NCT In the News
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North Country Triathlon In The News
Three Times the Challenge Hague triathlon attracts athletes from near and far By Alicia Johnson ajohnson@poststar.com Sunday, June 28, 2009 HAGUE, NY - Rachelle Gormley prefers to be in the hunt during a race. She likes chasing down opponents as they near the finish line. But on Saturday morning, the Queensbury resident found herself ahead of the female pack of the sprint section of the North Country Triathlon. Gormley was the one to catch. "Today I think I pushed myself more because I was defending," she said. "I was being chased." The mother of two, who was making her return to triathlon racing after a 10-year absence, said she got a big boost from a volunteer during the bike portion. "One of the people said that I was the first female," said Gormley, a teacher at Glens Falls High School. "That gave me (confidence). Without anyone in sight, you can relax. After I heard that, I kept pushing." Gormley held on and was the first female sprint finisher and seventh overall athlete to finish the half-mile swim, 12.5-mile bike ride and 3.1-mile run, in 1 hour, 29 minutes and 48 seconds. "It was really fun," she said. "The conditions were really great. The swim was really a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. The sprint was fast. You didn’t really have a lot of time to relax and get into a groove. I was kind of pushing the whole time." If anyone knows about pushing the limits, it’s Glens Falls swim coach Kevin Crossman, who after taking first in the sprint section with a time of 1:10.56, spent much of the day cheering on Gormley and the rest of his teammates in the Adirondack Triathlon Club. "It’s a different punishment," said Crossman about the sprint race. "You really have to suffer for the entire race — from start to finish — as opposed to an Olympic where you go hard, but then you’re pushing yourself in the run." Crossman’s absence in the Olympic race — which is made up of a 1-mile swim, a 26.5-mile bike ride and a 6.1-mile run — allowed his brother-in-law, Paul Fronhofer, to take first in 2:13.24. The Argyle resident, who was second last year, has noticed the growth in the number of competitors at the North Country Triathlon. "It’s one of those races were you just want to come and see if you can do it," Fronhofer said. "It’s got a nice almost 3-mile climb in the Olympic distance. Whether you go fast or slow, it’s a challenge regardless." This year, 380 racers were up for the challenge. In just its third year, the North Country Triathlon’s numbers continues to grow. Athletes from as far away as Toronto and London traveled to the scenic town for a day of exhaustive competition. "I think this is the most exciting day in Hague for the whole year," said first-year co-director John Hartley. "This is the most people (we) have seen in town. We could have brought another 100 to 150 racers into town, but we thought that might limit the town’s ability to handle it. I was very surprised by the number of people we have here. It’s great to see the turnout here." According to Hartley, the large numbers will allow the organization to push up the registration deadline for next year and allow the team to spend more time getting the logistics nailed down. The number-one goal each year is to improve on the year before. With the increase in racers also came in increase in volunteers — from 50 to 80 this year. The smiling volunteers dotted the roads, cheering on competitors. Their presence gives the Hague community a true face. "People love the event because it highlights Hague," said volunteer coordinator Donna Levenstien. "The town is so alive because of it that people want to be a part of it anyway they can. And getting a free T-shirt doesn’t hurt either." 75-year-old triathlete still racing, finishing Alicia Johnson ajohnson@poststar.com TICONDEROGA, NY There wasn't anything spectacular about the brown leather album or the silver-haired man who carried it. Both bore the signs of many years passed. For the book, that meant browning pages and flecks of dust; for the man, deep-set lines and old scars. Yet, as the pages turned, both came to life. Vivid memories poured from each page of photographs, certificates and race results. Each piece of paper told of a different time and event over the course of 30 years, with one solid connection -- Richard Johndrow, always in constant motion. The 75-year-old husband, father of three, grandfather of six and great-grandfather of two has racked up a lifetime worth of racing stories. Like the time his glasses froze from the inside while running the final 500 meters of an 8.3-mile run up Whiteface mountain. Or the ski, bike and run triathlon in Killington, Vt., where Johndrow flipped over the handlebars three times. Or the time in a Lake Placid triathlon in September when the water was so cold he didn't get feeling back into his feet until he was into the first mile of the 12-mile running section and he realized his sneakers were too tight. "I've done some really hard races," said Johndrow, who will turn 76 on July 20. "But of course I really