Hey BTC!
We’re trialing a new newsletter format, and would love your feedback! Finally you can access the Beat online via the website, thanks to our Master techie, Craig Wilson. Our 4th Beat issue focuses in large part on the founders, in recognition of the 10th anniversary of the BTC this year. Check out “BTC Beginnings” as well as “Tidbits” for some added perspective on the club’s evolution, courtesy of info provided by a few folks who have been there from the start, including Mike Ricci, Jason Kaminski, Tim Sells, Kevin Edwards, and Richard Streeter. Also, be sure not to miss Mary Nodine’s race report on her decisively butt-kicking 3:17 Maine marathon; it’s great motivation for all those training for marathons and more. Other sections include the usual racing and calendar info, an athlete profile, and an update on membership. Missing this month is a message from our stalwart president, but his attention was best focused on Cozumel, clearly affirmed by a stellar performance! November has been a great month for club IM achievements, actually, including those of several first-timers. We’ve certainly got many great race reports to look forward to. Congrats, all!
BTC Beginnings
The original club logo
Thanks to Kevin Edwards, Mike Ricci, Tim Sells, Richard Streeter, and Jason Kaminski for their stellar memories and great info!
Given Boulder’s staunchly deserving reputation as the triathlon mecca, it may be surprising that our beloved haven didn’t claim its own triathlon club till merely a decade ago. Further, once a club was established, loose organization and shaky turnouts made leadership roles feel much like “herding ducks”, according to numerous founding members. On the other hand, one might look at BTC’s humble start as fair representation of the sport of triathlon: within the incredible camaraderie exemplified at races, in training, and through supportive connections amongst athletes of all levels, this unique sport has a special draw for independent, driven spirits; with three unique disciplines to work on, triathletes in general are committed to challenging and bettering themselves; they are focused to an admirable extreme, possessing mental toughness that perhaps tends to the inflexible at times. Even so, being goal-oriented doesn’t have to mean going solo, and Boulder had to have a tri-club. Thanks to the efforts of charter members, including the likes of Max Bowman, Mark Sunderland, Mike Ricci, Richard Streeter, Kevin Reinsch, Jason Kaminski, Rob Klaus, Tim Sells, Kevin Edwards, Gordon Selkirk, Jessica Xavier, Chris Shiver, Keith Watson, and others, late in 1998, it finally did…almost.
Logo as sported on the first club T-shirt
The first meeting of the Boulder Triathlon Club took place in October, 1998, under the direction of Max Bowman, a local massage therapist. The club wasn’t actually incorporated until the following year, however. Coach Mike Ricci recalls meeting Max as a client; during the massage, Max ruminated on the idea of putting together a tri-club, offering Mike the “first” spot (apparently, the enticing slot #1 was promised to several candidates simultaneously). A loosely structured board was formed including Mike, Eric [whose last name seems to have escaped], Gordon Selkirk, Jessica Xavier, Richard Streeter, and Chris Shiver; meetings were held in Chris’s office. Although interest seemed plentiful, the independent triathlete spirit proved tough to manage. “I used to coach the TNT (Tuesday Night Track), and for about 2 years it was AJ Johnson and Jason as the only people who would show up,” Mike muses. “I couldn’t believe Boulder didn’t have a good tri-club.” Perhaps it didn’t help that the Prez admittedly wasn’t all that great at working with people (for instance, dropping the F-bomb about 5 times in as many minutes at an early meeting). In acknowledgment of the shortcomings of his personal style, Max handed the presidential reins to Eric in 1999; Mike Ricci took over in 2000, and in August stepped down for Mark Sunderland, whom founders agree created a turning point for the club with his energy and organizational abilities. “Bringing his great enthusiasm, he ended up doubling the size of the club,” Mike says. “Sundy was the man!”
Since then, as with all things, much has changed, yet much has stayed the same, true to the character of the sport. The annual banquet has been a favorite tradition since Jason Kaminski applied for and was awarded a USAT grant. That year, the grant funded the first semi-formal event, held at the UMC. Coach Ricci’s summer Tuesday Night Track workouts still whip all who attend into great shape for attacking their upcoming goals. For all who choose to take advantage of it, club membership includes some phenomenal benefits in the form of great offers from fabulous sponsors. And of course, the best part remains the central purpose of any organization, a community of individuals who share a passion and support one another in goals and progress. Big thanks to the BTC founders, who braved the duck-herding and stuck with the idea that a Boulder Triathlon Club was something worth growing. Happy Birthday, BTC!
One of the early time trial groups
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
A warm welcome to new members who have joined since October! Thanks to our organized and efficient secretary, Pam, for providing a list!
Danny Peleg
Robin Hooge
Agnes Sauvage
Trent Mera
Steve van Schouwen
Ehren van Melle
William Spencer
Kristin Knous
Andrew Halperin
Kathy Pegion
Karin Linner
Martha Dudley
Tim Barnett
Remember, beginning January 1, club membership fees will be increasing for the first time in 10 years, to $65. Join, renew, OR (for current members) extend an additional 12 month. Just sign up online at the BTC website prior to December 31; click to sign up online before December 11th if you plan to attend the Banquet! Also, feel free to email secretary Pam Schuckies, secretary@teambtc.org, with any questions about membership.
