My condolences, I never meet Doug in person, but he was always there to answer any question no matter how trivial, and he will be sorely missed.

---

Jim

**Note above poster works for a retailer selling bikes and related gear*

my deepest sympathies to you and your family...

Too bad. His posts could probably be gathered together and put into a book.

---

--------------
Frank,
An original Ironman and the Inventor of PowerCranks

Very sad to hear that. I met Doug for one hour at a swim seminar in NY a couple of years' ago and he was as helpful and enthusiastic in person as he always has been on here.

---

Richard Melik | I work for the following companies | Zwift.com | Freespeed Bike Fit (UK)
Manager | David McNamee

Doug was highly respected here at ST. My deepest sympathy to your family.

David Beitel

My condolences..

Fred.

Cleo, I'm so sorry to hear this news. We wish you the best and hope that you are able to find comfort in the fact that your dad touched many lives.

i never met him in person, but i did on occasion discuss the finer points of swimming with him on this forum. he was smart, he was feisty, he was funny. i am very, very sorry to hear of his death. my sympathy to you and his family.


his death is also a sobering call to all of us, that you can do nearly everything in your life "right", and yet you can still be felled by a 1,000 different things. no one is immune ...

---

---

Where would you want to swim ?

sympathies Cleo.

Doug created a wonderful spot on this world.

---

Train hard...race well.
www.jimmishler.com
"Jim, I happen to agree with you" DougStern

My condolances to you and your family. Doug was a great guy, and he'll be missed.

Cleo,

I am very sorry to hear about your father. I have very fond memories of my time as a student of his and have his voice in my head each time I swim. Because of him, people stare at me as I walk down the street "playing with the water" as he taught me. This is a very good thing and I'm lucky to have known him.

I know that the world has lost a great man today and wish your family all of my love.

Donald

[reply]Too bad. His posts could probably be gathered together and put into a book.[/reply]

i have many of his threads in my watch threads utility. I read them on a monthly basis. fantastic wealth of knowledge.

 So sorry to hear about your dad. Thank you for posting this.

---

_________________

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Even though I've never met him, he helped me so much.

jaretj

Damn...so sorry to hear this awful news. My condolences on your family's loss. He will be greatly missed.

Oh no :(

I'm so sorry for your loss. He was a great contributor to this forum as others have mentioned and has helped me greatly without ever meeting me.

Rest in peace Doug Stern

---

____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Life is not fair. A bright star has been extinguished today. I am so saddened and shaken by this news.

---

-----------------------------------------------------

It's a terrible loss and my thoughts are with you and your family.

Jeff

Our families prayers are with you. Doug was a great man.

Dave

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Cleo, I'm so sorry to hear of your father's passing. My deepest condolences to you and your family. I will always remember your father for his infectious energy, uncompromising love for life and unwavering sense of humor. He was a wonderful man and I will miss him. Please keep us posted on how we can help. Nina

My deepest sympathies to you and your family.

Stuart

I wrote a little story about expereincing your Dad and Curacao and posted it on the editorial page of my own website. It talks about the magical nature of spending time with Doug and all the incredible things he showed us.

Thank you for sharing your father's wonderful character with us so generously in Curacao. He brought a lot of wonderful things to many people's lives.

I hope your family is doing as well as is possible and I feel so sad for you.

Please take care Cleo, and pass on mine and Sarah's sympathies to the rest of your family.

Tom.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I think of your father's tips virtually every time i swim. He was an amazing man and will be terribly missed by this forum. My condolences to you and your family. You can be very proud of you father.

---

-----------------------------------------------
www.true-motion.com Triathlete Casual Wear since 2007
(Twitter/FB)

Cleo,
i had knit Doug a blanket...each stitch extending well wishes and peace.
basically, it was finished, but i didn't get to the post office last week to mail it. It was ready to mail today. :(

needless to say, a blanket is small thing, but i hope you will accept it as a token to show that even people who hadn't met your father appreciated him as he impacted others for the better.

my heart breaks for you and your family...
joanne (kittycat)

My condolences to you and your family. As requested by Tom D. I am sticking your post on top and unsticking his.

Cleo-

I'm very sorry to hear this. I had the great opportunity to meet Doug in Burlington, VT for a clinic. What an amazing guy he was!!! He will be rememebered.

---

http://www.mountainmettle.com

My deepest condolences.

