Long Island Marathon Course Unveiled at Last

The new course for the LI Marathon isn't as "off the parkway" as we had been led to believe.
There's lots more info now available as well as a new Q & A about the race.

Unlike last year's indoor Packet-pick-up, this year the Expo will be held on Friday, April 30, 2004 and Saturday May 1, 2004 in Parking Field 6A of Eisenhower Park.

King's Park 15k Run images now on MetroTri

Three pages of Images plus Results from the GLIRC King's Park 15k Run this past Sunday are now available on the MetroTri website.

MetroTri Feature Event: Carl Hart Spring Duathlon

Sunday, May 9th, 2004 • Heckscher State Park, Islip, NY
2 Mile Run / 10.5 Mile Bile / 2 Mile Run

Entry Fees:
Postmarked by April 15th: $40 Individual / $55 Team*
April 15th to May 1st: $50 Individual / $65 Team*
After May 1st- RACE DAY: $60 Individual / $75 Team

Application (pdf format) is now on the MetroTri Website

Multisport Festivalin Brazil

World Environment Games Triathlon, Brazil, Oct 23-30, with 16 sports, including:

AQUATHLON - Run - Swim - Run (Lagoa da Vaca Tonta, Sauípe)
Individual & team events

DUATHLON (Costa do Sauípe)
Individual & team events

ENDURO CHALLENGE - Bahia Team Enduro Challenge 2004 (Praia do Forte and Costa do Sauípe)
A multi-sport event for teams of three, racing in 5 disciplines on 5 consecutive days: mountain biking (individual), swimming (team relay), in-line skating (individual), running (individual) and canoeing (team).

MOUNTAIN BIKING
Location - Praia do Forte, Imbassai and Costa do Sauípe
Nature biking, short and long distance, on mixed surfaces
Both events use a mixed-surface course: asphalt, cobblestones, dirt, trail and sand.

RUNNING (Praia do Forte and Costa do Sauípe; Itacaré)
Format - 3 Races on mixed surfaces

SWIMMING (Lagoa da Vaca Tonta, Sauípe)
Format - The course crosses the entire lake; to be achieved one or several times, depending on the event
Number of events - 2 (individual, team)

TRIATHLON (Costa do Sauípe, Linha Verde)
Swim - Bike - Run / short and long course
The short course triathlon (individual & relay) will be staged on a fast and technical circuit: swim in Lagoa da Vaca Tonta, bike and run inside Costa do Sauípe. The long distance triathlon will include: a 3-km swim in Lagoa da Vaca Tonta, a 130-km tough bike course up and down Linha Verde, a 30-km run in and around Costa do Sauípe.

New Event! Sea to Summit Triathlon

It’s not just an Adventure, it’s the Sea to Summit, held on July 31, Starting at New Castle Island NH with a 12 Mile Sea Kayak, 90 Mile Bike and an 8.5 Mile Run finishing at the peak of Mt. Washington (El. 6,288’)

ELITE Bikes Visits Cos Cobb

Elite Bicycles will be holding an Elite Bicycle Expo at Dave's Cycle, their Cos Cobb (Southern) Connecticut Dealer located at 78 Valley Road, Cos Cob, CT 06807, 203.661.7736.

Corporate representatives of Elite, including President David Greenfield, and sales and technical staff will be on hand to answer any questions and to show and display their entire product line from 12pm-5pm on Saturday, March 27th.

Other Metro area Elite Dealers are
Carl Hart Bicyles in Middle Island, NY and Brielle Cyclery in Brielle, NJ.

Second E-Bay Ironman Kona Slot Auction To Start April 22nd
(from IronmanLive.com)

After raising more than $400,000 last year, plans are in place to again offer Kona slots at auction for the Kona YMCA.

WTC is planning to offer 10 slots this year, and the first of these auctions will start on April 22nd. Last year’s winners bid from $10,000 to $50,000 for their slots - some bidding out of their own pocket while others used the proceeds from fund raisers they conducted in their communities.

Slots will not be awarded by age group this year, so anyone can bid for any of the 10 slots. All funds paid are tax deductible, and all proceeds will go to the Ironman Kona Community Foundation, which will donate 100 percent of the proceeds toward construction costs for a new YMCA facility there on the Big Island. According to Friedland, the WTC will pay all administration costs so that all of the monies raised will go directly to the YMCA.

Happy Birthday Roger!

(From InsideTri.com)

Sir Roger Bannister, the man who cracked the four-minute mile with a 3:59.4 in Oxford, England on May 6, 1954, turns 75 today. Born on March 23, 1929 in Harrow, on the outskirts of London, Bannister received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 1975.

Spots Still Available for 2004 NYC Triathlon

Entry to this race closed early last year, and it is currentl;y at least 70% full. The race is earlier (June 26th vs. early August) and the swim will be a little colder, but it's worth it!