RACING
Congratulations to everyone on great performances! Here are some highlights that we know of from last month. Don’t be shy to share your PRs and accomplishments! Let us know so we can celebrate with you!
IM Florida
- Sharon Hooper, 3rd division, 10:30:15!
- Kevin Houghton, 11:34:52
Clearwater World Championships 70.3
- Warren Schuckies, 4:41:47
- Brian Reid, 5:53:06
San Antonio Marathon
- Jeff Kinsey (injured!), 5:42
- Jen Kinsey, 4:32
IM Arizona
- Owen Hammond, 9:57:09
- Lynn Chance, 1st ironman!, 13:51:02
- Vicki Stubbs, 1st ironman!, 15:19:12
- Bruce Wilson, 13:12:37
IM Cozumel
- Club Pres Andy Graziano, 11:25
- Sally Dyer: 1st ironman!, 12:37
- Jay Lochhead: 10:45, 8th age group and 45 minute PR!
Luck To:
All the Phoenix marathoners and half marathoners; we’ve got a great BTC crowd going! Half: Derek Ciccito, Anne McDonough, Tressa Ferrell, Leena Figall, Jay Lochhead
Full: Barry Siff, Artie Sandman, David McMillan, Wendy McMillan, Denise Farley, Brendan Dillon, Melinda Rider, Quentin Rider, Dave Miller
…and all other racers in December events!
Athlete Update: The Maine Marathon 
-Mary Nodine
When Wendy asked me to write this race report, I thought it would be kind of boring for a couple reasons: Number 1, it was a marathon. Not a triathlon. This means all I did was run. No bike. No swim. No transitions! 2. I had a great day. And what’s a race report without some disasters, or at least mishaps? But then I remembered that I had at least one interesting thing going for me: my marathon performance began with a prophecy.
My marathon goal was 3:20. I had run around 3:35 in two previous marathons, but I’d made mistakes in both and I had a feeling that I was capable of doing much better. Plus, I was training in Boulder and I was going to run the race at sea level…I figured that ought to help.
A few weeks before the marathon I was doing an early morning track workout at the Fairview High School track. As I was finishing my warmup this older guy jogged up to me and asked what I was doing for a workout. I told him: six by one mile, 6:30 to 6:40 pace. He asked if he could join me for a few intervals, and I agreed. It was great to have some company and we averaged 6:36 or so. As we were recovering, he asked me what my weekly mileage was, and I told him. “Well,” he said, “I’ve coached a lot of marathon runners. Based on your weekly mileage and your pace in this workout, I think you’ll run a 3:17:30. Give or take. Depending on the weather.” I was flattered and heartened but hesitant to believe it.
Fast forward three weeks: it’s the starting line of the Maine Marathon. I’m nervous. Tapered and antsy. It’s in the 50’s and humid, threatening rain. I am wearing shorts and a long sleeve shirt but most people are in short sleeves. I worry I made the wrong choice. And man, do I hate being too hot. No point in worrying about it now, I guess.
Go time. I repeatedly remind myself to run steady and chill out. My first mile is 7:44. All is well. My parents are cheering around Mile 2 and I am psyched to see them. Something else happens around Mile 2….I start to get warm. Oh, man. This could be bad. The thing I feel like doing even less than running 26.2 miles(hard) is running 26.2 miles (hard) overheating in my long sleeve shirt in the gray humidity. Around Mile 3.5, at a very picturesque point in the course, where we ran right along the coast…the course is very scenic by the way. (That’s my Maine plug right there.) I decide I have to do something about it. My brilliant solution: unpin my number from my shirt and pin it to my shorts. This is no easy task and probably takes a good .2 miles to complete and definitely draws a little blood. But I do it. I guess at Mile 3.5 this wasn’t a SOLUTION so much as a security blanket mechanism. Now I can remove my shirt on a whim. I am free.
There’s not much else interesting to tell for a while. I ticked off the miles. They ranged from 7:33 to 7:55 in the first half depending on hills. At one point I chatted with some dude from Seattle. He was feeling good and didn’t want to have much of a conversation with me. He forged on ahead and I kept my pace steady. I saw my family at Mile 10. My shirt stayed on. I went through the half-marathon feeling strong in 1:38:32. I was feeling confident but a little scared. You never know what will happen in a marathon. And I’d never run that many sub-8-minute miles in a row before.
