1. Scott Perrine
2. Rebecca Tschider
3. Jonathan Coffen

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Brian Kochert: President
brian.kochert@PhoenixTriathlonClub.org

I am Brian Kochert, born and raised in Tempe Arizona. Yup, you read that right. My athletic background for many years was the sport of basketball, but when I sprained my ankle 29,000 times and owned my own crutches it was time to give up the only thing that helped me stay in shape. I had thought about the sport of triathlon because it sounded different...it sounded crazy. I even went as far as to drive to Flagstaff to watch the Mountain Man Triathlon in July of 1998 and it looked fun, yet challenging.

A year later, I donated my kidney to my mom and, after taking many months to recover, and needing a way to get back into shape, I started thinking about those triathlons. Almost nine months later to the day of my surgery, I did my first Olympic triathlon in Rocky Point. A month later in May of 2000 I joined the Phoenix Triathlon Club. That, my friends was one great decision. The knowledge and confidence I gained from being in this club has helped me achieve things that I would never have thought possible.

I have gone on to race in more than 5 dozen multi-sport events including; Escape from Alcatraz, Ironman AZ, Ironman Austria, Vineman, Dueceman and the Holy Grail, Kona. But most of all it's the friendships that I have gained through the years with the PTC. From home stays, to training days, to race day, the friendships are the best part of the club. I know I can count on my fellow PTC friends to give me encouragement, motivation and support. You can say that I backed into this crazy sport of triathlon but I know that I would not have done all this if it wasn't for the great support from my family and friends. They are the ones cheering on all the red jerseys to the finish line. I am happy to be the President of the PTC and will continue what others before me have done.

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Bob Martin: Vice President
bob.martin@PhoenixTriathlonClub.org

I have been a member of PTC for the past seven years. When I first joined the club, I found a group of people that were eager to be part of my personal triathlon experience. They were part of helping each member achieve their individual goals, whatever they were, first sprint, Olympic, or Ironman races. And before I realized, I had developed a group of what I have considered, extended family.

This became very clear to me after I moved to California for several years. I would see club members racing at events in California and it was like I was still in Phoenix. I then developed a sister triathlon club, grown in the image of PTC and spread the values, along with the spirit of PTC, as the President of that club.

Fate and desire brought me back to Phoenix and to PTC. I am humbled and honored to represent PTC as Vice President. My background includes racing triathlon events for the past 17 years. I have at least 15 Escape from Alcatraz swims and races, Wildflower, Vineman, countless sprints, Olympic distances, and all six Ironman Arizona races.

I have a very tough act to follow with John Lierle. My goals are really the same as John’s were; to maximize the value our members get in return for their dues and exceed the expectations our sponsors have for their investment in our club. I will focus on growing membership and ensuring each member enjoys the PTC experience. Our best advertising and marketing tools are all of us, as ambassadors of this great organization. I will do my best to promote the core values of this club and I ask each of you to join me and continue in that mission. No matter what we do, we must, Swim-Bike-Run-And Have FUN!

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Greg Garner: Secretary (Membership)
greg.garner@PhoenixTriathlonClub.org

My name is Greg Garner and I am proud to serve as Secretary for the Phoenix Triathlon Club. I was first introduced to the sport of triathlon when my wife came to me in the summer of 2004 and said she wanted to enter and compete in the first Ironman Arizona that following April. I thought she was crazy, but supported her endeavor. I jumped into triathlon head first in August 2006 and signed up for my first triathlon which was Ironman Arizona. I hired Camelback Coaching and started working out. I knew that swimming would be my biggest challenge, but with lots of extra coaching and time I began swimming longer and longer distance. I have never looked back since and have completed several Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons and 4 Ironman triathlons. I began my affiliation with the Phoenix Triathlon Club via the Tri-Kids program in 2006. My daughter Greer was the first in our family to join and my wife and I soon followed in 2007. The Phoenix Triathlon Club has given me and my family support and camaraderie at most races we attend and it gives us a great venue to give back to the sport by volunteering and helping others get involved in the triathlon via the New to Tri Program. In 2010 I plan on racing in several triathlons including Lake Havasu Olympic, Ironman St. George, Vineman 70.3, Nathans Olympic, Pumpkinman and Silverman Full Ironman in the fall. Good luck to everybody and we will see you out there.