like bragging about it as well." Any man who considers a 96-minute bike ride part of his daily routine has earned the right to pound his chest a little. Johndrow piled on a few more miles on the road and the bike this week in preparation for today's triathlon in Middlebury, Vt. He was the oldest runner at the North Country Triathlon on June 28 and finished in 2:10:07 in the sprint section (750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run). "I never really trained hard," Johndrow said. "I've never had that desire to come in first. I know I'm happy whatever I get in that race. I don't look back and say 'Geez, Dick, I could have run a little faster.' I don't worry about that. It's supposed to be for fun right?" Johndrow loves triathlons, but his introduction to the sport came from the ski slopes. He noticed it was getting harder and harder to keep up with his kids on the slopes. Tired of lagging behind, he decided to get into shape, and in 1974 he began snowshoeing around Ticonderoga. "I went to physical fitness to increase my breathing a little bit, durability (and) agility," Johndrow said. "But after a while, I started running and I became a lot stronger and a lot tougher. Now, I can out-ski half the kids down the hill no problem. ... And once you get my age, you can ski for nothing, that's a perk." During the summer months, he picked up running. He was 49 when he ran in his first marathon in Schroon Lake. Three years later, he competed in his first triathlon in Tupper Lake. "I just wanted to see what I could do," he said. As it turned out, he could do a lot -- so much that he lost count after 150 triathlons. He's cut back over the years, competing now in 10 to 15 races a year. At the height of his training, Johndrow competed in 18 races a year -- nine triathlons and two Tinman races (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run). Sometimes, that meant competing in a triathlon and a few hours later, heading off to work at the International Paper plant, where he worked for 42 1/2 years. "It's really good for you because it keeps (you) moving," Johndrow said. "You just don't sit down and tighten up." Johndrow wears an American flag bandana for every race -- it's one of his staples and the fastest way to spot him in a crowd. He fought in the Korean War with the 25th Infantry. He recalls being on the front lines on his first night and hearing the explosions as rats the size of beavers set off trip lines as they chased after ration tins. "It's almost 50 years ago and I remember every bit," said Johndrow. "After a while you get used to it (the explosions). I had some good times and some bad times. ... I was fortunate and blessed to get back and intact." Back in Ticonderoga, Johndrow's friends and family know him by one name, "The Silver Bullet," a nickname he picked up when he was awarded a silver bullet by the National Rifle Association in 1968 for Most Outstanding Shot in the deer category. Johndrow is an avid hunter and displays his many racing medals on the antlers of one of his trophies. Over the years and the many miles on the road, he has not only managed to keep his unwavering love of the grind, but remain free from any major injuries. He doesn't take a single pill or visit the doctor often. "He's the runner and I'm the one with the bad knees," said Johndrow's wife of 55 years, Shirley. "... I didn't used to like it at first, because he was gone so much. After a while I got use to it; there's nothing you can do about it anyway." "She brags about me," said Johndrow with a smile. "I've heard her talking." "A lot of people praise him," Shirley said. "He gets a lot of encouragement." A quick run to the grocery store can turn to a whole-day chore as Johndrow stops to talk to casual runners in Ticonderoga who have questions about the sport. Among Johndrow's many fans is the race director of the North Country Triathlon, Randy Engler, who met Johndrow last summer at his race. "I was told there was this guy folks call the Silver Bullet, that he is in his 70s and that we ought to let him know about the race," said Engler, who has competed in a few triathlons. "Until I met him, I had a vision of this guy that really looked like he was in his 70s. And when I met him, he looked like a guy in his early 60s. I was impressed at once about his positive outlook on life. He is such a great role model for anyone who wishes to live life to its fullest at any age." Swimming, biking, running for a cause... By Alicia Johnson Published: Sunday, June 29, 2008 HAGUE -- After a one-mile swim and a 26.5-mile bike ride, South Glens Falls' Kevin Crossman's right hamstring started to cramp up. He was still 3.7 miles from the finish line of the 6.2-mile run, with his brother-in-law, Paul Fronhofer, right on his heels. If Crossman was going to win his first triathlon, the cramp issue was going to have to be solved and quickly. "This is the second year in a row that I've cramped up," Crossman said. "Anytime that happens, that can make or break a race. Luckily I was able to shake it out and get back on track." Crossman, who said he had to walk for about 10 - 20 seconds, finished first on