Tri, Tri Again: Olympian's Triathlon Quest Nears Record But He Has Bigger Goals

LAVALLETTE, NJ -- Long about 10 a.m. on Sunday, Lou Murcado will cross the threshold of a world record he has been working on since June 17: completing 51 triathlons in 51 days.

But when Murcado gets up on Monday, he'll head over to Camp Zehnder in Wall to log his 1-mile swim. Then he'll pedal 13 miles on his bicycle, and run 6.2 miles again. Because Murcado's goal isn't just about the world record for consecutive days completing a triathlon. It's not about proving that at 60 years old he has the stamina and persistence that made him a world-class athlete and Olympian in the 1980s.

Murcado has a much bigger goal: raising funds to help brighten the lives of children with cancer or other serious illnesses and their families.

"I have aspirations of doing even more," Murcado said by phone on Friday afternoon. "This is not about Lou Murcado; it's about kids with cancer."

Mucardo, who lives in Point Pleasant and is the manager of the Channel Marker Cafe in Lavallette, where he will complete his run and break the record on Sunday, began planning his quest for the triathlon world record two years ago, he said, training for it while making the plans necessary to get it validated by the Guinness Book of World Records.

"You can't just tell them you're planning to break a record," he said, "you have to apply." The methods and the effort have to be documented.

Murcado, who competed in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles as a weight-lifter, has three methods in place to verify his efforts to break the record for consecutive triathlons.

He uses a Garmin GPS watch that tracks every inch of his swims, as well as the speed and mileage of his bicycle rides and his runs.

"I record every event (the swims, rides and runs) and every day it's downloaded to the computer," Murcado said.

A riding partner travels with him on the rides and runs to witness them, he said. And once his quest is complete, he said he will take a polygraph test at the end to ensure his sponsors and supporters that he has met every inch of his commitment.

His triathlon goal is to complete 60 in 60 days, in honor of turning 60 on June 17, the day his quest began, but Murcado wants to achieve the goal to inspire others to see that age should not set limits on your dreams or determination and to draw attention to his organization, Tri4Kids, through which he hopes to brighten the lives of children facing a variety of illnesses.

His goal with the world record effort has been to raise $100,000 for the effort to he describes as a "mini Make-A-Wish program."

"It'll be something small-scale, like taking the kids to the boardwalk," he said. "It's amazing when you see a kid who's going through so much smile because they're having a good time."

"I'm so excited to get out there and work with them," Murcado said.

Murcado also is passionate about the role childhood fitness plays in developing both the mind and self-esteem, especially among children who are not naturally athletic.

"There are so many kids who may not be good at sports, so they don’t join a team and every week, they get further and further away from those healthy habits," Murcado said, adding that he wants to help them see physical fitness can be fun.

It's a message he says is important for adults, too.

"A lot of times we shy away from things we're not good at," he said.

That's why the world record for consecutive days of completing triathlons matters to him, Murcado said.

"The endeavor is a marketing tool," he said. "I want people to see age is no barrier."

The effort has been a family affair, Murcado said. His daughter, Jenna, 20, and son, Michael, 11, have joined him for some of the rides and runs -- donors have joined in as well, chipping in a couple of dollars to help his cause -- as well as helped around the house while Lou works managing the Channel Marker Cafe.

"They have stepped up," he said. "It's a great family effort."

The support from the staff at the Channel Marker Cafe and his sponsors has been important as well, he said.

Cathy at Brielle Cyclery was onboard immediately when he approached them about his quest, Murcado said, as was Miles Ahead Sports, where Bruce Robinson "has been a mentor," he said.

The Community YMCA and his swim coach, Denise Salvatore; Lou Mercantanti, the Journal magazines and Ryan, their social media coordinator, and Ocean Beach Marina have provided key support, Murcado said, as has Best Therapeutics, where Deirdre Best, a licensed massage therapist, has helped his muscles recover each day.

"Without her, I would not be able to do this," Murcado said.

“I really want this effort to be bigger than just a personal accomplishment. There are so many kids out there and I want to help them all.”

“A lot of people thought this might be a crazy goal, but I have been in training for two years to make it happen. It has been challenging, but overall, each day has gone very well."

Once he has reached his full goal of 60 triathlons in 60 days, he will be approaching local hospitals to find children to help.

"I don't want to build a hospital," he said, "the funds will go directly to children."

For more information, visit his website www.tri4kids.org.

To witness his record-breaking effort, stop by the Channel Marker Cafe, 3245 Route 35 South in Lavallette, about 10 a.m. Sunday.

Photo provided by Lou Murcado