‘𝕿𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖆𝖘𝖔𝖓 𝖔𝖋 𝖌𝖎𝖛𝖎𝖓𝖌!🎁 We are offering you the opportunity to give the gift of racing this holiday season! Purchase a gift in the amount of $50, $75, $100, or $200 toward race credits for that special someone. The races eligible for this gift are those in the 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗵𝗶𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Deer Creek, Maumee Bay, The Queen City, Portage Lakes, & Ohio Fall Challenge. 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗨𝗦: For each $100 purchased, we will either (1) add the $25 credit to the “sender’ account or (2) add the $25 credit to the ‘recipient” account. Just let us know!
Don’t delay! This holiday gift program runs through December 24! Give that gift that s/he WILL really want this year! Click the link below for full details!
We are excited to announce the addition of the 𝗠𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟮 to the Salt Fork Triathlons lineup! The mixed relay will consist of 2 females & 2 males on each team. Each person on the team will race a sprint triathlon and then tag the next member of their team to complete a sprint triathlon.
If you had a chance to catch the Olympics this year, the Mixed Relay was a talked-about event & had us on the edge of our seats! This is a fun way to get your friends involved on teams to even have fun competing against each other! Get signed up today! Click this link.
We appreciate your continued support of HFP Racing! To say we are looking forward to the 2022 racing season is an understatement! We look forward to watching your training journey as you get ready to race with us next year! – HFP Racing Team
The 𝗼𝗻𝗲-𝗱𝗮𝘆-𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗔𝗟𝗘 is today! For individual races in the State of Ohio Series and Tri-The-Heights, save 𝟮𝟮% by using the code 𝟮𝟮𝗙𝗢𝗥𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 at check out.
𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗢𝗵𝗶𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 Deer Creek at Deer Creek State Park June 11 | Youth races June 12 | Adult races
Maumee Bay at Maumee Bay State Park June 25 | Youth races June 26 | Adult races
The Queen City at Caesar Creek State Park July 16 | Youth races July 17 | Adult races
Portage Lakes at Portage Lakes State Park September 11 | Adult races
Ohio Fall Challenge at Deer Creek State Park September 25 | Adult races
We are excited to bring back some favorite race locations & youth races for 2022!
On December 1 registration opens for the: State of Ohio Series, Tri Fit Challenge, & Tri-The-Heights!
You won’t want to miss the registration announcement as we will have a 𝙤𝙣𝙚-𝙙𝙖𝙮-𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙎𝙐𝙋𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝘼𝙇𝙀! Stay tuned to your inbox & social media for more details!
Enjoy the buzz and high energy of multisport and running races? Want to know the behind-the-scenes of how races operate? Want to be a part of a team that enjoys helping people achieve their race goals?
We are hiring 2 positions: Event Coordinator & Contract Event Race Director.
Review the description and requirements for each role. Serious candidates, send resume with relevant experience to: craig.thompson@hfpracing.com.
Registration is open for the American Triple-T races, which will take place at Salt Fork State Park on May 20 -22, 2022. Register for the XT or ST distance as an individual or as a relay team!
Salt Fork Triathlons Saturday | Super Sprint & Sprint* Sunday | Olympic* & Half Iron* *These races can be raced as an individual or on a relay team. Plus Aquabike options for Super Sprint, Sprint, Olympic, & Half Iron distances.
Stone House 50/50 Trail Runs Friday | Free 5K Trail Run (Family Friendly) Saturday | Individual: 10 Miler, 20 Miler, 50 Miler trail runs | Relay: 50 Miler (Team of 4) Sunday | Individual: 50K, 10 Miler | Relay Team: 50K (Team of 2)
Salt Fork Lodging There are rooms available at the conference center (lodge) and cabins for a discounted rate for the weekend. Call the reservation line at 740-435-9000 to reserve a room under the American Triple T block. Want to go a bit more rustic for the weekend? Salt Fork State Park has many camping & RV options. Room rates are available until Friday, March 18, 2022
It’s been so incredibly emotional reading the Facebook comments from my post as I watched the HFP Racing trucks and trailers leave the property for the final time. I wanted so badly to respond to all the comments, as so many brought back even more memories. I’ve always felt writing was my best was to express myself and as I went through historical photos the memories came flooding back…I knew I had to share my thoughts on how truly blessed Jennifer and I are to have these memories.
