HOWLS
The last couple weeks had some wonderful accomplishments and I'll explain why.
There comes a point in racing where you finally have that breakthrough race which defines you in such a way that you finally learn to race and can show up to a race and have a good day. Howl out to Eli "Lethal Weapon" Madden who finally got on the podium, placing 3rd M40-44 at the Oktoberfest Sprint Tri in Longmont, CO. I look back at Eli's beginnings with the Pack in 2022 and the growth he's had as a racer is really tremendous. When I saw this result it made me smile. It wasn't this particular race, it was a few weeks before, which I highlighted, at IronMan 70.3 Wisconsin where, after years of trying, he finally put a whole race together, than, BAM, a couple weeks later, he lays not a scorcher at Oktoberfest. This whole racing thing is a journey of improvement, but a big step in it is when you "show-up" at a race and put all the pieces together and have a solid day.
Howl out to Adam "Kaiju" Smith who went to IronMan CHattanooga and, despite a cancelled swim, completed his first ever ultra distance race and did so in just 11 hours. Had the swim go on and the rainy weather not plagued the bike course, he would have easily gone sub-12 which is remarkable for one's first-ever iron distance outting. I told Adam, which is the same thing I told Taylor as they readied to dip their toes in the water, is that, and I've said this repeatedly, "it is about the start line". If you train, and they did, look around and recognize that you have out-trained 85-90% of the field. Don't be nervous, look at it as a reward for effort. Yes, you suffer at points, but you relentlessly moving forward and having YOUR day that YOU earned!
Finally, Howl out to Lisa "She-Wolf" Rosynsky who crushed F40-44 at JerseyGirl Sprint Triathlon where in a field of over 50 ladies in her AG, placed 1st and got to step to the top of the podium. Everyone has that one race that means a lot to them (mine was Jerseyman, which I always said was my "Kona" as that's when I'd be able to race, in May of the following year, all the NJ/PA folks who went to Hawaii in October). For L-Ro, who has always looked at this race as the definition of her capability, despite a bit of a discordant training year, brought it on raceday and crushed the field!
We are closing in on the Century Mark for PRs and Podiums! Please doublecheck as I think I missed and/or messed up a few.
2024 Personal Record (21) and Podium (67) Counter = 88!
PRs (21)
Adam "Kaiju" Smith (M35-39) 3 - That Dam Run 13.1 / IronMan 70.3 Boulder / IronMan Chattanooga
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
Tara "Yes I Can" Corduan (F-50-54) 2 - Murray Todd 13.1 / IronMan 70.3 West Mass
Josh "Colossus" Hoeft (M25-29) 2 - Spring Fever 13.1 / IronMan Texas
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 (67)
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
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
Matt "Jiffy" Lubiak (M50-54) 3 - AG: Jerseyman Half-Lite / 2nd Overall Sunset Lake Olympic Tri) / 1st AG: Maplewood 5K
Tara "Yes I Can" Corduan (F50-54) 2 - 3rd AG: Murray Todd 13.1 / 1st AG: Lake Hopatcong Sprint Tri
Taylor "Warrior Princess" Veranth (F25-29) 2 - 3rd AG: Colorado Sprint Tri / 1st AG: Steamboat Gravel Tri
Lisa "SheWolf" Rosynsky (F40-44) 2 - 3rd F40-44 / 4th AG: NJ State Sprint Tri / 2nd AG: USA Tri State Sprint Championships
Nat "Legolas" Pitts (F35-39) 2 - 3rd F30-39: That Dam Run 13.1 / 3rd AG: Colorado Sprint Tri
Conner "Farm Boy" Franke (M19-25) 2 - 3rd AG: Spring Fever 13.1 / 2nd AG: Colorado Sprint Tri
Eli "Lethal Weapon" Madden (M40-44) - 3rd AG Oktoberfest Sprint Tri
Jimmy "Skeletor" Dion (M50-54) 1 - 3rd Overall: Lake Hopatcong Sprint Tri
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) 10 - 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
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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