Born and raised in Arizona I am a Project Accountant in the Construction industry by trade and an adventure seeker by passion. My athletic background begins in 2003 with endurance mountain bike riding and racing.  In 2008 my husband and I found the sport of triathlon.  My first triathlon experience was with Red Rock Company at their PBR Off Road Sprint Triathlon.  I was hooked . I loved the experience of combining all 3 sports into my life.  It has created a level of diversity that has kept my attention. In 2008 I found myself signing up for Ironman Arizona 2009, before realizing that I had not yet purchased a road bike!!!  My intense interest in the sport led me directly to Phoenix Tri Club. I found great people who enjoyed doing the same things I did.  They train hard, yet know when to let loose and have a good time.  I am fond of the friendships I have made during the last year and I am honored to be voted in as Treasurer for the 2010/11 term.2009 was a successful year as both my husband and I completed our first Ironman journey together.  When I’m not out with the tri group, you will more than likely find me cooking up new cuisines and reading a new book as part of my ladies gourmand book club.  I also enjoy traveling with my husband, Nick, and perhaps even taking Akuma (our Akita) for a hike. With time left to spend, I’m relaxing around family with a nice glass of wine or a cool beer. I look forward to representing the Phoenix Triathlon Club in our community and building upon our already successful base.

John Sellinger: Marketing Director
john.sellinger@PhoenixTriathlonClub.org

I started my endurance career in October 1999 after completing the Marine Corps Marathon. I quickly moved to triathlon and have completed 9 marathons, countless sprint and olympic distance triathlons as well as 10+ 1/2 ironman triathlons and 4 Ironman distance triathlons.

I have been a member of the Phoenix Triathlon Club for the last five years and have served as a member of the club board for four of those years. I started with the club as the Activities Director and recently moved into the Marketing role. I look forward to implementing new and innovative ideas to draw new members to the club and support and grow the triathlon community throughout the valley.

2010 Goals:

1. Be the best father and husband I can possibly be
2. Recovery from being struck by a vehicle during a race and the resulting pelvic reconstruction surgery (10.26.09)
3. Walk into the delivery room to greet my fourth child on February 15
4. Race a 10K - race pace by September
5. Complete Ironman Arizona, 11.21.2010
6. Ensure success and development of the Phoenix Triathlon Club brand and member loyalty
7. Make someone smile every day

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Eric Glass: Membership Development
eric.glass@PhoenixTriathlonClub.org

First, thank you for allowing me to serve on the board. This is my second year on the board and I have had a blast getting to know all of you.  I’ll give you the cliff notes version on my background and try save us all some time. I grew up in Seattle, WA and until high school had never done a single athletic activity. I knew I wanted to try something and got tricked into cross country; I also gave wrestling and soccer a try. I was just good enough to be the worst person on varsity in all three sports but at least I was doing something (a motto I try to live by). After high school I was a medic in the Army reserves and at 25 decided to go back to college. Two years in, I was ready for a University and there was my chance to get out of the rain and here I am.

In 2005 I decided I wanted to try to get back into running. I’ve got a super short attention span and after three years of rock climbing and seven of snowboarding all over the west coast I was fat and board again. Like a lot of people I needed to lose some weight so I thought with a little hard work I could do a ½ marathon. I made it, barely, and started looking for my next challenge. Well less than two years later with the help of many PTC members I finished my first Ironman.

2009 was a great year. Through the club I met some really cool people. They helped me PR by 22 minutes in my marathon and take 2hr 37 min off my Ironman PR. I really hope you take advantage of all we offer and make 2010 a great year.

My goals for 2010:

1. Pemberton 50k
2. American river 50 miler
3. use my passport for a race
4. 2 marathons in the same weekend
   
5. help someone else achieve a goal

eric.harding@PhoenixTriathlonClub.org

I grew up in the thriving metropolis of Texico, New Mexico. I was fairly active playing football, basketball, baseball, track (If I didn’t, my school wouldn’t have enough players J). I then went to college and became very inactive.

I have found in the last few years meeting people from the Phoenix Triathlon Club, that my story is similar to a many others. 6 years ago, I was topping the scales at about 230lbs and was recovering from an arthroscopic knee surgery.

I then decided to “get in shape” and lose some weight. I found that the 12 week BodyForLife worked well for me and shed quite a few lbs. One of my buddies challenged me to do a Sprint Tri in San Diego. I love San Diego, was about 180 lbs now and am always up for a challenge….I dropped another 20 lbs, finished the race and was hooked! I describe my triathlon as…I’m a horrible swimmer, a mediocre biker and a decent runner…but I TRI!

