ASPHALT JUNKIES Summer Bronzing Crew - CLOSED

I'm back for more too!

USERNAME: Trigal38  Name: Dina

STORY: Lifetime fitness junkie. I've been running for 20 years, cycling for 15 and swimming for 10 years but all just for fun and fitness. No races, training plans, Heart Monitors or any of that until I started tri training. I was invited to visit a swim for fitness class at the Y a few years ago. Turns out everyone in the class was training for triathlons. This group encouraged me to attempt my first race. I guess that would have been in 2009. I raced 4 sprints and 1 OLY that year. Every race I thought "I think I can do better". 2010 I raced a lot of the same events but really wanted to get faster. It was a painful year with lots of races in crappy weather. I did not understand pacing, had a lot of painful races and was only a couple of minutes faster.

FAMILY STATUS: Happily married to my very best friend for 16 years!! We have two young children. My son is 7 and my daughter is 5. My family is the focus of my day, training is my Mommy time off.

Job: Part time everything. I teach preschool  at home to my daughter and 4 of her friends 1 day a week, Toddler Gym (which is like P.E. for children age 2-4) at the YMCA 2 mornings a week and the rest of the time I am a stay at home mom. I was a full-time preschool teacher for 13 years before we started a family so teaching is just in my blood.

CURRENT TRAINING: I think I can, I think I can. I am recovering well from some injuries and trying to remain motivated to keep moving through the winter. I am returning to running after a short lay off due to an issue with my foot. I am keeping my runs short and slow with my focus being any run is better than nothing. I swim year round but the YMCA pool is a 40 min drive so 2 days a week is about all I can accomplish in the winter. I'm getting ready to install a cadence monitor on my bike and sign up for Trainer Road to find some new motivation on the trainer. Finally, as I age I feel like I am losing strength so I am trying to add some strength training into the mix this winter.

2012 races: I raced 3 sprints and volunteered at 2 races last spring/summer. Family is first for me so I typically choose small, local races that don't take a lot of travel time and are easier on the wallet. Last summer I was dealing with some back and foot issues and I was simply happy to participate. I had no long distance goal. Even with all these issues I managed to PR each of these events and finish well in the standings. I give full credit to my bike for that!

2013 races: I don't know yet, work in progress. Basically whatever my run will support and I have time for.

WEIGHTLOSS: I don't have any weight loss goals. I am always trying to tweak my overall nutrition by cutting back on sweets or salty snacks and eating more vegetables. And I still need to try to drink more water!!

What will make me a good mentee: I am on BT regularly and really enjoy the social interaction between others who have a passion for fitness.

WHEN CAN YOU START: Immediately 

USERNAME: strikyr NAME: Anthony (Tony) Holewienko

STORY:  I'm a 45 year old guy who was out of shape and overweight 4 years ago. I started working out strength training and doing cardio the end of March 2009 and dropped 80 pounds in 8 months. I went from 260 to 180 pounds. I took up running in Dec 2009 and within 5 months I was able to complete the 2010 LI Marathon. It was not the smartest thing I have ever done but I was able to do it. I’ve become an avid runner since the end of 2009 and have completed everything from 5K to Marathon distance races. I made the transition to triathlon following the Hartford Marathon in 2011. Initially I wanted to take on a bigger challenge but after reading Jacques Steinberg’s book “You are an Ironnman” my goals quickly changed. While reading that book I thought “This could be me, why couldn’t I do an Ironman”? So I set the goal of being able to complete an Ironman within 24 months of starting my foray into triathlon. Yes, very ambitious for someone who couldn't swim or hadn't been on a bike for 25 years but I figured I may not get a better opportunity to do this with my current work situation and it sort of wound up becoming my dream over the past year.

