News

June 5, 2010 - NE Endurance Training daughter - at age of 4 completes with mom and dad - 5 KM Running Race in York, ME - 2nd youngest runner in the race with a time of 45:54.

May 24, 2010 - NE Trained Cyclists - Sherill St. Germain of New Means Financial Planning and Greg Larkin of SourceHosting.net, LLC recently completed with much success - the 102 mile - Assault on Mt. Mitchell in South and North Carolina. Spectacular riding by both riders!

Photo courtesy of Sherrill and Greg - morning of the Assault up Mt. Mitchell.

Greg placed 3rd overall in his age category and 22nd overall out of 749 finishers with a time of 5 hours and 47 mins.

Sherrill rode ~ 75 miles to complete the Assault on Marion in 5 hours and 48 mins. For Sherill and Greg, success at this event was a major milestone to mark performance and preparedness for future climbing events in 2010 after months of personal training. Both riders plan to participate in additional hill climbs/rides throughout New England.

A few more thoughts... for those of us in New England - Mt. Washington is considered the toughest/fiercest hill climb for cyclists, runners, xcskiers, hikers, etc... as it is the highest peak in the northeast at 6,288 ft. with incredibly challenging weather conditions. However, it must be said - Mt. Mitchell in NC is a beast when you look at the stats/facts.

A few facts about Mt. Mitchell and the ride:

1st - At an Elevation of 6,684 ft (2,037 m) - Mount Mitchell is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and the highest peak in eastern North America, excluding island summits.

2nd - The Assault on Mt. Mitchell starts in Spartanburg, SC and ends at the summit of Mount Mitchell in Mount Mitchell State Park in NC.

3rd - The ride distance is 102 miles and has over 11,000 vertical feet of climbing.

4th - Once the climb reaches Marion, the challenge begins: nearly 8,000 feet of climbing in roughly 30 miles.

5th - Most riders finish in less than 12 hours; the leaders finish in under 6 hours.

Official Mt. Mitchell Results link.

May 2010 - NE Endurance Training has moved to York, Maine!! Stay tuned for more details. Group cycling sessions will be offered shortly.

March 10, 2010 - this weekend 3 NE Endurance Trained athletes will be representing the top 20 nordic skiers in the state of NH competing head-to-head against the best JR. Nordic Skiers from NY, ME, VT, and MA at the Eastern High School Championships at Gunstock Nordic Ski area, NH. Stay tuned for the pictures and race results/details. Weather looks like rain, however Gunstock Nordic has done an excellent job of holding/harvesting the snow on all courses necessary for all the teams to race on. Go Team NH Skiers!

February 2010 - Congratulations to: Anna, Kaitlin, Cody and Tyler. All NE Endurance Trained Nordic JR. racers qualify in the top 20 in the state of NH in Nordic skiing to represent Team NH at the Eastern High School Championships.

Bedford Nordic Duathlon Results 1/13/10

December and January - Anna B. races in NorAms in Valcartier, Quebec. Holds her own against the international talent at the World Nordic Jr. Qualifier.

October 5, 2009 - Winter Triathlon and ski season is just around the corner. Laura C. to coach along with 2 other top New England Coaches at Winter Triathlon Clinic at Gunstock, NH in Jan. See winter multisport website. Clinic details will be posted shortly and to sign-up.

September 20, 2009 - Ashley T. takes 1st place at Trek Trifitness Sprint Triathlon, Fairfield, CT

Jr. Triathlete Ashley T. took 1st in her age group (13-19 year old) with a time of 1 hour 22 mins 1 second. She was the 7th fastest female overall out of 425 finishers. Ashley posted the 5th fastest swim split among all female competitors and the 12th fastest bike split amongst the women. Way to go Ashley!!

September 19, 2009 - Sean C. takes 7th overall at Lobsterman Olympic Distance Triathlon/Aquabike - Freeport, Maine

Jr. Triathlete Ashley T. competes on the bike leg of the Lobsterman Olympic Distance Triathlon with Coed Team Nauset. Team Nauset placed 15th overall in the Coed Relay Division.

Sean Creagan had a great day of racing in the chilly water temps of casco bay (hovering around 60 degrees) and the choppy water. He placed 7th overall in Lobsterman Aquabike (swim 1500 m and bike approx. 25 miles) with a total time of 1 hour and 38 mins and 32 seconds. Sean posted the 4th fastest bike split on the course. Nice job Sean and Ashley and to all the Lobster competitors out there!

