Highlights

For love of life and each other.
Swimming – Cycling – Running – Community December 2015 CELEBRATING SEASON 3 My First Season with T3 Honu
Kendra Nichols Highlights A Typical Training Day with T3 Racing Luray Triathlon
T3 in the Community
Special Olympics Center Stage
Martha’s Table
Putting the T in Team
T3 Featured in a Major Motion Picture
2015 Season Summary
Why Join T3?
2016 Registration
Training Mahalo!
2822 Fairfax Drive, Falls Church, VA 22042 Open Monday-­‐Friday 10-­‐7 | Saturday 10-­‐6 | Sunday 12-­‐5 703.280-­‐2248 tribonzai.com 2
Luray Triathlon: Grilling, Fishing, Drinking…and Racing, Too!
Robert Fatzinger Racing The weekend means a lot to me because after
plodding along through 16 years in multisports,
my dear wife and children look forward to
accompanying me on a race weekend for
something other than standing in the sun
waiting (a long time) for me to cross the finish
line. The T3 camaraderie really shines through
when we’re all away from the DMV hustle for a
competitive race draped in Southern
hospitality.
In August, T3 participated in the Luray Sprint
and International Triathlon weekend for the
third year in a row. Luray weekend has become
an annual HONU tradition because of the
location two hours from DC, and the fun
offered by our team basecamp at the Farm
House and Cottage.
Even with the T3 team split
between this year’s Ironman
Mont-Tremblant and Luray
on the same weekend, we had
seven team members run one or both of the
weekend’s events at Luray, as well as a strong
showing from our movie crew and athlete extras
for Ted’s big production. Leah Haskvitz earned
an age group 4th place in Sunday’s Sprint, and
two brave athletes did the double.
The Farm is an amazing place where we are
always treated like family and find some great
downtime in the midst of a competitive
weekend at one of the mid-Atlantic’s mostpopular races. The race weekend was fortified
with riverfront swimming, great fishing, fresh
eggs and beef, a working distillery, horseback
riding, relaxing accommodations, and a killer
backyard for the post-race barbeque. The
setting is perfect to knock back a few post-race
beverages and take in all the Shenandoah Valley
has to offer—this may have included too much
corn liquor for your weekend organizer but it
was all worth it.
Luray Tri Swim Start. From left to right: Chris Densmore,
Kelly Spitko (TRI actress), Catherine Hendrix, and Leah
Haskevitz.
2016 Luray International Triathlon – August 20th 2016 Luray Sprint Triathlon – August 21st luraytriathlon.com 3
Community The Honu Feed the Homeless Through Martha’s Table
Caroline Mah 365 days a year, over 14,000 Martha's
Table volunteers run a mobile food service
program, McKenna’s Wagon. This is the
third year in which T3 Honu
members volunteered to provide hot,
nutritious evening meals, sandwiches, fruit,
and snacks at one of the four locations, 2nd
and H Streets, NW. In the past year, we've
had 16 T3 Honu members dedicate their
time to McKenna's Wagon. Whether it's
dark or bright outside, freezing or hot, T3
Honu members are committed to
volunteering throughout the year because
we are committed to giving back to our
community.
Special Olympics Takes Center Stage
Matthew M. Seiler, CIPM It was a cold, gray, and breezy spring day, but
that didn’t cool the competitive spirit. The
Special Olympians from around the NOVA
region ascended upon the Episcopal High
School for their annual Summer Games. T3
Honu showed up in force. Unfortunately, this
past year, Olympian numbers were down. Rest
assured however, that the Olympians who were
there loved the fact we were there!
The Honu gang showed a high
level of professionalism and timed
athletes competing in the 4X100
relay, 25-meter dash, and 50meter dash. Next year, Honu has
been asked to come back and take
on the relays! The relays are the
single largest event at the Summer
Games and we will need to show
up big time to pull this one
off! Stay tuned for more news on
the date and time in 2016.
Thanks to the heroic efforts of Caroline Mah
the Honu supported Martha’s Table every
month during the 2015
season. It’s because of her
amazing dedication and
efforts that the program
was successful.
Mahalo!
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Putting the T in Team Amy Kihlstrom 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through my
house, all the creatures were stirring, especially Famous
Grouse!
My children were not nestled all snug in their beds; my
teens were playing on their phones instead!
So I reached for my phone and made a request,
to Lynn I text, "Join me on this triathlon quest?
All I want for Christmas is for you to say 'OK'
and join T3 Honu. What do you say?"
I set my phone down and pondered a bit,
I'd love to have her join me on my biggest goal yet.
"Let's do these tri's together,"
I text, "just you and me"
We'll train with the team
wanna try a 70.3!?"
I put the phone down,
knowing I had asked a lot,
you never know unless you 'tri',
or at least that's what I thought.
When out on the table I hear my phone clatter,
I reach for my cell to see what was the matter.
Lynn had responded to my gift request.
"OK" she replied....
"Which race is next?"
