2-10-08: our team photos turned out great!

TEAM DFT-QA3 (The Colorado bunch):

10-24-07: CONGRATS to LESLIE CURLEY who competed at Duathlon worlds in Richmond, VA (http://www.duathlonworlds.com) !!!  She finished 8th overall woman age-grouper and 2nd in her age group!! 

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10-21-07: Our DFT logo is now a federally-protected trademark!!

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10-15-07: DFT rider Melissa Dehner gives CYCLOCROSS a shot and places 4th in her first race in Kansas City

 -- GREAT JOB!

9-30-07: ANOTHER DFT woman has taken the plunge and registered for an IRONMAN!  Robyn is going to Louisville IM 08! 

9-24-07: DFT members Kelly and Leslie both competed at the RYKA IronGirl duathlon in Bloominton, MN last weekend:

Kelly with the thumbs up!

Leslie hauling to the finish!

9-17-07: 

9-12-07 -- wow!  DFT coach Andres accepted a job as an attorney for the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (“ICTR”) in Arusha, Tanzania.  We will miss him but wish him the best! 

9-10-07: two more DFT women take the plunge -- Deb and Laura are registered for IM Wisconsin 2008.  That makes SEVEN DFT WOMEN doing Ironman events in the next twelve months!!

7-9-07: DFT member LESLIE CURLEY takes the overall win at the SHAWNEE MISSION TRIATHLON (long course)!!!

6-20-07: www.republicoftea.com sent the DFT ladies a bunch of yummy samples of their LUNA tea line (bottled tea) --and they're only 50 calories!!

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6-13-07: a national triathlon legend, Leslie Curley, has joined the DFT women's team!  We are so excited to have athletes of this caliber joining our ranks!! 

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4-22-07: 3 DFT women represent at the Golden Spring criterium in Golden, CO.  Viola, Tammy and Megan all raced in the women's 4 and women's 1/2/3 events!  We also got our new team kits from Squadra and should have our new helmets in soon!

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3-10-07: it's been an exciting week for the DFT team: we confirmed with Squadra that we'll have our custom kits around 4-19 and we also secured sponsorship from two more outstanding companies: Ritchey Logic and Accelerade!!  This team is going to be backed by the best companies in the business, which should make for a VERY successful season!

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1-21-07: Megan and DFT presented a women's cycling seminar at the Denver Athletic Club on 1-20-07. (See pics below).  Nothing beats talking to a group of gals just thirsty for cycling info and chomping at the bit to learn more--it was so exciting to have such a great turnout and positive feedback.  We plan to do at least 2 more seminars with more indepth discussions on nutrition, HR monitors, and equipment maintenance!

1-1-07: the new DFT women's team for 2007 is unveiled, along with the team's new and renewing sponsors!!  With event better sponsor support and tougher and bigger goals, the team is set for another awesome season!  This year they will be especially noticeable on the race courses in their CUSTOM team kits made by Squadra, and designed by teammate Melissa Dehner. 

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DFT client Laura Brown, after being in the hospital with a bleeding esophagus for several days, WON 1st place in the time trial event at the GAY GAMES in CHICAGO, IL.  While she was unable to attend the awards ceremony afterwards, she now has a medal "her something shiny" to show for her hard efforts!  Way to go Laura!

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DFT client Laura Brown, aka "triathlon junkie," as Megan calls her (because she is constantly representing DFT at events on a weekly basis!) will be interviewed by CNN on July 6th, regarding her transition from an overweight gal to our own Miss Fitness via gastric bypass surgery!  After a successful surgery with Dr. Hoehn, a local KC biker and surgeon, Laura's life changed dramatically!  Stay tuned for the date and time of the broadcast!

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After winning her age group in the KCCC time trial and snagging 2nd place at the Nature Valley Amateur Time Trial, DFT client Dawn McPherson showed that she is a true time trialist by posting the fastest time in the Women's Cat 4 event at the Baldwin City Stage Race, June 24-25, 2006.  During the criterium later that day (stage 2), she suffered an unfortunate mishap: she flatted and did not have wheels in the pit...but the officials gave her the go-ahead to continue racing for GC, so she entered the road race on Sunday (stage 3) and performed VERY well, taking 4th in the RR, giving her 4th for the overall GC.  Dawn, great job this weekend!

IRONMAN CROWNED!

In its first full year since incorporating as a company partnership, DFT proudly announces that Christopher Moore is the first DFT,LLC client to participate and complete a full Iroman event (Silverman).  Christopher worked diligently with DFT for nine months to prepare for his event and now has the accomplishment of a lifetime under his belt.  His next goal is a top finish at age-group national championships.  Congratulations, Christopher!!

A BIG CONGRATS to clients Dawn McPherson and Laura Brown for completing the 1/2Max national championship triathlon on Sunday, September 25--way to go!  Dawn writes,"I felt like crying as I crossed that finish line - I couldn't believe I had just
finished a HALF IRONMAN!!!"

Audrey Hobbs ran her second-ever 5K race last Sunday, only 3 months after having a baby!  She has already lost 3 dress sizes since then and is working towards longer distances in the future.  Way to go Audrey!

Hotter 'n Hell 100, Wichita Falls, TX and Jackson County triathlon, August 28, 2005

Client Laura Brown SMOKED in the heat of TX, averaging 20 mph she finished the 100 mile endurance ride with energy to spare--good job!  Client Dawn McPherson competed in the Jackson County triathlon at Longview Lake and took 2nd place in her age group--nice work!

