December Blog

 Happy Monday to you all!

Hoping the holiday season isn't creeping up on you all too fast, and you have been able to take some time to enjoy the 8 hours of daylight.. December 21st is not only the day that we start getting back some daylight, it's also the annual Ugly Sweater/Cookie Swap day!  We meet at my house at 8 AM and run/walk for a bit- whatever you want to do- you do you.  And then, we enjoy some time together and have some fun.  We will be pulling a winner at random for a FREE RACE ENTRY to a Max Performance race!  But you have to be here to win!

Things on my holiday to-do list:

Also, in other news, we have a NEW KIT DESIGN coming in HOT- be on the look out for the link to order as it drops January 1.  In order to receive the email with this info, your membership should be renewed.  Please let us know if you have any questions about how to renew.  The 2026 Season starts for us on January 1st, so let's do this together!  The best way to be accountable to doing hard things is doing them with other people who are also doing hard things.  I feel like I have heard that somewhere, and it makes total sense.  So, why not?  

Finally, I spoke to Jeff Smith from Outsider this week, and he said that Patriot is filling up fast.  If you are planning to do this local favorite who now identifies as the USAT LONG COURSE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, get in while you can!  Click here to register.

Have a great week, team!

Jack Wagon

November 2025

 

Hey BSTTies!

  I am excited to meet with the BSTT Board next weekend so that we can get some planning done for the off-season.  I look forward to seeing you at casual training events, and other fun stuff.  Some agenda items we are planning to discuss are:

• Goals for 2026
• Sponsors
• Establishing 2026 Champ Race Series
• Off Season Training events
• Ugly Sweater Run
• January Winter Warrior
• Weekly Trail Runs
• Weekly Zwifties

Also, I'd like to ask for some input from you.  Other than triathlon, what are some physical activities that you enjoy?  What can we do better?  Please click on this SURVEY to help us understand better what our team loves to do with their free time.  After the board meeting, I will send an email to all members with the outcome of these discussions, and a preliminary calendar of events.

What's In Your Cup?

  I wanted to share- I have been staying away from alcohol for a while, and was looking for some sort of beverage that I could crack open and enjoy at the end of the day.. I stumbled upon these and I am loving them.  They taste great, and really help me sleep.  Check them out on Amazon.

What's Cookin'for Thanksgiving?

Are you itching to run a little 5K this turkey day?  Lots of stuff happening, with some great events supporting even greater causes. Here is a list of some good ones..

• Newman Turkey Trot: Seekonk
• Turkeywacker- Wrentham
• Hanover Turkey Trot 5K: Hanover, MA
• Hingham Turkey Trot 5K: Hingham, MA
• Franklin Turkey Trot 5K: Franklin, MA
• Braintree High School Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot 5K: Braintree, MA
• Running of the Pilgrims: Plymouth, MA
• North Reading 5k Turkey Trot: North Reading, MA

And a HUGE shout out to Jeff Smith from Outsider, as he takes on the charge of the Patriot Half being the 2026 USAT Long Course National Championship!  Check out the USAT article.

Have a great Thanksgiving, and see you soon!

August Blog!

Good afternoon, BSTTies and a very happy Friday to you all!

It's been an AMAZING season. YOU all have really stepped up your game- I think this has been an EPIC year for volunteering, competing, challenging yourselves with racing and training.. You all have SHOWN UP this season, and that's awesome. We have two races left on the Championship Race Series, and I cannot believe that we are a week away from SEPTEMBER!!!!

Next up is PilgrimMan- this will be a great race- if you have not signed up yet, and are thinking you want to do a rolling sprint or later season half, this race is for you. Not racing and want to check it out? Volunteer!

After that, we have Buzzard's Bay Tri- this is going to be the end of season race for us, so I will be there with Johnnie and Patty grillin and chillin after the race. Please consider registering for this one to come be a part of a HUGE wave of Red White and Blue! The DISCOUNT CODE BAYSTATEMAX23 12% is valid until next week.

Congrats to all who finished an Ironman this season- if you did finish the amazing 140.6 swim, bike and run, you get special recognition at the End of Season Party on October 21st. This year, we will have approximately 16 finishers!




News from your BSTT Leadership Team (The BLT):

Zach and John: Racing and training are in full force with many BSTTs reaching the podium, achieving PRs, and other personal goals. The Sharon Mockathlon was a big success with a great turnout and several new BSTT members completing their first unofficial triathlon that day! We congratulate all who have taken on Full Distance events these past several weeks, be it at IMLP or IMMT (or BOTH … Tammy )… we are all very proud of each and every one of you as we know the journey taken to get to that finish line is a long and arduous one!!! WELL DONE!!! And for those racing long in the upcoming weeks/months, stay focused on your training and keep up the great work!! We all look forward to cheering you on!!!

