2015 September News
Team PHenomenal Hope September Newsletter
As summer winds down, Team PHenomenal Hope is gearing up for our next phase, and we’re excited to bring you with us in this race to make a difference in the lives of those with pulmonary hypertension.
First, an August Recap
August was an exciting month for Team PHenomenal Hope, as our triathletes led out the month in the first weekend. Dustin Wehler opened for Team PHenomenal Hope racing in our hometown Pittsburgh Triathlon and finishing first in his age group in the Sprint distance, putting our colors on the podium!
And on the very next day, Mandy Gabarda and Mike Bauer took the team to Benton Harbor, Michigan, for the Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon. They both finished in PHenomenal fashion in this half Ironman distance race.
Just a couple weeks later, we joined Patty George on her longest solo ride yet, Paris-Brest-Paris, where she finished under the 84-hour time limit, taking Team PHenomenal Hope and PH awareness global in this 1230 km ride through France.
Finally, Tim Bachman took our team to the water in Hague, New York in the Lake George 10km Open Water Swim – that’s 6.2 miles of swimming. He finished first in his age group, and ninth overall, with a time of 3 hours and 3 minutes.
And this just in: On September 6, Pascale Lercangee teamed up with friend Larry Graham to set to cross-Ohio mixed team record in 11 hours 24 minutes. The total distance was 233 miles, making their average speed 20.3 mph for the entire ride. We think it is super cool to have a teammate in the record books. Congratulations, everyone!
Our August PH Warrior
Team PH continues to go “global.” Meet Paula Menezes, president of PHA Brazil. In this month’s PH Story, she shares her fight against PH and the story of her mother. We are truly inspired by Paula, and look forward to hearing more from her in the near future.
Racing with our partner Bayer Healthcare
On September 13, Team PHenomenal Hope is pumped to ride with friends from Bayer Healthcare in Gran Fondo NJ. Read more about the event here!
Introducing Team PHenomenal Hope Triathlon!
As September opens, our focus shifts to triathlon, with four of our teammates competing in races these next two months. Make sure you check out our updated homepage and triathlon page for the latest in the triathlon season. We are excited to watch Mandy Gabarda, Monica Reisz, Mike Bauer, and Dustin Wehler carry our team spirit and colors into this area of endurance racing!
They will swim-bike-run in September and October, helping raise awareness about pulmonary hypertension and funds to find a cure. Meanwhile, Pascale will return in a final big race of the year at the Texas Time Trials on September 24.
Make sure you follow us closely in September, as our triathletes and ultracyclists are doing amazing things!
PHenomenal Hope Speaking Engagements
Team PH team members will be speaking off the bike this month, as Amanda presents at the Shenango Valley Health and Fitness Expo on Saturday, September 12, and Anne-Marie and Patty give the keynote, sharing experiences and ultra themes they’ve learned through racing as a team at the Pulmonary Hypertension Professional Network Symposium in Arlington, Virginia.
As always, we thank you for following us, supporting us, and helping donate to our cause to help make a difference in the lives of those with pulmonary hypertension. We look forward to continuing to bring you into the action and into the races as we race into the Fall.
