This last weekend marks the end of an era for me. I finished my last race as a pro triathlete. Well... I didn't exactly finish, but that's another story for another day. Over the last 6 months two things have become clear to me. First, it has become clear to me that I don't have what it takes to race among the best of the best of the best. Secondly, and more importantly, I believe my family deserves more time, energy, and attention from me than I am able to give them amidst this pursuit. It's for these reasons that I'm "retiring" from professional racing and my pursuit of a spot in the next olympic games.
The reason I'm writing this email is to thank you all. I've always thought that for an athlete to believe he/she has the potential to go to the olympics, and enough so to actually pursue it - well that person is either a narcissist, or he/she must be completely surrounded by people that love and support him. The former may be true, but I like to believe that the later is the real reason I went on this journey. Sure, I may have come up with this dream for myself, but I absolutely have you all to thank for keeping it alive whenever I was faced with an obstacle. Over the last few years, you all have provided me with the means and encouragement to continue to press on when I was discouraged, under-motivated, or injured. Without you all, I never would have become a professional triathlete at any level. Without you all, I never would have tried to make it to the olympics in the first place. Better to have dreamed and failed than never to have dreamed at all, right? :-) I know that's a cheesy line, but I say it both sincerely and joyfully. Thanks to the love and support that I've received, I can now move on never having to wonder what could have been. And though I failed to achieve the goal I set out to achieve, I couldn't be more grateful that I'm blessed with family and friends that made be believe that I could. So thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
Moving forward, I've taken a teaching job at Kimball Union Academy in a small town in New Hampshire that's not far from Hanover where Emily starts a new position at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business. We're both looking forward to the new start in our work lives, and even more excited about the environment in which we get to raise our family. We'll pass along any updates to our contact information once we get settled up there.
Thank you all again for your love and support!