Meet the member – Kevin Derrig
Well Kevin, how’s the form? How’s everything going for you?
All going well, thanks. Looking forward to lockdown being over and being able to get out for a cycle outside my 5k! Lockdown isn’t easy but I keep reminding myself there’s plenty in tougher positions than me so make the best of it and better that lockdown is happening now than in 2001 when we’d all be inside playing snake on a Nokia 3310.
Tell us about how you got interested in Triathlon and how you came to join Pulse?
I started running in 2005 when I realized I couldn’t eat like a teenager anymore with no consequences. After a few years I looked for a new challenge and decided to do a triathlon. I did Triathlone for a few years, my times weren’t really getting any better. I was always training at the same pace and didn’t really know what to do to improve. So I decided I needed to join a club. I saw a bunch of really cool, sophisticated, intelligent looking people in Pulse gear after one Triathlone race and they seemed to be having great craic so I decided that was the club for me!
Tell us about your first race.
My first race was Triathlone back in 2009 (or maybe 2008). Myself and a friend from work decided to do that as we heard it was held in the town and had a really good festival atmosphere to it.
We did the sprint, but I remember the current in the Shannon was deemed too strong on the day so they shortened the swim to 400 metres all downstream. My fastest swim split ever! As a result of no practice trying to get the wetsuit off beforehand, who knew they were tight!, my T1 time was longer than my swim.
But I made plenty of other mistakes, as expected, for my first race. I rented a wetsuit from Cycle Superstore but only went to get it the day before and didn’t have much choice. I was left with a black sleeveless number.
I had to ask the organisers before the race where I got changed after the swim, not realizing that you just wear your cycle kit under your wetsuit. The bike I used I had borrowed from my brother, so it was way too small for me. But despite all that I got the bug, you cant beat that feeling when the finishing line is in sight at the end of a race and you’ve emptied the tank.
What’s your favourite race/distance to race?
I think Olympic is my favourite, I’m not a great swimmer and don’t have the explosive power to do well in sprints. The longer the bike section the more it suits me. Though I would like to do a few more half iron distance races.
What’s your favourite Pulse memory so far?
There’s a couple of them.
My favourite when racing was doing the 2016 Dublin City Triathlon. It was in Phoenix Park, so 5 minutes from where I was living at the time and there was a big crowd of Pulsers at the bottom of the Khyber supporting the racers. It gave me a huge boost every time I went past on the bike and then the run.
I also was delighted and proud to pick up my Ironman plaque at the Christmas party in 2019. It has pride of place in my turbo room at home.
What’s the best thing about being in a Triathlon club?
Lots of reasons. It’s great meeting people with similar interests. There’s plenty going on and it’s fairly well organized so there are always sessions you can drop into. The TT’s during the summer are always good to see where you are fitness wise.
There’s people in the club who have done plenty of races and can be a mine of good information.
And also training with people who are the same speed or a bit faster than you helps to push yourself along. You don’t push yourself harder than when your trying to catch someone in front of you, whether that’s in training or a race!
When you’re not swimming or pedalling or running, what keeps you busy?
Generally being challenged to epic Ninja battles by my 4 and 7 year old boys. Parenting tip, take them out for long walks, tire them out before they tire you out!
Outside of Triathlon, what’s your favourite sporting memory or achievement? (Doesn’t have to be your own!)
Recently it was doing the Donegal 555 in 2020 with some current and former Pulsers.
Being from Mayo, these things are generally limited to my own stuff.
What’s the bucket list, once in a lifetime race you’d love to experience?
Alpe D’Huez tri. I love the idea of something that’s so different and epic but I think it’s a few years down the line before I could do that one properly.
What’s the next Triathlon goal you’d like to tick off?
Not sure when but I’d like to start ticking off Irish races that I haven’t done before.
The Cobh Jailbreak triathlon is one I have on my mind but it might again it might be in a few years as I think I’ll be concentrating on the bike for a while.
What’s your favourite book/movie/tv show? What do you like about them?
Not an easy question but an easy answer, I love my films but generally I have two favourites, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (no one is cooler than Paul Newman was) and The Princess Bride, both films have the same writer, William Goldman.
I also enjoy Irelands Fittest Family on TV and favourite book would be East of Eden by John Steinbeck, we got our eldests name from that.
Who inspires you, be it in sports or in regular life?
Seeing Irish people excel on an international stage is inspiring, so Sam Bennett at the moment stands out.
A magical fairy grants you one wish: Kona spot for you or Mayo to win Sam. Which one do you choose?
Sam. Don’t ask me silly questions.
Finally, what one nugget of advice would you give to a new member starting out on their Triathlon journey?
First of all enjoy it. Ask questions of other members to get tips etc., don’t feel like you need to take in all the advice, but try to pick what works for you and learn from their mistakes so you don’t have to make them.