the North Country Triathlon's Olympic course in 2 hours, 19 minutes, 20 seconds on Saturday at Hague Beach. The Glens Falls Middle School physical education teacher finished second in last year's event. Fronhofer, from Argyle, finished second with a time of 2:23:57. Sara McGrath was the first female to finish the course at 2:35:08, eighth overall. "It's nice to have a win," said Crossman, who is also the varsity swim coach at Glens Falls. "Obviously I train to do the best I can, so whether I win or I get second or 10th, it doesn't matter, I just want to be competitive, and today luck was with me." Crossman was just one of more than 200 triathletes competing in the second annual North Country Triathlon. Participants came from all over the nation and even a couple from Jakarta, Indonesia, to swim, bike and run to support a charitable cause. This year, funds went to Hope Lodge, an organization based in Burlington, Vt., that provides a home-away-from home for cancer patients in the Champlain and Adirondack region, and Room to Read, an organization that provides underprivileged kids with the "gift of learning." It's organizations such as these that first prompted race coordinator Randy Engler to start the North Country Triathlon. After leaving his job with Ebay after seven years, Engler wanted to focus his attention on helping others. While riding his bike in his current hometown of San Francisco in the fall of 2006, the idea of triathlon popped into his head. Engler's family connections to the Lake George area made Hague Beach the perfect spot to host the event. "This is a great event for the town of Hague," said town supervisor Dan Belden. "The town supports it, (Hague Beach) is a beautiful setting to have a race." The town of Hague was so supportive of the race and its cause that it donated $5,000. The Warren County Tourism Board also donated $5,000. "The biggest challenge with running any event like this is there are so many working parts," said Engler, who was up at 4:45 a.m. Saturday. "But what's great is that we have such a great community with super, super volunteers. Any race is only as good as its volunteers and we've got some of the best out there. So that really makes my job easier." Many of those helping hands, like volunteer directors Judy Schult and Donna Levenstien, were on the beach by 5 a.m. getting tents and other things set up. Engler said there were around 70 volunteers handing out water, giving out instructions or simply providing moral support for the athletes. The triathlon expanded this year to include a sprint race, which was made up of a 750-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride and a 5K run. The idea was to allow individuals new to triathlon races or not quite ready for the grueling terrain to compete. Merrimack native Leslie Reap led all times with her 1:29:22 finish. Peter Smith Jr. of Fort Edward finished second with a time of 1:30:45. Word of the triathlon must be getting out, as the number of entrants jumped from 153 to 220. Engler and the rest of his crew can expect more as many of this year's participants promised not only to return, but to bring friends and family with them next year. Engler said the event will probably cap out at 400 to keep the race small and sensitive to the community. But for now, the community is completely behind the event and are ready to do it all again next year. "This has been a wonderful event," Shultz said. "When you come here and see it happening, it's motivating." This triathlon is for a mission By WILL SPRINGSTEAD springstead@poststar.com Published: Friday, June 27, 2008 Athletes competing in the second North Country Triathlon on Saturday will have no choice but to feel a little greener after they compete in it. Race coordinator Randy Engler is trying to make this year's race more environmentally friendly, and he and the other officials are taking several steps to achieve that. For starters, tonight's pre-race pasta dinner will include all organic foods donated by Healthy Living Markets of Vermont, using corn-based utensils instead of plastic. One of the race's partners is Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, which will not only serve its free-trade coffee, but provide ecotainer cups made by International Paper that are made from fully renewable resources and are compostable. Also this year, officials are using Gatorade mix instead of the clear, plastic bottles it came in last year and that officials weren't able to recycle. Finally, the traditional race "goodie bag" will come in 100 percent recycled brown paper bags with handles that officials hope contestants will reuse and recycle themselves. "The whole goal is to bring down the amount of waste a typical race has," Engler said. As for the race itself, Engler said there will be more than 200 participants, up from the 150-plus in last year's inaugural event. A sprint race -- half the distance of the Olympic distance race -- also has been added for this year. The Olympic distance consists of a 1.5-kilometer swim, 40-kilometer bicycle ride and 10-kilometer run, all starting and ending at Hague Beach. Kaatskill Bay's Heidi Underwood, who