Editor’s Note: This is the second story in a two-part series on Kaua‘i’s most successful triathlon participants. Melissa Hall and Pam Kruse often train together around the island. Sometimes the best things in life happen when you least expect it.
Editor’s Note: This is the second story in a two-part series on Kaua‘i’s most successful triathlon participants. Melissa Hall and Pam Kruse often train together around the island.
Sometimes the best things in life happen when you least expect it. For Kalaheo’s Pam Kruse, the whole triathlon experience could be attributed to a client, who wanted to be trained for an upcoming contest.
“I started to train her and as the time went along, she ended up not doing it and instead, I got into it and entered the triathlon,” Kruse said.
Ever since that event, Kruse has been hooked and considers it a life-changing experience.
“I was teaching classes and paddling, but I just found a passion for it and switched gears, so I really wasn’t looking for it,” Kruse commented.
The San Diego State graduate grew up on the Big Island, where she managed the Waiohai Athletic Club and moved to Kaua‘i, where she was a Kaua‘i Athletic Club personal trainer for five years.
Today, Kruse is the owner of Fit Bodies Fitness Studio, which is out of her own home.
Add a seven-year-old and a busy husband, who’s the bell captain at the Hyatt and an avid paddler for Koloa Outrigger Canoe Club and the million dollar question of why she does it always comes up.
“Well, I don’t know, I guess I do it for satisfaction and I’ve been pretty supportive throughout all of this,” Kruse said.
But as she gets older and her schedule gets busier, Kruse has considered early retirement, but after a second-place finish in her age group for the Honolulu Triathlon in April, she thought twice about hanging up her shoes.
“When I did the Honolulu Triathlon I wanted to give it all up, but when they (race officials) told me that I was the only person from Hawai‘i who qualified for the world championships in my age group, it rekindled my fire and I wanted to continue,” Kruse said.
In the eight years that Kruse has been participating in triathlons, she has finished no worst than third in ther age group to go along with her many first-place finishes.
In October, she’ll be competing in the short course of a .93 mile swim, a 24.6 mile bike ride, and a run of 6.2 miles with the world’s best on hand.
“I have a track and swim coach helping me out, but it’s going to be tough and I’ll be happy to finish and do my personal best,” Kruse said.
According to Kruse, swimming is the most challenging part of the triathlon, with the run as her best event.
“Every race is challenging and I don’t sleep the night before; I still get jitters,” Kruse said.
But despite her nervousness, Kruse remains as one of the best women’s triathletes in the state.