I’ve now competed in dozens of 5K/10K runs, 5 ½ Marathons, a Marathon, a dozen or so Sprint/Olympic distance Triathlons and 3 ½ Ironman distance races. My plan is 2 more 70.3 races and my first Ironman in 2009.

My role as Activities Director is to schedule the monthly club training events, recruit and designate event leaders, plan social activities for the club (with the assistance of the executive committee and the board), and other duties as assigned J. I like to think of it as “Social Chair”. I love meeting new people and being social, so it’s a good fit for my skills J. I’m always looking for new ideas and suggestions….so send ‘em my way!

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John Lierle: Director Desert Classic Duathlon & Special Events
john.lierle@PhoenixTriathonClub.org

My membership and position as the club’s vice president is proof positive that diversity is alive and well in the Phoenix Triathlon Club.  That’s right diversity, because I represent the back-of-the-pack demographic of our great sport. There are those who are out front and those in the middle, and our club has plenty of both.  But there has to be the “back-of-the-pack”, and that is where “my” people are.  Call it slow or speed challenged, but for those of us who are just getting off the bike while our fleet-of-foot club brethren are finishing a race know, “real” endurance is a three hour Olympic distance race…or a 16:59:59 Ironman. 

I have been a member of the P.T.C. since 2001 when I stumbled into the sport of triathlon in an attempt to lead a healthier lifestyle and that is still what the sport is about for me today.  I get bored doing the same thing and, as we all know, triathlon is about balancing a lot of different things.  Swimming, running and biking, with a little weight training, stretching and cross training thrown in for good measure and it’s pretty hard to find yourself stuck in a training rut while training for a triathlon.  And although I give my speed demon friends a hard time about “real” endurance, just being around people with the same passion for triathlon is very motivational and a big part of what I get out of my membership with the P.T.C.

I am honored to serve as the clubs Director of the Desert Classic Duathlon & Special Events for the PTC. My personal mission in this position is really pretty simple and that is to maximize the value our members get in return for their dues and exceed the expectations our sponsors have for their investment in our club.  If you are new to the sport, looking for a club to join or just looking for a group to train with, this club has it all, sprint distance to Ironman, beginner to pro, and “speed challenged” to some of the fastest age-group triathletes on the planet.  All hopelessly addicted to the same sport.

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EXPECTATIONS OF SUPPORTED TEAM

1. Team members are expected to wear PTC apparel and sponsor related equipment during PTC training events and during all races. This includes, but is not limited to, PTC clothing, eyewear, helmets, running shoes, hydration packs, among others.
   
2. Team members are expected to consistently update the Supported Team coordinator with a race schedule and with race results as they occur. This is to be done on a proactive basis by the team member.
   
3. Team members are expected to race in as many of the “PTC Club Races” as possible during the year. These races are chosen by the PTC board and will be posted on the PTC web site in January of each year. The “PTC Club Races” are also eligible for the race reimbursement program.
   
4. There are 3-4 races each year that are required races for thePTC Supported Team. These races are chosen by the PTC board and will be posted on the PTC web site in January of each year.
   
5. Team members are expected to attend each monthly club meeting held in metro Phoenix.
   
6. Team members are expected to lead at least one monthly training event.
   
7. Team members are expected to attend at least two monthly training events.
   
8. Team members are expected to contribute at least one race story that will be placed on the PTC website.

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Scott Perrine: Past President, Active Advisor & Supported Team Member
scott.perrine@PhoenixTriathlonClub.org

I would like to start off by stating how honored I am to be representing the Phoenix Triathlon Club as a Supported Team Member. I have been involved with the PTC for over seven years now and I cannot truly express what a great organization and team we have.

So who the heck is Scott Perrine and what is his background? Well, I got my start in running back in high school where I ran 110 high hurdles and cross country during my freshman and sophomore years and continued to run as a form of exercise throughout my early twenties.

My triathlon career began in 2002 after I made a comment to my wife, Chantelle, that I wanted to try a Tri. Chantelle signed me up for a triathlon training course through our local gym. Little did she know that she was creating a monster. I was hooked from the start and have not looked back. My first triathlon was Mountain Man in Flagstaff and since then I have competed in numerous triathlons each year. In 2009 I pushed myself to new limits and raced three full Ironman’s (Brazil, Wisconsin, and Arizona) and six 70.3 events with a PR of 4:26 in Clearwater.