THE START; It was 1989 and I was a freshman at Ball State University sitting in the Exercise 101 class (my favorite class). Next to me sat a beautiful red head that seemed to be checking me out (my version of the story). I tore a section of paper out of my notebook and wrote the words “Hi, I’m Shannon. I’m the president of Health and Fitness Promotions” and passed it over to her. She quickly returned the note with her response “I’m Jennifer Butler, my friends call me JB. How can I get involved”. Little did either of us know at the time but that brief encounter would change our lives forever. I only made it one semester at Ball State as I had other plans and it all revolved around multisport racing and race promotion.
But before JB, the entire Kurek family was already doing whatever it took to get Health and Fitness Promotions (before it became HFP Racing) up and running and preparing for the first annual Mid-Ohio Heart Clinic Challenge in September of 1989. My Aunt Sandi was a massive supporter and as the Wellness Director at the local hospital was pivotal in keeping things moving along while I spent too much time training. Sandi orchestrated the securing of the title sponsor, Mid-Ohio Heart Clinic, and we were off to the races. To get geared up for triathlon we put together the Mid-Ohio Bicycle Series and my Marion, Ohio training buddies Brian Shind and Shawn Williams joined me as we were baptized by fire as first time race promoters. Also, helping was my brother and a great group of locals that included Mike Marcum, Art Hoffman and my amazing Grandpa, Carl Kurek, who served as the official lead truck for all the bike races that summer.
Shannon and his mates at the 1989 Mid-Ohio Bicycle Series
Ohio Pro, Rip Esselstyn on his way to victory at the inaugural Mid-Ohio Heart Clinic Challenge in 1989
Shannon’s Aunt Sandi and Mom Carol played pivotal roles in the early years of HFP
Jennifer and I would not of ever communicated again would it not of been for Jennifer’s “friend update letters” that I continued to receive over the next couple of years. Finally, we connected again in summer of 1991 as I drove through Cincinnati on my way to race in Louisville, KY. That was an awesome summer of traveling to races and getting to know “JB” as my new best friend.
Shannon and JB become best friends over the race season of 1991
A trip to the 1991 Duathlon World Championships in Palm Springs, CA sealed the deal for JB
Jennifer, Shannon’s Dad and Brother at the 1991 Wendy’s Triathlon
THE PEOPLE; The early years were made possible by many, many amazing people that simple showed up and helped with whatever was needed. Curt Haywood was an early training buddy that I could always count on and I can remember sharing with Curt my vision after a hard track session at the Worthington High School track. “Curt, I just want to put on races that my friends can come to, so we can all have a great time together”. It was never about a building a business but always about the experience I wanted to be able to provide to the participants. In the early years, training buddies like Adam Moyer, Don Chandler, Scott Anderson, Dave McMahon, and Tom Knopp traveled to the early series venues and trained with me all day while Jennifer, my Mom, my Aunt and Jennifer’s Mom worked packet pickup. Then around 9:00pm the night before the race we’d all get together and start to set the race venue up.
Late night photo for the HFP’s multisport family @ Hueston Woods State Park 1993
THE EARLY YEARS; I look back at these photos and almost can’t believe how things came together. We were pioneers. There was not a template out there on how to produce triathlons so each race was part of our education at the School of Hard Knocks. We made many mistakes but no one was going to outwork us or put more passion into a race than our motley crew of multisport misfits.
Adam Moyer, Marg Gorman and Shannon post race at the 1992 Sardinia Biathlon
Shannon and longtime teammate Curt Haywood, Jr. racing at the 1992 Cincy Biathlon
Curt Haywood, Jeff Prinze, Don Chandler and Dana Lyons at the 1994 Saturn Duathlon
Shannon Kurek and Jennifer Butler before Shannon’s attempt at the Versa Climber World Record in 1993
Shannon Kurek and Jon Hastings discuss their races at the 1991 Whitestar Triathlon
Shannon and Jennifer handing out Ohio Challenge Series entry forms in 1993
THE MARRIAGE OF MY BEST FRIEND; Surrounded by the same group of family and friends that helped us at every race JB became Jennifer Kurek on April 17, 1993.
