I finally got around to signing up for this race again today. While this race isn't one of my A races this year, I'm very much looking forward to it. The only other race this year I'm anticipating more than this one is the Border Wars Half Ironman in October.
The Matt Mason tri was the very first tri I ever signed up for. In fact, it was this specific race that really got me into triathlon in the first place. For a number of years I'd always thought "Doing a triathlon would be fun", but I never did anything about it because I didn't own a bike and had no idea which race to do. Then I found this race.
The Matt Mason Tri is a memorial for Matt Mason, a Navy SEAL who was killed in action in Afghanistan on August 6th, 2011 (the Chinook helicopter he was in was shot down by a RPG). Those of you that know me know that I'm fairly patriotic, and that of all the U.S. Armed Forces, the Navy is by far my favorite. From 8th grade through my senior year, my only plan after high school was to join the Navy and get my dolphins (servicemen who serve on submarines have "earned their dolphins", as they are the only branch of the Navy that wears a dolphin pin on the uniform) and be a career Navy NCO on a submarine. Then, on the day I went to sign up just before graduation, I found out that my asthma is an automatic disqualifying factor. I couldn't even get a desk job with the Navy.
As this race is a memorial for a fallen Navy SEAL, it obviously has a very heavy patriotic theme, This appeals to me very much. When I stumbled across this race in the middle of last year, I knew it was something I wanted to do, so I signed up for it and began training. This race is the reason I'm doing triathlon today.
Unfortunately, the 2014 race was cancelled the day of because of inclement weather, so I have yet to actually do this race. For that reason, I'm really looking forward to it. I can't wait to do it. The finish line is lined with American flags, and there are volunteers handing flags to all the racers shortly before the finish line. It should prove to be a quite moving tribute for a fallen hero.
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