Dan Muzich took lessons from me so he could swim from his boat. Before, he could only make it the length of the boat. Now, he swims a mile. He just sent these photos from Greece. No, not jealous AT ALL.
Category Archives: Athlete Photos
Flip Flops 50K – Ohio
We THINK we have our email problems resolved, but just in case you don’t receive a response from us or if you receive an error message, you can still text. Or, you can reach us at info@camelbackcoaching.com. BUT NOW, TO BETTER THINGS – LIKE RACE RESULTS!
We’d like to congratulate Frank Smith who kept his monthly marathon streak alive by completing the Flip Flops 50K this past weekend in Ohio. Frank finished the 50K in 7:14 under hot and humid conditions. Nice job Frank!
Photo from McDowell Mountain Regional Park.
8-hour Dream Endurance Run, Indianapolis
The 8-hour Dream Endurance run was held last weekend. This was an actual, live, in-person ultra-race held in Indianapolis, IN. This race was done on a looped course and the goal was to complete as many miles as you could within 8 hours. Frank Smith took on the race and completed 31.1 miles. This was good enough for 3rd in his AG! Nice job Frank!Since we don’t have a photo from Frank’s race, I added one of our son climbing in Flagstaff. 🙂
Enjoy the monsoon weather this weekend!
Guntersville, AL Sprint Tri
Happy Saturday, everyone! Believe it or not, triathlons are actually being held in the US! The Guntersville, AL Sprint Tri was held this past weekend and Ed Wallis raced it. It was Ed’s very first tri and he finished in a super time of 1:34. Nice job Ed! (The photo is from this morning’s hike in McDowell Mountain Regional Park).
Bryce Canyon 50-mile Ultra-Run and Memorial Day Virtual Half Marathon
Mark Livingston – Bryce Canyon 50-miler
Well, what a week. . . .
In the midst of EVERYTHING, we are thrilled to be able to present some race results.
Scott Wiegand completed a virtual ½ marathon over Memorial Day weekend and finished it in 2:34. As many of our athletes have found, virtual races have been a great way to continue to compete, as well as test one’s fitness.
Mark Livingston raced the Bryce Canyon 50-mile ultra-run this past weekend. Yes, it was held with plenty of COVID-related restrictions in place. But this is one of the first endurance events to be held since the outbreak and may provide a roadmap for other events. Mark finished the race in 13:29 under hot conditions. This time was good enough for 5th in his AG!
Congratulations to both Scott and Mark! Have a great weekend!
Virtual Racing
Congratulations to all 2020 graduates! I have to say, Bill and I had never envisioned a drive-through graduation from high school for our kids, but it was actually pretty great!
We’d like to give shout out to a couple of our athletes who enjoyed virtual races last weekend. These virtual races can be a great way to keep your competitive juices flowing! Congratulations, guys!
6K Run
Sorin Tohatan – 24:48
Sprint Triathlon
Laura McGhghy – 1:35
“Running Not Cancelled” 50K
McDowell Mountain Regional Park
Happy Sunday, everyone! Yes, we have race results! Actually, it is just a single result and a virtual one, but a result nonetheless.
As many of you know, our longtime athlete from Ohio, Frank Smith, possesses quite the running streak. He has completed a marathon or ultra-event every month for over seven years! In these uncertain times, it looked like Frank’s streak might just screech to an unceremonious halt. Fortunately for him, and for athletes everywhere, event directors nationally are taking a page from the swimming community, who have been running “postal swims” for years, where each athlete swims on their own and posts his or her time to see who wins.
Frank ran the “Running Not Cancelled 50K” last weekend (in Ohio) and finished in 6:46. Well done, Frank! And long live streaks!
Wishing all of you continued health and safety . . .
Dean Sowards . . . A kick-ass inspiration
Dean Sowards – IMAZ 2017
When I posted our weekly race results yesterday, I included a photo of one of our athletes, Dean Sowards, who completed the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon last weekend. If you read the post, either on Facebook or our website, there’s a good chance you glossed right over his results. He finished in 6:56. And yet, he was by far, the most impressive finisher of the day
Dean is battling Stage 4 cancer.
He was diagnosed in 2015, and up until that day, he’d never really been sick a day in his life. He took hormone and radiation therapy for about two years and was considered cured.
In 2017, he wanted to do something epic during remission. He decided he wanted to become an Ironman. He bought a bike and a wetsuit and completed AZ 70.3 and IMAZ.
Dean and son, Peter, Coeur d’Alene 70.3 2018
In August of 2018, after experiencing “phantom” leg pains, his therapist ordered an MRI. The cancer was back. It had metastasized and spread to more than a dozen spots in his body. He was given 24 – 36 months to live.
Dean and friend, Scott Chaffin – Rock ‘n’ Roll 2019 (just after finishing chemo treatments)
He started chemo in September of 2018 and continued through January of 2019.
Dean and I met just after the 2019 Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, when he came to me for swim help. He’d DNF’d his four previous swims due to anxiety and what he thought was poor technique. We did our lessons and wow! He went on to complete three half Ironman swims and three full Ironman swims in 2019.
Dean Sowards IM Santa Rosa 2019
Cancer-related kidney issues hampered his training in 2019 (he didn’t train at all the last half of 2019), but that didn’t stop him from participating in three full Ironmans – Santa Rosa, Florida, and Arizona. He didn’t complete these races, but he did finish the swim and bike on all courses.
Dean and family IMAZ 2019
He is not slowing down in 2020. He just finished Rock ‘n’ Roll, and next, he’ll be toeing the line at Oceanside 70.3, Escape from Alcatraz, IM Canada (with his son!), IMFL and IMAZ.
IM Canada is being held exactly 24 months from the date he was given 24-36 months to live.
Dean and best support group EVER! Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon 2020
Currently, he’s combatting new lesions as they occur. He underwent surgery in December to fuse and kill new cancer lesions in his L5. And they’re trying to figure out how to deal with spots in his hip and scapula. Dean has full body scans every 90 days and is always meeting with his team to devise new battle plans.
Dean’s support system is second to none. His family, his friends, the T-SHIRTS!
Bill is excited to be stepping in to write Dean’s training plans this year and we can’t wait to see what he’ll do. He inspires us daily, and we’re hopeful that in relaying his story, perhaps you will be inspired, too!
Phoenix Half Marathon, Lake Pleasant Sprint and Olympic, Javelina Jundred
Tali Toncray – Javelina Jundred
The weather has been SO nice for racing this fall and we had some spectacular results last weekend!
We’ve also included another photo from Tali Toncray’s Javelina Jundred (100-mile run), not only because this is such an incredible accomplishment, but this photo (taken by Howie Stern) shows the behind-the-scenes reality of ultra-running. Absolutely love how this raw moment was captured.
Phoenix ½ Marathon
Sorin Tohatan – 1:41 – 11th in AG
Mike Haenel – 1:59
Lake Pleasant Sprint Tri
David Hay – 1:35 – 1st in AG! David will be racing the draft-legal National Championship next weekend.
Lake Pleasant Olympic Tri
Dan Streeter – 2:25 – 1st overall!
Have a great weekend!
Javelina Hundred
Congratulations to Tali Toncray! Tali ran the Javelina Jundred (100-mile run) last weekend and finished in an impressive time of 25:45! Finishing any 100 miler is a huge deal in itself. To finish in under 26 hours is REALLY strong. This time was fast enough for 32nd overall female. Tali will be doing another 100 in the spring at Bryce Canyon. Nice job Tali!!
