Paul Noone, 30
Worcester Police officer, marathoner, triathlete Some people may be born to run, but that doesn’t mean it comes easy. Just ask Paul Noone ~ he’s a marathoner and triathlete now, but you’d never guess he started his running career at the back of the pack. “I was pretty slow my first season,” said Noone, who started running outdoor track his sophomore year at St. John’s High School. “My lack of success that season motivated me to run a decent amount of miles the summer going into my junior year. When I started the cross-country season that fall, I began to have some success and watched my times drop significantly.” Noone kept at it and continued to run in college, competing on the University of Massachusetts men’s cross-country and indoor track teams and amassing an impressive post-grad running resume. “After running in high school and college, it’s easy to burn out,” said Noone, who discovered triathlons and made them his focus after college. “It was a new challenge for me, and one I’ve been able to find greater success in than running. This success in triathlons has motivated me to continue running at a relatively high level, as well.”
Noone’s list of accomplishments includes placing third in his age group at the 2011 USA Triathlon Age Group National Championship (26th overall) and being the top overall finisher in the Northeast in the 2012 race (23rd overall). He was also the overall winner of the Massachusetts State Olympic Distance Triathlon in 2011 and 2012. In 2009, he completed the Ford Ironman USA triathlon for Sherry’s House, raising more than $6,500. Although Noone has completed countless 5Ks, 8Ks and a handful of half and full marathons, he averages five triathlons a year (he’s completed 25 ~ a mix of sprint, Olympic, half-distance and full Ironman tris). To keep this pace, Noone, who describes himself as injury prone, cross-trains with yoga, cycling and swimming to help build endurance. “I really enjoy the variety in workouts, as it prevents me from getting bored and keeps my legs fresh for running,” he said. “I’m far from a high-mileage dude … so typically when I’m out on the road or trails, I’m getting after it and making my miles count.” Noone, a Worcester police officer, credits his active lifestyle to staying healthy. “Without my good health, I wouldn’t be able to do much,” he said. “This fitness level has, without question, helped me in every other area of my life.” It’s been a 15-year journey for Noone to get where he is today. “The initial starting period with running is difficult,” Noone advised. “There are no shortcuts, and it’s necessary to log the miles to build up strength and endurance. In distance running, it’s all about trying to hang in there mentally.” Stay in the moment, keep a positive mindset, fight through the pain and embrace it for what it is: worth it. “Just like with anything in life, the only way to find out is to try,” he said. “If you want it bad enough, you can do it.”
10 THEPULSEMAG.COM | Feb. 2014