Wheelbuilder Sponsorship

Team Firefighter is very excited to announce that Wheelbuilder has agreed to sponsor us!  Wheelbuilder is well known for quality products and customer service.  We look forward to the future of training and racing with Wheelbuilder!

Charles Barrette - MPLS Tri (LifeTime Fitness Triathlon)

Over due race report from MPLS Tri (LifeTime Fitness Triathlon) Race was July 14th.

This is my first time doing this race for a couple of factors, first begin that I have worked at it doing EMS on the streets since this race is in our service area and secondly it's an expensive race to do. Well, this year it landed a month out from my half iron (Rev3 Wis Dells) and my fire department knowing that I race with TeamFirefighter.com was willing to pay for my entry fee! Thanks guys!
The summer has been WARM up here and race day was going to be "cooler" with race start temps in the 70's and dew points equal to that with finish time temps in the 90's. 


3000 people race this event which has a Sprint and Olympic distances all within the urban setting of Minneapolis which leads to the alarm clock going off at 3:45 a.m. to get to the event site and off load, find parking and walk the 3/4 mile to transition. Once in transition racking of the bikes was done by bib number for a section then first come first serve in that section. I was doing this race in full turnouts so I got a place right up against the fence and started unpacking, this wouldn't have been near where I would have racked if I was racing but I figured be nice and give those who want the good spots and fast T times a chance.


Swim isn't my best event, I can hold my own but need the wetsuit to do it. Water temps that day were above the cut off if you wanted to place and go for awards. I figured that doing the run in gear I didn't have to worry about a podium. After a short warm up and then getting placed into a starting corral (Clydesdales 40 and over) I get asked by an official, what my weight was. I responded with 215 lbs. He asked again if I knew that the cut off was 200 lbs for this wave, yes and I weigh 215lbs. I guess that he didn't believe me. (warm fuzzy for the day!) The swim was very good got off with the lead guys and because of the wave we went out after the pros and elites and before the rest of the 20 waves, I had clear water to swim in ran into a couple other racers but it was more like a training open water swim than a race. TIME: 28:05 second in the AG Category


Bike is my stronger leg, nothing overly special here. Decent roads and again because of the wave start time I had open roads with barely anyone on the course. Got passed by a couple of relay guys and saw the pros on some of the out and back section. Cameron Dye can fly on a bike! The course in mostly flat and all closed with only a couple of technical sections that if you were in a later wave I could see as begin bad. TIME: 1:10:05 (21.9 mph) 6th in group


Run ok walk with gear, the 10K is a 2 loop around a lake with great support along the whole course, multiple water stops, ice towels, gels and food. The walk was fun talking to people and getting cheers along with cheering on so many that I wouldn't have seen if I ran this course. Met some inspiring folks out there racing for their own causes and own special reasons. Coming down the finishing shoot which is a 200 yards long and full of spectators was a moving time. The race announcer is a local man that I'm friends with and knows of the reason that we are out there as TeamFirefighter and Code 3 For A Cure so he made special announcement was I came up the shoot and finished. TIME: 1:34:29


Total race time 3:19:16

Next race REV3 Wis Dells Aug 12th

Matthew Newman

Matt Newman

Delray Beach, FL

30 Years Old

Lauderhill Fire Rescue (2006-Present)

I started running marathons in college in 2003 to get in better shape for martial arts.  I was 2 time Florida State Champion and had 2 3^rd place finishes at Fall Nationals.  In 2007 I was talked into doing a du with my cousin and never looked back.  I look at my triathlon racing as a way to push myself and learn my limits.  As Arthur C. Clarke once stated, “The only way to find the limits of the possible is by going beyond them to the impossible.”

Current Goals:

Break the 1 hour mark for a sprint triathlon

Up my training to complete the American Ninja Warrior Course in 2013 (I ran the 2012 course in Miami)

Podiums/PRs:

5^th Place Age Group (66 Overall) – 7/29/12 – Huntington’s Disease Sprint Triathlon – 1:20:08

2^nd Place Age Group – 11/20/11 – Columbia Muddy Buddy (w/ Chris Madzi) – 44:28

5^th Place Age Group – 9/4/11 – Labor Day Sprint Triathlon – 1:00:44

5^th Place Age Group – 9/7/08 – Tropical Triathlon – 1:17:26

2^nd Place Age Group (32 Overall) – 2/10/08 – Spring Training Du – 57:40 (PR)

3^rd Place Age Group – 9/9/07 – Tropical Triathlon – 1:23:31

1^st Place Age Group (33 Overall) – 3/25/07 – CB Smith Du – 59:04

2^nd Place Age Group (50 Overall) – 3/4/07 – Battle of Sexes Du – 59:08

Katrina Silvia - Bio

My name is Katrina Silvia and I am 36 years young. I live in Jacksonville Florida and have been a career firefighter for over 8 years with St. Johns County Fire Rescue.   I'm 5'2" and loved the physical challenge of becoming a firefighter. I come from a athletic background but it wasn't until 9 months after having my second child and being diagnosed with Graves disease in 2006 my focus really shifted. I was determined more than ever to be even healthier and to eat better. I began getting invloved in running events in 2007 with my first 15k ( Gate River Run ) which I have done every year since. I signed up for my first tri in 2010 which was in my first due territory and caught the tri bug. My 3rd race was the half ironman in Florida and my fourth was the Florida Ironman last November. The full ironman was a dream come true for me. I will never qualify for Kona but love the journey you go on just to show up for race day. I have been inspired by Robert Verhelst and Code 3 for A cure to step it up and do a ironman race running the marathon in gear. I want to be an example to never give up hope  and anything is possible. Oh and I  must mention that I have been in remission from my Graves Diseaase for almost 3 years now.

