This is a new section of the STRIC website where we feature a Club member.  We select them based on a number of criteria, how passionate they are, if they participate in events, Club or racing events and their performance. However we feel we could feature any member as we believe if you are into the sport of Triathlon you have chosen to take on more than most.

This profile is Qiu Bochun or Ben as most of us know him as.  Ben grew up in Beijing and was educated in the US where he studied Law.  He is a practicing Lawyer here in Shanghai and is new to the sport of Triathlon.  Let me tell you, a very impressive one at that.  I have known Ben for around 6 months.  He joined STRIC after some research and requested help in buying a bike.  He purchased a new QRoo bike from Trisports, our sponsor and begun training.  Some of you might remember Ben on the training camp at the Nine Dragons.  Ben was riding a borrowed bike and managed to keep up with the faster guy, displaying at that time strength and endurance rarely seen in a newcomer.

Ben just completed his second Triathlon.  Not only did he complete it but his overall time was under 6 hours.  There are very few Triathletes that finish under 6 hours, especially in the crowded, hot conditions of the Singapore Ironman 70.3. The times tell the story and I am sure Ben will learn a lot from this experience and get even better as an athlete and competitor.

The 70.3 series is a new series started by the Ironman brand to accommodate busy Triathletes who wanted more than the Olympic distance but who couldn’t afford the training time required to cover the full Ironman distance.  The 70.3 miles is exactly half the distance of the full Ironman distance of 140.6 miles. The 70.3 is a 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike ride followed by a 21 km run. While the swim is only 400 meters more than the Olympic distance of 1.5 km, the bike is 40 km more and the run 11 km more.  This is the leveler; this is where the separation comes from being a Triathlete to Ironman.

The 70.3 distance can not taken lightly.  There would be very few people in the world that could just wake up one morning and decide to do a 70.3 Triathlon, regardless of the course conditions. This distance, if you don't want to damage your body, requires months of committed and structured training and focus. It also requires that the athletes understand correct fueling, have equipment knowledge and understand that on race day, one of the biggest challenges happens between our ears, those negative voices that can creep in. Race day requires a lot and when this comes together the feeling of finishing, regardless of position, is incredible.  The famous surfing company Billabong says 'Only a Surfer knows the feeling', we say ' Only a Triathlete know the feeling'.  Crossing the finishing line in a culmination of all the efforts in the gym, on the track and road, the diets, muscle pain, equipment and travel costs, the whole package. That feeling of accomplishment is what racing Triathlon is all about. Ben put the package together and came through. Ben has the assets and they worked on Sunday September 7, 2008 in Singapore when he finished in 5 hours 52 minutes and 50 seconds. And I’m guessing, like most Triathletes, he’ll tell you he could have done better in some areas, however to us, this is a great effort, especially since he competed in his first Triathlon just 2 weeks earlier in Vietnam.

Ben you are another STRIC member we salute, great work.

Ben’s final results in the 25-29 year old category: 

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