|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
Welcome to the September edition of TriColumbia E-News. The Fall brings the end of our race season here in the Mid Atlantic, and the chance to reflect on goals reached and great memories made.
In this issue of our e-newsletter, you will find news about bike advocacy, honored athletes, notable charities we support, and highlights of the 2010 Aflac Iron Girl Columbia and the ChesapeakeMan Endurace Festival.
Be sure to check out the 2011 TriColumbia race and registration opening dates under Upcoming CTA Events.
We wish you safe training, and hope to see you in the Spring!
Enjoy!
|
|
ChesapeakeMan Endurance Festival Athletes Gave It Their All
CTA's 6th Annual offering of The ChesapeakeMan Endurance Festival on September 25, 2010 encompassed The ChesapeakeMan Ultra Distance Triathlon (named a BEST 140.6 race by Triathlon Magazine), Skipjack Triathlon, Aqua Velo and Swimfest. Athletes battled heat and stiff winds on the bike and the flat run. The conditions easily reminded one of Kona!
The day began with a calm Choptank River at 75' F, perfect for a "PR" swim time. The top swim time was posted by 17 year old Hunter Lussi of Kensington, MD at 48:20. Lussi is a high school student at Georgetown Prep and trains weekly with Gold Medal Olympian Michael Phelps. He would eventually post a stellar finish time of 11:24:57, improving on his 2009 time by nearly 20 minutes. The top swim for the women was posted by Jennifer Way of Jacobus, PA in 1:06:04. She would also post the fastest bike split of the day in 6:34:48. But it was Alison Deem of Buffalo, NY who stole the day with an overall winning time of 13:31:25; an accomplishment made even more amazing by the fact that this was her very first ever 140.6 mile triathlon.
On the men's side, it was the steady Rick Fesler who cruised the bike course in 4:58:35, and capped it off with a fine 3:34:28 marathon, to capture the overall title, and like Deem, collect first place money and the beautiful Waterford Crystal Sailboat. Rick would win by nearly an hour. Yes, it was his day for sure!
Congratulations to all finishers and all award winners. Among the
many special performances was that of the most senior competitor, Becky
Shattuck, 58 of Greenfield, MA with a superb 14:12:05 time. Most
interesting was the relative closeness of the top 5 overall times per
gender. It is noteworthy that this distance race was a first for nearly 40% of the race field...and not a hill in site!
The thrill of extraordinary accomplishment that ChesapeakeMan brings to participants was palpable from the Primo Carb dinner on Thursday evening right through the post race Champions Brunch on Sunday morning. Rob Engels, 2010 age group competitor echoed the sentiments of several at the finish line when he offered praise for ChesapeakeMan, "I just want to thank you for the incredible event. I will never forget it. You and your staff (and of course the many volunteers) made this a fantastic experience from beginning to end- every aspect. I didn't want it to be over. I give it a "10". And I thank you humbly for the experience of a lifetime."
There is something it seems about this distance,140.6 miles of swim-bike-run, that brings out the determination and true grit in triathletes. Historically, what Commander John Collins created back in Hawaii in 1978 holds true today - "Swim 2.4 miles, Bike 112 miles, Run 26.2 miles...and brag for the rest of your life."
The finish line was awash at times in tears of joy and satisfaction, of a job well done! To Win...Is to Finish!
See all results here
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charity in Focus - Challenged Athletes Foundation
CTA is pleased to support the Challenged Athletes Foundation whose mission is to provide opportunities and support to people with physical
disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical
fitness and competitive athletics. The Challenged Athletes Foundation
believes that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem,
encourages independence and enhances quality of life.
CAF recognizes the athletic greatness inherent in all people with
physical challenges and supports their athletic endeavors by providing
grants for training, competition and equipment needs.
Grants are
awarded for a wide range of physical challenges, across the entire
spectrum of sport. CAF does not discriminate by age, disability, sport
or level of ability. The hundreds of athletes assisted by CAF range from
world class athletes competing on an international level to those who
are recently disabled and are intent on becoming more active.
Sarah Reinertsen, a paratriathlete and CAF Spokesperson competed in this year's Aflac Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon. She is the first female above-knee amputee to complete an Ironman -
the 2005 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii (a 2.4-mile swim,
112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run). Inspiring us all at a pre-race reception - "An Evening with Grace", Sarah shared the CAF message that no matter what your challenge, you can achieve your dreams and goals.
Read inspiring and compelling stories from athletes supported by CAF.
Help fund a CAF athlete.
|
 Book Your Stay NOW For The Subaru Ironman 70.3 EagleMan Triathlon
General registration for the 2011 Subaru Ironman 70.3 EagleMan Triathlon has closed, but there are still spots remaining for the Aqua Velo race category which has been named as the USAT Mid Atlantic Regional Championship. In addition, there are a few remaining 70.3 CTA Community and Charity Slots remaining. Contact Sharon for more information.
