By: Patrick McHugh, News Staff
Michael Abbene, president of the club triathlon team, can recall his introduction to the sport of triathlons.
“As of two years ago I had never completed a triathlon, or even had the desire to complete one in the near future,” Abbene said. “Then one day one of my best friends, Jess Bloom, came to me and asked me if I wanted to try and train to do one with her. Since I never ran more than a couple miles in my life and did not know how to swim properly I was very hesitant, but after much deliberation, I agreed.”
Since then Abbene said he has immersed himself in the sport. The junior business administration student has set his sights on reaching the pinnacle of triathlon competitions. He said he hopes to one day compete in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, considered to be the sport’s “world championship”. He also hopes to compete in a triathlon in every continent and this year will compete in a total of 12 races.
In many ways, Abbene’s experience with the sport is typical of the triathlon team’s growth at the university. Founded in the summer of 2007, the team has attracted students with varying levels of triathlon experience. The squad currently is made up of about 25 active members that participate in races throughout the year.
Despite the fact that many members of the team do not have triathlon backgrounds, Abbene said an individual’s desire to compete is what makes the sport appealing.
“In my experience, regardless of athletics background or fitness level, all that someone needs to be a triathlete is the drive to push themselves to new heights,” Abbene said. “Once someone comes to a meeting they have already won half the battle, which is realizing that they can do a triathlon and it is not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.”
The team is coached by Anastasia Kaloyanides, a 2003 Northeastern graduate. Kaloyanides went to graduate school at Arizona State and began competing in triathlons in 2005. Since then she has competed in 10 to 12 races per year she said.
After finishing graduate school, Kaloyanides sought a return to Boston and found that Northeastern had established a triathlon team.
“I made the decision this past summer to move back to Boston from Arizona and wanted to continue my triathlon training and racing,” Kaloyanides said. “While still living in Arizona, I checked the USA Triathlon website to see if NU had a team and I was excited to learn they did.”
Once she got in contact with Abbene about coaching, Kaloyanides said she stepped right into the coaching role.
“I saw the need for guidance and agreed and the rest is history,” Kaloyanides said. “The experience has been awesome, this is a great bunch of people. Their talent is enviable and the sky is the limit as far as their abilities go. It makes being a part of the team a true joy because they are all so eager to learn.”
Kaloyanides said the team typically spends three to five hours per week training every other day. Workouts consist of swimming, biking and running, the three stages of a triathlon race.
A member of the Northeast Collegiate Triathlon Conference (NECTC), the team is gearing up to send five members to Collegiate Nationals, the national championship for collegiate club triathlon teams throughout the nation. The race will be held in Lubbock, Texas, April 17. The cost of sending five athletes to Nationals is approximately $3,800, Abbene said.
To help pay for the trip the team has organized a fundraiser Monday at Connor Larkin’s Grill & Tap. A $10 cover charge at the door, open to all ages, gets everyone inside free appetizers and a raffle ticket for prizes, such as Red Sox and Celtics tickets.
Abbene said the team is hoping to raise at least $1,000 through the fundraiser to help pay for the trip to Nationals.
“We know firsthand how expensive it is to be a triathlete, and our goal is to make triathlon racing more accessible to college students at Northeastern,” Abbene said.
Beyond Nationals, the team will be competing in other events, including the Cape Running Relay, the New England Season Opener Sprint, the Mooseman Triathlon and Ironman Rhode Island this summer.
Always seeking new members, the team is open to students of every athletic ability.
“The sport of triathlon is accessible and ready,” Kaloyanides said. “Show up, do the work, have fun. It’s that’s simple. Anyone who wants to be a triathlete can and we’re here to help them reach that goal. It doesn’t matter if you can’t put your face in the water or can’t run a mile, we’ll get you there and on the way we’ll be right by your side having a few laughs and sweating a lot.”
