Age Group Success

At LifeSport we specialize in helping age group athletes achieve their goals and dreams.  We are proud to have coached numerous age group athletes to amazing accomplishments from completing their very first event, to new best times, qualifying for Ironman World Championship Events, and even the Olympic Games.  We specialize in coaching age group athletes of all abilities, especially those who are busy in life juggling many different priorities that include family, work, and travel.  Our programs and coaching allow the age group athlete to see great results, but most of all experience the journey to success.  Here are some of their stories…

LifeSport Age Group Athlete getting Faster as he Ages!!

Florida triathlete, Mark Dragomer attended Coach Errol Kalayci’s transition clinic in March of 2013. Liking what he learned, he immediately joined Life Sport as an Age Grouper. With only a few weeks of coaching, this 56 year old captured 5th Place in his Age Group at Nautica South Beach on April 7, 2013. He even shaved off more than 6 minutes from his personal best time at that Classic Distance race, this time in much windier conditions! Coach Errol had another 2 of his new athletes competing in the race, both which enjoyed personal bests as well while one even moved up from 36th to 18th in his hotly contested 40-44 AG division.

LifeSport Age Group Athlete goes from Flounder to Shark in 4 Months!!!

Jessica Hance, a 34 year old LifeSport Age Grouper completed her first Half Iron Triathlon March, 2013. Her journey to the start line was not easy. Having only completed a few short course events in the past, and having battled injury last year, she was still dealing with lingering effects in the beginning of the season. On December 1st, Jess approached me at my daughter’s soccer game, told me that she signed up for her first half iron triathlon and reminded me that when she asked me about triathlon training before Thanksgiving break, I looked her in the eye and told her that I could help her achieve her sport dreams.

Read more here

LifeSport Age Group Athlete Yati Yadav wins JCC Mini Sprint Triathlon

LifeSport athlete Yati Yadav won the JCC mini Sprint on February 24th in Phoenix, Arizona outright!!

Read his race report here: Race morning started out cold and windy with the temperature hovering in the low 40's with 15 mph wind gusts. The 10 lane snaking pool swim was quick but energizing as the water temp was well above the air temp. The comfortable water temps quickly gave way to the shock and reality that the rest of the race would be cold and windy as I ran from the pool to the transition area. It definitely was a bad idea to race with a disc wheel in the windy conditions, but I learned to stay as small as possible in the aero bars and the bike went quite smoothly considering the conditions. I quickly transitioned into the run and settled into a good PR pace. Crossing the finish line was very satisfying.

CONGRATULATIONS Yati!!

LifeSport Athletes Shine at Honolulu Marathon

LifeSport athlete Dianne Kaltenegger finished 4th in her age category of W50-55 with an overall time of 3:29:32 and was the 50th woman out of a total of 11,530!! This was Dianne’s PB by 8 mins with her previous PB of 3:37 at Boston in 2010, in which Dianne stated is “not too shabby for a mother of 5, grandmother of 3”.

LifeSport Coach and athlete Mark Shorter finished 5th in his age category of M55-59 with an overall time of 3:18:08.

CONGRATULATIONS Dianne and Mark!!!!

LifeSport Athletes Conquer Ironman Arizona!

Ironman Arizona 2012 was held in Tempe, Arizona Sunday, November 18th. Eight LifeSport athletes competed in the race. Before the race, a number of LifeSport athletes along with Coach Mark Shorter and Coach Errol Kalayci rode the run course on our bikes and the drove the bike course in order to become familiar with the course prior to the race.

All LifeSport athletes and Coach Mark Shorter successfully completed the race (see results below).

Donald Brodsky 14:22:23 (first IM race and raced with Crohn's disease)

Yati Yadav 12:32:34

Colin Reese 11:50:04

Randy Peterson: 14:46:03 (first IM race)

Deani Iversen 13:01:42 (p.r.)

Susan Kitchen 11:30:11 (6th place in women's 45-49 age group)

Peter Botelho 13:35:35 (p.r. by 1/2 hour)

Mark Shorter 11:03:34 (7th in men's 55-59 age group)

Congratulations to all who raced!!!

Up Close with LifeSport Pro Rachel McBride

as posted on www.Slowtwitch.com

LifeSport athlete Rachel McBride recently won the 70.3 Austin, but this fast Canadian is not just about swimming, biking and running. She has two masters degrees in genetics, has played the cello on an international stage and has a few interesting tattoos.

Read the full interview here

Congratulation Rachel!!

LifeSport Athletes Shine at Florida Triathlon

LifeSport athletes Yati Yadav and Chris Auth both set personal records for Ironman during the November 3rd race in Florida. Yati (men's 35-39 year age category) finished with a time of 11:08 and Chris (men's 40-44 year age category) posting a 9:54. Coach Mark Shorter finished in 10:55 which secured him a 7th place finish in the men's 55-59 age category.

Congratulations to all!

LifeSport Athletes Shine at Apple Triathlon in Kelowna

On Sunday, August 19th Kelowna Apple Triathlon served as the B.C. olympic distance triathlon championship. In addition to the olympic distance race there was a sprint distance triathlon, junior elite race and professional olympic distance race. Water temperature was measured at over 22 degrees celsius so Triathlon B.C. officials deemed it to be a non wetsuit swim. The day dawned clear and warm but finished up hot on the run.

There were a lot of great LifeSport athlete performances including Craig Dale who won the sprint triathlon overall in a time of 1:06:15

Coach Mark Shorter finished 1st in the men's 55-59 age category as B.C. Champion for the age group in a time of 2:24:54

Kimberley Appleton was B.C. champion in the women's 35-39 year age category in a a time of 2:33:02.

Beverli Barnes placed 7th in the women's 50-54 age category in a time of 2:55:52.

LifeSport Age Group Athlete Jeanne Theleen Shines at Triathlon National Championship

Jeanne Theleen (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug High School), a senior at the University of Connecticut and a member of the UConn Women Cross Country and Track teams, qualified as a member of Team USA for the 2013 International Triathlon Union World Championships in London with her 7th place finish in the 20-24 age group at the 2012 USA Triathlon Olympic Distance National Championship in Burlington, Vermont on Saturday, August 18, 2012. The top 18 finishers in each Olympic-distance age group in Burlington qualified for a Team USA slot. Team USA is comprised of amateur athletes who represent the United States at each International Triathlon Union World Championship event. 

