Team Blaze Spokane Blog

Hello Team Blazers, welcome to 2013. Since we are two weeks in you’ve had a little taste of how it might be. The world didn’t end as the Mayans predicted so you might be left with “what do I do now?” kind sort of questions (we’re not all type A-plan-everything-ahead types as stereotypes might suggest ).    The first thing to do would be to make sure you signed up or renewed your Team Blaze membership (http://www.teamblazespokane.com/memberApp2.html).

Now that you are a member you can use the forum to see things like this http://teamblaz.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=discussion&thread=3232&page=1 thread that has a searchable document put together by Suzanne (the magnificently organized) Smail that contains all of Coach Scott’s posts on various topics including how to set and achieve your triathlon goals.

As a member you can also see the Team Blaze workout calendar on the forum with many of the group workouts and educational opportunities from our sponsers.  Thank you to Tobin Smail for keeping this current and organized.

If you need inspiration to set your goals you can read race reports from other members such as Tristin’s Ironman Arizona recap found here: http://teamblaz.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=raceresults&thread=3222&page=1.  Since Some of you reading won’t be able to see this (sign up soon so that you can log in to the forum :) ) I’ll add an exerpt of her story:

At Ironman CDA I bought myself a I two piece Ironman swim suit and told my
friend that I was going to look good in it by Arizona!! I decided if I wasn’t
going to be in the best shape I could be in I was going to be as light as I
could so I didn’t have to carry as much weight during the race. I started eating
less and healthier. Hummus and veggies was what I really started to love to eat.
I was also actually mad that when I ate bad food I would feel not so good
because I like to eat bad food. Yes, I actually like McDonald’s, Taco Bell,
Zips, Panda, etc.!! I know crazy!! Everyone always thought that Scott and I ate
so healthy because we did all the training but actually we liked fast food.

The weight slowly started to come off and I started to follow a very
minimal training plan. It was the Ironfit Book and I had decided that I would do
the just finish plan. I thought I would be able to do that and if I felt
ambitious I would add a little. It took me a little time to be ok
with that because in Scott’s blog he said that he wanted to do Ironman Arizona
to his best ability and I felt like I should do that. I finally let go of that
and said I would do it to the best ability I could with the current situation
that I was in!! I also would yell at Scott on different days and tell him, “I AM
NOT ENJOYING THE JOURNEY!!”

I was so glad to have my neighbor Kimberly
also doing the race. She was actually follow a much more structured plan that
Scott wrote and she would tell me that she was going on a 5 hour bike ride. She
would invite me to go with her. Thank goodness for her making me do a few long
rides.

I did one 5 hour ride and one 70 mile ride. It was suppose to be
100 miles but I got a flat and it was pouring down rain. I did a few other 3 +
hour rides on the weekends but I was still pretty sporadic! My longest run was
the Spokane 1/2 marathon where I ran under 2 hours and I was very happy with
that!! Thanks again Kimberly for running that with me!! I swam 1 or 2 times a
week and I think a few weeks I didn’t swim at all.

You know how they say
that Ironman is a lot mental?? Well, I say it is 75% mental!! Yes, you have to
be in good condition but you have to believe that you can do it!! I never
doubted that I would not finish. I just wasn’t sure how long it would take me!!

When I booked Reece and my ticket to Arizona I don’t think I realized
what day it would be when we left to fly to Arizona. It was November 15, 2012.
That would have been Scott’s 2nd bionic birthday. That is what I called it. I
called him the bionic man since his surgery on Nov. 15, 2010.

We arrive
in Arizona and the weather was great. I was excited to do the race. I had lost
20+ pounds since the beginning of my training and journey and felt ready! There
was so many things going on it was a little over whelming but no one pushed me
to do anything I didn’t want to do. Scott was always the organizer and I felt
lost not having him there to help me pack my transition bags, special needs
bags. I had trained a little with Carbo Pro on some of my long rides back home
until I ran out. I told myself I would just buy some in Arizona and use it for
the race. I have been blessed with a stomach of steel. I seem to be able to eat
what ever I want and not really have problems. I bought about 6 gu’s at the
ironman store and filled two bottles with carbo pro. I decided I would just do
the rest of what was on the course. Suzanne teased me about doing the absolute
opposite of what Scott would do. Yes, that is probably right!! I thought special
needs?? I don’t have special needs!! What should I put in those bags?? I put a
few pretzel in the run special needs and a bagels and pretzels in the bike
special needs. Well the bagel made the pretzels soggy so that wasn’t good.

