TriBlackAlete
The Experience of a Black Triathlete from America at the 2012 Ironman South Africa
by
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PRE-RACE Word was circulating that a storm was coming in to Port Elizabeth and that there would be some heavy wind. I heard the howls as I fell asleep. Somehow I managed to sleep about 8 hours before the race and woke up at 4:00 am. My long training days taught me that I don’t like to start on an empty stomach. I need real food. So my wife made me a spinach omlette with a 3 oz piece of grilled salmon, some oatmeal and some mixed fresh fruit. It was raining when We left the chalet at 4:45 am. Transition opened at 5:00 am and they closed the road at that time too, so we had to get there before then. Our chalet at the Pine Lodge Resort is actually on the bike and run course and less than 10 minutes from the race start/finish. Once there, I went to check my transition bags, fill my water bottles, put air in my tires . . . all in a a light rain. At 6:45 am, wetsuit, cap and goggles on, I was ready to go. I was surprisingly a lot less nervous than I am for other races, probably because I knew it would be a long day and was more like an adventure than a race.
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About the Book
When I watch ITU and Ironman triathlons on television and the Internet, I rarely see any black people, and never do I see a black triathlete pro or age group winner. And being a national champion swimmer and generally a competitive athlete, it bothers me. How can I or a ten-year-old black kid visualize being the champion if there’s never been a visual before? Well, I just can’t settle for that. So this year I’m on a quest to become the first ever TriBlackAlete to win a USAT age group national championship. And with a good Ironman performance in South Africa, maybe I can provide the missing “visual.” That would be something.
About the Author
Siphiwe Baleka is a one-of-a-kind Yale-graduating, globe-trotting, God-loving, former-truck-driving, fast-swimming family man. And he’s got a new mission—to help long-haul truck drivers everywhere improve their health, fitness, and quality of life. In 2011, Siphiwe drove more than 300,000 miles and 320 days as a long-haul lease operator. During that time, Siphiwe won two events at the US Swimming Masters National Championships, competed in eight triathlons, winning two of them, and prepared for his first ever Ironman Triathlon—a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and a 26.2-mile run. Today, Siphiwe runs Fitness Trucking LLC and is the driver health and fitness coach at Prime Inc. in Springfield, Missouri.