Spotlighting our Valhalla teammate Brian Kiscoe today! I’m told traveling to races with Brian is the best, as he loves to cook!!!!
WHEN DID YOU JOIN VALHALLA + VALKYRIE RACE TEAM?
WHEN DID YOU JOIN VALHALLA + VALKYRIE RACE TEAM?
Summer of 2017
WHEN DID YOU START TRIATHLON?
My goal was to participate in the 2014 Texas Ironman, so I started with a Sprint in the summer of 2013, an Olympic down in Galveston a few months later and then capped off the year with Oilman in Conroe for my first half distance race. I felt great after that race and knew I was ready to put in the time for my first Ironman and never looked back.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRIATHLON JOURNEY:
I was a little on and off when I first started with Triathlon. I had played football through college and was close to 230lbs when I graduated. Once I stopped working out, that weight started going places I didn’t want it to go, so I started running. I did it to get in shape and drop some weight, but I also enjoyed it. Once I hit my first 10-mile run, I decided to sign up for a Marathon. I completed 4 Marathons in 3 years and enjoyed it, but I also dabbled in a few Sprint Triathlons, but the Tri life didn’t stick. In 2012 my college buddy decided to do an Ironman and he didn’t make it. He was about 2 miles out when the time ran out on him and that got me thinking that I should do it. If it’s that hard, I wanted to see if I could do it. It was at that time I made my plan for 2013 to build for the 2014 Texas Ironman. Ever since then I try to get in at least 3 Long Distance races on the books and sprinkle in some smaller local races if they fit in the training schedule. I’ve completed 5 full Ironman races (4 different courses) from 2014-2019 and then decided to focus solely on the 70.3 Distance. Since Oilman 2013 I’ve completed 22 Half Distance races in 14 different locations. I enjoy traveling to different races throughout the country and experiencing the different courses. My wife thought it was going to be a 1 and done, but I fell in love with the community, the competition and the challenge. Plus, it kept me in shape and the training kept me somewhat on the rails and away from some of my demons.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RACE?
Hard to say. My favorite distance is the 70.3 distance. I really like Chattanooga. I’ve done the full there as well as the 70.3 a couple of times. Santa Cruz 70.3 is great, and I really liked Salem 70.3.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS SPORT?
I’ve had the opportunity to go to 70.3 Worlds a few times. Once in Nice and twice in St. George. Just experiencing those races with friends and teammates was awesome.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
Lately it’s been staying healthy. I guess I should have listened to Jana all those times she told me to do my strength exercises! Stinks getting older because I can’t put the same wear and tear on my body as I used to be able to.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POST RACE FOOD?
Beer and a Burger with salty fries. Let’s be honest, a lot of beers with a burger and salty fries.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.
I’ve been married to my wife Christine for 22 years and we have 2 kids. Our daughter Alaina is 17 and our son Drew is 14. She’s a Junior at The Woodlands High School and plays basketball and he’s at the 9th grade campus and plays Tennis. We also have 2 dogs, JJ and Zoey.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL/PERSONAL LIFE.
I’ve been in the Medical Device business for over 20 years. I’ve been in sales or sales management since I graduated college in 96. Currently I’m the Regional Sales Director for a company called SI-BONE. In a nutshell, we make titanium implants to fuse your SI-Joint. We also make other implants for Trauma and Spinal Deformity Surgery. I manage 6 teams throughout Texas so I travel quite a bit and I’m in the field with my team quite a bit. I’m in the OR a lot, but I’ve had my fair share of meetings, trainings and dinner programs. Work, family and triathlon take up most of my life, so what you’re reading about is most of my world. My Dad passed last year so my Mom recently moved back to the Cleveland, OH area, so now both our families are back up that way so we spend a couple weeks a year back up that way which is nice.
WHAT IS SOMETHING NO ONE WOULD EVER GUESS/KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I love to cook. Doesn’t matter if it’s grilling, baking or just plain cooking. I enjoy the process of it and of course I love the reward. There’s a certain peace to it when I’ve got a bunch of things going on all at once in the kitchen, I’ve got some music on and an open bottle of wine.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THIS TEAM?
I love the support everyone gives to one another. Whether in training or during race day, this team helps one another and sincerely wants everyone to succeed. I love hearing and saying, “Let’s go Valhalla!” when I’m out on the course.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR?
To be honest, I’m not a big reader. When I do read, I read business books to gain new insights or build on some areas of interest and development. Extreme Ownership was a good one I read recently by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. I did enjoy Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand and It’s Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
I’m a steakhouse guy. Steak 48 is one of my favorites, but you can’t go wrong with Pappa’s Brothers Steakhouse or Del Frisco’s.
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION?
I know it shouldn’t be, but that’s a tough one for me. My parents were a big inspiration for me. Both my parents worked hard, Mom was a nurse and Dad was in Sales. We had our ups and downs, but they did everything they could for my brother and I and their work ethic was instilled in me. My mom fought through Colon and Kidney cancer and kicked cancer’s ass and my Dad still wanted to be in all the action with the family even though it took a toll on him physically near the end. In sports, Mike Singletary was a huge inspiration to me and Dick Hoyt was also big for me growing up.
WHAT EXCITING PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT YEAR?
On the personal/family side of things, we’re going to Park City, UT to ski for the first time as a family during Spring Break. Pretty excited about that. Been dealing with a nagging injury that won’t go away, so my race schedule is pretty light right now. I’ve got Cartegena, Columbia on the books in December, but that’s it for right now. I’m hoping I can get back to training in late Spring, early Summer so I may add Tri Cities, WA in September if I can be ready by then.
