Featured Member: Michael Linse

Tell us about yourself:
I’m originally from Jefferson, down in south-eastern Wisconsin.  I grew up very involved in sports, but rarely in individual sports.  Triathlon has been a whole new adventure for me

I originally found myself in La Crosse during my college years.  I left for a number of years, but moved back to La Crosse when my wife and I decided to get married. 

I am married to my wife Shannan Stephens and we are blessed with two children.  Braeden (7) and Moira (5).  I am a financial advisor with the Pritchard, Jaehnke & Linse Wealth Management Team at Stifel Nicolaus.  When I’m not on a bike, in a lake, or slowly running along, I am usually at one of my kids events.  I also am the current President of the Board of Directors for the Children’s Museum of La Crosse and I coordinate the 6-7 year old baseball program for Holmen Youth Baseball.  Outside of that – I also enjoy cooking in the kitchen, on the grill or in the smoker. 

How long have you been doing triathlons?
I have been competing in triathlons for three years.

How long have you been a Bluff Buster?
I have been a Bluff Buster for 3 years as well.

What is your triathlon background: 
I grew up playing basketball, baseball and football.  Never was running, biking or especially swimming in my life.  After college I started biking, but always lived by swim if your drowning, run if your being chased, and bike like hell.  I really never considered triathlon until I watched my wife qualify for her first Boston Marathon.  Her accomplishment made me take a look at myself and realize that getting older didn’t mean getting inactive.  I wanted to do something challenging.  Being afraid of heights took mountain climbing or sky diving out of the equation, and I had this awesome bike… why not triathlon.  Over the past three years I have done a number of sprint triathlons and last year I completed my first 70.3.

What is your favorite race distance?
I really enjoyed the 70.3 distance.

What are your triathlon goals for 2014?
This year I will complete a sprint (Lake Mills), on Olympic (Got Energy), and a Half Iron (Door County).  I will also run my first marathon in September (Fox Cities) and volunteer at Ironman WI to get my registration spot for IMWI in 2015.  I’m sure something else will fall into that calendar along the way.

What is your favorite song or album to workout to?
There’s something about “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones that always gets me moving a bit faster.

What motivates you? 
Seeing my kids take on the lifestyle example my wife and I are trying to set.  Being young, they don’t realize that not all moms and dads don’t run marathons or complete triathlons.  Seeing us do what we do is common for them and they just follow along.  It’s encouraging to see them outside and engaged versus being glued to the Disney Channel.  Last year prior to the Kid’s Tri at the Y, which they have competed in the past two years, I came home from work and my son, age six at the time, shared with me the details of his day.  “Dad, you know this weekend is my tri – right?  Well today I went to the pool and instead of going down the water slide, I swam a few laps….. then I got home and ran around the round-a-bouts a couple of times…. Then I had a Clif Bar.  I’m ready!”  That motivates me.

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Being that three years ago, I couldn’t swim across the pool or run a 5K – I would say I’m most proud of my half-iron.

What is your favorite workout?
I will always love the bike.  I love the feel of getting to the top of the hill.

What can’t you live without?
My patient wife, enthusiastic kids, My Trek Madone, electric shifting, Pizza King meat lovers pizza, great whiskey, my waterproof iPod shuffle, a bonfire, and as many times as I’ve tried – an ice cold Diet Dew.

If you could have any superpower, what would you choose?
The ability to enjoy all those things I cannot live without and still be at race weight and peak conditioning on race day.  Or… to fly.  It would make the running portion that much more enjoyable. 

What is one book that everyone should read?
I’ve read so many for so many different reasons.  It would be hard to pick just one.  I would suggest you find something you are passionate about and read it.  If it challenges you or makes you think differently – it was worth it.    

What is your biggest Pet-Peeve?
I would have to say apathy.  Laziness and indifference are choices not a circumstance.

What chore do you absolutely hate doing?
Washing dishes.  Sorry landfills – I would rather throw it away before washing it.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?
Patience.  With others and myself.

What is something you learned in the last week? 
As much as I may argue with her, I will never be smarter than my 5 year old daughter.