10 years and going strong! New Year's Speech at the Panzers in January!

Whatever you can do,

Or think you can, begin it.

Boldness has power, and genius,

And magic in it.

-GOETHE

Before I start I want to say a big thank you to the Panzers for offering their home for our New Year Party and all the hard work that comes with it. Thank you!

And thank you all for coming tonight!

10 years! I can’t believe it but life goes by very fast…I know what it means, you get older and time goes faster and faster.

I would like to go back 10 years for a bit and go back to when Trifitness was created. 10 years ago freshly back from Florida, land of free time, tennis, pleasure, babies pretty good. First triathlon in Siesta Key, could not swim or hardly, borrowed a bike from a 5’8” woman I knew, averaged 14mph on a flat course for 10 or 12 miles, ran well though and got hooked! Little funny story the guy who won that race was called Ian Ray!!! Apparently there are 2 Ian Ray in America, fast triathletes as well!

Life in CT was different and busier, commuting, crazier life really. Paul was not exercising, I had ran my first marathon in 2000, still hooked on triathlon, on a bike that Paul got me from Good Will ($25!). We had that idea to start a triathlon program at the Y in Fairfield 3 classes a week, swim, bike and run! And about 12 people or so showed up and one of them was Maura!!!! Maura is still with us and quite interestingly you were commuting to the City at the time, then you stopped and now back in the City. I would like to recognize Maura for the most loyal athlete 10 years with us!!!

Do you have a quick word Maura?

It has been so far an interesting journey and a journey worth traveling. We meet each year new great people, we make friends. We see life happening in front of us. It is so exciting!

We have seen babies born and babies to be born, romance and weddings. Actually I would like to also recognize the first real Trifitness “wedding to be” with Jen and Gus, they met at the pool on a Sunday afternoon last year!

People go away - Muriel and Marteen in Chili, The Rothwell family going to Houston, Kelli moving on the West Coast…

Thanks all of you for being here tonight. Thanks coaches Valentin and Rickey for being at the studio at 5am and 9pm. Thanks Paul for being there and encouraging me all the time. You are all special and you are all worth knowing, I am very proud to what you have achieved and are achieving. But most of all I thank you all for your friendship!