Favorite thing about triathlon: You need to be creative in your training to race at your potential. It is a life long sport that really works the entire body...I also love the people. They are so diverse, accepting, and supportive.
Favorite race: Ironman & Wildflower
Top workout: Racing!
Preferred training toy: Zipp race wheels. Even if I'm racing with the 808s or the disk, I love the feel of having them on. They just make you feel fast...even on the uphills.
Eats: Thai food. But it doesn't seem to fit well in the pockets of my jersey on long rides. So I have had to resort to PowerBars, Clif Bloks, and any gel that I have.
Hobbies: Drives to Starbucks with my wife Jessi and daughter Emma. We also like to watch Emma do her 'races' that she sets up in our driveway with a bike course and run course. She may only be 3, but she is racing... just ask her.
Career: 6th grade teacher.
Why Tri-Fusion? The members. This club is like no other. It is formed from some very select people who have something to offer the club. We are not a club of 'takers.' Everyone in this club has something to offer. I think it is amazing to see this many people working together to make something like this happen. There is no way you could do this on your own.
Favorite thing about triathlon: I love it when the gun goes off...the body gets going and the nerves disappear. I also love cross-training and what it does for my body.
Favorite race: Ironman Coeur D' Alene
Top workout: Starbuck Swims - yummy coffee followed by an open water swim at Medical Lake or long rides with friends. Really though, my best workouts are races...
Preferred training toy: My transition bag - it's perfect and packed with everything I need. I always seem to be loaning out something at every race to someone who has forgotten it.
Eats: Snickers Marathon bars, and for pre-long bike workouts: peanut butter, banana and honey sandwich
Hobbies: movie making, thai food junky, anything with my family.
Career: Teacher, wife, mom.
Why Tri-Fusion? I love the grass roots effort to pull amazing triathletes together for fun and fellowship. Most of all... I love the people!
Favorite thing about triathlon: I love the cross training that triathlon demands, my physical body seems healthier and I seem to have less injuries.
Favorite race: Half-Ironman.
Top workout: Long runs 1:30+ hours and long bikes 3+ hours.
Preferred training toy: Polar S725
Eats: Delta E, whole wheat bagels with peanut butter & yogurt for race fuel.
Hobbies: 3 children, anything regarding health and prevention, wine, walking, water sports, yard work, riding motorcycles.
Career: Massage therapist.
Why Tri-Fusion? Relationships with people who are passionate about the same things I am. I am very passionate about health and triathletes seem to be a group of people who are on purpose and very health conscious and goal oriented.
Favorite thing about triathlon: It keeps me in shape; the long term results on my body/longevity, the people who are involved, and all the advanced technology in equipment/clothes/nutrition.
Favorite race: Daytona 500.
Top workout: Starbuck’s Swim.
Preferred training toy: Polar S725 and heart rate monitor.
Eats: Enerprime, Delta E and any gel.
Hobbies: 3 children, tropical fish, hunting, golf, NASCAR, photography, stocks, beer, wine making, and riding motorcycles.
Career: Retired Air Force Officer/Massage Therapist/Spokane County Chief Deputy Assessor.
Why Tri-Fusion? I enjoy being with positive, inclusive, health-centered people/athletes and I really like being on a team.
Favorite thing about triathlon: Training for Ironman and the last 200 yards to the finish!
Favorite race: Ironman Canada.
Top workout: Bricks 30Bike/3Run/30B/3R/30B/3R =90Bike/9Run.
Preferred training toy: Cervelo P3 and Bag Balm.
Eats: Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches for race fuel.
Hobbies: Hockey, dancing, kids.
Career: Dental sales.
Why Tri-Fusion? I love Tri-Fusion because it will bring people together that can share the same interest. We can all enjoy the training and the long hours together.
Favorite thing about triathlon: Total body fitness, the thrill of competition, and bike seat hemorrhoids.
Favorite race: Wildflower.
Top workout: A beautiful glassy lake at sunrise. Me jumping in and swimming my guts out.
Preferred training toy: My MP3 player with a plethora of iTunes podcasts.
