One of the greatest assets in triathlon is the sense of community that exists between triathletes and triathlon clubs around the world. This weekend, the Fox Cities Triathlon Club had the opportunity to learn about one of the world's great triathlon clubs. Luis Alvarez from Team IronMex visited our monthly meeting and shared some of his experiences.
While some may be unfamiliar with the name Luis Alvarez, anyone in attendance at the 2007 Ironman Wisconsin is likely very familiar with the team of Mexican Ironmen. With more than 350 participants, IronMex was probably the best represented team at the race. They were certainly the most visible and the loudest. The team's energy, visibility, and sportsmanship made them a favorite of everyone at the race.
Luis Alvarez is also known for his steadfast devotion to Ironman. With 50 races under his belt, Luis is the only person to have competed in every Ironman event in the world. One key to his presentation is the belief that anyone who WANTS to complete an Ironman can do just that. Like many of us, Luis was an out of shape "lazy burrito" (couch potato) when he first started his journey. In fact, he showed the document that motivated him to start. It detailed the results of a 5K walk from a physical fitness class. His path to Ironman began when he was unable to complete the 3.1 mile walk. He stopped at 1.5 miles after 33 minutes.
Like so many others, his view is "If I can, anyone can." Does that sound familiar? That's the view of many an Ironman.
For me, one important lesson in his stories is that community is bigger than many of us imagine. Team IronMex always tries to pick one race for everyone to run. The energy from having the entire team on the course is staggering. It was the philosophy we used for our youth tri club, last year. Moving forward, it will become the rule. I watched the impact of having 350+ members of one team at Ironman Wisconsin. Though I have a ways to go before I'm at a race with 350 members of a youth tri team, it is an achievable goal.
What is your goal for your community? And what are you doing to make that dream a reality? Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Make sure that statement isn't limited to the racecourse. The collective power of thousands of endurance athletes striving for change can be monumental.
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