Determination pays dividends

Try, try again worked for Kent Breckenridge at this year’s Ironman USA Coeur d’Alene.

Breckenridge, 47, has started four Ironmans. He has finished three.

“Last year I didn’t finish it. Six miles into the run, I had to stop because of blisters on my feet,” said Breckenridge, who has never been injured.

“I have been extremely lucky to remain injury-free. That is why getting the blisters was frustrating.”

He attributed the blisters to the heat. It was the first race he had a DNF (did not finish) beside his name.

“I couldn’t walk anymore,” he said. “It was disappointing not to finish. I had to get a ride back to the finish line and wait for my family.”

They were expecting me to finish later in the day, so I had to wait in the medical tent for several hours,” he said. “I vowed I would do it again and finish, no matter what.”

“I was a little cranky afterward,” Breckenridge said. “I just wanted to do one more, so I could prove to myself I could do it.”

And he did it. He was the 1,600th finisher of the 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run in a time of 16 hours, 43 minutes and 54 seconds. Participants must complete the event in less than 17 hours to be called a finisher. His feet blistered again this year.

“I had to take my feet out of my bicycle shoes on the second loop of the bicycle route, which put me in late on the bike,” he said. “I walked/ran the first ten miles of the marathon. And then I fast walked the last part.”

“I was lucky enough to just finish it.”

“It helps sometimes to have a reason to be out there. One is a goal to stay in shape and wanting to finish,” Breckenridge said. “But I also personalize it in another way.”

“Last year I ran the Seattle Marathon with the name of a close friend on my shirt. She died a week later from cancer,” he said. “I think of her and others, and how lucky I am to be able to do marathons and Ironmans. It is very special.”

He began doing triathlons when he started a family.

“My wife Nancy and I are competitive tennis players. Ever since we were married, we had traveled around competing in different tournaments,” he said.

He played tennis at UCLA while getting his master’s degree and he played in the regional sectionals of the United States Tennis Association. Nancy also played in college.

“And then we started having a family. It was difficult to play competitive tennis,” he said. “After work is when you practice and then there are tournaments on the weekend.”

“Tennis was time consuming in relation to family time.”

So he looked into doing triathlons.

“It is something you can do early in the morning. You don’t have to have anyone else with you to train,” he said. “And even though you are training a fair amount, you can usually juggle it so it doesn’t cut into being with your family.”

He did his first triathlon in 1989.

“I saw the Hawaiian Ironman on television and that became my goal.”

He started doing marathons, 100-mile bike rides and endurance swims. He completed his first Ironman in 1991.

“I finished in 13 hours, 40 minutes. I felt really good,” he said. “Actually, when I crossed the finish line, all I could think about was how I could do it better.”

The next time was in 1993. And then a ten-year break.

“I was coaching, playing soccer, rock climbing and playing tennis,” he said. “To finish an Ironman, I would have to devote a certain amount of time. You have to be focused.

“I have more fun doing several things relatively well versus doing one thing really, really well.”

His “several things” this year were Ironman training and being a member of a tennis team.

“It was one of the things that hurt my training for the Ironman. On certain weekends, I would be playing in tennis tournaments instead of doing long bike rides or runs,” he said. “And obviously that doesn’t help your endurance level very much.”

His tennis team recently qualified for the regional tournament in Portland in August.

“I tell people if I can do an Ironman, anybody can do an Ironman,” Breckenridge said. “My fastest marathon time is 4 hours, 12 minutes and I don’t put a ton of work on the bike.”

“It was a great feeling the last couple blocks,” he said. “The crowd pumps you up. The volunteers and fans are fabulous.”

And one of those volunteers and fans was his wife.

“It was the first-time I had volunteered. I wish I would have done it last year,” Nancy said. “It was much better than waiting at the finish line.”

But it will take more than cheering for Breckenridge to return next year.

“I won’t be doing another Ironman for a while. There are too many other fun things I want to do.”

Other area finishers

Coeur d’Alene’s Mark and Laura Curtis were also top area finishers. Mark, 43, was the 21st finisher in 9 hours, 43 minutes, and qualified to go to the Hawaiian Ironman. But he gave his spot away.

“Been there. Done that. Satisfied with what I have done before,” Mark Curtis said.

He was pumped to finish within minutes of his training friends, Greg Gervais and Tom Lamphier. Lamphier finished in 9 hours, 42 minutes and Gervais in 9 hours, 46 minutes.

Laura Curtis, 39, was the 348th finisher in 11 hours, 24 minutes. She finished ninth in her age group.

“I didn’t do what I thought I could do, but I did the best I could do,” Laura said. “I had nothing going on the bike course. My legs weren’t moving.”

And she might return next year. “I will be in a new age category.”

And Coeur d’Alene’s Nicole Clutter, 21, finished in 11 hours, 56 minutes. She was second in her age group and was 527th overall.