Paul

I only knew Doug from his posts here. Whenever he posted I always read them as they were invaluable, well written, and extremely helpful. I am so very sorry for your loss.

---

----------
"...it should be swim, bike, run, cage fight." - el fuser
"I noticed that I am in your sig line! Wow! That's s first for me. Thanks." - Fleck

So sorry to hear this. Condolences to your family.

Cleo,

You have my deepest sympothies. I never met your father, but his deep water running advice helped me last year when I had a leg injury. His swim tips are remembered everytime I swim. I passed his advice along to my wife who went from an uncomfortable swimmer, to very at ease swimming now. My own father has recieved some of Doug's advice also. Be proud of him and remember he touched thousands of lives for the better.

At any given time in a pool, somewhere, someone is remembering Doug Stern.

---

Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
Be kind English is my 2nd language. My primary language is Dave it's a unique evolution of English.

I am so sorry, our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.

Kind regards,

Dave in VA

It's amazing. I didn't know Doug and probably wouldn't have recognized him if I tripped over him. But, my initial reaction the the Subject heading was...Oh no! My sincerest condolances go out to Dougs family and friends. My prayers will also be sent as well. Rest easy Doug! You're home! We'll all see you in due time. Bruce Gennari

I didn't have the pleasure of meeting your father but he sounded like someone who was blessed with a talent for communicating, sharing, instructing and teaching one of his passions to others. My condolences go out to your family. Great teachers are often one of society's most underappreciated resources and I regret that I was never one of your father's students. Please take some comfort in knowing that he positively influenced hundreds if not thousands of people.

---

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Michael in Fresno
"Do you spend time with your family? Good. Because a man that doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man" V. Corleone

I think you locked this, rather than stuck it...

---

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Oooops, sorry Cleo...

So sorry for your loss. Doug touched the lives of so many people. Many like me who had never met him. He will be truly missed.

That's okay, I fixed it... This one is stuck and unlocked, Demerly's is now unstuck.

Also, let me add my condolences to the Stern Family. Though I never met Doug, I enjoyed his posts here on SlowTwitch a great deal, and I know of many, many, many triathletes and swimmers in the NY area (and beyond) who benefitted greatly from his guidance. He will be missed.

---

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

My condolences to you and your family and to all who knew Doug. Just by reading the subject lines in Doug's posts here, I could tell he was a positive force. Take care.

Dear Cleo,
I grieve with and for you and you family and am just grateful for the wisdom, patience, inspiration, and kindness that Doug has shared so freely with me and all those who have known him.
Take care,
Erica

Sorry for your loss. My condolances to you and your family.

---

Train safe & smart
Bob

Doug will be missed. He touched so many lives through his coaching and his willingness to share his knowledge. My deepest sympathies to you and your family.

Mark

Cleo and the Stern family,

I had the honor of both swimming and biking with Doug - we frequently rode at the same time during the summer and would join each other for a few laps. I know he greatly adored his contribution to triathlon but most of our conversations were of family, specifically his wife and children, you were all his true joy in this life, of that there can be no doubt. I was due to visit him at home after his hospitalization but unfortunately never got the chance. Like everyone here, i am deeply saddened and shocked and the only consolation I can offer is this, your father's absence is only physical, we will all think of him whether swimming, cycling or just dealing with life. His "sternisms", his sense of humour and forthrightness have served as an example in my own life and I know that his love and wisdom will help guide you and the rest of your family as you deal with this difficult time. There is no balm for loss but there are memories, and for that we are all blessed that Doug has created so many wonderful ones.

I made a point of reading everything that Doug wrote here on ST. I could always count on him to be knowledgeable and I respected him a lot for that but I respected him even more for the modest and polite way that he expressed himself. He just seemed like a great guy.

I am very sorry for your loss.

---

Grant

Even though I am a decent swim by most standards, I always read every thread Doug wrote on swimming and swim skills. I believe I never ever posted a response, but I read every one of his. I think there are literally thousands of us in that boat. And yes, he had a few drills that helped me as well, to which I have in turn passed on to other people who have never heard of Doug Stern.

I have shown my wife (a non-triathlete) pictures and reviews of the Curacao swim trip. We agreed when our daughter was older, we would get down there in a few years. I know I would have learned more about swimming better, and that we would have had a great trip. From experience, I know that I respond well to Dougs' type of coaching.

