Sports
Patchogue Triathlete Maintains Strong Local Roots
Ryan Siebert competes in grueling races each month and continues to train at Pat-Med HS and St. Joseph's College.
Patchogue native Ryan Siebert may be a top level athlete but he doesn’t compete in popular mainstream sports such as football or basketball. He competes in triathlons multiple times a month from May through October.
“I enjoy the triathlon because you get to swim bike and run and you’re not getting tired of one sport and it makes you more of an all-around athlete.”
Siebert’s most recent success – he finished first at the Mighty North Fork Triathlon in early July – just went to show what he can do when fully healthy and able to train. “I’ve been healthy and injury free and able to train more,” he said.
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All of Siebert’s triathlon training takes place locally. He said that he regularly runs at the track at Patchogue-Medford High School and trains for the swimming portion at the pool at St. Joseph’s college. He takes off on his bike and heads east when training for the biking, which he said is his favorite part of the race.
Siebert grew up in an athletic family – his mom has competed in triathlon events for years and his dad was an avid runner who took up cycling. “Growing up I heard stories of the Iron man and all that so I figured I’d give it a shot,” he said.
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Hockey was Siebert’s passion growing up. He played from the age of 5 through 15 before a “few knee surgeries and broken bones” pushed him to jump in the pool. He swam varsity at St. Anthony’s high school in his junior and senior year.
He began training with his current coach three years ago and has been improving ever since. Completing the triathlons was never a problem for Siebert, but it was about a year into training that he felt he really began to be competitive.
“Super long term would be to race at the Iron Man,” he said. Ironman triathlons consist of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile full marathon run.
Siebert’s next race will be August 7 when he competes in the New York City triathlon. He will then travel to Burlington, Vermont, to compete in the national championship at the end of August.
