Five professional traits I admire (and the pros who exude them)

As an age grouper aspiring to be a pro, I spent many hours Googling what it meant to be a professional. My searching led me to Cody Beals’ blog where I found the most open, revealing analysis of both the requirements of competing at the pro level and the challenges of creating a career in such a competitive field. I constantly use Cody’s extremely transparent, “Pro Triathlon Budget” posts as an honest example to fellow dreamers in this sport about what it takes to succeed. Cody shows there is more to this sport than just being fast.

I had the pleasure of hanging out with Andy Potts and his son Boston “Boss man” after Boulder 70.3. We had a chuckle that Andy was essentially old enough to be my dad as well. Now this could have been a jab, but Andy had just kicked my ass and the bulk of the asses in the pro field, so it was mostly a statement of awe. Andy has been a part of triathlon for a decade and a half already, has a loving family, and is still one of the best in the sport. I can only hope Summer and I are half as cool as him in 15 years.

Now intensity doesn’t only mean yelling loudly while doing a trainer ride. Lionel Sander’s does do that, but I truly believe it’s channeled from a deep desire to be the best. I’ve written before about how one of my motivating factors when I’m suffering during a workout is the knowledge that someone out there is working harder than me at that exact moment. When I watch a video of Lionel absolutely wrecking himself on the trainer, my own intensity and motivation rises significantly.

Although now officially retired from triathlon, Jesse Thomas is perhaps one of the most fun pro’s to follow on social media. By racing with his own unique style, Jesse never bowed to traditional triathlon stereotypes. While I may not be a fan of every paint job he’s ever rocked (this magma frame included), I love his willingness to stand out. Showing new participants in the sport that they don’t have to ride a blacked-out bike with a blacked-out kit with blacked-out Oakley’s makes triathlon more accessible and appealing to all. I can’t say the aviators look all that practical but when you see them coming down the finisher chute, you know who’s rocking them.

There is an entire Instagram page dedicated to this man’s calves. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words: