Featured Athlete – Joe Howell

Joe Howell, 62 (but remember, “60 is the new forty” , so you could say 42 as long as I can race at my “official” age).

A little bit about you (profession, hobbies, athletic background, etc.):
Attorney/Partner of Howell Moore & Gough, LLP- Santa Barbara law firm. Family still a top priority (although my two kids are now adults) and devote lots of time to a variety of local non profits and education related activities (SB County Board of Education, Computers for Families and SB Partners in Education). For years I was a pretty committed tennis player, then became a devoted runner and ultimately decided triathlons were a challenge I had to try.

When did you complete your first triathlon (and if you’ve completed more than one, how many)?
As a runner on several SB Triathlon relay teams in the mid-80s, I was literally in awe of the folks I saw who doing the “whole thing”. With the SB long course triathlon as the only local event (no sprints in the old days) and no other multi sport events (like Nite Moves or Reef & Run) to allow me to take “baby steps”, I decided in 1988 that the answer was to “move up” to two legs of the SB Tri long course relay and have my then 11 yr old son Ben do the swim- we had a blast. (Admission- At the time, I was terrified at the thought of swimming a mile in the ocean.) We teamed up as a two person relay team again two years later, and I have done the long course solo (and sometimes the sprint as well) every year since. Also proud to say that my law firm and I have been sponsors of the event for about 20 years. In each of the last several years, I have done the Escape from Alcatraz (nothing like swimming across the San Francisco Bay) and a few others, typically longer ones. My biggest race has been Hawaii Ironman in 2001- pretty unreal experience.

What inspires you to train/compete?
A more recent feature of the SB Triathlon that can be a true inspiration is the opportunity to raise money for worthy organizations that are beneficiaries of the event. I am proud to have run the Boston Marathon several times while raising money, alone and with others, for the Cancer Center of SB, the beneficiary of this year’s event. Combining the thrill of finishing a tough endurance event with the sense of accomplishment of having raised money for a group like the Cancer Center is as inspiring and rewarding as anything I have done.

What is your favorite thing about the sport?
I am big on the concept of a triathlon (or any challenging endurance event) being a true metaphor for life. Training is great but it requires goal setting, discipline, etc. The desire to simply quit- whether in training or during an event or when facing any challenge in life – can be almost irresistible. Hanging in there and finishing, then applying the experience to other aspects of your life- is the big payoff of endurance sports. As a friend reminds me, virtually every event will present something you did not expect- the key is how you deal with it. I really enjoy the fact that each person can set his or her goals- from simply finishing to meeting a time goal to competing for the podium. My wife Barb trained with Moms in Motion and completed her first triathlon while dealing with and beating cancer. Watching her and my daughter Sarah train together back in 2002 and fulfill their respective goals gave me a whole new perspective on the sport and its positive aspects. I know many who have conquered personal challenges- swimming in the ocean, pushing themselves to new limits or attaining a seemingly unattainable physical goal- by training for and finishing a triathlon. The distance and time are not the point- its all about the process.

What’s your least favorite thing? Two things- first, the amount of time required to train seriously. Second, dealing with those triathletes who become so self-absorbed and so focused on their individual training/competing that they really lose perspective on everything and everyone who is not doing the same.

What is the best advice you ever received regarding the sport of triathlon?
#1- always remember the big picture and why you are training; #2 (very specific)- Train and compete using a heart rate monitor but on race day, don’t use your watch (to time yourself that is). This and almost all I know in terms of meaningful advice come from Mike Swan, whom I have enjoyed and learned from as a coach for many years. He is called Yoda for a reason.

Share your top three (or one, or ten) training tips:

#1-Develop a training and a race plan (ideally with a coach; if not, with input from others) and try to stay with it. Looking back, my biggest mistake in the early years was simply over training and not training smart. #2- On longer races, think about and practice your nutrition plan. #3- Train with people you really enjoy.

	Joe Howell, 62 (but remember, “60 is the new forty” , so you could say 42 as long as I can race at my “official” age).