	Perfect day for a race in Maine!	Dad w/daughter before swim	Sean cranking on the bike
	Finished!	Our daughter's first running race (Lobster Run :)	She did it and earned a nice medal too!

September 13, 2009 - Pumpkinman 1/2 Ironman - South Berwick, Maine

Laura Creagan finishes Pumpkinman Half-Ironman (70.3) in 7th place (a few photos and story below):

Leader of the pack	Just keep running...	Done...

I awoke at 3:40 am, ate a full breakfast and left the house at 4:15 am to drive about 1 hour 15 mins to Maine. I parked my car in a foggy wet field (seems like I'm always parking in a soggy wet field at the races??) at 5:45 am and immediately picked up my packet had my body-marked (in complete darkness) at around 6:00 am. I slowly but surely prepared my transition area, smeared body glide on and suited up into my wetsuit. I walked down the steep hill (pumpkinman challenge hill) that I would later run on my return back to T1 to the lake for my 7:01 am start in the water. I swam a little as a warmup and to feel the water temp which was in the 60's (not bad).

At first I wondered how we were going to swim out to bouys that we could not see (fog had covered the lake and bouys), but as the sun came up, the fog lifted during the first 0.6 mile triangular loop. The swim felt like a nice warm-up for the long bike and run ahead. Although - the hill up to T1 was definitely a challenge. On the almost 3 hour bike I tried very hard not to drift off into "sight-seeing" mode as I enjoyed the views of the pastoral land and many trees of southern Maine. For much of the ride - competitors were pretty spread out from each other - so I never quite knew how I was doing relative to other female competitors (thank god for my bike computer). Mentally I remained focused and concentrated on knowing that I was in fact in a race. Again - being out there at times alone was a little mind-numbing, but still fun. The most comical moment on the bike was when my water bottle ejected up into the air from my rear bottle wing (seemed like a rocket) around the last 5 miles of the bike after hitting a huge pot hole. Thankfully - there was no one behind me and the bottle was empty!

When I arrived back into T2 for my sneakers, fluid and the last 13 miles of the race (the run), I joined many runners out on the course and realized that I was no longer alone. That said - I also realized that the sun was completely out, it was hot and there were few trees on the course to provide any shading. I knew right away that I needed to stay focused on my pacing and stay on top of my fluid and salt consumption. The run proved more difficult than anticipated (not due to the heat) as my left calf cramped toward the end of the bike portion and carried over onto the run. However, I still managed to keep a quick turnover on my feet and focused hard on running technique.

The 70.3 mile tri took me 5 hours an 40 mins. to complete! The distances were: a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike followed by a 13.1 mile run (1/2 marathon). I placed 7th in my age group - not bad for my first time competing at this distance! I am definitely happy with my success!

August 30, 2009

Kennebunk Fireman Triathlon: Another early morning wake-up this Sunday at 4:00 am to get a move on up to Mother's Beach in Kennebunkport, Maine. The weather (contrary to what we all thought might be the case on Sunday) turned out to be a picture perfect day, sunny, clear skies and warm. It was so unexpected that I managed to forget the sunscreen (thinking that it would be cloudy and cool) and acquired far too much pink color on my skin. For those who were sleeping on Sat./Sunday - :) (can't imagine if you're reading this - that you were) - the day prior was windy and very rainy due to a hurricane/tropical system passing within close proximity to New England. Thank goodness it moved away fast as the triathlons and duathlon all went off without a hitch - Sunday morning.

On to results: it was a successful day for New England Endurance athletes. Four of us competed. Here are the highlights:

Three different events happened, an Olympic Distance Triathlon, a Sprint Distance Triathlon and a Duathlon.

Two New England Endurance Jr. athletes, Ashley T. and Rachel P. competed in the Sprint Distance triathlon which consisted of a 1/4 mile ocean swim, 16.6. mile bike and 3.1 mile run. Both Jr. athletes raced very well and finished the New England USAT Jr. Points Series with this race. Ashley T. had a great day of racing with a super fast swim (she had the 4th fastest swim split in the women's race), a solid bike ride (great technique out there Ashley) and a good run split. She finished in 5th place overall in the entire women's race (out of 179 female athletes) and placed in 3rd place in her age group with a time of 1 hour and 24 minutes.

