Archive for May, 2010

Last weekend Dr. Gerry Goldberger of Advance Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Institute and The Sandyhookers, my local triathlon club back home, hosted a triathlon symposium. I was one of many guests asked to be on hand to speak as well meet and greet some of the guests. It was a fantastic dayand further proof of how popular triathlon is becoming in New York/New Jersey are. Thank you Gerry and Doug Rice for having me there.

I am now settled here in Krabi, Thailand. I love the first week in Asia as the time change puts me to bed early and gets me up before dawn. It’s5 a.m and I am bright eyed. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not much of a morning person. As a child my parents let me stay up late to watch Johny Carson and the Honeymooners, so most nights I was up till midnight at least. This pattern has carried into my adulthood. During my 4th year of college, Coach Watts would drive to my condo to pick me up for morning run because I kept missing so many of them. I would say, “Coach it’s not like I am not going to run, I just like to sleep in. I just can’t seem to get up, I sleep right thru my alarm. So if I sleep in till 7 or 8 I will run then”. He didn’t think that was very funny so he started calling me on his way to campus and would then swing by to get me. Thanks G.W.!!

So anyway I left last Sunday evening with a quick stop over at The Bike Boutique in Singapore to get my new Cervelo P4, finally arriving here on Wednesday. I met James Tuesday morning at the airport and we headed straight to the shop where the guys started working immediately on our new bikes. It was great catching up with James!! We had a nice swim and easy run along the beach to wake our bodies up. Wednesday morning we headed back to the shop and got a quick fit on the Retul System before packing our bike and heading to the airport. It was also very nice to meet the guys at the shop and to see Alex again. I love to visit Singapore and hope to go back soon.

TBB Singapore

Me and Black Betty

It’s great to be back in Asia! There is a familiarity to the way the air feels and smells, it’s like this most feeling with a touch of a smokey scent. So here I am settled in for the 7 weeks…. Below are some photos from the symposium.

Doug Rice and I
Doug is the President of The Sandyhookers Triathlon Club, which is my local club. Doug has been at the forefront of triathlon in New Jersey for the past 25 years. We hope to get some stories up on the Team TBB sight about the Sandyhookers in the coming weeks and months.

JT and I
This is John Thomas Hughes of the JT Foundation for Autism Awareness. This season I have decided to race for Autism Awareness. It is my belief that you must be willing to give in order to recieve so throughout the year I will be posting stories and blogs about Autisim, raising awareness for the disorder that affects 1 in 150 children in the U.S More on this later, but my hope to do stories on how prevelent Autisim is and what are some forms of treatment that are used in each of the locations I either train or race at. For example, I have already learned that here in Thailand, elephants are used as a form of therapy to help children learn how to better communicate.

JT and I infront of a Cervelo P4
O.K. time for morning run!! I guess this is what happens when you go to bed at 9p.m., up bright and early, thus becoming more productive!
SD

Some Tough Mudders!

Wanted to pass along major PROPS to the 2010 Tough Mudders Team. Headed by police Officer Brian Mansfield the team climbed, slid, ran, jumped, ran through fire, and basically fought through 7+ miles of what they called HELL. Oh and this was all for fun…..and beer at the end.

These guys represented the Team for Autism at this event and we want to give them a major Thank YOU>

Team Captain Wall Township Officer Brian Mansfield!

Saturday, June 12th

Once again The JT Foundation’s Team for Autism will be loading up our bikes and heading to beautiful Lincroft, NJ to take part in the annual Ride for Autism. The Team has participated in this event since 2005 and it has become one of our staple events on the calendar.