And that's how our story started with T3 Honu. Just
before Christmas Lynn and I were members of the
team! Thank you Angelica for inviting both Lynn and
me to the "new comers" meeting. We met the
members of the team and were overwhelmed by how
nice and supportive everyone was. They were eager to
have us train with them. They wanted to share their
"multi sport" knowledge with us. I was so excited to be
a part of this community; I immediately signed up for a
lot of races (and made Lynn too!).
Our race line up was as follows:
Rock Hall Md, our first sprint tri
Atlantic City, our first 70.3
Luray, my 4th oly and Lynn's 3rd
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Our team does more than just train for events; we
are dedicated to helping the community - Lynn
and I volunteered for Martha's Table, Special
Olympics, and the Cherry Blossom 10 miler.
Our training was specific to our individual
goals/races. Our fearless leader, Judah, always
took care to make sure we had our training
schedules and was always available if we had any
concerns or questions. We truly never trained
alone with this team. There was always someone
there to join in the windy, rainy, chilly cycling
days. The weather never stopped our training
and many wintery days we found ourselves
cycling indoors at Bonzai. This team goes beyond
just a group of athletes. We are family. Without
our spouses, significant others, friends, and
children we would not be able to 'tri' successfully.
Mahalo Nui Loa! There was always a fellow T3 teammate and
family cheering us on at every race. They
complete our T3 Honu Family, and I'm so
honored to be a part of such an amazing group.
Unified Industries Incorporated (UII),
Edible Arrangements, and
Ferro + Ferro Graphic Communication, who
The biggest goal by far was completing my first
70.3 and watching Lynn run through that finish
line too! Thank you to ALL of you for
helping us along the way! Thank you for your
time, training, knowledge, making me laugh
when I wanted to cry, and most of all making
me believe I could do it. Can you see the
"happy" tears running down our faces in our
finish photos?
were instrumental in getting us up and running!
Another big thanks to our other sponsors in 2015-2016:
Red Zeppelin, Bonzai Sports, Mike’s Mix, Ballston BID,
RMA Associates, Health Warriors, =PR=, Fast Track
Physical Therapy, Endure Coaching, and Rudy Project.
T3 Honu Board: Judah dal Cais (President), Dave Kulik
(Secretary), Ted Adams III (Treasurer), and Leah Haskevitz,
Caroline Mah, and Matt Seiler (Board Members)
Community Looking forward to 2016!
The Honu For native Hawai’ians the sea turtle, or honu, symbolizes
longevity, peace, good luck, humility, long life, and the spirit of
aloha within us. T3 was founded on those principles.
Legend tells about a green sea turtle, Kauila, who
could change herself into a girl to watch over the
children playing at Punalu'u Beach on the Big
Island. When Kauila's mother dug her nest, a
fresh water spring surged upward,
quenching the children's thirst. Kauila is
the "mythical mother" of all turtles, and
perhaps of our children as well. It's also
said that turtles were the guides for the
first voyagers to Hawai’i.
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T3 Honu Featured in a Major Motion Picture Everyone has a story that is complicated by the daily
routine that is dictated by cancer’s new normal. The
goal of TRI is to raise awareness and bring hope to
those who are seeking compassion, understanding,
and support in a competitive environment while
dealing with cancer.
Ted Adams My 2015 season included only two major races, Escape
from Alcatraz and Ironman Chattanooga. Not a busy
schedule, but sometimes, “less is more.”
Friends who I have met through Team in Training
and T3 Honu inspired this film. Some were even
able to make cameos in the film. The producers
of TRI shine a positive light on the dark, scary, and
uncertain experience of cancer.
Unfortunately, during the summer, I managed to
strain my lower back and had to take a break from
training, which meant that postponing IM
Chattanooga became a foregone conclusion. It actually
turned out well because I was working on a “small”
project.
TRI was filmed entirely on location in Virginia and
Washington, DC. The Virginia Film Office provided
a grant, and encouraged us to use Virginia actors and
crew whenever possible. After all, we did use two of
the largest races in the area; the Luray Tri that
included 1,000 and Nations Tri with over 4,000
“extras.”
As many of you might know, I am a “serial
entrepreneur.” I live to take on new challenges and
adventures. Originally, I was working on a feature film
about the Washington Redskins, but I put that on
hold because I knew it would be a very expensive
endeavor. So instead, I decided to work on what I
thought was an “easy low budget” film about
something that is very near and dear to me, and
has become a big part of my life: TRIATHLON.
I discovered the challenge that was not “small’’
but was as equally demanding as an Ironman…to
produce my first feature-length film. Hmmm…
“Easy low budget” film… Can anyone say
oxymoron?
TRI is a story about strength, courage, awareness,
and hope. It is a film about cancer’s intersection of
people fighting the disease, those who struggle to
understand what it is, and caretakers with the job to
ensure comfort, peace, and a sense of compassion in a
very stressful environment. The mood and tone of the
film’s serious subject matter is told through the
comedic sensibility of seven people who sign up for
The Nation’s Triathlon.
Actual T3 Honu members were well represented by
Judah dal Cais, Dave Kulik, Chris Densmore, Leah
Haskvitz, Michelle Minstrell, Jonathan Brown, Jason
Arce, Amy Kihlstrom, Lynn Beard, Kendra Nichols,
and Shaira Barton. Local teams also making
appearances in the film include: Team Z, Team
FeXY, and DC Triathlon. NO PROMISES ON
APPEARING IN THE FILM! It’s now in the hands
of the editors.