Amy: Be one of the first to own Rudy’s newest sunglasses! See link below!

Introducing Kelion — Rudy Project’s premier sports performance shades with a groundbreaking and eco-friendly design.

Kelion’s Rilsan® Clear frames support our commitment to sustainable and responsible manufacturing. The wide wrap-around lenses have a 5.2 base curve, giving you the visual clarity you need to see the road ahead more clearly.
Elite athletes like you should never compromise style, performance, or vision. With Kelion, you don’t have to.

Tom: Volunteers!

Hey, Hey, Hey, BeSSTies! Only two more major events left! Pilgrimman and Buzzards Bay are coming up!

Oh what a year it’s been! You all have really come through for our Race Directors, our Team, and the tri community in general. I’m truly in awe of how you’ve shown your love and support for this sport, and for each other. And Wow!…..I think the bike grid is on fire…..I just saw Master Roth running with an extinguisher after I sent him the list from Cranberry! Remember, you can up your chances by volunteering at more events. And if you aren’t on the grid yet, there are two events left to get you there….but you will need both! Pilgrimman on Sept 9th, and Buzzards Bay on Sept 17th. Don’t miss out! Lets send this season off with a bang!

Buzzards Bay Volunteer Reg: Buzzard's Bay Sprint Triathlon & Du Volunteer Registration (trisignup.com)

Pilgrimman Volunteer Reg: 2023 Pilgrimman Triathlon Volunteer Registration Online Registration (bikereg.com)

Darcey: Baystate Picnic Update - I am sorry to announce that we will need to cancel the Baystate Picnic this year because we just learned that the last 3 miles of the bike course has bad road conditions. The road unfortunately has been washed out with all the rain. This would make getting to the trailhead nearly impossible and the Owls Nest Resort was not comfortable letting us use their facility with so much risk to participants. However, that being said, Jeff Smith from Outsider Endurance, myself and the Owls Nest Resort are committed to making this event a success and happen next year.
We will be refunding the registration fees to everyone ASAP.
If you have any questions, please contact me directly.

Patty: END OF SEASON PARTY!!! Join Us at The Olde Scotland Links in Bridgewater, MA on Saturday, October 21St from 6pm-10pm for a frightfully good night- Free for all BSTT members, $30 per Guest. Costumes are highly recommended but not required. Registration will begin next week- this is a party you DO NOT WANT TO MISS!!!! Swag, fun, and lots of awards.


Have a great weekend, and see you out there!

-Jack Wagon








Kelion
rudyprojectna.com

Long Time, No BLOG! June, 2023

 

Well, HELLO!

  We have been super busy since we last blogged.. Between cabin fever, training day, ride out loud, and the start of the race season, we have been going NON- STOP.  Can you believe it's almost JULY?  Yikes!

In the Blog this Month:

2023 Championship Race Series

• Falmouth Tri- This amazing FLAT and FAST tri is July 9th- if you want in, you need to sign up in the next 48 hours!  Get in, and have a blast!
• Nantucket Tri- If you like the vibe of the Cohasset Tri, and are looking for a vacation/race thing, sig up for Nantucket!
• Whaling City- We will be showing up in full force for this one- stay tuned for team info on how BSTT will try their BEST to win the #1 team award this year!
• Sea to Summit- This small scale adventure race will be on July 22nd, and we have a group of Bay Staters who will be competing.. it's more like "how we are spending the day"- so fun, self supported, what a challenge!
• Sharon Tri- We will be at Sharon on August 13th- not sure if Zach will be organizing a pre-race training day on the course?  We will have the tent set up with BREAKFAST!!!  More to come on this.
• Cranberry- Always a great time, Cranberry Sprint or Oly- August 19-20..
• PilgrimMan- We have a few relay teams for the Half!  Lots of you have expressed an interest in this rolling hill fun event- see you there!
• Buzz Bay- My "Hometown" race- the only one that doesn't take me an hour to get to LOL...  This marks the end of the season.  If you are competing for the top spot in your Age Group, this event may be the arena for the final points.. best of luck to you all!  Buzzards Bay also has a team challenge, and we hope to bring home the boot here, too!

Darcey's Bay State PICNIC!  

