Club Members
Triangle Triathlon Club currently has over 30 members, the following profiles include their thoughts and goals for 2010 (plus some editorial comments), why they started triathlon. With personal goals from completing a first sprint distance Triathlon to being competitive in an ironman event, everyone is a winner. If you would like to update your profile, (or if I have made any defamatory or libelous remarks) then please let me know and I will update this site as soon as possible.
Peter Jack
Peter Jack remains the indomitable force behid TTC! Never one to hide his light under a bushel, here is Peter's profile: Born, Guy Hulk, I later changed my name to the much more modest sounding Peter Jack. After being told that I had a great face for radio, I decided to bin my original aim of being a movie star to concentrate on the printed word. I always wanted to be a circus juggler and my posts with the Limavady Sports Council, two Boards of Governors, Triathlon Ireland, Rotary, Danny Boy Festival etc. have given me an inkling of how to keep simultaneous balls in the air. My aims for 2010 include trying to keep sane, solvent and sleek but my other hat trick of targets include:- Biking from Mizzen to Malin Head in May
- The Wicklow Adventure Race in April and
- Standing on top of Mount Kilimanjaro on Valentine’s Day waving the mighty red and black TTC flag. If the winds are as predicted, I may use the flag to parachute straight to the Indian Ocean retreat of Zanzibar where I intend to thaw out and try and cure my gout for three days.
- Complete 5 km swimathon with time of under 1:35
- Complete London marathon in April (hopefully with time of less than 4 hours)
- Complete Barcelona Ironman in October (hopefully with time of less than 13 hours)
- Drop below 12 stone - even if only for 1 day
I am also looking forward to standing on a pontoon in the middle of the River Shannon on the first weekend of July as Europe’s top triathletes hit the water for the European Championships. Always inspired by my Triangle Triathlon Club comrades in arms, I am so proud to be a member of the friendliest and most inspirational and driven club on this island. We have a wealth of enthusiasm and experience second to none and I love continuing to learn from all of my fellow club mates, both young and old alike.
Simpson McGrath
I have been competing in triathlons since 2003. I have completed most distances from super sprint right the way up to ironman.
I have finished two ironman distace events. The first was in 2004 in Roth in Germany, the second was in 2008 in Nice France. Some day hell I might even try a double ironman!!!!!
I am also a qualified race referee and technical deligate for triathlon ireland.
This year I am going to try my hand at some race organising with the mid-Ulster Duathlon in Magherafelt and the Big Splash sprint triathlon in Portglenone.
I am also involved with the Carn Wheelers Cycling Club in which I am the race secretery.
Also this year i am hoping to be going for my triathlon level 1 coaching badge.
A couple of things not to many people know about me is that I have type 1 diabetes, this means I have to inject insulin 4 times a day, take about 4 blood glocuse test everyday as well and I also have to be carful what I eat and when I eat. But having diabetes has never stopped me from doing what I enjoy, infact it has probably helped push me to achieve everthing I have done up to now!
The other thing that not many people know is that I used to be a lead drummer in a competition pipeband, and in 2001 I lead my drum corp to a World Championship title. That was one of my many proudest achievments.
Johnny Graham
Johnny's best achievement in 2009 was finishing Groomsport in one piece
and his aim for 2010 is to complete The Outlaw iron distance tri in
Nottingham in August.
Profile: well what can you say, I am and always have been a plodder and
will hope to be able to remain a plodder for manys a year to
come. I always loved the lure of triathlon but I couldn't really
swim and although having completed a few half marathons and adventure
races I was never particularly fit. After learning to swim or
probably more accurately, not to drown, I aimed for my first triathlon
in 2008. Since then I have learned a lot and progressed steadily having
completed Groomsport Half Ireman in 2009. I hope to put in a good
years consistent training this year and finish an iron distance race in
August. More importantly I want to try to stay healthy and be a good
role model for my young son.
Conal Heatley
Conal Heatley celebrated completing his 10th Ironman in 2009, when he finsihed the Bartha Ironamn. As well as competing, Conal is secretary at Triathlon Ireland and chair of the Ulster Branch. He introduced middle distance racing to Northern Ireland with the Half-Ireman event at Groomsport in 2007, which has now been joined by the full 226K race.
Bernie Gribben
One of Triangle’s first Ironwomen, Bernie Gribben has succeeded over the years in triathlon because of her tenacity; like many club members she was lured into the sport by Anne Paul, her greatest event was the Ironman Roth. In 2010 Bernie will be representing Ireland at Athlone and in Budapest.
Bernie has been very active giving club members in the Magherafelt region coached swim sessions on a saturdy afternoon. This has no doubt encouraged new members, including John Joe Muldoon and Linda Tomb.
Rodney Young
Rodney took up triathlon in 2007 after getting fed up with running injuries year after year. He has competed at all distances including his 1st ironman in Nice 2009. Not being a great swimmer he actually prefer duathlons to triathlons so his main aim for 2010 is to qualify for the World Duathlon Championships in Edinburgh. Recently he has done a Race Referee and Technical Delegate course for Triathlon Ireland. He is also a member of Carn Wheelers Cycling Club and Moyola Park Golf Club.
William O'Kane
I have been competing in triathlons for the last 5 years and I completed Roe Valley, Liam Ball and Ballyronan in my first year. Over the next few years I focused mostly on Olympic distances around the country such as hell of the west in Kilkee, Dublin, etc but have yet to achieved 2 of my long terms goals which are to complete a sprint in under 1:15 and Olympic distance in under 2:30.
In 2007 I completed my first marathon (Belfast) and 1/2 ironman (Groomsport) and found that my pace did not drop off much with increased distance and have focused on longer distances since then. On 21st June 2008 I completed my first Ironman in the Czeh republic (Moraviaman) along with the illlustrious Peter Jack. Entry fee was the princely sum of 40 euros !!!! Having completed this, I then cruised into Groomsport in September 2008 thinking it would be a breeze, but due to lack of focus and prepraration had my most difficult race ever, finishing in just under 6:30.
In 2009 my main focus was to compete my 2nd Ironman on home soil and had a 13:04 at Groomsport in August.
For 2010 my main goals are:
More Profiles to be updated soon
