![]() ![]() So began the task of dragging the 17rs for the 1st 10 miles. Like a shiny object, the prospect of having “CAPTAIN” emblazoned on the back of my jersey rather than a mere plebeian “Harpoon” was simply too much to ignore. Sometimes the lure of a distinctive fashion accessory is just too to much (for me) to ignore. “That’s not a bad way to look at it.Course profile chart below in shaded area. “Their motto is, ‘To finish is to win,’” Welsh offered. The Greenfield Triathlon, which has been canceled for this summer, is always a favorite on his calendar. ![]() In a normal year, his triathlon schedule includes races in Westfield, Hyannis, New Hampshire and Greenfield. “When you don’t have something to be in shape for, you still stay in shape, but you don’t have to be at the peak.” “A little more fishing, a little less cycling,” he said. He admitted that he’s slowed his training down a bit in 2020, with the race calendar pretty empty due to COVID-19. Every Thursday, Welsh and McDonald do a 10-mile time trial where they run as fast as they can, and he even ventures to Joe’s Garage in Haydenville for indoor cycling. His running group consists of locals like Wadman, Rich Clark and Frank McDonald, and he mixes in swims at Ashfield Lake with his wife in a kayak beside him. Welsh stays plenty busy with his training regimen. If one person beats you, it’s, ‘OK, you got me.’ And vice versa. “And the competition aspect is still a lot of fun. “Everyone is willing to share advice and encouragement at these races so it’s just a very friendly group of people,” he said. While he has enjoyed tremendous success competing in triathlons, Welsh said the purest joy comes from the camaraderie and environment that the races represent. There are days on our runs that he is pushing the pace and we have to try and keep up so we don’t look bad.” We keep telling him the reason he’s so good is he isn’t as beat up as the rest of us. “I don’t think he started until he was in his 60’s. “Bob came to running a lot later than most of us,” said Wadman. One year he won a $3,000 wheel set for being the oldest finisher.”ĭespite the late start to running, Welsh has quickly impressed his training partners. ![]() There is a ride sponsored by Harpoon Brewery called the B2B which goes 149 miles from their Boston brewery to their Vermont brewery. “He has to be as his house is two miles up Bray Road in Buckland. “He is an incredible biker and good hill climber,” Wadman lauded. It’s about surviving the swim and then that’s where the real fun begins.”įriend Brian Wadman agreed that cycling is the most lethal section of Welsh’s triathlon. “All I’m trying to do is get out and pass people. ![]() “I know damn well that I’m certainly not going to be a competitive swimmer,” he offered. Welsh said it’s not uncommon for him to be well behind the pace following the swim portion of a triathlon, but he manages to pick off competitors moving through the bike course. “I’ve done a number of triathlons since then, including some ocean swims, and while they’re very enjoyable, I’m still working at it.”Ĭycling is where he makes his moves during races. “I couldn’t do a full swim for my first race so I had to backstroke,” he explained. He went to Greenfield’s Steve and Becky Shattuck for running help, but the swimming aspect took a bit longer. Welsh had long been a cyclist, but admitted he needed some direction in the other two disciplines. “I’d bike with them and then they’d go off and do Iron Man races, triathlons, crazy things. “When I retired, I hung around a whole bunch of people who do these things,” he began. The 77-year-old Buckland resident is nationally-ranked in his age category with USA Triathlon, a considerable feat considering Welsh only got into the competitions less than 10 years ago. While the swim portion has never been his expertise, he’s more than made up for it with stellar performances in the other two legs of a triathlon. When he first tried to swim competitively, Bob Welsh admits he couldn’t last the length of a pool. Here’s Volume 17, where we tackle the thrilling but challenging world of triathlons with a nationally-ranked triathlete. As a reminder, we’re always looking for suggestions and recommendations on people/stories we should be featuring in our series, Running Club Franklin County.ĭo you have any tips? Send us your running stories to and they may be included in this space. ![]()
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