DC Triathlon Club

2020 Member Spotlight – Dan Edwards

February, 2020

How did you get involved in triathlons?

I would have to blame my brother David and my friend Todd. David was a huge cyclist always talking about how great cycling is, etc., and pushing me to get a bike and ‘go for a ride!’ Once I finally bought a bike, Todd went on a long ride with me and shared his passion for cycling with me as well — and then he made an off-handed comment about ‘those crazy triathletes’ being in a whole ‘nother category. … and so of course I was intrigued.

What was your first triathlon?

My old buddy Todd and I decided to tackle the Kiawah Island triathlon in 2008 – an Oly. (And OH my what a first race – with a hurricane blowing 300 miles off shore the sky was clear and the wind wasn’t too bad, but the waves were (not kidding) 12 feet high… and I loved it.

You recently did a triathlon in Cuba. How did that go?

Next question? … OK, but seriously. It was a, let’s see, how can i put this delicately… a cluster? I am not the king of logistics so, while I do train pretty religiously and really enjoy the training process, I suck at logistics. And the race in Havana was probably Exhibit A in that regard. First, I did not ever figure out how to get my bike there — some folks said that getting my bike down there would be no problem and others said it couldn’t happen (this was from the Southwest Airlines folks themselves…). So I realized pretty early on that I should rent a bike. (Notice the word ‘should’ in that last sentence.) About a week before the race, i.e., insanely late in the process, I made the decision to a) go on a bike tour through Airbnb Experiences and b) talk to the bike shop owner when I get there about renting or borrowing a bike. If that sounds to you like the worst possible plan one could make, up there with that whole Fast and Furious ‘gun laundering’ operation — you’re right! After talking with the bike shop owner about renting The Only Bike Left in Havana, I realized that I was being offered his old steel-framed commuter bike from the same era as all those cool cars in Havana i.e., the 1950’s! (But far less shiny). To try to make a long story short, my swim was fine (for me. That is, I finished the same day I started.) And then I powered through 43 hot, aching, dusty, brutal miles through the streets and highways of Havana on that beast before getting a flat (prayers …. answered!). And since of course the bike owner forgot to give me a spare… I was done. For which I was grateful. Especially since they had run out of water at the previous two support stations… and provided no other food or liquid…

Did you do anything special to train for it?

Well it was hot. REEEEALLY hot. And so of course I trained in the frigid temperatures of Northern VA to prepare, and tried to get in as much of that ‘wintry mix’ bike riding before I left…. which ironically didn’t seem to help.

Have you done any other international races?

Only one. I traveled to stunningly beautiful Whistler (IronMan Canada) in the summer of 2019. Also fraught with challenges… but those are stories for another time! That’s the only one — unless you count IronMan Ho Chi Minh (aka PeasantMan) as ‘international?”….

Any other memorable races or experience?

Probably the most fun race I’ve done was IMKY in 2013. I had trained like crazy and was as ready as I could be physically and mentally. Race day went smoothly and I felt like I still had something left in the tank when I was done and. It. Felt. Awesome.

What do you enjoy outside of triathlon?

I enjoy hiking, cooking, reading, dancing by firelight, sipping wine … wait. Is this a dating profile?

Any fun facts about yourself that you’d like to share?

I met Obama at the Coupe in NW DC in the fall of 2012. Pretty sure he could tell you the exact date…