Hardman is "Come Back Kid" at Ventura Triathlon

Ventura, California

The HLB Triathlon Team's fourth race of the year, held in Ventura, California, was titled the "Breath of Life" triathlon, and that's exactly what Team member Mark Hardiman's triathlon career got. Hardiman suffered a demoralizing 24-minute loss to fellow teammate Arnold Pamplona in the Triathlon of the Champions less than two months ago. And he hadn't been the same since.

"I lost faith in myself, and I couldn't face my two daughters," said the melodramatic Hardiman. Hardiman was so ashamed, in fact, that he contemplated retirement and opted out of the Team's last race, the Kring and Chung Newport Beach Triathlon.

"He should be embarrassed," said a nonchalant Pamplona before today's Olympic-distance race. "He is a seasoned marathon runner, and I'm an asthmatic with only 84% of his lung capacity." Pamplona announced that he was no longer concerned with Hardiman, and that his real motivation for the race was to beat his swim protogé (and HLB Tri Team Captain) Stacie Neroni over the 1.5-kilometer (.9 mile) swim course. But Pamplona would be well-served in the future to respect the progress Hardiman made over the last two months.

Although he predictably struggled in the swim, Hardiman was inspired during the 40-kilometer (25 mile) bike leg, which he astonishinly finished only 2 minutes slower than Pamplona, the Team's bike specialist. "Arnold should be concerned. He usually crushes Mark on the bike. I think this is a sign of things to come," remarked HLB Tri member (and founder) Jennifer Levy, who decided to support the team rather than compete in today's race.

Overall, Hardiman was only 8 minutes slower than Pamplona, 14 years his junior, over the swim, bike and run portions of the race. That represents a dramatic 16-minute improvement over his performance in Irwindale. Hardiman was ectatic when the results were announced. "The year of Pamplona is over. I now know I have what it takes to beat him!" Wishful thinking for the 43-year old triathlete? Perhaps. But his new-found enthusiasm for the sport he loves was refreshing, nonetheless.

"I don't know what the big deal is. I still beat him," mumbled a reticent Pamplona, clearly bothered by the fact that his swim split was a full minute slower than Neroni's. Her improvement in the water over the past months has been dramatic. Last September, she could not swim more than 25 yards without stopping. Today she regularly completes the grueling swim from Manhattan Beach Pier to Hermosa Beach Pier--a two-mile trip. Neroni is trying to establish herself as HLB Tri's swim specialist, and she made great headway in her impressive swim performance today.

The swim wasn't the only portion of the race that went well for Neroni. Despite racing on an ankle she badly twisted only week before, she posted her best-ever 10k run split, beating her previous personal record by over three and a half minutes. "No one was more impressed than I," remarked Team member Hope Levy-Biehl. She explained: "A few days ago we weren't even sure if she would be able to race!"

Levy-Biehl herself was impressive in her third triathlon ever. HLB Tri's newest member, Levy-Biehl chose to race in the sprint distance race, and did quite well. "I think she's ready for the next step: to race in an Olympic distance triathlon," said Pamplona. He continued: "to tell you the truth, she's the athlete I'm most worried about. She hardly has time to train, yet she posts such great times." In addition to being a triathlete, Levy-Biehl is the mother of two very active boys. And oh, yeah, she has a pretty demanding day job as well. It is clear that with just a little more training time, Pamplona will have three, and not just two, rivals on the Team.



Neroni focuses before the race in the transition area.


Hardiman looked confident before starting the 1.5k (.9 mile) swim.


Levy-Biehl is loose before the sprint swim.


Pamplona (center, silver wetsuit) dives to start the swim portion of the race.


Hardiman looked disoriented after struggling in the swim, but made up time in the bike portion of the race.


A frantic Pamplona reaches the swim/bike transition one minute slower than Neroni.


Lawyer. Wife. Mother of two. Triathlete.


Neroni and Levy-Biehl show great form in bike leg.



Pamplona, HLB Tri's strongest cyclist, managed only a 2-minute advantage over Hardiman in the 40k (25 mile)bike leg.


Hardiman suffered, but ceded only eight minutes to Pamplona this time around.


A relentless Neroni sprints to the finish of the 10k (6.2 miles) run.


HLB Tri: Teammates before the gun sounds, rivals during the race, and friends at the finish.