I got to have a camera on me all morning of the race for the iron heart
team. It was nice because I brought Reece in the transition area with me and no
one asked any questions. I brought some of Scott’s ashes with me and Reece and I
threw some in the water before the race. Reece threw some out into the water
rights as the wind caught them and blew them in my face. Reece thought it was
very funny. I didn’t really think it was that funny. I took a small hand full of the
ashes in my hand and jumped in the water with them. I swam out and let them go
once I was in the water. I wore my sleeveless wet suit. The swim went good. It
felt very crowded but I didn’t really get beat up. I almost felt like I could
stop swimming and the group would just pull me along. I had told myself that I
wanted to be done by 1 hour 30 minutes. I got out of the water at 1 hour and 19
minutes. I was excited to be 11 min. fast than the time I had given myself.

Ironheart had put a camera on the front of my bike. They said just talk
about what ever. Well who knows what is on that camera!! The bike seemed pretty crowded but
not bad. I had another bag of Scott’s ashes that I wanted to spread on the bike.
I told myself that I had 3 loops so just watch the first two laps and decide
where I wanted to put them. As I was riding along I felt something slip out of
my back pocket. I looked back and realized that it was Scott’s ashes. Oh crap I
thought. I can’t leave him on the rode. I stopped my bike and ran back for the
baggy while all my water was draining out of my front water bottle holder. What
were you thinking Scott?? You were slowing me down!! I took my phone with me and I was
updating my Facebook page along the way. When I stopped to use the port a potty
I would make an update or text a friend. After the first loop on the bike I
calculated and thought that I might be done with the bike in 6 hours and 30
minutes which was 30 minutes faster than I had told myself. I think it was the
second loop when I heard this lady call out for Advil at an aid station. I
caught up with her a little while later and said did you get the Advil? She said
no they didn’t have any. I told her that I had tylenol and she was like that
would be great. So we pulled over and she said she owed me!! I told her no I was
just glad I could help and then we continued on the journey. On the last loop of
the bike I stopped at the turn around and spread Scott’s ashes by a big cactus.
I finished the bike in 6 hours and 20 min. and felt awesome. I know Scott was
pushing me along!!

There is a lot more to this story.  Tristin did amazing and set a great new PR be sure to follow the link and read the rest.  Tristin also recently wrote us a letter in her capacity as president of Team Blaze.  If you missed this by email, please take a second to read it:

Dear 2012 Team Blaze Members,

I want to thank you for being a club member in 2012.  I know that there have been questions about the club and what it will be like for 2013.  I want you to know that our club has continued to grow with members and activities each year.  This year will be no different.  The Team Blaze board has a lot of amazing things planned for 2013.  We will be having a kick off party in March and will send the date out very soon.

On April 29th, my husband Scott Roy, the co-founder of Team Blaze Spokane, died.  This has been the hardest thing that I have ever had to go through.  I also know that this has been a very hard thing for so many Team Blaze members.  We are all grieving in different ways.  Scott was an amazing husband, father, coach, friend, etc.  He will never be replaced.  Scott did so many amazing things for Team Blaze Spokane.  He was an amazing coach and mentor for so many people.

I realize that you have not received as many e-mails and communication as you did before April 2012.  I also realize that some of you may not have gotten e-mails back or phone calls back.  I apologize for that but this has been a process for me and the board.  I sometimes have a hard time asking for help and people don’t want to step on my toes.  I am learning that I can not do everything that Scott and I were doing for the club and the board is stepping up to help.  You will be receiving monthly e-mails about things going on in the club.  We also have a team forum, blog and Facebook that you can look at to get up dates.  The forum has a calendar that you can look at to see the things going on.

I would hate for anyone to not rejoin Team Blaze Spokane because you think it is not going to continue.  Team Blaze is going to continue and we will continue to add awesome workshops, mentoring, mini triathlons, amazing sponsors, etc.

I know before the death of my husband I had no idea about grief or what people go through.  I was one of those people who just thought well it’s been a few months they should be fine now.  Well, that is not the case.  It changes you and your prospective on everything.  I apologize again if your e-mail/phone calls were not a priority for me. I in no way wanted you to get a bad impression about Team Blaze it was just that I had so many other things going on in my life.  I would really appreciate if you have questions or complaints about the club that you send them to the teamblazespokane@gmail.com Suzanne Smail and I both check that now and you should get an answer within a few days.

I know you will not be disappointed about the opportunities that will be offered to Team Blaze Members in 2013.  I hope to see you all at the Team Blaze functions in 2013.

Thank you for your understanding during this major changing in my family.