Eats: Oatmeal with eggs, peanut butter, cinammon, strawberries, and yogurt...and zucchini pancakes.
Hobbies: My band, guitar, red wine, traveling to weird places, tennis.
Career: Owner of Pacific Elite Fitness & Director of Sports Performance for Champions Sports Medicine.
Why Tri-Fusion? More motivation to train, awesome sponsors, and camaraderie.
Favorite thing about triathlon: The conditioning and the lead up to the race. It doesn't matter if it is an Ironman or a smaller event, the atmosphere and energy prior to a race is impossible to duplicate anywhere. It has a Super Bowl type of electricity in the air. Also the race itself and the feeling of accomplishment when you cross the finish line.
Favorite race: CDA Ironman
Top workout: Riding the CDA Ironman course.
Preferred training toy: My Softride
Eats: Whatever I want when I'm training, that is the benefit you get from all the hard work you put in. For training or race day food, I prefer Cliff Bars and Hammer Gel.
Hobbies: Spending time with my family, boating, snow skiing, water skiing, snowmobiling, anything with speed, and ice cold beer.
Career: Real Estate Agent
Why Tri-Fusion? The opportunity to train and network with other tri-athletes who share the same passion and interests in the sport.
Favorite thing about triathlon: I enjoy training but love feeding off pre-race energy and pushing to reach personal goals. It's so cool to set a long term goal (Ironman) and three years later having the enormous sense of satisfaction that comes from celebrating its achievement with family and friends.
Favorite race: My next one!
Top workout: 32 mile time trial on the bike - I do it monthly to assess my general bike fitness. I've mapped a gorgeous, semi-challenging course that loops around the Spokane River. It has minimal car traffic and you can really put your head down and hammer.
Preferred training toy: "Virgil" my virtual training partner. He's contained in my Garmin 305 and pushes the snot out of me on long runs!
Eats: Pizza and any kind of chip...pretty much anything that's salty and fatty.
Hobbies: Being a Dad - It's a pretty cool gig.
Career: Chief HR Dweeb at HollisterStier Laboratories.
Why Tri-Fusion? The Board of Directors is made up of some of the funniest, coolest athletes in the area. These are folks I'd want to hang with regardless of the club. The fact that we have a shared passion for all things tri is a huge bonus.
Favorite thing about triathlon: All-over fitness, plus multi-sport training prevents boredom for constantly training at one sport.
Favorite race: Hell's Gate Duathlon
Top workout: A really log run anywhere, but Spokane, preferably along a body of water. Sunday afternoon bike/runs with my husband too.
Preferred training toy: My iPod, my legs or my wheels just seem to spin faster when tunes are playing in my ears.
Eats: Pizza or curry, whenever I eat those foods the night previous to a race, I just feel smooth. For training: oranges & cream Carboom.
Hobbies: Movies with my daughter, working out with my husband, a great run and a better espresso with my favorite friends, gardening.
Career: Middle school English teacher and school administration.
Why Tri-Fusion? I was out of triathlons for a while, just running marathons and watching my husband compete, but I missed the multi-sport training and look forward to fellowship with Tri Fusion members.
Favorite thing about triathlon: The positive lifestyle, people, fitness, health.
Favorite race: Ironman CDA
Top workout: My first 3 hour run, literally a 23 mile milestone, plus my first century ride.
Preferred training toy: My Garmin 305, because of the instant feedback during and after my workouts.
Eats: Italian and Thai. Training/racing favs: Hammer Nutrition's Perpetuem & Sustain.
Hobbies: Photography, going out with my wife, church with family.
Career:
Why Tri-Fusion? Members! The opportunity to meet and workout with really great people.
Favorite thing about triathlon: Definitely the people…enough said.
Favorite race: Founders day triathlon. Hey any race that takes me to the starting line in the back of an old pickup truck…I’m in!
Top workout: Just long runs…over an hour in length, or training swims at Kona.
Preferred training toy: Probably just my heart rate monitor…it keeps me honest.
Eats: Pretty much the menu at the Elk Pub.
