I have been incredibly fortunate to have lived, trained, and raced, with Doug, over the years. Not only has he been one of my favourite training partners, but he has become a great friend. I was very pleased to read this nice article that captured a true legend of our sport. Doug is so humble, and so laid back, he just did the work and strived for excellence--every single day--year after year. Doug's desire, relentless passion, and perseverance, will never be forgotten. Today's young junior elites can learn a lot from guys like Doug. Nothing comes easy in this sport, and Doug accomplished a heck of a lot off of pure blood, toil, tears, and sweat. Cliff talked about one of Doug's favourite triathlon moments below, when Doug claimed third at the Corner Brook World Cup years ago. I will never forget what the tall, lanky, humble Doug said to me that evening after his podium finish--"If I can have the fastest run in a World Cup, then anyone can". Just like Cliff says in the article, "While many athletes dream of the Olympics, Doug went after that dream." And he did so with the kind of grit and tenacity that commands the greatest respect.
Coach Cliff English shares the story of Doug Friman, a triathlete who raced around the world in pursuit of the Olympic dream.
At the end of June 2008, an unopened bike box sat in a Tucson condominium. It signified not only the end of the road but also the end of a career and perhaps even an era. After more than 20 years of training, racing, traveling around the world and living out of a suitcase, Douglas Friman had completed his final Olympic trials and was hanging up his running shoes for good.
Doug was an unsung hero of our sport who for the last decade raced around the world in pursuit of the Olympic dream. Known by all on the ITU World Cup circuit as a man with a big heart and a tiny Speedo, Doug was perhaps the most underrated triathlete the U.S. has ever produced. Quiet and unassuming, Doug was never one to self-promote—he just worked hard and got the job done. He was a blue-collar triathlete: short on fancy gear but long on hard work and self-discipline. His results speak for themselves, as this brief resume will attest:
No comments:
Post a Comment