Tristin Olson-Roy

Team Blaze Spokane President and Co-founder

Many of you are discovering for the first time that Team Blaze does indeed have a blog. That is completely my fault as I have not been organized enough to get it out there. Since hopefully you are excited to have found this new way to stay connected and up to date with Team Blaze I thought I’d give you an idea of who is behind much of the team blaze goings on. Without further ado let me introduce you to your Team Blaze Board:

Tristin Olsen Roy, Co-Founder and President

I came to triathlon gradually. I was a life guard and swim instructor in high school. Then in college I started running. When I started I couldn’t even run for 5 minutes without stopping. I always had a bike but didn’t really ride it much. I started doing the little fun runs around Spokane while going to Eastern. I was young and there weren’t many people in my age group so I would place, which motivated me. I then signed up for the Ritzville Biathlon. It was a 3 mile run and 10 mile bike. I had never run 3 miles. I had only worked up to 2 miles. Well at 2 miles in the Ritzville Biathlon there was a very steep but short hill. I finished that and then decided to do a triathlon. My first triathlon was the Medical Lake Kiwanis triathlon. I had no idea what I was doing. I swam in my bathing suit, then tried to put on my bike shorts. I rode my mountain bike with slick tires on it. Got to the bike transition and couldn’t understand why people were in such a hurry to get on the run. I ran the three miles with a huge Camel Pack around my waist for water. I thought I would need that for my 3 mile run!

I never really trained for triathlons but participated in them for awhile. Then Scott and I moved to Oahu November 2000 after getting married in October. Scott went to a Nike Town run and came back saying that he met a guy named Chet and he needed a swim coach for his club. And that we were going on a 30 mile bike ride tomorrow with him and the club. We had never been on more than a 10 mile bike ride. I said, “30 miles??” Then we started coaching for Team Jet Hawaii in swimming, which grew into much more.

The friends we made in Team Jet Hawaii are amazing and we still have so many of them. When we moved to Spokane there wasn’t a team like that here. So we decided to create one. It started out very slow but last year at the kick off party we were so amazed at the incredible family we had created.

I keep doing it for the healthy life style I love to have. Most of all I continue to participate in triathlon for the amazing, incredible friends that I have made through this sport and Team Blaze Spokane. Reece and I are so blessed. You all have such incredible stories and I wouldn’t be the person I am if it wasn’t for all of you!!

My triathlon specialty is being a positive supporter and cheer leader! I try to lead by example but sometimes I forget I have the Team uniform on and go a little crazy!! I also think that I am good at incorporating Reece into my workouts and making it fun for him. He loves Team Blaze!! He always asks me when I am talking with someone: “are they in Team Blaze?”

Outside of triathlon I have three dogs Scooby, Barkley and Lulu that are like our second children. I am currently trying to figure that out? I am a teacher so I love working with children. I hope to help facilitate a grief group at Life Center this spring. I love to travel. Reece and I spent two weeks in London this summer during the Olympics. Hope to go to Europe again soon and love Hawaii. Spending as much time as possible with Reece because he is growing up so fast! I love helping others and hopefully inspiring other to know that they can do anything that they set their mind to!!

John Martinek, Financials

“Like a lot of people in the club I wanted to
complete an Ironman competition. I knew I could not do it alone so I found the
best club in Spokane
and joined. I always had someone to train with no mater the fitness level. I
have made several friends along the way and have never regretted it once. Now I
love to give back to the club in various ways. It always puts a smile on my
face to see someone new and then watch them complete their first triathlon. For
most people it changes their lives.

I have lots of specialties
but the two I enjoy the most are swimming and biking. It warms my heart to see
others that have struggled with swimming and then go on to complete a triathlon
and make it through the event. It is like climbing a hill and making it to the
top. Whether you win or not you have accomplished great things that will carry
you into more great accomplishments

I am a father of 5 children
and I love them all. My wife of 31 years has always been there for me and is a
shining light in my life. As a family we have skied together, camped, kayaked,
back packed, mountain biked, and traveled most of the northwest. What a wonderful
life with the kids now it is time for Kelly and I to share some time together
as the children leave the house. Although the triathlon community is where my
heart is we have found some other fun things to do like over night kayaking
trips. I also have a day job that I also enjoy!!

I have watched and seen how Scott and Tristin have shared there lives with us
all. I found someone that I knew looked up to me but I also have looked up to
him with great admiration and respect. Thank you, Scott and Tristin for sharing
your lives with us and culturing a triathlon club that has benefited the
community and many of its members. I don’t go a day without thinking about
Scott and how much he has impacted my life and now I am giving back like Scott
did with so much of his time.”

Donna Melville, New Membership

I went to watch a friend do the CDA triathlon and after crossing the finish line he promptly lay down on the grass and told me to NEVER do a triathlon. Of course that made me immediately want to do a triathlon, so that evening while drinking margaritas with friends we decided that we must do this foolish thing and we went ahead and signed up for a triathlon. The next day I realized two things:

1 – Never commit to anything when you have been drinking and
2 – Get some professional help ( not so much for the drinking but to get me to the finish line of the race)

So I signed up with Team Blaze. After meeting Coach Scott he made me feel like nothing was impossible and he coached me to the finish of my first sprint triathlon. From that moment I fell in love with the team and with the sport.