According to USAT's Northeast Jr. Development Series news: "Ashley T. proved to be the most consistent and committed among the junior females this season, racking up 385 points over four races and the top spot on the podium." Way to go Ashley

Rachel P. had an even better race than at the Timberman (the weekend previous). She finished the day in 27th place overall in the women's race (out of 179 female athletes) and in 5th place in her age group with a time of 1 hour and 32 minutes, 14 seconds. She definitely was flying out on the run course!

According to USAT's Northeast Jr. Development Series news: "Rachel P. finished in 5th place in the points standings." For more information you can check out USAT's Northeast Jr. Development website. Rachel also mentioned in a recent news article in the Nashua Telegraph. The article can be found Rachel P. Nashua Telegraph Article here.

Rachel starting the bike	Rachel finishing the run	Laura & Rachel at the finish

New England Endurance owner (and her husband - Sean) also competed. Laura Creagan had a fine day of racing (despite a few mistakes made in the transition - where she somehow had a momentary lapse of memory??), she competed in the duathlon race which consisted of a 2 mile run, followed by a 16.6 mile bike and then a 3.1 mile run. She finished in 3rd place overall in the women's race (7th place overall - men and women) with a time of 1 hour and 28 mins and 12 seconds in the women's race just 16 seconds out of second place. She had a great bike ride, posting the fastest bike split in the women's race and the 4th fastest bike split between men and women.

Sean made a miraculous return to Triathlon after taking more than 2 years off due to knee issues surrounding a tumor in his knee. He originally was only planning to do the Aquabike race (which was later cancelled by the organizers). So he was forced to either do a triathlon and bail out on the run or just not compete. Despite the odds of pain associated with his knee - he decided to go for it.

Sean decided to see what he could do and if he could still run. He competed in the Olympic Distance Triathlon and not only finished the race, but placed in 32nd place out of 101 men and 12th in his age group. Way to go Sean! You're my hero! His finishing time was 2 hours and 25 mins and 3 seconds - not too bad for not having run for more than 2 years. He managed to run the entire course when he had planned to DNF. Sean also had one of the fastest bike splits on the course and a decent swim.

Sean basking in the glory of his success	Sean and Laura

August 22, 2009

Timberman Triathlon: After a night of heavy rain and thunderstorms, the day began (at least for me) at 3:15 am this morning with a trek up to Gilford, NH to annual Timberman Sprint Triathlon. Not only was it still moist and tropical-like air, but during the bike leg of the race, a steady rain added to the hilly challenge.

The day was a good day of racing for New England Endurance athletes. However there was one crash - Ashley T. suffered a crash that could have taken her out of contention. According to Ashley, she was lucky to have fallen close to a policeman, as this policeman helped her get back up on her bike. Thanks so much to the police and all of the volunteers up on todays course - we couldn't have had a great event without you!

Ashley not only got back up on her bike, but she also finished both the bike and the run - pulling in a 2nd place podium finish - way to go Ashley!

Rachel P. also in the same age category as Ashley, had a solid day of racing earning a top 10 finish in her age group - she placed 6th in her age group! Nice job!

Christina P. racing only 1 week after her Mt. Washington ascent decided to once again race at Timberman this year and despite a short recovery from last week - she still took 11th place in her age group. GO CHRISTINA!!

August 17, 2009

It's been quite a while since my last site update. It's been a seriously fun and incredibly busy summer working with many different athletes! The summer began with relentless rains for countless days which has now given way to a heat wave of upper 80's and 90's. No matter - we've been outside rain or shine - all the better!

August 15th, 2009 - Christina P. completes her first ascent of Mt. Washington Hill - "cycling style" in the famed Mount Washington Hill Climb in Gorham, NH.
For those who don't know - the Mount Washington Hill Climb is one of the toughest mountain bike climbs in the US (possibly the world) not due to the height of 6,288 ft, but due to its steep grade and unpredictable weather/winds.

The course - The Mt. Washington Auto Road rises at an average grade of 12 percent, with a 22-percent grade in the final yards before the 6288-foot summit. The course (the Auto Road) is 7.6-miles long and all all-uphill. The challenge is increased by Mt. Washington’s famous high winds and frequently bad weather. In some years the winds have blown riders off their bikes on the upper slopes; in others, rain, fog and chill have made the experience all the more unforgettable.