Given the thousands that Doug has coached in person, and the thousands more that he has helped via the Internet, I would say that the man has created a legacy of considerable weight. I would be highly pleased if I could one day think that I have done one-tenth as well. He also handled this last challenge with amazing grace and determination.

I truly regret not having met Doug in person. But, I am pleased that he has left something of his spirit for us, you and your spirit as I read from previous posts and threads.

May you and your familys' pain be brief, and the celebration of Dougs' achievements and accomplishments be long.

---

Behold the turtle! He makes progess only when he sticks his neck out. (James Bryant Conant)
GET OFF THE F*%KING WALL!!!!!!! (Doug Stern)
Brevity is the soul of wit. (William Shakespeare)

Oh my - this is terrible news!

I am so very sorry for your loss...

I was never fortunate enough to meet Doug in person, but I did get to know a little bit of him via this forum. Doug had a passion for life and for teaching that shone through in each and every one of his posts. The fact that he will be missed by many who never met him speaks volumes to his character.

You and your family will be in my thoughts...

---

<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

I'm so sorry to hear this. Having met him in NY and in Curacao, I am deeply saddened. He was such a nice guy, so interested in helping others. This really comes as a shock.

My condolences to you and your family, as well as his extended family here and everywhere.

He will be missed.

---

**************
Too f@ckin depressed from various injuries to care about having a signature line.

Sponsored by Blue Shield PPO.

Really sorry to hear this. He seemed like a great guy from what I saw on here.

The frustrating thing about this loss is that it is hard to articulate what a great guy and unique character Doug was.

Speaking somewhat selfishly, this hurts because we lost so much.

I have been thinking throughout the day that I wish peace and healing on the Stern family- a wonderful group that are so open and kind and fun.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I'm so sorry. Doug was such a wonderful, vibrant person--a true enthusiast through and through. He inspired so many through his coaching and through his example. It's hard to imagine the world without him. It certainly will be hard to imagine the neighborhood without him! I can't count the times I've bumped into him in the street--but I can count the number of times I bumped into him and he was happy: every time! He always made me happy, too. He will be greatly missed.
--Stacy Creamer

If I ever belly-ached to that guy he was always like, "It all starts with you Tom, you simply change the way you look at things... make it a positive."

Incredible strength, power and insight. Character.

---

Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

My thoughts go out to you and all of Doug's family.

Oh my, this is a sad day. Doug was (still is) the only poster here whose advice i took for gospel. Talk about legacy, I'm sure there's a little bit of Doug in every stroke on this forum. Words fail really, my condolances...

---

---

blood, sweat...and big gears

I hated every minute of training, but I said, ''Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.''
- Muhammad Ali

My condolences.

I hope you and your family are doing as best as possible in this trying time.

Take care.

Rick V.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Cleo,
So sorry to hear about your families loss. I met you momentarily at JackRabbit about a year ago.

Anyway, I'm participating in the swim across america, raising money for cancer research. It seems particularly appropriate to bring up the swim in light of Doug's passing. The event is towards the end of July in the Long Island sound.

For anyone interested in participating, the url is whttp://www.swimacrossamerica.org

---

Jonathan Blyer,
ACME Bicycle Co., Brooklyn, NY

I knew Doug for a long time, first through running then through his Deep Water Running Classes. Over the past 3 years I have taken his swim classes, and compete in tris now pretty much because he helped alleviate my initial anxiety of swimming any great distances in races. He was a great NYC character. I often told him that I came back to his classes because I missed the Doug Stern Show. There was a solid group of us who met in his classes that still hang out and train together or just socialize. Doug was good at making everyone feel comfortable, and helping anyone regardless of skill level. I will miss the following: "find your left hand...you have a left hand, right?"...."Open your left hip...hip hand, hip hand....are you learning disabled?". I hated hearing the news of his passing. I have been on the phone all afternoon reminisicing about him. He will be missed.

   
Reflecting on what an impact Doug made on those who've met him, AND those who haven't, is a testimony to how great Doug is.

One of Doug's greatest talents was making difficult things seem so easy, and he did it in such a unique way.

Doug Stern is great because he is ___ DOUG STERN...



Deepest sympathy for the Stern Family.


~Daniel G. (NY/NJ)


One more time...

"Daniel???? These are your eyes and this is your left hand!!! I want you to SEE your left hand enter the water!!!" (Doug Stern @ Columbia Prep Pool)

---

__________________________________________________

"Where is your left foot? Yes!! On your left leg! Now make it kick!!!" ~ (Doug Stern @ Columbia Prep School Pool)

My condolences to your family.

