Flight Pundit

Marines take care of Marines. In any way, every way.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.– People swim, cycle and run for a variety of reasons; for fun, fitness or competition. Capt. Andrew Christian, a Marine assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, does all three in memory of fellow warriors killed and injured in the Global War on Terrorism and to raise money to help support their families.

While deployed to Iraq in 2006 as a member of a Military Transition Team, the Neenah, Wisc., native was authorized two weeks of leave to return to the United States and run the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in June of that year. He completed the 26.2-mile run while carrying a 3 x 5 foot American flag and crossed the finish line in three hours and 23 minutes.

True to the amphibious tradition of the Marine Corps, the four-time marathon-runner would not be satisfied until he attacked his objective from the sea: He set his sites on the Ironman Arizona triathlon in Tempe, Ariz., and committed to carrying his U.S. flag through the harsh desert heat and 30-mile-per-hour winds for a marathon’s distance once again – but this time after swimming 2.4 miles to shore and completing a 112-mile bicycle ride.

Christian contacted a company that agreed to sponsor his cause to raise money, both for the daughter of his fallen teammate and for the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. The sponsor then asked three-time Ironman World Champion, Peter Reid, to be Christian’s coach and prepare him for the competition.

Read more about Andy’s training and the marathon here.

Semper Fi Fund

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This is cool.
Map My Run

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Via Email.

Muddy Buddy,

Kicking off the 2005 season, the San Jose Muddy Buddy is only six weeks away! Also coming up soon is the end to the early registration period for the 2005 series. Sunday, May 1st is the last day that you will be able to register for the price of $95; starting Monday, May 2nd, the entry fees will increase to $100 per team. Online registration powered by Active is accessible through the Muddy Buddy web site, www.muddybuddy.com. If you would prefer a mail-in registration form please contact us at muddybuddy@mesp.com with your name and mailing address and we will send you a registration form immediately.

The 2005 series is almost under way; don’t miss your last opportunity to sign up for $95 per team. We expect most of the races to sell out again so if you haven’t done so already, call a friend, scrape the mud off of last year’s shoes, oil up the mountain bike, and prepare to get muddy!

June 12: San Jose, CA
June 26: Boston, MA
July 17: Richmond, VA
August 7: Austin, TX
August 21: Boulder, CO————-I am doing this one for the third time.
September 11: Chicago, IL
October 23: Los Angeles, CA

For more information about the race, please visit www.muddybuddy.com. If you have any other questions or comments please send them to muddybuddy@mesp.com. We are very excited about the upcoming season and look forward to making this year something special!

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Al-Sultan, Major win the inaugural Ironman Arizona Triathlon
By: Shane Facteau April 9, 2005

TEMPE, Ariz.-Germany’s Faris Al-Sultan and Australia’s Kate Major won the men’s and women’s titles respectively at the inaugural Ironman Arizona Triathlon held on Saturday in Tempe.

Windy conditions dominated throughout the day, but temperatures remained mild throughout the day for the event, the first-ever Ironman held in the state of Arizona and one of only five Ironman events in continental North America.

Al-Sultan won the first Ironman of his career by taking the men’s title at the Tempe race, posting an overall time of eight hours, 25 minutes and 42 seconds. The German standout, who finished third overall at the 2004 Ironman World Championship, pulled away for the field at the end of the bike and then posted a strong run to win by almost 17 minutes.

Michael Lovato (Boulder, Colo.), the 2003 Ironman USA Coeur d’Alene champion, finished second overall with a time of 8:42:48 with Sergio Marques (Portugal) third in 8:46:47. Petr Vabrousek (Czech Republic) finished fourth in 8:49:46 and Canada’s Jasper Blake was fifth in 8:50:54.

Major gutted out a tough battle on the run with second-place finisher Desiree Ficker (Austin, Texas) to earn the second Ironman victory of her career. The Australian standout, who also won the 2004 Ironman USA Lake Placid Triathlon, posted an overall time of 9:44:26.

Ficker was second in 9:48:26, with Ute Mueckel (Germany) third in 9:51:43, Tamara Kozulina (Ukraine) fourth in 9:58:46 and Lisabeth Kristensen (Switzerland) fifth in 10:05:17.

The inaugural event featured 1,830 athletes from 25 countries, competing for 80 qualifying spots to the 2005 Ironman World Championship held annually in Kona, Hawaii, as well as a $75,000 pro prize purse.

WOW, it was pretty windy today too…

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I went for a 25 mile ride this morning. I was trying to keep cadence up above 85 and the speed as fast as I can. I think I like the nice mornings here in Phoenix. I love riding at the break of dawn. it gets me ready for races witch always start at like 0630 or 0700. I have not been able to train very much the last couple months like I wanted, but now I am going to start again. I need to find some Triathlon’s in Phoenix or San Diego this summer.

It is about 60 degrees already this morning. Now I feel good and need to head out and attack the rest of the day.

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