Race Team Member John O'Brein

New to the Rock/Creek Race Team for 2010-
John O'Brien "Johnny O"

Age: 49
Occupation: CEO/Business Owner

I’m an admitted double A type personality that focuses on a passion and pursues excellence in that area regardless of the endeavor. In my early years it was sports, individual and team. When I began a career, I jumped up the corporate ladder and in 15 years was President of a company with 20,000 employees and over a billion dollars in revenue. Lately I’ve been pushing myself to become more competitive in long-distance triathlons and am faster today at 49, than I have ever been at these races, qualifying for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2009 and setting a P.R. In the last two years, John Wiygul and Matt Sims have transformed me into an endurance trail runner, and as in every other area of new focus, I am totally passionate about running on single track trails in the Chattanooga area and look forward to completing a 100 miler in the near future. I especially enjoy being a mentor to young runners and triathletes . Fortunately, my wife has been supportive of these crazy dreams I pursue, and my 3 kids are following in my footsteps in their competitiveness. Life is good, and gets even better with age.

Years Running: 20 years (consistent Trail Running for just 2 years)

Favorite Trail Race: Lookout 100k

Favorite Training Trail: Big Daddy-Lookout Mountain

Lifelong Running Goals:
Run more trail races of varying lengths, with an emphasis on ultra distances and complete a 100 miler in the next two years.

2009 Races and Past Accomplishments:

Posted fastest results at age 49 than I’ve experienced in the last 15 years of racing. It’s fun getting faster as you get older. Key has been the majority of my training is with the young fast guns, John Wiygul (20) and Patrick O’Brien (17). Training is painful most of the time and it helps me stay tough mentally when it comes to the races. Some key accomplishments this year were:

Ironman New Orleans 70.3- 4th age group and qualified for World Championships
Ironman Eagleman 70.3- P.R. finishing in 4:35
AtomicMan half-ironman- 3rd overall
Ironman World Championships 70.3- P.R. finishing in 4:33 and 37th in world age groups
Lookout Mountain 100k in 2008 and 50 miler in 2009- Improved pace per mile by 1 minute. (Ran 11 miles prior to race start this year to get in 100K)
-All American status by USA triathlon

Race Calendar for 2010:
Mountain Mist 50K
Rock Creek trail marathon
Rock Creek river gorge 10.3 miler
Lookout Mountain 100K
Ironman 70.3 new Orleans
AtomicMan 70.3
Macon half-ironman 70.3
Ironman Florida
Ironman World Championships-Kona (if I get lucky to qualify) I’m an optimist
Mercedes Marathon
6 shorter distance triathlons