"I originally got into the sport to get into shape and lose weight but now my reasons for continuing to train and race, in addition to my original motivation, is for a balanced lifestyle and stress release from the day to day grind that we all have to some extent."
My name is Mark Slater and I live in the Florida panhandle near Destin, Florida. I’m sure my hectic life is no different than anyone else’s so time management is critical when it comes to training.
I originally got into the sport to get into shape and lose weight but now my reasons for continuing to train and race, in addition to my original motivation, is for a balanced lifestyle and stress release from the day to day grind that we all have to some extent. I was always involved in athletics during high school and college, but afterward I gained weight and was in really bad shape. I was having a hard time finding a sport that I could stick with and that was fun until I saw a triathlon on television. The sport was still new but it really caught my interest so I bought a bike and started training. I figured I already knew how to swim and running was easy. Little did I know what I was in for when I did my first race, coming out of the water almost dead last and struggling through the bike and run. That was in 1986 before aero bars, clipless pedals and carbon fiber. I was hooked.
A lot has changed in the sport since then but my passion to train and race has grown with new goals and meeting new people. In 1999 my wife and I did the inaugural IM Lake Placid and had a fantastic time. It took my commitment to the sport to another level.
One thing that I have learned about everyone who races: whether they are fast or slow, elite or age grouper, newbie or old salt, we all have our goals and our rivals and we all just want to do our best and have some fun. Triathlon has given me so much from my health, my positive outlook and even my wife of 11 years. Triathlon was fun the first time I raced in 1986 and it is even more fun today.
