We had a “wheelie” good season!
As a coach, nothing is more inspiring than seeing your athletes achieve their goal. The hours of hard work, steadfast dedication, meticulous planning, communication… it all becomes compressed into a brief moment when they cross the finish line, and realize it was all worth it. I can tell you that in 2016 I had some very proud moments as the coach of Team PBC. I want to share some of them here as part of the 2016 Season Recap:
7 First Time Ironman Finishers
That’s right! We had 7 Ironman distance newbies this season, and ALL finished, and all in under 14 hours. This group of athletes balanced full-time jobs, family, social lives, and training to compete at long course triathlon. Through our weekly group training sessions, PBC Ironman Camp, and incredible dedication, they all toed the line ready to race.
Dana Kalina – IMWI – 11:43
Melanie Ott – IMWI – 11:54
Vant Lammers – IM Canada – 10:17
Dan Scharneck – IMWI – 13:18
Andrew Keily – IMWI – 10:40
Tina Buttner – IMWI – 12:30
Mark Buttner – IMWI – 13:54
2 Wisconsin State Cycling Championships
In his 2nd season with PBC, Revere Greist accomplished his goal of a Wisconsin State Championship. Revere won the Individual Time Trial (on a road bike) and the State Omnium Points Championship this season. In addition to these performances, he scored an overall win at the Blue Mounds Classic Road Race, as well as multiple podiums across the midwest, racing for the Great Dane Velo Club.
Overall Ironman 70.3 Win
Two years ago Andrew Keily came to me fresh to the sport of triathlon. As a collegiate swimmer he had a great athletic background and wanted to see how far he could take triathlon. After 18 months of focused consistent training, he was ready to establish himself as one of the best amateur triathletes around. In April of this year he took the overall win at Ironman Texas 70.3 with a time of 4:07, earning his Professional License in the process. Andrew will start racing professionally in 2017.
Amateur ITU World Championships
Vant Lammers qualified for and raced the Age Group World Championships in Cozumel, Mexico in 2016. Coming off of his first Ironman in Whistler, BC, he was able to sharpen his short course speed and finish 7th place at the World Championships M25-29, with a sub 2 hour Olympic distance race.
Local Triathlon Race Wins & Podiums
The racing here in the Midwest is pretty solid. Between Race Day Events and other local offerings, the calendar is pretty stacked from June – September. Team PBC had some great success locally, with athletes on the podium at nearly every event. Here are just a few highlights:
Molly Woodford – Elkhart Lake Olympic Overall win, Pigman Sprint 2nd place, Des Moines Triathlon 3rd place
Andrew Keily – 3 Madison Aquathon wins, Lake Mills Tri 2nd place
Vant Lammers – Sugar River Tri overall win, Wisconsin Triterium 3rd place
Alex Betances – Lake County Tri 2nd place
Dan Bradtke set a PR at each race this season, including some Age Group Podiums.
Jason Spulak completed his first marathon in Chicago. Karuna Sijupati finished 2 century rides.
Road Cycling & Cyclocross
Jason Milesko earned enough points to improve his road category in 2016, including a podium at Hillinois.
Narayan Mahon has just recorded 2 back to back cyclocross podiums, as he closes in on his Cat2 upgrade.
Dan Van Der Weide started his season early in Arizona with some great road race results, and then wrapped it up with a solid Milkman 70.3 placing.
What’s New For PBC in 2017?
It’s been such a great year. Beyond all the results listed above, we have created some great friendships and bonds within the triathlon and cycling communities. We have had some amazing support from companies like Roka Sports, PowerTap, Trek Stores of Madison, Great Dane Velo Club, Berkeley Running Company, and more. As we continue to grow, we are always looking for new ways to improve Team PBC and the coaching program. Here are some things we will continue to offer in 2017, as well as some NEW programs for Team PBC athletes to enjoy:
PBC Wednesday Run Groups – 6p-7p
PBC Saturday Indoor Cycling – Summit Strength & Fitness
PBC Strength Class – Summit Strength & Fitness
PBC Sunday Lap Swim, Coached – MCPA Pool
PBC Open Water Swimming – BB Clarke Beach – Led by Andrew Keily
PBC Cycling Class @ Trek Bicycle Company – Monday/Wednesday (Trek Employees Only)
Final Notes
As we approach the cold months and our bikes slowly become fixed to our trainers, it’s always motivating to sit down and plan your goals for the upcoming season. We have a solid group of returning athletes and new athletes that I am very excited to be working with. As a coach, my goal is to continue to improve the quality of my athletes training and racing so that they can achieve whatever goals they have, no matter how far away they may seem. If you tell me you want to qualify for Kona, or upgrade to a Cat 1 cyclist, I will never tell you it’s not possible, BUT I will tell you what you will need to do to obtain it. If you put your head down, do the work, and invest in yourself, I will be right there with you working just as hard to make that dream a reality. Nothing is impossible with the right mindset, dedication, and approach. Take it from me – In 2010 I finished my first Ironman in 13:08 at age 24. Four years later I earned my professional license. Two years later I went 8:55 at Ironman Arizona. Anything is possible if you believe.
Thanks for reading,
Coach PB
Cycling and Triathlon Coach, Madison, WI