Stephanie Harless - 2009 COTT President
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Current City: Columbus, OH
Number of years in multi-sport: 4
Why do you get into triathlons/multi-sport? Team in Training
What has been your favorite race? Columbus International
What is your favorite COTT memory? Getting lost on group rides; is there a better way to see nowhere-ville Ohio?
Are there other activities/sports in which you participate? Softball, Soccer, Team in Training, School
What races are you doing this year? Wendy's, Columbus International, Toyota Challenge 1/2
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Richard Lupfer - 2009 COTT Vice President
Hometown: Beavercreek, OH
Current City: Dublin, OH
Number of years in multi-sport: 2
Why do you get into triathlons/multi-sport? Challenge, health, people
What has been your favorite race? TBD
What is your favorite COTT memory? The volunteer opportunities.
Are there other activities/sports in which you participate? Volleyball, skiing, flying, motorcycles, and playing with the kids.
What races are you doing this year? Hopefully quite a few locals and Nations Tri in DC.
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DeAnne Mannion Rau - 2009 COTT Treasurer
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Current City: Columbus, OH
Number of years in multi-sport: 2
Why did you get into triathlons/ multi-sport? Watching World Champs on NBC, inspired me.
What has been your favorite race? My first Columbus 1/2 marathon in 2006 and my first half Ironman in 2008.
What is your favorite COTT memory? Long rides with John Martin in the lead.
Are there other activities/sports in which you participate? None
What races are you doing this year? A variety of local Olympic and Sprint tris. My goad is to complete a full Ironman in one day.
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Melanie Ryan - 2009 COTT Secretary
Hometown: Gahanna, OH
Current City: Columbus, OH
Number of years in multi-sport: 4
Why did you get into triathlons/multi-sport? I friend convinced me to join Team-In-Training for the Wendy’s Triathlon, and I’ve been hooked every since.
What has been your favorite race? Wendy’s, because it was my first one. I also really like the COWS open water swim races (I usually swim all three distances).
What is your favorite COTT memory? It’s hard to decide…getting “lost” on bike rides, the hill repeat runs in Grandview, and volunteering during the Columbus International.
Are there any other activities/sports in which you participate? Swimming (especially open water), running races, job hunting.
What races are you doing this year? Wendy’s, both COWS, Columbus International and maybe Big Shoulders in Chicago.
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Jennifer Brown - 2009 COTT Board Member
Hometown: Bremen, OH
Current City: Columbus, OH (Grandview area)
Number of years in multi-sport: 4 years this May
Why do you get into triathlons/multi-sport? The trainer at my work's gym in Kansas City saw me "running" on the treadmill and asked about my fitness goals. I mentioned just wanting to get in shape and that I planned to have my bike tuned up to ride in the spring. He asked if I swam as a kid and then if I'd represent the company in the corporate challenge triathlon. I asked if it was easy. He said yes. (LIAR!) And here I am.
What has been your favorite race? My favorite race of all time is the Kansas City/Bike Source Heritage Park duathlon. It was my first-ever race and I did it on a mountain bike. I try to go back every other year to compete in it - just to see how far I've come.
What is your favorite COTT memory? How to pick ... in 2007 we had a cycling clinic at Alum Creek and John Martin and I did a long-run before hand. (While I did two races in 2005, it was August 2006 before I did another.) Well, the bike clinic started post-run and we road the 12-mile loop to practice riding in a paceline and I couldn't keep up. I started crying and John Martin, who's a total hard ass, was trying to figure out how to make me feel better, while wanting to smack me for crying. :) I remember thinking I'd never amount to anything in the sport and that hated that route - even though all the COTT pros would telling me it happens to all of us. And guess what? I killed it on that route in two races in 2007, including one where I beat my ex boyfriend during a race. :)
Are there other activities/sports in which you participate? I'm a writer, an entrepreneur and looking to get more involved in local animal shelters. Triathlon doesn't leave much extra room in my time.
What races are you doing this year? I'm taking it easy this year. I want to improve my sprint tri and 5k run times. The only race on my schedule is the Columbus Marathon, though I might do the Muncie Half Iron. I'm most looking forward to CIT sprint.
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John Martin - 2009 COTT Board Member
Current City: Alexandria, OH
Number of years in multi-sport: 163 (ok about 25)
Why did you get into triathlons? Got bored with being a runner
What has been your favorite race? An race that I finish
What is your favorite COTT memory? Waiting for Stephanie to be a no-show at Masters.
Are there other activities/sports in which you participate? Loafing around; road races (running)
What races are you doing this year? Big Sur Marathon, IM Louisville
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Lauren Vallee - 2009 COTT Board Member
Hometown: Grosse Pointe Michigan
Current City: Columbus, OH
Number of years in multi-sport: 4
Why do you get into triathlons/multi-sport? I signed up to train with a group at DePaul Universities Rec center and fell in love with not only the sport but the people. Ever since then, I've been fortunate to meet wonderful people through the sport.
What has been your favorite race? Memphis in May hands down as the best run race and best atmosphere...but nothing touches completing the Ironman in Louisville Kentucky (with severely blistered feet and all!)
What is your favorite COTT memory? I think the funniest memory I have is of how I got involved with COTT. I was at Ohio State swimming and I decided to chill in the hot tub after my swim. There was a gentleman with an M Dot tatoo on his arm and I asked, "Hey, have you done one of those?" his response was "Why the hell would I have a tattoo if I didn’t." And that's how I met John Martin who has become a really good friend.
Are there other activities/sports in which you participate? I am a USAT certified official and will hopefully be a head official at several of the local, smaller races. SO DONT CHEAT! I don't want to penalize people I know and like! I spend a lot of my down time being an awesome athlete at "watching TV" and "being lazy".
What races are you doing this year? Right not I'm finalizing my race schedule, but I will be swimming the COWS races, a few sprint races, the Race for Recovery in June, and Ironman Louisville!
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