FitOldDog Teaches His Young Pup A New Trick At The 2014 Texas Ironman, Finally!

The 2014 Texas Ironman swim looks pretty spread out, but FitOldDog’s son, Nigel, is in there somewhere. Photo by FitOldDog.

Hi folks, welcome!

FitOldDog’s son, Nigel, at the 2014 Texas Ironman, with TriSlide in his suit. Photo by FitOldDog.

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I think that it is harder to teach a young dog, so when I found out that my youngest son, Nigel, 6-times Hawaii Ironman, (and soon to be 7, whereas I still struggle to qualify) didn’t know something that I did, it was exhilarating – how odd?

My youngest son, Nigel, great Dad, dentist and Ironman Triathlete, got me into triathlons, and has since taught me a great deal about this fascinating sport. In fact, he always seems to be teaching me stuff, which is good, and I’m very grateful. But it would be nice to have the shoe on the other foot, at least once.

Then Nigel lost his sleeveless wetsuit at the Los Cabos Ironman in 2013 (to see our great whale experience go to this link). We arrived in Houston this weekend for the Texas Ironman, but Nigel only had his long-sleeved wetsuit.

TriSlide is great stuff!

He complained that the sleeves caught his shoulders, and the suit restricted movement because it stuck to him. We even looked all over to buy a short-sleeved one, to no avail. Then I said, “Do you use silicone spray in your suit?” He said, “What?” So I bought him some, sprayed the inside of his suit, and he was totally happy with result.

The suit worked much better when it was sliding over his skin, rather than sticking here and there.

I finally taught my son something new, which was very satisfying for this old guy who is still trying his best to get to Kona. Three chances this year, Eagleman, Lake Placid, and Mont-Tremblant, abdominal aortic aneurysm stent graft permitting.

So, when you’ve been doing something for years, and you think that you know it all, be like my son and listen when a neophyte speaks. They may have something useful to say.

Cheers,

FitOldDog

PS I thought about my feelings in response to this issue, and I realized that our society has a tendency to label ‘elderly’ people as ‘old and useless,’ and what could be further from the truth.