My favorite part of triathlon is definitely the training. Team Blaze provides such a great environment to foster friendships and there are always plenty of opportunities and people to train with. If I had to pick a specialty I would say I am best at tapering. In fact I have turned the taper into an art form. So you may think that I am not training but don’t be mistaken…..I am actually tapering.

Like most people my life is busy. I’m very fortunate to have a family who support and accept all the craziness that goes with living the tri life. They no longer question my eating Gu for breakfast, my need for 10 different pairs of running shoes or my collection of 400 plastic water bottles. I’m a wife, a mom and a business owner and I am a triathlete, but not just any triathlete. I am a Team Blaze triathlete, which is so much more than just swim, bike and run.

Kim Dotson, Events

I started running when I was 40, to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through Team in Training. I enjoyed it and continued doing marathons and half marathons for fun. Somehow I started attending spinning classes at the Y, and before you know it I had signed up for STP! The next natural progression was to take some swimming lessons, and that is exactly what I did! So I met Scott and Tristin and signed up for Team Blaze and never looked back!!

What keeps me here?… Well, how do you leave your family? We don’t just do triathlon together! We go on vacation together, we snowshoe, ski, mountain bike, we celebrate birthdays, go shopping, have coffee, eat, we laugh much and cry together!

My specialty in triathlon is to have fun, first and foremost! I am not a serious athlete; life is short, I want to celebrate every moment!!

Outside of triathlon I am a wife, and a mom. I busted out of prison last June, and I have been working at Rockwood Clinic ever since, and I love it!!

Becky Holley, Sponsorship

I first became interested in triathlon after seeing ironman on TV. I heard about the race when I was a kid and always thought I would never be able to race that many miles! Then after seeing the race on TV, I thought of how much of an accomplishment it would be to cross the finish line and decided that I want to start competing in triathlons with an ultimate goal of finishing an Ironman. Soon after, I bought a triathlon bike and jumped right into the sport. I knew I would like the sport because I have always been an active individual, but I never thought I would love the sport as much as I do.

I am good at talking…talking…and MORE TALKING! Actually, I feel like I really do not have a triathlon specialty. My best event is running, but I am starting to get faster on the bike (I attribute this to hill training with Patty Wornell Engle who is amazing at hill climbs).

Outside of the triathlon world I work, work, and then work some more! I also spend time with family and friends.

Tobin Smail

I decided to learn to swim when I lived in Missoula. Once I could swim 750 yards I thought … hmm I bet I could do a sprint triathlon. After my first triathlon I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. My neurologist told me that I can control three things: what I eat, taking my medication, and exercise. What keeps me in triathlon is it is something my wife and I can enjoy together, the Team Blaze family, and multiple sclerosis.

I don’t feel like I have a triathlon specialty. I have always said that I am about average at all three sports, which actually helps me place higher in my age group. When I compete in just one event I usually do not come anywhere near the top of age group, unless there are not very many people in my age group.

Outside of triathlon I like to do some small project wood working and go to movies. Suzanne and I took a hiatus from camping, hiking, and skiing when we got into triathlon so we would like to incorporate some of that back in as cross training .

Suzanne Smail

Tobin brought me to triathlon! I had a lot of support from others, as well, including Tristin and Scott, but if it weren’t for Tobin being in the sport, I would have never known about it. I think what keeps me here is the family that we’ve been a part of since we joined Team Blaze. It’s also great to have the variety of workouts. If you don’t feel like swimming one day there are always 2 other options!

I would say, ironically, that my specialty is the swim. It took a long time for me to start swimming, but once I did, I felt very comfortable in the water and now I feel like it’s my best part.

Outside the world of triathlon, I’m an avid reader. I’ve also been known to work on some cross-stitch projects when I have one and I actually have time to do it! Tobin and I both really like going to the movies, as well. So, pretty much, like other triathletes…I’m pretty lazy outside the sport! haha!

Nicole Lund- Team Blaze Blog

I did my first triathlon in 1995 when my second son was just a couple of months old. I nursed him before I started hoping he’d be okay while I completed the sprint. I had no idea what I was doing triathlon-wise but the baby was fine so I figured I nailed it. I did a couple of other mini tris over the next year or so but I had also gone back to school with two tiny kiddos so I was a little preoccupied. Without intending to I took a ten year break.