I successfully completed 4 triathlons last season, two sprints, one Olympic and amazingly enough one half iron distance
triathlon. I also completed one 10K ironically on the day that I was supposed to run the NYC Marathon which I had been
waiting to do for the last 3 years however that did not happen due to Hurricane Sandy. I've deferred the NYC marathon until 2014. Following the HIM I signed up for Ironman Wisconsin 2013. I know I am not really sure what I was thinking when I did that and I'm pretty sure I totally underestimated the effort involved in attempting to do this. In any case I will spend all of 2013 trying to physically and mentally prepare myself to finish IMWI.
 
I must mention that two very important things happened last year which contributed to my success last season and which willcarry over to this season. The first one was being able to be a part of the Asphalt Junkies for all of 2012 and the begining of 2013. The second thing was meeting several local LI triathletes some of which are fellow BT’ers who I've come to know and have been able to train with. Both these things have been very instrumental in helping me learn, grow and succeed within the sport. I'm also hoping that this will help me succeed in Wisconsin this year.

FAMILY STATUS: I have been married for 25 years. We have three kids two daughters (24 & 18) and a son (16). My wife has been extremely supportive along with my family in allowing me to get involved in triathlon and to follow my Ironman dream. I could not have accomplished what I have so far without them.

JOB: I am a Network Architect working for a large Telecomm company supporting a well-known financial company. I work from home which is a huge bonus for training. I have good flexibility for my training schedule.

CURRENT TRAINING:  I am currently training 12 plus hours a week for IMWI. I swim 3 times a week, run 3 to 4 times a week and bike 4 times a week with my current Ironman training. I am loosely following Don Fink's IronFit plan. For the swim and run I am following the intermediate plan and for the bike I am following the competitive plan. I expect the training hours are going be anywhere from 12 to 18 hours for a given week.

2013 RACES: I am only doing three races this year, Riverhead Rocks Olympic Tri, Syracuse 70.3 and Ironman Wisconsin. I have deferred the NYC Marathon until 2014. The oly and HIM will be prep races for IM. My entire focus for this season is on finishing IMWI.

2012 RACES: Last year I completed 2 sprints (Smith Point and Deep Pond Tri’s), one Olympic (Riverhead Rocks) and
one HIM (Montauk Mighty Man).

2012 HIGHLIGHTS:  Overcoming the bike crash at the Deep Pond sprint tri in some very miserable weather and finishing the race. I was especially proud of my trail run there I absolutely killed that and the trails were just mud and puddles.

Finishing the Mighty Man HIM, I was expecting a 6 to 6:30 finish the weather was just brutal and miserable for the entire
bike, it was pouring rain, windy and cold. I finished in 7:20 and it was a very humbling experience but I would not change
one thing about that race. I learned so much about myself that day I know that is a race I can always look back on when I need some inspiration and motivation.

WEIGHTLOSS: I'm really not looking to lose any more weight. I started my IM training in Novemeber in the 170-173 lbs range and I actually lost weight. I'm currently in the 167-170 lbs range and would like to stay there for this season and for IM.  I would not be sad though to be around 165 on race day September 8th.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: I have found that I have a great passion for triathlon and endurance sports and I have embraced the lifestyle. I believe that it is part of who I am. With that being said I have only been involved with triathlon for less than 18 months and still have much to learn about it. Training for Ironman so far has been the most challenging thing that I've ever done. Trying to balance work, training, family and all the other responsibilities that I have has been very challenging. The knowledge, experience and support that the mentors and the group can provide will go a long way to helping me succeed.

Personal Bio:

USERNAME: Pistuo  Name: Will

STORY: Got into Tri about 4 years ago.  Have only actually ever done 3 Tris: 2 sprints & a HIM.  I've also done a marathon.  Thinking about going for a full IM at the end of 2013.

FAMILY STATUS: Married over 8 years.  Just had our first baby (Claire).  We prayed for this baby for over 3 years and God finally answered our prayers!

JOB: I am a youth minister.

CURRENT TRAINING: Currently getting in about 8-9 hours of training per week with a focus on the bike to strengthen it.  Will decide soon whether or not to sign up for IM based on my training.  20 week plan would start in June...

