Beau Parker is 22 years old, and he just competed in his first duathlon recently in Dallas, Texas.
For those not familiar with the sport, the duathlon is like a triathlon, except with two events instead of three: running and bicycling. It’s a new experience for Parker, a native of El Dorado who’s had quite a few experiences already.
“I’ve only been biking for about five months now,” Parker said. “I’d been running my whole life, but I’d kind of slowed down until I took up the biking. The race in Dallas was my first duathlon.”
Parker’s family lived in El Dorado until Beau was 12 years old, when his father got the job as the head baseball coach at Nicholls State University in Thibodeaux, Louisiana.
“Moving was the worst,” Parker said. “Moving is never fun, but it’s especially tough when you leave in the middle of the school year during Thanksgiving break.”
In high school in Thibodeaux, Parker participated in football, track and cross country, but stuck mostly with baseball after his freshman year. He played second base and shortstop.
“I think I did pretty well,” Parker said of his high-school baseball career. “I mean, my high school was pretty big, so you had to be good; otherwise, you didn’t play.”
As for his current athletic endeavor, Parker plans to move up to triathlons in the near future.
“I’m planning on trying my first triathlon once the season starts up in February,” Parker said. “I’m training really hard for it right now. Eventually, I’d like to do as many as four per year, maybe one every two months or so. Maybe I’ll even get some sponsorships.”
Athletic events aren’t Parker’s only interests. He is also planning on attending the Art Institute in Denver, starting in January.
“My big interest is in animation,” Parker said. “There seems to be more of a demand for it these days, especially in movies. That’s what I’d like to do eventually. There’s a million different possibilities. I’d like to get some work as a storyboard artist, or a timer, or something involved with animated movies in some way.”
Parker’s athletic and artistic interests may seem different, but he doesn’t see it that way.
“The art field is a more leisurely field, no doubt,” Parker said. “The triathlon thing is just a hobby. I want to make my career in art somehow. I’m a firm believer that keeping in good physical shape helps keep your mind sharp. I think all of my athletic training helps my artistic side.”