You can sign up at Active. For more details visit the NYCTri.com website

Degree Expands Search for Two Everyman Ironman Winners
(From TriathleteMag.com)

Degree is looking for two people – one man and one woman – to become the Degree Everyman Ironman winners. The search is part of the Degree relationship with Ironman, one of the toughest mental and physical endurance experiences on the planet. All it takes is two people who can prove they have the passion to find their “inner” Ironman.
“I think everyone has an Ironman moment, whether it’s a desire to participate in a real Ironman triathlon, or pushing yourself to accomplish your own emotional or physical challenge,” says Steve Katai, a 30-year-old from Cleveland who was selected as the Degree Everyman Ironman this year and who finished Ironman Florida on November 8. “For me, completing an Ironman has been one of my lifetime goals and now I feel like I have what it takes to accomplish anything.”

To be selected, share your dream, never-say-die attitude and iron will – and Degree will supply the rest, including a prize worth up to $100,000 for each winner ... (more)

Metro Area Athletes Going to Ralph's Half

Here's a list of the local folks registered for the April 3 Ralph's California Half-Ironman at Oceanside in Southern California.

FIRST NAME LAST NAME CITY
JOSEPH ALTOMARE TWP. OF WASHINGTON NJ
CRAIG AMES WARREN NJ
PAUL BASHFORTH NEW YORK NY
ALLISON BATTEN NEW YORK NY
MATTHEW BELLAFIORE MALVERNE NY
COLLEEN BIRNSTIEL NEW YORK NY
MARTIN CASHIN CHESHIRE CT
SCOTT CIRIGLIANO OLD TAPPAN NJ
AMANDA COWLEY NEW HAVEN CT
LISA DELLAMORA NY NY
ANNMARIE DEMONTE BLOOMFIELD CT
KEVIN EASTWOOD MADISON CT
BETH EDWARDS BRIDGEWATER NJ
JAMES ELLENGOLD NEW YORK NY
KEITH FACER SCOTCH PLAINS NJ
WILL FISHER NEW YORK NY
COLIN FITZSIMONS DANBURY CT
JOANNE FRANTZIS WOODBURY CT
JOEY FRASIER NEW YORK NY
PAUL FRITZSCHE DANBURY CT
CAROLA GARFIAS NEW YORK NY
KATHY GEBHARDT FORT LEE NJ
JEFF GOLDMAN EAST HAVEN CT
FUMITAKA HATANAKA SCARSDALE NY
CHRISTOPHER HERNANDEZ GUTTENBERG NJ
JAY HOLLISTER PENN YAN NY
TIMOTHY JOHNSON NIANTIC CT
BEVAN JONES PRINCETON NJ
ADAM KALKER HAUPPAUGE NY
PAUL KALKER HAUPPAUGE NY
ESPEN KATERAAS TUXEDO NY
KIRSTEN KINCADE FRANKLIN LAKES NJ
CHERYL KRAFT-JOHNSON NIANTIC CT
DANIELLE LENOIS FAIRFIELD CT
SAMUEL MERRITT NEW HAVEN CT
MICHAEL MITCHELL WOOLWICH NJ
JAY MURRAY POUGHKEEPSIE NY
ANDREW PEMBERTON WILTON CT
ADAM PEMBERTON WEST REDDING CT
LAWREN PETERS NEW YORK NY
THOMAS PULHAM NEW HAVEN CT
TIMOTHY REYNOLDS LA QUINTA CT
LAWRENCE RHEE NEW YORK NY
DANIEL ROSE FAIRFIELD CT
ARIANA ROSE NEW YORK NY
DOUGLAS SCHWARTZ NORWALK CT
MEREDITH SHIREY NEW YORK NY
GREG STEWART NORWALK CT
KERI STONE NEW YORK NY
ROBERT STRAZNITSKAS NAUGATUCK CT
ROBERT TAS NEW YORK NY
KEVIN THOPMPSON ITHACA NY
DAVID URI STAMFORD CT
CHRISTOPHE VANDAELE NEW YORK NY
KENNETH WALLACE, III NEW YORK NY
GREG WNUK NEW YORK NY
JACK ZAREMSKI NEW YORK NY

NYC Ironman and Ultra-Marathoner Will Attempt 24-Hour Treadmill Record in April

From the MetroSports NY Newsletter

Avid endurance athlete and New York City resident Chris Bergland needs a new challenge. The 38-year-old already has done several of the world's toughest ultramarathons and completed a triple Ironman-distance race (7.2-mile swim, 336-mile bike, 78.6-mile run with a 60-hour time limit). So how does one of the country's top long-distance athletes push the envelope?

On April 29, Bergland and another runner will attempt to break the 24-hour treadmill distance record. They'll do it on public display in the window of the Kiehl's retail store on Third Avenue between 13th and 14th streets. Bergland will run with fellow ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes, who lives in San Francisco. The duo will set up paired treadmills at Kiehl's, the body-products manufacturer that sponsors and employs Bergland.

