Friends & Pictures
Helen
My wife Helen completed her first half marathon at Disney in Florida in January, 2001, then kept right on training, running her first full marathon at the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Alaska just five months later (June 23, 2001) with Team In Training (TNT). She managed to raise over $5,000 for leukemia and lymphoma research in the process. Here she is finishing the marathon with the kids. I'm out of the picture, screaming and clapping with pride and joy at her accomplishment.
On the very same day, about 2,000 miles to our South, Bruce Grant (see below) was running (and finishing) his first Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. I had hoped to crew for him, but he was in excellent hands with these strapping young lads, seen here at the pre-dawn start (L to R: Bruce, Joe Foster, Wade Blomgren, and Gerry Kuse)
More is at Helen's own web site at CarpeDiem Consulting. Her next event (also with Team in Training): the 2003 Boston Marathon.
Bruce Grant
(blood test after Western States - ouch! - photo credit: Facchino Photography)
What do you call someone who runs (and places well) in more ultramarathons in a year than most people have toes (including the Western States 100), has twelve Ironman Canada finishes to his credit, and yet still has the time to selflessly hand out praise and excellent advice to all his training partners? Yoda. See Yoda go for his annual swim.
Ray Britt
Ray runs the Boston Marathon every year (one of about ten annual marathons for him). When I'm not racing there myself, I pace him from about 20 miles to the finish. One of these days I won't be able to hold his pace, despite the 20-mile handicap. Here's a picture of his Boston finish in 1998. I'm the "BUM" on his left.
Joe Foster
(Carbo Loading for IMH 2001 - photo credit: Augie Calabrese)
Joe is also a Ironman Kona veteran, and a fast one at that. A few years ago, when I was in peak marathon shape and he was nearing the end of his fat/ rest/sloth period, I got ahead of him on a run - for about a block. Boy did that hurt.
Wade Blomgren
Once upon a time, I used to be semi-competitive with Wade (his first Ironman, my second: IMC '96). Now he's a Ironman Kona veteran, and budding ultrarunner. He's typically showered and changed well before I get to the finish line.
Eric Austin
(On the Run at IMH 2001 - photo credit: Augie Calabrese)
Eric has been a major inspiration to me on at least two fronts: 1) diving right into ultramarathons at the 50-mile level, and 2) growing a goatee.
Augie Calabrese
Augie has seen me at my worst. His pacing and encouragement were instrumental to my finishing the 1999 Boston Marathon. I also enjoyed high-fiving him at the Virgil Forest Monster Marathon in September, 2001. He's also one of those extremely rare triathletes who appears to lead a balanced adult life. One do a lot worse than being Augie when they grow up.
Pete Priolo (aka "IronPete")
IronPete is a about as tenacious as they come. For one thing, he was part of the crew that endured a long, cold, wet winter of training to do Ironman New Zealand in 1999. By some miracle, I edged him out there, but he had me running scared the last 10K.
Some people describe Ironman week as "summer camp for adults". Look here and decide for yourself. Or here, and see the whole gang of "cool kids" out for a junk-food tour of the bike course at Ironman Canada in 1998 (photo credit: Raymond Britt, Sr.).
