GET READY TO HOWL
Although, many of the Pack are just getting our arms around next season and starting to ramp up for it, we still have a few folks with some monster races ahead!
- Eric "The Butcher" Gutknecht is headed to Florida as the defending age group long course AquaBike champion to compete in the USA Tri National Championships at Clash Daytona!
- Andy "The Hammer" Solomon is off to Taupo New Zealand to compete in the 70.3 IronMan World Championships!
- Nat "Legolas" Pitts who just broke the Women's 96 Way Head's up World Sky-Diving Record -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hx-6Q_dEUo -- is off to race at, one of my favorite races, IronMan 70.3 Florida in Haines City. Note: This is the same lady that gets nervous riding her bike outside... :)
SOULFUL HOWLS
As exciting as it is to ramp up for next year's season, inevitably, some folks leave the Pack. I always say that you should spend 2-4 years with a coach; then, move on to work with a different philosophy. Year 1 is about getting the partnership to work and see marked improvements, Year 2 is finally putting it all together, and Year 3 & 4 is the "go after it" year or years.
But, alas, cue Bon Jovi -- "Never Say Goodbye" :)
Eli "Lethal Weapon" Madden - I got to know Eli at IronMan 70.3 Wisconsin in 2021. He rented what ended up being close to a Commuter Bike for the race, and as we started talking, I thought I could help. :) Over the next few years we saw his swim come together incredibly, his biking capability take-off, and, then, well, there was that run. Then finally, at IronMan Wisconsin 70.3, which was so apropos, he finally had that race we had been waiting for where he put it all together! Wish I was there at the Finish Line to see the big smile!
Jimmy "Skeletor" Dion - As I mentioned, when I started coaching in 2021, I needed a few guinea pigs to see if my philosophy worked. Jimmy was the first one I called. He always banked a good run, but the other disciplines needed work. Jimmy took it on and took it on HARD! Seeing him go from the middle of the Age Group to always being in contention for podiums was so much fun. The accomplishments were many with the highlight being his 1st Place Age Group at IronMan Waco which was followed by competing in the IronMan World Championships in Kona! Partnering with him to progress to the level he has gotten to has been nothing but a privilege!
HOWLS
Howl out to Andy "The Hammer" Solomon who followed up his 3:42:29 D&L St Luke's Marathon in Pennsylvania to, a few weeks later, crush the unbelievably competitive Ashenfelter 8K Turkey Trot in New Jersey with a smoking 7:11 pace! Funny how perspective changes over time for, after his marathon, we were discussing how bummed we are that he fell apart during the last 4 miles or so. He still did a 3:42!!! hahahaha
Howl out to Tara "Yes I Can" Corduan who, also at the Ashenfelter 8K, had an 8K PR with a 7:53 pace, and just missed getting the, highly sought after, Top 100 female mug! Incredible race!
Howl out to Lisa "SheWolf" Rosynsky who went out in the cold and rain and raced at the Knoghs 5K Turkey Trot in Sparta!
Howl out to Thomas "The Swede" Andreasson who raced his first ever open running race (yes, at 59) which was the 5K Turkey Trot in Missouri (You never tell me the names of your races!) and brought his inner FLASH to crush the M50-59 AG! As Thomas told me before the race, that, at 59, he was concerned about racing all those children. Then, after, he said, "there were 14 in my age group and 13 of them only saw my rear end throughout the entire race". :)
And, with that wrap-up, we hit the century mark for the PR/Podium Counter!!!!! :)