Read more here

LifeSport's Richele Frank Win's "Cat and Mouse Game" to be Kona-bound

posted on www.ironman.com

Richele Frank (10:18:52) and Elke Vanenterghem (10:18:55) played their own game of cat-and-mouse all day long. These thirty-somethings put on one heck of a show. In the end, Frank’s sprint through the chute earned her the division win by only three seconds over Vanenterghem, who can now share some impressive race “war stories’ with her husband, Marino Vanhoenacker. Frank credits her training with LifeSport Coaching for being able to tap into the speed after such a gruelling day. Richele hopes to arrive on the Big Island with fitness that will allow her to improve on her time from 2010.

LifeSport Age Group Athlete Richele Frank, CA, Strikes a Balance

posted on www.ica.bc.ca

For the past two years, Richele Frank, CA, has balanced the demands and commitments of her busy career as a tax professional (she's a partner with KPMG Vancouver, practising in the international tax group) with an intense triathlon training program. It hasn't been easy -  fitting workouts into her schedule has meant getting up at 4:30am...

Read more here

LifeSport Age Group Athlete Report - Yati Yadav

by LifeSport Coach Mark Shorter

Yati Yadav a LifeSport age grouper from Arizona completed the Southwest Valley Regional YMCA Olympic & Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon in Goodyear, Arizona on Sunday, March 11th, 2012 with an overall time of 2:15:18. Yati placed 1st in his age group category.

Catching Up With LifeSport Elite Age Grouper Nell Stephenson

as posted on Lavamagazine.com

LifeSport age group athlete, Nell Stephenson featured as the iTri Athlete in the April issue of Lavamagazine.com.

Name: Nell Stephenson
Age: 37
Resides: Pacific Palisades
Profession: Paleo Nutritional Counselor, Author of “Paleoista”
(coming May 1)
Personal: Married, with two Weimaraners (Graham and Daisy)
Accomplishments: Qualified for Kona five times. PR: 10:17 in Kona (sixth in her age group 2011). Marathon PR: 3:01. Placed second in her age group at the Hawaii 70.3 last year, third in her age group at the 70.3 World Championships.

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Richele Frank punches ticket to Kona with an AG victory at IM Cozumel

Vancouver resident Richele battled tough competition on November 27th at the Ironman in Cozumel. Richele's goal to qualify for the 2012 World Championships in Kona became reality after just over 10h of racing in the hot and humid Mexico conditions. Richele secured her AG 35-39 victory by being only 3 seconds ahead of the second place woman by running her competition down and passing her competitor in last 50m. This tight finish was one of the closest age-group finishes in IM history.

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Mazer Stays Tough Despite Crash
Crashes on Bike, Still Finishes 3rd!

LifeSport age group athlete Samantha Mazer competed this weekend at the Ironman in Cozumel in the women's 25-29 division.  After a new PB swim of 55 minutes, she set out on the bike where she experienced a tough crash with significant lacerations to her face.  Sam composed herself and carried on despite the officials not wanting her to start the run.  Sam ran an impressive 3:35 to finish with a new personal best of 10:20, just 10 seconds out of second!  Congrats Sam – you are tough!

Check out pictures of Samantha's day here.

Michelle Ball Completes “Hat Trick” with Top 10
LifeSport Report From ITU Long Distance Worlds

A good number or LifeSport athletes joined some of the best athletes in the world to toe the line in the 2011 ITU Long Course Worlds Championships in Henderson, Nevada on Saturday.  The day dawned clear, windy and cool.

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2011 Ironman Hawaii!
Vertiz is a World Champion; Many Other Amazing Age Group Performances

What an amazing day at the Ironman World Championships in Kona.  A huge congratulation goes out to the 20+ LifeSport athletes that hit the start line at the legendary race!   The coaches at LifeSport are proud and honoured to be part of their journey to this day, and what a day it was…

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LifeSport Athletes at Kona

For many, selection into the Ford Ironman World Championships is a yearly goal, however there are only three ways of earning a spot there. Either a top placing in one's Age Group at a full Ironman or winning an age group at select 70.3 races will get a berth. For those wishing to leave it to chance, there are lottery spots available for 200 lucky people!

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LifeSport Kona Prep Camp 2011

Every year, the week before the Hawaii Ironman Championships, LifeSport Coaching holds a training camp for athletes racing and those who would like to get a taste of what it is like to be on the legendary course. A great way to spend a weekend in the sun on a tropical island!

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Coach Mark Shorter is a National Champion

Congrats to LifeSport Coach and avid competitor Mark Shorter who last weekend did us proud by winning the 55-59 National Olympic Distance Championship in impressive fashion in a time of 2:18.  Cheer for Mark as he and 30 other LifeSport athletes head to Ironman Canada this weekend....

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A Tale of Two Ashleys! Ashley Clifford and Ashley Naelon are Kona Bound!
Eric Seuss wins in IM Canada

This past weekend was a busy one with LifeSport athletes racing in both Ironman’s Louisville and Canada.

Congratulations to the two Ashleys who qualified for Kona - Ashley Clifford from Carmel, IN, who went 10:31:35, including an amazing 3:21 marathon; and Ashley Naelon of Davidson, NC, who was one minute back in 10:32:35 off the strength of her amazing 5:33 bike split. Clifford was 2nd in the 25-29 age group, while Naelon won the 40-44 category. They finished 3rd and 4th overall amateurs in the race...

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Success in the Philippines

Both Professional and Amateur LifeSport athletes achieved success in the 3rd running of the Cobra Energy Ironman 70.3 held this past weekend. The race site in CamSur is truly a destination event as almost all of the non Filipino athletes travel more than 12 hours to get to the race. Nobody mentions the travel; when you bring up the race, all anyone talks about is the hospitality and joy of the people. And the heat! But that adds to the challenge.

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Age Group Report - Andrew Powell

Andrew Powell, from Vancouver BC, joined the LifeSport Coaching team in 2010 as a competitive Half-and Ironman distance age-group athlete. He finished his first Ironman Canada in 2010 in a respectful time of 10h14min in the male 30-34 age group. In 2011, Andrew switched his focus to the half distance.