Christina not only finished the ride - she was well under her anticipated finish time goal. She completed this spectacular test of her physical ability and mental strength in just over two hours (2:02:17 to be exact). Way to go Christina!! What's next?? She will be competing in the Timberman Triathlon this coming weekend - only 1 week out from the Mt. Washington event. See you there! Complete results are available at www.mtwashingtonbicyclehillclimb.org.

Photos courtesy of Christina P.

Just over the 22% grade section . . . only 10 more yards to go.	"Yay! I made it! In 2:02:17"	A long way to the top...

March 18, 2009 - Anna Breu returns from Junior Olympics, Truckee, California in Nordic Skiing after having the best races of her nordic skiing career this week out in Truckee, California at the United States Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA) Junior Nationals. Anna accompanied her New England team mates in representing the best nordic skiers in United States for the weeklong competition.

Anna on the Skate Course

This year’s Junior Olympics/Nationals were held out at Tahoe Donner Ski Area in Truckee, California. For Anna, the week consisted of a 1KM Sprint Race on Monday, a 10 KM Skate race on Wednesday, a 5 KM Classic race on Friday and a 3 x 5 KM Mixed Relay Team Race on Saturday – all performed at an altitude above 6500 feet.

Anna qualified to race in a series of New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) Junior Olympic Qualifying races held throughout New England.

When asked about her race week, Anna said that she felt her best race was the “10 KM skate race.” She said that she “…likes that distance and the mass start format because she is able to know how she is doing versus the competition.” She felt that it was “easy to stay motivated when you know where you are out on the course.” She remembered her Team Coaches “…yelling out where you were in the pack along the course the words “top 40", "top 30", then finally "top 25.” Anna ended up placing 25th out of 78 racers with a time of 33:27.5 only 2 minutes and 33 seconds off the winning time. She placed fifth place out of fourteen female racers on the New England Team.

In looking at her week of results, her best time/place race for the week was the 5 KM Classic race on Friday with an interval start. She finished the race in 21st place out of the 81 racers with a time of 17:37.2 only 57.6 seconds off of the winning time. She placed in seventh place out of fourteen female racers on the New England Team. She said that “she didn't think she was doing as well as I did.” She said that she “remembered what her coaches had told her about which hills to go hard on.”

Her worst race day was the 3X5 team relay. She said that “she had a great race and was right up with the lead pack, but between the 2 and 3 KM mark, she tripped and fell on an uphill.” She was unable to recover and get up quickly because she was in a “close pack and skiers were stepping on her skis.”

With regards to her first experience out at Junior Nationals, Anna felt that adjusting to racing at altitude was “…a little difficult at first.” She “took it easy and rested” and eventually “did not find altitude as much of a problem when racing as some of the others on her team.” She said that there were “lots of very strong racers and that it was inspiring to see and ski with other top US Nordic skiers.”

According to Anna, the impact of qualifying and competing at the Junior National level is that it is now “easier to be motivated about training if I can make Nationals. Now it's not just qualifying to make the team, but how can I improve on a national level. Having two top 25 finishes (at the Junior Nationals) is very encouraging.”

Anna completes her ski race season this weekend representing team New Hampshire at the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) Eastern High School Championships in Rangeley, Maine.

February 23, 2009 - Anna Breu - New England Endurance Trained athlete has qualified for the Junior Olympics/Nationals to be held in Truckee, California on March 7-14th, 2009. Anna qualified to be a part of the Elite New England JO Team after competing in a series of highly competitive Junior Olympic Qualifiers hosted by the New England Nordic Ski Association (NENSA) held throughout New England from December through February.

Summary:

In 2008, Anna raced in most of the JO Qualifiers to learn the courses and develop her racing. She did not qualify last year, but instead of quitting, she decided to devote more time ski specific training and work harder to attain her goals.

Anna began training again in the summer of 2008 to reach her goal of qualifying for the 2009 Junior Olympics when most other athletes and students were relaxing and enjoying summer days off at the beach, etc. She gave up much of her personal time to train and began in the early spring after a short period of recovery from last ski season. Without elaborating on the number of hours, she spent many hours running, cycling, rollerskiing and strength training. She also managed to balance her love of competitive horseback riding and horse shows with her nordic ski training throughout the entire summer.

Anna Breu finished a very competitive Junior Olympic/Eastern Cup qualifier race series in the 29th place standing out of 58 final girls competing for their best points in 4 races.

