FEATURES

Restoring Happiness & Hunger...

Thursday, 21 July 2016 23:10

By Mike Buenting (mikebuenting.wordpress.com)

As a coach, an athlete and a father of a competitive athlete you learn a lot about yourself and others and overcoming challenges and setbacks. You learn a lot about the human spirit and the human heart and will to fight and push limits.

The last year has been tough for both myself and for my daughter Bella. My 2015 season had some ups and downs and the start of 2016 at the Boston marathon went really wrong for me. Bella also had a really tough 2016 (spring) Track season running for Minnetonka High school team as an 8th grader.  (mostly Varsity meets, but sometimes JV) Bella never ran at her potential all season and just lacked happiness and a hunger. As for myself I had the hunger I just was not performing great and it was leaving my depressed and down.

So 2016 was going to be my year!! And summer of 2016 was going to be Bella’s return to Triathlon after setting out the 2015 season to focus on swim team and cross country....

I had Bend, Oregon and Duathlon National Championships set as my goal for the year! I wanted that National Champion jersey that my very dear friend Manuela had won the year before. (I also coach Manuela and train with her) I was motivated to work hard and focus all my efforts on that day in Bend! Leading up to Bend I raced some events like Spring classic Duathlon (2nd overall) and Apple Duathlon (age group 1st place and 2nd Master’s and top 10 overall) then the Buffalo Triathlon (Olympic distance) 1st age group and a top 10 overall as well as #1 Master’s.

So going to Bend I felt confident and positive that I had a shot at success! Well things worked out and I became a USA Triathlon Duathlon National Champion in the standard distance (10k run, 40k bike, 5k run) men 40-44! And I earned that jersey I coveted.  I was also the 2nd overall Master that day in Bend. Since I got home from Oregon my training has been going very well and I feel great… so next race is coming up and who knows what could happen? READ MORE