Athlete: Jeremy Alexander Bloom
Home town: Bend, Oregon
Age: 25
As a budding pro triathlete, and one that "proves video games are good cross training", Jeremy Bloom is spreading his wings in 2006. With a competitive running background and recently a huge push in his bike strength, he is looking to break into the National rankings. We had a chance to catch up with Jeremy and learn more about him, his background and how he sees his World as a new professional triathlete.
How long have you been racing in triathlons and/or duathlons?
I've been racing in duathlons for three years. 2006 is my second in triathlon. It has taken some time and dedication to get comfortable in the water and progress from a dog paddler to a freestyler!
What is your athletic background? What sports did you play before you got into triathlon?
In high school (Bend High), I started running cross-country and track as a freshman. I was very fortunate to be a part of a team that was consistently nationally ranked and one of the top teams in Oregon every year. I was an individual track all-state competitor my senior year in both the 1500 and 300- meter events. I also had the honor of being inducted into the Bend High School Track & Field Hall of Fame.
Why did you turn to the world of multisport?
I was a pretty good runner on the national level, but I could only go so far. I wanted the to compete with the best in the world. While I'm obviously not there yet, I have that as a goal and I felt that multisports offered me that opportunity.
Do you do any other sports regularly (off-season)?
In addition to running, I'm also a pretty darn good bowler. I had a 201 average during league my senior year (hard to imagine how the ladies kept away from me as bowling is obviously so very cool). I also like to play video games (I know, video games are not a sport, but here me out). Since Bend pretty much feels like the north-pole during the winter, riding outside is not much of an option. So I set my bike up on a trainer and play Madden Football on PlayStation. It's a way to keep fit and have a good excuse to play video games. I rode for 5 hours while playing video games last Saturday. I'm going to be fit!
When did you realize that you had the talent to turn professional?
Well, I won the first multi-sport race I competed in by about 2 minutes (The '02 Pacific Crest Duathlon) and thought that was a good indicator. Then I went to the world championship qualifier two weeks later and got my butt kicked. I qualified for the age-group world championship team but I was something like 33rd overall. That race pulled me back down to earth and made me realize that natural talent would allow me to win some local races, but to compete at a higher level, I needed to train harder. I've been on the podium in several regional races pretty much based on natural talent alone as I've been working long hours the past couple of years. I just feel that if I give myself the opportunity time wise (which I now have) to train like a professional, I can compete with some of the best.
What do you see as your strengths as a triathlete/duathlete?
You would think that the run would be my strongest suit, and it very well might be.
I think I'm capable of running 32 minutes off the bike for a 10k, but the bike leg is turning into a real strength. I can thank the play station for that. And my girlfriend says playing video games is a waste of time.
Tell us about your fancy new bike?!
(Laughs) I better ride fast this year because the bike sure looks it. It's a one-piece full carbon frame, aero bladed carbon fork, and for lack of a better word, looks like a rocket. The bike is called a BpStealth. It is made by a cool, small company from Arizona called Valdora Cycles. I'm a big fan of companies that are willing to try new things as I think that's how technology improves. Valdora cycles have definitely tried something new, fun, and fast with this bike.
What are some of your favorite races? What were some of your best finishes?
The favorite race I have ever done, and I'm not trying to blow smoke here, was the Deschutes Dash last year (ed… this event is a FreshAirSports race). I wasn't particularly fit for it as I was nursing a back injury and had not been able to run for a couple weeks beforehand, but I had so much fun. It's such a unique event. My friends were able to watch the entire swim because it was down the Deschutes River; they just walked along and cheered. The bike was fast, and the 2 loop run course was great for spectating, which helped me finish strong because I was hurting something bad! Some of my past results include:
- 2 time world championship qualifier for the duathlon (though I have yet to compete at worlds due to timing/finances.
- Best of the US Oregon qualifier though I wasn't able to attend the Nationals race because it simply happened so close to the qualifier, the logistics of attending simply didn't work out
- Top 3 finishes overall at The Tinman Triathlon in California, Gorgefest Triathlon of the Gods, Deschutes Dash Triathlon, and several other duathlons/triathlons in the northwest.
What is your race schedule for 2006?
I'm still kicking things around a bit. We'll see how training goes in the next few months. I'm definitely racing the National Duathlon Championships in Mason, Ohio in May, the Sprint Distance Triathlon National Championships in Alabama in August, and the Long Course Triathlon National Championships in Missouri in September. I really want to win a national title and I'm giving myself three chances to do it this year. As the meat of the season gets closer, visit my website (www.jeremybloomsports.com) for an updated schedule.
