Gloucester Alumni

By Kristen Grieco , Staff writer
Gloucester Daily Times

At his first triathlon in Maine 12 years ago, Janda Ricci-Munn showed up to discover that most of the other racers had donned wetsuits for the ordeal, which started with a quarter-mile swim in 50-degree ocean water. Ricci-Munn was wearing a Speedo.

Against experienced competitors, his swimming was pretty rudimentary, mostly a dog paddle with some breast stroke thrown in. He followed that up with a 25-mile bike ride and a 10-kilometer run.

"I just had a great time," Ricci-Munn said. Despite his disadvantages, including the fact he'd barely trained for the race, the Gloucester native came in third.

Today, Ricci-Munn has competed in 75 or 80 triathlons, despite a five-year hiatus from the sport, and is ranked 19th among professional triathletes worldwide. Earlier this month, he finished first in the World Amateur triathlon in Clearwater Beach, Fla.

With the win comes an opportunity for Ricci-Munn to launch himself full-time into a career as a professional triathlete and coach. It also means a departure from a job he loves: part-time physical education and health teacher for Manchester Essex High School. He said he will be leaving the position at the end of the school year.

A lifelong athlete, Ricci-Munn started running with his father, Gloucester track coach Jim Munn, when he was 7 years old. He joined the track team at O'Maley Middle School and Gloucester High School. He also ran at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he earned a degree in anthropology.

There, Ricci-Munn began building a foundation in biking, the second component to triathlons. He and friends would take 100-mile bike rides through western Massachusetts.

In the winter, they'd put plastic wrap over their toes to help keep them dry, because they didn't have the money for the "booties" that professionals use. Sometimes, Ricci-Munn would bike from Amherst to Gloucester when he was coming home for the weekend - "just for fun."

When he was 19, a friend suggested that he compete in that first Maine triathlon with him, and Ricci-Munn was hooked. After a few years of races and a lot of success, he decided to make a go at a professional career.

"I had had a pretty good amateur career and decided to jump up to the professional ranks," said Ricci-Munn. "I had no idea. I was your typical idiot."

At 25, Ricci-Munn didn't have the drive and focus he would have needed to survive in the professional triathlon loop, choosing to stay out late with friends instead of train. When he got sick before a major Ironman competition, he decided to end his career.

He began teaching at Manchester Essex Middle and High School, first as a permanent substitute in an eighth-grade science class and later as a physical education and health teacher. He picked up a teacher's license and started to think about making it his career.

"He's a very conscientious and approachable teacher," said Assistant Principal Paul Murphy. "The kids look to him as a role model. He lives his life with athleticism and fitness on his mind."

His students agree, scoffing at the idea of Ricci-Munn being an intimidating teacher because of his athletic feats. Many in his freshman gym class on Friday said that it is the best part of their day.

"We know he's right when we ask him things like how to stretch," said freshman Grace Gillette. "He has an inspiring story."

Two years ago, Ricci-Munn decided to begin training again. He said he has never shaken the feeling that he could have done better in his high school and college running careers if he'd focused, and the need to prove it to himself continues to drive him today as he bikes 200 miles, runs 45 miles and swims between four and six miles weekly.

"There's no disputing the fact that it's a ton of hard work," he said. "But it all comes down to consistency. You have to get out there in the rain, in the snow."

Ricci-Munn hopes that his performance over the next year will allow him to become the top-ranked professional triathlete worldwide. With that achievement will come an elevated status as a trainer and prize money available to professional athletes.

"When there's a $50,000 professional prize purse, I'm going in with the intention of winning and coming home with a paycheck," he said. "I want to take it as far as I'm genetically capable of doing."

Bio Box

Name: Janda Ricci-Munn

Age: 31

Hometown: Gloucester

Occupation: Manchester Essex High School physical education/health teacher, trainer and triathlete