THIS YEAR'S RACES:  Looking at Beach to Battleship full IM n Wilmington, NC.

LAST SEASONS RACES:  Did a marathon in feb 2012

MY BIGGEST SUCCESSES:  probably my HIM.

WEIGHTLOSS: Have lost over 10lbs since Jan.  Would like to lose another 10 before IM.  

Got on the bike today for 63 miles at 18.4 mph avg with 20mph winds and some decent hills today... by far my best ride of that distance.

Also, continuing our "poor diet" convo from previous thread:  I eat a bowl of fruit loops every night... should someone here slap me?  Any thoughts on if that is bad?

MENTEE BIO

WHEN CAN YOU START: Immediately

USERNAME: jenbmosley Name: Jennifer Bendewish-Mosley

STORY: I am a SoCal native and moved to South Georgia in 2011 to be close to my husband's family. I grew up surfing, little  bit of running, skateboarding, hiking, and snowboarding.

After moving to Georgia, I have found new passion in both triathlon and mountain biking. Of the three triathlon disciplines, I enjoy running the most.  

FAMILY STATUS: Married 7 years to another Army Vet who loves to hit the gym, watch college football and golf. We have two little girls (ages 2 and 4).

Job: Data Analyst for a small organization that manages 30 small LLC's. I am responsible for putting together combined financial reports, bank reconciliations, and strategic planning/risk management.

CURRENT TRAINING: My plan is to repeat the 20 week Olympic Distance training plan, involving S/B/R 3x a week.

2013 RACES: Summer races: August - Chattahoochee Challenge, Columbus, GA (1st Olympic distance race). Possibly going to race in the GA Veterans Sprint Tri in August as well.

2014 Goal - Spend 2013 training and preparing for 2013 HIM in Augusta, GA in September. The swim is the only thing standing in my way right now - otherwise I would go for it in 2013.

2012 RACES: This past season I completed 2 Sprints (GA Veteran's and Tri the Rez), one 10k (Tallahassee Turkey Trot), one HM (Red Nose HM, Thomasville, GA), and Tough Mudder, Fl in December - awesome and TOUGH!

2012/2013 SPRING HIGHLIGHTS: As of May 2013, I have entered and completed 4 sprint triathlons, run several 5ks, 10ks, and 4 Half Marathons. I have plaed 1st in my age group in a sprint tri, and then placed last. I battled through a naggin right IT band issue for months, which led m to dropping out of a few HMs.   

WEIGHTLOSS: At 5'1", I am right around 130, down a few pounds from where I've been in 2012. I'd like to stay at 130, and work on getting body fat % down a little. 

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: After getting through my first triathlon season, I realize how much passion I have for the sport. I am eager to learn and have always had a passion for the pursuit of knowledge. I am consistent, reliable, and diligent. I am hoping to get mentorship as I move into my second season on how to shift training from Sprint, to Olympic, to HIM. I am eager to learn more about strategy, how to make the most of workouts, and for guidance on where to focus my training. I am also hoping to make great connections with other triathletes who must balance family priorities and other life responsibilities in addition to training and racing.

***Also placed post in Spring 2013 forum***

Review posted - http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=486943

53 people did the sprint, 25 people did the Olympic course.

It rained all night Friday and stopped about 4:00 a.m. It drizzled lightly throughout the race, making for a damp bike course and the rain really started coming down around noon. The weather made for a gray and choppy swim in the wind. I considered making this my first Oly; a few ladies in our tri club are seasoned HIM racers. They both said that the race swim for the Oly race yesterday was tougher than any HIM swims thay have done.

My T1 time was decent, but my T2 time was not.

T1 - 1:32, included getting my wetsuit off. My wetsuit got stuck on my timing chip on my left ankle. How do you guys deal with this?

T2 - 1:02, My goal was to keep with under 50 seconds, hhmmm.... what happened? I think I need more practice getting out of my clips on my bike.. I am still a newbie with clips n such and moving through the motions still requires mental effort instead of automatic movements.

