A Father's Day Story

STILLWATER - It's 4:03 a.m. and Oklahoma State wide receivers coach Kasey Dunn and his daughter Kayla are awake and getting ready for a training session. You see, on June 28, they'll compete as a father-daughter entry into the Buffalo Springs Lake Half Ironman in Lubbock and there is still work to be done to prepare for the physical and mental challenge that awaits.

Having already competed in an ironman competition last year, Kasey Dunn is well-versed in what to expect. He just didn't expect to be back at it so soon.

Kasey, a 45-year-old former NFL wide receiver, said he didn't have any reservations on whether or not Kayla, a 17-year-old state-champion swimmer, would make it in a half ironman. Rather, his concerns revolved primarily around if he can hold up.

"The only reservation I had was did I want to do it again?" he said. "Last year, I did an ironman triathlon in Coeur d'Alene and swore when I was on that bike that I'd never do it again. When Kayla said she wanted to do this, it was cool to hear her say it, but at the same time, I'm thinking `man, I've got to get back on that bike and ride for hours on Sundays and swim at 6:00 in the morning at the Colvin Center and run in to work.'

"With football, it's hard to find the time to get those training hours in, so it has to come on a Sunday morning sometimes or a Saturday afternoon or whenever you can fit it in.

The two train primarily at Boomer Lake, just a mile or so north of Boone Pickens Stadium, but also have long bike rides around Stillwater. Much of their swim training takes place at the Colvin Center on the OSU campus or at Lake McMurtry, just west of town.

The Buffalo Springs Lake Half Ironman represents the culmination of training that started in December, in advance of the Cowboys' Cactus Bowl win over Washington.

"Kayla and I ran several times together out in Arizona and then we added the swimming when we got back," Kasey said. "There were some real nice trails to run out there. When we got back into Stillwater in January, then we really kicked it into gear on the bikes and going swimming, which is something Kayla does all year."

So what does a typical training session look like for the Dunns? A run of anywhere from six to nine miles, followed by a three-mile bike ride or a 20-to-25-mile bike ride followed by a two-to-three-mile run. A taxing training session consists of far more.

"For a grueling session, we actually get pretty dang close to doing the half-ironman - we'll go to the Colvin and swim just under a mile and a half, which is about 45 laps, then come out of that and ride out to Boomer Lake and lap that about 10 times, come back in, park, and go for a five-mile run. That's a tough day," Kasey said. "It's not quite the distance for a (half-ironman) run, but it's pretty close for everything else."

Why do they do it? What motivates them?

"It's an opportunity to be with her. Not just race day, but everything leading up to it - the preparation, the planning, the training together," Kasey said. "Race day itself would be great if we can accomplish it, but everything leading up to it has been the most enjoyable part of the experience, just hanging out with her, it gives us something that we can talk about. It puts us on common ground and has provided us with a lot of positive father-daughter experiences along the way."

Kayla echoed that sentiment.

"With my dad coaching football, he spends a lot of time away from home," she said. "He's at practice, or out recruiting or on the road for a game so I don't get to see him all the time. I know that he likes working out. He bikes to work in the morning, he runs - he's just a huge workout fanatic. This is something that I can do with him and this is good time that we can spend together. Doing this ironman, I've actually gotten to teach him a little bit about swimming and some of the techniques I use. This is a special time for us and it's really cool."

Kasey admitted that swimming is not something that he has a full understanding of, so while he has taken joy in watching Kayla compete in the pool through the years, swimming itself is not something that they have spoken about frequently. Training alongside her for an ironman competition, however, is different.

"Being able to swim, bike and run, put it all together and then hang out and talk about it afterwards - that has really been special for both her and I," Kasey said. "For my wife, seeing those kinds of father-daughter moments is rewarding for her, too, because we've never really had that opportunity for Kayla and I to do things like that, but now we have it."

Dunn's wife, Janelle, shared her perspective on what she sees as her husband and daughter work toward a very unique shared goal.

"I think it's a great opportunity for them to have this time together and be together," Janelle said. "It's something that's healthy. She's a swimmer, so it incorporates that. He's already done an ironman, but it's something totally new for her and the fact that she was willing to go along with this says a lot about her character. He asked me if I wanted to do it and I flat-out said no, I don't want to, but she jumped right in and is actually doing it. I'm so proud of her."

"My dad and I have a lot more to talk about now," Kayla said. "I've learned a lot about him during this process and my favorite thing is how determined he is to succeed. Once he puts his mind to a task, he will finish it. I really admire him for how he can accomplish whatever he sets out to and I really respect him because I've seen him do it up close."

Kasey said he has learned new things about Kayla during this training, as well.

"She's always been tough, but what I've learned as we train together is how determined she is," he said. "She really wants to do this, and in training with her, I've learned that she's going to do this and do it with flying colors. I'm sure she's going to get off that bike and into the run and say to herself that this is hard and this is a lot of work, but she is going to dig down deep and finish the race. I'm very proud of her and the determination she shows."

So with more than six months of difficult training with his daughter in the books, what is it that Kasey most anticipates about the race?

"The six-hour drive to Lubbock and the six-hour drive back is going to be special," he said. "It sounds crazy because people don't want to be in a car for that long, but I am really looking forward to that time together with just the two of us."

As for Kayla, this experience has taught her something about what a relationship between a father and daughter can be."It's really easy for kids my age and their parents to not spend time together," Kayla said. "Between extracurriculars or the fact that I can now drive on my own, it would be easy to just do my own thing, but the truth is that there are so many ways that you can spend quality time with your parents. Competing in a ironman is an unconventional way to do it, but I love this time that I get to spend with my dad and it means a lot to me."

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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