 

Keith Elisberg - Pequannock Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon Race Report

This is one of New Jersey's premier races. When I registered forth venue I entered the Duathlon since my shoulder was bothering me. Since then the shoulder is fine. The night prior to the race there was heavy rain. Both run legs where trail runs. Needless to say it was muddy and not easy. The bike course was flat but windy and a little slick on the corners. The weather while there was no rain it was high humidity.

So I got up at 0400 totally psyched to race. Walked the dogs, got myself ready and made the thirty minute ride in twenty. Set up my transition and did some warming up. We went off with the elite wave. Started my Polar RCX5 and was off. I held back since I didn't want to go out to hard. Despite the humidity I had clear vision thanks to my Rudy Project eyewear. I picked up the pace at the split and hit T1 in under 7:00 minutes in second place. Flew out in 38 seconds. Despite the slick turns and wind I averaged over 20 MPH. I had fully confidence with my Maxxis tires and if I did crash had my Rudy Project Helmet and Road ID on. Coming into T2 I nearly collided with a racer who only did one lap and stopped to turn around to go back out. That guy turned out to be an old friend. Dismounted my bike safely then cut my bike toe. I didn't notice till mile one. In T2 first. Out of T2 in about 35 seconds and gave it everything on the run. Everyone suffered on the run. It was a muddy Xterra run. It was a matter of survival. Me and two other guys kept switching leads during the bike. I was not going to give up this position. Finally out of the woods and half mile to go. I picked up the pace the best I can to get a little bigger gap with the guy chasing me down. There it is the finish arch. Yahoo! Crossed the line at 1:03+. First Place and Winner of the Duathlon! The field was small as was the Triathlon which was racing at same time. I am thinking the weather. I am happy with the day. I rode hard and held off the chase. Unfortunately they only gave age group medals and no overall. I think I also got a few guys from FDNY to join the team.

Next stop Ironman NYC Championship in Fort Lee, my home town, as Team Firefighter will have racers and an aid station.

Rick van Tuyl - Locks of Love

 Team Firefighter member Rick van Tuyl grew his hair out to make a wig for chemo patients.  It was a difficult and emotional journey for him.  Here is his story:

Hair it goes. 

In Nov. of 2010, I decided to grow my hair for a 'chemo-wig'. It was during a chemo session that I was at with my mom. I went to them every three weeks with my mom. We had a routine: go to see the Dr with my dad, then he went to work while she and I went to her chemo session. Those were special times. Something that I cherish, the time of just being with her. Able to make her laugh, entertain her, making the best of a shitty situation. 

Afterwards, we usually went to lunch before I took her home. She was fighting her second round of lung cancer. On this particular day, I was walking by the nurses station and saw a basket of knit beanies. They were for the patients to cover their heads if they wanted to. Well, as my hair started growing from a buzz-cut, my nephew who is the starting quarterback for the Utah Utes decided to also grow his hair about the same time for the same reason. He also cut his about a week ago. Life is kind of funny sometimes.

Six months after I started growing it, she passed away.

I won't go into how work felt about it, but once people found out why I was growing it, most thought it was a pretty cool thing that I was doing it (Admin, not so much).

It's been a long and slow process. I was planning on growing it until November, which would have been two years of growth. My wife made a few comments about it, but also said "your hair is not a deal breaker." Well, last week, I measured my pony tail, and braided it was nine inches long. The foundation that I was donating to required at least eight inches when cut. I wanted to try and do a few things with it, to see how it would look, but decided I had better not. If I found a style, blow-dried, using some product on it, etc. and really liked it, I would have had a harder time of cutting it. I've had short hair since I was a junior in high school (1981, that's not a typo), so I was really attached to it. I decided to make an appointment to cut it.

Friday came, I went in and went through with it.  My stepdaughter made four pony tails and cut them.  It still feels a bit strange to not have long hair. I'm getting use to my short hair a little bit more each day.

I've only had one person, my doctor, tell me that it looked better long than short (that was because he saw me at a race and saw it flowing as he ran past me). Although, when people say how much better I look with short hair, I remind them of why I did it. If they knew or forgot the reason why, they all nod and agree that it was for a good cause. The people that had no idea, they are usually excited that I would do such a thing. To me, it just seemed kind of natural, make somebody feel a little better. It didn't cost me anything, in fact I saved a lot of money not getting hair cuts. But we try to do that all the time at work.

I don't know what else to say, except that I've shed a few tears writing this and that I miss my mom.

Ethan Dade - Bio

1) 25 years old

2) Madison, Wisconsin

3) City of Madison Fire Department, serving full-time since 2008, firefighter/paramedic...and firefighter for Fitchburg FD from 2005-2008

4) I mainly race half marathon races and started racing about a year ago in half marathons.  I raced multiple 5k's and 8k's before that.

5) Near future goals----Run half marathon in under 1:45
Run half marathon in full turnouts/airpack/helmet in under 2:05

I would also like to do a half ironman in the next two years and work my way up to a full ironman distance within 5 years

6) Personal bests- Half Marathon distance..1:52
Half Marathon full gear...2:21

Future Races:
Madison half marathon-August 18th
Gladiator race-September
St.Louis half marathon-October 21st