Minnesota native Matthew Helmerichs is opening up about his difficulty in coming out of the closet. But in a surprising twist, he also reveals what helped him do so: triathlons.In a new essay for OutSports, professional marking executive Helmerichs recalls memories of growing up in a homophobic society, and how that upbringing made him afraid to come out as an adult.“Around the age of 16, every now and then I would get asked a question that always caught me off guard. ‘Are you gay?'” the 25-year-old writes.“Sometimes it was from a curious close friend or from someone trying to embarrass or make fun of me.