Dana's Featured Speaker at TWM Health and Fitness Expo

Coach Dana Lyons is a featured speaker at Friday's Health and Fitness Expo associated with The Woodlands Marathon.  The expo will be held in a tent at the Woodlands Mall (where the ice skating rink was located) at the corner of Six Pines and Timberloch.  Dana will be speaking at 11am on "Practical Hydration and Nutrition Tips for Training and Racing" and at 2pm on "Tips to Increase Strength and Speed."  When you are picking up your race bib, stop by!!

 

Nutrition and Hydration Seminar for Endurance Athlete

Many athletes benefitted from Coach Dana Lyons seminar on nutrition and hydration for endurance athletes offered on Sunday, February 24.   For those of you in attendance and all our Finish Strong Coached athletes, Klean Athlete is offering 15% discount off..  To take advantage of this offer, call Klean Athlete at 855-255-5326 and reference Finish Strong Coaching account #2291243.  You will be assigned your own unique account number to place your orders.  Credit card payments only.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IM TX Group Ride

Finish Strong Coaching had a group of 42 folks riding the upper portion of the Ironman Texas bike course on Saturday. After a chilly start, the group completed 55 miles with no incidents -- mechanical or otherwise -- much to the delight of the sag wagon drivers Deb Lyons, Preston & Kristie Chandler, and Matt Feldman.

Conoco Phillips Rodeo Run

 Chris Weir and Skip Moschell both finish in 39:57 at Conoco Phillips Rodeo Run 10K.

 Dustin Harris finishes the 10K in 47.32.

 Manuel Abascal (in green) crosses the finish line in 51:46.

 Max French (sporting his bright Finish Strong shirt) finished in 44:43.

Sarah P-M is all smiles after her run! Sarah completed her 10K in 55:30.

 

 

Many thanks to Ira De Aquino who captured pics of many Finish Strong athletes at the recent Conoco Phillips Rodeo Run held on Sunday, February 24.  See above. Will Blackbird (not pictured) finished in 46:10 with negative splits!  This year, nearly 15,000 runners and walkers participated in the 10K race, 5K fun run and walk in downtown Houston.







Austin Half Marathon

Congratulation to Paul Daly who achieved a PR at the Austin Half Marathon held Sunday, February 17.  Paul finished in 1:42:21 demolishing his old PR by almost 4 minutes.  Any pics?

Frost Yer Fanny SMW Regional Duathlon Championships

Frost yer Fanny SMW Regional Duathlon Championships was held at the Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) in Fort Worth, Texas on Sunday, February 17.  Finish Strong's Dana Lyons captured the grandmaster's title that qualified him for the national and world duathlon championships to be held in Ottawa, Canada.  Dana finished the 2 mile run, 16 mile bike, 2 mile run in 1:05:24. Dana's splits were 10:59 (5:29/mi) run, 41:32 (23.1/mi) bike,  11:20 (5:49/mi) run.  This was a fast and fun venue where the 2 mile run took place on one loop of the oval high speed race track!

Thanks to Kerry Gordon for capturing some great pics. His daughter, Haley, competed and placed 3rd in her 16-19 AG in 1:30:02.

More result info:

http://www.mychiptime.com/searchevent.php?id=7296

Jail Break Half Marathon

Beautiful, chilly weather made for delightful running conditions at the Jail Break Half Marathon on Saturday, February 16.  Deb Lyons represented Finish Strong placing 2nd in her 50-54 age group with an overall time of 1:51:48 - a PR by over 2 minutes.  The Jail Break Run 1/2 Marathon started and finished at the Baytown Police Dept. The middle of the course took runners up to the top of the Fred Hartman Bridge with a nice view the Houston Ship Channel and city of Baytown.

Highlighted Finish Strong Athlete - Susan Hardwick-Smith

Check out this recent article about Finish Strong Athlete Dr. Susan Hardick-Smith!

Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith Travels to Sierra Leone to Help Women Recover the Lives They've Lost

PR Newswire

HOUSTON, Feb. 14, 2013

HOUSTON, Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday February 16th, Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith, a Houston-area obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) and founder of Complete Women's Care Center, will make her first trip to the West African country of Sierra Leone. Dr. Hardwick-Smith will make the trek in conjunction with the Texas based West Africa Fistula Foundation (WAFF), to help bring an end to the devastating effects of Obstetric Fistula.





"As a doctor in this wonderful country I am constantly aware of how very lucky we are," said Hardwick-Smith. "While many of us complain about our healthcare system, most of us have access to at least basic healthcare.  We expect a safe, good outcome from normal events like having a baby. But for many women in Sierra Leone in West Africa, having a baby is a truly dangerous business with maternal and neonatal death rates among the highest in the world. Horrific complications such as fistula formation―the development of a hole between the bladder or rectum and vagina― causing permanent and constant fecal or urinary leakage, are common."

Many of the 2–3 million women who suffer from fistulas worldwide are ostracized by the communities that they live in and their husbands often abandon them to fend for themselves.

"I feel passionately that I have a duty to help these women with the skills that I have developed as an OB/GYN in this country," said Hardwick-Smith. "And that includes helping to educate local healthcare providers in Sierra Leone to understand how to prevent fistula formation as well as how to perform the surgical repair needed to help the women already suffering."

Hardwick-Smith pays for her own travel expenses and donates her services –but she wanted to do more. Even with services and travel donated, the surgical procedures cost nearly $1,000 per woman, plus the WAFF provides not only badly needed medical treatment, but also a working staff within the country to establish local care and treatment for this terrible condition.

