Name: David Ertel
Training For: Duke Half Ironman
Residence: Cary, NC
Career: Software Engineer

Athletic Background
I started racing mountain bikes in '97 with some high school buddies. It was a lot of fun and I did about 7 years of racing every season. When I met the worlds greatest woman (my fiance) she got me into adventure racing. Now there's a sport not for the squeamish. Until you've spent 6 hours, at night, up to your chest in swamp in the Florida everglades, you haven't lived! I also tried my hand at some road racing. The speed was addicting but the amount of crashes by inexperienced riders kept me away from the circuit. For some strange reason I decided that short races weren't painful enough so I started trying some of the longer 12 hour, solo mountain bike events. So now I'm on to triathlon...

Goals:
I want to push myself to my absolute max. My goals are mainly personal to see how much I can push my mind and body. My quantifiable goals are to continue to do well in the Xterra series and someday finish top five overall in a half ironman.

Why I Chose Triathlon:
Just to do something new. I got burned out on cycling and wanted to try a new focus for my athletics. I have never swam for sport and thought it might be a new challenge to help my overall fitness.

Why I Chose OSB:
In one word, Marty. If you've ever seen this guy race you know he's fast. You only have to talk to him for a few minutes to see that he knows what he's doing. Marty is easy going and always available to talk about my training. He is a very well rounded athlete/coach with a depth of knowledge that is hard to find unless you are independently wealthy or sponsored by some big bike manufacturer. I've always trained hard but this is the first time I have trained correctly. My finishes have always been respectable but there are too many third and second places in my racing resume. I've always been one step behind the guy that won. With Marty's coaching I am stronger than I have ever been. I have more power and endurance than I thought I could develop in such a short period. Its time to take my training "One Step Beyond". Do I need permission to use that?