Midwest Meltdown 1/2 Ironman triathlon, August 7, 2005

Only one week after her great effort at the Quartermax triathlon, client Laura Brown competed in the SCORCHING HOT Midwest Meltdown 1/2 IM tri--her first ever 1/2 IM distance race.  Despite the heat and her willingness to walk with a woman she encountered out on the course (who wasn't doing very well!), Laura still managed to win her age group!  She now turns her attention towards the 1/2 IM championship triathlon on Sept 25.  WAY TO GO--AGAIN--Laura!!

Quarter Max, Innsbrook MO (July 31, 2005)

DFT coach Megan Hottman and clients Dawn McPherson and Laura Brown hit the hills of Innsbrook Sunday with FURY, competing in a 1/4 Ironman-distance triathlon!!  Dubbed one of the toughest tri courses in the country, this race offered a LONG .6mi swim (it looked more like a mile!); a VERY hilly bike which began with the first 6-8 miles offering several steep climbs, followed by a long flat section into a head wind, and concluding with a sharp u-turn and a final steep climb; and a run that was either going straight up, or straight down (several miles of which was gravel!). 

Despite all of this, Dawn was off and running in the swim, beating her coach out of the water by several minutes!  She attacked the hills on her bike, averaging almost 20mph, despite a dropped chain 1/2way through.  The steep hills on the run forced her to walk more than she wanted, but she came through the finish line at a dead sprint, looking no worse for the wear, at an overall time of 3:02, just missing her 3 hour goal.  This earned her 13th out of a very competitive 24 women in W30-34 age group.

Despite a rough pre-race morning, Laura once again competed in, and won, the women's Athena division, with an overall time of 3:11.  She had no problems in the water, and hauled on the bike averaging almost 20mph.  She hung in there on the run and was able to sprint against another woman at the line for a strong finish!  Due to her success, she earned a qualifier position at September's 1/2 IM championship.

After a bit of a rough start in the water, Megan got her legs back on the bike leg, averaging almost 24mph over the 26-mile course, which gave her the fastest female time  and 30th fastest of all 500 participants!  The hilly run presented a bit of a challenge, but she held on, for an overall time of 2:37:35.  While she missed the winner's time by over 3 minutes, she secured 4th place out of 26 in the W24-29 age group, which qualifed her for the Championships this September. 

Megan couldn't have been PROUDER of Laura and Dawn!  They demonstrated great athletic ability, calm during calamity (both before and during the race!), and wonderful sportswomanlike conduct.  They are the type of athletes DFT is proud to have on the race course!  Well done ladies!  Both are now focusing on the 1/2 Championship at Smithville lake, September 25, 2005.

Shawnee Mission Medical Center Triathlon (July 10, 2005)

Laura Brown adds another win in the Athena division to her repotoire!  Way to go!  Dawn McPherson also performed well, placing 5th in her age group.  Keep up the good work ladies!  

Kansas Cycling Championships (June 18 and 19)

Fresh off a great performance at the Nature Valley Stage race in Minnesota, Defined Fitness co-owner Megan Hottman returned to Kansas and won both the road race and criterium championships in the women's 1/2/3 category.  Megan is using the training methods that make her a winner!

Topeka Tinman (June 19)

DFT client Laura Brown took 1st place in the Athena division at last weekend's Tinman triathlon.  While she was nervous about the 7 mile run, she demonstrated that her fitness and training efforts have paid off!  Way to go Laura! 

Danskin Women's triathlon, Texas (June)

DFT Client Sheryle Gallant competed in her first triathlon--a women-only event, in Texas this month.  She writes, "The bike was very hilly--it is the toughest of the Danskin courses--I finished the 12 miles in 46 minutes and felt great--I walked the run mostly --it was on grass with dirt clods not my best surface--the 3.1 miles took me 37 minutes.  So overall I completed the race in a little over 2 hours."  Coached by Megan for only a brief time, Sheryle demonstrated she has what it takes for triathlon racing and Megan expects big things from her in the future!

Corporate Challenge Triathlon (June 12)

 DFT client Dawn McPherson competed in the Corporate Challenge triathlon and took 7th out of 24 women in her age group!  Even though she had no sleep going into the race due to an out-of-town wedding, Dawn rose to the challenge and overcame several obstacles to place very well, both in her age group and overall!  Well done, Dawn!

BIKE SOURCE TRIATHLON

DFT Clients Julia Schulte and Laura Brown both nabbed top-five age-group finishes.  Casey Walsh set a new personal record, shaving 3 minutes and 9 seconds from his time a year ago!  It pays to train with DFT!!!

LIFESTYLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

When Brian Day started with Defined Fitness Training several years ago, he was about 60-80 lbs overweight and his diet consisted of fast food and twinkies at work!  He never DREAMED of running a 5K, let along a full marathon.  Instead, he simply wanted to lose some weight and feel better.  After Brian made serious progress in the weight room, Megan began to work with him on running and cycling, by integrating track workouts and incorporating events such as the MS 150 into his training plans.  Following some recreational and local events, Brian began to develop an interest in long distance cycling, running, and the sport of triathlon.  After all of his hard work and efforts, he's now lean, mean and actively involved in several athletic disciplines.  Good going Brian!  You are a powerful reminder to ANYONE that it's possible to accomplish their goals, provided they are dedicated to their training and themselves!  You never faltered--so thanks for being an inspiration to others!