It was a year ago that Jennifer Levy assembled a rag-tag group of weekend warriors for the purpose of completing the 2004 Long Beach sprint distance triathlon. When they signed up for the race, neither Stacie Neroni nor Mark Hardiman could swim more than 25 yards without stopping. And none of the current HLB Triathlon Team members had a proper bicycle. But Levy, Hardiman, Neroni, and Arnold Pamplona started the race anyway, and the rest is history.
Since that fateful race, the HLB Triathlon Team has entered nine triathlons, crossed the threshold to Olympic distance contests, and has added a new member, Levy's sister, Hope Levy-Biehl.
The Team came full circle today, as it competed in the 2005 Long Beach Triathlon. It was a momentous occasion, as it marked the first time that all five members of the Team entered the same race. And the results were astounding. Neroni shattered her 2004 time by 14 minutes. Hardiman bested his time by three minutes, while Levy and Pamplona improved their times by 17 minutes and 14 minutes, respectively. Meanwhile, Levy-Biehl set a personal best for a sprint distance triathlon.
HLB Tri before the start of the race
Neroni, Levy-Biehl, and Levy prepare for the start of their wave
Neroni, Levy, and Levy Biehl run into the calm waters of Long Beach
Pamplona meditates before the gun sounds for his wave
Pamplona and Neroni get aerodynamic on Shoreline Boulevard
Hardiman hydrates himself during the bike leg
Levy-Biehl negotiates the final curve before the bike-run transition
She started it all: Levy crosses the finish line of her second Long Beach Triathlon
Your 2005 HLB Triathlon Team