Qualifiers that Anna raced in:

1) Women's 5 KM Freestyle Interval Start Race at Trapps Lodge, Stowe, VT - where Anna placed 59th place out of 133 female skiers with a time of 22:25.9
2 ) Freestyle Sprint Race at Black Mountain, Rumford, Maine - where Anna placed 53rd out of 100 racers with a time of 3:15.41
3 ) Classic Mass Start 10K at Black Mountain, Rumford, Maine - where Anna placed 65th out of 119 racers with a time of 41:03.8
4 ) TD Banknorth Super Tour, Classic Interval Start 10K at Eastern Cup, UVM College Carnival, Stowe, VT - where Anna placed 65th out of 132 racers with a time of 42:56.3
5) TD Banknorth Silver Fox Trot Skate 10K at Hanover, NH - where Anna placed 23rd out of 58 racers with a time of 32:32.5
6 ) TD Banknorth Gunstock 5K Classic at Gilford, NH - where Anna placed 31st out of 75 skiers with a time of 20:06.6 (this race was Anna's her best points race of the ski season)

More Background:

Anna is also a member of the Gunstock Ski Club and Bedford Ski Club in Bedford, NH. She also skis with the Central High School Ski Team in Manchester, NH. This is the is the first time in Bedford Ski Club history and Central High School Ski Team history - that a skier has qualified to compete in the Junior Olympics in nordic skiing. It's absolutely huge news!

When asked about Anna's background, her response was -

"I started downhill skiing when I was 2 and nordic when I was 5. My parents started me with backcountry ski trips to yurts in Phillip's Brook Wilderness in northern New Hampshire. I first raced as a "Lollipoper" at the Craftsbury spring fling weekend; I was pretty excited with my very first nordic victory... however, dissapointed with the granola bar prize. My next great step up was "Daddy-jouring". Essentially it was grabbing and hanging onto Dad's poles to avoid working at all costs. My earliest ski motivation came in the form of m+m bribes at the top of each hill. After outgrowing the onesie snowsuit and the chocolate bribes, the competition between Martin and I got fierce; every hill was a race and it wasn't always a fair fight. My motivation now comes more from trying to move up in the NENSA ranks and get closer to the competition I have been watching since 8th grade. My goals for JO's is to not get burned to a crisp by Californa sunshine and get around the courses without needing an oxygen tank in tow. I am actually hoping to beat some girls who I have been getting ever close to in times this year, but mostly I am really excited to have made the team this year. "

February 15, 2009 - New England Endurance Training owner Laura Creagan takes 2nd place in age group with a time 1:20:49 at the World Winter Triathlon Championships in Gaishorn am See, Austria. Link to Results

Laura qualified and earned a spot on the USA Triathlon Age Group World Winter Triathlon Team by racing in the Gunstock Winter Triathlon (link to results) hosted by New England Winter Multisports eastern qualifier on January 25, 2009. That race was held in single digit temperatures and included a 5K trail run on snow, a 7.5 K mountain bike on snow and a 6.2 K Nordic ski. Within 2 weeks of qualifying - Laura made the decision to accept the opportunity to represent the US at the World Winter Triathlon Championships in Austria. The trip was a logistical challenge - as she had to travel with her bike and at least two pair of nordic skis. In the end - she decided not to fly with her bike as it was exceptionally expensive (more than $300 US) to fly with her bike in a box.

Laura actually connected with a local bike shop in Wörschach called Sport Scherz. Amazingly, they offered me support and decided to provide me a race mountain bike for the event. Although she took a huge risk by not taking her own bike, the shop built out a beautiful Aluminum bike from their own line of bikes "Steirerbike." According to Laura "the frame fit me very well and felt very light and quick on the climbing portion of the course, which was key to my success at the race."

Laura performed best out on the ski portion of the course which was a 6.2 K multi-lap course. She posted the fastest ski split of all the women out on the course. According to Laura "my skis felt super fast and after the challenging bike course, I was super happy to be on my skis."

After racing and skiing in Austria, she aspires to do more winter triathlon events locally and internationally.

Silver at the World Winter Triathlon Championships	Laura at the Medals Ceremony
On the run portion	Climbing on the bike
On the ski	Making a move on the ski
The Race Site - Gaishorn am See, Austria

Jan. 24 - NE Endurance Athletes - Anna B., Kaitlin F. and Tyler H. all qualify for Eastern High School Championships in Rangeley, Maine.

