Father's Day Q&A with WYNR - TJ
Celebrating Endurance Dads this Father's Day with WYN republic!
Today and every day, we celebrate and honor the incredible endurance dads who do it all. We had the privilege of reaching out to a member of our WYNR team, TJ, to learn more about his journey balancing fatherhood and triathlon. See below for the full conversation.
WYN republic: What has been the biggest challenge in managing both your athletic career and parenthood?
TJ: Managing time between working full time and training is always a challenge but becoming a dad definitely has added a layer of difficulty. Time is a huge commodity so getting all my workouts done early in the morning while everyone is sleeping is what I’ve found works. My significant other is also a triathlete so it’s not uncommon to have ridiculously early wake up times so we both have the ability to train. It’s probably not ideal for recovery and athletic performance but being present and having that family time with him is a non-negotiable for me. I'm aware of how long I'm going to have these moments with him as a baby and I never want to look back and feel like I didn't cherish these times.
WYN republic: Has becoming a father changed your perspective on triathlon training and racing?
TJ: I love what triathlon brings to my life and how it rewards you if you put in hard work and stay consistent. I wouldn't say consistency with a baby is non-existent but flexibility is crucial. A 2-hour bike ride might need to be cut short to 45 minutes but if I am blessed with extra time to extend my workouts, I take it! Chasing the possibility of your own potential and having that breakthrough day is really what keeps me racing. The potential to get faster is still there it just might not be at the same rate it once was and I’m 100% ok with that.
WYN republic: What advice would you give to other triathletes who are about to become fathers?
TJ: Communication with your significant other is paramount if you want to continue to thrive doing triathlon. The schedule definitely becomes a lot tighter, so ironing out the daily details of who is doing what and when is key. Also having the ability to engage family to help watch the baby during a workout has been a huge blessing. Outside of swimming, I am doing 90% of my training indoors. I've always been a big indoor training guy so shifting to primarily training indoor was an easy transition. Having a dedicated bike and treadmill setup also makes life a lot easier. Triathlon is game of consistency so if you can quicky get in and out of workout mode it'll give you one less excuse to miss a workout.
WYN republic: Can you share any memorable moments or experiences you've had as a dad while competing?
TJ: These races hit a bit different when you know little eyes are now watching. I am definitely thinking about how this may become a memory of dad either crushing the race or getting crushed. The race environment can be overwhelming for a baby but I have enjoyed seeing his eyes light up when taking in all the sights and sounds. He really doesn't seem to like the cowbells though so we did get him a set of sound earmuffs. It is exciting traveling with him to all the race venues and showing him the result of all the hard work.
