Congratulations to T3's August Athlete of the Month, Chris Erwin. In 2019, Chris started training for Ironman Lake Placid with snow on the ground and in the mountains where he likes to downhill ski frequently. Along the way, he significantly improved his swim skills, asked a lot of questions, and followed the plan precisely. The results: His first age group win at the Vermont Sun race in July and, two weeks later, a superbly paced race in Lake Placid where he exceeded his coach's expectations by just a little in both the swim and bike, setting up an excellent run on the way to his first Ironman finish and a front page photo on the Lake Placid newspaper the following day! Congratulations, Chris

A:   Chris Erwin, Middle Grove, NY

A:   43 – though USAT always bumps me up a year!

A:   Technical Leader for Steam Turbine Field Performance Testing at GE Power

A:   2019 is my fifth season. In 2015, I started going back to the gym to get back into shape and found myself falling back into the same, boring, daily routine of lifting weights and running on the treadmill. I was looking for a way to add diversity to my workouts and find some low-impact cardio to my routines. Triathlon training fit that bill perfectly!

A:   I attended the T3 Endurance Camp in 2017 as I prepared for IMLP 70.3. Other than that, this is my first year being coached by Carl and T3.

A:   If you had asked me a couple of weeks ago I would have said the Lake George Triathlon. Lake George is, by far my favorite lake to be on or around. That was the first triathlon I completed and it serves as a benchmark for my progress each season. But hands down without a doubt it is now Ironman Lake Placid! The incredible beauty and challenges of the course, the Olympic landmarks, and of course, the spectators! I’ve never experienced such amazing energy from the sidelines!

A:   My swim shorts. They require the least maintenance and are always ready to go! Aside from them, it would be my power meter. Training and racing with it has enabled me to properly pace myself for the Ironman.

A:   2019 has been filled with career highlights so far! This year I raced in the Ticonderoga Double Triathlon, which was a Sprint distance race followed by an Olympic distance race with start times just 90 minutes apart! A few weeks later I went on to win my age group for the first time at the VT Sun Triathlon. And, of course my first Ironman at Lake Placid! Besides triathlons, some of my other career highlights are running the Adirondack Marathon in 2007 and doing the Lake George 5k OWS in 2016 & 2017.

A:   IM Lake Placid was my 'A' race, so my primary goal for this season has been met – and surpassed! After a short rest and recovery I am preparing to head back to Lake Placid for the 70.3 in September.

A:   Continue to find new ways to challenge myself and have fun along the way.

A:   My wife's home-grown pickles, a big jug of Gatorade Endurance mixed up and ready to go, and VT maple syrup.

A:   Lots of Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Jimmy Hendrix, Metallica, Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Black Sabbath, Jimmy Buffet, Johnny Cash, that sort of stuff. While I like a nice strong, hard beat while I'm in the gym, when I am on a long training run I love losing myself into some nice long jams.

A:   Don't let the fastest racers or the people with the fanciest equipment intimidate you. Train, and race at your own pace, and set achievable goals that pertain to yourself. Read books and articles on triathlons. Attend every clinic or lecture you can. There is so much you can learn about all aspects of the sport, from swim technique to changing flat tires, and I have found that experienced triathletes – even the fast ones with the fancy equipment – love to share everything they know!

A:   Don’t expect every training session to be your best, or to go as you had planned or hoped it would go. Just know that getting out there at all is progress in and of itself. We are extremely lucky to have the ability and means to go out and swim, ride, and run on a regular basis!

A:   Moreau Lake OWS

A:   For most of my adolescent and adult life I was a pack-a-day smoker. In my 20’s and 30’s I would see-saw between being a sedentary smoker and stopping the smoking while working out regularly. However, it would never last more than about 6-9 months before I was smoking again and would stop working out. I quit smoking for the final time on November 3 rd , 2014. But without coupling that with a workout routine, I gained a lot of weight over the winter. In the spring of 2015, I had a very unpleasant visit with my doctor and realized I needed to make a big and long-lasting change. I started regularly going to the gym, lifting weights and running a 5k on the treadmill nearly every day. Pretty much the same routine I would do every time I quit smoking. And I was pounding my knees with every cardio workout! Realizing I had to try something new, I signed up for a swim class at the YMCA, borrowed a friend’s road bike, joined the Saratoga Triathlon Club, and gave it a shot.

What started out as an attempt to fight boredom in the gym, add diversity to my workouts, and save my knees, has turned into so much more! In the short time I have been doing this, I have discovered a whole new community, forged friendships, found inspiration, and gained a passion for achieving what was previously thought impossible. Wherever this sport leads me, I will always be thankful for my decision to give this a “tri”!