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LifeSport Age Group Athlete Report
By LifeSport Coaching Mark Shorter

Laura Zerbock a LifeSport age grouper from Florida completed the Orlando 70.3 in Florida on Sunday, May 15th in 5:13. She was 2nd in her age category and it clinched her a spot for Las Vegas 70.3 Worlds on September 11th, 2011. She will be joining her LifeSport coach, Mark Shorter who qualified for Las Vegas 70.3 Worlds at New Orleans 70.3 on April 17th. They are both looking forward to competing at the new venue this year.

LifeSport Age Group Athlete Report
By LifeSport Coach Bjoern Ossenbrink

When Marcel Robin from Germany joined LifeSport Coaching last    summer he was already an experienced triathlete. He has completed both Ironman Lanzarote and Malaysia, as well as the Roth Challenge. In 2010 shortly after he joined the LifeSport team, Marcel competed at the ITU Long Course Championships in Immenstadt and finished on a strong 13th in his 30-34 age category.

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Jonathan Shearon Qualifies for Kona AND Las Vegas World Championships at St Croix 70.3!

Congratulations to LifeSport Athlete Jonathan Shearon, who placed 2nd in the 30-34 age group and 9th overall male including the pro men at the St Croix 70.3. Missouri’s Shearon scored the enviable double in St Croix: a spot on the starting line at Las Vegas Ironman 70.3 World Championships in September, an at the Hawaii Ironman Worlds in October!

Jonathan joined LifeSport in 2010 and since then his results have steadily escalated.

Great racing Jonathan!

Coach Paul Regensburg reports from Australia

LifeSport has a long history of offering training opportunities in the beautiful boutique surf village of Noosa, usalia.  Coming from a tough North American winter, Noosa is a training wonderland and has quietly attracted many of the world's best triathletes because of everything it has to offer.  It presents the ability to work hard and then recover in a relaxing environment with all the amenities...

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LifeSport Athlete Dan Theleen Wins the Elite Amatuer Division at the Miami Internation Triathlon!

Race Report by Dan Theleen

I had my first race of the season this weekend at the Miami International Triathlon.  This race gave me a great opportunity to go up against a very competitive field.  It had a pro field, elite amateur, and age group divisions. I competed in the Elite Amateur field.

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LifeSport athlete Mike Murphy dominates the Dirty Duo a scores Back to Back victory!

Mike Murphy, Maple Ridge based LifeSport Coaching athlete, participated this Saturday at the Dirty Duo, a scenic trail race through the North Shore mountains of British Columbia. The race includes various distance and discipline options. Participants have the choice to do a 15km, 25km, 50km trail or, a 30km mountain bike race or to do the real Dirty Duo challenge or a 25km trail run and 30km bike.

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LifeSport Athlete Jonathan Shearon Shares His Israman Experience!

I had the amazing opportunity to do Israman, an iron distance triathlon, in Israel this January.  My coach, Lance Watson, found and helped me to plan for this exotic off season race.  This race had several firsts for me: my first Ironman as well as my first marathon and the first time I had visited the Middle East.  I had been wanting to move to the Ironman distance and was eager to take the opportunity to do Israman.

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LifeSport Coach Chris Thomas Received Honorable Mention as USA Triathlete of the Year!

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Following a year that featured scores of memorable and inspirational performances, USA Triathlon is pleased to announce the 2010 Age Group Athletes of the Year, presented by Garmin, an honor awarded annually by USA Triathlon's Age Group Committee and Duathlon Committee.

Later this week, USA Triathlon will announce its Junior Athletes of the Year, the USA Paratriathlon Athletes of the Year, presented by Accenture, and the Elite Athletes of the Year.

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Smith's Making a Habit of Winning
LifeSport Athlete Wins the "Triangle Challenge" - 3 Running Races in 3 Days!

Karen Smith didn’t enter the recent Bermuda Triangle Half-Marathon Challenge with any expectations of claiming an overall victory.

She was still nursing a sickness bug when she took the starting line in the Front Street Mile and in her own words was merely hoping for three solid performances.

But by the end of the Triangle Challenge she had emerged victorious to become only the second local female after Ashley Estwanik to claim the women’s title.

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Greg Miller, LifeSport Athlete, Appointed Superior Court Judge in Alaska

Greg Miller, a LifeSport athlete who hails from Alaska, was just appointed by the governor of Alaska as a Superior Court Judge which will make training for the May 7, 2011 St. George Ironman May (already a formidable race) even more challenging with the hectic work schedule of a Superior Court Judge. Coach Mark Shorter will have his work cut out for him keeping Greg on track and supplying him with a quality program using Training Peaks with no junk miles allowed. The LifeSport family wishes Greg well on the bench!

LifeSport Age Grouper Karen Smith Rox!
As Reported by the Bermuda Gazette

She made a late decision to compete in the Island's newest triathlon event, but it paid off for Bermuda's Karen Smith as she secured victory in the SheROX women-only event on the South Shore.

Having finished third in her age category in the famous World Championship Hawaii Ironman, Smith was set to relax away from competition for the remainder of the year, but she changed her mind in order to experience the finale of the US-based SheROX triathlon series – a shorter 'sprint' version of full triathlon distance – staged yesterday for the first time in Bermuda.

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Keefe Going To Kona!

When Laura Keefe joined LifeSport she was an absolute novice triathlete. Her secondary goal was to get through a triathlon, and her primary one was to run something close to a 3:30 marathon in the local race, which was a BIG personal best. 2 years, and a lot of miles later, Laura ran a low-3hr marathon, had completed a few half Ironmans, and decided to tackle her first Ironman. Under the tutelage of her coach Lance Watson, the 37 year old mother of 3 went a remarkable 10:17 at Ironman Florida to qualify for the Big Show in Hawaii next October, the Ironman World Championships.

Read her report here

Jonathan Shearon Dominates Age Group at Austin 70.3

Congrats to Jonathan Shearon for a dominating AG win at Ironman 70.3 Austin. Shearon swam 27:51, biked 2:15:19 and ran 1:24:57 for a total of 4:12:05. He was more that 10 minutes ahead of second place in the very competitive men's 30-34 category.

