In 1985, Bill Fiske established F.I.R.M. to share his love of the sport of Triathlon with his community. Now, after 34 years of swimming, biking and running, it’s safe to say that his mission has been accomplished.

What began at the first annual Marlborough Lions Triathlon back in 1984 soon grew into the F.I.R.M. organization we know and love, turning every weekend into a race weekend. Over the years, Bill, Wendy and the rest of their team have traveled all over New England to organize nationally-recognized triathlons, duathlons and road races focused on the athletes and the communities who welcomed them. Hundreds of races and over 50,000 athletes later, we’ve been fortunate enough to raise over three million dollars annually for the wonderful communities who have welcomed our races. And as for the athletes, we hope to have left some unforgettable memories and inspiration through the countless medals and enthusiastic volunteers and spectators who have guided you both on and off the course.

In the words of the great English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, “All good things must come to an end.” And while it’s hard for us to face, the same reigns true for us. Wendy has already embarked on her well-deserved retirement in Florida, and Bill will be joining her soon. As for the rest of the staff, we will be turning the page and embarking on new adventures (and hopefully ones that allow us to sleep in on the weekends!)

We have enjoyed every second spent helping you achieve your athletic dreams, and just like we hope we’ve impacted you, the athletes, we can say for certain that you have impacted all of us. You have all helped shape memories that we will never forget, and thanks to you, our weekends were the most sleep-deprived fun we’ll ever have.

If there’s any advice we can give you, it’s to keep swimming, biking and running, and above all else, never forget to keep being you. Whether you’re an athlete, volunteer, spectator, sponsor or someone else who we’ve crossed path with over the years, thank you. Thank you for everything!

-The F.I.R.M. Team