Cell Phone: 604.644.0550 Home Phone: 604.263.2291

Mentor Biography

Name: Michael Ragosin

Cell phone: 604.644.0550 Home Phone: 604.263.2291

E Mail: [email protected]

Best Time To Contact is by text and I will usually call you back usually within 5 min):

My Favorite Training Spot: Cycling to Horseshoe Bay or Swimming at Kits Pool

A Bit About Me: I'm Vancouverite, age 50, Realtor, Property Manger, and Developer

My hobbies are, Cycling, Hockey, Photography and now Triathlons.

I joined TNT in 2012 literally by accident. Over the past 4 years I have been participating in the ride to conquer cancer, and was turning 50, looking for something to commemorate this milestone in my life.

I was never into running, but did the Vancouver Half Marathon when I turned 40. I was never a swimmer. The last time I did any real swimming was at age 10, when swim club. Cycling, I only start about 5 years ago as a way to keep active and got hocked.

A year ago, a friend of my did the Vancouver Olympic Triathlon in Stanley Park which got me thinking, may that’s an achievement I want to do before say I accomplished before I’m 50. (Having done anything remotely likes this, previously)

In January of 2013 decided that if I was actually going to contemplate this it might be a good idea to actually go the pool and do a couple of lengths, seeing that I had not done any swimming in years. After completing 10 lengths at the Kerrisdale Community Centre I realized how out of shape I was and this might not be an obtainable goal.

By chance, TNT was training there that night and I got a chance to talk some of the members about what they were going, the training and fundraising and cause they were doing it for. I decided to investigate this further and attended 3 training session, (Swim, Run and a Ride) and decide commit to TNT for what I thought was an Olympic Distance Triathlon, in Victoria.

Not knowing anything about Triathlon terminology, I glanced at the Victoria Subaru web site and saw that that it involved a 900 meter swim, 37Km ride and 10 Run (it was going to be a tough challenge, but doable)

Over the course of the next several weeks of training something was off...the distances for each of the 3 events kept changing and growing. Upon further investigation, I discovered that I did not sign up for and Olympic Triathlon, but in had signed up for a Half-Iron Triathlon (which is double the length of all of what I thought)

Having tendencies not do things the easy way, and seeing that I was a third into my training, I decided to give it shot. My goal now was just to finish the race.

As a result of the unbelievable coaches, the training program and the other team members, I completed my first triathlon under the time I had anticipated and now I’m hooked and back for more.

I do this in memory of brother in law, best friend and father of 3, who passed away at age 44 from Cancer.