Before I moved to Lubbock for graduate school in 2006, I had heard of this small city in West Texas because of the infamous Buffalo Springs Lake Half Ironman. The race was known as tough, hot, windy, and hilly. For those who had the PRIVILEGE of racing it, you learned first hand, this was one of the toughest on the circuit. It wasn't long before I met race directors, Mike and Marti Greer and came to learn about their incredible influence on triathlon, not just locally, but nationwide. Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3 drew athletes from all corners of the globe. This included top professionals looking to test themselves in our unique environment that serves up conditions in the summer similar to Kona, Hawaii.

I became better acquainted with Mike at the Texas Tech University pool; we were both sun worshippers and our swim times often coincided - we were looking for maximum sun exposure! The more I got to know him, the more I could see that Buffalo Springs Lake 70.3 was a reflection of his personality; what you see is what you get, take nothing for granted, be tough but be fair, and be grateful for the small gifts you receive.  The recent passing of Mike is a huge loss for his family, this community and the broader triathlon community. Hearing his family and closest friends pay tribute to him at his memorial service demonstrated the extent of his impact. 

Mike brought so many people into triathlon by making it accessible to anyone. He and Marti put on several local races that drew in local athletes who might never have ventured into triathlon. Mike had a way of encouraging people by letting them know it was possible to succeed with the right attitude and commitment to training. He led by example and continued to train well into his early 80's, showing the younger generations that it's never too late to be at your best. We learned from his friends and family that he was always working on the "next goal" or adventure. And while he worked on his next goal, he modeled for others how to be tenacious and dogged in pursuit of a dream. His 400+ triathlon finishes might have seemed like "enough" to some but not to Mike; he was looking for new ways to excel and grow. 

As a coach, I so value the lessons that Mike taught. He showed us that nobody is too young, too old, too green, or too elite to flourish in our sport. There is something in it for everybody. Whether that is pushing your own physical limits, facing your fears, qualifying for world championships, or learning more about yourself; all are worthy pursuits. He taught us to keep working at our goals by showing up every day. I hope you can take some of his passion for life and channel it into your own endeavors, triathlon and beyond!