Elite Team

Bio: As a kid playing sports, running was considered punishment. I had always hated the thought of exercising for the sole purpose of getting into shape. But my lifestyle had become destructive and I needed an outlet. Those first few weeks of running were pathetic. I hated every second of running, but I loved the sense of accomplishment that came with finishing a run. Everything was new back then, and I was setting the bar higher and higher everyday. Five short weeks after my first run ever, I was tricked into running a half marathon. My roommate had singed me up. He didn’t even tell me how far I’d be running. That first race was one of the most interesting experiences of my life. It was painful and nerve wrecking, but I stuck it out and never gave up. I ended up running just over 1:33, and I was officially hooked on racing.

With zero experience in swimming or cycling, I took up triathlon the next summer and never looked back. A couple years later after I graduated fromClevelandStateUniversity, I moved out west toArizonaand decided that I was going to pursue triathlon fulltime. After a year and a half of training and way too many setbacks, I had a decent performance at Florida 70.3 finishing as the top amateur and 13 overall. After that race, I finally decided that it was time to race triathlon professionally and see what I could do against the best in the sport.

Bio: Amanda competed in Track and XC in both high school and college. After college she continued to race, doing anything from a 5k to a marathon. In 2006 she decided to do her first triathlon, a local sprint race, and became hooked. The following year Amanda wanted more of a challenge and competed in a half ironman. She fell in love with the longer distance triathlons and decided to stick with half Ironmans for a couple of years until she was able to successfully sign up for Lake Placid before it sold out. 2013 will be here first year racing as a PRO and her 3rd year working with QT2.

Bio: Amy rediscovered her love of athletic competition after having her youngest daughter when she started to compete in marathons to "get the baby weight off." This quickly turned into a passion for multisport, particularly triathlon. As a former collegiate Div 1 hurdler/runner, high school state hurdling champion and long jump medalist, and interscholastic USA Track & Field honorable mentioned hurdler, Amy has continued her drive to push herself with multiple top amateur and AG placements placements at the 140.6, 70.3 and Olympic distances. Following an 8th AG placement at Ironman World Championship, Amy looks forward to continuing her training under the guidance of QT2 System and her coach Tim Snow for the 2013 season. She is inspired by all she meets in triathlon and strives to balance her sport by serving as a positive role model for her 3 daughters. Amy is thankful most of all for her husband, Chad, who not only is her top supporter but her resident physical therapist....he keeps her moving forward! :) Amy is a former elementary teacher and now works with her husband in wellness/fitness coaching.

Bio: Brianna started swimming for her local swim team in Southern California when she was 13 years old. She found success in the sport her senior year of high school and went on to swim and compete in the distance events at Pepperdine University. While attending Pepperdine, she walked onto the track team her freshman year and found she also had a talent for running like her sisters. This opened the door for triathlon and after her first summer of racing she was hooked. By senior year, she had started a tri team at Pepperdine and earned her pro card by graduation. With her eyes set on the Rio 2016 Olympics, Brianna is focusing on the ITU circuit with the goal of earning a spot on team USA.

Bio: Cait started swimming for her local swim team when she was eight years old, and competed for a US swim team for several years prior to high school. She entered her first triathlon at thirteen, after seeing several videos of the Hawaii Ironman, including the Julie Moss crawl. She won her first race (Worcester Youth Triathlon) in flannel shorts and on her mother’s bike. In 2002 Cait qualified for the Cancun ITU World Championships in the 20-24 age group. The following year she qualified for the New Zealand World Championships in the U23 elite division, and was invited to train and race for USAT’s development team. Through this program, Cait worked with world-class coaches, nutritionists, and sports specialists, training alongside past and future Olympians. As a member of this development team, Cait raced in Portugal, Puerto Rico, Canada, Arizona, California, Washington, Arkansas, Michigan, and New York, under the Olympic format. She now focuses on the Ironman distance and long course racing.

Bio: Chris comes from a long background of competitive running and ran for the University of Pennsylvania cross country and track teams. During his collegiate athletic career, Chris achieved numerous NCAA and Ivy League honors. He graduated from the Wharton School in 2011 with a B.S. in Economics and moved to Boston to work full-time for a boutique investment bank. Chris has continued to pursue competitive sports as a professional triathlete and races both domestically and internationally. His primary focus is on long-distance racing and he aims to compete in several 70.3 distance races in the 2013 season with hopes of qualifying for Ironman 70.3 Worlds.

