At 83 years old, Alan End is the oldest triathlete on Long Island, and he has no plans of retiring from triathlons any time soon.
End, a Woodbury resident, said he started running road races when he was 30 years old, competing in races ranging from one-mile to marathons. By the time he was in his 60s, he said he was “bored” with road racing and decided to try something new, running his first triathlon at age 66.
After never running in his youth, End first started running in the 1980s with a club. He said the run club typically completed 10 to 12 miles every weekend, and his passion for running took off from there. He said he volunteered with a Long Island triathlon before deciding to start running them himself.
“I said, ‘I’m going to try one of these triathlons.’ And I have no desire to stop doing it,” he said. End said that as long as he is healthy, he plans on racing for as long as he can.
End said he typically completes races in about 2 1/2 hours, depending on the distances per race. He said he typically races in “sprint triathlons,” which are shorter distances than typical races.
“I like the fact that it’s three different sports,” he said.
In the 16 years since he started triathlon racing, End said he has finished more than 40 races.
End said there are approximately 135 senior triathletes throughout the country, and he is the oldest one on Long Island. He said that despite walking for portions of the race, he typically manages to get first place in his age category due to the low competition.
“It doesn’t matter how slow I am, I still finish it,” he said. “And I usually get first place for the over-80 age category.”
Occasionally he said there is someone in his age division who competes against him and then he earns second-place on the podium. Though he doesn’t mind the competition, End said.
“I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter if you don’t get first all the time,” he said.
In 2023, End said he set out to complete the New York City Triathlon, biting off “more than he could chew.” He said the race was longer than the ones he typically competes in, and that he dropped out of the race in Central Park, eventually being hospitalized due to dehydration.
End said the experience taught him to go at his own pace and not to push himself past his limits.
End said his next race will be the inaugural Sea Cliff Triathlon on Sept. 6 at Tappen Beach. He said he hopes to complete the race, which comprises a 400-meter swim, a 2-mile run, and a 6-mile bike, in about an hour and 15 minutes.
