Dispatch: Happy Halloween!

In honor of the holiday–and the fact that we triathletes often look like we’re in costume during our usual training and racing–we asked a number of top professionals about their Halloween history. What were their favorite Halloween costumes when they were kids–or more recently as kids at heart?

Rebeccah & Laurel Wassner
Laurel and I were sad clowns when we were about three. The photo was taken outside of our pre-school. This year, for Amy’s first Halloween, she’s dressing up as our dog and our dog is dressing up as a lifeguard (as in BAbY Watch).

Jesse Thomas
2007: Lauren and I had just gotten married, and I was four weeks into my first year of my MBA. We decided to go as Andy Samberg (me) and Justin Timberlake (Lauren) from the SNL digital short Dick in a Box. What’s extra funny is that no one in school had met Lauren yet, and her outfit was so good that if I didn’t introduce her, people thought she was a dude. She had multiple guys come up, punch her in the shoulder and say, “Nice costume, bro! Dick in a Box, haha.”

2008: Lauren had just had surgery on an unhealed navicular stress fracture (yes, the same surgery I had), and had to be in a wheelchair. So we went as Mr. Smithers (me) and Mr. Burns (Lauren) from the Simpsons. I pushed her around all night and it was no big deal!

2009 and beyond: After two years of semi-traumatizing male group costumes with me, Lauren has been on strike from any type of group outfit!

Paul Matthews
I only ever did Halloween once as a kid and that’s was in 1991 when I was eight and we lived in Colorado for the year. I went as John Elway! I still have the great man’s autograph on a game day magazine with the Patriots. People think I support the Broncos just because they have a good team, but this is the proof I’ve been supporting them for 22 years!

Heather Jackson
I was a Muppet! I’m on the far right in the picture.

Conrad Stoltz
I grew up in South Africa, so I had my first Halloween at age 28. We celebrated Halloween at Xterra last Sunday night. Liezel and I didn’t have costumes. We’ve been traveling like crazy with too much luggage, and raced Xterra Worlds on Sunday, so didn’t have time to run around for costumes. Right before the party I ran into the garden with garden scissors and cut some greenery. I had to chase the geckos out of the costume before throwing it together in the parking lot with sticky tape. The palm leaves (a bit too tall for the photo) were scraping the chandeliers. Liezel and I borrowed hair and hats from our homestay. We didn’t have a theme, but the first person we saw at the party said, “Ah, tropics!” So we were “Tropix”. It was the cheapest costume I ever wore–also biodegradable.

Ben Hoffman
When I was younger I was Robin Hood, Spiderman and Superman–and now I am a racecar driver 😉

Andy Potts
When I was young, I was obsessed with the Hulk. I was the Hulk for five years running–from ages five to nine. I painted my face green and wore a green turtleneck shirt with balloons stuffed into the arms.  It was awesome!

The last time I dressed up was a few years ago to build solidarity with my son. He was a puppy dog and I was Scuba Steve (from an Adam Sandler movie). I dressed up in my TYR Hurricane wetsuit, fins, scuba mask and snorkel. Pretty fun times.  Those photos are in lockdown!

Rachel Joyce
As a kid I loved Spiderman.  My brother had a Spiderman outfit but he didn’t get a look in as I was always wearing it.

Sarah Piampiano
My favorite costume–or at least the one I will always remember–was dressing up as a mummy.  My mom wrapped me in toilet paper head to toe.  I remember having to walk around very very carefully because if I moved in one direction or the other too fast the toilet paper would rip!  

Tim O’Donnell
All I can say is: Zoolander, 2006 Olympic Training Center, Mike Orton (who now works at Blue Seventy) as Hansel and a walk off. There’s a video somewhere on Youtube if you can find it.

Emma-Kate Lidbury
Halloween isn’t nearly as huge in the U.K. as it is over here, so I didn’t always get to dress up and go trick or treating. But when I did I was a first class witch complete with broomstick (bigger than me), big black hat and a warty mask. In order to complete the look, I’d try to encourage my neighbor’s black cat to join me–even if it meant putting him on a leash!