TRIATHLON : Three Is Better Than One for Former Olympian

As captain of the Canadian swim team at the 1984 Olympics, Ken Fitzpatrick had no trouble finding high-caliber competition.

But in 1985, after graduating from USC where he was a two-time All-American, Fitzpatrick missed the competitive environment of Olympic and intercollegiate meets.

“There were really high-stressed athletes at the Olympics, but for me it was one of the most relaxing times in my life,” Fitzpatrick said.

To compensate for the competitive void in his life, Fitzpatrick, 24, started his own triathlon club in Simi Valley last January.

“I was just looking for a group of people in athletics to get involved with,” Fitzpatrick said.

Fitzpatrick’s club, Tri-Valley Triathletes, has 40 members. The triathlon has replaced swimming as the former Olympian’s favorite sport.

“I originally got into it through a company race,” he said. “My background was in swimming and that really helped me in triathlons.

“Because of the nature of the sport, triathletes are very individual athletes. Everybody has their own calendar as far as when they train. It gives a well-rounded athlete a chance to excel in three sports instead of just one. Training-wise, it’s excellent for beating the monotony.”

The club conducts weeknight swimming sessions at the Rancho Simi Pool, 1765 Royal Ave. in Simi Valley, and at the Daland Swim School, 135 E. Wilbur Road in Thousand Oaks. It meets for bicycle rides Saturdays at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of The Oaks mall in Thousand Oaks and Sundays at 8 a.m. at the Simi Schwinn Shop at 897 East Los Angeles Ave. in Simi Valley.

Yearly membership dues of $15 do not include pool fees.

Information: 805-584-0942 or 805-495-5210.