Otero's Weekend: "W" vs. Clay, triathlon finish

By Randy Lefko
randy@claytodayonline.com

CAMP BLANDING - Fleming Island High football had a tough three weeks before their season opener on Friday, August 23 with a coach resigning, an interim coach being out of the country and a long-time defensive coach stepping up to take control of the rivalry trip to Clay High School on Friday.
"It's been a crazy three weeks just for the football team and I wanted to make sure the team was able to get what they needed to be successful against Clay," said Fleming Island stand-in head football coach Chris Otero, a long-time defensive coach and also head track coach in the spring who took a hiatus to take over the track program and returned the past two years to help rebuild the program after an "uncharacteristic" 3-7 season last year under first-year coach Chad Parker, now at Orange Park High after resigning last week.
"It's a lot for the kids to have three head coaches in three weeks," said Otero. "Especially with a game like the Clay game."
Otero's step-up came also amidst a preplanned trip by Parker's interim head coach replacement Derek Chipoletti, who was in Ireland for Florida State University's season opener against Georgia Tech (Tech won 24-21).
"Add to that, I had signed up for the H.O.T. Sprint Triathlon at Camp Blanding and had that on my plate for Sunday," said Otero. "Well, we got out of Clay with a win after a slow 13-3 Clay lead at the half (Fleming Island won 30-20), we celebrated a bit Friday night, but I knew I had the triathlon on Sunday with limited training the past three weeks."
With his wife Jennifer and her running friend Chiqui Deleon as his race crew, Otero set out on his first triathlon; a sprint race (1/4 mile lake swim/12-mile bike and 3.1-mile run) with his son Neal Mars' girlfriend, Jenna Bemis, a first-time triathlon athlete as well, but an athlete of some stature as a player for the Middleburg High volleyball team. Bemis, now 25, somehow got Otero to agree that both would do the sprint race.
"I make an agreement, I stand by it," said Otero, as both readied to enter Lake Kingsley for their swim portion of the race amidst about 150 other novice athletes.
During the race's first segment, Bemis exited the lake first looking comfortable out of the water while Otero was a bit behind her getting closer with some breaststroke and freestyle mixed into his technique. Otero got some hometown cheers from the Fleming Island ROTC students manning the bike entrance water stop before preparing for his bike segment. Clay High's ROTC was also on hand to volunteer for race logistics as well.
On the bike, Otero had a big surprise waiting for him with a half-flat rear tire on his bike as he exited the transition area.
"I had it checked out prior to the race, but I think it must have had a slow lead when I finally got to it after the swim," said Otero. "My legs felt like I cycled in quicksand by the time I finished so I struggled through the run."
With Bemis finishing with a spry sprint into the finish line chute and winning her 25-29 novice female division, Otero rambled in with a slight limp but was energized as he entered the finish chute finishing in 2:38.34 for 10th male novice athlete.
"I got cramps at the end and when I finished, I just wanted to sit down," said Otero, who allowed EMT personnel to check him out.
His wife Jennifer was enthusiastic throughout the day though concerned about Otero's legs on the bike, but knew he would finish.
"He's a tough guy and though it took him a little longer than we thought, the flat tire didn't help," said Jennifer Otero, a long-time road running athlete in the Fleming Island area. "I'm proud of him more that he had three weeks of football preparation and little triathlon training. His bike is his favorite part of this and the flat was not going to stop him."