HOT NEWS: Tempe Town Lake Dam Break: Plans to work on the dam had already been in the works. So fortunately, reconstruction of the dam is beginning today. Tempe press conference puts the re-opening of the lake at November 1. So hold tight, as we get more details we will pass them on. Here is a link to the press conference. So check back. Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter on the lower right side of this site. Thanks for checking out our web site. We have a lot of info packed into this site. A search tool is on the right side to help you out. Thanks for stopping by. Sue Berliner, Publisher.
Anyone that has been in Scottsdale for any length of time has seen the McDowell Mountains, which dominate the horizon of the Northeast Valley.
Housing developments skirt the bottom of the range, but multiple rounded but rugged peaks stretch for 10 miles, and the summits approach 4000 feet, half a mile above the big valley floor. And thanks to the Scottsdale voters who approved purchasing and preserving this massive chunk piece by piece, in 1990, 94, 98, and 2005, almost one third of the city’s land area is reserved for nothing but hiking and biking.
There is no shortage of stellar men in Arizona. This bunch gathered here not only have awesome racing resumes, they are simply good guys that everyone wants to hang out with. Many have kids and are family men.
Others have cool careers. So read up on their work, family, life, training, advice and more. If you meet them on the street or at an event, introduce yourself. You want to know these guys!
 
Juan Carlos Tarango
Age: 41
Resides in:Tempe
Family: Single
Occupation: Injury Prevention and Community Outreach Coordinator, Phoenix Children's Hospital. Prior to Phoenix Children's I led bicycle and hiking Tours in Spain and Portugal for 9 years.
Sport: Cycling
Hobbies/Interests: Travel, Languages, Politics
Sponsors: Phoenix Consumer Cycling Club
Competing in your sport since: 1987
How did you get into the sport? I started cycling with a friend shortly after coming to ASU. I started slowly but within a short time we began planning a cycle touring adventure that would take us from Arizona to the Canadian border. After the trip, I was hooked and quite fit so I joined the ASU cycling team and have been riding and racing since.
Other sports: I do a little bit of running and have done a couple of half marathons.
On blending your career and passion for cycling:I am responsible for several programs directly related to my sport. I educate families and patients on helmet and bicycle safety both in the hospital and the community. I coordinate the Safe Routes to School program in 3 Creighton District schools. And I am a coordinator for Kids Rock Stars program in Central Phoenix, an obesity prevention program that encourages kids to run and walk a marathon. It was a privilege to travel, cycle, and experience different cultures. I had great access to the Tour de France, the Giro d' Italia and the Vuelta a España. My career fits perfectly with my passions: cycling, physical activity and working with children.
Steve Rink Age: 45 Resides in: Cave Creek, AZ Family: Wife (Marie), daughter Katie (6), son Conner (3) Occupation: Superintendent/Principal/Teacher/Coach, currently stat at home Daddy. Sport: Running Hobbies/Interests: Triathlons, duathlons, aquathlons, running, tennis, golf, hiking...anything that requires movement! Sponsors: Arizona Road Racers/Triscottsdale-Gage Racing Competing in your sport since: Running since 1978 How did you get into the sport? A local 5k in Gardner, IL Other sports: Basketball, baseball, track, cross-country What keeps you motivated? Colleen de Reuck (46) once said, "As long as you have the passion/fire burning inside you, you find a way to keep running at a level you desire." I agree with Colleen, fire still burns intensely. I love competing/training/social aspect of running so much. Who inspires you most? Top age group athletes like Sue Meno, Carlos Mendoza, Rance Myers, Jim Prescott, Paul Ruckel, the list is endless. Love most about your sport: The feeling after a workout...it lasts all day and into the next day/workout. The best drug in the world are your endorphins you get from running! Accomplishments: I try to win my age group or place in every event I participate in, if I don't...I get over to the person that beat me and introduce myself, I love the social aspect of races..
Paul Smith
Age: 50 Resides in:. Tempe Family: wife Laura Occupation: Aquatics Director Mesa Aquatics Club, also co-owner Paul L. Smith & Assoc. with my wife Laura Sport: swimming, water polo, wanna be cyclist Hobbies/Interests: Dogs and cooking Competing/participating in your sport since: Swimming since age14 How did you get into the sport? A dare from a classmate that I couldn't beat him across the pool. What was your working background? Involved in all aspects of swimming since the day I started. Sales and marketing business for last 14 years ties into running a swim club
What led you to coaching? it kind of came to me, friends and family asking for assistance...the more I did the more I loved it. What do you like most about your job? Being able to play some part in assisting someone in bettering the life. What do you like least about your job? The occasional interruption it makes in my own training/racing. Other sports you have participated in: I grew up showing horses. spent 19 years living in Vail skiing, snowboarding, rock/ice climbing and kayaking.
