.”
Always shifting. Say it repeatedly in your head. Always shifting. Always shifting. Always shifting. I get it.
We are nearing the completion of our 21st season here in DelMoLand. Our most recent event, the 14th Annual CRDA Atlantic City Triathlon was a grand success with our finish line returning to Kennedy Plaza where it will live for the foreseeable future. Our next race, the 21st Annual Stampone Law Tri the Wildwoods is in a category of its own. This race has NEVER had the same course twice. We have had multiple finish locations, swim courses, bike courses, and run courses over the past 20 years. “Why would you keep changing it?” We didn’t choose it…we had to shift.
When we first started athletes did a looped bike course on Central Ave in North Wildwood. That first year, soon to be Olympian Jarod Shoemaker won the race. Since then, we’ve expanded out over the causeway with our bike, which is probably why this race is so popular. When we first started, our run course went NORTH into the Inlet section of North Wildwood…when there was a beach you could run on. Since then, the Gods had other plans for the Inlet and we were forced to shift our run course South into Wildwood and ultimately Wildwood Crest. Does anyone remember the finish line on the bike path at 13th Ave? We do! Again, due to the change in run course, our finish line had to shift as well.
We’ve done awards out of the back of a pick up, underneath the overpass at the Matador Oceanfront Resort, in a flooded tent, and on a grand stage (current location). We’ve had inaccurate timing, results posted on porto-potties, and perfection (current status). We’ve had incredible weather, torrential downpours, hurricane threats, and fog. Through all of these variations on a single day, the one constant has been our ability to shift with what the day, or race, or weather has given us. Each mutation has propelled us into becoming who we are today. We are always shifting in anticipation of what lies ahead. As I look back on the road traveled, I’ve come to realize the ability to foresee the inevitable has been our superpower. We are not smarter, not more savvy, not better equipped than others. Our saving grace has been this, “Shift now, before it’s too late.”
See you in the ‘Wood!
