Impressive Team

I spent the lunch hour today with 16 employees from Partners HealthCare in Cambridge.  These employees have taken it upon themselves to form a team and compete in the Marlborough Triathlon.  Many of them have never competed in a triathlon before.   I loved talking to them about the course, what to expect, and how to prepare for race day.   This is a great example of a group of people taking the initiative to complete an athletic challenge as a team.   Go Partners!

Two Quick Updates

Two race related items this morning…..

For those of you in the Nantucket Triathlon (www.acktri.com), we have launched details regarding the Steamship Authority special ferry discount (for all registered racers and their families).  The race starts at noon, which we hope will give racers the flexibility to come to the island for the day or the entire weekend.

In other news, a North Shore training outfit called HillTop, is planning group bike rides that will start and finish at the Manchester Athletic Club (in Manchester, MA).   The group rides will start promptly at 8:45 am starting this Saturday for the next 3 months.  Riders will be separated into two groups based on skill and speed.   The cost for the season is $35. 

Enjoy the summer like weather this weekend!

Thank You and a Great Story

Thank you to all who participated in the meeting on Saturday with Jarrod and Tim.  One participant said it best in an email after the meeting.  He said, “that was fantastic meeting this morning.  It was nice to hear genuine elite athletes speak.  Especially local heroes.  It is tiring listening to the highly paid professionals.  Jarrod and Tim were outstanding.”  I agree!

In other fun news, I received word late last week that Sabra Hawkes, a 2008 US Paralympic Olympic team member, will compete in the Gloucester Triathlon this year.  Born with cerebral palsy, Hawkes’ emergence last year as one of the top physically disabled sprinters in the world provides an eye-opening lesson in how one very determined young girl was able to overcome great adversity in pursuit of her long-held Olympic dream.   Sandra will compete the run leg of the triathlon on a relay team with her father who will lead off the swim leg and her best friend who will take on the bike leg of the race.  A fantastic story and we are proud to have Sandra and her team in the race field.

Meet An Olympian On Saturday (April 18th)

Come down to the seaside town of Cohasset on Saturday to meet 2008 Olympian Jarrod Shoemaker!

 

Jarrod and his coach Tim Crowley will be in Cohasset to talk about their incredible journey from landing a spot on the Olympic team to preparing for the big race. Jarrod will talk about what it is like to compete at the international level and the explosive growth of triathlons today.

 

Jarrod and Tim will then spend the majority of the time helping you prepare for your races(s) this summer.  They will offer a variety of training, equipment, and race day tips.  This will be particularly helpful for the beginner triathletes or anyone looking to improve their skills.

 

This event is free and open to anyone.  Feel free to bring along a friend or family member who might be thinking about entering a triathlon this summer.  Kids are also welcome.

 

Due to the high demand of this event, the meeting will take place at the Cohasset High School gymnasium (click here for map).  The meeting will start at 11:00 am. 

owater = great partnership

I met up today with the folks at owater, a terrific partner in our series, and had the opportunity to meet Tom First.  I was originally introduced to Tom by my brother-in-law prior to the inaugural Cohasset Tri in 2007.  With years of beverage experience as one of the founders of Nantucket Nectars, Tom decided to start up owater which produces a  healthy sports drink that includes pure water, real fruit, and electrolytes.  Owater partnered up with Jarrod Shoemaker after last year’s Cohasset race – check out Jarrod’s bottle label here.  I love the company, it’s branding, and it’s people and I look forward to another great year with them.  Tom even mentioned today says he plans to compete in 1 or 2 of our races.

Well Said

I plan to use this blog to share comments/input I hear from various athletes.  I was touched by one such comment today when someone wrote in an email to me…”one last thing I’d add is that I’m appreciative that you have brought such quality races to the area. The enthusiasm you bring is infectious and the quality of the events speak for themselves. It is a real gift to the community to provide a healthy and rewarding experience to folks right in their back-yards.”  This athlete nailed it for me.  This is why I love what I do.