Hobbies: Acting, snow skiing, and the occasional bout with stand up comedy…when the mood strikes me. I have also been known to pick up a guitar.
Career: Currently an attorney. I am a solo practitioner who specializes in criminal and family matters.
Why Tri-Fusion? Here I would repeat an answer: “the people”. This is without a doubt the best club in town. This club has everything: training partners, world class athletes, and beginners. The emphasis of Tri-Fusion is to create a club to further the sport through results, and fellowship.
Favorite thing about triathlon: Training with a purpose (to compete and push myself to new limits) keeps me energized, as do all of the enthusiastic and positive triathletes
Favorite race(s): Sprint: Apple Capital, Olympic: Coeur d' Alene, 1/2 IM: Lake Stevens, and IM: hopefully Coeur d'Alene 2008...
Top workout: Long runs in cool, sunny weather or swimming in calm open-water
Preferred training toy(s): Garmin Forerunner 305, Computrainer, and Endless Pool
Eats: Pre-race: Peanut butter and jelly + banana, During races: Infinit Fluid Energizer (my custom blend), Heed and Delta E, Post-race: Naked burrito or Thai food + anything chocolate
Hobbies: Photography, gardening, playing with my dogs, coffee with friends, and traveling with my husband (preferably by bicycle)
Career: Chemistry Professor
Why Tri-Fusion? The camaraderie with athletes of all abilities that share the same love of multi-sport
Favorite thing about triathlon: My wife would say it's an answer to my obsessive compulsive necessity to workout. I just love training, race day, and most all crossing the finish line (no matter what time) with my wife and daughter.
Favorite race: Any Ironman will do.
Top Workout: Four hour loop from my front door to the top of Mount Spokane and back. Scenic runs along the river in Seven Mile. Swimming from Coeur d'Alene resort's pier to NIC and back.
Preferred Training Toy: Heart Rate Monitor. No cheating.
Eats: Everything thing on the left side of the menu and "hey are you gonna eat that?"
Hobbies: Snow skiing, water skiing, Ironman, and drinking with friends.
Career:Salon owner, cosmetologist, great husband/dad and Superman "shhh don't tell."
Why Tri-Fusion? Opportunity to network with people who appreciate hard work and to learn more about the sport of triathlon.
Favorite thing about triathlon: I love the endorphin release from a great training day. The sense of accomplishment from achieving my goals. But most of all the camaraderie of being with positive people who enjoy a healthy lifestyle.
Favorite race: Ironman Canada
Top workout: Long rides with my husband including preems to challenge my competitive side.
Preferred training toy: Run visor, sun glasses, and good pair of bike shorts. But most of all my yellow duck to keep me safe while swimming in Liberty Lake.
Eats: Double Stuff Oreo cookies or Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia after a race. And I love coffee!
Hobbies: Mountain bike riding at Sun Mountain Lodge with Martin. Spending time with my daughter. And being with people who have a passion for life.
Career: Wife, mom, and Personal Trainer
Why Tri-Fusion? I enjoyed the enthusiasm, motivation and playful nature along with the positive energy surrounding this group of people.
Favorite thing about triathlon: There are so many reasons why people are drawn to triathlons. The competition, health and fitness benefits, travel experiences, or the challenge of just finishing a triathlon. For me however, it’s the people who compete in triathlons. Like no other sport we seem to support each other as much if not more than we support ourselves. It’s a sport were in the morning you can meet a total stranger and by the end of the day you can become best friends. This is unique about triathlons and why I have been around it for so long.
Favorite race: Ironman Canada, 13 years and counting.
Top workout: Track sessions. For example; 10 minute warm-up, 12x400’s, 10 minute cool down.
Preferred training toy: My Softride. I need the smooth ride after 20 years of training.
Eats: I love to eat. I’ve convinced myself I can eat anything I want as long as I am training.
Hobbies: Outside of triathlons, I enjoy mountain biking, lifting weights and rollerblading with my wife. (I’m awful at it.) I also enjoy basketball, golf and taking Vicki to Starbucks.
