Blue Ridge Country July/August 2021 - 58

By ERIC J. WALLACE
APPLYING THE RACE MENTALITY TO WORK AND FAMILY
Balancing Act
Former pro athlete Jay Curwen gave up life on the competition road to be home with his family,
and to help build an outdoor retailer.
or 54-year-old Nantahala Outdoor
Center Vice President Jay
Curwen, competition has been a
way of life. Attending the Christ
School in Asheville, North Carolina,
he was a standout swimmer
and track and field athlete.
His performance netted him statewide
accolades and scholarships to run and
swim for the University of North Carolina
Asheville.
F
Though he earned a degree in biology,
Curwen says " going fast " was the
primary concern of his collegiate career.
After graduating, he made it a profession.
Initially, he focused on the 5K.
" I spent a few years competing
throughout the Southeast and in bigger
national events, " he says. Though he did
well enough to pay rent and get by, Curwen
wanted something more lucrative.
Like an act of fate, he discovered the
duathlon around 1990.
" Back then, the sport was hitting its
highpoint, " he says. Major brands like
Coors Light sponsored tours. More than
58 BLUERIDGECOUNTRY.COM
400 nationally sanctioned events were
held each year. " There were races every
weekend with purses ranging from
$5,000 to $10,000. The competition was
incredible-I wanted in on the action. "
Problem was, Curwen wasn't a cyclist.
But he bet his ability to endure physical
punishment would translate to the new
sport. Furthermore, he could make up
time in the running segments. Visiting a
local bike shop, he bought a cycling rig
and arranged lessons. As it turned out, he
was a natural.
" Astonishingly, I found myself racing
among the leaders right away, " says Curwen.
The success inspired him to train
harder. " Soon, I was winning. I got totally
hooked. "
For the next few years, Curwen competed
in more than 50 events per year. He
trained in the mornings and afternoons,
logging at least two " big days " a week-
that is, 70 miles of biking followed by a
10-mile run. Racing consumed his life.
" There were weekends where I'd compete
in Raleigh on Saturday, then Virginia
on Sunday, " he recalls with a laugh.
Though grueling, as a 20-something,
Curwen used the schedule to make a living
almost entirely from racing. A flexible
part-time gig with an outdoor retailer
in Asheville brought supplemental
income. " I was young and single, and
knowing racing was paying my bills was
the best feeling in the world. "
Corporate sponsorship opportunities
led Curwen to focus on triathlons in the
late-'90s. By age 30 he was a two-time
member of the USA World Triathlon
Team and had won multiple national
championships. Next came Adventure
Racing. Curwen began competing in
2003 and soon added a U.S. Adventure
Racing Association national championship
to his list of achievements.
But as for all athletes: Time brings age
and change.
Curwen married in 2001 with intentions
of raising a family. He and his wife,
Monica, became parents a year later.
Seeking greater financial stability, Cur

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Blue Ridge Country July/August 2021

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