By Demelza McElrath
Though he seems like a typical LCHS student, Thomas Raney is an amazing athlete who competes in triathlons. Senior Thomas Raney has been competing in triathlons for two years, and at his most recent competition, he won a silver medal. A triathlon is an endurance competition, and it consists of three continuous events: swimming, cycling, and running. Raney started racing in Junior Elite this summer, and he qualified for the Junior National Championships. Although he says he’s not good enough to be a pro or to participate in the Olympics, Raney is an elite ranked 58th in the United States, which proves that he is accomplished already.
When asked about the competition, Raney replied, “I love competing because I truly find enjoyment in swimming, cycling and running; it is very difficult, but it is very rewarding.”
Raney, besides swimming with the LCHS team, trains with a private coach, using an application called TrainingPeaks. “After I do the workout I send [my coach] my data from that workout and he analyzes it and plans the best workouts to get me ready for race day,” said Raney concerning his training process. Despite a current injury, Raney still continues his intensive trainings.
“I knew that [Raney] was not only advanced but also skilled because of his performance. I would say he’s passionate, and he has ambition to succeed. His ambition is beyond just doing something […] I think he has an inner desire,” said Mr. Redmond, Raney’s former teacher and fellow competitor.
In terms of Raney’s motivation, Mr. Redmond also commented, “I have always liked endurance sports. I like the idea of having to push your body and mind to the absolute limit of what you think is possible and then going beyond that […] and to me that’s what sports in general is really about.”
Raney further encouraged students to challenge themselves in triathlons, saying, “The beauty of triathlon is that anyone can do it, no matter how old you are or what body type, and it is never too late to start. At local races there are 80+ year olds who compete against 10 year olds and every age in between.”
When Raney isn’t training, he likes watching YouTube, sleeping, eating or preparing healthy food, and travelling, like a normal teenager. All around, Raney is an incredible athlete, but also a typical student who has goals and passions to pursue.
Though he seems like a typical LCHS student, Thomas Raney is an amazing athlete who competes in triathlons. Senior Thomas Raney has been competing in triathlons for two years, and at his most recent competition, he won a silver medal. A triathlon is an endurance competition, and it consists of three continuous events: swimming, cycling, and running. Raney started racing in Junior Elite this summer, and he qualified for the Junior National Championships. Although he says he’s not good enough to be a pro or to participate in the Olympics, Raney is an elite ranked 58th in the United States, which proves that he is accomplished already.
When asked about the competition, Raney replied, “I love competing because I truly find enjoyment in swimming, cycling and running; it is very difficult, but it is very rewarding.”
Raney, besides swimming with the LCHS team, trains with a private coach, using an application called TrainingPeaks. “After I do the workout I send [my coach] my data from that workout and he analyzes it and plans the best workouts to get me ready for race day,” said Raney concerning his training process. Despite a current injury, Raney still continues his intensive trainings.
“I knew that [Raney] was not only advanced but also skilled because of his performance. I would say he’s passionate, and he has ambition to succeed. His ambition is beyond just doing something […] I think he has an inner desire,” said Mr. Redmond, Raney’s former teacher and fellow competitor.
In terms of Raney’s motivation, Mr. Redmond also commented, “I have always liked endurance sports. I like the idea of having to push your body and mind to the absolute limit of what you think is possible and then going beyond that […] and to me that’s what sports in general is really about.”
Raney further encouraged students to challenge themselves in triathlons, saying, “The beauty of triathlon is that anyone can do it, no matter how old you are or what body type, and it is never too late to start. At local races there are 80+ year olds who compete against 10 year olds and every age in between.”
When Raney isn’t training, he likes watching YouTube, sleeping, eating or preparing healthy food, and travelling, like a normal teenager. All around, Raney is an incredible athlete, but also a typical student who has goals and passions to pursue.