Career: After earning a Bachelor's degree in education, I returned to work at Lane Mountain Company (mining industry) in Valley, Washington, where I’ve been employed for 24 years.
Why Tri-Fusion? After the launch, it was an easy decision for me. Seeing how the board members interacted with each other was impressive. The professionalism of the board combined with the humor, camaraderie and teasing of one another convinced me that this is a fun group of people. I’m looking forward to getting to know all the members and sharing this common passion we have for life.
Favorite thing about triathlon: Cross-training, getting outdoors, healthy living, socializing
Favorite race: Any one with lots of good food afterward (save some for the slow people!), and one with nice weather, and nice volunteers, close to home, a cheap entry fee, and no one swimming over me, ok?
Top workout: Riding UP Valley Chapel road
Preferred training toy: My Quintana Roo bike
Eats: Training: Cherry chocolate Carboom, Hammer gels, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Other times: steak and baked potato, spaghetti with meat sauce.
Hobbies: I only have time for triathlon training! Oh, and cross-country skiing, Gonzaga men's basketball spectating with my husband, and parenting (irritating) our teen daughters
Career: Occupational therapist at Spokane Guilds' School and Holy Family Hospital
Why Tri-Fusion: To share my enthusiasm for the sport, join group workouts, have fun, and stretch my current limits. Also, I've been wanting a tri club in this area, and here it is!
Favorite thing about triathlon: The people. So genuine, and just the right amount of competitiveness to satisfy my drive, and triathletes always reinforce the truth that we are capable of so much more than we ever think.
Favorite race: Ironman Coeur d'Alene
Top workout: 60/30 brick (Tuesday/Thursday 5am spin + 30 min treadmill run at 24 Hr Fitness). Thanks to these workouts, now I have tons of confidence to run well off the bike.
Preferred training toy: Other people. I get so much better workouts with others than I can ever get by myself, and it helps me get out of bed when I know there are others waiting for me. And training with faster people has really helped me get out of the "just finish" category and up to being competitive in my age group.
Eats: my ginger cookies, Chips Ahoy (but only on the bike), Tim's Cascade Chips (duh!), Tillamook cheese, Tillamook ice cream, bacon cheeseburgers
Hobbies: OSU Beavers football, golf, wine, beer brewing Career: Starbucks barista
Why Tri-Fusion? Again, the people. The expertise, training motivation, and new friends!
Favorite thing about triathlon: The feeling I get when I cross the finish line, also the high I get from the training.
Favorite race: Moses Lake Olympic, it is new and not a lot of people know about the race.
Top work-out: Brick workouts- 20mile ride 6mile run 20 mile ride.
Preferred training toy: My trek bike, just something about being in the middle of nowhere all by yourself on a long ride. Soon to have Zipp 606 rims for next season.
Eats: yogurt w/granola, eggs, hammer gel (apple Cinnamon), heed sport drinks, turkey wraps with all the fixings.
Hobbies: being a father and a husband. friends, snow skiing, wine.
Career: Realtor with Windermere North
Why Tri-Fusion? The people. After the kick-off meeting and meeting some of the people, it just seems like a great fit. Also having people that I can train with, laugh with will do nothing but add to the sport.
Name: Mia (Maria E.) Bertagnolli
Favorite thing about triathlon: Triathletes are some of the friendliest, supportive people I know. I love the feeling of competing against myself while racing WITH my fellow racers, and seeing people I know out on the course.
Favorite race: Ironman Coeur d’Alene 2005 – I got to bike, run and finish with my husband John!
Top Workout: Riding the Coeur d’Alene Triathlon bike course with the boys!
Preferred Training Toy: I am a seriously low-tech gal. Give me my big, foam-covered headphones and tunes and I am happy.
Eats: Anything peanut butter! I also look forward to the cup of cocoa/coffee on the drive to the race and ice-cold Pepsi after.
Hobbies: Family, music, baking and lake time in the summer.
Career: Biology Professor
Why Tri-Fusion? See “Favorite thing about triathlon” above. In other words, it’s Kirk’s fault.