was the top female finisher in last year's race, called it "a beautiful course." "It was probably the most beautiful swim of any triathlon I've ever done. It's so clear where they have it," said Underwood, who competed in a triathlon last weekend and will not return to defend this title. "The bike part is challenging. There is a hill that goes on forever, it seems like. You get to come down it, which is nice." Engler said that of this year's competitors, 73 percent are from New York state, 7 percent from Massachusetts, 4 percent from Pennsylvania, 3 percent each from New Jersey and the Washington, D.C. area, with the other percentage scattered about, including from California, Texas and North Carolina. The gender percentage is about 60-40, male and the average age is about 35. The race will raise funds to support organizations that promote social change and enhance others' lives, including The Hope Lodge in Burlington, Vt., which provides a home-away-from home for cancer patients in the Champlain Valley and Adirondack region, as well as Room To Read, which provides underprivileged children quality educational experiences across the world. The triathlon also received a $5,000 grant from the Warren County Tourism Board, which Engler said will allow officials to pay for their advertising and send more money to the designated charities. Interview with Randy Engler of North Country Triathlon http://en.wordpress.com/tag/randy-engler/ Randy Engler founded the North Country Triathlon in 2007. The Olympic-distance race takes place at the end of June in the Hague, NY, situated on scenic Lake George. 101: What interested you in race production? RE: I had competed in several Olympic and Sprint distance races on both the east coast and west coast over the past 9 years, some very large and some very small. While I was not a hardcore triathlete, I felt I could build a race of superior quality to the races I had experienced in the past. I wanted to not only build a challenging race for the competitors, but a race that married my entrepreneurial energies with my commitment to positively effecting social and environmental issues. The North Country Triathlon represents my attempt to create a high-quality, environmentally low-impact race that benefits not only our broad community of racers, and small communities around Lake George such as Hague, but also regional and international charities such as The Hope Lodge of Burlington, and Room-To-Read. I am currently a consultant in the internet commerce industry. 101: What have been your biggest challenges? RE: To-date the largest challenge has been in attracting premier sponsors whose products or services reflect our core values as a company. Because we are a small race relative to others (350 competitors is where we cap our race) it makes it difficult for larger companies to commit to our race in meaningful dollars. Our race is very targeted in terms of our demographics, but lacks a broad consumer reach. 101: What have been the biggest rewards? RE: Knowing that however small, my race is impacting peoples lives in a very positive way. 101: What are your objectives for each event? RE: To create a safe, fun, and challenging race for everyone involved (racers and volunteers alike). 101: How did you first conceive the idea for your own race and how did you go about implementing it? RE: I had left the internet giant, eBay after 7 successful years helping build various parts of their business and was looking for ways in which I could begin giving back to the world. One sunny day several months after leaving eBay, I was out cycling near my home in the town of Woodside and the idea hit me like a ton of bricks. It just seemed like something I could and should do. I knew that while I had never built a race, I could probably figure it out. I knew that Hague, New York was where I wanted to put it on because I was intimately familiar with the area, the people in town and knew it would make a great venue for a race. The triathlon became a project that could help generate interest around social and environmental issues, while providing a world-class race for multi-sport enthusiasts. 101: How do you go about enrolling your Race Committee? RE: My race committee is not really a “race committee” at all but rather a loose collaboration of area leaders that share my vision, have great positive energy, and in the end, know how to get things done. 101: Who are the key people you need on your Race Committee for it to be successful? RE: I would say one of the most important people on the team to run a successful race is the volunteer coordinator. A volunteer coordinator is responsible for not only getting the volunteers together required to put on a safe and fun race, but to really super-charge the atmosphere on race day through the volunteers. The volunteers are the most important component to the race. On race day, most of the execution comes down to how well your volunteers performed their roles, and how they were able to convey a good time to the racers. Without a strong volunteer coordinator and great volunteers, you simply have no race. 101: How do you go about getting backing by local officials? RE: Get comfortable with your “elevator pitch”, i.e.