I would have never had the success in triathlon if it were not for the support and encouragement I receive from my family (Chantelle, Brian, Kylie, and Brandon) and my Tri Family (the Phoenix Triathlon Club). I only hope that I can return that support and encouragement and represent the Phoenix Triathlon Club and all its sponsors in a professional and honorable fashion.

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Rebecca Tschider: Supported Team 

A little about me… beyond I am an engineer and writing is not my strong point :-). (Okay, I have an engineering degree, but am really a manager of a software organization at Intel…) I will start with where I came from and work forward. I am from Bismarck, ND as many find interesting when I am the one who shows up with piles of clothing on for any ride that is less than 70 degrees. My athletic background prior to Triathlon is very little and only about 1 year deep. I grew up riding and showing horses, which is where I got my first taste of competition. Even then I liked variety though as I rode dressage, jumped, as well as rode western. It was not until I moved to Arizona after college and married my husband Jeff that I discovered the athlete in me.
I started mountain biking 5-6 years ago as my husband needed company. That led to mountain bike racing. I also started to run about that same time to keep my husband and our Alaskan Malamute ‘Nanuk’ company –okay I really did not want to be left out. From there came a half marathon and a push into the pool where I was told I needed to relearn how to swim like a fish. That of course led to the first triathlon about 4 years ago. 

For the first couple of years I raced mainly sprints with 1-2 Olympics. 2 years ago I discovered the joys of Xterra. There I could combine my enjoyment of mountain bike racing and trail running with my enjoyment of triathlon. Last year I focused on Xterra with the highlight being qualification for and a trip to Nationals in Tahoe. I also completed my first half ironman at SOMA last year. This year I plan to focus on Xterra with a very long stretch goal of qualifying for Worlds in Hawaii. I also plan to work on my speed in the Olympic triathlons and am trying to decide on another half (after having good time in last year’s). 
I have been a member of Phoenix Triathlon club for several years and am very proud to represent them as a member of the supported team. Triathlon for me is about the people, the learning, and the challenge. Phoenix Triathlon club has been all three for me: A means to meet others with the same interest, great support and belief that I could make my goals come true, as well as the sense of accomplishment when I meet my goals.

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Jonathan Coffen: Supported Team 

2010 will be my third year as a member of the Phoenix Tri Club. My athletic background consists of playing almost any sport you can imagine. After graduating college and having the pressures of a job, I found it difficult to find time to get involved in any structured team sport. Having to rely on my own motivation, my athletic career became a series of start and stops. Other than a couple of marathons, and some USTA Tennis, I was more inactive than active for over 10 years.

I moved to Arizona from Philadelphia in 2006 and took advantage of the abundant sunshine by taking up biking and in 2007 I watched a triathlon race and knew this was a sport I could love. I joined PTC and started riding in the group bike rides. I was amazed at the support level provided for what was classified as an individual sport and I was impressed by the dedication and motivation many of the members had in training. I mean, who goes for a run after a 60 mile bike ride, I thought to myself. Of course, this was before I was hooked. After completing my 1st Triathlon in 2008, I began to relate to the "brick" workouts. I started training from the schedule on the PTC website and instantly got hooked. What was interesting about the cross training is that all my aches and pains I had, from what I thought was getting old, went away. Instead of having a goal of just finishing, which was the goal I had in my marathons, triathlons had me asking myself, “how fast can I go” or ‘how much can I beat my last PR by”. I started to realize, not only is this a great sport to grow old with, but how it can lead to a healthy lifestyle for my entire family.

Although I am competitive, the main reason I race is to stay fit, create an active lifestyle for my kids and to involve anyone who gives the slightest interest of wanting to get fit or compete. I stumbled into this sport and I thrive on the motivation it provides to stay fit. I want to make sure anyone with interest gets the proper information/motivation to continue with the sport. In 2008, I completed 2 Olympic triathlons and 2 – ½ IM's. In 2009, I shaved 28 minutes off my ½ IM and completed my first Ironman. In 2010, my goal is to go sub-5:00 in a ½ IM, cut 28 minutes off my Ironman to go sub-10:00 and most importantly, convince my wife to complete a triathlon.