Introducing the Baystate Picnic! Hoping this will be an exciting and intriguing opportunity for our team. Below I have included a humorous bunch of slides to walk you through the event as well as two links for registration. One is for the sign up and one is for a volunteer sign up, should you wish to support.

Saturday, September 23rd, Thornton NH at the Owl's Nest Resort. It's a long endurance day (9 hour max) with a swim, a bike, a hike, a bike back to the resort and a run around the lake. We have partnered with Owl's Nest to put on a special reception for us with pizzas, salads, apps and refreshing drinks. (No alcohol included) Tried to keep costs down to pay for venue/reception/t-shirt/medal. I'm sure there will be many questions so feel free to comment or message me directly. We do have a limit for participants, so please sign up early!  LINK

End of Season Party

The 2023 End of Season Party will be held on Saturday, October 21st- and it's a Halloween themed  evening event!  I cannot WAIT to see you all there as we PARTY DOWN, celebrating the accomplishments of all of you!   

In addition, we will award:

• All Age Group Champions- Stay tuned for the 2023 Age Group Champ BIKE JERSEY
• Volunteers- raffle for those who volunteered
• Volunteer of the Year
• Special Recognition Awards (you nominate these)
• Weekend Warriors (if you did a Sat/Sun race weekend)
• THE BIKE GIVEAWAY, a WETSUIT GIVEAWAY, and a LEG COMPRESSION MACHINE GIVEAWAY (courtesy of Healing Art Chiro)
• All members who attend the party also get exclusive party SWAG!

The end of season party registration will be sent to you via email as the summer winds down. For now, keep it as a "Save the Date" in your calendar.  

BSTT Endurance Threads GEAR- Store is open until July 4th- get what you need!  30% off- Use GOBAYSTATE as discount code.

Can you believe we are 5 races in on the CRS Calendar for 2023?  I can't!

Thank you all for being amazing,

Jackie AKA..

January 2023 Blog

 

Hello, Bay State Tri Team!

For those of you who are new here, welcome! And for the returning team mates, glad to see you back! In the blog this month, our BSTT Board have some messages for you:

John Cali and Zach Samuels- TRAINING COORDINATORS:

For anyone going long this year, especially those doing IM Mont-Tremblant or IM Lake Placid; Sea to Summit; IM 70.3 Western Massachusetts; or IM 70.3 Mont-Tremblant, these first few months of the year are critical to building your base. More importantly, building your leg strength on the bike is key to each of these courses. So join me Saturday mornings on ZWIFT at 8am for my weekly edition of “The Saturday Morning Pain Cave”. This weekly ride is dedicated to climbing and focus’s on building climbing strength, both mentally and physically!!
Tour de Zwift is also underway through Feb 5. If long hill climb is not what you’re looking for, try signing up for the longer TDZ stage on Saturday morning at 8am and ride (or race) with your some of your teammates.

—-Shout out Cycle Life- if you are interested in training with friends, there are many indoor rides are available at Cycle Life- especially on Saturday mornings.

For those not interested in the Saturday morning “Sufferfest" I also host a Tuesday evening 25 mile ride, that is flat and meant to be an easy recovery ride.

Both rides are set up on ZWIFT as “events” so you need to be connected to me (and I you) on ZWIFT, for me to be able to invite you on the ride. If your connected with me, the invite is automatic, as I will just include you.

If you're interested in participating in these rides and are not connected to me, you can find me on ZWIFT @ “JC R#5 HTFU #BSTT”.

Look forward to seeing you all in the Metaverse!?


Amy Carlson- SPONSORSHIP COORDINATOR:
We are excited to announce we have received continued support from our past sponsors.

Please visit our team web page for the list of discount codes.

Thank you to our 2023 sponsors:

Bikebarn

Samuel Adams

Keezer Sportswear - Landmark Graphics

Morse Insurance Agency Inc

Dubin Chiropractic

Healing Art Chiropractic

S&B Mechanical

PowerBar

BayCoast Bank

New England Endurance Events

Sun Multisport Events

Max Performance

Streamline Events

CycleLife Studio

Rudy Project

Xterra

Running Warehouse

Tom Cloutier- VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR:

On the volunteer front…..we currently have 8 BeSSTies signed up for Race Mania on March 12th. Two that will be there the whole day (thanks Greg!, and myself), five more for the 9-1 slot (Jim, Kevin, Hillary, Joe) which will give us a huge presence in the morning when everyone is coming into the event, one for the changeover from 11-1 (Maria), and one more for the afternoon slot of 1-5 (Carl), giving us 3 in the afternoon. I do have one response from 9-1 that has no name associated with it, so if you did volunteer, and forgot to put your name, please let me know!

