Triathlon Man

Look up there in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no its Triathlon Man and his trusty sidekick Ambulance Guy!

My brother is a man of many interests and about ten years ago he began entering the Jamaican Triathlon. He bought a bicycle, running shoes and goggles because he was very serious about it. I must say that being an athlete all his life, he was in good condition but the conditioning the triathlon gave his body was phenomenal. Even now when I believe he does not train as much as he did in the very beginning, he still has the body of a man ten to twelve years his junior.

His training was intense. We heard stories about cutting through the waves with his bare hands and getting his second wind to peddle faster. He had theories about training in the open ocean as opposed to training in a swimming pool. We were regaled with tales of taking swimming lessons to help with buoyancy and speed and how the lift of the arm at a particular angle could lessen drag and therefore increase speed. Now I’m not questioning the validity of all that wonderful theory save one thing; my brother always comes in last just before the ambulance can leave to go home.

Consider them his royal escort of a sort, but believe me they are never pleased about the situation. For, hours after the winner comes in, there they are rolling behind my brother who - is famous for saying that when the swimming seems too exhausting he just flips over and does the backstroke into shore! The ambulance folks in their frustration can be heard muttering and groaning amongst themselves,

“ Why we nuh just open up di back an fling him in? Cho man, we coulda just help him out wid finishing the race an everybody get fi leave!!”

Undaunted my brother perseveres. There has to be something said about his tenacity though, ten years of last place is quite the accomplishment!! The triathlon is coming up soon and he will enter again this year. Oh by the way, he is now on a first name basis with those ambulance folk!!!