By the end of the race season, Placer land Trust Board Member, Gregg McKenzie, will have participated in seven triathlons.
“Is this interesting?” he asks during a recent chat. “To me it’s just a race.”
But to those of us outside the triathlon world, it’s fascinating. Not only does Gregg train every day by swimming a mile and then either running five to 10 miles or biking 15 to 30 miles and maintaining a strict no-carb diet, he works full-time as a government affairs consultant for PG&E and volunteers for eight different organizations, including PLT. When asked why he works so hard, Gregg says, “For the same reason that I run these races. I want to set a good example for my kids.”
Gregg’s dedication must be working for him because last May, he earned second place in the Auburn Half Ironman Long Course Aquabike. “There are usually between 200-300 people in my age group, so I was happy with that,” Gregg said.
The race begins with a 1.2-mile swim at Rattlesnake Bar at Folsom Lake, and continues with a 56-mile bike ride from Rattlesnake to Colfax to Bear River Camp Ground to Meadow Vista, Applegate, and back down to Auburn. “It’s a gain in elevation of 6,000 feet,” Gregg said. “It’s equal to the elevation gain in the Tahoe Ironman, but that ride is twice the distance.”
Gregg is familiar with the Tahoe triathlon and will be participating in it again this year. He plans to take his two boys along, so they can watch the finish line. “Some people don’t finish the race until midnight,” Gregg said. “I want my kids to see that determination.”
At PLT, we are grateful for and awed by Gregg’s determination, as he’s been an active member of our board for nine years, and has served as treasurer for the last four of those years. Before he was a board member he helped Executive Director, Jeff Darlington, identify parcels in Placer County that could be protected.
When asked why he gives his time to PLT in particular, Gregg says, “There are a million reasons why.”
If you’d like to discover a few of those reasons for yourself, consider volunteering for Placer Land Trust today!