Robin Ireland- MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR:

Membership is BANGING! Lots of new and returning members to the club which is awesome. The club benefits are updated on the team website, as sponsors come in. If anyone has any membership issues or questions, please reach out and I will help you!

Bill Roth- RESULTS COORDINATOR:

Just a reminder- when registering for CRS races, let's make sure you are putting Bay State Triathlon Team as your team. It makes compiling data easier.

Debi Caprio- TREASURER:

The state of the budget is STRONG! We are ready to have some fun this season. Look forward to lots of swag, and lots of fun.

Darcey Fahey- VP:

Something's brewing for the fall... Finalizing some details but get ready for a cool event that is gonna take ALL DAY. In addition to triathlon trianing, I am giving tutorials on building chicken coops due to the rising cost of eggs. On a good day, you'll get plenty of eggs. On a bad day, you'll get plenty of smiles.

Jackie Francisco- EL PRESIDENTE:

As you know, we have a few cool training events coming up to look forward to. The TT at Cycle Life, the Cabin Fever Du, and Race Mania are all within the next two months, so get involved- sign up, challenge yourself in the off season so you will be ready when the season starts. As a member, you have access to discounts on races and stuff, you have a select set of training partners to choose from if you wish to be pushed by a coach, and you have a network of "BSTTies" to lean on. If you are not yet on the Facebook page, consider getting on there. We post lots of updates, reminders and events.
At the last board meeting, we discussed the "Volunteer Races" that give members entry to the "Bike Grid" and agreed to make a change to the "bike entry mandatory volunteer responsibility". In order to be added to the bike grid, you need to either:
Volunteer for Season Opener- (approx) 4 hour full shift
Volunteer for Patriot- (approx) 4 hour full shift
OR Volunteer at TWO other 4 hour volunteer shifts at Champ Race Series races
We feel that this will continue to provide volunteer support for SO and Pat, but also open up more opportunities for volunteering that can get more people on the grid!


See you out there,
Jack Wagon

Last Blog Entry for 2022!

 Good morning, BSTTies!

  Yes, it's the last Blog entry of the year, and we have so much to look back on.  Our team had so many firsts, so many accomplishments, so many great memories.  As we look to 2023, it's time to plan for the memories we will make as a team in the new year.  But before we do, let's be grateful for being alive and being able to do what we love with some really cool teammates.  Here are some things that we have planned for the first three months of 2023:

• We will have our OWN HEAT at the NE Time Trials at Cycle Life.  Here is the info from Russet: January 29th- Bay State heat at 8:30, we had the biggest heat last year. It’s part of the MITTS event series. After a three-year hiatus, we are pleased to bring back this fun wintertime event. Race in up to three MITTS events for your chance to win great prizes. First on the circuit is Cycle Life Studio on January 29th, followed by FastSplits in Needham on February 11th. Finally, compete on March 12th in Boston at the Sun Multisports Race-Mania Expo. Points will be awarded to the top three overall male and females as well as the top masters finishers.  Cycle Life will have four heats starting at 7:30 a.m. on the 29th. To register, click here!

• We will be running the Cabin Fever Du for the THIRD time!  This time, due to Race Mania being back (in March), we will run this awesome event on February 12th.  To sign up on the Cycle Life website, use promo code – CABIN23 – use that to get a discount to make the Computrainer purchase $10. Make sure you click the Computrainer drop-in option – not the indoor cycle option.  What do you get?  A cool Cabin Fever Du tee, a chance at winning swag from our sponsors, and breakfast afterwards!  Oh, and a really good workout!  Stay tuned for a Cabin Fever specific email with instructions on how to register!
• Race Mania is BACK, Sunday March 12th!  We will have a point person from the board leading the registration for the TT held at this event, so stay tuned for info on how to get on this competitive team who will swim and/or bike at the event.. but we will have a 10x10 tent set up there and will need volunteers to "work" the event in time slots.. It's a great time hanging out with teammates. Sign up by 12/31/22 and SAVE 50% on the All Day Pass with promo code SAVEME50.  Link HERE.
• In addition, we will be doing weekend rides on Zwift as part of the Saturday Morning Pain Cave.  Follow John Cali to be on the lookout for morning rides!  His handle is JC R#5 HTFU #BSTT
• If you are a Facebooker and not yet in our private group, request to be added, and we will get you in there.  While FB isn't my favorite place to be, I do use it for the group stuff, and it's a quick and easy way to get info out there quick.