Says coach Lance Watson, "Since Jonathan made the decision to join LifeSport 6 months ago, he has quickly progressed from good local triathlete to one of the top age group athletes in the U.S. Jonathan also recently won Ironman 70.3 Branson, despite having to ride the last 10 miles of the bike with no saddle! Jonathan is a good example of how great work ethic and a specific personal training program can impact performance"

3 Diva's Run Their Way to the Podium

LifeSport Triathlete Smith Reflects on Race of a Lifetime

As Reported by the Royal Gazette

Bermuda's Karen Smith has reflected on her performance of a lifetime after finishing third in her age group at the Hawaii Ironman – the world's toughest triathlon.

Smith, 42, finished the gruelling race in an impressive 10 hours, 16 minutes and six seconds in the 40-44 age category on Saturday.

In was a case of third-time lucky for Smith who finished the Hawaii Ironman in sixth in her age group in 2007 and eighth in 2009.

"It was a great day for me. That's definitely been my lifetime performance. I looked at the winning times in my division from the last couple of years and thought I could probably get in the top five, so I'm delighted to finish third," said the former Commonwealth Games athlete yesterday.

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Vertiz is World Champion, Smith on Podium

Congratulations to Tatiana Vertiz of San Diego who won the 18-24 Age Group at the Hawaii Ironman to become the World Champion with a impressive 28 minute victory of margin!  Karen Smith, of Bermuda, also fared very well with an exciting 3rd place finish in the 40-44 women’s age group.  Congratulations to all of the LifeSport Ironman athletes, coaches, and to all of the athletes that participated in the LifeSport Ironman Hawaii prep camp.

Triathlon Trio Ready for the Ultimate Test

Burmuda's LifeSport Athletes Prepare for Ironman this Saturday

As Reported by the Royal Gazzette

A trio of triathletes leave Bermuda this week to compete in one of the toughest Ironman races in the world.

Karen Smith, Karen Bordage and Kent Richardson will make the 17-hour journey to Hawaii over the next few days for Saturday's famous Ironman World Championships.

They'll be meeting up with Bermuda's top male triathlete Tyler Butterfield who will also be competing in Hawaii.

The 27-year-old, who claimed a bronze medal at this summer's CAC Games, has been having a superb year on the professional circuit as he continues his impressive build-up to the World Championships.

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Gennari and Theleen Qualify for Beijing World Championships

Margie Does it Again!

World Champion in the Women's 50-54

LifeSport athlete Margie Ritchie successfully defended her World Championship title last weekend at the ITU Triathlon World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Margie, a true “superwoman” is a microbiologist, mother, and cancer survivor.  Using the momentum of a  2nd place finish at the World Duathlon Championships just one week before, Ritchie used her new and improved swimming to post a time of 23:29 on the 1500m swim.  When it came to the run, Margie showed that she is truly world class with an incredible 10k run split of 39:49 off of the bike to take the World title.

“Margie never ceases to amaze.  Her commitment to improvement is excellent.  She is an absolute pleasure to coach”  said her coach Paul Regensburg

Another Great Weekend for LifeSport Age Group Athletes

Congratulations to LifeSporters racing around North America this weekend!  

Jonathan Shearon of Missouri was 1st age grouper and the outright winner, 1st overall ahead of the pros, in the “Coors Light Trail of Tears” triathlon in Missouri. 

California’s Nell Stephenson continued her great season as the fastest overall age grouper, and 3rd overall amongst the pros, in the Big Kahuna half Ironman held in Santa Cruz. Nell’s husband Chris Stephenson finished 2nd in his AG and 10th overall. 

Lisa Rogers of Victoria, BC won her AG at Muskoka 70.3 and was 4th AG woman overall. This is the second time this year she has qualified for Clearwater.

Cliff Worden-Rogers of London ON, ran a 1:15:46 to take 3rd OA in the Hardick Chiropractic Centre Springbank Half Marathon 

Curtis Champion of Victoria BC won his AG in the Sprint at the inaugural Subaru Banff Triathlon, 4th OA

Barb Nelson of Idaho Falls UT was top Master woman in the Vikingman Half Iron distance race and took 10 minutes off her best time at the event.

What a weekend!

Thomas Books Trip to Kona

Tisseyre Wins Next 70.3; Cooper 4th in Coeur D'Alene

LifeSport coach and super-age grouper Chris Thomas blazed through the Buffalo Springs Ironman 70.3 yesterday posting a convincing age group victory good enough for 9th overall including the professionals.  Thomas, the 2009 USAT Overall Amateur Athlete of the Year, also qualified for the Hawaii Ironman this fall where he will shift his focus to the full Ironman distance.  Magali Tisseyre kept her winning streak alive with a come from behind victory in the women's pro division at the same race.  At Ironman Coeur D'Alene, LifeSport pro Haley Cooper posted an impressive 4th place finish.  Cooper, coached by LifeSport Coach Dan Smith, fought hard for the podium and ran in 3rd place for much of the run barely getting caught toward the end of the marathon, Haley posted an Ironman marathon PB of 3:17.  In France, Katya Meyers placed a solid 6th with one of the best bike splits of the day. Cliff Worden-Rogers raced a Half Iron distance event, Tupper Lake Tin Man, where he used a swim PB to finish 2nd overall. Congrats to everyone else who raced this weekend!

LifeSport Coach Chris Thomas VS Studnet Dan Theleen

As Reported by the Republican American

Easton's Chris Thomas is on quite a roll at the Pat Griskus Olympic-distance triathlon. The 38 year-old has won three straight races. When they swim, bike, run, does anyone have a chance against Thomas?

How about Thomas' most promising pupil, Dan Theleen of Southbury CT?

Click here to read the newspaper article "The Teacher and the Pupil" reported by the Republican American.

Age Group Success: World Qualifiers & Age Group Podiums

A big congrats go out to a number of LifeSport age group athletes as they all posted amazing results this past weekend.

