Meet our November Athlete Spotlight, Dale Londos! If you've been in the running and triathlon world in central Texas you probably already know Dale. He's a true enthusiast and lifelong athlete. And he's still fast, from Track to Ironman. Some of us get to see Dale on a regular basis through his ART therapy work, so in an important way, he keeps this team running.
Age: 57
Occupation: Deep Tissue Sports Massage / Body Mechanic / Active Release Techniques (ART) certified therapist.
How long have you been swimming, cycling, running, and/or doing triathlons?
Been playing all of the above sports from from when I was in the single digits years old.
Ran track and cross country in high school, and was always swimming and cycling for cross training & fitness. Did my first sprint triathlon in 1984. Lots of years of Sprint/Olympic distance & running mostly the 1500/mile & 5k until I tried my first 70.3 at age 49.
What aspects of triathlon do you enjoy most?
Love the exhilaration of moving the body in a variety of ways. The rush of breathing deeply, filling the lungs, pushing the muscles and going fast. Sharing hard workouts & race adventures with friends to beautiful places on the planet is a blast, too! Great camaraderie to be gained in this “individual” sport :-)
What has been your favorite training or racing event, and why?
Back in the Track days: racing a lifetime best 3000m at age 30 (beating my college time) while getting spanked by some of the best in the US as part of a meet at Hayward Field/University of Oregon in front of the knowledgeable fans of Eugene. Felt great to see the hard training pay off and experience that quantum leap of performance.
Tri Life: Hawaii 70.3 is a beautiful, challenging, hot, windy adventure with a cool ocean breeze to greet you at the finish line (and the fresh outdoor shower a few steps after you're done is a life saver :-)
This was my 2nd 70.3 ever (2013)
Bonus: Qualified for the Hawaii Ironman there for the first time in 2014.
What is your favorite post-workout or race meal?
My staple meal: rice, beans, fresh salsa, avocado, corn tortillas…anyway/anytime = Good energy/ Happy belly :-)
What is one recent accomplishment you are proud of?
October this year: I used the time created by the postponement of the Hawaii Ironman World Champs to finish the final (3rd of 3) “Level 2” Active Release Techniques (ART) certification with a hands-on class & exam in Atlanta. …Mind-blowing muscle treatment protocols…even harder than some of my Mechanical Engineering classes at UT Austin back in the day.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Working on that all the time! Lol. In the meantime, I think this bodywork thing is a good calling for me.
What is something no one knows about you?
Was a “featured extra” in a Hollywood movie about a famous runner from the University of Oregon: “Prefontaine.” Played one of his Oregon track teammate in a bunch of scenes. Fun experience. Check it out sometime :-)