My sister Nyla brought me back and when we did the Kal Rats sprint tri together in Canada about five years ago. Then we did Titanium Man and Kal Rats again and I was pretty hooked, but still busy with kids. My husband David had meanwhile signed up for and completed his first and then second Ironman. I watched and supported and chased our five little kids around the sidelines and realized that that part was harder than doing the event . So I signed up. That is what brought me to Team Blaze. I was watching Ironman CDA in 2009 while David was doing it and I kept seeing all these people with red and yellow flames on their kit. I thought “I wish I was cool/fast/connected enough to be on their team.” So I looked into it and found out that all I had to do was pay an (inexpensive) annual fee and they’d let me in! Woo Hoo! With the help and support of Team Blaze I had my Ironman finisher moment in 2010 and loved it so much I signed up again for 2013.

I’m fastest on the bike but my specialty is actually whining about swimming . I also love to find out anything I can about nutrition both in a general sense and sport specific.

Outside of triathlon I love artsy stuff, do logo and graphic design as a hobby, work at Fleet Feet Sports and the YMCA and have a husband and five kids. And a rabbit, a parrot, a parakeet, and a chicken.

Bret Peterson, Team Blaze website

1. What brought you to triathlon and what keeps you here?
The personal challenge to push yourself beyond your limits.
2. What is your specialty in triathlon?
I don’t really know, pushing people on the bike
3. What do you do outside of the triathlon world?
Manage a bar. (Brett and his wife Michelle run The Sidebar).

Angie Fesser, Mentor Program

1. What brought you to triathlon and what keeps you here?
The variety of activities, being able to swim, run and bike keep me interested, growing and learning. And, within each of those activities, there is a variety such as trail running, mountain biking and open water swimming.
2. what is your specialty in triathlon? (not necessarily swim, bike or run, maybe you are good at time management or encouraging others). Cycling is probably my physical strength, and as a result, I am continually wanting to push and improve myself. I also very much enjoy supporting and helping other triathletes by sharing what I know and have learned.
3. What do you do outside of the triathlon world? I am a Landscape Architect and work on my own. I also work as a Personal Trainer and a cancer survivor program coach for the YMCA.  (Angie was recently featured on our blog, to read more http://www.teamblazespokane.com/blog/).

Kelly Martinek, Secretary

What brought me to triathlon? That seems like a simple question…..but it has a long answer. About 10 years ago I slipped on the ice with 2 bags of groceries in my arms and when I landed on the very hard concrete I tore the cartilege in my left hip. As a Registered Nurse I knew that recovery and healing takes place at a much quicker rate in strong fit individuals so I began going to the gym daily to make my hip strong for surgery. I had exercised my whole life, but not like my new routine with a goal in mind. After several weeks my hip healed so well that the surgeon cancelled my surgery! I was hooked on my new routine because of the energy exercising daily gave me. That was the beginning of the road to triathlon. A few years later my husband John & I bought road bikes. We have ridden STP (Seattle to Portland) several times and have wonderful memories with friends. Training for that was the first time I trained for an event and I enjoyed the times shared with others immensely. In 2007 I discovered I had osteopenia, a condition where the bones become less dense. I knew I had to change my exercise routine so I began to run for my bones. I joined a Bloomsday training group and did my first Bloomsday! I hated running for an entire year because I was so sore after every single run and it was so hard! Slowly I began to look forward to running and in 2011 completed my first marathon! Now I love to run though I’m not speedy. My bones have benefitted too. Swimming has been a part of my life since I can remember. I made sure it was a part of my kids lives too. Two of my sons have taught swimming, one has coached swimming and one swam competitively. My daughter swims recreationally too. In 2008 I decided to put all these sports together & completed my first sprint triathlon. I enjoyed the competition and the rest is history!
2. My specialty??? Well, that changes from year to year depending on which aspect of triathlon I’ve been most consistent with. I do really love to work with new swimmers and build their confidence though. That to me is the most fulfilling part, watching someone become comfortable in the water and know they can swim!
3. Outside the triathlon world I wear many hats. I am a wife and mother and I also have 2 little grandsons. I am a registered nurse and have worked with children for 29 years! I am very passionate about my work and have gone on 1 medical mission thus far. I hope to go on more in the near future. I also love to travel (to England to visit my oldest son & his family) and locally. In the summer John & I enjoy weekend kayaking trips and camping in a tent. Winter time is magical in the mountains and I love skiing with my family.

Dean Kiefer, Legal Consultant

I was first attracted to triathlon in 2002 when my wife, Karen, volunteered for the first Ironman Coeur d’Alene with a group of her friends.  One of her friends could not make it to the volunteer dinner after the race.  The group needed a ride so they convinced me to take them and go to the event with them.  I came home completely inspired after talking with several of the athletes who always attend.  I decided I wanted to do the Ironman race and six years later, I finally learned how to swim.  Needless to say, that is not my specialty.  I am still attracted to the sport by the same inspiration that interested me in the first place.  For the past two years, I have not been very active, though, for a variety of reasons.  I don’t really have a specialty but I seem to do OK with race day nutrition and perseverance.  The run is my favorite part of the race although I do enjoy going fast on the bike.  Truth be told, I enjoy the training more than the racing.  Outside the tri world, I teach finance at Eastern.