After the 2 Challenging NH Series Qualification races, all three NE Endurance trained athletes qualified to go on to the Eastern High School Championship Races to represent the top 24 skiers in NH to be held in March 2009 in Rangeley, Maine. Anna B. qualified in 3rd place, Kaitlin qualified in 9th place and Tyler qualified in 19th place.

Dec. 6 - Kaitlin races ahead in today's Atomic Sprints.

Nov. 24th - NE Athletes and Laura Training On-snow in NY. More than 16" of snow fell at Salomon Hills, NY and more arrived daily during Thanksgiving week. Incredible early on-snow training. Get your skis on!!

Is this really Thanksgiving? 16+ inches and snow keeps coming! Only on Tug Hill Plateau, Salomon Hills, NY. Love the lake effect snow!	Laura enjoying beautiful classic conditions
Sean in the sun of Upstate NY. (Rare are these sunny days)	Laura on the trail
The cozy lodge at Salomon Hills, NY - still can't believe it's Thanksgiving! Best early snow I've seen in years!

Fall In Italy 2008 - After a beautiful bike trip to Italy with my mother in late fall, we are back into ski training mode here at NE Endurance Training.

1st Picture: NE Endurance owner's mom enjoying the last day of biking in the Maremma, Italy. She covered more than 20+ miles per day at the age of 67!

2nd Picture: The shot below is of me (in yellow) and 2 other members in the group after climbing a very long hill. Amazing views from the top, were worth the effort!

August 16, 2008 - NE Endurance Athlete - Rachel P. wins F19 and under category at Timberman Triathlon.

Rachel P. competed in her very first summer triathlon on Aug. 16, 2008 and won her age category of female athletes 19 and under in 1 hour, 33 minutes and 39 seconds. Rachel (just 14 years old) - shocked the competition by being one of the youngest female athletes in the race and in her age division. She performed

Rachel P. competed in the sprint distance format of the Timberman Triathlon with more than 950 other triathletes in Gilford. The distances of the triathlon included one-third of a mile of open water swim in Lake Winnipesauke, followed by a 15-mile road bike leg (on a bike provided by sponsor Goodale's Bike Shop of Nashua) and a 3-mile road running leg.

Read more in the Nashua Telegraph about Rachel's success! Congratulations Rachel!

Rachel accepting her trophy and winnings!

August 3, 2008 - Laura Creagan of NE Endurance Training takes 2nd place in age group at 25th Annual New London Triathlon
Out of 224 athletes Laura placed 26th overall in the race and finished with a time of 50:24. The race was truly a sprint race with a 0.25 mile swim followed by a 5.7 all out sprint bike and a 5K hilly run. Laura finished 2nd place overall in her age group out of 41 other Female 30-39 year olds.

June 7, 2008 - NE Endurance Athlete Christina P. and Laura Creagan compete in Mooseman Olympic Distance Triathlon - Newfound Lake, NH. Link to the results, standings.
The fog was so thick on the drive up to Newfound Lake, it was difficult to see the road at times. The conditions had not improved for the start of the 1500m swim, thus race organizers delayed the start to allow time for the fog to lift. After more than 1 hour of start delay, the fog still had not lifted - so organizers decided to shorten the swim and have racers swim closer to shore following kayaks in the water. Although this did help put racers at ease a little, swimming still was a challenge. Both Christina and Laura found it difficult to "sight" from one bouy to the next. It was like swimming in "pea soup."

The challenging 27 mile hilly bike leg was a delight after such a challenging swim and the 10K run was done in warm humid 80+ degree temps (warm for early June). Taking salts/electrolytes were essential today.

The culmination of months of waking up at 5:00 am to swim, bike and run. Our day had finally arrived to compete in the Olympic Distance triathlon. For Christina P. it was her first Olympic distance format triathlon. She excelled in the swim and bike and ran better than she had hoped - not bad for merely wanting to finish the race! Nice job Christina!! Christina finished out with a time of 2 hours 51 mins and 35 seconds placing 21st out of 52 competitors in her age group of (F25-29)While Laura Creagan 2 hours 31 mins and 17 seconds placing 12th in her age group (F35-39) out of 69 competitors.

		Can anyone see the bouys? Without the kayakers and volunteer boats... I'm not sure how anyone would have finished!
Christina blazing out of the swim	Focused on a solid bike ride	Christina finishing her first Olympic Distance Triathlon
Laura finally out of the water.. after swimming in the fog.	Loving the bike!	Think positive thoughts....

May 2008 - Spring cycling in the Finger Lakes....