Doug was such a great person to have around here. Always offering tips and advice without ever soliciting anything.

He will be greatly missed.

---

_______________________________________________________

Seeing him in deep torment, I said. " You can have my last GU , but its been down my pants for most of the run". - John Hirsch

Take care of your body, its by far the coolest thing you're going to ever own.- Can't remember who told me this, but I love it.

A memorial will be held in honor of

Doug Stern

Thursday June 28
1 – 3 pm

Plaza Jewish Community Chapel
630 Amsterdam Avenue @ 91st Street
NYC
http://www.plazajewishcommunitychapel.org/

Friends and family will be gathering immediately following the memorial at

2373 Broadway btw 86th and 87th Streets
3rd floor Duplex room

In lieu of flowers, you may wish to make a donation in honor of Doug to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center:

https://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/60052.cfm?ContentFor=Special

Person being honored: Doug Stern

Program/Area of research: Kidney Cancer

Lynn’s name: Lynn Chapman-Stern

Lynn’s email: midwif28@yahoo.com

Address:
Lynn Chapman-Stern
700 Columbus Ave., Apt 9J
New York, NY 10025

Dear Cleo - like many on this forum I never had the chance to meet you Dad but gained a great deal of knowledge from him. Our prayers are with you and your family. Graham

---

Graham Wilson
USAT Level III Elite Coach
http://www.thewilsongroup.biz

Doug will be greatly missed. His positive presence was a great asset to slowtwitch and the triathlon and swimming communities. He was a cheerful teacher. Doug personally provided a great deal of guidance to me through his posts and personal messages. I can only imagine the magnitude the loss this kind of person would have your family. My condolences.

Cleo and the Stern family,

Only knew Doug through reading his posts here, but he had the "lightbulb" way of explaining things. You know, the kind where you read his post and said...."Duh, now I get it!" The best part is that he was willing to freely share that gift and explain, often in reply to followup questions, with extreme patience. That kind of selflessness is not seen too much these days, but he always had it.

Deepest condolences to your family and friends from our family.

Mike

I am so terribly sorry for your loss.

It is a loss for all of us. Doug was a tremendous person, a phenominal motivator and teacher.
He will truly be missed by many, myself included.

I am glad to have met him and known him, I am all the richer for the experience.

-Mike B.

---

float , hammer , and jog

Please,accept my condolences. Altough I did not know him personally I always felt close to him since I was a member of Slowtwitch for the last two years.

---

--------------------------------------------------------
I see obsessed people.

I'm so very sorry. Doug was one of us. And we will all miss him.

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---------------------------
''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Cleo, I'm so sorry. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

What a significant loss the tri community has suffered this day. In my opinion, Doug contributed more value to this site than any other single member; he didn't post unless he had something real to say. He was relentless in his pursuit of perfection and was never selfish with his wisdom.

Where ever you are Doug, I hope you've found that perfect swim stroke.

You will be missed.

Sad, sad day. I will remember Doug as a kind person, always ready to share his knowledge, ideas and opinions in the most unselfish way.
My deepest sympathies to you and all your family.

---

Francois-Xavier Li @FrancoisLi
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw
http://www.swimrunfrance.fr
http://www.worldofswimrun.com

I took several classes with Doug, he taught me to swim well and be comfortable in the water and he did it with a sense of humor and a tough
discipline at the same time. Doug's familiar matra, "David get off the wall!" is forever ingrained in my memory. So is Doug, We will miss him greatly. My thoughts to his family.

Cleo,
You probably don't remember me; I waved hi to you each time you buzzed me into Columbia Prep’s pool. I took several of your dad's swim courses and learned to swim faster and injury-free under his tutelage. I will always remember him as a very enthusiastic, funny and wise person.

One time in particular, I had a really really bad day at work. So bad that I just wanted to go home and cry, not swim. He told me that once I walked into the pool area, the rest of the day is behind me and that while I’m in his class, I am in a ‘safe environment.’ After that lesson, I walked out with a smile, which I didn’t think I could manage just two hours prior. On top of this, he suggested three people from his swimming classes I can get in touch with for other job opportunities. And he even gave me valuable life advice. He was so selfless, good-hearted and giving. This is just one example of how amazing your dad was, and there are thousands of people out there who could list more.

