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Good Life Games pack in the events

By Jessica Mundie
Published March 14, 2007

Florida's regional Good Life Games kick off this week, celebrating masters athletes ages 50-plus with dozens of games and sports.

Cycling events start at 7:30 a.m. April 7 at Fort DeSoto Park in Tierra Verde. Cycling time trial distances are 5 kilometers and 10K. For more information call Bill Strack at 813 505- 1405.

Good Life Games events include cycling, golf, racewalking, swimming, track and field, and more. Some local multisport stars like Ironman 70.3 champion Jackie Yost, 78, of Treasure Island, combine all of the above.

A local pioneer in cross training, Yost won Good Life Games gold medals for cycling and running, along with her hole-in-one golf honors several years ago. Now Yost reaps the benefits of the fun and fitness that training for competitions such as Good Life Games provide.

"Enjoying family and friends is how my husband Larry and I like to spend our time," said Yost, who is featured on the cover of Aging Well Connection, a magazine published by the City of Clearwater.

"We have done more than 100 triathlons and we race as much as we can," Yost said. "It's all about being with people you love and being outside, enjoying Florida's events like triathlons, running, cycling and our Friday morning swims in the gulf."

Good Life Games events continue through April 22. Log on for details at www.goodlifegames.org.

SENIOR OLYMPICS: Top Pinellas 50-plus athletes have earned slots to compete in the Summer National Senior Games in Louisville, Ky. Also known as the Senior Olympics, the competition will be held June 22-July 8 and the following cyclists, runners and triathletes have won gold in state competitions and are among those eligible to compete: Jean Goergen of St. Petersburg, Patrice Hoffman of Palm Harbor, George Martin of Dunedin, Terry Repp of Clearwater, Sandy Scott of St. Petersburg, Tom Stevenson III of South Pasadena, Helen Trigg of Clearwater and Carol Jean Vosburgh of Treasure Island.

FLORIDA BICYCLE SPORTS: Team member Ted Lee said he is working on the final preparations for the Thursday Night Time Trials in St. Petersburg. The FBS series distance is 10 miles and all cyclists are welcome, including sport/recreational riders, bicycle racers, triathletes and tandem riders.

Tentative dates for the FBS series: April 5, May 3, June 7, July 5, Aug. 2, Sept. 6 and Oct. 4. For more information call Ted Lee at (727) 823-7775 or check out www.floridabicyclesports.com.

TRIATHLON CLINICS: Palm Harbor YMCA board president Roberta Klar announced former ITU world champion Spencer Smith has been volunteering at ongoing YMCA triathlon clinics. Smith was born in the U.K., but now lives in Palm Harbor.

Klar coaches at the triathlon clinics, along with Smith and Celia Dubey, another accomplished champion triathlete who is from Tarpon Springs. Klar invites all interested tri-newbies to learn new skills on April 1 and May 6. Klar said all proceeds from the triathlon clinics will benefit Palm Harbor YMCA's annual giving campaign, which funds scholarships for those unable to pay for memberships and programs at the YMCA.

MAD DOG SWIMS: You know it's the start of the local triathlon season when the St. Pete Mad Dogs start sending e-blasts about howling, BBQ cookouts and open-water swimming.

St. Pete Mad Dog Triathlon Club president Tim Hudson invites all triathletes to the Wednesday Night Open Water Swim at Hurley Park on Pass-A-Grille Beach.

In past years, the group of swimming triathletes has grown to more than 80 swimmers, and many residents walk down to the beach, offering encouragement and refreshments.

Some swimmers will exit the water early, while others, particularly those who are training for next month's Ford Ironman Arizona, will swim to the 1-mile mark and further. A 4-mile run and barbecue will follow. Bring a dish to share and sign up for St. Pete Mad Dog membership.

To learn more, visit www.stpetemaddogs.com.

ESCAPE FROM FORT DESOTO: Race director Joe Fernandez has opened race registration for Escape from Fort DeSoto Triathlon XXI (swim .5 mile, bike 10 miles, run 4 miles), to be held at 7:30 a.m. on April 14 at Fort DeSoto Park North Beach in Tierra Verde.

"We are expecting one of the biggest fields ever, and we encourage all our local athletes to sign up as early as they can to avoid not getting into the race," Fernandez said.

To register, go to www.altavistasports.com.

Times correspondent Jessica Mundie can be reached at sptimescycling@yahoo.com

[Last modified March 13, 2007, 23:19:11]