Who said biking in upstate in NY wasn't beautiful!! One of the many bike rides I did in early May around the finger lakes. Uncrowded roads, challenging climbs and pastoral scenery.
What a great way to get in the miles!

	The long road ahead...
	While most people chose to drive this road for it's steep gradient - we decided to bike the 2 or so miles up to the overlook of the falls near Cayuga Lake.

March 14-16th, 2008 - NE Endurance Athletes Anna B. and Kaitlin F. compete for Team NH at the Eastern High School Championships at Trapps Lodge, Stowe, VT. Link to the results, standings.
On a very mixed weather weekend, snow changing to rain, then back to snow, then back to rain again - two very dedicated NE Endurance athletes and their coach, Laura (Asst. coach for Team NH) - headed up to Trapps Lodge in Stowe, VT to participate in the NENSA TD Banknorth Eastern High School Championships. Both Anna B. and Kaitlin F. qualified to race for Team NH through the two NH Series races and the 3rd qualifier - Meet of Champions race. They joined the team to represent the best of NH High School Nordic Skiers. Both athletes had a very busy racing schedule this winter - they competed in their usual Divisional HS races, as well as travelled to most, if not all of the NENSA Eastern Cup/JOQ Race Series to earn points towards qualifying for Team New England and gain valuable racing experience.

After many months of dedicated training, top 5 finishes in the NH Series qualifier races and a nice progression up in her results at NENSA races - Anna B. clearly was clearly a force to reckon with at EHSC's. However, after a recent trip to Sweden (to spectate her older brother and father in the Vasaloppet Race) - Anna returned home a few days prior to EHSC's and started the weekend off with what felt like a cold. By day two, her cold turned into a low grade fever and dizziness. Anna chose to race the entire weekend despite huge physical setbacks. Anna's best race for the weekend was placing 15th in the 5KM Skate race.

Kaitlin started the weekend off in great spirits after having competed in the J2 Championships and placing in the top 10 during the 5KM skate race the weekend prior. She was charged up and ready to put forth her best effort after many months of dedicated training. Kaitlin really had the best race of her season in the 7.5KM Classic - taking 20th place as a J2 Skier.

Highlights: Anna placed 15th in the 5KM Skate, Kaitlin placed 20th in the 7.5KM Classic.


March 7-8th, 2008 - NE Endurance Athlete Kaitlin F. takes top 10 finish in 5KM skate race at J2 Championships in Jackson, NH.
Link to results

February 20, 2008 - NE Endurance Athletes - Anna B. and Kaitlin F. qualify for the NH Eastern HS Nordic Championship Ski Team
(more info. coming)

February 2, 2008 - Kaitlin F. qualifies in the top 10 for the NH J2 Championship Team
After two J2 very competitive nordic ski qualifier races (a skate 4 KM race and a classic 4 KM race)- NE Endurance athlete - Kaitlin F. secured a top 10 spot on the NH J2 Nordic Team. The NH J2 Championships represent the best J2 athletes from each state in New England in a three day championship competition. This year's event will be March 7-9th at Jackson Ski Touring Center in Jackson, NH.

January 26, 2008 - What an incredible day!! Laura Creagan wins women's race at Winter Triathlon and NE Endurance Athlete Rachel P. wins Junior category! The distances were: 4.6K Run (on snow) - 7K MTB (on snow) - 6K XC Ski. The race was designated as the Northeast Regional qualifier for the ITU Winter Triathlon World Championship by USAT Eastern Qualifier to World Winter Triathlon Championships in Freudenstadt, Germany February 22-24, 2008. Laura in turn earned a spot to represent Team USA in Germany in the Age Group Championshipos. See multiple articles on Inside Triathlon and a full race report on Fast Splits Winter Multisport about the event. Rachel also competed in the full distance race and easily won the Junior category in her VERY FIRST TRIATHLON - NICE JOB!!!

The snow was deep... the skiing was fast.... and then podium :)

Dec. 1, 2007 - Rachel P. takes top 20 at Virginia Beach, VA AAU Cross Country Nationals Race
NE Endurance Trained athlete - Rachel P. took 17th place out of 56 junior racers in the Virginia Beach AAU 4K race. As a result of her top 20 finish - she earned "All American status." She had an amazing race - it was so exciting!

