Hi Coach Cliff: 

It’s been a busy off season and I have lots of news to share. I was just appointed to USAT’s North East Regional Council and will be the point person on Paratriathlon.  This was an unexpected honor that came from my work with the Challenged Athletes Foundation.  The USAT job will heat once the race season kicks off.  Which is perfect, since I’m taking a sabbatical this winter to intern at CU Boulder where researchers are studying amputee runners.

There’s been a lot of discussion about whether or not the Cheetah Running Blades give an athlete an advantage.   I’ve wondered that same thing, particularly during a race where I ran with, then was passed by, a guy running on Blades.  (Him: “This is some hill”.  Me: “Whimper”.)  The researchers in Boulder are proving that there is, in fact, no advantage.  http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/14de1a1049d4df00e6fd0614606e42d5.html  

One of my responsibilities with USAT will be to recruit and train handlers for the paraathlete.  On race day, handlers do everything from delivering prosthetics at swim exit, to helping wheelies in T1 and T2, as well as racing in tandem with blind athletes.  Elite blind athletes need an elite athlete to swim/bike/run with them acting as a guide.  It's an unbelievably cool program.  Much more on this as it develops.

So, that’s all my work news, but what I really want to say is, ”Woohoo! I’m going to train in Boulder!”  I was out there in October and totally fell in love with the town.  If MGM were to make a musical about triathlon it would be set in Boulder.  Every one is so happy, I wouldn’t have been surprised if people broke into song.  And everyone starts sentences with, "I'm an Ironman..."   

I'll be training at Flatiron fitness and creating red blood cells like a champ.  I'll have to work up the nerve to attend the masters swim.  In the outdoor pool.  In January.  Ugh. 

But I'm a little nervous to run into Gregg Bennett again.  You know he's stalking me?  Elite athletes often stalk middle of the pack-ers.  No?  Ok.  But he is everywhere I go.  I got lost while driving in Boulder, and pulled over to ask directions.  This incredibly fit, blond couple went by on their bikes.  I got a good look at them; absolutely Laura and Gregg Bennett.  Then there was the time they swam across the pool at St. A’s to chat up a woman sitting next to me.  Yeah, I’m being stalked…it’s a burden.

But in all seriousness, I don’t think I’d be this deeply involved in paratriathlon without all the Tristar support I’ve gotten these last few years.  As always, thanks for all.

~Joan