Hello GGTC and friends! You may recognize me from my four previous years of service for this club, as an Ambassador in 2023 & 2024 before two great years as your Community Director. In 2027, I am honored to continue my involvement by serving as your President.

My journey in triathlon started a few years before I joined Golden Gate Tri Club, finishing my first sprint-distance race in Lake Murray, South Carolina on a commuter bike and gym shoes. Two years later, I had moved across the country to San Francisco and completed a few more tris, but I didn't quite feel like I had found a home until I finally signed up for GGTC in early 2022. Since then, my time in the club has taken me all around California to races, events, and distances that I never thought were possible for me!

Highlights from my time in GGTC would be completing my first 70.3 and 140.6 races, a trailrunning adventure in the Grand Canyon, hosting Olympic medalists and world champion triathletes at our club Q&As, and giving back time to the many volunteer events and aid stations that support the local multisport community. I'm proud of the PRs that I've set and the occasional podium I've stepped on, but even prouder of the friendships that I have made and relationships that I have built during my time in this club. 

My mission this year is to ensure that every GGTC member has the opportunity to achieve their own goals, whether that's qualifying for World Championships or finally taking a step into the chilly open water of their first tri. My role here will be to enable our amazing Board of Directors and Ambassadors to create engaging, inclusive, and fun programming throughout the year that makes all of you feel challenged, supported, and proud of what you've done in 2027.

I'll see you out there!

Hello! Growing up I was never really a fan of running or any type of endurance sport; I spent my days in a wrestling room and at tournaments on the weekends. After college and while living in DC, I agreed to do the Navy-Air Force half marathon then followed that up with a trail marathon in 2017. I caught the triathlon bug while training for that marathon and decided that Santa Cruz 70.3 would be a good fit. Despite almost turning around and calling it a day after the first 100 meters, I finished the race and immediately signed up for Santa Rosa 70.3 in 2019. Fast forward to 2021, I moved to San Francisco and joined GGTC right away. I had just signed up for Ironman Lake Placid and thought joining a club would be a great way to meet people and improve my training.

I can honestly say that joining GGTC has been one of the best decisions I’ve made since moving here. I’ve discovered an amazing community, met so many great friends, improved in all 3 disciplines, completed my first Ironman, and most importantly realized my love for the sport!

Looking forward to all of the GGTC events and hanging out with fellow members in 2027!

Hi all! I’m a Bay Area native and moved to San Francisco in 2020. I have a longer history of running and cycling, and, at the urging of a friend who’s ceaseless talk of Ironmans slowly rubbed off on me, finally added the devil’s sport in 2024, when I joined the club and did the Short Distance Program to train for and complete my first triathlon, the Santa Cruz Oly. I could barely swim a lap, but the short distance program and the club leaders were very supportive.

Since then I’ve completed two Long Distance Programs and 70.3 races, with many more races on the horizon. I’m excited to extend the welcoming feeling and support that I felt to new members and old hands alike through the club’s Short Distance and Women Tri Together programs.

Along with facilitating some successful training programs, in 2027 I’m aiming to PR my marathon and race another 70.3. Outside of triathlon, I love skiing and snowboarding, backpacking, cars, and hanging out with my little Yorkie, Yoshi.

Catch me around GGP or the Presidio!

My start in triathlon began when I joined some friends in Cozumel about 3 years ago for some scuba diving, with some of them doing something called an “Ironman 70.3”. Didn’t know what that was at the time but came to cheer them on and left feeling inspired! Started training for my first triathlon, the Napa Valley Sprint in April 2024 and joined GGTC shortly after. Since then I’ve worked my way through a few races all the way up to my first (and probably last) full Ironman in Arizona, November of 2025, getting in the best shape of my life and making tons of friends along the way.

Being active is a great balance against my day job as a Software Engineer where I’m often sedentary sitting at a desk (although still getting some steps in walking between meeting rooms). When the winter rolls around, you’ll often find me sending it down the slopes at some resort in Tahoe, or out in the backcountry. The skiing pairs well with a passion for travel that has taken me to incredible destinations not just in search of snow, but also sun, jungles, deserts and more.

Each year I have a goal of completing one new race I haven’t done before, skiing one new resort I have yet to visit, and traveling to a country that hasn’t seen my passport. Here’s to a year of novelty in 2027!

Growing up in an athletic family, I quickly learned that traditional sports were not for me when the only points I scored in my first basketball league were for the wrong team. Any athleticism I hopefully inherited would need to be channeled towards activities that didn't require hand/eye coordination - luckily, something clicked for me in swim lessons and I fell into year-round competitive swimming almost accidentally. In middle school, I started running cross-country, and was impressed by how well the two sports complimented each other. After years and years of ignoring my running and swimming coaches telling me I should try triathlon, a very long swimming hiatus, a few half marathons and one full, and a pandemic Peloton purchase, I finally decided that I was hopefully coordinated enough to figure out this bike thing!

I started swimming again in December 2022, and it's hard to spend any time at a pool in SF and not hear about GGTC. After looking into the club, I found the Women Tri Together program and was sold from the first info session. Since then I've done multiple rounds of WTT and LDP, have been an Ambassador for two years, completed my first Olympic, 70.3, and full Ironman races, and am excited to serve as Swim Director this year!