Overall, I am pretty happy with my race. This was not an "A" race and my goal was to not panic in the water and find my groove in the water sooner. I found my groove right away and stayed calm the whole way; even found myself having to swim around others (a totally new experience for me). I also didn't get startled when I was kicked or hit by other swimmers.

My bike leg was decent and my run was pretty good.

The toughest part of the race - getting there with my 2 yr old and 4 yr old, and having to hip the toddler up until the last second.I had to hip her, carry my gear in a backpack, steer my bike with my wetsuit on my handlebars all the way to the transition area. I was even in transition getting my wetsuit on with her whining to be picked up by mommy. Yes, I got looks from people. Seconds before the swim, I didn't even know if she was going to let me race, but she did and I got to wave at them after the swim, after the bike and as I finished the run. That part was awesome.

I've been training longer distances and the long, slow easy paces threw me off a bit, especially on the run. I didn't wear a watch or a heart rate monitor. I raced without a watch on purpose. Normally, I wouldn't. But, with the short distance, I didn't want to play mental games with myself as if I were way behind or ahead so I should slow down. I just listened to my body. Due to longer training sessions, I didn't find my groove on the run till the second mile (course wasn't really marked either). I sprinted the last tenth mile, but felt like I had still had so much more to give. That feeling gves me confidence to tackle an Olympic, just need to log more mils on the bike.

WHEN CAN YOU START: Immediately.

USERNAME: wbayek  NAME: Warren

STORY: I am currently 51 years old.  Team sport guy through college, mainly hockey but played football as well.  Played competitive racquetball in SD for a number of years, but at age 30 added a few pounds a year until mid-40s.  At a yearly physical, my doc pointed out that every year I was adding a few more pounds and few more points of all the bad markers, so after 15 years the numbers were actually quite alarming.  I immediately went into my typical addict mode and lost 40 pounds and greatly improved all my numbers.  While rehabbing tennis elbow from hockey, the PT kept talking about the Ironman races she and her husband did, and I signed up for a sprint on a whim - despite not being able to swim and never having run in my life other than as part of a sport.  Five years later, I'm fully addicted to S/B/R, and I'm a member of a loosely organized team run by the aforementioned PT.  I’ve migrated to the front of the pack on the bike, while my running and swimming are improving but still under construction.

FAMILY STATUS: Married 19 years, 3 sons - 16, 14, 11.  My wife has been a runner her entire life and we love running together on weekends.  The oldest son is my sherpa and comes to all my races.  Me and my two oldest did a sprint last fall as a relay team and won the relay division. My youngest has Down syndrome, which adds a lot of color to our family.

JOB:  I'm a software guy who has managed to Peter Principle my way to directorship level.

CURRENT TRAINING:  I am continuing building my endurance base and learning how to stay healthy while increasing volume.  Even though biking is a relative strength, I still maintain a bike focus as I love cycling.  I also plan to keep doing relays as I have two very close friends who are a swimmer and runner respectively, at least until I convert them into triathletes.

LAST YEAR'S RACES: Last year I had two A races – a half iron and the relay bike leg of a half iron team.  My team won the Timberman Half Ironman race, and I completed the Rev3 70.3 with a 20 minute PR.  I also placed 4^th in my AG in my only sprint, and had the greatest satisfaction in winning another sprint tri relay with my 2 oldest sons performing the swim and run legs!  I PR’d a half marathon in the early spring and a 5k in the late spring.  As a 50-something, it was thrilling to continue to build speed even as I am in the “older” category.

 2013 RACES:  My relay team will be defending our title at Timberman, my boys and I are doing another relay, I have a 70.3 to end the year, and I’m doing a70.3 Aqua Bike.  My philosophy on this sport is to have fun and keep your family balance.