Last weekend at Eagleman 70.3,  Bermuda’s Karen Bordage gained her Kona spot for the second year in a row by winning her age group (40-44)! Karen is coached by LifeSport coach Lucy Smith. Good job Dan Theleen (20-24), coached by LifeSport coach Chris Thomas, on his 2nd overall, 1st in his age group at the REV3 Olympic triathlon. At the Kansas 70.3, Bruce Genari (also coached by Chris Thomas) won his age group! Another Worlds Qualifier, Sam Mazer for her win at Boise 70.3 (25-29) giving her a spot to Clearwater this fall! Sam is coached by LifeSport coach Paul Regensburg. All athletes had phenomenal Results! Congratulations everyone!

Hawaii 70.3 - Stephenson & Vertiz Earn Start for Hawaii Ironman!

Congratulations to all of the LifeSport Age Group athletes that raced this past weekend at the Honu. Leading the charge were California girls Nell Stephenson and Tatiana Vertiz who both won their age groups at the Hawaii Ironman 70.3 race on the Big Island, earning a return trip in the fall to compete in the legendary Hawaii Ironman World Championships.  Nell had an amazing race -  finishing 4th overall including the pros!  Congrats go out to all of the other racers who earned World 70.3 qualifying spots on the weekend and to those who gave it their best and finished with a smile on their face.

Age Group Success; Cliff Worden-Rogers & Bruce Gennari Race the American Triple T Triathlon

Two LifeSport athletes, Cliff Worden-Rogers and Bruce Gennari tackled a decidedly different triathlon this past weekend. The American Triple T triathlon in Portsmouth Ohio consists of four stages totaling 140 miles; a Super Sprint Friday night, two Olympic distance races Saturday (with the second one being bike/swim/run) and a half iron distance on Sunday. Not to mention the bike course contains over 3000 feet of climbing! The weekend tests not only overall speed, but participant’s recovery and refueling abilities. The last day saw a shake up in the standings with Cliff jumping from 5th to 3rd overall while Bruce was 4th. The weekend was voted Editors’ Choice by Triathlete Magazine as the Best Multi Stage Race. Cliff is coached by LifeSport Coach Dan Smith and Bruce by Chris Thomas. Congratulations to both!

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As Reported by the Bermuda Royal Gazzette

Top female triathlete Karen Smith (Coached by LifeSport Coach Paul Regensburg) along with Kent Richardson booked their places for the gruelling race in Hawaii after superb performances on Sunday at the St. Croix 70.3 triathlon.

While Butterfield finished in third place in the professional division, beating out some of the finest triathletes in the world, Smith won the 40-44 age group and was seventh overall – including the professionals – and she was also the second placed amateur.

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Age Group Excellence; Smith Earns Kona Spot!

Age group athlete Karen Smith had a very impressive showing in St.Croix claiming the victory in the Women’s 40-44 age group.  Not only did Karen win the division, which she did by an astounding 21 minutes, she also placed 7th overall including the pros!  Karen, a Bermuda resident and coached by LifeSport Coach Paul Regensburg, earned her spot at the starting line in Kona this fall at the Ironman World Championships.  Congrats also go to Julia Hawley, a training partner of Karen’s who also hit the podium with a 3rd place finish in the 45-49 age group.

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Theleen Competes in USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship

As Reported on Keeneowls.com

He was the only Keene State College competitor in the field, but that didn't stop Dan Theleen (Coached by LifeSport's Chris Thomas) from representing his school proudly at the 2010 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships that took place this past weekend in Lubbock, Texas.

A junior from Southbury, Conn., Theleen finished a very respectable 29th in the undergraduate division and 35th overall in a field comprised of 510 competitors from 82 collegiate club programs from around the country.

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Don't Feel Like Going Outside?

Alaskan LifeSport Women are Tough

If you were wondering whether the spring temperatures are a little chilly for training, you should look no further than LifeSport athletes Lise Falskow and Jill McLeod.  These Alaskan women just completed an early season Time Trial and as you can see by the snow draped background – it was under extreme conditions.  And to make this even more impressive, personal record times were set!  Congrats Lise and Jill – you are committed!!!

Ironman 70.3 China

Congrats to Ana Leitao & Angelo Tavares for Their Wins in China

LifeSport is proud of Ana Leitao and Angelo Tavares, a busy professional couple who train in challenging conditions on Macau. Ana and Angelo added some impressive hardware to their trophy case (trophies pictured) with age group wins at the grueling Ironman 70.3 China. This event saw athletes finishing 1-2 hours slower that regular times, due to winds, hills, and extreme heat and humidity. Way to go Ana and Angelo, we’ll see you in Clearwater!!

USA Triathlon Announces 2009 Garmin Athletes of the Year

USA Triathlon is pleased to announce the 2009 Garmin Age Group Athletes of the Year, an honor awarded annually by the USAT Age Group Commission and the USAT Duathlon Committee.

Triathlon and duathlon athletes were selected in various categories, including overall, masters, grand masters and juniors.

"These talented athletes displayed fantastic results at various distance races which set them apart from others," said Lee Zohlman, co-chair of the USAT Age Group Commission. "Each year, a panel of USAT member volunteers meet and look at a group of athletes and their results. Based on performances across various race distances, depth of fields and quality of races the panel chooses the AOY. We congratulate these athletes on their hard work and dedication and wish them the best in 2010."

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Thomas is USAT Age Group Triathlete of the Year!

Athletes of the Year in Both the US and Canada

USAT announced their selections for the best of 2009 and leading the way was LifeSport's Chris Thomas who captured the prestigious "Age Group Triathlete of the Year" award. This honour goes out to the most accomplished amateur triathlete in all of the US. Chris, a working father of 3 and now LifeSport Coach, had a brilliant year highlighted by 5 top 10 overall Ironman 70.3 placings (including the pros!) and the 70.3 World Championship title in the 35-39 age group (winning by over 6 minutes). Lindsey Whalen, an age group athlete from Chicago and fellow LifeSporter, also received Honorable Mention for the same award! Two leading triathlon magazines also announced their selections for "Triathletes of Year" this week and LifeSport was well represented! Magali Tisseyre claimed Triathlete Magazine's 70.3 Athlete of the Year and place on the front cover.

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Inspirational Moments in Ironman; Her 9-Year Old Made Her Do It!

As Posted on Ironman.com

Inspired by her nine-year-old son, Stephanie Liles went on to finish Ford Ironman Florida.

“Hard work spotlights the character of people. Some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses and some don’t turn up at all.”

