I just participated in the 2026 Saint Anthony’s Triathlon competing in the Olympic Distance Triathlon Relay and it was pure bliss! I was hoping someday I would do a relay with my daughter, Morgan, and on this day it came true.
I’ve competed in the St. Anthony’s Relay many times before either being the cyclist or the cyclist and runner in recent years. This year the race lined up on my schedule where I just needed a hard bike effort on the weekend as I prepare for an upcoming race and a few things magically came together…
After my swimmer, Kevin, from the last two years wasn’t available, I was content on simply doing a bike workout solo on the weekend and then about 5-6 weeks out, I was asked if I was still looking for a swimmer and if so, would I be interested in a three time Olympic Gold Medalist, Brooke Bennett. Well of course I would be! I have been at several races where Brooke has competed, but never met her. I was introduced to her at a start line in Gulfport, Mississippi shortly after where we were both competing and the planning began.
Then it was to find a runner and after thinking of a few options, I threw out a long shot question to Morgan, “would you be interested in coming down and being my runner?” Morgan lives in Manhattan so this wasn’t a simple ask. She quickly replied saying she was in! I was ecstatic! Not only was I competing in a relay with Morgan, we were doing it with an Olympian…pretty darn cool.
This was brewing for a good day. Brooke still swims like she is an Olympian, my bike was in peak form, and Morgan was closing a training block for the Brooklyn Half Marathon in mid-May.
We all met through text messages and on race day we were ready to go. It was a time trial start so as the biker, I didn’t know when she was going to come in, but we thought she would be starting near the front and then she would do her thing.
The first relay swimmer sprinted through transition running to one of the 67 teams all together in a back corner. I mistakenly thought it was Brooke as I was yelling her name to find me in the mass of cyclists. To my surprise, it wasn’t her. I wasn’t surprised she wasn’t first as she could easily had started further back but I was mistaken as the lady looked very much like her running at me. She came in next and I grabbed the timing chip off her ankle.
I darted out of transition and headed out on the bike and quickly took over the gentleman who was ahead of me. Based on what I saw in transition, I knew I had to have a great day to keep us near the top. I had a fast bike, beating my time from last year by over two minutes and when I came to rack my bike, it was the only one there. I ran out of transition and into a holding area where the runners were. Morgan quickly grabbed the ankle chip strap and off she went.
Things were looking good but you never know who could be that final runner within reach. As we tracked Morgan, she was running well and about mid-way through her final 10k, she was running fast and in control. I cheered her as she passed me with under a mile to go and then I ran to the finish line where I greeted her with the biggest hug celebration after she came through. What an emotional moment…I got to race with Morgan! And we WON the overall relay including all Male teams…1st of 67 teams!
It’s hard to put into words how this felt to do this with Morgan. I will never forget that day, that hug at the finish, our smiles as we walked away…
As we were waiting for awards, we got some time to talk with Brooke about the race and life stuff. I am fortunate to have been on this team with these two exceptional ladies.
Thank you Brooke for being a part of this team! Thank you Beth Shaw for making this connection and running a great race! Thank you to my sister Jamie and niece Grace, who came out to cheer us…so special to have them there! Thank you to all the teammates and friends who were also competing…what a day together! Thank you to Lauren who supported two days of race prep and the event! Thank you Morgan for coming down from NYC to make this special day and do your thing!
The entire weekend was special to me…the little things stood tall…Lauren, Morgan, and me just talking life as we ventured around town and over meals…
Live life now, do it with the people you love, and keep doing it.
– Add Health to Your Life
The Healthy Giraffe 
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