Ep. #51: Allan Espina | Don't Let Others Define Who You Are #SayNoToBullying

Humans of Triathlon (H.o.T) Podcast

Being smaller than his peers, Allan Espina was the object of bullying growing up in the Philippines. He got heckled, called "limp-wristed", & vividly remembers seeing the word “Faggot” scribbled by his cousin on a wall. At 7y.o, this was torture. He excelled intellectually to make up for what he lacked physically. At 38, he immigrated to the US having just completed his 2nd Master's degree & working a great job. After a spark from a co-worker, Allan completed his first Sprint after 4 months of prep, not having competed in any sport before. The high from the event gave him a new goal - he wanted to hold a doctorate degree & be an Ironman before 50. He chose to pursue the IM goal first and achieved it before turning 43. He says that he wanted to show that he may have been “limp-wristed” growing up, but now, he's done something his bullies have only dreamt of. That maybe this was a way for him to prove that he was a man after all & an Ironman at that. Although he knows that sounds kinda shallow if he could travel back in time to tell his 7y.o. self that it gets better - he would in a heartbeat.

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- HOSTS:
Swapneel Chouhan, Sheila Treleaven, & Carlos (Charles) Galan

- INTRO/OUTRO MUSIC:
produced by Vasil Zguri at SoundPulse