2024 Personal Record (24) and Podium (76) Counter = 100!
PRs (24)
Adam "Kaiju" Smith (M35-39) 3 - That Dam Run 13.1 / IronMan 70.3 Boulder / IronMan Chattanooga
Tara "Yes I Can" Corduan (F-50-54) 3 - Murray Todd 13.1 / IronMan 70.3 West Mass / Ashenfelter 8K
Eli "Lethal Weapon" Madden (M30-34) 3 - Time Travel (Colorado Springs) 10K / Boulder Sunset Olympic Tri / IronMan 70.3 Wisconsin
Matt "Jiffy" Lubiak (M50-54) 3 - NYC 13.1 / Maplewood 5K / USA Tri Nats Olympic
Conner "Farm Boy" Franke (M19-25) 3 - Spring Fever Half-Marathon / IronMan 70.3 Texas / IronMan 70.3 Boulder
Taylor "Warrior Princess" Veranth (F25-29) 2 - Time Travel (Colorado Springs) 10K / IronMan Wisconsin
Josh "Colossus" Hoeft (M25-29) 2 - Spring Fever 13.1 / IronMan Texas
Thomas "The Swede" Andreasson (M55-59) 1 - Missouri 5K
Trevor "Otto Pilot" Schaefer (M55-59) 1 - IronMan 70.3 North Carolina
Andy "The Hammer" Solomon (M50-54) 1 - IronMan 70.3 North Carolina
Nick Gushing (M25-29) 1 - PR: IronMan 70.3 Boulder
Jason "Magnum" Smith (M40-44) 1 - PR: Time to Paddy 13.1
Eric "Charlemagne" Charlebois (M45-49) 1 - PR: Myrtle Beach 13.1
PODIUMS (76)
Eric "The Butcher" Gutknecht (M50-54) 9 - 4 x 2nd & 2 x 4th AG: KHMTT / 2nd AG: KHMTT Series / 2nd AG: USA Tri Multisport (Omaha) Aquabike / 2nd Overall: Tri-Boulder Beast Aquabike
Andy "The Hammer" Solomon (M50-54) 6 - 1st AG: Jerseyman Half-Lite / 5th AG Navesink / 4th AG: NJ State Olympic Tri / 2nd AG: USA Tri Sprint State Championships / 4th AG: Steelman Olympic Tri / 5th AG: SOS
Lisa "SheWolf" Rosynsky (F40-44) 5 - 3rd AG / 4th AG: NJ State Sprint Tri / 2nd AG: USA Tri State Sprint Championships / 3rd AG: Pat Griskus Sprint Tri / 1st AG: Jersey Girl Sprint Tri / 1st AG 1st Category Badgerpalooza
RJ "The Boogie Man" Boergers (M40-44) 4 - 3rd M40-49: Xterra NJ / 5th AG: Navesink / 3rd AG: Wyckoff Tri / 1st AG: Lake Placid Sprint Tri
Josh "Colossus" Hoeft (M25-29) 4 - 2nd Overall: Spring Fever 13.1 / 3rd M Cat 4: KHMTT #01 / 3rd M Cat 4: KHMTT #02 / 3rd M Cat 4: KHMTT #03
Tara "Yes I Can" Corduan (F50-54) 4 - 3rd AG: Murray Todd 13.1 / 1st AG: Lake Hopatcong Sprint Tri / 2nd AG Harding Halloween 13.1
Matt "Jiffy" Lubiak (M50-54) 3 - AG: Jerseyman Half-Lite / 2nd Overall Sunset Lake Olympic Tri) / 1st AG: Maplewood 5K
Taylor "Warrior Princess" Veranth (F25-29) 2 - 3rd AG: Colorado Sprint Tri / 1st AG: Steamboat Gravel Tri
Nat "Legolas" Pitts (F35-39) 2 - 3rd F30-39: That Dam Run 13.1 / 3rd AG: Colorado Sprint Tri / 3rd AG: Boulder Peak Olympic Tri
Conner "Farm Boy" Franke (M19-25) 2 - 3rd AG: Spring Fever 13.1 / 2nd AG: Colorado Sprint Tri
Thomas "The Swede" Andreasson (M55-59) 1 - 1st M50-59 Missouri 5K
Eli "Lethal Weapon" Madden (M40-44) 1 - 3rd AG Oktoberfest Sprint Tri
Jimmy "Skeletor" Dion (M50-54) 1 - 3rd Overall: Lake Hopatcong Sprint Tri / 1st Steelman 5K Swim
Adam "The Kaiju" Smith (M40-44) 1 - 1st Clydesdale: Steamboat Gravel Tri
Jason "Magnum" Smith (M40-44) 1 - PR: 1st AG: Time to Paddy 13.1
Elise Griffiths (F30-34) 1 - 2nd AG Harvest Moon Olympic Tri
Christine Kachinsky (F50-54) 11 - 3rd Overall Female: Polar Prowl 13.1 / 3rd F50-59: That Dam Run 13.1 / 1st AG Spring Fever 13.1 / 2nd AG: KHMTT #04 / 2nd AG: IronMan 70.3 Hawaii / 1st AG IronMan 70.3 Boulder / 3rd Overall: Tri-Boulder / 1st USA Tri Sprint State Championship Sprint / 4th AG: Boulder Sunset Olympic Tri / 1st AG: Kooky Spooky 13.1
John Bye (M55-59) 17 - 1st AG: Polar Prowl 13.1 / 4th M50-59: That Dam Run 10K / 1st M50+ Cat 4: Frostbite TT / 1st M50-59: Spring Fever 10K / 1st M55-59 Cat 4: KHMTT #01 / 3rd Retro M Cat 4/5: KHMTT #01 / 4th M55-59 Cat 4: KHMTT #02 / 2nd M55-59 Cat 4: KHMTT #03 / 5th Retro M Cat 4/5: KHMTT #03 / 1st M55-59 Cat 4: KHMTT #04 / 1st M55-59 Cat 4: KHMTT #05 / 1st M55-59 Cat 4: KHMTT #06 / 3rd M50-54: KHMTT #06 / 1st AG: KHMTT #07 / 1st AG: KHMTT Series / 1st AG: Tri-Boulder Sprint Tri / 1st AG: USA Tri Spring State Championships
Relentless Forward Motion
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