Mark your calendars because Triple Sports is having a birthday! We've had so much fun this inaugural year, and we want to celebrate and thank you ~ our valued friends and customers ~ with a little bit 'o fun!

Join us as we celebrate our one-year anniversary from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 17 at Triple Sports. We'll have plenty of food, drinks, and great triathlete conversation on hand -- so don't miss out!

Please RSVP by June 10 to info@triplesportsonline.com or by calling 480.994.1174 so we can have enough nourishment on hand. See ya!

We've heard from you, and you want Adidas. Well, now you've got it. Or at least, you will soon. Adidas and Triple Sports have teamed up to offer you a great selection of these rock-solid shoes, right here in Scottsdale. Expect Adidas's popular line of Supernovas and adiStars to arrive sometime this month.

Meet Randy Ziegler, a 27-year-old fireman from Phoenix who completed his first Ironman last month in a speed-demonish 12:56.

Q. How did you get involved in triathlon, and what keeps you coming back for more?
A. I became interested in tris as a way to integrate adult velcro (locking laces) and tight-fitting, brightly colored clothing into more areas of my life. Just kidding. Seriously, I needed a sport to keep me fit that was more along the lines of 'slow twitch'. My team sports skill had dwindled away since high school, and I needed more variety in my cardio. I keep racing because I have found out more about myself through this sport than any other activity I've done. I keep setting new, higher goals for myself and blowing through them. The belief in myself I've gained has transcended the barriers of the sport and spilled into other areas of my life. It is the most fulfilling activity I've ever been involved with. Oh yeah, I have a blast while racing and I seem to meet the coolest people at events.

Q. What?s your favorite workout?
A. My favorite workout is a finished workout that is followed by a cold beer or a deep-fried ding-dong.

Q. You did your first Ironman last month, tell us about your experience.
A. IMAZ was a tough day, but not as tough as I thought. I was more than sufficiently physically and mentally conditioned by Anne and Bill Wilson at Camelback Coaching. I had some serious back pain from a chronic ailment that slowed me down significantly on the bike. Other than that, my day went pretty much like everyone else?s. I was drained by the end, but looked back on it as one of the greatest days of my life. I finished in 12:56. I'll do another eventually, but right now I want fun back in my life. I see the lake, wakeboarding and surfing my immediate future.

Q. You volunteered as an ?adopted Ironman.? How was that experience?
A. I volunteered for Adopt an Ironman because I enjoy working with children. Kids are so much fun when you can give them back to whoever is responsible for them when you are done playing. Anyway, I visited a third-grade classroom at Chandler Heights Elementary, taught by Lisa Roberts, once before the race and once after. I tried to inspire the kids to shoot for the stars. I wanted them to think beyond what they thought was possible. I encouraged them to dream big, which children do quite naturally, but also that it takes work to achieve almost anything worth doing in this world. Lifelong health and fitness were also key ideas.

Q. What is your next goal?
A. My next few races are going to be Olympics and sprints during the summer. I'm not yet ready to completely focus on triathlon again. I'm still mentally recovering. Right now my priority is fixing the disarray my life has become after four-and-a-half months of neglect from training for IMAZ.