WEIGHTLOSS:  I'd like to get my weight down under 170 for the race season, so I still will need to lose the 10-15 pound winter coat.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTOR:   I absolutely love triathlon and the triathlon lifestyle.  I approach my interests with an addictive personality, so I am a voracious reader of training and racing information.  Without years of experience, I do not have preconceived notions or long held entrenched beliefs.  I will always examine the evidence and am open to new ideas.  Despite a less than ideal endurance athlete background and body type, with focused training, I've improved in every discipline each year.   As a busy and older triathlete with 3 sons I have learned the best ways to maximize time spent vs. gains to be made.  Most importantly, while triathlon is a fun and consuming past time, I think it is very important to balance this addiction against the truly important things in your life, and I really enjoy helping everyone find that balance and learn how to make sure this sport fits into your overall lifestyle without compromising your family and other life interests.  Along with the other mentors, we each offer a different perspective on many of the issues facing triathletes.

Personal Bio:

USERNAME: KWDreamun  Name: Karl

STORY: I love exercising.  i used to fish the professional B.A.S.S. trail but didn't like being away from my son for 250 days per year so I hung those shoes up.  Then I started lifting weights, since I've always been skinny I wanted to add some size...well that didn't happen.  I tried running and I thought running was like lifting, more, faster is better and I was constantly injured. (Note I have just about worn the mentors down on this issue).  One day I was sitting home and saw Kona IM on TV.  I told my wife I want to do that.  I didn't know how to swim, didn't own a bike but thought it would be good to teach my son not to limit his abilities with what he "could not" do.

FAMILY STATUS: Well I out punted my coverage when it came to marriage.  I've been married 18 years I think..sshhh hope wife doesn't read this...  Wife is also starting tri's but really loves running.  We have a handsome son, 15 who is a "stud" baseball player. and a spoiled rotten dachsund.

JOB: Work for the Taxing Department, Program Training, so I spend a lot of time on the road.

CURRENT TRAINING: Still trying to learn to swim with confidence.  I enjoy the biking and running but still having a hard time breaking ties w/ the gym.  I'm only liting 3X instead of 6 or 7.  I train about 10 - 14 hours per week depending on life. 

THIS YEAR'S RACES:  I finished my 1st 1/2 marathon, I have done 1 sprint (struggled w/ the swim).  Will sign up for a couple more sprints and an Olympic.

LAST SEASONS RACES:  I completed my 1st tri ever!

MY BIGGEST SUCCESSES:  God, family and taking the plunge into tri's

WEIGHTLOSS: We need a weight gain category.  If I lose any more the wind will blow me off the bike.

STORY: Back in 2009, I took up running to help with weight loss. I ran my 1st 5K in Jan of 2010 and shortly after a group fitness instructor at my gym encouraged me to do a Sprint Tri that May. I bought a used road bike and a very kind & patient friend taught me how to ride it (yes, I was THAT bad). I finished Irongirl Las Vegas BOP in 2010, but was hooked. I joined a great mentor group here on BT that included many of the members in this group. Over the next year, I worked hard at improving my biking and running. I ran the Las Vegas HM in 2010 with my best friend Jamie. I found a great group to bike with and finished the 2011 Irongirl Las Vegas a solid MOP. I was making big gains on the bike and was looking to do the HIM distance in the 2011 Pumkinman tri in Oct. I trained a lot that summer of 2011 and finished with a century in Aug. Then...I totally burned out. The last 30 miles of that century sucked. I went to a very negative place in my head and didn't feel at all happy when I crosed the finish line. I came back from it completely turned off from racing. I'm not sure why my reaction was this strong, but I never did the Pumpkinman that year. I stopped training all together. My heart was no longer in it.

Lately, I've been missing it. I've gained 30 pounds in the 18 months since I've stopped training and feel a lot more stressed out. I started a new job this year, and I found out a co-worker is a triathlete. When I mentioned that I had done some tris, I got a look like "yeah right". Ouch...but I'll be honest I no longer look or act the part. I know that if I start eating right and consistently exercising again, I will feel a lot better. (Edit: I originally wrote this post a few months ago, and since then have been diagnosed with depression. I am currently taking meds for that and am doing A LOT better)

FAMILY STATUS: Married for 8 years with 3 kids (ages 7,5, and 3).