My heart goes out to your whole family. This is very very sad news. I, like the rest of Doug’s friends and fans, believed that Doug will make it through and will be making jokes for many years to come. My condolences.

Cleo,
Words cannot express my heartfelt condolences to you and your family. I knew Doug for 14 years and he has been a big part of my life.
Doug took what could have just been a class and nurtured a community. He knew everyone's name and what our latest injury was. And
most importantly, got us to laugh about it. I have made very close friends in his classes over the years and have seen you and Zac grow up.
I will miss him terribly.
Ellen[/quote]

As others have said, I think about Doug's posts every time I go to the pool. We will all miss him very much. I wish I had had the honor to meet him.

Our profound condolences to the Stern family. I only knew Doug from this forum, but even so, I watched him touch lives. I would very much like to have met him.

The Fanchers.

My sincere condolences to you and your family.

Kind regards,
josef

Cleo:
My deepest sympathy and condolences to you and your family.
I don't know whether Doug was born a great teacher, or whether he had to learn how to teach. Either way, he came to it naturally. I took his beginner swimming class last year and vividly remember arriving at his pool (he seemed to own it) full of trepidation that first night, changing in that dingy changing room, and making my way upstairs to the pool. I sat poolside with a couple of other equally nervous nonswimmers, while Doug talked to us and made us talk -- why were we there? what were our fears? what did we think it would feel like to be in the water? He told us stories of all the people he had taught to swim (and one notable failure who had claimed he was trying to kill her and demanded her money back), and made us laugh at our hesitations. Then he told us to get in the pool and try to drown ourselves, to prove to us that we would float. Week by week, exercise by exercise, he taught us to swim, cajoaling, encouraging, insulting, and, yes, bullshitting (Doug never missed an opportunity to tell a good story or an old joke). About four weeks into the classes, I got it, and for the first time swam: I did about 20 lengths without stopping, and Doug's praise was unstinting. The next day he e-mailed me to tell me that watching me swim was the highlight of his day. I was so proud!
After the beginner class, I took his next level class, and this, too, started with a poolside chat. This time he added tests of ankle flexibility. The jokes and anecdotes were different, too, and the encouragement was more directed. The first night, he videotaped us swimming. His comment on my effort: "You can only improve." And I did. A few weeks later, in the middle of a drill, he stopped the class, and told me to demonstrate what we were meant to do. So I did, and when I had finished, he told the class, "Eight weeks ago, this person couldn't swim. Now he can." And he was right. I couldn't swim well, or strongly, but he had taught me how to swim, as he had taught so many other people.
I have rarely met someone as vivid as Doug. His personality filled that pool, encouraging his pupils to do better to repay his efforts to teach them. Physically, he filled the space too -- the way he carried himself, and moved, and the extraordinary grace with which he swam.
One night I arrived at the beginner class, and he was disappointed that I had come -- his neck was very sore, and he had hoped no-one would show so he didn't have to teach that night. It seems that his neck pain was the first sign that something was wrong. It's hard to believe that Doug is no longer with us. I had imagined taking classes from him into the indefinite future, improving my swimming, but at the same time finding out if at some point he started recycling the jokes and anecdotes. I will miss him.

This is very sad. I never met Doug but always enjoyed reading his posts. My condolences to his family.

---

Live long and surf!

I'm so sorry for your loss. He will not be forgotten here...

So sorry for your loss. Like many others, I didn't know him but I learned a lot from your dad.

I'll be sure to get a swim in on Thursday in Doug's honor.

I am so sorry for your loss. Slowtwitch will deeply miss Doug and his seemingly infinite knowledge of all things swimming. He was a keystone in a community...one we would look to for answers. He will be greatly missed.

---

----------------------------------------------------------

What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

My deepest sympathies to you and your family. I have taken Doug's class for over a year and he's changed my life by making me a swimmer. I will always be thankful and will miss him dearly.
-Allon

What a powerful spirit Doug was to have had so many meaningful touches with others. For me his posts were always a must read here.

Deepest sympathies.

Nick S.

You mean Doug was the king of all things swimming. Tigerchik is the queen of all things cycling. :-)

---

-----------------------------------------------------

the tri-community has lost one of its luminaries today. the world is a sad place. doug was a class act and will never be replaced. we will race the rest of the season with his initials on our swim caps in his honor.

he has gone to the great 50 meter salt water pool in the sky.

It is amazing how news like this, of someone I've never met, can affect me -- I guess this speaks to Doug's personality, that this can come through the faceless internet. I am saddened to hear of your loss.