The Subaru Ironman 70.3 EagleMan, which takes place in scenic Cambridge, MD along the Choptank River on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, is an official qualifier for both the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI, and the Foster Grant 70.3 Ironman Championship in Clearwater, Florida. The event attracts dozens of Professional Triathletes from all over the globe who compete for a prize purse of $50,000 and has been named as one of the most popular races of all time by beginnertriathlete.com along with CTA's Columbia Triathlon, Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon and The Assisted Living Well ChesapeakeMan Ultra Triathlon.
Book your special discounted stay at our host hotel, The Hyatt Regency, Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa and Marina. You can save more than $100 off the regular rate per night if you book before January 1, 2011!
|
Beth Ann Telford, Robert Vigorito & Jamie Rogers at 2010 Iron Girl Dress Rehearsal  |
Brain Cancer Survivor BethAnn Telford Named USAT Rudy Project Amateur Multisport Athlete of the Month.
Brain Cancer Survivor BethAnn Telford has been honored as the USAT Rudy
Project Amateur Multisport Ahtlete of the Month (August 2010) for her
selfless contributions to the community, mentorship and inspiration.
Although she has battled cancer for the past 5 years, she continues to
train, compete and support others while raising thousands of dollars for
brain tumor research through her own fundraising organization, Team BT.
BethAnn, pictured at right along with paratriathlete Jamie Rogers, raced at Aflac Iron Girl Columbia while inspiring and supporting others at the event.
Congratulations to BethAnn for this well deserved honor!
Read her nomination submitted by Mary Ann Cox here.
|
Grace Touched Thousands At Aflac Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon
CTA would like to congratulate all the women who embraced the journey to the finish line at The Aflac Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon last month. So many used the event as a means of empowerment toward a healthy lifestyle. Many have expressed their personal feelings about the event on our facebook page.
Among them were five women, who along with Dr. Pamela Peeke, MD, comprised the "Peeke Performers". These women, like so many others, battled back from conditions such as breast cancer and depression and have discovered the self-esteem and healing that comes with becoming an Iron Girl. Pamela Peeke, MD MPH, FACP, is an internationally renowned expert and
speaker in womens health, fitness and nutrition. Peeke is a Pew
Foundation Scholar in Nutrition and Metabolism, and one of the only
physicians in America formally trained in nutrition science. Read more about the "Peeke Performers" in Dr. Peeke's Blog
Two local Iron Girls, Abbey Glassberg and Patti Mills were interviewed
on Good Morning Maryland. Their inspiring stories confirm what
Iron Girl means to so many women - overcoming adversity, embracing
healthy lifestyles, camaraderie and fulfilling goals. View their interview.
See Iron Girl Columbia video highlights
See Active Survivors Network video highlights
See Iron Girl Across America video highlights
We look forward to next year's Iron Girl Columbia on August 21, 2010. Registration will open on November 1, 2010
|
The Blazeman Project - Pro Triathletes Unite In Song To Benefit ALS
Some of the biggest names in triathlon and the rock world have teamed
up and recorded a charity record to raise awareness of the Blazeman
Foundation for ALS in honor of its founder, Jon Blais. Triathlete and
musician Mark Mason who overcame 30 years of challenges, including drug
addiction and homelessness has spearheaded the project. The song will be
available on iTunes, Amazon, Napster etc for $2.99 sometime before
Christmas and all the money goes directly to the Blazeman Foundation.
Read more at EverymanTri.com
|
Be "In The Know" - Advocacy Forum To Be Held For Howard County Bicyclists
Organized by the Bicycling Advocates of Howard County (BAHC), the first ever Howard County Bicycle Advocacy Forum will be held on Monday, October 18th from 6-9 PM at The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab.
The goal of this forum is to provide the bicycling community of Howard County an opportunity to meet and share information with other local cyclists, local and state officials/planners, and regional advocacy groups on issues relating to improving bicycling safety and accessibility in our community.
Free pizza and soft drinks will be served during check-in and registration at 5:30 PM with presentations and discussions to follow at 6 PM. Please register here if you would like to attend.
|
 2011 Event Schedule
May 8, 2011 (TBD) - TriColumbia LIFEfest - Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay & 5K Runs PLUS 100K, 75K & 55K Bike Rides.
|
FIND US ON THE WEB
Columbia Triathlon Association is now on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Please join us on these site for daily updates, special offers, and race reports.
|
Frequently Asked Questions & Resources
If you're not sure about some of the rules & regulations for CTA's races or if you're just looking for answers to commonly asked questions, download the FAQ
Nutrition is a key component to proper training and racing. TriColumbia sponsor, Hammer Nutrition, has an extensive resource page
If you still have questions about specific races, feel free to email us |
|
|
