Congratulations to Derek Demeter on earning the T3 Athlete of the Month. Since joining the T3 Team, Derek has been nothing but positive, energetic and immediately connected with the group. In addition, his work ethic paired with balancing family is remarkable. He is certainly on the correct path for longevity in the sport. With his current sights set on Ironman Lake Placid, he is off to a tremendous start with his training. Showing consistency, and asking great questions to further his knowledge of the sport, there is no doubt a remarkable achievement awaits. Congratulations Derek!

A:   Derek Demeter- I live in Dover, NH but am originally from Queensbury, NY.

A:   about to turn 40, but don’t tell anyone! I’m young at heart. ?

A:   IT Management at Liberty Mutual Insurance

A:   Been participating for 9 months

A:   2 months with Coach Kevin

A:   I was strictly a runner before I expanded my horizons into triathlons last year. But I love team camaraderie and fun. So I would say Ragnar Reach the Beach here in NH is my favorite. The scenery between the White Mtns and the beach is fantastic. It doesn’t get much better than that. And who doesn’t love living in a smelly van for 2 days with your closest friends?

A:   At this point, still my running shoes. Lace them up and just go wherever the road takes you.

A:   One of my most memorable races was the Brooklyn Half Marathon in 2018. It is one of the largest half marathons in the country and I was excited to get into the lottery for it. Running in NYC was a great experience and I PR’ed the race, despite less than ideal race training. I think it would have been bested by the NYC Half Marathon, which runs straight through the heart of Manhattan and Times Square. I got accepted into the 2020 race and was so excited to run it. It was supposed to be in mid-March 2020, the same weekend the world shut down. Needless to say, it never happened.

Additionally, after years of saying that I had no desire to run further than a half marathon, I ran my first marathon last April, after having my originally-scheduled race get delayed a year due to the pandemic. Things weren’t opening up quite yet, but after training for a year and a half, I just wanted to get it done. I mapped out a 26.2 mile loop locally along the seacoast, recruited a couple friends to run with me for some or all of it, and ran it virtually. A few of my local running team members and my family came out to cheer us on and serve as aid stations along the route. I even had custom designed medals made for us. For something I always said I would “never” do, it was an awesome experience and a big accomplishment.

Finally, I transitioned to triathlon training immediately following the marathon. I raced my first one, the King Pine sprint Tri in early June of last year. It felt like a highlight to successfully complete that first one, with the added bonus of winning my (albeit small) age group.

A:   Race my first triathlon! (2021)

A:   I’ve always enjoyed racing for the fun and personal accomplishment. I hope to continue competing in triathlon for as long as it’s fun and see ongoing gains. Maybe even snag some more age group podium spots. ? Oh, and successfully finish Ironman Lake Placid 2022! ??

A:   1) Too many hot sauces ??
2) A variety of chips and salty snacks
3) Craft beer! ?

A:   Quite an assortment. My running/workout playlist ranges from the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin to 90s and 2000s alternative and rock, to Hip Hop pop and electronic.

A:   A newbie like me? ? No idea. Be prepared to spend a lot more money than you ever expected you would to get started.

A:   Just try to have fun with it, and embrace the suck when you have to. Also set micro-goals. Break your workouts into small segments that are easily achievable and celebrate it (out loud, preferably) when you complete each one. It helps pass the time more quickly and gives you a little mental boost at each one!

A:   Is this a trick question?

A:   I’ve only been a part of T3 for a short time, but I already feel like it’s been so helpful. I always struggled to find a consistent balance of all 3 sports and add in things like strength training while training on my own. Kevin has been awesome and I have already seen improvements in my strength and endurance in just a couple short months.