Thank you, and see you in 2023!

-Jackie

The 2023 Championship Race Series, News and Off Season Stuff- November 2022

 

Just some of the MANY great pics from the 2022 End of Season Party!

Welcome back to the Blog, Bay Staters!  

In the news this month:

• 2023 Championship Race Series
• Sponsors and Stuff
• Renewal Time
• Off Season Training

After much communication and collaboration, here is the 2023 Championship Race Series.  We have a great set of races (top section) that count towards the "Age Group Awards" as per usual.  Below that are two options for a Team 140.6- a state side option and a Canadian option.  Definitely take a look at the Bucket List races- these are not a part of the Age Group Awards CRS, but are events we will be at and will promote!  

2023 Championship Race Series

Race	Date
Season Opener Tri/Du	May 21, 2023
Hyannis Sprint/Oly	June 10, 2023
Harvest Sprint/Oly	June 11, 2023
Patriot Half	June 17, 2023
Cohasset Sprint	June 25, 2023
Falmouth Sprint	July 9, 2023
Nantucket Triathlon	July 15, 2023
Whaling City Sprint/Du	July 16, 2023
Sharon Sprint	August 13, 2023
Cranberry Sprint/Oly	August 19-20, 2023
Pilgrimman	September 9, 2023
Buzzards Bay Sprint/Du	September 17, 2023

Duathlons completed will count towards Male/Female Du Competition, not Championship Race Series- Must complete 2 or more Dus; top Male and Female awarded at End of Season Party.

*Weekend Warrior- Athletes who compete in above highlighted Sat/Sunday races will be recognized/awarded at the End of Season Party.

Team Destination 140.6 Events

Complete any 140.6 race for recognition at the End of Season Party.  This will also be included as a Championship Race Series event.  This year, LAKE PLACID and MONT TREMBLANT are the team 140.6 races!

Bucket List Events

Mashpee Super Swim	June 10, 2023
B2VT (145 mile ride)	June 17, 2023
Sea to Summit	July 22, 2023

*Bucket list events are promoted but do not add to the points for the CRS Age Group Awards

Sponsors and Other New Stuff:

This year, we will continue our relationship with our sponsors, but may have a different beer sponsor, pending conversations with a potential new one.  Stay tuned!  In addition, we welcome Streamline Events as a sponsor, as you can see above a few events that Bill Burnett organizes.  We will continue to work with Cycle Life as a partner/sponsor and will host events there to keep people engaged during the off season.  The only change is that we are stepping away from an exclusive relationship with QT2 as a training sponsor.  We will continue to share and promote QT2's range of services, and they will continue to offer Bay State athletes a discount.  Same offerings, the only change is that we will also be able to share opportunities from other training services.  

Renewal:

'Tis the season for renewing your Bay State Triathlon Team Membership!  If you have already done so, thank you!  If not, please consider hitting the renew button when you can!  The exclusive race and sponsor discounts will be shared only with 2023 members, and you don't want to be left out!  Also, we will be "cleaning house" on the Facebook page to make sure that only the current members are on it.

Off Season Training:

We have been working on some training events..

• Zwift Rides: Please contact Zach Samuels at zsamuels@gmail.com or on Zwift directly at Zach Samuels #BSTT and he will invite you to weekend rides.  These run on Saturday mornings.
• Cycle Life Hill Rides: Check out the Cycle Life website for specific times, and use your BSTT discount to purchase classes. LINK
• Friday, December 16th 6PM- SAVE THE DATE- Tentative FIRST BSTT Cycle Life KARAOKE... Free event to members, get ready to do a hour ride and have the option of hopping off the saddle, and hitting the mic to Karaoke to your choice of Holiday Song... Yup, this one will be for the fun people.. More info to come.
• Sunday, December 18th- 8AM: The Annual Ugly Sweater/Cookie/Beer Swap Event- This year, we will be organizing the three runs (variety of distances) and have a Cookie/Beer swap.  See the flyer below.  This event will be held at my house- 662 Old Harbor Road, Westport, Mass.  Please let us know if you are coming by RSVPing in the Facebook event, or simply email me at franciscojacqueline3@gmail.com.
• Chocolate Marshmallow 5/10K Race: Many of us are doing this one- get on board! December 11th in Seekonk.  LINK
• New Bedford Half Marathon is offering a discount- 10% off with the code THANKS for a few more days...

Thank you!

Jackie Francisco

President

Bay State Triathlon Team