The marathon was a lollipop out-and-back course, so I knew I’d see my family around Mile 17 at the same location I’d seen them at Mile 10. Sometime after the half-marathon I started legitimately getting hot, and I started scheming to get rid of my shirt. I got really excited about it. Three miles before it actually happened, I was fantasizing about it. (Oh, the things you get excited about during grueling endurance events. You IronPeople know this.) When I saw my family, I flagged down my sister to run with me, and said, “Emily! I need your help.” I handed her my water bottle, stripped down and handed her my shirt. Her comment: “Holy sh*t you’re running fast!” (This was probably because the last time she ran with me in a marathon was during my 11-minute miles at the end of Boston in 2008. Ugh.) She gave me back my bottle, and with that, I was bare-torsoed and free. Reportedly some lady told her small children to cover their eyes during my stripping episode. The whole thing was videoed by my mom and is posted on Facebook…
I kept ticking off the miles (wow, marathon race reports are boring, huh?). Around Mile 21 I saw antisocial Seattle dude. “Hey Seattle,” I said. “You’re looking smooth,” he said. I passed him. I made up rhyming chants in my head about the miles coming up. I was wearing racing flats and my legs were killing me. But deep down I was thrilled…and also scared that I might fall apart at a moment’s notice. But I kept on not falling apart…7:30 mile after 7:30 mile.
I saw the family again at Mile 24. My Grandpa was even there with a cowbell. My sister jumped in with me again, for about a quarter mile, and I got so excited that she was running with me that I picked up the pace. I also surrendered my sticky, sweaty, Gatorade-covered water bottle to her. And the Mile 25 marker came sooner than I expected….7:05. Seriously?
I crossed the finish line in 3:17:01. Needless to say, I was thrilled, not to mention impressed with my fortune-teller’s prediction. I don’t think there was any secret to what I did, except I was feeling great and everything just came together when I needed it to. Although I will admit, when I crossed the finish line and the announcer said I was from Boulder, Colorado, part of me wished he hadn’t told my secret….I felt like I was cheating by training at 5,000 feet!
Mark Your Calendars!
Upcoming Events
December
5– Rock Canyon Half Marathon, Pueblo
5– Rudolph Ramble 5K, Denver
5– Jingle Bell 5K, CSU Oval, Fort Collins
6– Washington Park 4.4 miler, Denver
6– Colder Boulder 5K, CU Boulder
12– Chilly Cheeks Duathlon #1 Cherry Creek State Park, Denver
13– Jingle Bell Run 5K, Denver Washington Park
13– Christmas Classic 4M, Fort Collins
27– Eagle-Vail Holiday Snowshoe Run 5K/10K, Eagle/Vail Pavilion
31– Resolution 5K Denver
31– Resolution Run 5K Fort Collins
Look ahead
See you on Friday, December 11th, 6:30 onwards, for the annual BTC Banquet! Don’t miss it!
Eldora Nighthawks ski and snowshoe series will begin next month, Wednesday nights from Januray 20th through February 24th. Let’s bring it, BTC!
Athlete Profile: Social Chair Jayme Margolin 
Favorite pre-race meal: A nutri-grain breakfast bar
Favorite sporting accomplishment (any sport): Becoming a brown belt in Shorengi Kempo (a form of Japanese martial arts) in one year with my instruction being all in Japanese ; also, that I am able to do any sports at all with my medical history, and disproving what all doctors said would not be possible
Favorite run/ride route: I love biking on the E-W roads between Hwy 36 and 75th up by Hygiene. I love the view of the Flatirons and the foothills, while being surrounded by farmland and beautiful horses.
Favorite recovery food: Whatever is the post-race food and then usually a lot of chocolate!
Goals for next season: To actually train and not just go out and do races more or less on a whim.
Favorite race: Escape from the Gorge, jumping off of a Sternwheeler into the Columbia River and swimming back to the Oregon coast for the bike and run. I also love non-traditional races that end with the swim and that have some off-road components to them!
Tidbits
- BTC bids so long but not farewell to Abe Morrison, heading out to LA! We’ll miss you, but will catch up with you at Wildflower, Abe!
- Welcome to the newest and cutest BTC addition, Maxon Jacob! Congratulations to Mike and Melanie Guzek.
- In honor of its 10th anniversary, take a look back at a few club high notes:
- First speaker: Mark Plaatjes
- Best Bash: Tim Sells’ Halloween party, the first year
- Best Hook-up: Mike and Melanie Ricci
Mike: “We used to have track workouts at Fairview. One Tuesday night in OCT 2000 we had a bunch of people getting ready for IMFL – we had about 15 people on the track that night. This one girl kept trying to beat me in 200s. I was like ‘wow, she’s fast’ – and put the thought out of my head. Then on 1.3.01 Sundy hosted the Wed night Spin and this same girl was next to me on her trainer. We hit it off etc. 2 weeks later we had the BTC Christmas party at Koenig on the CU Campus. Well, I ended up talking to this same girl again and we went on a date a few weeks later only to be married less than 18 months after that.”
Part-ing Shot 
Guess who?
a) Mike Ricci
b) Warren Schuckies
c) Charles Garabedian
The Butt of this joke will be revealed as next month’s athlete profile. E-mail your answer, plus feedback and ideas for upcoming issues to Wendy at mcmillan.w@gmail.com.
