My Triathlon Feeling
With the first event in our 2025 season behind us, I move on with a kind of bittersweetness to April. April is the month for the CASA Superhero Run, now over a decade old. The first race to be held at Iron Horse Park was a celebration of the heroes among us, especially those superheroes that serve as advocates for abused and neglected children through the CASA program. One special CASA volunteer could be found at every race, donning his volunteer deputy uniform, there to support CASA and the athletes of the PRFS. Kevin Kennedy, with his signature New York accent, believed in people, in their ability to do good, and in the essential nature of community. It has been five years since the name of the race was changed to the Kevin Kennedy Memorial Hero Run, a hero here and then gone too soon. We celebrate him, cherish his memory and we miss him. Bittersweetness.
Since the PRFS’s inception, April means triathlon in North Platte, first as the James O’Rourke Memorial Triathlon and now the Tri-Nebraska Triathlon. There is this feeling, the kind that really doesn’t have a name, that comes over me every April. It first stirs as sacredness. It is a sacred duty to honor the life of a family’s beloved and making sure that we did so was my solemn vow. What a blessing to fall in love with the family of someone I had never met, but whose legacy made me feel as though we had been lifelong friends. My personal tradition each year was to dedicate one of my own runs to Judge O’Rourke, praying and hoping that we always got it right.
After the sacredness, there is a sense of renewal that arises from this unnamed feeling. It comes with the bird songs announcing the arrival of spring. The early morning chorus is the music of the early morning triathlon preparations that have taken place the last weekend in April for decades. The singing birds don’t mean spring to me, they mean it’s time for a triathlon. There is uncertainty in this triathlon feeling of mine. April can be a fickle month for weather, and the triathlon has been infamous for the wild swings of Nebraska weather from temperatures near 100 to freezing rain pelting the hypothermic athletes, to wind gusts so strong the runners outpaced the cyclists. There is also the uncertainty of the athletes, so many trying this amazing sport for the first time. Even the experienced triathletes have a seriousness about them. They know with certainty that it will be hard.
Their certainty and uncertainty endear them to me. The look on the face at the finish line of a first-time triathlete adds pure joy to my triathlon feeling. The athleticism of a serious triathlete brings a sense of wonder. In this mixture of emotions called my triathlon feeling, there is worry. Until the final athlete crosses the line, I worry and pray for the safety of everyone. We’ve had a bike crash or two (please see Bob Veal for details), and a heart attack as an athlete made his way to the gym from the finish line. We’ve had hypothermia and heat exhaustion. We have had a full human experience, each triathlon, every year. There is gratitude. Gratitude to the sponsors, volunteers, athletes and to Brock Wurl whose willingness to take over the race direction allowed me to grow the PRFS.
This year is not a new experience. During COVID, the triathlon was virtual. This year, the virtual triathlon will bring a certain bittersweetness, just as Kevin’s race does. The sweetness will come with the anticipation of a state-of-the-art facility and a stunning new pool soon to be a reality. Progress comes with some inconveniences, but the new North Platte Rec Center will be worth the wait. It may look very different from the facility that has served North Platte for 49 years, but it will retain its place as a center for community life. The sadness is in missing the sheer effort and determination that emanates from each and every triathlete. I will miss watching over the swimmers, the nervousness of the bikes, and the relief and joy of the finish line. We don’t want you to miss the experience, which is why we are asking you to complete the virtual triathlon as you would do on race day. You will have seven days to pick from April 21-27th. We will have a bike rack set up the entire week, and those who do not have a Rec membership will be allowed to swim at no cost.
This is a golden opportunity to experience the triathlon without the pressure. Take your time in transition. Pick the best weather day. Ask a few friends to join you. You have an opportunity to tailor your 500-yard swim, 14-mile bike and 5K run in a way that is perfect for you. All participants will need to provide proof of completion of the required distances to our email address, but time submission isn’t required. You must complete the triathlon to be considered as an Ultimate Finishers for 2025, and all participants will get their participation points for the PRFS Points Competition. No placing points will be given. Triathletes will get the usual great t-shirt and a finisher’s medal to mark your achievement and I will get the month of April to feel all the feelings. And that is a GREAT feeling.