---

----------------------------------------------------
Note to self: increase training load.

This is a shock. I don't check in that often and didn't realize Doug was even sick. Not sure I can add anything that others haven't already expressed. As a swim coach for 18 years and a strong swimmer, I still would eagerly read Doug's posts, if not to learn something new then to perhaps see a new way to express it to my swimmers. What a loss. My condolences to the family.

-leh

I'm very sorry for your loss. I never met Doug but when I had swimming questions I always searched for his posts first and have many favorites that I read and reread many times. He was seemed like quite a character and I'm sorry I never got to meet him personally.

Take care

Cleo:
I was stunned to read this yesterday. So very sad. I just started tri last year, but knew immediately the wisdom Doug had, and not just for all things swimming.

What a legacy he will leave behind. He's helped so many that he never knew, like me.

My condolences go out to you and your family......

I am very sorry for your loss. Your Dad gave a lot to others and will be missed . . . and he is fucking great guy.

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...est=13009054#1369965

I just came back from an hour and five minutes of swimming at IMCdA and thought of Doug on every stroke; right foot down, right arm out; left foot down, left arm out....he's part of the fabric of my sporting life.

Thanks Doug!

Doug was a real treasure to ST; his passion for swimming and teaching have given thousands the gift of that incredible feeling a human feels when they are embraced by water in a most glorious way. It is magic and Doug was a wizard at his craft.

My deepest condolences to you and your family.

---

Mr. Uncaptured External Costs

Fossil carbon is planetary poison.

Best wishes to you and your family, Cleo. Doug will be missed.

---

-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear this. Doug will be missed.

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http://trainingoferic.blogspot.com/

My condolences to the Stern Family, Im going to go fucking swim extra laps for him today.

10 years ago (before I became a triathlete) I called him out of the blue. I don't know how I found his number, but I needed help with a running injury and wanted to learn more about running in the water.

He talked to me at least 2-3 times for lengthy periods of time to help a total stranger from Virginia.

I'm bummed that I'll never actually get to meet him face to face (at least in this lifetime).

Condolences to the Stern family and the whole Swim/Run and Tri community.

---

Debi Bernardes

Owner, UCANDOIT Coaching Group, LLC

I too extend heartfelt condolences to your family.

- Steve

I am extremely saddened to hear this news, I hope your family and friends will take some strength from everyones kind words.

---

Slowtwitch Planet-X mafia

I hate to ask this since it could be very personal, but for some reason, I'm always interested in more details. I knew that he had kidney cancer. I kind of didn't follow his situation much because I didn't want to believe that we could lose Doug like this. My question is was he at home or was he at the hospital? Were you and the rest of your family with him when he passed away? What ultimately was the reason for his death? Was it the kidney cancer or some other complication.

I know this may be too much, but with a person like Doug, he isn't some random person. He's a friend of ST and I want to know more about the situation behind a friend's death.

Thanks.

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http://trainingoferic.blogspot.com/

Hi Cleo,
I have no words to express the lost of your father. It was 19 years ago when I met Doug in Curaçao. From that moment on we started to work together on the Curaçao "Doug Stern's" project, without considering that this will go on for such a long time. During all those years we've learned to know each other and became friends. What started as a small business project, resulted in a big, sincere friendship. Through your father I've met a lot of other people, nice people. Everyone who came with Doug to Curaçao, returned with a fulfilled happy feeling. Every trip was a success. Do you know what's the secret of the success of all those years? Very simple: your daddy.
Last Yanuary I told him that I was about to go with an early retirement. We've planned to make 2 trips a year to Curaçao, starting in 2008. I'm going to miss your Dad Doug. I'm going to miss the hugs we gave to each other every year upon his arrival in Curaçao and also upon the departure, assuring each other that it was a succesful trip and looking forward for the next trip.
I'm honored having shared all those precious moments with your Dad in Curaçao. Therefore we have proclaimed him as a GOODWILL AMBASSADOR OF CURACAO. It was because of him that a lot of people visited Curaçao. I will keep these nice memories of Doug Stern with me.

I want to express my condolences to you, your brother Zack and you're mom Lynn.

With love,
Remy & Roline Sillé from Curaçao

The world is a better place for Doug's time here - he will be deeply missed. My heartfelt condolences to you & your family, Cleo.

