Cleo
Your dad was a wonderful bloke, very warm, and very generous. The picture below was taken by my wife at his last Highland Triathlon, a race that Doug organized fantastically. At the time he was wearing his "announcer's hat", one of about 10 hats that he would wear on race day. No other RD can be on such good personal terms with the entire field of his race.
We will truly miss Doug's contagious enthusiasm, and send our deepest sympathies to you, Lynn, and the rest of your family.
Doug and Hillary Clark

One of the things I learned about Doug while we were down in Curacao is that he was scared of heights...that was a fear we shared. Despite his fear, every year in Curacao the group would take a trek across the island to a set of cliffs and he would jump off. He was a guy who faced his fears head on.



"Just f$#king jump Mark!" he says to me from the water :)

---

Fit2Tri Multisport
http://www.fit2tri.com

Hi Cleo,

It's Irene. I agree with Tom Demerly, "This is your a$$, this is your elbow...Know the difference." Always one of my favorites and one that often gets mentioned and repeated amongst Doug's Curacao campers here in Detroit. I am also always doing my pool waltz. Hearing your dad's voice in my head with my kick ONE, two, three; ONE, two, three; ONE, two three. It was always a riot watching him waltz on the pool deck. The best though was when he would tell me that I had the best stroke of anyone in the pool in Curacao. Even better than Andy's! Now that was a compliment, and one I will never forget. From him it was high praise indeed. Andy kicks my a$$ in the pool, but thanks to Doug I have a better stroke. I couldn't have gotten there without his patience, all the great drills he used-even the ones I hated (chicken wing), and his encouragement. This past January for the first time in seven years he said, "You did it, you actually sprinted." He never gave up on me!

I found out about your dad's passing when I came home from the pool yesterday morning. From here on out all my swims are dedicated to him. I'll be back at the pool tomorrow!

I'm sorry that I can't make it to New York for the service on Thursday, but know that my thoughts and deepest sympathies are with you, your mom, and the rest of your family.

Irene

---

Ban Wetsuits !! Wetsuitsareforwimps.org/net/gov

Hi,

My most vivid memory of a Sternism comes from Lynn. She used to subject herself to swimming in the 50 meter pool in Curucao with us and one day we were particularly glad she showed up. It was 7am Jeannine Bardo and I were FREEZING (Though Jeannine's lips did have a pretty blue tint). We all stood in the water at the end of the pool while Doug talked, talked and talked. Finally Lynn came to our group of 30's rescue and shouted out "Doug will you just stop talking and let us swim!!"

We were moving right away!

Hi Cleo,

Doug would tell anyone who was afraid/concerned with swimming in the open water to repeat....

"I have a fear of the water. This is my fear. I own it. I control it. I tell it what to do."

Each time I swim across the "deep dark water" (inland lakes, great lakes or the ocean) I remind myself of Doug's advice.


Also, when Doug asked what my approximate 1500 meter swim time was going to be for the Curacao Saturday timed event and I would throw out a nice comfortable time, Doug would say: "Have you considered trying to swim any faster ?" He was always polite yet to the point. His words are always an inspiration to me when I get tired in the pool.

-Andy

---

Ban Wetsuits !! Wetsuitsareforwimps.org/net/gov

There are so many great ones, but one that I particularly related to was his response to people's answers when they were asked by him: "What time are you going to hit today for a 500?" If the person answered uncertainly, say "7:30?" he would say "Are you asking me or telling me?" That way he got us all to own our results, to commit to our achievements, and to do it with the confidence that he helped instill in us. It carries through to so much more than just that time trial in the pool...

Hi Cleo- I also extend my heartfelt long hugs to you and your entire famiy.

One of my favorite Doug moments is he would tell us stories in swim class and one was about improving your swimming by swimming with better people/faster people. He told a tale of when he was in High School he used to date a girl who was smarter than him and so he got better grades.

I've always wondered what impact Doug had on that poor girl!

I will also miss Doug standing at the reentry to Central Park during the last quarter mile of the NYC marathon. There were many achy moments during the previous 26 miles that I would push on knowing that Doug and his big fat smile would be there.

Such sad circumstances, but this is a wonderful tribute. I wish I had met Doug. Sounds like a real mensch. And a true fuckin' New Yorker.

---

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Magna est veritas et praevalebit

"I'm not going to have reporters pawing through our papers. We are the president."
-Hillary Clinton

The answer to "1984" is 1776.