Seahorse Triathlons + Duathlon 2011

Southwest Michigan Triathletes at

2011 Seahorse Sprint and Olympic Triathlon and Duathlon!!!

A foggy morning in Climax, Michigan.

60 degree water temperature

The kind of temperature that renders comments like,

"Please feel free to pee in front of me!" 

to actually be considered valid and not weird at all.

Wet, hilly roads with a couple nicely pitted sections.

And, a run course of muddy, slippery, rooty trails --

when did we sign up for DWD?

A great 1st multi-sport event for several local athletes.

Jenna Davis, CJ Hawkins and Bob, Shelly and Randy Taylor

hanging out as Seahorse!

Randy is the only one enjoying this picture.

Odie Williams (ONS) and Ryan Taylor

"Dude, I'm taller than you." 

"No you're not.

"Yes, I am.  A lot."

Fred Hemsath and Andrea Hutchins (X)

 Fred and I have the same head shape...hmmmmm

Ryan Taylor accepting his award and making a statement.

All the celebrities have a voice,

"Save the Earth Ride a Big Wheel"

Ryan powered his big wheel to 1st Overall Male in the sprint!

Jenna Davis 1st Age Group 25-29 Sprint Triathlon

"What do I do with this?"

"You use it to open beer bottles, Jenna."

Randy Taylor striking a pose.

"I am just too darn cute and smart!

Mom can do all the work and I can wear the medal!"

X collects 1st Overall Female in the Olympic

There is a better pic of me,

but I decided to stay true to form and post the dorky one.

I'm going to work with Randy on improving my posing.

Fred Hemsath collects 2nd Age Group 65-69 Olympic

Collecting his1 millionth medal or thereabouts.

  

CJ collects 3rd in Olympic 25-29

CJ, if X were a boy and 25-29 you'd of been off the podium.

Next time buddy!--only a couple of minutes :-)

ONS, YOU ARE A CLYDESDALE!

"Hey this was nothing!  Ironman Texas 1 week ago.

And, now I am the Champion of the Seahorse Olympic Clydesdales.

Not to mention I'd of been 2nd in my age division

had I not eaten those muffins on the drive to the race."

The Taylor clan!

Ryan, Randy, Bob and Shelly!

Say, "Aw"

Buy, your triathlon shoes at Taylor'd Running and support this local family.

--shameless plug, how about that discount Ryan?

Shelly Taylor 2nd Overall Duathlete

"You all are idiots for swimming in 60 degree water!"

The hardware picture!

Missing from this photo Fred Hemsath and Chris Marzke.

Chris was 3rd in Olympic 40-44

CJ, Dad Hawkins and Mom Hawkins! 

We had to put the hardware to the test!

It works!

Celebrating a Great Day for All!

Until We TRI Again!

WOOHOO

Good Luck ONS (Odie Williams) at Memorial Herman Ironman Texas

Good Luck to Odie Williams "ONS" 

as you venture towards the finish line of your first Ironman,

Memorial Herman Ironman Texas.

We're cheering for you every stroke, every step of every mile.

   

A few WooHoo's at SouthShore's hot tub with ONS before

shipping him off to Texas where he will become as "IRONMAN".

Are these 5:45 AM swims worth it?

"Yes, because I will be an Ironman!"

Welcome to Lake Woodlands, The Woodlands Texas.

We invite you to swim 2.4 miles
in our regularly "off limits" waters with the locals.

And, by locals we mean Water Moccasins.

ONS pops his head out during the practice swim

Lake Woodlands, TX.

Water Mocassin (we'll call him "Mocca") 

pops his head out during the practice swim 

Lake Woodlands, TX.

ONS with his gals; daughter Maddy (Lil Rock) and fiance Aimee (Mid Rock)

Whew no water mocassin!

Hopefully, "Mocca" isn't ticked he was left out tomorrow.

Dropping off the bike at Transition!

It's getting real now!

"Hey Dude, will you take a pic of me with my bike?

Tomorrow, I will be an Ironman."

Setting out the gear bag.

Bag O' Gear

ONS has moved on to the art of identifying people by voice.

Pictured with Brett Blankner podcast host of "Zen and the Art of Triathlon" 

Good luck sneaking in and out of the house when you're older Maddy.

Your dad has some Hearing SKILZ.

 This is where ONS leaves "Mocca" behind tomorrow!

End of the Swim.

ONS following the Karen Smyers' 3-2-1 taper strategy.

"Now that's what I would call the purrrrrrfect hydration plan for a hot Ironman!
U go Odie!  All the Woo Hoo's wish you the best!"
-- Coach MMB (John Brinker)

ONS race #1993
Race Start: 7AM Saturday, 5-21-2011

WOO HOO!

Spring Joy Ride

 "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with

the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body,

but rather to skid in sideways,
chocolate in one hand, champagne in the other,

body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming
“WOO HOO what a ride!" - unkown

Some rides unfold in a very strange way.  Typically you have a plan and an idea how long, how far and where you are going.  Today we arrived at our scheduled 7:15 AM ride time and we were on the streets of Southwest Michigan shortly after.  Today the plan called for 2-1/2 hours--we did the time.  However, none of us imagined the ride would derail in such a fun and spontaneous way.  "What's that ONS?  You want to spin down Niles Avenue and then take Napier to Yore Rd and pick up Sodus Parkway?  Sure that sounds fun."  Little did we know that the ensuing miles would weave us around 3 small towns (Benton Harbor, Saint Joseph and Stevensville) and log us 40+ miles in the most random of rides. To quote Dr. Seuss, "Oh the places you'll go!"

"ONS" (Odie No Show) insisted on a trip down Napier. 

Any other day a cyclist would not even consider it. 

At 7:15 am on a Sunday Napier Avenue is like an open cycling freeway. 

Shoot, since we're here we might as well go to the mall. 

Intervals next Sunday, Orchard's Mall.

We left the mall and rolled on. 

What would a day be without learning a little something?

"AG" (Amber Girl)(pink) does the scholarly look quite well.



It is Sunday after all. 

 ONS experimenting with nutrition.  Who doesn't eat drumsticks on rides?

"Seek" (Sequel)...I like you're helmet, but "ONS" has a way more goth look.

  (outside joke...you had to be there)

Break'n the law.  Break'n the law.  We're rebels.

 Shout out to "MMB" (Madman Brinker) 

Castle de MMB

Thanks for breakfast, Petey.

"X" (Xterm, Xterminator) shows a little leg.....ok so it's not a little leg.

Peek - a - Boo "Tomas" (Tomas) we see you. 

Tomas, you'll have to have the association fix the gate;

yours is not keeping the Riff Raff out.

Attack on "YAC"

The dog alarm is going off....keeping our distance....stealth pure stealth.

"Lindy" Who?

She moved?  To Hawaii? 

 Cool we'll have a place to stay when we go to the Championships.

For a minute there we thought "MMB" was on our ride.

As close as we'll get "Seek" to the delicious goodness of donuts.

"X" caught brown bag handed

"ONS" ♥ donuts

"Paul" (Paul) - dude in black wishes he'd of bought 2 donuts like ONS.

"AG" striking a mighty fine Dunkin pose.

Hello Dave

How's Ireland? And, what is the maximum load for this swing?

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty....

Until we ride again!

Woo Hoo