Dear Team Blaze,

As most of you have already heard, Scott Roy passed away on Sunday evening. We are distraught by the loss of our founder, friend, mentor and coach. As a club and a community we do not have words for how much he meant to us, inspired us and touched each of our lives. Our love, thoughts and prayers are with Scott’s wife Tristin and son Reece at this time. We will continue as a club to honor his memory and further his legacy.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday May 9 at 1:00 at Lifecenter Church. Tristin has requested that we wear our Team Blaze shirts/jerseys and come in our running clothes. There will be a one mile run to follow the service. If you have friend(s) that would like to run with us and you have an extra shirt please share one with them and invite them to join us on this memorial run.

Tristin has assured us that Scott would want us all to continue to train and race. As a club we will continue to meet for coached swims on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays under the tutelage of Gretchan Wolf and John Martinek. Those who are following the Boise and CDA IM plans should receive an email in the next few days with info regarding that. Group rides and runs will continue to be posted in the team forum.

Many of you have expressed a desire to help Tristin and Reece. The Team Blaze board will be coordinating ideas and efforts in that regard. Several are underway currently. Gift cards for food and groceries are being collected by Nicole Savell . You can contact Nicole Savell’s email if you have something that you would like to donate. thesavells@hotmail.com

A trust fund has been set up at Sterling Savings Bank under the name “the Scott Roy Trust Fund.” You can donate at any Sterling Savings Bank.

A pre-Bloomsday spaghetti feed has been organized at the Side Bar & Grill on Saturday May 5 with proceeds going to the trust fund. More info about that including volunteer opportunities will be posted on Facebook and on the Forum.

On Monday May 7 at 6pm The Bike Hub is hosting a Benefit Ride in Scott’s honor; donations will go to the trust.

For those doing Bloomsday be sure to look for Tristin and Reece in the Team Blaze tent in front of Lifecenter Church. Many of us will be body marking our arms or legs with ETJ (enjoy the journey) and/or his name. The board is planning to design and order temporary tattoos for future races as well. In the meantime bring a sharpie and a friend with legible handwriting and join us in dedicating this Bloomsday to Scott.

Thank you Team Blaze members for the love and support that you have shown to each other and to Tristin and Reece. In the midst of our sadness we remember the incredible man that Scott was and his example as a person, a husband, a father and a coach will inspire us to not only press forward as a triathlon club, but to elevate all aspects of lives as we “Enjoy the Journey.”

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact John Martinek at johnmartinek@idahoveneer.com.

Coach Scott Roy

An example of body marking for Bloomsday

Enjoy the Journey
Team Blaze Board

Angie on the bike Chelan Man 2010

On Team Blaze Angie is known for her brilliant smile and generous helpful spirit.  And for being an Ironman.  She suggested that we start and agreed to coordinate the new Team Blaze mentor program and is an active member of the Mount Spokane Ski Patrol.  Besides triathlon she  mountain bikes, does cyclocross and skis and mentors people in those endeavors as well.  I had the pleasure to chat with Angie about her journey within the sport of triathlon.

Angie started her story 4 years ago 80 pounds heavier and recently divorced.  Determined to make a fresh start she began Weight Watchers and lost 40 pounds.  A move from Montana to Spokane and a new desk job threw a glitch in her progress however and she found herself looking for ways to become more active.  She started by walking on her lunch breaks, then she joined the YMCA which led her to their Bloomsday training program.  At the YMCA she met John and Kelly Martinek and began cycling with them.  She went on to do the Seattle to Portland bike ride and signed up to do the cycling portion of a relay team in the Wunder Woman Triathlon.

As the day of that first triathlon got closer her team still had no swimmer.  Her runner friend suggested that Angie do the whole race as a solo competitor instead.  As a non- swimmer this was a bit intimidating but she was familiar with the buoyancy provided by wetsuits and figured that she could fake her way through the swim with the help of one.  Unfortunately that year was very hot and the race director had to make the call to prohibit wetsuits.  She started the swim but had to be pulled from the water.  Undaunted she wanted to  finish the race and was frustrated that she had been disqualified (she did do the bike and run even knowing that it wouldn’t “count”).  Monday morning she was at the pool and she has successfully completed Wunder Woman every year since.

She told herself she would do one triathlon and then quit the sport. The next season she successfully completed Valley Girl with her trademark Angie smile very much in evidence.  Two years later she did Ironman Couer D’Alene.