Bio: I come originally from Vermont but have lived in Finland for 6 years now. I took up triathlon after being a pro level cyclist living and racing in Europe. I am still developing as a triathlete and I hope that I still have lots of room for improvement!

Bio: After 4 years as a collegiate rower at Cornell, and then another 4 years in the Navy, Doug started doing triathlons in 2006 while attending grad school at the University of Michigan. In December 2008, he committed to triathlon, 100%, and moved out to Boulder. He joined up with QT2 Systems as a Coach and athlete in November 2009. Started racing as a pro in 2011. What's the next step? Well, there's only one way to find out!

Bio: Erick competed for the University of New Hampshire in Cross Country, Nordic Skiing, and Track before graduating in 2010 and entering the world of triathlon. He is a newcomer to the sport but has utilized his background in endurance sports to gain success in the sport.

Bio: Jason is 30 years old and from Burlington, Vermont. Following a successful pole vault career in college Jason sought out a chance to add some variety to his workouts. He bought a bike and within a few months signed up for his first triathlon, it was a natural fit and Jason began competing locally in VT. After 8 seasons of racing triathlon Jason has competed in races ranging from sprint through Ironman distance. Jason spent several seasons focusing on Ironman distance racing and has a personal best in the Ironman distance of 9:21. Jason competed at the Ironman World Championships in 2009 and 2010, both years Jason qualified for the race at Ironman Lake Placid where he finished on the podium in his age group. He was a 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 USAT All-American. For the 2013 season Jason will be focused on olympic and 70.3 distance racing. Jason is a Certified Financial Planner™ and currently resides in Burlington with his wife Lillian and daughter Samantha.

Bio: As a longtime distance runner, Jennie competed in cross country and track throughout high school and college. She continued to compete post-collegiately, although injuries began to pile up. Finally, during one particularly long time off of running, Jennie decided to act on her underlying desire to compete in a triathlon, buying a bike and returning to the pool for the first time in over a decade. She placed well in her first attempt at the sport, and was hooked afterwards. She has found increasing success with increasing distances, and enjoys focusing her efforts on half iron and iron distance races. She also works as a physical therapist.

Bio: Jeremy grew up in Sewickley, PA and has been an active athlete since childhood. Soccer, baseball, and competitive swimming began very early, with summer days always spent at swim practice, followed by running and biking around the neighborhood. Jeremy was a triathlete-in-training, long before he ever entered his first event. Swimming took on the most importance throughout middle and high school, as a district and state qualifier, and it wasn't until college that he finally discovered triathlon. Jeremy completed his first triathlon in April of 2000, in Clermont, FL, and was instantly hooked. Over the past 13 seasons Jeremy has raced in over 50 triathlons plus additional running, duathlon, and adventure races; including 20 Half-IMs and 10 IMs, culminating last year with his fourth consecutive finish of the Ironman World Championship. Jeremy has also earned USA Triathlon All-American distinction for four consecutive years.

When Jeremy is not training and coaching, he is also a nursing and EMT student, continuing his education and passion for learning and helping others. Jeremy lives with his wife of three years, Jocelyn, in Leetsdale, PA.

Bio: Jessie entered her first triathlon after the birth of her first child and she was immediately hooked. After spending the majority of her younger years as a competitive nordic ski racer she was excited to find a sport full of new challenges with so much to learn. She started competing regularly in 2008 and started racing as a professional at the end of 2011. In her first year as a pro Jessie won IM Lake Placid and IM Mt. Tremblant and was 2nd at IM St. George.
Jessie is a mom to three active children who love to spend their days swimming, biking and running, just like their mom and dad.

Bio: Teacher

Bio: Kaitlin has been swimming competitively since she was 8 years old, and ran on her high school cross country and track teams. She continued swimming at Bentley College. After college, she pursued a life-long goal to run the Boston Marathon, and has since completed 4 marathons, many half marathons and other road races. After being out of the pool for 5 years and dealing with some running injuries, she decided to join a masters swim team and buy a bike - completing her first triathlon in the spring of 2012. After finishing 1st in her age group at Timberman 70.3, she was hooked and joined QT2 to take her training to the next level. Kaitlin works full-time as a user experience designer for a large financial services company, and is a part-time graduate student.