Breath of Life Ventura Triathlon
Olympic Distance Race: .9-mile swim, 24.8-mile bike, 6.2-mile run
Pamplona: Swim: 37:56:00; Bike: 1:19:48; Run: 59:11:00; Total: 2:56:53
Hardiman: Swim: 42:27:00; Bike: 1:21:38; Run: 1:00:44; Total: 3:04:47
Neroni: Sim: 36:56:00; Bike: 1:33:20; Run: 1:06:13; Total: 3:16:27

Sprint Distance Race: .24-mile swim, 12.7-mile bike, 3.1-mile run
Levy Biehl: Swim: 18:01:00; Bike: 49:29:00; Run: 31:49:00 Total: 1:39:17

BREAKING NEWS: Hardiman Challenges Pamplona to Half-Ironman Distance Race

Hardiman had a lot to say at the post-race press conference in Ventura.

Ventura, California

Fresh off of his strong (and somewhat unexpected) performance in the Breath of Life Ventura Triathlon, HLB Tri Team Member Mark Hardiman had some very choice words for his young Teammate Arnold Pamplona at the post-race press conference. "He thought he could rest on his laurels after the Irwindale triathlon. He skipped workouts. He partied hard. That was a big mistake." Hardiman was feeling confident after crossing the finish line only 8 minutes slower than Pamplona in a race many predicted to be a blowout. "He told me he would beat me by a half hour. Look at my bike split! It was only two minutes slower than his!"

Hardiman's attacks were not limited to mere trash talking. He not only predicted that he would soon beat Pamplona in a triathlon, he set the place and time.

"I challenge Arnold to try and beat me in the San Diego Triathlon Challenge on October 30, 2005." That race, hosted by the Challenged Athletes Foundation, requires participants to complete a half marathon (13.1 mile run) AFTER completing a 1.2-mile open water swim and a 56-mile bike.

"He's crazy," responded Pamplona in a telephone interview, "did anyone tell him that there's a 56-mile bike leg? I'm liable to beat him by an hour." Although he thought Hardiman's challenge was rediculous, he happily accepted:"I will not only beat him in the race, I will raise more money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation than he will."

Who will prevail in the Hardiman-Pamplona triathlon battle? Only the athletes can determine that. But only YOU, dear reader, can determine who will raise more money for disabled athletes. Who do you like more? Are you rooting for the 43-year old veteran, or the 29-year old upstart?

If you want Hardiman to win, click here to donate on his behalf. If you want Pamplona to win, click here.

It's up to you, America. Every vote counts. Seacrest, out.

HLB Tri Has Break-Through Performance at Newport Beach Race

Each member posts a sprint distance personal record, Neroni edges Pamplona in swim

Newport Beach, California
Sisters and HLB Triathlon Team members Jenniver Levy and Hope Levy-Biehl arrived at the transition area of the 2005 Kring & Chung Newport Beach Triathlon highly motivated. Each spent the last few weeks preparing for a difficult ocean swim, training in the cold and choppy Venice Beach waters. What awaited them in today's race was a pleasant surprise.

"It's a lagoon swim!" exclaimed Levy when she discovered that the swim leg would be held in the warm and calm waters of the Back Bay Recreation Area. The news was music to the ears of Levy-Biehl who had a difficult time dealing with the waves and currents at the Santa Barbara Triathlon--her first race as an HLB Tri Team member.

After they racked their bikes laid out their race gear, the Levy sisters calmly entered the lagoon. It would be their first triathlon together--Levy founded the HLB Tri Team when she recruited Stacie Neroni, Mark Hardiman and Arnold Pamplona to complete the 2004 Long Beach Triathlon with her, but sat out Levy-Biehl's first race 2 months ago in Santa Barbara. It was fitting that they were placed in the same wave. "It was great starting the race with my sister, and knowing that my husband and children were waiting for me at the finish line" said Levy-Beihl.

Indeed, the family support would inspire the Levy sisters to swim, bike and run to their best race yet. Levy obliterated her previous sprint distance personal record by 2 minutes and 37 seconds, while Levy-Biehl crossed the finish line 30 minutes and 5 seconds faster than her Santa Barbara time.

Meanwhile, a new rivalry was blooming between HLB Tri Team veterans Arnold Pamplona and Stacie Neroni. Pamplona was clearly disappointed that fellow teammate Mark Hardiman opted to skip the race and compete instead in the Palm Springs triathlon (consisting of eating, sleeping and swimming in a hotel pool). "Beating Hardiman is always a motiviation for me," said Pamplona, who is still looking to exact a dominating victory over his elder rival after managing only a narrow triumph at last month's Triathlon of the Champions.

But if Pamplona was looking for motivation at today's race, he would not have to wait long to find it. Confident that she was finally over the psychological problems that hindered her in triathlons past, Neroni threw down the gauntlet when she approached Pamplona before the start of the race and whispered "I'm going to beat you in the swim." Pamplona scoffed. "She's nuts" he reacted, "she didn't even know how to swim 9 months ago. I taught her how to swim."