Above all, this club has given me an incredible community filled with the best people. I'm so excited to help members of all levels improve their swimming, come find me!

Hey Golden Gate! I'm a California native who grew up always looking for ways to spend time outside, even if sports wasn't something that came naturally to me. I ran cross-country in High School, used biking mostly just to get around, and learned to swim so far as I wouldn't drown. When I moved back to the Bay Area after grad school, I fell in love with cycling, logging long hours crisscrossing the coastal mountains chasing long climbs and longer descents.

Given that I was only one sport away, triathlons were something that I wanted to do at some point, but I knew I wouldn't be able to do it on my own. After recovering from an injury and looking for new challenge at the beginning of 2024, I joined GGTC as a way to have that support and people to train with. Immediately after attending a Wednesday track, spring training weekend, and getting over my fear of swimming at a Tam High master's practice, I felt at home with such an amazing and friendly group of people.

Since that initial experience, my time with the club has been an incredible blur of continually expanding my comfort zone: triathlons, trail ultras, and more. I've made some amazing friends and forged even better memories, so I'm super excited to give back and share that with all of you as Bike Director for 2027!  I have come to love many aspects of the club, but my first love and favorite sport has always been cycling. I'm excited to work with the Board and A-team to allow others to love biking as much as I do, and want to bring the energy, experience, and creativity I have to make it such that everyone can have a safe and fun experience with the club on two wheels.

When I'm not doing fun triathlon things, I'm usually on my next outdoor experience, travel adventure, or outlet for type 2 fun. Lately that's involved hiking and mountaineering trips in California and beyond, skiing in Tahoe, and exploring other countries and cultures. It's extra special if the activity involves good food and great friends - let me know about your next adventure!

Howdy Folks! 

My name is Christopher Fuentes and I’m extremely excited to be your new Run Director! I was born in Los Angeles and moved to the Bay Area for school, Go Bears!! During my time at Cal I was introduced to the sport of triathlon and have never looked back. The sport has allowed me to connect with amazing mentors and have made great friends along the way.

During my core time with the sport, I’ve focused on the Olympic distance along with a stint in the Aquathlon circuit. These days, while I don’t race triathlons, I do take joy in teaching new athletes the fundamentals and seeing their progression during their time with us in the club.

When not at work I focus my attention on marathon training, watching an ungodly amount of TV, gaming, and always searching for the next delicious pastry. If you see me around the track or in the city don’t be shy and say hello!

Howdy! I'm Blake and I grew up just outside of beautiful Denver, Colorado. My background is mainly in swimming and I swam competitively for about 10 years.

My Triathlon journey began in 2024 after a 4-year hiatus from swimming. I decided to jump back in the water but quickly realized I wanted a new type of event to train for. In March 2024 I purchased my first ever road bike and I remember being so overwhelmed by the amount of things I needed to learn. 3 months later I completed my first century and 3 months after that I finished my first Olympic triathlon in Santa Cruz after training as a part of the Short (Speed) Distance Program. In 2025 I completed my first 70.3 in St. George, Utah along with the Lake Tahoe Olympic triathlon, and ran it back with the Santa Cruz Olympic triathlon as well. In 2026 I competed my second 70.3 in Santa Cruz and turned my focus towards open water racing.
Outside of doing crazy things like swimming in the bay, I work in structural engineering making sure buildings don't fall down here in the Bay Area.

After two years and an Ambassador, I couldn’t be more stoked to serve as GGTC’s Sponsorship Director. My focus will be on building on our current partnerships and selectively bringing on new ones that fit our core values and needs. GGTC is such an amazing community and I can't wait to meet, train, and cheer you all on this year!!

DOUG HEYMANN | COMMUNITY DIRECTOR He / Him  

Triathlon first caught my eye in 2019 when my sister completed Ironman Maryland. At the time I couldn’t exactly comprehend what she was attempting. 2.4 mile swim? I thought swimming was measured in yards. 112 mile bike? I’d ridden 8-10ish with my mom that one time. 26.2 mile run? I could barely remember my best 5k. And… all in the same day??

The concept wasn’t totally foreign to me though. I swam in college and cherished the feelings of team camaraderie, intense training, and rewarding performances. As a sport that shaped my identity since the age of 5, I couldn't understand the common nature of abandoning it entirely upon graduating. It was shortly after that I discovered GGTC, an amazing community complete with new people, new athletic disciplines, and new opportunities to pursue sports in my "adult" life just as I had growing up.

And oh boy, I love every part of it! To include the necessary list of experiences: Napa Oly, Santa Cruz 70.3, Oceanside 70.3, Escape Alcatraz, Dipsea, Broken Arrow, Ironman California, and Worlds 70.3. But personally, the real joy comes from the everyday: running in a fast, tight pack at Wednesday track, diving into the Tam pool on a sunny Sunday morning, cruising through Marin to the sound of flying freehubs, and indulging in the electric presence of our amazing club at races!

This year I'm stoked to be your Community Director and look forward to giving you all the wonderful opportunities to connect with your fellow club members! See ya out there!

