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Triathlete Competes At Home

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By STEVEN HINTON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 18, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - John Soto has participated in 15 triathlons, but the one Sunday will be different.

The 46-year-old will be competing in the eighth annual Nautica New York City Triathlon, which will be a chance for Soto to see his hometown: Bronx, New York.

"That's one of the big reasons why I'm doing this triathlon," he said.

The triathlon begins at 5:50 a.m. and is expected to have more than 3,000 athletes competing.

The triathlon will consist of a 1,500-meter swim, a 40-kilometer bike ride and a 10-kilometer run. The swim will be in the Hudson River, which has been called one of America's fastest swims due to its strong currents.

"The swimming part will be fun because I used to do it when I was a little kid, except I used to swim against the current," said Soto, the current operations manager for Raymond James Financial.

The most challenging part of the event will be the running because of his familiarity with the course.

Though swimming was something Soto did as a child, his penchant for triathlons wasn't discovered until the 1980s, just before moving to Florida from California. It later was fostered through one of Florida's famous characteristics.

"I had the opportunity to compete because of the climate here," he said. "It was also a great way to keep in shape, and since I didn't really know anyone in the area, it was a good way to keep myself busy."

Prior to his move, he trained for triathlons in California, gaining his inspiration for competitions from the sport's greats, such as Scott Tinley and Mark Allen.

Allen was named triathlete of the year six times by Triathlete Magazine and named the World's Fittest Man by Outside Magazine in 1997. Tinley is a two-time winner of the Ironman endurance race and was inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame in 1996.

Soto, a Land O' Lakes resident, has been competing in triathlons for 31/2 years. His first competition was in 2005 when he raced in the Sand Key Triathlon in Clearwater. One of his most memorable triathlons came during the St. Anthony's Triathlon, where he broke a personal best, finishing in less than three hours. He currently trains with the St. Pete Mad Dogs Triathlon Club.

Soto says he wants to keep competing as long as he physically can.

"This is my lifelong way of staying in shape," he said.

For information about the event, visit www.nyctri.com.

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