Personality+: Patrick Oborn Triple Threat

By Khali Henderson

Dont try this at home! Weve all heard that admonishment when weve seen a stunt performed on TV. But that was the exact opposite reaction for Patrick Oborn when in 2005 he watched his first televised Ironman World Championship, a triathlon competition combining swimming, biking and running.

Oborn, who by day is vice president of marketing for master agency Telarus Inc., jumped in, ran in and rode in with both feet. I thought to myself, Why not me?  I can do that if I try really hard, he said, noting about five months later Telarus agent and friend Jason Oliver invited him to participate in a Sprint-style (800-meter swim, 12-mile bike, 3.1-mile run)  triathlon with him … the next day. With zero preparation, I rented a bike, showed up with my swimming trunks (no goggles) and my running shoes to give it a shot.

In his day job, Oborn is used to delving into uncharted territory (e.g., online and social media marketing), but this endeavor was altogether something different.

My swim was horrible; I dog-paddled the whole way. My rental bike crank broke halfway through, so I had to skate my bike forward with my legs. It was a disaster, but it was also a lot of fun, Oborn said. Soon after that race I vowed to myself that I would race to win.

Oborn hired a coach, purchased the requisite gear and began to train and improve, setting his sights on increasingly more challenging competitions from Olympic to half-Ironman to full Ironman (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run).

Oborn, who lives in Utah, has participated in numerous competitions, including  the  Ironman St. George (2010), Ironman Coeur d’Alene (2008), Ironman California 70.3 (2007, 2008, 2009), Utah Half 70.3 (2007, 2008, 2009) and the  Salt Lake Marathon (2008, 2009)

And he has had some wins along the way. I have won my age group (35-39) a few times in local triathlon races, and usually place in the top 15 percent in the larger, more competitive races, he said, noting his best Ironman time of 11:23 was about 35 minutes from qualifying for the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. Ultimately, I’d like to continue improving so I can qualify for one of these prestigious races, he said.

Oborns training regime is unenviable. In the months leading up to Ironman, I had to train about three hours a day, with some four- to six-hour workouts on the weekends, he said, noting his normal workout schedule is about half that. But Oborn doesnt seem to mind the time commitment. All of the time I spend training is time I have away from the hustle and bustle of running a master agency. During that time my mind is free to cycle through the problems of the day and come up with new and creative ways to solve them.

The races also have provided him a view of the countrys beautiful scenery from the California coast at sunrise to the northern Idaho forest at sunset. They also give him a chance to raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), which helps wounded veterans purchase triathlon gear to help them get back to a normal-as-possible life through endurance sports. Oborns goal is to raise $5,000 each year.

Words to live by: Whether you tell yourself you can or you can’t, you’re always right.

First job: Gardener, age 15, Diamond Bar, Calif. I learned that getting a good education was important if I didn’t want to push a lawn mower for the rest of my life!

Collections: Telecom trade show shirts. I’ve got the classic New Edge Networks bowling shirt from the pre-Earthlink days and many more.

Do you know someone who has Personality+? Were looking for interesting characters in telecom to take the spotlight! Please send nominations to Khali Henderson at

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