Link to her results

September 22 - 2007 - 100 & 70 miles of Tri-State Seacoast Century Riding
Joe G. finished his century ride season with the successful completion of the Tri-State Seacoast Century Ride. The Tri-state route included the Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine coastlines. In Joe G's words "the ride went very well, I finished in 6.5 hours." After going out hard in the beginning he pulled it back together towards the last 15-20 miles by jumping on with a group of ten riders and caught his second wind. NICE RIDE JOE!!! Was Joe really finished after this ride?? Nope. Joe is already thinking and planning his next year's cycling rides and adventures.

A quote from Joe about New England Endurance Training: "I do want to thank you for all the work you did with me this summer. I think it definitely helped me reach the goals I set for myself. The workout plan was a saving grace, it gave me everything I needed to reach and achieve my goals." Joe G.

Sean Creagan also completed 70 miles of the Tri-State Seacoast Century Ride in 3.5 hours. Not too bad for a man with more than 6 major surgeries on his right knee. Next year - he hopes to go for the full 100 miles! Keep on cycling!

September 8 - 2007 - Both Creagans Take 1st in their Age Group - Tri Clough YMCA Triathlon - Weare, NH
Although the morning began with balmy 70 degree temps. and shot up into mid-90's during the run portion of the race - that hold back Laura Creagan (owner of New England Endurance Training) and her husband Sean from placing 1st place in their age group (30-34) at the Tri Clough YMCA Triathlon at Clough State Park in Weare, NH.

Results can be found here: http://www.coolrunning.com/results/07/nh/Sep8_Clough_set3.shtml

August 18 2007 - Race Success at 2007 Timberman Sprint Triathlon

(L to R: Laura, Sean and Christina - it's cold, it's dark - we're ready to race!!!)

This year's Timberman Sprint Triathlon (1/3 swim, 15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run) held on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH was unsually chilly - with air temps starting out in the low 60's and chilly winds gusting up and over the 20 mph mark - this year's course offered an added degree of difficulty for its competitors.

(Christina leaving T1 (she's the one wearing blue shorts, white top)

Despite the challenging conditions - the sun was out for New England Endurance Training. New England Fitness trained athlete Christina P. competed successfully in her first triathlon - persevering the difficult choppy swim and windy bike leg. WOW!!! What a successful first triathlon she had - she acheived 12th place overall out of 61 competitors in her age group with a finish time of 1:31:59 - NICE JOB Christina P. in your first Tri!!

New England Fitness Trainer/Owner Laura Creagan also competed in the sprint tri event, achieving 5th place overall in her age group of 81 competitors with a finish time of 1:25:20 (just 5 seconds out of 3rd place).

Laura's husband Sean Creagan also competed and won 2nd place overall in his age group of 58 competitors with a time of 1:16:15. Let's not also forget that Scott S. - Laura's brother also competed and achieved 6th place overall out of 81 competitors in his age group with a time of 1:18:00 even.

What an awesome day!!!

Sean tearing up the bike course.	Laura exits the swim course.	Christina finishing her 1st Triathlon
Scott finishing

August 19, 2007 - 100 miles & counting at Mt. Washington Century Ride

New England Fitness athlete - Joe G. described the morning to me as this - "the Mt. Washington Hill Climb was cancelled..." winds, freezing ice and snow were noted at the summit of Mt. Washington. So what was it like riding in the Century Ride and Notch near Mt. Washington? "Very windy... " as Joe G. puts it after completing a very fine Mt. Washington Century ride this past Sunday. After fueling up at the various support stops, keeping very close track of his pacing, cadence and nutrition - Joe powered up climb after climb to a successful Century Ride. Watch out Seacoast Century - after this ride - everything else will be a cake-walk!! No photos are available of Joe in his century endeavor - since he tackled the course solo!! NICE RIDE JOE!!

August 2007 - Who says there's no Nordic Skiing in Southern NH?

The conditions have been excellent for Nordic Skiing -- rollerskiing that is! Below is a recent photo of some of the skiers travelling from all over Southern New Hampshire this summer to participate in weekly Southern NH Summer Nordic Ski Training Sessions lead by Laura Creagan of New England Endurance Training. The ski specific training sessions have focused on improving ski specific endurance, fitness and technique for the up and coming 2007/08 ski season.

We have been enjoying rollerskiing and trail running out of the Bedford Earl Legacy Park (Bedford Nordic Ski Club), in Bedford, NH and around the greater Auburn, NH area. The program began in late June and continues until mid-August.

July 2007 - Southern NH Summer Nordic Ski Training Participants