The 24-hour treadmill distance record is 152.27 miles, set earlier this year in Baltimore. Bergland and Karnazes have to run better than a 9:27 minute per-mile pace for 24 hours to break the record. The running starts at 8 a.m. on April 29. Bergland hopes to use the run to raise money for a youth AIDS organization. Stop by Kiehl's to see the (repetitive) action.

Additional Community Fund spots available for Ironman NA events in the U.S.

Ironman North America has opened up 50 more community fund spots at each of the five full-distance Ironman North America events effective Feb. 10. For more information, contact the Ironman North America Athlete Service Center at (352) 243-0948 or via e-mail .

Community Fund athletes to be part of the Ironman North America Triathlon team

Tied directly to the Ironman North America Community Fund, the Ironman North America team concept acts as a reward to athletes who have contributed to the Ironman Community Fund. Once an Ironman North America event is full, athletes are given the option of purchasing a Community Fund spot at that event for $1,000.

The Ironman Community Fund provides a financial opportunity for Ironman North America to help those in the community who support Ironman events, with a heavy emphasis on providing sports opportunities for children.

The primary focus is to provide kids with the opportunity to excel and/or compete in athletics of all kinds. Money is targeted to a specific function within that sport so that its effects are felt directly by the participants.

Long-term goals of the Community Fund also include capital community projects for Ironman North America host sites. The Ironman North America Team will also feature a group of professional athletes as team members. Pro team members will be announced at a later date.

All athletes who purchase an Ironman Community Fund spot for an Ironman North America event will automatically be a member of the Ironman North America team. As a team member, athletes will receive a logoed racing uniform and other apparel and will receive special seating at Ironman North America banquets. A special function will also be set up for Ironman North America Team athletes at each event with professional Ironman North America team members.

For more information on the Ironman North America team, contact Sue Fraser.

2004 ITU Duathlon Championship Qualifiers

USA Triathlon has announced the four events that will serve as qualifiers for the 2004 International Triathlon Union (ITU) Duathlon Short Course World Championship, May 28-31 in Geel, Belgium:

Corralitos Duathlon (March 20; Aptos, Calif
Powerman Alabama (March 28; Birmingham, Ala.)
Virginia Duathlon (April 4; Virginia Beach, Va.)
Caesar Creek Duathlon (April 10; Waynesville, Ohio) .

**The junior and under-23 world-championship qualifying event will be the Whistlestop Duathlon, held in conjunction with Powerman Alabama on March 28.

The 2004 ITU Duathlon Long Course World Championships are scheduled to be held July 31-Aug. 1 in Denmark.

The remaining events to be used as qualifiers:
DANNON Desert Princess (Nov. 9, 2003; Cathedral City, Calif.)
Powerman Alabama (March 28, 2004; Birmingham, Ala.)
Mid-Ohio Challenge (May 15, 2004; Mansfield, Ohio)

SWIMMING WEEK AT CHELSEA PIERS

Chelsea Piers in Manhattan will be conducting a Swim Performance Enhancement Week starting March 22.

- Shoulder Prehabilitation Tuesday, March 9 7:00pm – 8:00pm
- Flipturn Clinic Tuesday, March 16 6:15pm – 7:15pm*
- Plyometrics for Swimmers Wednesday, March 17 6:15pm – 7:15pm*
- Innertube Water Polo Party Thursday, March 18 8:45pm – 10:00pm
- Active Isolated Stretch Tuesday, March 23 7:00pm – 8:00pm
- Triathlon Swim Clinic Thursday, March 25 7:00pm – 8:45pm
- Pilates for Swimmers Tuesday, March 30 7:00pm – 8:00pm

SWIMSUIT COMPETITIONS HEAT UP!

Both Speedo and TYR have announced New Swim Suit Technologies that [they claim] will bring new records in the coming months.

Speedo Launched their new FASTSKIN FSII by having a gaggle of Olympians sit in the cold with Matt Lauer on Tuesday. The FSII's have been specialized not only for men and women, but for each stroke as well.

TYR has responded by announcing their Aqua Shift suits, developed in coomperation with the University of Buffalo

Help or Hype? Perhaps we'll find out at the Olympics. Stay tuned...

OLYMPIC SWIMMERS PITCH NEW SPEEDO SUITS ON TODAY SHOW

Amanda Beard, Lenny Krayzelburg, Michael Phelps and Jenny Thompson will appear Tuesday, March 9 on NBC’s Today Show, to talk about the release of Speedo’s new swimsuit and ad campaign. Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines will also weigh in on the subject. The six-and-a-half-minute segment will air at 9:05 a.m., ET.

Thanks to Aquafit Masters Head Coach Lisa Baumann for the heads up on this one.