But Pamplona could not ignore the challenge. Although starting late in life, Neroni has proven to be a natural swimmer, and has trained hard to close the gap between herself and her cocky teammate. When the gun sounded starting her wave, Neroni rocketed to the front of the pack, methodically passing competitors with her flawless stroke. Pamplona's wave started three minutes later, and she was determined to enter the swim-run transition area at least three minutes ahead of him.

Pamplona was flabbergasted when the official results were announced. Neroni's swim leg was 21 seconds faster than his. "That time gap is easy to explain! I had trouble getting out of my wetsuit before entering the transition area!" shouted an incredulous Pamplona. Neroni was livid when she learned that Pamplona was offering excuses: "He has to accept that he has more than just Hardiman to worry about now."

Their bickering aside, Pamplona and Neroni each had an excellent race, with Pamplona shattering his sprint distance personal record by 7 minutes, 18 seconds, and Neroni besting hers by 2 minutes, 39 seconds. "I'm really proud of the Team," said Team captain Neroni at the post-race press conference. She also announced that the Team's next race would be the Breath of Life Triathlon in Ventura California, an Olympic Distance race to be held on June 26.

2005 Kring & Chung Newport Beach Triathlon
.5-mile swim; 12-mile bike; 3.1-mile run

Stacie Neroni
Swim: 16:25
Bike: 45:43
Run: 28:45

Arnold Pamplona
Swim: 16:46
Bike: 38:08
Run: 24:48

Hope Levy-Biehl
Swim: 20:45
Bike: 45:50
Run: 29:34

Jennifer Levy
Swim: 22:00
Bike: 57:34
Run: 37:57


With over 600 participants in this year's race, the transition area was very crowded.


Nothing is more chaotic than the swim start of a triathlon.



Shown here tangled in neoprene, Pamplona blamed his swim loss to Neroni on this wet suit malfunction. Neroni called the excuse "Poppycock."


HLB Tri looked strong in the bike leg of the race


The Levy sisters hard at work


The HLB Triathlon Team. Left to Right: Levy-Biehl, Levy, Neroni and Pamplona


A relieved HLB Triathlon Team at the end of the race


HLB Triathlon Team fans


Ryan, Levy-Biehl's eldest son, waits for his mom at the finish line


Neroni and Eli, Ryan's brother

HLB Tri Team Shakes "Mini" Monkey Off its Back in First International Distance Triathlon

Irwindale, California

Earlier in the year, HLB Triathlon Team member Mark Hardiman was upset. And he wasn't going to take it anymore. "I'm sick of everyone saying how cute it is that I do mini triathlons," he complained, raising a sentiment shared by the rest of the Team. Arnold Pamplona clarified that "triathlons consisting of a half-mile swim, 12-mile bike and 3-mile run are called a sprint distance triathlons, and they are very challenging!" But he added, shamefully, "it never impresses the women."

Sensing that her teammates were not satisfied with their admirable performances in Long Beach and Catalina Triathlons in 2004, and the UCSB Spring Hazard Triathlon in 2005--all sprint distance affairs--Team captian Stacie Neroni made a decision. "We are going to do our first international distance triathlon on April 30," she announced during a recent team meeting. The challenge invigorated the team, but it was a daunting one.

International distance triathlons are roughly double the distance of sprint triathlons. "Now I can tell women that we do the same distances as they do in the Olympics--no more minis for me!," exclaimed Pamplona, who revealed his shallow motivation for participating in the Tri Team. Neroni picked a particularly difficult race for the Team. The Triathlon of the Champions in Irwindale, California required participants to complete a .9-mile swim AFTER a challenging 18-mile bike.

There is a reason a triathlon organizers traditionally set up the swim portion first. Over exertion on a run or a bike can cause near-fatal cramps and respiratory-exhaustion complications in the water. Pamplona, the first to enter the swim after a blistering bike ride in today's race, succumbed to cramps in both of his quadriceps muscles. The injuries almost forced him to abandon the race after the first of two laps in the Santa Fe Dam reservoir. Similarly, Hardiman suffered cramps in his calves. For Neroni, the exhaustion of swimming after the bike leg caused delirium: instead of doing two laps of the reservoir, as directed, she completed three. Amazingly, her swim split for three laps was only three minutes slower than Hardiman's two-lap split, demonstrating her complete dominance in the water. "Did I mention the cramp was in both of my calves?" offered a sheepish Hardiman in his own defense.

