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CNN Live Today
Interview With Dean Harper
Aired November 17, 2003 - 10:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to a story that indicates you're never too old to exercise. Yesterday St. Petersburg, Florida hosted the first AARP triathlon for people over 50. Dean Harper was the winner of the race, he's a mere 50-years-old. Joining us now to talk about his win, live from Tampa, Florida. Good morning and congratulations.
DEAN HARPER, TRIATHOLON WINNER: Well good morning and thank you for having us on the show.
KAGAN: Absolutely. Now we should say at 50 you're the minimum age to compete?
HARPER: Well, in this race, yes. In triathlon all over the world, various distances. But in this particular race it was the first over 50-year-old national championships.
KAGAN: Did you have a moment, Dean, where you went, I'm in an AARP event. I'm too young for this. I'm still in college?
HARPER: Well, you know, did feel young when I saw a couple of the 80-year-olds out there, although they looked great and they did complete the race. And I think anybody that's from 50 to 80, they train five hours a week, they can probably complete that race, too.
KAGAN: We were looking pretty carefully at the video. And we were hard pressed to find anybody who looked old. But you're saying there are people up to 80-years-old out there.
HARPER: I talked to a guy that was 81-years-old. There are actually two races. One, the national championship was a longer race, although relatively short compared to what most people think of triathlons. You think of the Iron Man in Hawaii, a ten-hour what some people consider a gruel-a-thon.
But this race was -- for the longer race I finished in an hour and 40 minutes. And in a shorter one it's really an hour event for the winners. So it's within the grasp of just about anybody that can devote maybe five hours a week to training.
KAGAN: Give us a little inspiration here for getting back on track. As I understand it, you used to be competitive and you decided to get back into it.
HARPER: When I was in law school I actually did my first triathlon in 1981. And when I got out of law school I tried the professional circuit for about four years until 1986. I got married, had the first child on way and couldn't afford to support a family on my triathlon salary.
So I competed up to 1986 then really have taken a 17-year hiatus building a law practice, raising a family, coaching sports. But I always, you know, would get in an hour a day of some type of aerobic fitness and I really think that's all it takes is to be able to do a triathlon. This last year I decided to get a little bit more competitive.
KAGAN: You never went to complete couch potato.
HARPER: Never did. The reason is I like to be able to eat whatever I want to eat every day. And if you can put in an hour a day of aerobic activity, most people can do that.
KAGAN: Were you surprised you got first place?
HARPER: Well, I kind of know after competing for about a year, I kind of know who is main competitors are in my age group around the country. So I knew I had a pretty good shot.
KAGAN: Well, you sound confident, you sound like a winner. Congratulations and thanks for the inspiration, thanks for stopping by.
HARPER: Yes, thank you.
KAGAN: Appreciate it. Dean Harper, the winner of the AARP first ever triathlon for folks over 50.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 17, 2003 - 10:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now to a story that indicates you're never too old to exercise. Yesterday St. Petersburg, Florida hosted the first AARP triathlon for people over 50. Dean Harper was the winner of the race, he's a mere 50-years-old. Joining us now to talk about his win, live from Tampa, Florida. Good morning and congratulations.
DEAN HARPER, TRIATHOLON WINNER: Well good morning and thank you for having us on the show.
KAGAN: Absolutely. Now we should say at 50 you're the minimum age to compete?
HARPER: Well, in this race, yes. In triathlon all over the world, various distances. But in this particular race it was the first over 50-year-old national championships.
KAGAN: Did you have a moment, Dean, where you went, I'm in an AARP event. I'm too young for this. I'm still in college?
HARPER: Well, you know, did feel young when I saw a couple of the 80-year-olds out there, although they looked great and they did complete the race. And I think anybody that's from 50 to 80, they train five hours a week, they can probably complete that race, too.
KAGAN: We were looking pretty carefully at the video. And we were hard pressed to find anybody who looked old. But you're saying there are people up to 80-years-old out there.
HARPER: I talked to a guy that was 81-years-old. There are actually two races. One, the national championship was a longer race, although relatively short compared to what most people think of triathlons. You think of the Iron Man in Hawaii, a ten-hour what some people consider a gruel-a-thon.
But this race was -- for the longer race I finished in an hour and 40 minutes. And in a shorter one it's really an hour event for the winners. So it's within the grasp of just about anybody that can devote maybe five hours a week to training.
KAGAN: Give us a little inspiration here for getting back on track. As I understand it, you used to be competitive and you decided to get back into it.
HARPER: When I was in law school I actually did my first triathlon in 1981. And when I got out of law school I tried the professional circuit for about four years until 1986. I got married, had the first child on way and couldn't afford to support a family on my triathlon salary.
So I competed up to 1986 then really have taken a 17-year hiatus building a law practice, raising a family, coaching sports. But I always, you know, would get in an hour a day of some type of aerobic fitness and I really think that's all it takes is to be able to do a triathlon. This last year I decided to get a little bit more competitive.
KAGAN: You never went to complete couch potato.
HARPER: Never did. The reason is I like to be able to eat whatever I want to eat every day. And if you can put in an hour a day of aerobic activity, most people can do that.
KAGAN: Were you surprised you got first place?
HARPER: Well, I kind of know after competing for about a year, I kind of know who is main competitors are in my age group around the country. So I knew I had a pretty good shot.
KAGAN: Well, you sound confident, you sound like a winner. Congratulations and thanks for the inspiration, thanks for stopping by.
HARPER: Yes, thank you.
KAGAN: Appreciate it. Dean Harper, the winner of the AARP first ever triathlon for folks over 50.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
