This week we will continue to introduce you to members of Team RWB Tri, and we start with one of our first Team RWB Tri members, sometimes guest blogger with race reports, spouse of another Team RWB Triathlete (Tiffany), and part of the crew that will be tackling 140.6 miles at Ironman Arizona in November: meet Aaron Hetherington!
Name: Aaron Hetherington
Nickname: Bubba
2011 USAT Racing Age Group: 35-39
Occupation: Mechanical Engineer, Johnson Space Center
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Why Triathlon? I really like events that have multiple disciplines because it fights the boredom of doing the same thing over and over. Triathlon is a sport that combines a lot of strategy with physical ability, and each race distance has its own unique challenges. I also love the fact that you never know if the person that you just passed on the bike is a great runner, so you are always motivated to go harder. My wife actually started doing them as an adult first and now we are both competing, so it’s something we can enjoy together when we have help watching the kids!
Do you have a favorite race? So far, the Memorial Hermann Olympic Race in Cypress, Texas. Not a good course for times, but it had a lot of fan support and the run course was hilarious and keeps your mind off of what you are doing.
What is your best race memory? Every single time I’ve finished the swim. Thank God I don’t have to do that anymore! Now let’s go pass some of these people!
When you reach the point of the race where you have to dig down deep, what do use as personal motivation? A lot of things. Mostly I use my old training partner, Bill Jacobsen, who was killed in action in Mosul, Iraq in 2004. We trained for and ran our first marathon together, and I wear a KIA bracelet in my races and during training because I want to remember that he would love to feel the pain I am feeling and would be right there beside me if he could. Every step, no matter how hard, is a blessing, and I owe it to my friend to make the most of it. I also use the old trusty Ranger tab. Surrender is not a Ranger word, so keep moving and embrace the suck. Become one with the suck. And now I use our Team RWB veterans. I take it seriously that I now represent our organization and those we try to help, so it just won’t do for me to show weakness while I represent the strong.
What is your favorite leg of a triathlon and why? The bike. First, it’s not the swim, so that’s good. It also allows me to use something mechanical, which I love. If you think about it, the bike is a pretty amazing machine and I love how much effect little changes (like aerobars) can have. It appeals to my technical side. I also (at least right now) ride an OLD steel framed bike made by Centurion that I bought used for $100. It’s called an Ironman Dave Scott edition. It was state of the art 25 years ago or so. I love passing people on more expensive bikes, that appeals to my redneck side.
What is your favorite race distance, and why? I don’t know yet. So far it is the Olympic because you really start to weed out the individuals just doing something fun on the weekend and get a group that is training for the races, so it makes everything seem faster. But we’ll see after this year’s 70.3 and Ironman races, maybe those will be my favorite.
Besides triathlon, what do you do for fun? I play and coach lacrosse and play ice hockey (yes, in Houston), sailing, woodworking, metalworking and I’m building a race car for dirt oval tracks. Otherwise, whatever the family is doing.
Why Team RWB and supporting our military? I’m a vet, and want to make sure everyone that serves knows that they will not be left behind by those of us that are not living a war every day. I know firsthand that getting off the plane on U.S. soil does not mean you are home. Organizations have been quick to help with mitigating physical wounds, but that neglects a huge number of emotional and psychological wounds. You can trust me, there are a lot more emotional wounds out there than the general public will ever know. This organization is genius, yet so simple I wonder why it took so long to realize we needed it.
Any other fun tidbits you’d like the team to know? I applied to be an astronaut; I didn’t get selected. Since Tiffany and I have started doing triathlon, our oldest daughter, who is three, has started doing ‘triaflons’ in our driveway. Her’s consist of riding a lap around my truck on her princess bike with training wheels and then getting off and jogging about 5 steps, no swimming involved yet. But she won’t do it unless you say “Ready, set, GO!”
Planned 2011 Races:
Galveston 70.3
Ironman Arizona
Various Sprint and Olympic races around Houston
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