Peter Ney
Age:42
Resides in: Scottsdale
Family: Beautiful wife, awesome kids-Kieren, 9/Kylie, 6/ 2 fish/ 2 dogs
Occupation: Teacher for Chandler Unified-Gifted Program
Sport: Triathlon, cycling, swimming, sailing, eco-challenge racer, windsurfing, kitesurfing
Hobbies/Interests: Competition, family and pushing everyday to the limit!
Sponsors: The awesome family at Bicycle Ranch, various others
Competing in your sport since: The days of old Scott triathlon bars--1984
How did you get into the sport? Triathlon/Doing the Fountain Mountain Triathlon age 13/ Sailing-my dad and a truck driver named Mike.
Other sports you have participated in: US Swimmer, US Sailing Team, Outrigger racing, Scuba, Free Diving, cyclocross racing.
What keeps you motivated? Seeing how hard I can push myself and having fun.
Who inspires you most and why? Jacques Cousteau. He used his kindness and knowledge to preserve our Oceans. And, my mom...nicest person on this Earth. And, Joe Phillips, my first great swim coach.
Love most about your sport: I can mix up workouts and meet a niche of great people. My sport allows me to cross over to other training and I get to meet people who become my second family.
Accomplishments: US Olympic Trialist Swimmer and Sailor. Pro triathlete, voted top 25 in nation at age 18 and 41 and somewhere in between. Pro windsurfer, competed in numerous X-Games. Aquaman world qualifier. Ex-Cat I cyclist.
Lee Staten
Age: 28 Resides in: Phoenix, AZ Family: Two Daughters Arissa and Zoe Occupation: Park Ranger at Camelback Mountain Hobbies/Interests: Basketball, hiking, hunting, running, bouldering and trying new wines. How long have you been a Park Ranger: 5 years. What was your background? Recreation Management and Elementary Education. I was also born and raised in Phoenix and know the parks and preserves like the back of my hand. What led you to a career as a park ranger? I wanted to work in the recreation field, but could not stand pushing paper behind a desk. When this job was offered to me I was all over it. What do you like most about your job. Being outdoors and interacting with our out of state visitors. I love their questions! What do you like least about your job? The politics and waking up at 3 a.m. Other sports you have participated in: Football and track What keeps you motivated? In life, my daughters. I am always trying to better myself for their well-being. On the mountain... another Ranger named Sean [Peters] who I just can not seem to beat racing to the top. Who inspires you most and why? My mother Rosie. She has always sent me down the right path and never steered me wrong. She is unselfish, full of knowledge and is always making others smile. She has always been my number one! Love most about your sport: Trying to always beat my time going up Camelback Mountain, being outdoors and the awesome workout you get from it!
Rance Myers Age: 45 Resides in: Phoenix, Family: Married Occupation: Director of Engineering Sport: Running Hobbies/Interests: Running, Golfing, Hiking, Traveling, Fishing, Camping … and Nintendo Sponsors: Compex, Aquaphor Competing in your sport since: Intermittently since HS, got serious and consistently racing (nearly every weekend) since 2008. How did you get into the sport? Started with HS Track, then random occasional 5K/10K races over the years, but in 2008 when I started racing again and got the Marathon bug … I was hooked. Other sports you have participated in: After 45 years, I’ve tried many sports whether competitively or recreationally. I’ve enjoyed them all but one. What keeps you motivated? I like being physically fit and having energy to do the things I enjoy. Staying healthy. Competition. Who inspires you most? This is tough to answer with just one name. There are local racers, legends, pros, and people who have overcome all odds to achieve. They are all inspiring for the things they bring to the sport. Love most about your sport: I can easily get away from it all and hit trails that take me away from civilization and away from the day-to-day worries for a while. Meeting new friends. And I can go do it on my own schedule whenever I want.
Patrick Brundage Age: 43 Resides in:. Scottsdale Family: Wife of almost 16 years and 3 daughters (aged 14,13 and 7) Occupation: Business Analytics / Consulting Sport: Swimming (pool and open water) Hobbies/Interests: Travel, travel, travel, eating, reading Sponsors: I am completely open to all offers to allow me to become a professional Masters' swimmer :) Competing in your sport since: 6 years old. Some breaks in my mid-20s as I started my career and family How did you get into the sport? My father was a competitive swimmer in HS in Florida and on scholarship at USC in the early 1960s. He threw all 4 of his kids into the sport and it stuck with me. Other sports: I tried soccer, basketball, golf and baseball, but loved swimming from the start and to this day. What keeps you motivated? Watching men and women older than me swim amazing times year after year. My wife's running (she does half marathons like they were nothing!) and her drive to create a healthy lifestyle and diet for our family. Who inspires you most? My dad is the single biggest inspiration in my life: he's still competing in his late 60s, married >40 years and still going strong; if I can be half the man he is, I'll have done well. Love most about your sport: The people: it's a great group that blends a high degree of competitiveness with a laid-back attitude.
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