~Sam Ewing~

About five years ago, 37-year old Stephanie Liles was on the sidelines watching her son do his very first triathlon. She was intrigued with what she saw these kids doing but, being a single mother of three and working full-time, she had doubts she could figure out how to train for a triathlon, much less an Ironman.

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Liles Qualifies for Kona

Stephanie Liles joined LifeSport last winter after signing up for her first Ironman, her home state race IM Florida. She has been in the sport for just over 5 years and has worked her way up to being one of the top age group women in Florida. Like many triathletes, works her day job off as a medical office manager, is the best mom she can be to her three wonderful children, as well as coaching the local girls soccer team. Here is her report.

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Fred Uytengsu - Kona Rookie:
Fred Shares his Experience as a Kona First Timer

Coach's note: "Not only did Fred do a great job in Kona, he also used the event as a fundraiser for Manila flood victims. 2 weeks before Kona, Manila was devastated when 16 inches of rain fell in 6 hours. Fred raised enough to build 40 homes, and an additional $50,000 for victims of the flood"

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to do the Kona Ironman.  Even before I understood it was the World Championships, before I understood you had to qualify to get there, before I understood the lore of the Hawaiian Gods and everything associated with paying homage and the mystique of the Queen K, I knew this was something I wanted to do before I pass.

And so my opportunity came early this year but non-traditional means but it was still the E ticket to the greatest  event in the sport of triathlon.  I kept this opportunity largely to myself not wanting to jinx it and also not wanting to deal with the pressure associated of going to Kona.  It meant a jump in my training hours even though I have a self-imposed limit of 12 hours a week as a ceiling so as not to impose too much on my family time as well as work commitments.  I did, however, realize that I would have to step it up  for several months to be sufficiently prepared for the chance of a lifetime.

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Top finishes in Hawaii for Bermuda trio
As Reported by The Royal Gazette

A trio of Bermuda athletes conquered the toughest and most famous Ironman course in the world in Hawaii at the weekend.

At the world championships Karen Smith, Karen Bordage and Julia Hawley all finished inside the top 15 positions for their respective age divisions.

They competed non-stop for between 11 and 12 hours, tackling a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile cycle ride and then a full marathon run of 26.2 miles.

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The Bermuda TRI-Angle
3 Bermuda Mothers, 3 Different LifeSport Coaches, 3 Kona Qualifiers

LifeSport profiles Karen Smith, Karen Bordage, and Julia Hawley of Bermuda. All 3 are in their 40's, mothers, business women, training partners, and amazingly all 3 have qualified to compete in Kona at the Hawaii Ironman
World Championships this weekend.  The three work and train on the small island of Bermuda which is a mere 20 square miles.  Not only do these women work as a team to train together, but each has a different coach at LifeSport who balances their individual needs.  "We will often have a "Team Bermuda" meeting in the LifeSport office to discuss the Bermuda gal's training and which workouts we will schedule them together" Says Coach Dan
Smith. 

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Nothing Slows Margie Down
Ritchie Takes 2nd World Title in 3 Weeks
As Reported By the Edmonton Journal

As Margie Ritchie bikes around the University of Alberta campus, on her way to or from work, she's probably often mistaken for one of the thousands of students. Petite, her head covered with a helmet, backpack over her shoulders, Ritchie may look like a student, but is anything but.

The early-50s woman is a microbiologist, a mother of three sons, a breast-cancer survivor and a double International Triathlon Union world champion. Having won the world triathlon championship in her 50-54 age group earlier this month, she added the age group world duathlon title to her resume on Saturday.

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Ritchie is World Champion!

LifeSport would like to congratulate Margie Ritchie who won the World Championships in the Women’s 50-54 division at the ITU World Championships in the Gold Coast, Australia.  Margie was victorious over 70 women from 10 countries vying for the World Championship title.  Margie resides and trains in Edmonton, Alberta, where winter temperatures can routinely hit -30C making outdoor training a big challenge.  Margie, however is up for challenges, as she is a doctor, mother, and breast cancer survivor.  She made the transition from Duathlon to Triathlon a few years ago and swam an impressive 26 minutes for the 1500 at Worlds on a course that was producing very slow swim times.  Even more impressive was Margie’s 39:36 run split besting the next fastest split by 4 minutes.  Margie stated “Yah!! Thanks – this is beyond my wildest dreams – it has still not sunk in”.  Congratulations to Margie and all the other LifeSport athletes who raced at the World Championships.

LifeSport Age Group athletes were in full force this past weekend with some stellar performances.  Leading the way was Margie Ritchie who won the 50-54 age group at the Canadian Nationals with a come from behind win and a blistering 39 minute run split.  In the US, LifeSporter Lindsey Whalen finished 2nd in the 25-29 Age Group at US Nationals despite swimming off course and starting the bike nearly 5 minutes back of her normal position.  Age Grouper Chris Thomas continues his torrid pace and kept his streak alive of finishing in the top 10 PRO men at an Ironman 70.3 at the Timberman race.  Speaking of Timberman, LifeSport Pros fared well with Magali Tisseyre leading the way with a 3rd place finish, her 4th straight 70.3 podium and new LifeSport Pro David Khan had a respectable 10th.  Overseas at the new Philippines 70.3, Lisa Bentley took the win Bree Wee placing 4th.  At the Kelowna ITU International Race Lisa Mensink finished as the 4th pro in her tune up race for the ITU World Championships to be held in September on the Gold Coast of Australia.  Congrats to all of the LifeSport Age Group athletes who raced at the US and Canadian National Championships!

Smith Creates Her Own Alpine Training Regime in Bermuda... and Shines in Switzerland Ironman Triathlon!
As Reported by the Mid-Ocean News

Without any rugged Alpine mountains to train on in Bermuda, one has to wonder how Karen Smith managed to prepare herself for the Switzerland Ironman triathlon this month.

Well, wonder no more, for Smith has revealed how she created her own Alpine training regime without leaving the island by repeatedly scaling the stiff gradients of Knapton Hill and the Harrington Hundreds.

And it paid off handsomely as the two-time Commonwealth Games athlete took second place in her age division and secured the right to compete in the sport's most famous event – the Hawaii Ironman – later this year.

