Hello Slowtwitch, I’m the New Senior Editor

I think the best way for me to introduce myself to my new home as a Senior Editor here at Slowtwitch is to recount the entertaining Forum thread I came across a few years ago. One of the answers to “You know you’ve been in the sport a long time when …” was “You can remember Kevin Mackinnon racing as a pro.”

Sadly, I remember those days, too. My last professional race was in July 1993. I didn’t know I’d be retiring at the time, but as I tore my plantar fascia on the way to winning the Sarnia Triathlon, I was setting my next career in motion. I had just graduated from journalism school a few months before and became a dad for the first time three weeks earlier. Two weeks later I was announcing at my first race. A month after that I became the director of the Triathlon Pro Tour and media director of a Canadian triathlon series. From there things continued – I soon became communications director for Ironman Canada and Ironman North America, and eventually moved on to being the managing editor of Ironman.com before becoming the Editor in Chief at Ironman.

Along the way I continued to coach, and because all that still wasn’t enough, also became the founding editor of Triathlon Magazine Canada.

After just shy of 20 years with the magazine, I put my last issue to bed two days ago. I’m thrilled to take on this new role with Slowtwitch. I look forward to joining the editorial team and helping to build out what is already one of the sport’s most iconic platforms. I’ll be coming on board to build on the work Eric Wynn and Ryan Heisler, along with all the regular contributors to the site, bring you each week. We’ll provide even more coverage, updates, news, training tips and gear reports. I also can’t wait to start join the gang in the Slowtwitch Podcast. (And that’s just to start! Stay tuned for even more coming at you in the New Year.)

Triathlon and endurance sports have been my passion for a long time. What’s always inspired me to stay involved is the incredible community that makes what we do so meaningful. I’m looking forward to joining the Slowtwitch family and bringing you all the latest on the sport(s) we all love. (That wasn’t an accident – look forward to more endurance-oriented coverage from gravel, trail running and more.)

The saying is “there’s no rest for the wicked,” and, as you’ll quickly learn, I must be very “wicked.” Over the next month I’ll be bringing/ you news and coverage from Ironman Western Australia, Clash Daytona and the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand. I am only on day one, but I’m already thrilled that Eric, Ryan and the rest of the gang have entrusted me to do exactly what I love to do – tell the stories and capture the images of athletes pursuing excellence. Whether that’s an age-group world champion like my wife, shooting age group athletes on the bikes on the lava in Kona, Laura Philipp nailing a huge day in Nice, or Patrick Lange amazing us all on the Big Island, it’s all inspiring for me. I hope you all enjoy the ride as much as I’m going to.

Tags: