Ben Hoffman

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Born and raised in Grand Junction, Colorado, I was a member of numerous athletic teams in high school, running track, playing golf, basketball, and soccer. I moved to Montana for continued education, and got my start in triathlon in 2004 as a university student racing for the school team in Missoula. After my first year of racing, I took a year off to live and travel in Argentina. During my second season of racing, in the spring of 2006, I was crowned USA Triathlon Collegiate National Champion in Reno, leading the way to a National Title for the university team. That summer, I hit the road to race with a good friend throughout the Northwest, gaining enough experience and results to earn my pro card and begin training more intensely for the challenges of racing against the best triathletes in the world.

Looking for a place that would satisfy my need to train at altitude and surround myself with like-minded world-class athletes, I made the move to Durango, Colorado. Nestled in the beautiful San Juan mountains, I began a rigorous training regimen that would eventually bring me some promising results. My professional debut was at Wildflower, near San Luis Obispo, California. Known as one of the largest, most difficult and competitive races worldwide, I finished 3rd (first American professional), and captured yet another accolade, being crowned the USA Triathlon Elite Long Course National Champion for 2007. This earned me a berth for the ITU Long Course World Championships in France, setting the tone for a series of excellent results in my first year as an elite.

Since that first professional season, I have continued racing and training at a high level, notching some top finishes at 70.3's and posting an 8:24:13 debut Ironman at Arizona last year. This season will be focused on racing Ironman Hawaii in Kona this fall, but will still see a full schedule of shorter distance racing to prepare me for the World Championships. Follow my blog for all the latest race reports and updates from my season.

Past the Illusion

September 24, 2009

Living in Kona for the past three weeks has given me more than just tired legs and a slight tan. It has provided plenty of time to reflect on the life I live, and how blessed I feel to lead it.

Professional triathletes vary as much as any group of people, but we share a common goal of racing triathlons as fast as possible, so we also share the process of working towards that goal through countless hours on the bike, in the pool, and pounding the pavement or trails.

It's not always the dream existence that others might imagine, but given this extra time for evaluation I have renewed appreciation for this lifestyle. To have this freedom to explore my capabilities in beautiful places in the world, and amongst other incredible athletes, is failed by words.

The people I most revere are those with a genuine, spontaneous engagement with life. An appreciation for the fleeting nature of our being coupled with fearlessness, not entrenched in self-importance or arrogance. It's not easy to escape this hubris when training day in

and day out for a top spot on the podium, money for traveling to the next event, and something resembling reverence from age-group triathletes, but for me it always needs to be something deeper. My pursuit of this lifestyle is instinctual, done to the most complete

extent of my ability, and done because I feel a mysterious pull at the core. Too often people sacrifice their true desires to be in compliance with societal norms, and this wary hedging is in direct opposition to the chance presence of our human lives. That's not to say I am unaware of the more base elements of my life in triathlon, but they are not the reason for my participation.

Triathlon is a journey that I never expected to take, and now can't imagine being without. It has opened many doors, and allowed me to let go of some of those preconceived concepts of safety and success so I can be present, whole-heartedly giving myself to the training and

racing like a bee gives its life in a sting. What is your passion?

Stats for Ben Hoffman are coming soon.
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