Triathlons come in various sizes, but the Ironman distance is the longest. In Zurich, Smith completed a 3.8km swim in Lake Zurich, a 180km cycle ride and a full marathon run of 42.2km to cross the finish line in 10 hours 47 minutes and 38 seconds.

It was only as she tired in the second half of the marathon run that she lost her chance to claim outright age division victory, but even then it was by a mere two minutes.

To prepare for the event, Smith and her coach tried to replicate as best as possible the challenges she would face. The cycle ride in Zurich was on a two-loop course that included around 30km of hills per lap. Bermuda has its undulations but nothing to compare to Switzerland. Smith made do with what was available and used the steep uphills of Knapton Hill and Harrington Hundreds.

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Congratulations to LifeSport Age Group athletes Karen Smith and Jamie Moracci who both qualified for the big show in Hawaii this October!  Karen and Jamie’s strong finishes in Ironman Switzerland and Ironman 70.3 Rhode Island respectively earned them a spot on the start line in Kona.  Congrats also to age grouper Chris Thomas who continues his dream season with the top age group finish in Rhode Island good enough for 5th place overall – including the pros!  Chris also earned his Hawaii spot but gracefully

Age Grouper Extraordinaire Thomas Does it Again

LifeSport Age Group athlete Chris Thomas kept his streak alive by finishing as the top overall age grouper in this past weekend's inaugural Rev 3 Race in Middlebury, Connecticut.

Thomas, a hometown hero of sorts hailing from Easton, Connecticut, finished the challenging half Ironman distance course in a time of 4:15:03, good enough for 10th overall including the professional men.  This race marks a streak for Thomas who has been top overall age group male competitor this year in the California 70.3 and St. Anthony's Triathlons.  Congratulations Chris!

As Reported by Competitor.com

Written By Susan Grant

What makes someone a good athlete? Is it strength? Stamina? Speed? I’m sure it can be a mixture of all of these things, but what really makes someone stand out is their capacity for sportsmanship. I met a true athlete this weekend at Wildflower, and his name is Randy Peterson.

When I got out of the waters of Lake San Antonio, I felt good. I knew I still had 72 miles ahead of me, but I was ready for it. I caught a glimpse of my husband as I mounted my bike, flashed him a smile and zoomed out toward the first of many hills of the day: Beach Hill. I had been extremely nervous about my wheel choice, and had been driving my coworkers absolutely nuts for weeks. I ended up on 404s with a puncture resistant Conti tire that was hard to flat on, but an absolute bitch to change. The sidewalls of the tire were Kevlar, making popping it in and out time consuming and frustrating. My coworkers Nestor and Jay basically told me I had little chance of flatting, but if I did it would be all over for me. They begged me to use sew-ups, but I wouldn’t listen.

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Stephanie Liles Takes Out 3rd Place at St. Anthonys!

As Reported by Jagged.com

Name: Stephanie Liles

Race Date: 26th April 2009

Race Type: Olympic Triathlon

Race Name: St Anthonys Triathlon

Location: Florida USA

Overall Result: 3rd Elite Amateur Woman Overall

The Race: Huge race! 5000 participants. Neat event and very well organized. Had wonderful prizes too! Typical Florida race, hot, flat and fast. Love it! Beautiful area, very tropical.

Another Successful Weekend for the LifeSport Team!

Held this past Saturday, was the 25th running of the Wildflower Triathlon in Monterey County, CA. Notorious for it's unforgiving bike course and on/off road half marathon, several LifeSport athletes had great success. Age group racer Lyndsey Clapperton (Calgary, AB) used her strong bike and run to win the 40-44 category. Full time triathlete Haley Cooper (Spokane, WA) moved up considerably this year to place 6th in the Pro Women.

On the other side of the continent on Sunday was Ironman 70.3 St Croix, with the infamous "The Beast" climb and sweltering temperatures. New this year, were some highly coveted Kona Ironman slots to the winners of the age groups. LifeSport triathlete Julia Hawley ( Smiths, Bermuda), fresh off a successful LavaCamp, won her age category and her spot in Hawaii this October. LifeSport Coach Bruce Regensburg was 2nd in his age group. Top LifeSport Pros were Lisa Bentley 5th and Bree Wee 7th. Both qualified for Clearwater 70.3 in November.

St. Anthony's Triathlon Report
From Chris Thomas

Where's the swim? As I'm walking towards the transition area I hear the announcer state that they've decided to cancel the swim for all of the amateur athletes. The wind is blowing @ 30mph and they can't launch the kayakers into the water to monitor all of the competitors. The race has been adjusted for the first time in its 26yr history. The new format will be that each athlete will go off in 2 second intervals running from the swim exit into T2 to start the bike leg followed by the run. The swim report from the pros was mixed following the race, with some including Andy Potts stating that it was the hardest swim of their careers, while others didn't think it was that bad. Fellow Timex teammate and friend, Andrew Hodges, had a great quote regarding the swim, "I spent the entire time either trying to swim or trying not to drown…". I fully respect the decision of the race organizer as he's responsible for 3,800+ athletes' lives.

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Despite unusual weather conditions that caused the cancelation of the swim, LifeSport Age Group athletes had some incredible performances.

The St. Anthony's Triathlon in St. Petersburg, Florida, is one of the classic Olympic Distance races in the sport and offers an unique "Elite Amateur" division allowing some of the best age group athletes in the world the opportunity to race head to head despite their age classification.  LifeSport was incredibly well represented in this division with Chris Thomas of Easton, CT taking the overall victory in the men's division of 80 competitors.  Not to be too far outdone,  LifeSporter Lindsey Whalen of Chicago, IL, and Stephanie Liles of Tallahassee, FL, finished 2nd and 3rd respectively out of the 62 starters on the women's side. 

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Karen Smith is Bermuda's Triathlete of the Year!

Congratulations to LifeSporter and Age Group athlete Karen Smith of Smiths, Bermuda for being named Bermuda’s Triathlete of the Year. Karen is coming off a fantastic season in 2008, which saw her finish 2nd in the 40–44 year age group at the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater. Aside from being an accomplished athlete, Karen also keeps busy as an assistant underwriter and mother.

Liles Named Gulf Winds Triathlete of the Year!

