New Health Issues

I am adding this first paragraph to let you know about something I am going through and that I just found out about a few weeks ago.  I have just added the Christian Fish to our web site because I have recently found out that I have colon cancer that I am in the process of dealing with.  With no insurance and looking at the possibility of some large bill, it has brought me back to my knees to pray to my God that I have had the tendency to minimize over the years.  I have always been a Christian and got saved years ago, but I have been one of those Christians that tends to backslide and not give nearly enough time to Him and His word.  It is funny how hearing some bad news can bring us back to our roots and down to our knees.....and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. 

Ironman racer Andrew Johnston has had cancer for 4 years now and after getting the proper care from the medical field and letting people in the triathlon community know about his health, the prayers went out for him and he was blessed with the ability to go on in the sport of triathlon and compete in Ironman events all over the world.  I don't think that Andrew has been completely healed of his cancer, but I do know that he is dealing with it like the champion that he is.  I am going to use him as my mentor as I am dealing with my cancer. 

I have already had many prayers answered and many people that I didn't even know, step up and offer to help me deal with this cancer.  I know that things will work out and that I am going to be learning and growing in the process.  That is why I have decided to write this to all of you and let you know my situation.  I plan to keep on with our race schedule and produce our races that you have come  to enjoy.  My family has stepped up and offered to help me in many ways that will take the pressure off of me doing so much and shift it to them, so I can do the things that don't require so much of my physical participation.  We will produce the same races for you and hope that you will continue to come to the North Ga. mountains to participate with us.  Thank you in advance for your prayers and thoughts.

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In closing about this subject, I would like you to also extend your prayers to Henry Forest.  Some of you racers may know him as the guy that sells triathlon tee shirts at the races and was part of the original crew that did the first Ironman Triathlon in Honolulu Hawaii in 1978.  He is a great guy with lots of energy for the sport and the racers. We all miss having him at our races and know that he will be back with us in the near future.  He is dealing with cancer like the Ironman he is and would like to have your support on his road to recovery.

Thank you for your time, support and prayers..

About Our Club

The Great Smoky Mountains Triathlon Club was founded in the summer of 1998 by me, Scott Hanna, race director and founding member of the club. I was working at a local hospital in the physical therapy dept. when I was inspired by fellow workers to start training and getting back in shape. It had been years sense I had done any real good cardio workouts or swimming, but with the inspiration for loosing some weight, I, and fellow workers started to go to the local dam and start to run. It was a slow process at first, but as the weeks went by and the weather started to warm, the running progressed to biking, while all the time the lure of the water was at hand. It just happened that the bike and running path were both located on the top of the wall of the dam and stretched out for a half mile before going into the woods and becoming a mountain bike trail. A perfect place to do a triathlon race.

Working out outside was a welcome relief to working inside all winter. Once the water warmed to the mid 70s, we began the swimming . It was slow at first, and we were just swimming a few hundred yards at a time, but eventually we built up to a mile. It almost seemed impossible to think of combining a swim with a run and bike ride, but after a few weeks of practice we were able to combine the three events at a workout.

This little mountain town, located in the western end of NC, has it's share of good athletes, and slowly the word got out about the triathlon training that was being done 3 nights a week at the dam. Soon the 2 people became 4, then 6 and 8. That's when the idea of a race came about and took off. In our small group were some fine bikers and runners with just a hand full of swimmers, but we had the drive to put a race on.
 

It all came together on August 8th when 35 people showed up to compete. We were excited because it was the first time an event like this had been tried in this small mountain town, but the dye was cast and the beginning of a new era was born.

Training continued through the year, with swimming being done at the local college in North GA and the biking and running done where ever you could do it. Early in the spring of 99 the triathletes started to trickle back to the dam and the new season of training began.

This year was going to be more exciting because there were 3 events being planned. A relay event was held on the July 4th weekend followed by a small local race on August 7th and finally a USAT sanctioned race on the 8th.

The race on the 8th was exciting because it was promoted around the southern region, and was the first race done in association with the USA Triathlon. We had an elite group of athletes come to participate and earn their share of the $1000. in prize money. The race started out with a 1.2 mile swim in the beautiful and clean lake that shares the boarders of NC and GA. Lake Chatuge is becoming a big attraction to the people of the Atlanta area because it's in the mountains and offers some relief from the hot sticky summers of the south.

The bike portion of the race covered 18 miles, and went from the dam in Hayesville NC to the Georgia Mountain Fair Grounds in Hiawassee GA. and was supported by both the Ga. and NC state patrol and many other organizations that volunteer their services for the racers.

Finally the run, which covered 4.2 miles of a cross country course and was designed by the local track coach of Hayesville High School, was attacked by the elite triathletes that came into the area to give this virgin course a go. Everyone said they totally enjoyed the race and the area it was held in. We received high encouragement to continue with our plans of putting on more races for the future.

In early September, we topped of the summer with a 4.5 mile open water swim (as seen on map below. The dam is marked with a circle where the race ends and the start of the open water swim is marked with a square) across the lake from the Fieldstone Hotel in Hiawassee Ga. to the Chatuge Dam in Hayesville NC. This event was done to raise money for the local hospital and promises to be a big race for the future.

In October we did our final race of the year. This race was not a planned at the beginning of the season but will be part of the race schedule for 2000. It also pulled in several athletes from as far away as Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Birmingham. Even though it was held on a cool rainy day, no ones spirits were dampened and the race went on to a successful conclusion.

All the races being held and put on by the Great Smoky Mountain Triathlon Club are basically being done in the same area, but all the courses are different, and cover new routes. The map below shows the lake area and all the roads near by that we use for the bike and running portion of the triathlons, duathlons.

This year of 2007 we are planning 11 events which include 7 triathlons, 2 duathlons, 1 half marathon, and 1 open water swim.  These events will run from April to November of 2007.

Our club is always looking for new members, so if you live in the local area and want to join in our events, workouts or club parties you are welcome. For more information about our club you can contact Scott Hanna at 828-389-6982 or e-mail me at tri20001@msn.com. I will be glad to send any and all info you may need to help you with your race planes for the new year.