Name: Tom DeHart
Favorite thing about triathlon: Training, staying Fit, the thrill of racing!
Favorite race: Winthrop Winter Tri.
Top Workout: Long trail run in Riverside State Park
Favorite Training Toy: My Computrainer.
Eats: Anything that's not good for me.
Hobbies: Triathlon/Duathlon, Tele skiing, Skate Skiing, Wood working, spending time with my kids!
Career: Physical Therapist.
Why Tri Fusion? To have people to train with and to watch others accomplish their goals!
Favorite Thing About Triathlon: The feeling of accomplishment and the people you meet.
Favorite Race: Favorite race is CDA Olympic, though it was better before they took out the hill on HWY95.
Favorite Training Toy: My favorite training toy is my bike computer. I love watching the miles add up.
Eats: I am a big salad girl, especially spinach.
Hobbies: When I am not training I like to shoot guns or do anything outdoors: fishing, hiking, camping, snowshoeing, skiing, horseback riding….
Career: I am the marketing coordinator for Qdoba Mexican Grill and am also trying to buy in as a 50% partner in McGlades Market and Bistro.
Why Tri-Fusion? I chose Tri-Fusion because of the great people involved…
Name: Teresa (Teri) Orr
Favorite thing about triathlon: I like the training and the camaraderie. I also like to enjoy the experience of the event. Each marathon and/or triathlon is unique and you never has the same experience twice.
Favorite race: Boston Marathon and Ironman CDA.
Top workout: Half Ironman distance about 7-8 weeks out from Ironman. After you complete this workout, you start to finally feel physically and mentally prepared for the full distance.
Preferred training toy: The stick. I love it. It helps to take the knots out of your legs after you put in those long training miles. http://www.thestick.com/.
Eats: I am a big Cytomax fan – cranberry lemonade flavor. It just works for me as a main sports drink. During Ironman I use Extran which you can now only source through Australia. It adds a lot calories without giving your sports drink a chalky taste and texture. I am also hooked on Optygen by First Endurance. My cousin got me hooked on it and they now sponsor him and the Discovery team. It is a company based out of Salt Lake that is starting to get a lot of national attention.
Hobbies: Spending time with my husband and kids, snow skiing, traveling, playing board games and my new interest - Texas Hold’em Poker.
Career: I am a Sr. Publishing Rep for Pearson Higher Education and a full time wife and mother of two – girl – Sidney 10 and boy – Trey – 7.
Why Tri-Fusion? This organization will help tri sport athletes in the greater Spokane come together to share common interests and knowledge in a cohesive group where we can all benefit.
Favorite thing about triathlon: It provides a goal/purpose to training beyond "getting into shape."
Favorite race: My first and only (Medical Lake Founder's Day 2006)
Top workout: I'm a relative newcomer to the sport, so I really don't have a favorite yet. I'm enjoying the total experience.
Preferred training toy: My heart rate monitor
Eats: My peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread tasted pretty good after that first race!
Hobbies: Bowling, golf, stained glass
Career: Dentist (24 years in Air Force and 3 years in private practice)
Why Tri-Fusion? I know everybody else has said it, but I have to agree, it's the people. The members and board of directors are such ambassadors of the sport and such an inspiration, especially to a novice like me.
Favorite Thing About Triathlon: Cross Training, and the encouragement that I get from great friends that motivate me to keep going, and crossing the finish line!
Favorite Race: I have only done sprint distance races, so I guess Valley Girl
Top Workout: Long runs down at Hanson Harbor on the Columbia River. I can go miles without seeing anyone, only wildlife.
Preferred Training Toy: Mark’s new computrainer…It kicks my ass. Also, my I Pod Shuffle. gotta have tunes to help the time pass by.
Eats: Peanut butter and bananas and recoverite after long workouts, before Starbucks!
Hobbies: Traveling to sunny destinations with my husband, Mark, snow skiing, Reading, socializing with friends and drinking wine.
Career: Financial Advisor
Why Tri-Fusion? It appears to be a supportive fun group of people, that genuinely seem to want to help motivate each member no matter what level of experience they have.