Hardiman regained his form for the punishing 6.2-mile trail run that followed the swim. He caught up to Pamplona and taunted his younger team mate. Pamplona was looking for redemption after losing to Hardiman by one minute in the Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon just two weeks prior. Somehow Pamplona was able to dig deep and shake the elder Hardiman, managing to eek out a narrow 24-minute victory over his nemesis. "I really wanted to crush him today, as payback. I guess it will have to wait until the next race," said an exhausted Pamplona at the finish line.

The HLB Triathlon team finished strongly in their respective age categories. Neroni finsihed 3rd in the 35-39 bracket, Pamplona finished 5th in the 20-29 group, and Hardiman managed 8th in the very competitive 40-44 division.

Results: 18-mile bike, .9-mile swim (except for Neroni, who did 1.35 miles), 6.2-mile run

Pamplona: Bike: 53:07, Swim: 36:03, Run: 54:12, Total: 2:23:21
Hardiman: Bike: 59:58; Swim: 47:00, Run: 1:00:57, Total: 2:47:54
Neroni: Bike: 1:02:00, Swim: 50:09, Run: 1:09:58, Total: 3:02:06


HLB Tri hams it up before the race



Neroni (center) at the bike start



Pamplona had a strong bike leg




Neroni demonstrates proper aero position on the bike



Neroni preparing for an epic swim



Hardiman taunts Pamplona



Co-workers. Training partners. Rivals.



The traditional post-race breakfast



The real reason they tri: Guilt free eating

High Drama Unfolds at Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon

Hardiman's Fastest Leg Too Little, Too Late as HLB's Team II Upset's Team I

Los Angeles, California
Hooper's Troopers II Team Captain Stacie Neroni surveilled her rag-tag team prior to the start of this year's St. John's Health Center Jimmy Stewart Relay Marathon, and she didn't like what she saw. "From top to bottom, Hooper's Troopers I is superior," lamented Neroni, as she laced up her shoes for what promised to be a very long day.

On paper, she was right. The opening leg pitted Neroni against Hope "The Natural" Levy-Biehl, whose innate athleticism has allowed her to get into competition shape in just two months of training after a long lay-off to have 2 children. The second leg offered no more promise for Team II, which offered up sacrificial lamb Jordan Keville against Hope's father, Mark "The Ringer" Levy, the favorite to bring home the fastest leg of the day. Neroni had little to no confidence in her third runner, Franklin Paniagua, as he faced Team I's Khalil "Blast" Mack, who recently began training with the HLB Triathlon Team. "My fourth leg worries me the most, because Carlos Villafuerte is unproven," said Neroni of her rookie who was slated to face marathon runner Irene "The Dream" Paniagua. Finally, since no one else wanted to participate, Neroni had to assign Team II's anchor leg to asthmatic Arnold Pamplona, who would face nemesis and star distance runner Mark "Where Did He Go?" Hardiman, who honed his speed this year ducking irate clients.

"They have nicknames, we don't--that says it all," said a resigned Keville as he waited for his team captain Neroni to finish the first leg. But surprisingly, Neroni finished her portion of the race a full minute in front of The Natural Levy-Biehl. "When I saw her struggling, I decided right then and there to punish her," remarked a content Neroni after she handed off the baton to Keville, who was expected to put up only token resistance against The Ringer. But Keville also surpassed expectations, finishing in exactly the same time as the Mark Levy, giving Paniagua a one-minute lead when he started his leg against Blast. "Although he spent the off-season eating powdered donuts, I have confidence in Frankie," said Pamplona, who witnessed Paniagua finish the 2003 Los Angeles Marathon without doing a single training run. Pamplona was right to believe in Paniagua, who ceded only one minute to Blast, giving fourth-leg Villafuerte some room to work with.

With the rookie Villafuerte starting the course at the same time as The Dream, no one knew what to expect. But Villafuerte put in the run of his life, finishing the fourth leg an astonishing 6 minutes ahead of Irene Paniagua, who excels in marathons, but struggles in middle distances. "No one was more surprised than I was," said Villafuerte, whose large head gives him a distinct aerodynamic disadvantage (his enlarged cerebrum earned him the nickname "The Head" amongst his college friends--true story!).

With a six-minute cushion, asthmatic Pamplona cruised into the finish line five minutes ahead of Team I's anchor Hardiman. Although Hardiman ran the day's fastest leg at 44 minutes, he caught the ire of his teammates. "I can't believe that a seasoned runner can't make up a 6-minute gap against a weakling with a debilitating respiratory illness," complained a disappointed Team I captain Levy-Biehl. Sulking, Hardiman blamed Team I's poor performance on the absence of Sharon Lee, who had been the team's Manager in prior years. "Sharon whipped us into shape and brought us Capri Sun" said Hardiman, in tribute to Lee. "Things are just not the same without her."

