Just a few days ago "The Dominator" Perry Toles wrapped up the Bottomless Lakes 2002 Series Title. Toles, from his home base in Roswell, trains and races with the best that NM and west Texas has to offer. Although I've conversed with Perry via email since the origins of the TT site..........my first face to face experience was as he cheered me (and many other competitors) on during the Jay Benson Triathlon. Toles had flatted just after the second turnaround and stood by his Griffen making sure everyone else had the encouragement they needed to reach T2. Here is our 10 (11) questions with "The Dominator".

                     "The Dominator" (L) with Jan Olesinski

TransitionTimes...Hi Perry, you’ve been racing sparingly this season……..are you resting up for a late season charge?

Perry Toles...Actually, I've attempted to race as much as possible. I had a meeting that interferred with Buffalo Springs, a family vacation conflicted with Socorro and Las Vegas, I was going to race Midland and Carlsbad but both races cancelled. 

 

TT...I read a quote by you that you’d rather be sleeping on your pillow in December than training……….how much time will you take off after a race season is over?

 PT...You know, I am not sure what context you pulled that quote out of, but I must have been playing devil's advocate with my training buddies who train on the bike at 5:50 a.m. year round, even if the temperature is below freezing and it is snowing. Under such circumstances, I admit, I would rather be sleeping on my pillow. Otherwise, I do not take any time off. Let me ask you a question: How much time do you take off from eating after the big meal on Thanksgiving day? Exactly! There is little difference between eating and training for me. 

 

TT...Tell us about the training opportunities in Roswell.

PT...Back in our modern pentathlon days, my good friend, Jan Olesinski, and I had the good fortune to travel the world competing and training in many cities and countries, and we both agree that Roswell is an ideal place to live and train. 3500 feet in elevation. Mild winters. Good roads in every direction. Little traffic to contend with. Plenty of trails to run on. There are a variety of races every month of the year. A runners club, bike club, swim club, triathlon club. What I value the most are my training partners from the "TyeDyeTriGuys" Club, they create the best opportunity to train. 

TT...Tell us about your club, the Tye Dye Tri Guys......how long has the club been around and what things do you focus on as a group?

PT...This is the second year for the TDTG.  We formed out of an already existing group of cyclists, runners and triathletes.  Regular email communications and word of mouth has helped the club more than double in size.  Our "focus" is on the camaraderie and fellowship that is provided when we train and compete together.  Along the way, we have developed a club jersey ("Grateful Treads" from Primal Wear).  We couldn't find a tyedye tri suit, so the triathletes in the group settled upon a plain blue tri suite from De Soto.  We have a couple of "socials" during the year.  For some reason, three times more people show up for the parties than for a Saturday morning bike ride.  Maybe that last sentence explains more about the Tye Dye Tri Guys than anything else I have said.

 

TT...You’ve been involved with USAT for a while……….what things do you hope to accomplish by volunteering your time?

PT...I hope to contribute to the growth and advancement of the sport of triathlon. Currently, I serve on the USAT Legal Committee assisting with grievance hearings and other legal matters. 

 

TT...Bringing juniors into our sport is a hot topic lately……..what your view on how we can accomplish this?

PT...First, you have to have youth events, like the IronKids series and the youth races at Socorro, Jay Benson, Roswell's SuperKids. Maybe the Southwest Challange Series could also include a youth series. Then you have to keep those talented youths interested in the sport during their teen years. Back in the 1990's, Roswell played host to the Triathlon Junior Olympics. This was the first program that attempted to bridge the teen years.  

 

TT...Tell us about the F1 Tri at Bottomless Lakes. Last year was the first ever USAT draft legal F1 triathlon held right in Roswell………..that’s some coup………how did you pull it off?

PT...Well, this question is somewhat related to the previous one, because our elite U.S. juniors are expected to compete in international draft legal races, and yet they have very little opportunity to race domestically in that type of event. The "F1" was an experiment for USAT, they initially were thinking about sending their elite juniors to this race. That didn't happen, but it did give a few of us age groupers a taste of how the Pros race. 

 

TT...Were there any major concerns by you (or USAT) about the safety of a race like that?

PT...Not really. We knew that there would not be large packs of cyclists on the course. Unlike the pro races where most of the triathletes are close in ability and the course is mostly flat, the Bottomless F1 spreads the competitors out due to the hills and the wide range in abilities. The biggest concern came from my friend Flip Lyle, who almost refused to put the F1 on the SWCS calendar. He argued unsuccessfully that I should maintain my allegence to God first, my country second and then no drafting in triathlons. I guess 2 out of the 3 allegences were good enough for "Captian America", because he competed in that first ever USAT draft legal F1 race last year. 

 

TT...Could you tell us about your athletic background?

PT...I was an age group and high school swimmer. Played tennis, skiied. I didn't start running until I was in law school. Picked up bicycling to supplement some of my running miles because running was tearing up my knees. In 1982, I competed in my first triathlon in Albuquerque. In1983, I met some pentathletes at a triathlon in Austin, Texas, and 2 months later I quit my first job as an attorney and moved to San Antonio, Texas to train full time in the sport of modern pentathlon (swim, run, shoot, fence, and equestrian jumping). I was on the US Modern Pentathlon World Team in 1987. I was a Team USA member at the first Triathlon World Championships in 1989. Every day I eat (see answer above), and every day I train, whether it is swimming, running, bicycling, lifting weights, or practicing martial arts. 

 

TT...Why does every 400 meter swim at Bottomless feel like 600?

 PT...Because it is. 

 

TT...If you could be me for a day (or a race) what would you like to do?