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Editorial: Jun-27-2004
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Ok so here goes. The hardest part of launching this website has been answering the questions "What is Trifinder?" and "Why did you build it?" |
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I have come to accept over the past several years that I am a "Type-A" personality and that physical activity for me is not recreation and it's not a hobby, it's a lifestyle and more importantly this is not a bad thing. From March through October of last year I competed in 6 triathlons, 2 biathlons, rode a century bike ride, ran 4 half-marathons, and completed about a dozen other New York Road Runner Club Races. To support this addiction, I also spent countless hours searching the internet, reading race descriptions, figuring out where the race was held, how to get there, checking dates and working out my race calendar.
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Two things frustrated me. Unless I printed out and kept a copy of the website is was a pain locating the same website again a second time. When I got home to continue my search if I had printed out the site I typically found I left the print out on the printer at work. Second, reading through the printouts from 20 different sites all formatted differently took forever.... and Triathletes like going fast. And so the idea of Trifinder was born, a website for people obsessed with racing! (admit it it's an obsession) ... with as complete a race listing as possible, searchable and with the ability to printout an easy to read race listing. The basic idea is to create a race listing that allows visitors to filter their searches, to locate races and add these into their member profile (the save a race in your profile funtion will be available in about a week.). So for example, you can search for Olympic Distance Races during the month of June held in NY state. |
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[IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME!] |
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To pull this off requires two things, programming and database skills (which I have) and a lot of time to do data entry (which I am short on). The first was easy (but time consuming) and the second is a time management problem as I am financing this website on my own, programming in my spare time and I want this website to be FREE TO MEMBERS. So my idea was to rely on theTriathlete community to help with the data entry. Triathletes, Race Directors, any member, if you know of a race and its not in our listing, become a member, login and add it yourself. Any race you enter becomes available in the race list calendar immediately. |
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So I extend an Open Invitation to my fellow Triathletes and other endurance athletes to participate as members and make this site an indispensable tool to our community. |
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Today I became convinced that this community exists. I completed my fourth New York City Triathlon in as many years. But this year it was different. On October 23rd 2003, one week before my first attempt to run the New York City Marathon, my life as a triathlete was derailed by the carelessness of someone else. I was hit from behind by a car while riding my bike. I sustained permanent damage to the cartilage of my knee that will not heal and will no longer permit me to run. In January I had knee surgery and in February at my post-op exam I was told the bad news. No more running! I sat in the exam room by myself for 15 minutes while the impact began to sink in. |
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I registered for the New York City Triathlon before I knew the extent of my injuries. I thought about canceling, I thought about a relay, I even debated with my physical therapist if I could do it on crutches. In the end I decided not to give in, not to give up but to walk the 6.2 mile run. So if you were there with me on Sunday I was the one walking alone as you ran by. |
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I expected the hardest part to be listening to the crowds cheering along 72nd street and in Central Park encouraging me to run, not knowing I could not as I show no obvious outward signs of my injury. I was right it was hard but something unexpected happened. I was walking along 72nd street toward Central Park and another triathlete pulled on my arm to help me run. I quickly said I could no longer run due to a permanent injury to my knee and he nodded in a sign of understanding and kept running. This was not an isolated instance as many other athletes patted me on the back and encouraged me to run. In each instance when I explained they nodded and kept running. |
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Only another triathlete can appreciate the loss. |
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As a result of my injuries, I have been forced to reconsider my priorities. I had begun to wonder if there was still a place in triathlons for people like myself who are no longer physically able to run. Today I got my answer. For the first time since my accident I again felt like a member of the Triathlon community. At first I lost my incentive to work on and launch this site, but then my motivation shifted. This Website has taken on new meaning as a way for me to stay involved in this sport despite my limited ability to compete |
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So as I sit here today recovering from the race with ice packs on my knees, my hips and my thighs, my closing thought is that no matter what adversity we each have to deal with in our lives we have been fortunate to participate in this sport.
Never Give-In, Never Give-Up and Don't Stop Racing! |
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Thanks for Listening |
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Paul C. King - Triathlete |
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2004-01 |
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