For most people, the thought of swimming half a mile, biking 12 miles and running three miles sounds daunting. For 71-year-old Okmulgee County resident Jeff Bigger, it’s just another day of living life to the fullest.
“I did four triathlons over the course of the last several months,” he said with an easy laugh. “I’m nowhere near the fastest person, nowhere near that, but I’m doing okay for somebody my age.”
What makes his story remarkable isn’t just the races, it’s the heart behind them. Bigger didn’t even learn to swim until 1987 as a young father. At the time, he realized he couldn’t let his son be in the water without knowing how to help. “I started taking swimming lessons… once I learned to swim, well, I had to try one of these triathlon things,” he explained.
From that first race in Alaska nearly four decades ago, triathlons became part of his family life. He and his wife often shared what they called “sweat dates” – swimming, biking or running together. “It was a way for us to spend time together doing things we both enjoyed without being apart,” Bigger said. His older brother even joined in, traveling to different events so they could race together.
Though ranch life eventually pulled him away from competing, a Thanksgiving phone call brought him back. “My son called and said he wanted to do one. And I said, ‘Well, by all means, I’ll do it with you. I just need to train.’” Training for Bigger means swimming three times a week, biking three or four times a week, running a couple of times, and handling plenty of chores on his small ranch. “The body likes to rest,” he said. “The body doesn’t like to move. You gotta make it move.”
The payoff is priceless. “How cool is it to have your 42-year-old son call and say, ‘Dad, I want to go do a triathlon,’ and me be able to say, ‘Okay, I’ll do it with you’?” he said. “You don’t get the opportunity as an adult to do many things with your kids that involve setting goals, working to attain the goal, and then showing up and competing.”
This year, father and son raced together in Jenks, Memphis, and at Birch Lake for the Tulsa Triathlon. Bigger says the community spirit at these events is as rewarding as the exercise itself. “It’s just a great event for people in the community to get out, get a little exercise, and spend time with each other.”
For Bigger, the drive to “keep moving” has deep roots. “My father died when he was 52 … so I think every day is a gift from God, and let’s make the most of it,” he said. “You don’t want to sit still, because the moss will start growing on you.”
Though humble about his achievements -“basically, from my point of view, it’s no big deal” – he admits the effort might inspire someone else. And he’s not done yet. “My son and I are already starting to plan for next year,” he shared.
His advice to the community is simple: “If we can encourage people to do more moving and less sitting, that’s a good thing.”
