THE BIG QUESTION
THE BIG QUESTION:
What is your goal race for 2013?
My first triathlon will be Iron Girl Syracuse. I set this as a fitness weight loss goal. After having two girls, I want to be a better influence on my kids, health wise, than my parents were to me. I was born with a heart condition. After a lifetime of being told I can’t do certain things, I want to prove them all wrong!
— Tammy Pittsley, 36, Elbridge N.Y.
My goal race is the Age Group Nationals Olympic-distance race in Milwaukee in August. It is my goal race because it will be an honor to race at Nationals and because it will be my first Olympic-distance race. It has taken on more significance since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February and am undergoing treatment as I train for the race. It is the goal that keeps me getting out of bed and moving forward every single day.
— Patti Thompson, Allentown, N.J.
My “A” race of 2013 is TriRock Philly. I have been given the chance to race for team Racing to Register and raise awareness for bone marrow patients. It’s my first Olympic, and I know they’re cheering me on even if they can’t be there.
— Joseph Brescia, 33, Oaklyn, N.J.
My big race for 2013 is Ironman Cozumel. This will be my first Iron-distance race. I chose Cozumel so that I could take my wife to a paradise location to say thank you for all of the support she is giving me in reaching my dream. I love you Jennifer! You are the best!
— Paul Smith, 34, Albuquerque, N.M.
USAT Age Group Nationals. Because I have done well in local races, but I’m ready to be humbled on the national level. Knowing the caliber of these athletes will make me reach past my normal scope of training and hopefully help me achieve a new level of athleticism. Who am I kidding, I’ve just always wanted to go to Wisconsin.
— Aubrey Nolan, 27, Pleasanton, Calif.
Goal race: IM Coeur d’Alene, my first Iron-distance race. I cannot think of a better way to kick-off a new decade than to finish an Ironman! I turn 40 two weeks after the race. Racing at the age of 39 in the 40-44 bracket can’t hurt.
— Karrie Hogan, 39, Broomfield, Colo.
I actually have two goal races at the end of the season. One is Powerman USA in Florida, and the other is the USAT Duathlon National Championships in Tucson. I chose them because they are nice places to visit, and I get to compete against the best duathletes in the country.
— Bob Jones, 50, Bartlett, Ill.
My goal race is the National Senior Olympics in Cleveland, Ohio, in July. I went to Kentucky in 2007, but couldn’t swim. In 2009, San Francisco was too far. I ruptured a disc two months before the 2011 games in Texas and had to forfeit my entry fee. Hopefully I will finally realize my dream this year.
— Barbara Bogart, 70, Elizabethton, Tenn.
My goal race is the XTERRA age group nationals in Ogden, Utah. I selected this as my goal race for a number of reasons. It’s the biggest, hardest, and most important off-road tri in the continental U.S. The four qualifying events will fine tune my race technique and strategy, and the late fall date will maximize the amount of time I have to practice my weakest discipline — open water swimming.
— Mike Preston, 43, Crested Butte, Colo.
My goal race for 2013 is the Heartland Triathlon in Sebring, Fla. This was my first triathlon and my goal is to see just how much I have learned from rookie mistakes and how much I have improved in a year’s time. This awesomely coordinated race is what hooked me into triathlons!
— Sherry Bechtel, 40, Fruitland Park, Fla.
In April 2012, on a run in Monterey, I suffered a massive heart attack but was rescued through bystander CPR. After open-heart surgery, my nurse [who is] also a triathlete, discussed that I should return in 2013 for Pacific Grove. I look forward to not only competing healthy, but to thanking the people who kept me alive.
— Bob Stromberg, 45, Englewood, Colo.
My goal race is a duathlon in October, a modest goal by many athletes’ standards. But it was this same race last year that brought me back into running and competition since the late 80s. So hopefully, as long as my muscles hold together, I intend on shaving three minutes off my first run and at least three minutes off my ride for a top-10 finish.
— Luis A. Fernandes, 44, Newark, N.J.
THE NEXT BIG QUESTION:
How do you track and document your training for multisport?
Send your response (60 words or fewer) to
communications@usatriathlon.org by Aug. 12. Remember to include your name, age, hometown and put “Big Question” in the subject line. USA Triathlon may edit for spelling, grammar and content.
78 USA TRIATHLON SUMMER 2013
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