Peter Reid
SBRStL – Peter, we’re thrilled you’ve taken the time to answer a few questions for us. We’ll try to keep them down to a thousand or so. The first thing many of our readers want to know, if you can put it into words, is what it must feel like to come down Alii Drive knowing you’ve got the World Championship in your grasp.
PR
– "The first time I did it - it was a dream come true. A friend of mine watched
me and said I looked over my shoulder more than a dozen times in the last mile.
I had an 8 minute lead and I couldn’t believe that no one was going to pass me
and that my dream was finally going to come true. It was a very magical
experience."
SBRStL – This year Kona was an emotional race for you as well as an inspirational one for all of us following it. Will it serve as a springboard for 2003 or where do you typically find your motivation for those winter months?
PR – "I love to train. I love doing long rides with buddies and doing long runs with some buddies as well. Most of 2001 and 2002 were tough in terms of racing but I rediscovered my formula of training for Ironman. I am really looking forward to 2003."
SBRStL – It seems many of the pros gravitate towards significant others who are similarly involved in the sport. With the blending of some pretty impressive gene pools, it makes one wonder what kind of times the next generation of triathletes will be capable of producing.
PR – "Lori and I’s kid when we have one is going to be scary fast!!"
SBRStL – "How do you successfully balance quantity vs. quality when training?"
PR – "I hardly ever do high heart rate sessions. I am a mileage guy who goes steady, not too hard and not too easy. The goal is to start at a medium pace and finish strong."
SBRStL – Pete, you have a killer website. Can you talk about it how it came to be? Has writing become a release valve of sorts for you?" www.peterreid.com
PR – "Shawn, my friend and web guy, offered to do a web site for me. I said okay and it has looked awesome ever since. I like to keep people in the loop at certain periods of the year like Hawaii this past year. Other times I like to keep my distance which makes it challenging for Shawn to keep things new on the site. Shawn did an absolutely amazing job race day in Kona."
SBRStL – Growing up in Canada, I imagine you might have harbored dreams of scoring the winning goal in the Stanley Cup Finals, but now you have a successful career as a pro triathlete. How did you discover this sport?
PR – "I was actually a downhill alpine ski racer for most of my pre-teen and teenage years. I got into cycling to help my skiing. In University a friend persuaded me to enter a local triathlon. I didn’t really know how to do the front crawl or run; but, I was hooked onto the sport after my first race!"
SBRStL – A lot of age-groupers in St Louis will be reading this that go half and/or full iron distance. Could you talk to them a bit about mental toughness?
PR
– "I do a lot of training solo. I truly believe that you need to do some of
your longest runs and rides solo - it creates mental strength for race day. I
also break the race day into several parts to make the day into many segments,
for example, swim start, swim turn around, swim finish, bike start, etc."
SBRStL – I think you have won the “Double,” lowest aggregate time for IM Hawaii and Xterra World Championship in Maui, twice now. Can you comment on the explosive growth of off-road triathlon?
PR – "Actually I have won the Double 3 times. I find the Xterra scene a lot more friendly and relaxed which is the reason it is attracting so many new athletes to the sport."
SBRStL – Okay, now the question we always find time to ask. Favorite workout?
PR
– "7 hour ride with Roland Green, 2 time World Mountain Bike Champ, and Ryder
Hesjedal, World Cup Mountain Finals Champ, then a 40 minute transition run."
SBRStL – This question is just to give hope to we mere mortal triathletes with steep learning curves. What was the dumbest thing you’ve done in a race?
PR – "Drop out! The race is never over until you get to the finish line. Anything can happen."
SBRStL – Peter, we along with our readers want to thank you again for being so generous with your time. We wish you and Lori the best for next season and will be pulling for both of you.
PR - "Thanks for supporting our sport!!!"