Angie had some memorable triathlon moments along the way, one of which happened during Chelanman 2010.  Angie had never done 1500m in open water before and arrived at the lake race morning to see that though clear, the water was very choppy.  In true Angie spirit she decided to confront it head on and got in the water to warm up.  Rather than let it overwhelm her she found herself timing her breathing in a way that let her ride the waves.  She found the fun in this challenging new experience and did a phenomenal job in the race overall.

One of the most meaningful triathlon experiences came later that season at Titanium Man.  She had trained for and completed her first half iron distance (Troika) earlier that summer and was happy to be doing a “fun” end of the season wrap up.  The
swim and the bike went really well and Angie found herself on the run “leapfrogging” with a woman in her age group.  The pace they were running at was way beyond her previous ability level and she had never hurt so much in race before.  As the two women left the park and turned up the hill toward the finish Angie acknowledged a determination to finish ahead of her fellow competitor.  Crossing the finish line in
front she realized the exhilaration of overcoming her mental limits and pushing
her physical abilities to a higher level.  This gave her a huge confidence boost.

In 2011 Angie finished Ironman Coeur D’Alene in 15:02:09
again sporting a huge smile.  Looking to the future her next big race is Boise
70.3 and she hopes to do IM Canada in 2013.  As an avid mountain biker she is also looking forward to doing some off road triathlons.

Throughout Angie’s triathlon journey she has always been open to advice and gracious about asking for and accepting help.  There is a pretty big knowledge base out there in the sport of triathlon, lots of things that make it easier, more comfortable and more achievable.  From the things that people don’t really talk about such as “don’t wear underwear with your bike shorts” to features you should look for in a swimsuit.  Angie’s idea with the mentoring program is to match up people who are fairly (or completely) new to triathlon with those who have been doing the sport for a while.  This gives the newbies a “real live person” to ask their questions of and the veterans a chance to realize how much they’ve learned and give back a bit in a sport that enriches our lives.

Team Blaze is a club that welcomes all levels of triathletes from the newbie planning their first sprint and learning to swim to the seasoned Ironman vetran.  We have a mentoring program in the works that can bring these two groups together.  So if you have been a member of Team Blaze for at least one year, are interested in being a mentor to other Team Blaze Members who are new to the club, and are willing to dedicate at least 1 hour a week to mentor activities, attend one group workout a month and support members at local races, send us an email at
coachscottroy@gmail.com.  The mentor program will kick off in February.  We already have quite a few new members that have requested mentors, so who is willing to be a mentor?

We have established that not everyone on Team Blaze has done or even wants to do an Ironman.  But Lets just take a moment to acknowledge those who have and those who are training for their first one.  Yay Team!  Last year we had a huge showing at Ironman Couer D’Alene and in 2012 it looks like we’ll have at 11 doing Ironman Arizona.  Speaking of IM Arizona, Team Blaze member Nicole Savell just posted the run installment of her IM journey on her blog http://geekturnedathlete.com/2011/12/ironman-arizona-the-run/ .  Very inspiring!

One of the things that Nicole mentioned as she contemplated what to wear on her run was how great it was to represent Team Blaze in her tri kit.  Those flames really do stand out and when you are in need of some encouragement its so nice to hear that “GO TEAM BLAZE” shout out from friends, team mates and random strangers.  So remember that we have Team Blaze clothing available to purchase for Christmas Presents.  You can also order dry-fit shirts, sweatshirts, etc. on the team store from the Team Blaze website.  Don’t wait too long to order if you want it by Christmas.  E-mail or call 435-1030 if you would like to come over and look at the clothing we have available to purchase.  The clothing will also be available at the Team Kick off Party and if we don’t have your size we will be placing an order. Tristin has posted on the forum what clothing we have available to sell and the prices.  If you have questions, just send us an e-mail at coachscottroy@gmail.com.

The 2012 Team Blaze Kick off Party will be on Saturday, Feb. 25th from 6pm – 8pm.  Please mark your calendars so you don’t miss this informational meeting about all the great things Team Blaze will be doing in 2012.  Also be sure to check the forum http://teamblaz.proboards.com/index.cgi to check out weekly group workouts, training tips and other interesting topics from your fellow Team Blaze members.

Nicole Savell and Coach Scott at the finish line of IM Arizona

Tobin and Suzanne dazzle us with their fancy footwork

What an amazing year Team blaze has had!  What better way to celebrate it than with a mardi gras party.  The Spokane Fitness Center provided a beautiful space which we enhanced with themed decorations, a live band and really yummy food but the best part was the people.  It was great to see so many Team Blaze members there!

