I wonder if Dan Empfield remembers me? Probably not. We met at KONA during the 1996 Ironman. He sponsored Mac Martin, who rode a Quintana Roo in that race. Dan designed a bike to fit me, which I rode in the 1997 Ironman. I still have the bike, it is in excellent condition. I am now 81 years old and have had to retire from triathlons after doing over 300 races. Tom Murray

Here you go!

Were you riding those Hed wheels in the '97 IM? I used the same 650 wheels in that race (on a Cervelo Eyre frame) and got blown off the road on the way down from Hawi. That was a windy one!

we had some pretty advanced HED wheels made for our bikes back in the 90s. i could go into detail. even today there were elements of those wheels that have not yet been identified and pursued by the bike industry.

Really interested in how you are holding up physically TRM. As an athlete who was committed enought to be on the AG podium in their 50s and 60s, how are things now? Forgive me if this is an intrusive question and I understand if you prefer not to answer.

I have 30+ years in the sport now, and so far so good, but sometimes feel it might be pushing luck to hope to carry on in the same way for ever. On the other hand, maybe it's the elixir of youth... how can we know!? Would love to hear more of your experience.

By the way, I rode a 650c bike for most of the 1990s too. Scott not QR. While not anywhere near TRM's level, it always felt faster than it had any right to.