In the story, Natalie, an ultrasound tech with a history
of not finishing things, is inspired by a cancer patient
to sign up for a triathlon. She joins T3 Honu and is
introduced to the strange (and aerodynamic) world of
triathletes and meets a colorful cast of characters as she
trains for the Nation’s Triathlon in Washington, DC.
Her new teammates support her as she digs deep, to
discover how far she can push her mind and body.
Thank you for your support and encouragement in
making this film. I am confident that this will put T3
Honu on the world stage.
For more information, see www.triforcure.com. Like
us on Facebook at facebook.com/TRIforcure.
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Mahalo for an Amazing and Successful Season! See you in 2016! 8
“Once a Honu, always a Honu.”
-­‐ Chris Densmore Why Join the T3 Honu? Chris Densmore Love training? Need a break from training? Hate
training but love the camaraderie, the parties, and
the support of your friends? We’re T3 Honu. I'm
forever grateful.
One night in a bar in early 2013, we poured over
T3 logo designs, then color combos, then
fonts...good thing JP is a patient man. The kits
arrived. We cheered on Ted, Leah, Jesse, and Judah
as T3 Honu at Ironman Lake Placid. The club was
well represented that August at Luray. What an
awesome inaugural season! T3 Honu was legit.
In 2005 with significant reservations, I signed up
for my first triathlon. It was a scary, exciting,
grueling experience that left me addicted. It was an
Olympic distance – Chicago – and still one of my
favorite memories. Over the next few years I
continued training, mentored, and became a coach
with TNT. I met some of my best friends - Judah,
Jason, Jenn, Nancy to name a few. The thing was,
tri-ing with TNT had some drawbacks as
fundraising every year was a bit tough and the race
schedule was limited. But other than training alone
or meeting up with a friend or two on Saturday to
ride, there weren't really any options.
So back to me and the question, “Why T3?” I was
geared-up to make the 2014 season “all about me”
as a T3 triathlete. Early season spinning, Martha’s
Table Thursdays, Saturday morning rides, and I
think I even agreed to write swim workouts (sorry
guys). But I couldn't get into the groove. I
remember riding (slow) with Judah in April and
noting how I hurt and couldn't get into shape...in
June for the second time in my life I learned I had
cancer - not a big one this time, but surgery, a bit of
treatment, and 9 months of recovery was ahead. I
didn't tell anyone and went MIA.
So over a few beers, we started fantasizing about
starting a club, unlike any of the ones around small, composed of friends, group ownership, and
with a conscience to continue to give back to the
community as we had all done when we joined
TNT. It sounded good, but putting it together was
unlikely, I mean who had the time or know-how?
I clearly didn't know Judah - the man with the
network of people, the drive, and the character.
Ironically, the initial T3 season, I was coaching and
had no free weekends from February through June.
I admit I was a bit skeptical as to whether or not the
club would be authentic and sustainable, so it kind
of worked out to watch from the perimeter. Again,
I failed to remember Judah!
Of course I was invited to the 2014 end-of-season
party a year ago…once a Honu, always a Honu. I
went, nervous but excited to see my friends. It was a
great night. The warmth and welcome that I got
from my dear teammates…my friends...my family
and all the support they gave and give really negates
any question of “Why Join the T3 Honu?”.
Whether you're training, taking a life break, or just
having a bad day being part of T3 is awesome!
Sign up for the 2016 season on
the next page!
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2016 T3 Honu Team Application We’re pleased to announce that the T3 Honu are accepting applications for the 2016 team.
We’re a bunch of regular people from every walk of life who are dedicated to promoting a healthy multi-sport
life style. We encourage all team members to participate in as many training and social events as possible, and
at least two races and two community events through T3 Honu-sponsored charities - Martha’s Table or
Special Olympics. While athletes are not required to make any purchases beyond the annual fee, athletes must
agree to train and race in team apparel and participate in community events before joining.
Please complete the application below, and return to T3 Honu at [email protected].
For questions or comments, email us at [email protected].
Mahalo!
Please complete all fields. Name: ____________________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________ State: _______ Zip: ____________ Email: ______________________________________________ Phone: (_____) ______-­‐________ Emergency Contact: _______________________________________ Phone: (_____) ______-­‐________ Occupation (Include Organization or Company): _____________________________________________ Gender: Male Female Tentative 2016 Race Schedule: _____________________________, ______________________________ Multisport Experience: __________________________________________________________________ Multisport Preference (circle one): Tri Sprint Tri Olympic ½ Ironman Ironman Relay Other Last Race: ___________________________________________________________ Year: ____________ Personal Best Time/Event: ______________________________________________ Year: ____________ Goal(s) for the 2016 Season: ______________________________________________________________ Training Needs/Desires: __________________________________________________________________ Any medical issues that could present during training or races? No Yes Explain: ___________________________________________________________________________ Tentative Community Service Preference: Martha’s Table Special Olympics 10