Neroni and Levy-Biehl rest after a competitive first leg



The Paniaguas raced on different teams this year


A touching moment as Levy-Biehl hands the baton to her father, Mark "The Ringer" Levy


Hooper's Troopers II's Keville, Pamplona and Villafuerte


Mack v. Paniagua III lived up to its billing


Pamplona and Villafuerte demonstrate a text-book baton handoff


Pamplona cruises into a Hooper's Troopers II victory


Hardman's record setting leg would be for naught


Team I's Mack spends time with his adoring fans


Members of the HLB Running Team sport their team shirts, designed by Villafuerte. This picture begs the question, "Why do older men insist on tucking their T-Shirts into their shorts?"


The HLB Running Team: a Family Affair

HLB Tri Faces Adversity in Santa Barbara Race

Hardiman Succumbs to Equipment Failure, Neroni Overcomes a Test of Will, Levy-Biehl Experiences Baptism in Fire

Santa Barbara, California

HLB Triathlon Team members Arnold Pamplona, Mark Hardiman, Stacie Neroni and Hope Levy-Biehl opened the triathlon season today, competing in the aptly-named UCSB Spring Hazard Triathlon. Fan favorite Jennifer Levy, sister of new Team member Levy-Biehl, did not participate in the event, opting to play the important role of team manager. And the team would need her support.

"I knew it would be a bad day when I had to wait 30 minutes to use the port-a-potty," complained Neroni. Poor logistical planning on the part of the UCSB students caused most of HLB Tri's problems. The potty situation prevented the Team from completing a proper warm-up swim in the icy Santa Barbara waters. "The warm-up swim is the most important part of the race," said a concerned Pamplona before his race start. It was Pamplona who didn't warm up and thus panicked during the swim portion of last year's Long Beach Triathlon, where he resorted to doggie-paddling for a half mile.

But acclimating to the chilling water was the least of the Team's problems. Large tsunami-like waves were a challenge Levy-Biehl did not expect in her first triathlon. The Team's open-water swim training was done exclusively at the Long Beach Pier, where waves are non-existent. "I was getting battered out there" shouted Levy-Biehl as she exited the water toward the swim-bike transition area.

Neroni was the Team member who overcame the largest obstacle on the swim. HLB Tri's strongest swimmer, Neroni bolted off the beach to begin her race, giving her no other swimmers to follow. She was forced to navigate by sighting a single buoy 800 meters away from the swim start. Because of the inept planning of UCSB, she was effectively forced to swim blind. "Demons surface when you are swimming alone in cold, choppy water and you don't know where you're going," said a disturbed Neroni, re-living the hellish experience. "I'm going to need therapy!"

Despite the numerous problems on the swim, each Team member made it to the swim-bike transition. However, not all were unscathed: Pamplona suffered a serious rash from his wet-suit, forcing him to endure calls of "lobster boy" from race spectators during the bike and run portions.

The bike leg went much smoother for Neroni, Levy-Biehl and Pamplona, who picked off competitors one-by-one throughout the 16-mile course. Hardiman would not be so lucky. He flatted at mile 11. "You really find out what you're made of when you flat with five miles to go and you realize you don't know how to fix it," remarked Hardiman. After crying for several minutes, Hardiman managed to fix his damaged inner-tube using only a twig and duct-tape (a trick he remembered from watching MacGyver). The moment of genius came to an end when he realized that he didn't have a pump to inflate the repaired wheel. There was not a dry tear among the spectators has Hardiman courageously entered the bike-run transition area after having walked his bike for five miles.

Pamplona took home the Team's best time of the day, completing the .5-mile swim, 16-mile bike and 3-mile run in 1:38:18. Neroni and Levy-Biehl placed admirably in their age divisions, finishing in 1:55:35 and 2:12:40, respectively. Hardiman was not allowed to complete the race, as most everyone had gone home by the time he reached the bike-run transition. Somber after earning his first ever "DNF", Hardiman was consoled by the calming presence of Jay Hartz, who surprised the Team with an unannounced appearance at the finish line. "The team looked great," said Hartz, "but it took them so damn long to get to the finish line that I thought I showed up at the wrong race!"



The Team is All Smiles Before the Race . . . Little Would They Know!



Levy-Biehl efficiently peels off her wetsuit on the way to the transition



Focused after a difficult swim, Neroni seeks to make up lost time



The Transition Area: Ordered Chaos




Hardiman rocketed through the first 11 miles of the bike



The Team relaxes before a post-race brunch