Blue Ridge Country July/August 2021 - 59

FAR LEFT: Former national-champion triathlete Jay Curwen now spends some of his outdoor time coaching youth teams.
LEFT: The Curwens-sons Gibby and Chilly and wife, Monica-have built their family life around the outdoors.
wen took a job with The North Face as
a Southeast sales rep. His resume would
expand to include stints with Patagonia,
Kelty, Sierra Designs and other major
companies.
But there was a tradeoff: Curwen
spent 200 days a year on the road. By
2008 he and Monica had had a second
child. The couple needed a change.
" Time was passing and I was tired of
being gone all the time, " says Curwen. " I
called every day, but that wasn't enough.
I wanted to be there to get my kids ready
for school and tuck them into bed. "
The Great Recession complicated matters.
It took Curwen nearly four years to
snag a job, this time working as a salesman
at Bryson City-based Nantahala
Outdoor Center.
The
50-year-old company is the
world's largest multi-channel outfitter
and consists of three brick-and-mortar
retail locations, an online store, two restaurants
and a full-fledged resort. It offers
more than 120 different guided outdoor
adventures and an Olympic-level whitewater
training program, and serves more
than 500,000 customers a year.
Curwen quickly rose through the
company ranks and is now vice president.
His secret to success? A competitive
spirit.
" When I was competing for Team
USA, interviewers would ask, 'How can
you push your body so hard?' " says Curwen.
The answer was simple: He wanted
to win. " It's a different arena, but I've
brought that mentality to my work at
NOC. I want us to be the world's top outdoor
retailer. "
At home, Curwen says he's living the
dream. He goes on long morning runs
with his wife, coaches his youngest son's
travel hockey team and helps his eldest
train for collegiate cross-country track
events. Occasionally, he enters races.
For instance, Curwen celebrated his
50th birthday with a brief comeback.
That year, he won national championships
for his age division in the USA Triathlon
Off Road and Long Course Duathlon
categories.
" Looking back, it's been a pretty
amazing ride, " says Curwen. " I traveled
the country racing at the highest level
for 15 years. Back then, standing on the
podium was the biggest thrill imaginable.
But spending time with my wife
and sons tops that a thousand times
over. "
JULY/AUGUST 2021 59

http://helenga.org

Blue Ridge Country July/August 2021

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