L.A. Youth Tri
Fourth of July, 2007
Pacific Palisades, California
This is one of our favorite events of the year, put on by two great friends of Exceeding Expectations, Deborah & Doug Hafford.
Always held in conjunction with the popular Palisades Will Rogers 5k and 10K (now celebrating its 30th anniversary), the L.A. Youth Tri is limited to kids 15 years old and under.
Deb & Doug always go out of their way to make sure the participants, many of them doing their very first triathlon, have a terrific time. It's a well-organized and low-stress race, and afterwards there's a big barbecue at the beautiful YMCA pool.
This year was the best ever, as you'll see on the faces of the kids. It started off with meeting Carl Lewis, one of the greatest Olympic champions of all time.
A
big thrill for Exceeding Expectations
team member Damien Irons (Jacque's son)
All
the Exceeding Expectations kids did
both the 5K and the youth triathlon
It's
a huge event, with plenty of room for the
less-than-conventional
Isi, Marlene and Stephanie mixing it up with the big
boys in the 5K.
Da Coach in the 10K
Josh Rodriquez (Jacques Irons' other son) finishing strong.
He was a double medalist today.
Elizabeth
Farnan, great friend of the program who handles
Exceeding Expectations not-for-profit tax matters "pro bono."
Isis,
Josh the wiseguy and Brian
waiting for the start of the tri.
(The bike was first, then the run and swim.)
Damien, Josh's brother.
Marlene and Stephanie
Miguel, Isi's brother
Isi and Josh
"Uh, I don't think we're in San Bernardino anymore..."
Josh in bike-to-run transition
Stefanie,
stopping to pose.
(We may need to work on that race strategy.)
Damien
Marlene
Coach
Cherie lending a hand in the pool to a couple of
Deborah and Doug's "Ninth Street Kids."
Race
timers at their laptops. Doug (right) is in the computer business
and hopes to sell the iSunshade concept to Apple for a fortune.
Future
athletic wear models, here getting ready to
launch Saucony into the retail stratosphere.
(The clothes came courtesy of one of the many kind souls
who donated race clothing to the program.)
Double-medalist Josh allowing the media a few questions.
Brian flashing his hard-won finisher's medal
No girly-men here.
Too hot to flex with the others, so Marlene opts for shade
Showing respect for the old man, Meli.
Our hosts, Deborah & Doug Hafford
Brian watches the award ceremony
Isi takes second place
Josh gets first!
A splendid time was had by all!
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