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Solana Beach Triathlon and TCSD Cares Dave Martin award
July 27th, 2009 Categories: Aquathlon and Duathlon Race Reports, Real Estate News, San Diego County Triathlon Race Reports, Triathlon Club of San Diego Race Reports, What to do in San Diego
SOLANA BEACH- Yesterday was the first Triathlon Club of San Diego sponsored Solana Beach 
Sprint Triathlon. It to was the first time the Dave Martin award was presented by TCSD Cares, which is the newly formed charitable arm of the Triathlon Club of San Diego.
For those not familiar with Dave Martin’s story, he was the Solana Beach veterinarian and TCSD club member that passed after being involved with a great white during a club ocean swim. There was a fund raising effort done within the triathlon community for his family. Fortunately they were in a healthy financially position, so they decided to give the money back to the triathlon community. It was decided to make sure the money was used to help a worthy candidate with their education expenses and TCSD Cares would be charged with caring for the funds raised and granting this annual award.
The first recipient of the Dave Martin award, chosen blindly by the grant committee of TCSD Cares, is Jaclyn Trosper. I think most active TCSD members know Jackie and her mom Bobbie Solomon. Jackie is a mother of two and her husband is a 3rd class Petty Officer in the US Navy. She has been working towards her RN license, which she recently tested for and passed, and is now taking specialized classes hoping to become involved in organ donation. Jackie and her mom have been very involved in TCSD as volunteers and I am sure Dave would be very happy with her selection. I know that the Martin kids are as they participated in the selection process. 
Congratulations JACKIE!!! You are a fantastic member of TCSD and very worthy of this award.
One last note on the Martin Family, Dave’s grandson Tanner Martin has became involved in triathlon immediately after his grandpa passed, as did Jeff his father. Yesterday Tanner CRUSHED the course and finished first in his age group, 12 and under. I am currently in negotiations with Tanner to work as his agent as I think the kids gotta future!!
The triathlon was blessed with PERFECT conditions, if you like your swim entry and exit with plenty of surf. A big swell started rolling in to the San Diego area starting Thursday with surf up to 10 feet in some areas of the county. By Sunday the surf had subsided somewhat but for the beginning of the Solana Beach triathlon it was still in the 3-4 foot range with occasional 5 foot sets rolling through.
Having grown up in the water, I forsaked racing and decided I could better support and represent TCSD as a swim buddy. As always it was a blast. I LOVE the surf and it’s always a good day when you can help someone get through conditions that would otherwise end their triathlon. 
My first swim was with Shellby Madden, who too is a recipient of TCSD Cares. Next was with TCSD member, Helen Barker, who came out of the water in 7th position in her wave. By helping keep up her confidence during the surf entry and exit, she did very well. My favorite victim, I mean athlete was Sophie. I truly believe that she would have not completed the event had I not been there to pretty much demand that we keep going. That whole tough love thing.
I knew she was having a tough time when I saw her surface from a wave and do what most inexperienced swimmers do and that’s take a quick gulping breath. In this situation, and it proved true this time, you take in a mouthful of water as the undercurrent is still active and usually pulls you back down a bit. The look on he face at that point was one of panic as is often the case when the O2 you were hoping for is actually H2O. I grabbed a hold of her, made sure she stayed above the water, could feel my presence hopefully giving her some security and refused to hear her pleas of turning around. I knew she was OK and it became my mission to build her confidence. Two waves later we were passed the surf zone and she was on her way to finishing and I received this promise from her;
I know you have heard this a thousand time but thank you thank you for this morning. Without you I don’t think I would have made it out. I hope one day I will be the person that helps other but I think for now I will learn how to get better at those surf entry and
exit!
Thanks it meant a lot to me and I was able to go through the swim without going on full blown panique(panic) mode and thus have a "strong" second part of the race!
Yes my goal is to spend a lot of time in the waves that I have been avoiding until now and learn how to go under them deep. Until I decided to go do triathlon I was very happy to stay on the beach and watch the waves…. Now I have decided to do something that forces me to learn how to master surf entry/exit!
So that was my Solana Beach Triathlon. Hope to see you out there next year and a HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS!!!
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Goodbye Dave Martin
April 25th, 2008 Categories: San Diego County Triathlon Race Reports, Triathlon Club of San Diego Race Reports
SOLANA BEACH– Tonight I said goodbye to triathlon club of San Diego member Dave Martin. As president of this great group it has been a very busy and emotional day for me. I came in to the position with the club when last June our president, Jim McCann, passed away unexpectedly.
Dave like many of us lived life to the fullest. When you look at the ocean as it was this evening, so serene and inviting, it is hard to imagine the tragedy that took place here in Fletcher Cove earlier. There 
were several heros swimming with Dave that showed great courage to do what they could to get him back to the beach. Unfortunately the encounter with the estimated 12–17’ great white caused to severe an injury.
The triathlon club hosted an open house at BnL Bike in Solana Beach so that it’s members could get together and support each other and those that were so closely effected by this tragedy.
As triathletes, we have to remember that while the ocean is home to 
creatures that have the potential to be dangerous, it is also our playground. Like a bike ride or a nice run, there is not a problem in existence that can not be solved during a good swim and not having to do flip turns every 25, makes it that much nicer.
I understand the prudence behind closing the beaches and giving the experts a chance to understand the situation, but we need not be afraid. This situation is as unfortunate as it is rare. This is supported by the media circus surrounding this event. From the small local North County Times to CNN my phone and email were flooded all day and evening with request for information and interviews.
We live in paradise and Dave knew it. As we watched the sun go down today as a group I could not help but think of the importance of trying to pack as much of life into each and every minute of our day.
Goodbye Dave.
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Shark attack off Solana Beach’s Fletcher Cove
April 25th, 2008 Categories: San Diego County Triathlon Race Reports, Triathlon Club of San Diego Race Reports
SAN DIEGO– This morning during a group swim, it appears one of the swimmers was fataly attacked. While shark attacks are EXTREMELY rare in the waters off the San Diego coast, we all know this is their home.
Out of respect to the family, my friends and the other swimmers that made up the group I will wait to post more information.
UPDATE: Here is an article from MSN.
As many of you know the victim was triathlon club member Dave Martin. There really is nothing more I can add that has not already been put out there.
As badly as I wanted to ‘scoop’ the media, having known all the information since early this morning, I opted for the high road and wanted to show respect to our frien Dave by respecting his family’s wishes.
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