Matt and Cathy Perini are some of the best sports in triathlon. Not only are they fine triathletes but you'll be hard pressed to find either one of them out on the course without a smile on their face. From their home just outside Socorro, NM, they are pillars of the Socorro Striders and Riders club that puts on some of the best races in our region. Our latest 10 Questions explores the Matt and Cathy show.........and a marriage made in heaven........or maybe Kona?

      Nothing But Fun..........The Perini's at the Chile Harvest Triathlon

TransitionTimes.....Hi Matt and Cathy, great job on this season’s Chile Harvest Triathlon. Did you have any concerns about how the seeded swim start would be received by our region’s athletes? 

Matt: I was afraid that people would have been intimidated by a time-trial pool swim, something that’s new (so far as I know) to New Mexico. I asked quite a few people how they felt about a seeded swim start and received a lot of support for the idea. 

 

After the race I heard great comments about the format, do you feel the new format affected the outcome of the race in any way……without athletes racing “head to head” ? 

 

Matt: The outcome? Of course, but like any sport, the outcome can depend upon the format. Cathy and I have raced a few times at Memphis in May, which has a time-trial format, and we’ve always enjoyed it. We weren’t really afraid of trying it here. Anyway, the guys at the front were more-or-less racing head-to-head because they started within a few seconds of each other, and, in the end, I think we saw that Bobby is really strong in any kind of race. 

 

Tell us more about your club the Socorro Striders and Riders……..you have a varied membership as you’re not strictly a triathlon club. 

 

Matt: We started in 1999(?) under the leadership of Cathy Pearce, who some may remember as one of the best distance runners in New Mexico until she moved with her family to Boston last year. We both wanted a local club for training support, and for support in producing local events. We started with our friends with similar athletic interests, and have grown to about 60 members at this point.  

 

The SSR’s dropped a few events this year such as the M Mountain Duathlon and at least one running race. Was that done to better concentrate on the events you did put on? 

 

Matt: When Cathy Pearce was here, between the two of us and our spouses we could produce a lot of events, but we also burned out our core of volunteers. I’ve also had to spend more time at my job, and I give it priority.  

 

M Mountain was unique to New Mexico, but it never had enough participation to give it long-term viability, and Flip wouldn’t put it in the SWCS (not for mountain bikes). There was a group of about 50 people who loved the race and would come back every year, but it seemed like everybody else did it once and wouldn’t do it again if we paid them. It was a hard duathlon. I wish we could do the Cruisin’ With The Cranes 15K, a really nice race at the Bosque del Apache refuge, but we’ve got to find a race director first (read: not me!). 

 

Matt, as a new USAT official, was it hard to not want to disqualify Cathy after she forgot her helmet for ½ of the 2^nd bike leg in Roswell? Seriously though…….what would be the ruling on that………should one of the transition area monitors have given her a warning as she left T3? 

 

Matt: The transition area monitors aren’t responsible for your equipment. I just thought it was funny that she actually went back. 

 

Cathy: I know in a USAT event I would have been disqualified and have no excuse other than “I forgot.”  

 

Cathy…………Matt seems pretty easygoing and agreeable……..has the power of being the SSR’s president gone to his head? Is his laid back demeanor just a front for his ruthless, power hungry persona? 

 

Matt: Most people who’ve seen me at one of the SSR events wouldn’t call me easygoing and agreeable. Cathy usually uses some pretty choice words for me during and after the race. 

 

Cathy: Usually, I don’t have “choice words” for Matt. He is easy going but he takes his race directing seriously. I think that is why the races are successful and well received. 

 

Obviously the need to complete 10 races in the SW Challenge Series has been a controversial topic this season. What are your thoughts on the rule………what would you do to change it? 

 

Matt: To give credit where it’s due, Flip’s been the SWCS man since its inception, and puts a lot into it, including coordinating the schedule and all those end-of-season awards, but I thought that requiring 8 races was too much!  

 

Cathy: I agree with Matt that Flip is the force behind the SWCS and that he will make it as long as he wants. In the larger male age groups there may be enough participants who can do 10 races to make the field exciting but in my age group there are only 2 or 3 who have any hope completing the series requirements. So whoever finishes 10 will win a trophy. Great for me, (hopefully) but there are many who have beaten me every time who aren’t represented. I liked 8 races. 

 

In the days of the old west the popular saying was “Go west young man” . Now in our sport the rallying cry seems to be “Go long young man (or woman)” Are longer distance events needed in our region or should we consider ourselves lucky to have the racing opportunities that we have? 

 

Matt: I think we’re lucky to have what we have. We live in a poverty-ridden desert state and we still have 29 races on the schedule, plus the Quad. Besides, given our recent drought, I’m not sure if we have a venue for a longer-distance race, and I’m beginning to get worried whether Storrie Lake’s going to have water. We like to travel once or twice a year outside the SWCS, but we also like to party at the local races with our friends. 

 

When I saw Cathy at the Las Vegas Tri, she was telling me about her injuries as well as those of many of the Socorro group. What’s your health status now? 

 

Matt: I herniated a disc (swimming butterfly!) just before the Quad and had a cortisone injection in early August that seems to have relieved the pain a lot. That really put a damper on this season, so I’ve been officiating instead.  

 

Cathy: I’m getting better but still whining. All of the rest seem to be doing well and finishing the season strong.  

 

What are your goals for next season………..where will the Matt and Cathy Show make some appearances? 

 

Matt: I’m happy just to be able to race. Since this season didn’t happen, I guess I’ve started training for the Quad. Last year was my first and even though it was disastrous, it was an amazing adventure and I’ve been looking forward to doing it again, hopefully learning from the first time, too. Maybe we’ll go to Memphis again, and whatever else looks interesting. And as many SWCS races as I can possibly do.