I too learned to swim over the last few years with the help of Doug Stern. I never met him or even PM''d him here but it was vividly obvious just from his posts that he knew his stuff and was great person. I would take his advice and think about what he said while I was working out in the pool. This is the impact he had on "anonymous" internet people like myself. I am sorry for your loss.

Cleo-

Those of us that knew your dad were very lucky indeed. The memory of him that still gives me goosebumps is the day on the island when I was in the pool breathing to the left so I could see him on the deck (I hate breathing to the left). Usually there were so many things wrong with what I was doing that he didn't know which flaw to gesture to me. Well this time I saw him pointing at me--first breath OK sign, second breath big nod, third breath the touchdown sign. It was like I had just made my own dad proud of me.

He was someone whose opinions we valued, who inspired us, and whose memory we treasure.

All the best, Scott Atkinson

Here's the link to the little story I wrote about Doug and Curacao:

http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/...orials/0000106.shtml

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Not many will remember - but Doug was one of the very first columnists for Triathlon Today magazine. Here's the tag we ran on his very first feature (Five Drills to Improve Your Swimming, Nov/Dec 1987).


"Doug Stern is the coach of Team Redline Triathlon, founder of the Doug Stern Swim Clinics in New York and New Jersey, PSAL Coach of the Year in 1972 and 1982, former East Coast Invitational and New York Masters swimming champion, and top age group finisher in several major East Coast triathlons. He has a unique ability to convey his knowledge through the written word and we look forward to his contributions to future issues of the East Coast Triathlete (note: Triathlon Today had regional sections - the editor of the East Coast Triathlete was Paula Tocci).

"Stern has organized a unique clinic for the winter-bound triathlete: a one week teaching/training vacation on the Carribean island Curacao with Steve and John Howard as fulltime instructors. Stern will lead daily workouts in an eight-lane, 50-meter pool, complete with personal instruction and videotape stroke analysis. Howard will work extensively with each individual, concentrating on bike fit and training tips. Howard will also lead group rides each day.

"The vacation/clinic is scheduled for January 12-19, and Stern estimates a cost of $899/person (including airfare from NYC, hotel, transfers, gratuities, coaching, pool use, and a beach barbeque). The sun and fun come at no additional cost. For additional information, contact Doug Stern (and gives address - Apt. 16H - and phone number)."

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Lew

Wow. I learned more about swimming from Stern's posts than any coach.

I was just telling a friend in NYC that he should go workout with Doug.

I really hate to see this. This coummunity, the swimming community and NYC have lost a great guy.

Keeping your family and friends in my thoughts and prayers. The World is emptyier (sp?) with the physical loss, but man is the World faster and capable of swimming because of this wonderful man named Doug Stern.

I was completely shocked to read about this on my phone the other morning while I was waiting on a fellow ST'er, and I still don't know how to respond. Doug touched many lives, both in person and virtual. Very saddened. Your family is in my prayers.

I thought about Doug Stern three times this week: during each of my swims, plus my water-running session. His warm advice from this forum has been invaluable to me in the pool. Actually I probably thought of Doug more like six times this week. The other three times were about how he really warmed this place (Slowtwitch) up, with his very generous spirit and enthusiasm. I never even met Doug; there are probably hundreds of us who feel this way, here.

Best wishes to the Stern family.

I was lucky enough to meet Doug at one of his small seminars. Yes, I have improved tons with the help of his advice. But more important to me, was the his overall attitude towards everything. He was an inspiring man. I wish more people walked around with his attitude towards life.

I've been away so I just saw this for the first time. I have been fearful that this would happen since his first post about his illness.

I'm so sorry for your and your family's loss.
I never met Doug, which is my loss. I had hoped one day to remedy that.

Everyone here who met him seemed by their comments, to have loved him. Those of us who never had the chance to learn from him are all the poorer for his death.

There is hardly a time that I'm in the pool that I don't think of one of his comments or drills. when recovering from mybike crash and shoulder separation, one of his posted drills was the only thing I could do in the pool that resembled swimming. It greatly aided my recovery.

My best to you and your family.

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_________________
Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

the memorial was ballin

Hi all
i was on the swim team with Doug at Hunter College in the
Bronx. I just heard today of his passing (2 2 2008). We were lifeguards at Orchard Beach as well.
He was a great competitor and friend. This is very sad and unexpected.
My thoughts are with his family and current friends in the
Triathlon world. I thought of him today as i did laps in the pool.
Mike Kramer