Brian Norling

Race Day Equipment

Wetsuit -2XU S1
Bike-Cervelo P2C with Zipp1080 front and Zipp Sub9 rear wheel for race day
Shoe- Adidas Boston
 

I was one of those guys who swore he would never wear spandex or shave my legs.  I rode my mountain bike in jeans and my recovery drink was beer.  Wow, how my life has changed in a year! Now I run through peoples neighborhoods in spandex and have fun while doing it with the sun glistening off of my freshly shaved arms and legs!

Clearwater is marking the end of a great first season for me. This year has turned out better than I could have ever expected. In preparing for Clearwater, there have been some really fun days as well as some really hard. I am hoping that all the training, nutrition, etc. all come together for this one day.

In my journey, I have made some great friends and met some wonderful people, while also remembering to have fun.

Finding the JSTC and the people in the club to train with has made this journey fun. To be at races and hear “Go Jersey Shore”  makes you feel good to be part of the Club.  I have been supported along the way by so many people, although it’s hard to name them all.

Brian washes down his first career overall win at Born To Tri, Asbury Park

Some memories include Lava Man in Lavallette with some rainy conditions and finishing 2nd OA behind Scott Duprex but coming so close on the run, to finally running him down at Born to Tri in Asbury Park. Thanks Scott for the chase. 

My goal for Rhode Island 70.3 was to finish with a decent time and in one piece. During the training leading up to the race Joe D kept telling me I had a shot at Clearwater, although I wasn’t sure I believed it. Sitting at the awards ceremony in Rhode Island and hearing my name called for Clearwater was beyond my wildest dreams. Thanks Joe. 

Another event I will always remember is Vice Versa. Getting to be  part of Team Brandon for the inaugural race was an honor. It was a race I really didn’t think about doing until Dave asked me to be in the relay for Team Brandon. Dave was going to do the run, I was doing the bike, and Ted and Brandon were doing the swim.

With a quick text message from Dave the night before the race, telling me he wasn’t going to make it, I was now going to do the run. The goal was to get a good lead, and give Ted and Brandon all the time they needed for the swim. Well we came close. Team Brandon got second by a small margin. 

Many thanks to Joe D and Dave Slavinski at BPC for dragging me along on their workouts, making me a better athlete and for being great people to train with. I Also trained most of the summer with Dave and Joe, doing all the long workouts with them while they were getting ready for Kona. We were rewarded at the end of some the long rides with a good breakfast at The Cookie Lady.  Both of them have pushed me all season beyond what I thought were my limits.

Thanks also to everybody  who was there for all the early morning rides, swims and runs. Also CW for all the advice along the way - good, bad and interesting at times! Thanks to the economy for giving me the summer off to train more.

Last but not least thanks to my wife, Nancy and kids  for putting up with all of this. One more week and it’s all over.  Back to riding at Allaire in jeans. Until next season...

The Norling Support Crew