Oakland Triathlete Pushes Limits
By Mike McGreehan, Oakland Tribune Correspondent
12.19.09
Some athletes have incredible stamina. Oakland’s Peter Mendes fits the bill.
Mendes, 36, is a triathlete. Triathlons — competed at various distances — combine swimming, cycling and distance running in one event.
“It’s an amazing sport,” Mendes said.
A recreational swimmer growing up in Martinez, Mendes went on to compete in soccer and track at Alhambra High, from which he graduated in 1992. He became a full-fledged triathlete in 2001, a year after graduating from San Jose State with a degree in fine art and design.
“A friend talked me into doing a race,” Mendes said. “It was the Wildflower (at Lake San Antonio, near Paso Robles), the toughest Olympic-distance race.” Olympic-distance triathlons combine a 1,500-meter swim, a 40-kilometer bike race and a 10-kilometer run.
“It was very hot that day,” Mendes said. “It was a transforming experience. I saw the potential. It was fun.”
Two years later, Mendes entered Ironman New Zealand. It was his first Ironman event, which involves a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race and a full marathon (26 miles, 385 yards).
“I crossed the finish line and created a self-perception of a whole new me,” he said.
Triathlon has taken Mendes many places. A few years ago, Mendes lived in the Oakland hills before moving to Alameda. Boulder, Colo., followed (“a lot of top cyclists train there,” Mendes said). Currently, Mendes and his wife of 16 months, Jessica Damon, reside in Oakland’s Temescal district.
Triathletes require intense training. Mendes spends a lot of time in the pool. But running and cycling have their dangers, especially when they require use of public thoroughfares.
While cycling in Marin on Sept. 26, a car pulling out of a driveway struck Mendes. Fortunately, Mendes suffered only a bruised knee.
“Coming around a blind turn, I didn’t know there was a driveway there,” he said. “Luckily, I was going slow and the driver was going slow.”
Recovery has gone well for Mendes, who has resumed swimming and cycling training. He hopes to run again sometime this month.
The accident left him with some sage advice for fellow enthusiasts.
“There are things that cyclists should be aware of,” Mendes said. “It’s great to have a cell phone that has a camera. Don’t go down hills fast and be reckless. You’re basically a vehicle and have to treat the road as if you’re driving.”
Automobile drivers must do their part as well.
“They need to know that roads are to be shared,” said Mendes, who has not always been warmly received by motorists. “I’ve had incidents when people in cars threw water bottles at me.”
Despite the accident, Mendes looks ahead to continued success and improvement.
“You become more efficient at longer distances as you get older,” he said. “I think I could stay competitive until my 40s.”
“There are things that cyclists should be aware of. It’s great to have a cell phone that has a camera. Don’t go down hills fast and be reckless. You’re basically a vehicle and have to treat the road as if you’re driving.”
-Peter Mendes, East Bay Triathlete