Some of you may know by now, but Mariesa and I
decided to give this pro triathlon thing a shot this season and see where it will
take us. After a good 2016 season topped with an overall win at Ironman Coeur
d'Alene (race report here), and a decent showing at Kona, we earned the
opportunity to get a pro card for the 2017 season.
It
wasn't an easy decision to make. Well...let me rephrase that...Without any
financial limitations, the decision would have been a no-brainer! However, when
you take a holistic view of all the implications this decision has, you're
inclined to think through it a bit more. Here are some of the pros and cons in
the decision:
Pros
§
I've always wanted to be a professional athlete. This was never
motivated by fame nor money, but rather by the lifestyle that comes with it: training
every day and constantly working on finding the right balance between recovery and
intensity to be race ready is an incredibly challenging and fascinating to me.
§ Inspiring people. As I
look up to the pros as role models (Jesse Thomas, the Wurtele, the McKenzie,
Sebi, Frodo, The Hoff, Heather Jackson, and more!), I hope to become one day an
inspiration to some. If I can positively impact someone's life through my
triathlon endeavors, I would deem my pro career successful.
§ The challenge. Toeing the
line with the pros, getting "spanked" in the water, pushing as hard
as my legs will let me on the bike, and trying to hang on for dear life on the
run intimidates me, but it excites me even more. I look forward to seeing the
gap in fitness, speed, and race tactics between myself and the rest of the pack.
It will most likely be a steep learning curve, but I hope that this curve
flattens out a bit as I gain more experience.
§ Building meaningful
relationships with people and brands/companies. Of course sponsorship funds are
crucial, but beyond that, I think the rapport that I would look to build with
brands and companies will be even more important. I believe humility, honesty,
and hard work are paramount to be successful, and I'm hoping to collaborate
with companies/brands in my career with similar values and establish a long and
trusted relationship with all the them.
Now for the not so pros of the decision (aka cons, but I don't
like the sound of it)
§
Racing from behind. I will go from racing in the front of the pack
of my age group to trailing behind most of the pro pack. Though I'm hoping to
get faster and reduce the deficit on each of the 3 legs, I'm fully aware that
it will take time to get there. And that's okay. Consistency, patience, and
attitude will hopefully pay off. But I can't deny that mentally it will be challenging
to race from behind.
§ Financially challenging.
I won’t be breaking any news, not a lot of pro triathletes make a decent living
out of racing. This is probably going to be one of the most challenging aspect
of the decision to go pro. Thankfully my rock, Mariesa, is onboard and very
positive about it. She is taking on the financial burden, which I find
difficult to cope with. I am working to find ways to make it sustainable. More
on this in the coming months!
§ Without a bike or run
sponsor, or a title sponsor kind enough to believe in me and support me
financially, it is a bit scary to go into this season knowing that if I crack
my frame or get into a bike accident, I may not be able to afford a new bike. I’m
really hoping that one day I’ll find few brands to back me up!
§ Getting injured. Some
injuries due to over training can take some time to recover, and they are part
of the game. The scariest injuries are bike-related injuries involving cars.
This haunts me. Though the riding conditions in SoCal are phenomenal, there’s
always this fear in the back of my head. Let’s think positive and not think too
much about this!