Triathlon felt like a pretty natural next challenge after swimming competitively my whole life—I started swimming at five, swam through college at Carnegie Mellon, and somehow graduated having held eight school records along the way. A few years after college, some of my former swim teammates started dipping their toes into triathlon, and after my first half marathon, I figured the next logical step was a marathon or a 70.3… so naturally, I decided to do both. I learned to ride a bike for the first time in 2023 and signed up for my first 70.3 in Mallorca, where I unfortunately crashed, broke my ankle, and ended up needing emergency surgery. I was determined that wasn’t going to be the end of my triathlon journey, and a year later I was back racing and slowly building some confidence on two wheels.

After moving from NYC to San Francisco, I found the amazing community that is GGTC. Since then, I’ve qualified for 70.3 Worlds twice, raced nine 70.3s, and just finished my first full Ironman at IM California 2026. Beyond the racing, the friendships and relationships I’ve built through GGTC have become my favorite part of living in San Francisco, and I’m so grateful to have found such an incredible community here. I love trying new things, pushing myself beyond what seems possible, and doing it all in the GGTC kit. I’m excited to take on Gear Director and help keep us looking good while racing, riding, and representing GGTC. Can’t wait to see what this next chapter brings!

At the start of 2020, I quite literally couldn’t run a full block without stopping. When the pandemic hit, I googled “can’t run want to run” and decided to give sports a go. Running quickly became an addiction, and I picked up biking a year later (it’s really hard not to in this city). Then on Presidents’ Day 2023, I accidentally showed up for a cancelled Fatcake ride. Only one other person arrived (s/o Leah!) and, after declaring “two people makes a group ride,” she spent the rest of the morning convincing me I could do a triathlon. Enter: GGTC!

I joined this stellar organization in July 2023, and my 2.5 years in this club have been full of countless adventures with people I now can’t imagine my life without. GGTC’s community is insanely encouraging, supportive, and inspiring. I'm so excited to be your Social Director this year to continue building the welcoming environment I’ve been lucky enough to feel in this club.

When I'm not with GGTC, I'm probably at Muttville, book club, Third Wheel Coffee, or bopping around somewhere else in the city. Please always feel free to come up, say hello, and share your ideas for our next great social event! Triathlon has taught me that it’s never too late to try new things - can’t wait to keep that theme rolling with you all in 2027 :)

I grew up in California (San Jose) where I swam competitively for many years. Recently I caught the triathlon bug after watching my friend train for Ironman Oklahoma City in 2021.

I joined GGTC shortly after and competed in my first triathlon with the spring Oly program (Napa). Then my second (Half Moon Bay). And my third (Alcatraz). And my first 70.3 (Santa Cruz). And my first marathon (CIM). So yes, by "caught the triathlon bug" I meant "grew hopelessly addicted."

Triathlon is a wonderful sport(s), and GGTC is an amazing community of kind, motivating, Lycra-wearing people. I can't wait to get to know you as we train for another 70.3, or my first full Ironman (Ironman California), and hopefully a shot at world champs down the road.

As your communications director I manage the weekly newsletter and social media accounts among other things. I'm always looking for new content ideas and fun ways to share all the amazing stories from this club, so please don't hesitate to hit me up with your suggestions!

Hi everyone! I first got into triathlon when I joined the club tri team at UCSB and then took a long break before joining GGTC in 2022. I was originally influenced by my dad to get into tri, and we still try to do relays together! I'm SO glad I joined GGTC!! I've met so many wonderful people and it's motivated me to do amazing things like swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to the bay bridge, and train for my second marathon! I also love having weekly workouts with friends as part of my normal routine! WTT was a also great intro to the club!  I'm excited to be the membership director and help more people experience the awesomeness of GGTC. You'll rarely see me on the bike outside, but I love convincing people to try open water swimming and having fun chats on runs. I recently went on an open water swim vacation so ask me all about that too!

Hi, I'm Jason! I come from a swimming and water polo background, but stepped away from both to focus on school. In 2018, I discovered triathlon as a way to stay active and keep swimming competitively. My first race was absolute chaos: I barely slept, my handlebars broke midway through the bike, my gears started grinding, and my friend's wheel even fell off when they stopped to help me. Somehow, despite everything going wrong, I had a blast and I've been hooked ever since!

In 2024, I decided to pursue a life goal of completing a full Ironman. I joined GGTC's Spring and Summer LDP programs to build up my endurance. While my swimming background helped me in the water, cycling and running were still a major struggle, and I faced a lot of tough moments in training. The friendships, encouragement, and support I found through LDP helped me push through those difficult training days and eventually cross the finish line at Ironman California.

Since then, I've completed another full Ironman, tackled several 70.3 races, and continued challenging myself across different endurance events. Along the way, GGTC has become so much more than just a place to train. I've made so many wonderful friends, shared countless adventures, and found a community that's made a lasting impact on my life. I'm excited for the opportunity to give back and help make GGTC an even better, more welcoming, and more enjoyable community for everyone. I hope to help others find the same friendships, support, and sense of belonging that I've been fortunate enough to experience here!