Job: elementary school teacher for the past 9 years.

CURRENT TRAINING: So I'm pretty much at square one again. I'm going to start doing the couch to 5K program just to ease me back into consistent running again. I'm going to start riding once a week, starting out at 15 - 20 miles and swimming once a week for about 30 mins.

2013 RACES I will be running the Las Vegas HM in Dec. I might do the Pumkinman sprint in Oct, here in Vegas

Previous RACES: Las Vegas HM 2010, Irongirl Las Vegas 2010 & 2011, Pumpkinman 2010, Carlsbad Tri 2010 & 2011, Utah Summer Games Tri 2011.

WEIGHTLOSS: My weight is my life long struggle. I'm 5'4 and have been as high as 236lbs. At my peak in 2011 I was 158lbs. and was still working towards my goal weight of 145lbs. Currently...I'm in the 190s. Well...at least I know how to lose weight.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTEE: Just hoping that I can get some positive energy from this group and it will help hold me accountable. The group I was in when I started in 2010 was very motivational. In fact it was Dirk who gave me the confidence that I was capable of "running the entire 10K" and I did. I'm discouraged with where I am at right now, but I have hope that I can turn it around and get back to were I was. (Edit: Still the same, more than ever)

Alright let's get this party started over here we've all been waiting to go live with the summer session!

JoAnne I have not seen the new IM backpacks but I hope they are good. The guys I trained with got some really nice ones last year when they did Lake Placid so I hope they are at least good those are. They should be considering how much money you've got to fork over to do IM.

I also agree with you about Dirk. I think he would do very well at IMWI. If his HIM last season is any indication of what he is capable of I would think he could easily finish under 12 hours and be in the 10-12 hour range. Just my opinion and no pressure Dirk LOL!

WHEN CAN YOU START: Immediately 

USERNAME: JeffY Name: Jeff Yeager

STORY: I am 47 years old.  I joined the track/CC teams in high school and lived for distance running.  Also ran my first year in college until a big injury forced me to stop...at which point I took up bike racing for a few years.

After college, I relocated, began my career, got married and pursued weight lifting and martial arts for the next decade and a half. Began dabbling in triathlon again 6 or so years ago, but only for fun.  Began training seriously about 4 years ago.

FAMILY STATUS: Divorced a few years ago.  4 children 21, 19, 18, 12.

Job: Systems Engineer/supervisor.  Currently working as the Application Architect for our Oracle ESuite installation

CURRENT TRAINING: The plan is roughly 2.5 hrs per day of tri training and strength training an hour per day.  But that weight training is a challenge working around my shoulder rehab (recent rebuild) and is a blend of 'strength' and 'rehab'.  Weekends ideally have a long run and long bike.  35+mpw running, 6-10 hrs bike, 6-7K swim.

2013 RACES: A Gazillion!

WEIGHTLOSS: Over the years I've been very successful at achieving the weight I desire.  Either up or down.  During the years focused on weight training, I learned a lot about proper dieting.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTOR: I think that I have a particularly good ability to rehab from, and train around or through injuries.  That's one of the biggest challenges for many athletes.  I also have developed a rapport with Dirk, Jonathan and Warren such that we make a good 'panel of judges' for issues that may allow for a difference of opinion.

You will usually only see me online during weekdays.  I try to stay away from the computer on weekends.

Yay!!!!  We're live!!!!  I'll post a bio later today (I hope).

Can't wait to meet the new Junkies and continue to have fun with the veterans!

Tracy I am just hoping the site is up this weekend! From what I could see of the demo pages from what Ron has been posting periodically I think the new site looks pretty good. Not sure how these upgrades have gone in the past since I've not been on here long enough to see that happen. I just hope it goes well.