The Ride for Autism is a one-day charity bicycle tour designed to raise funds for Autism New Jersey and also to raise community awareness about autism. It has also been an opportunity for socialization with other Team for Autism members either as a participant or as a volunteer. The ride is open to all levels of cyclists, from beginner to serious. Participants choose from five routes ranging in length from 10 to 100 miles, designed by the Jersey Shore Touring Society bicycle club. Rest stops and SAG support are provided on all routes. http://www.ride4autism.org/courseMaps.asp

Team Tent: We will have the Team for Autism Tent set up where you, your family and friends can campout and use as home base for the day and there will also be a vendor expo, one mile kids ride and kids activities take place throughout the day. We will have some Jersey Mike’s subs available when you finish. Again this is a great event for all ages and abilities…kids and families and GREAT training ride!

So, if you would like to join us for this GREAT day of riding please click on the following link that will take you to The JT Foundation’s 2010 Ride 4 Autism event page. Once you are there please follow the 2 steps and Join the TEAM! (Again you can ride and or volunteer at the tent!) http://www.thejtfoundation.org/2010autismridereg.html

Susan Mark’s prior to the start

New Jersey Marathon: The JT Foundation and our athletes where on the streets and in the waters literally all over the country. I wanted to put out a quick “Shout Out” of appreciation to them all! Thank you!

51 Team for Autism runner’s braved extreme heat (90+) to participate in the 2010 New Jersey Marathon Fistival. We had 6 relay teams, 2 marathoners and 17 – Half Marathoners in this year event.  We are in the process of gathering some of the personal stories to share with you and will be posting in the near future. If you would like to participate or volunteer in next year’s, 2011 event please fill out the application by clicking on the following link. http://www.thejtfoundation.org/2010Marathon.html

Check out pictures of the TEAM! http://picasaweb.google.com/108393150941025553895/NJMarathon2010A#

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Spokes Athlete Scott DeFilippis (on left) who just returned from his Pro training camp in Thailand  with his Team TBB, and put together his best full IM effort to date in a Sub 10 hour effort (and he was not happy with that time! ) at the IM Utah.  See Scott’s results here http://ironmanlive.com/tracking.php?race=st.george&year=2010

Scott’s next race will be locally on Sunday May16th at the Pier Village Duathlon in Long Branch, NJ. Come out to either race or give Scott some support.

Then Scott will be off to France where he will compete in 3 Triathlons in 3 months.

• June 27^th– Ironman France, Nice France
• July 28^th– Alpe d”Huez Triathlon, France ( a famous Tour De France leg)
• August 18^th– Emberman Iron Distance Triathlon, France

Scott then returns to the States and prepares to take on Ironman Arizona in Phoenix on November 21^st. To keep up and help support Scott throughout the season http://www.thejtfoundation.org/scottdefilips.html

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Joanne Jaeger competes at the Bassman Triathlon in Pinelands NJ. She has unselfishly worn the JT colors in dozens of races over the last 2 seasons. Check out her sister Jacqueline Houtman web site and learn more about the recent book that Jacqueline released. AGAIN….Thank You Joanne you are an inspiration to many who know you…keep it going.           http://www.jhoutman.com/

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Dinamic Duo- Carolyn Stellatella and Maggie Freeman trekked down I-95 into North Carolina and competed in a 1/2 Ironman this weekend . Both Maggie and Carolyn, like Joanne Jaeger frequently wear the JT colors and are fantastic ambassadors for The JT Foundation and Autism Awareness.  You girls ROCK!

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Mad Mudders!

Kenny Pace, Lance Nemiroff, Brian Mansfield, Dan Fishmann and Marcel Legrand all put on their Blue Team for Autism shirts and traveled to Bear Creek Pa. for 7 miles of pain! They competed in the Tough Mudder race where they ran through mud, fire and water. Climbed over hills and barriers and under barbed wire!  Trough tunnels and did I say fire?…..all for fun…and FREE beer ! From what I saw from the pictures I think they will be back for more next year and the team will be a bit bigger….I am planning on doing it! Foot NOTE – In addition to lance representing JT’s Team for Autism, so was his wife Susan, who ran 2 relay legs at the new jersey Marathon. The Nemeroff’s also ROCK!

Thanks GUYS!

What a GREAT weekend! Thanks to all!