Bio: During the summer of 2005 Kim saw the Ironman World Championships start line sign on a work trip to Kona, Hawaii and told her husband she was doing the race. He suggested doing a shorter triathlon first  Three years later after winning her age group at St Croix 70.3 in 2008, she stepped up to the starting line of her first Ironman at the World Championships. After crossing the line in 10:56, she was happy to finish but not satisfied. Kim has now competed in over twenty triathlons. Since obtaining two Ironman Age Group wins, she has decided to move up to the professional level. 2013 will be her second professional season after a top 10 finish at Ironman Arizona in 2012 a new Ironman PR of 9:30. As a registered dietitian, speaker, model, and coach she helps those around her achieve their dietary, fitness and health goals. Kim’s favorite quote is “The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”.

Bio: Matt was a football/baseball player in high school and college who found his true calling at the age of 23 when he participated in his first multisport event. He has been hooked ever since.

Matt is currently focusing on 70.3 and Full Iron distances racing.

Bio: Matt had a lot of energy growing up and throughout high school. Like a lot of teenagers, Matt's energy got him into many sticky situations. Thankfully, as a senior project, Matt's guidance counselor and family friend suggested training for the Mooseman Half-Ironman in Bristol, NH in 2006. Impressively, Matt finished first in his age group with a time of 4:54. The outlet training and racing provided led Matt to continue, and he decided to pursue Olympic distance races, as well as competing in the ITU circuit. Racing and training provide the structure and release Matt thrives on, and continue to motivate him in his athletic, personal and academic pursuits.

Bio: After being introduced to triathlon and completing 2 races in the summer of 2002, Patrick knew he wanted to spend everyday training and trying to become a better athlete. He completed his first Half Ironman in 2004, he struggled his way to the finish line in 5:38. Since then he has completed 45 triathlons including 8 Half -Ironmans, while persuring a BS in Criminal Justice from Bridgewater State College . He completed his first marathon in November 2007 with a time of 2:56. Pat is currently pursuing IM racing.

Bio: Grew up as a couch potato playing video games until the age of 14. Starting running with my dad then and learnt how to swim at 16. As for most, did my fist triathlon at 18 for fun and got addicted. Invited to the Olympic training center at the age of 22 but my passion is long distance, non-draft triathlons. My debut Ironman was Oct 2010 at Challenge Barcelona where I got 5th OA in a time of 8h25m. Set the national record of my country over the IM a month after when I finished Ironman Florida in 2nd place in a time of 8h19. This would be my breakthrough performance and the jump start of my professional career in long distance triathlon.

Bio: 2013 will be Rich's second year training and racing with QT2. Last year, following the QT2 training and nutrition philosophies, Rich set new 70.3 and Olympic distance PRs and lowered his HIM swim and run times more than once during the season. In addition, he ran his fastest open marathon (2:32) in almost two decades. Rich lives in NJ with his wife and four sons and continues to enjoy training and racing as a competitive masters triathlete.

Bio: Tim is a Pro/Elite triathlete who has been racing since 1998. A high school and college runner, he has completed 26 Ironman distance triathlons. As a coach with QT2 Systems he focuses on helping 1-1 athletes reach their athletic goals, as well as manages the day-to-day operations of QT2's Mission Plan program. Tim also works, full-time, as a math teacher at Madison Park High School in Boston.

Bio: Tim began his athletic career as a ski racer; running track was simply a training tool for other sports. He began competing in triathlon in the summer of 2001, after that, he was hooked. During one of his first races watched by his father, after a characteristically poor swim, his father proudly exclaimed that the only person in his age group that he beat out of T1 was some poor soul flapping around on the ground, stuck in his wetsuit. After that, Tim began a career in the Marine Corps where he was fortunate to compete for the Marine Corps Triathlon, Marathon and Cross Country Teams. In 2006, competing in the Armed Forces National Triathlon Championships, Tim qualified for the U.S. World Armed Forces Triathlon Team and competed at the World Armed Forces Championships in Sweden. Also in 2006, Tim was fourth place overall military at the U.S. Armed Forces Marathon Championships. After posting a personal best marathon time of 2:28:59, Tim now focuses on 70.3 and Ironman distance triathlons. He enjoyed a number of personal bests in 2010 placing 9th overall and posting the fastest run split of the day at Mooseman 70.3. He followed that with a 12th overall at Ironman Lake Placid where he was the 3rd overall non-professional and set the course record for the 35-39 age group.

Bio: Vinny swam competitively in high school, and college. During his offseason in 1993 he race his first triathlon and was hooked. Vinny currently teaches high school Anatomy and Physiology, and is a coach with QT2 systems.