Featured Member of the Month: Bruce Hegge

This month's (January's) male athlete of the month is Bruce Hegge. Check out his interview below.

Tell us about yourself:
I live Spring Grove, Mn with my sons Hank(17) and Lance(14). 

How long have you been doing triathlons?

I did my first triathlon in May of 2011 at The Galena Triathlon.  I did 4 sprints that year, 5 in 2012 and a Sprint, an Olympic and a 70.3 this past season.

How long have you been a Bluff Buster?
I joined Bluff Buster a year ago after visiting with Hannah, Jane, Scott and Mike at one of the Winter Running Series events.  I think the seminars and swim taping are incredibly helpful and tri camp was a really amazing weekend.  And just bumping into other Bluffbusters at the Y makes a workout a little more pleasant.

What is your triathlon background?
I had been doing a  lot of cycling in the years prior to my first triathlon.  A friend of mine who had consistently been besting me in running races had an interest in learning about cycling.  We both signed up for Got Energy as a yard stick.  Soon after registering, we were no longer on speaking terms, but I was excited about triathlon and signed up to do Galena and Trinona by myself, that spring.

What is your favorite race distance?
I have done mostly sprint races and part of my interest in Bluffbusters is being able to draw on the knowledge and support of the group to go longer and get faster.  And rather than a favorite distance, I think that course characteristics would define my favorite races: Wetsuit legal, a big hill on the bike and a flat run. 

What are your triathlon goals for 2014?
I’m being thoughtful yet, about goals this year.  The convenience of races will likely determine what I register for and my goals will follow.  I am working on my form in the water and am really hoping to see some gains on the bike by religiously using the power meter when training.   And I am working of keeping my training runs closer to “the plan”, as far as tempo and distance are concerned.

What is an interesting fact about you? 

I seem to be a little short on interesting.

What is your favorite song or album to workout to?
I seldom use an ipod during a workout, but if I do, it will be The Bottle Rockets doing Radar Gun.

What motivates you?

I really like the feeling of looking back at a solid week (or 2) of training amidst the other things that go on in life.  And when I see a glint of triathlon interest in the eyes of my teenage sons, it is even better. 

What accomplishment (triathlon or non-triathlon related) are you most proud of? 

The triathlon accomplishment that makes me smile the most is simply showing up for the first one.  Or, after going over the handle bars at my second triathlon, finishing the race before I got stitches in my face. 

What is your favorite workout?
I have a couple of nice county blacktop roads near my home that provide rolling hills in a couple of different directions and each has a crank bending hill about 10 miles out.  A workout that includes an out and back on each of them is my favorite.  If time permits hill repeats, it is even better. 

What can’t you live without?

Cheeseburgers and my Newtons. 

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
Even though I don’t have a useful purpose for X-Ray vision, I have been intrigued by the ads for x-ray glasses in the back of comic books since childhood.  So, X-Ray Vision. 

What is one book that everyone should read?

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.  I think the book provides a rationalization for embracing the carbon technology that infuses the underlying simplicity of my bikes.

Biggest Pet-Peeve:
I don’t get peeved that easily.

Do you have any hidden talents?

They shall remain hidden.