Each year, members of the Gulf Winds Track Club pay tribute to members who have set themselves apart from other runners and triathletes. The annual awards ceremony not only honors the fastest among its' members, it also recognizes those who have contributed to the club via their enthusiasm and involvement.

The 2008 Triathlete of the Year recipient, Stephanie Liles, needs little introduction to those familiar with running and triathlon not only in Tallahassee, but throughout the state. She wins almost every triathlon she enters and was the Gulf Winds Grand Prix winner in 2006 and 2008. Liles admits being caught off guard by the Triathlete of the Year honor. She was hoping they would name her boyfriend, Mike Weyant, who has been a triathlete for over twenty years. As Bonnie Wright delivered her speech describing this year's honoree, however, Liles soon realized it was her accomplishments they were describing.

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2008: A Year to Remember for the LifeSport Team!

Our Amazing Age Groupers

LifeSport Age group athletes stood on the podium all over the world this year. Just a few examples were:

Chris Thomas was the Ironman 70.3 World Champion in the men’s 35-39.

Karen Smith finished 2nd at Ironman 70.3 World Championship in the 40-44 women’s.

Nell Stephenson was 1st in the women’s 30-34 at Ironman 70.3 Florida, and 2nd overall at the Seattle Marathon.

Laura Keefe was 4th overall at the Las Vegas Marathon

Roman Dujmovic was the 9th place age grouper at the World Long Distance Triathlon Championships in  Allmeres, Netherlands. Michelle Ball was 8th in the same event.

Jamie Moracci was the top amateur at Ironman 70.3 Florida and 9th overall with the pros.

Rachel Ross was 3rd in the 30-34 age group in Hawaii and 4th overall age grouper

Sean Swarmer was a feature story on NBC at Ironman in Hawaii. Sean is a cancer survivor who was stricken with 2 different cancers, both thought to be terminal when diagnosed, in his teenage years. In his hospital bed, he watched Hawaii Ironman and promised himself he would do it one day if he survived.  His promise came true, in amazing time of 11:44:15, with the guidance of LifeSport Coach Bruce Regensburg. 

Many other LifeSport athletes finished their first 70.3 or Ironman, qualified for Hawaii or Clearwater, or set new best times.  Congrats to everyone!  We are looking forward to 2009!

For more LifeSport Team success click here.

Bree Wee Named 2007 USAT Age Group Athlete of the Year!


LifeSport Athlete Bree Wee was chosen as USAT's Age Group Athlete of the Year in the "open category", under 40 years old.

Says her coach, Paul Regensburg, "Bree is a dedicated athlete and a joy to coach. She balances motherhood and teaching with Ironman training. Her commitment to her training program and perseverance earned her this award".

Bree starts 2008 as a first year pro. Go Bree!

LifeSporter Sean Swarmer's Story
As Reported By Ironman.com

While there have been those who have tried to explain to Sean Swarmer that people who only have partial use of their lungs don't climb Everest and don't do the Ironman World Championship, he's not listening.

“I’ve been told quite a few times that I can’t do things,” he says. “I tend not to listen to them. It just adds fuel to the fire.”

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LifeSport Age Grouper Nell Stephenson 2nd Overall at Seattle Marathon

Here is Nell's report on her breakthrough 3:03 marathon: I was so ready to run after a week of restraining myself from my favorite activity! I went straight to the front of the line and took off slightly faster than my coach had advised, but fell into the proper pace by mile 2 or 3. I led for the first few miles and then ran with a couple of other women for about 6 or 7 miles before two of them passed me. I kept telling myself not to chase as it was too early on.  I stayed on top of my fuel, fluid & electrolyte and felt great until about halfway, when the pounding on the asphalt started to get to me (and my knees!).  Mile 13 or 14 was probably the only time I felt a low during the race, I started getting slightly caught up in the discomfort of going hard for a prolonged time. I was able to get out of that space within a few minutes after putting myself in check; I said to myself, "You wanted to run a hard, fast marathon.  It's probably going to hurt.  Move on."  Then I was over it!

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Moracci First Overall Amateur at Florida Ironman 70.3

LifeSporter Jamie Moracci lead from wire to wire at Florida Ironman 70.3 at Walt Disney Resort to take the amateur win and a 9th place overall, including the professionals!  New LifeSporter, Brent Poulsen made coach Alister Russell proud with an impressive 7th place finish in the men’s pro race.  The women faired well too with Lisa Bentley returning to form after chronic injury with a competitive 4th place finish with Kim Loeffler in at 6th.  At the Columbia Triathlon, Chris Lieto bested Ironman Champion Chris McCormack to take the victory while Amanda Lovato took an impressive 2nd place finish.  In Honolulu, Bree Wee continued her impressive racing with a win and career best 1 hour and 58 minute clocking, 11 minutes faster than the next woman while first year pro, Eileen Swanson landed on the podium with a 3rd place elite finish at the UVAS triathlon in California.  Congrats to everyone!

Rachel Ross Dominates Ironman Arizona

In Ironman Arizona’s brutal winds and blistering heat, Rachel Ross felt right at home. The mother of three from Honolulu put home town heat training to good use, placing first overall age group woman by approximately 30 minutes. Her coach Paul Regensburg says, “Rachel had a tough time in the swim at Oceanside 70.3 a couple weeks ago, and she did a great job overcoming some pre-race swim fears to post a personal best Ironman swim. She showed her expertise in the heat on the bike and run, and demonstrated that she is one of the premier amateur Ironman athletes in the world”.  

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LifeSport Fills 3 of the Top 8 Spots at Ironman Canada

Lisa Bentley lead the charge at Ironman Canada for LifeSport with yet another career podium. A fantastic 3:07 marathon brought her within 3 minutes of the win.

Charlene Waldner ran her way to a 4th place finish to the delight of her coach Paul Regensburg.

Lucy Smith, new to long distance racing, posted the third fastest bike split to take 8th. Both Lisa and Lucy are coached by Lance Watson.

Congratulations to all athletes who competed and way to go Michelle Ball, who, in her 3rd triathlon ever, qualified for Kona. Michelle joined LifeSport 5 months ago as a complete newbie to the sport, and under coach Regensburg's guidance, improved quickly to earn her starting spot at World Championships.

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