 As hungry athletes we got the party started by loading our plates with some amazing New Orleans style food. Yum!  After a few inspiring words from Coach Scott touching on Ironman CDA 2011, our personal goals in triathlon and how to meet them and some tips for off season training we were blessed to watch a wonderful slide show by Mason McCuddin highlighting many of this year’s races and events.  We also got to preview the new Team Blaze promotional video.  It is phenomenal!

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The company was great, the food was excellent and the ambiance rocked.  Coach Scott wanted to say “I’d like to thank the Team Blaze Board for all hours they give to volunteer to make Team Blaze the best club possible for members and our community. I encourage members to thank these amazing people next time you see them for all their dedication. (Team Blaze Board~Tristin Olson-Roy, Donna Melville, Dean Kiefer, John & Kelly Martinek, Kim Dotson, Rhonda Kerr, Becky Tomcho, Michelle Hoerr and Nicole Lund)

It was great to see so many members at the year end party! Special thank to Michelle Hoerr, Brett Peterson, Tristin Olson-Roy, Donna Melville, Kim Dotson, Victor Vizcaino & wife, Teresa Bailey, Rhonda Kerr, Becky Tomcho and Nicole Lund for all helping with planning/set up for the party! Thanks for another awesome slide show Mason McCuddin! Thank you to Jeff, Penny, Ally and Travis Hood for helping us load up and return the table/chairs.”

Thank You Team Blaze for a wonderful year!

Thank you to Donna Melville for the photos in this post. For more great photos of this event please go to our Team Blaze Facebook Page.

Thev buffet and some of the Decor

Words from our Coach

Big grins, grimaces, and a bit of road rash.  Sounds like a typical Team Blaze triathlon, right?  It was except that the athletes were pint sized.  Two weeks ago we held our first ever Team Blaze Kids Triathlon at the spokane Fitness Center.  The races were not timed and it was all about fun!  Tristin Roy did an amazing job in her race directing debut and we look forward to more of these fun events.  Road rash was mentioned and an explanation includes a huge thank you to Scott, Donna, Kelly and Becky for helping tend to Luke after he did a “superman” over his bars.  All his wounds were superficial and are healing nicely, thank you everyone  for the well wishes.  Enough words you came here for the pictures!  Speaking of pictures there are 320 of them in two albums on my facebook profile http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150363199889540.397836.667804539 Please feel free to check them out, message me if you would like full sized copies or if you prefer not to have them public.  Thanks!

Team Blaze Spokane has the opportunity to Volunteer at Second Harvest.  There are 25 slots available on October 13th and October 20th.  Volunteer time is 5:30pm to 7:30pm.  It’s Help the Hungry Sort Night.  Please post on the forum or send an e-mail to michelle.hoerr@gmail.com if you would like to volunteer and what night.  Your family is welcome but see the guidelines for volunteers below:
 
Be at least 14 years old
Dress appropriately and wear closed-toed shoes only
Sign in and wear “Volunteer” badges
Must be ambulatory or otherwise mobile for warehouse activities
Must be able to lift 20-25 lbs. for food drives and warehouse activities
While Second Harvest is undergoing extensive remodeling in order to complete what will be our beautiful new Volunteer Center, our parking lot will soon be fenced off. (Parking is available on the street.) Also, we ask that your group enter through the west side of our building under the red canopy and through the blue door.

Thanks,
Team Blaze Spokane

Last week was a busy one for Team Blaze.  In addition to our coached swims and track workout, we held our last practice tri of the year.    As always Coach Scott had some great tips and advice, applicable to both newbies and vetrans. 

We took a team Photo  (thanks for your patience) and had some footage shot for a Team Blaze promotional video. 

After the workout yummy food and good conversation rounded out the evening.

Several Team Blaze members raced this weekend including Gretchen Wolf at the age group nationals, Ellen Schaffer at the Kelowna Apple up in Canada, and several TBers at the Dirty Dash and Wunder Woman Triathlon. 

Between Costumes and mud it was hard to recognise who was who at the dirty dash so there aren’t many posted  here but if you have some dirty pictures that you want to share link them up in the comments section . (Thank you Brendan Dowling for the Lund family picture).

Angie and Lacee did both races and sported their dirty dash Tattoos at Wunder Woman.  

The Ladies who did Wunder woman were not the only ones who had a great day at the race.  Even Coach scott got a well deserved massage by AJ of Harmony Massage.   It was inspiring to see so many of our members cross the finish line smiling and strong and to see so many friends and family out there volunteering and cheering them on.   Between Mason and I, I think that we got a shot of almost everyone who raced.  I’ll try to get those posted and tagged in FB right away. 

Coming up this week:  Track workout tonight, Cyclemetrix BBQ on Wednesday, and Priest Lake Tri this weekend.

Also this Weekend:  Good luck to Phil and a bunch of our local pros who are racing Ironman Canada!