- be able to distil your vision for the race and how it will benefit the town/city into about a 3 minute pitch. Meet early and often. Share your excitement and your vision. Excitement, your confidence and you overall energy level is contagious. Do what you say you are going to do, when you say you are going to do it. Follow-up and stay top-of-mind. Town officials while usually very interested in anything that can have a positive impact on their community are also extremely busy. Being sensitive to their time is crucial and having a clear idea what you need from them BEFORE you meet with them is going to make things run much more smoothly. 101: What insights could you share on enrolling athletes, volunteers and the community? RE: Talk about your race ANYWHERE you can and as often as you can. Get it in local papers, tell your story (why are you doing it, why you are excited, etc.). Generate as much local buzz as possible through civic groups, local schools, etc. Don’t be afraid to engage naysayers (there are always naysayers), just have good, solid information and thoughts to back up your arguments 101: What do you find to be most effective in marketing? RE: Active.com has been a great marketing channel followed by local triathlon and multi-sport clubs. 101: How do you approach your sponsors? Which businesses do you find to be most enthusiastic about sponsorship? RE: Until your race is big enough to attract major sponsor money, focus on the small businesses in and around your event by connecting with local Chamber of Commerce members. Remember that your race if run properly benefits the local businesses. The chambers are always looking for ways to bring value to their chamber members. They will often be your voice for raising sponsorship money through local business. Be prepared to outline what exactly you are asking for, and what the businesses will get in return (i.e.- banner placement, advertising in race packets, etc). Having a clear vision of what your needs are will help you get the money you need to put your race and not go out of business in the meantime. 101: How do you see the future of triathlon? RE: I think the future is great and think there is room out there for many more races. 101: What do you think the sport’s draw is for people? RE: These events always attract people who wish to improve themselves and be a part of something larger. Good attracts good and I think triathlons represent this notion perfectly. 101: What advice would you give aspiring race directors? RE: Be sensitive to jumping into another race’s backyard. Be sensitive to the needs of the community as they can make or break your race. Under promise and over deliver, Treat your volunteers well, they are your biggest asset. CRAVING SOME GOOD COMPETITION? Gregory Hitchcock is a Staff Writer for The Free George. Then head on over to Hague this weekend for the North Country Triathlon. The triathlon has been running strong since its inception in 2007, and this year’s event promises to be equally successful, with over 400 registered racers and 125 volunteers already in tow. Maybe it’s the setting that adds to its popularity. After all, who wouldn’t want to be competing on beautiful Hague Beach on Lake George? The event, which takes place on Saturday, June 26th, features Olympic distance and Sprint distance triathlons. For those unfamiliar with the competition, a triathlon is a multi-sport endurance event consisting of swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances. Sound exhausting? Well not for these fitter-than-fit men and women. Triathletes compete for fastest overall course completion time, including timed “transitions” between the individual swim, bike, and run components. Triathlon races vary in distance with Sprint distances at 750 m swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run, and Intermediate distance, commonly referred to as “Olympic” distance and measured at 1.5 km swim, 40 km ride, 10 km run, according to the International Triathlon Union, and USA Triathlon. There are also longer races that get even more challenging: the Long Course (1.9 km swim, 90 km ride, 21.1 km run, such as the Half Ironman), and Ultra Distance (3.8 km swim, 180 km ride, and a marathon: 42.2 km run); the most popular branded Ultra Distance is none other than the Ironman triathlon. Participants, for the most part, come from upstate NY. North Country triathlon races also have a philanthropical bent, benefiting charities and non-profit organizations that seek to impact our world in a positive way. The 2010 beneficiaries include: The Hope Lodge of Burlington, VT (health), Room-To-Read (Education), and 1% For the Planet (Environment). A large percentage of the North Country Triathlon proceeds will also go to The Hope Lodge of Burlington, a place that Founder Randy Engler dubbed as “a home away from home” for cancer patients. For more information on North Country Triathlon, visit www.northcountrytri.com Short URL: http://thefreegeorge.com/thefreegeorge/?p=1356 |
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