Funds donated to the WAFF help to provide:

• Treatment for ongoing cases
• Preoperative hostel for waiting patients
• Education to help prevent fistula
• Postoperative treatment and care
• Reintegration into society through vocational school or enterprise training

To say that Dr. Hardwick-Smith is driven is an understatement. When she does something, she does it BIG. She is the founder of a busy ten-provider OB/GYN practice, is a renowned obstetrician and gynecologic surgeon, wife, mother of three (two of the three are twins), marathon runner and now Ironman triathlete.

"I decided to train for the Ironman to raise awareness about the plight of these women in Sierra Leone," said Hardwick-Smith. "Let's face it, training and competing in an Ironman triathlon event (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike race and a 26.2 mile marathon) could rank up among the most selfish activities in the world. Months of training upward of 12 hours a week mean those hours are taken away from friends and family.  But thinking about those women and their incredible suffering fueled me, my family, my friends and my associates. Doing something really challenging, overwhelming and often painful to help others is a spiritual journey–one we were all willing to take."

On November 18, 2012, sporting a shirt she had made featuring the West Africa Fistula Foundation logo, Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith crossed the finish line in 12 hours, 45 minutes having raised more than $31,000 and carrying in her heart the hopes of millions of women that they would not be forgotten.

To make a donation to the West Africa Fistula Foundation visit http://www.westafricafistulafoundation.org

Kids Running For Kids 1 mile race is Saturday! Sign up now!

Boys and girls in grades 1st through 6th grade are encouraged to participate in Kids Running for Kids 1 mile race held this Saturday, February 16 at 7:45 am at Market Street in The Woodlands.  This is a timed run.  Each runner will receive finishers medal and race tech t-shirt.  Proceeds benefit Conroe ISD's Read for a Better Life initiative.   Hurry!  Go to www.kidsrunningforkids.com  and sign up today!

Du the Polar Bear

Du the Polar Bear was a great race venue for Finish Strong athletes.  The 2-mile run, 15-mile bike, 2 mile run distance event was completed with finesse by 12 FSR athletes: Lane Barron, Will Blackbird, Jane Foley, Lee Allen, Kim Neveu, Julio Morales, Sara and Alan Jones, Jackie Medina-Lewis, Steve Hardy, Marti Dobbs, Becca Novelli.  Lane, Will, Marti, Sarah & Alan, and Becca all captured 1st in their age groups or category.  Jane and Lee took 2nd in their AGs.  All represented the team well.


Here are the results:
Lane Barron finished 1st in the 14 and under AG and 17th overall.  His time was 1:06:40.
11:45 run (5:53/mi); 41:41 (21.6 mph) bike; 12:17 (6:09/mi) splits.

Becca Novelli finished 1st in her 20-24 AG.  Her overall time was 1:10:59.
12:55 run (6:28/mi); 42:53 (21.0 mph) bike; 13:42 (6:51/mi) splits.

Lee Allen took 2nd in his 35-39 AG.  His overall time was 1:09:07.
12:19 run (6:10/mi); 41:07 (21.9 mph) bike; 14:05 (7:03/mi) splits.

Jane Archer Foley took 2nd in her 35-39 AG. His overall time was 1:12:49.
13:19 (6:40/mi); 44:12 (20.4 mph) bike; 13:49 (6:55/mi) run.

Kim Neveu took 10th in her 35-39 AG.  Her overall time was 1:32:30
17:16 (8:38/mi); 53:56 (15.7mph) bike; 18:33 (9:17/mi) run.

Stephen Clouthier took 8th in his 40-44 AG.  His overall time was 1:10:56.
13:44 (6:52/mi); 40:15 (22.4mph); 15:11 (7:36/mi).

Julio Morales took 26 in his 40-44 AG.  His overall time was 1:25:26.
13:31 (6:46/mi); 51:04 (17.6 mph); 15:39 (7:50/mi)

Steve Hardy placed 8th in his 45-49 AG.  His overall time was 1:14:31.
13:50 (6:55/mi); 44:12 (20.4 mph); 14:26 (7:13)

Jackie Medina-Lewis placed 4th in her 45-49 AG.  Her overall time was 1:26:29.
15:49 (7:55/mi); 51:44 (17.4 mph); 16:46; (8:23)

Will Blackbird won his 50-54 AG.  His overall time was 1:12:20.
14:32 (7:16/mi); 42:00 (21.4 mph); 14:30 (7:15/mi)

Chris Normyle was 7th in his 50-54 AG.  His overall time was 1:21:03.
14:48 (7:24/mi); 48:55 (18.4 mph); 14:51 (7:26/mi)

Marti Dobbs won her 50-54 AG.  Her overall time was 1:19:57.
13:58 (6:59/mi); 47:24 (19.0 mph); 15:42 (7:51/mi)

And in the mixed relay, husband and wife Sarah and Alan Jones won the division in 1:06:56.
12:33 (6:17/mi); 40:00 (22.5 mph); 13:10 (6:35/mi)

http://www.eztoregister.com/assets/DuPolar13.HTM

Run the Woodlands - 5K

Finish Strong runners looked strong at this weekend's Run the Woodlands 5K held on February 9 by Luke's Locker.  Skip Moschell, Tim Vibrock, Kevin Baker and Edson Jones all put in good performances.  Results below:

3

Skip Moschell

19.27

5	Tim Vibrock	19.59
6	Kevin Baker	20.05

13

Edson Jones

21.33

Congratulations!