THE RACING; Of course it’s always been about the racing and thanks to some great “sponsorship” from our parents we got to travel the world in the early 90’s to race.
Shannon, Jennifer and Brother Todd walk in the 1995 Ironman Parade of Nations in Kona
Shannon finishes the 1995 Ironman World Championships as the top Ohioan
Shannon and Jennifer at the 1994 Duathlon World Championships in Frankfurt, Germany
Shannon and his Team USA mates at the 1993 Duathlon World Championships in Dallas
THE BIG BREAK; In 1994 with the help of Joe Moyer of Moyer Financial Group, Larry Denny of Saturn of Columbus, the Saturn Duathlon was born. The event would feature an international field of professionals and featured a spectator friendly, never before done, multi-lap format which became the standard for the modern day ITU World Cup events. The following month the race would be featured on the cover of Triathlete Magazine.
Jeff Prinze with his hero Chucky V at the Saturn Duathlon in 1994
THE STAFF; Simply put, the staff for HFP Racing has always been the best…regardless of the season, our team seemed to always come together in a very unique way. Most of our past staff remain our dear friends today. In the early years, HFP Racing continued to be supported by our family and friends but as our schedule grew so was our need for staff members that could handle the grind of long weekends, tent camping and eventually squeezing into a camper. Over the years our staff have provided us with some truly amazing adventures producing events.
Work hard, play even harder. Staff members prepare for a round of trash can lid golf
Shannon, Amy Pauch, Daniel Smith and Jennifer discuss pre-race operations
The crew enjoying a well deserved dinner in Sandy Hook, NJ during the Danskin Triathlon
The staff poses for a photo on the way to Racine, WI for the Spirit of Racine Triathlon
The staff enjoys a photo op with Gold Medalist Shelia Tormina
Scott Erdman gave HFP 6 amazing years and always had a smile on his face
Sandy Donald…always ready for a photo
Always willing to go the extra mile…Lora Trevallyan cooks at the American Triple-T after lifeguarding the swim
Josh Dwire, Rich Fowler and Shannon get ready for a series championship at Portage Lakes
The amazing volunteer organizer of the Vermilion Harbour Triathlon – Staicey Scholtz
THE VOICE OF HFP; No other person changed HFP Racing more than Rich Fowler, the official voice of HFP Racing. His infectious personality and amazing attention to get to know the participants took us to another level. It all started when Jennifer put him to work one weekend when he was asking too many questions at packet pickup on an early race morning. Seriously, Rich was just a nervous newbie duathlete hanging around the registration tents asking way too many questions. Finally, Jennifer put a mic in his hand and told him to make some pre-race announcements… the rest as they say is history.
Rich’s jokes with Toughman Founder Richard Izzo at the 2019 American Triple-T
Never one to shy from the camera…especially if the person behind the camera is your wife
Rich in his Race Day Red at the 2006 Mountaineer Triathlon in Morgantown, WV
Rich always seemed to attract the ladies…this time is was Shannon’s Aunt Sandi and Mom Carol
Rich with Shannon’s brother Todd at the 2014 Mohican Endurance Festival
Rich and Shannon enjoy a laugh before the start of the 2019 American Triple-T
THE ONES WE LOST; It’s never easy to say goodbye to anyone but some of our multisport family left us much too early. They will never be forgotten.
Alan Boos – The Team HFP GOAT 1974-2004
Carl Butler – Jennifer’s Father and HFP’s first timer and swim course director 1947-2016
Darryl Kollai – Hardest working teammate 1955-2008
THE KUREK KIDS; no one in the Kurek family sacrificed more for HFP Racing over the last 15 years than the Kurek kids. Henry, Maddy and Ezra missed many a birthday party, ball game and neighborhood overnights during race season and they always took it in stride. Packing up their bikes, scooters and miscellaneous toys and heading to another HFP Racing event was commonplace for our kids and rarely a compliant was heard.
Making dad proud! Henry finishes his first race at the Portage Lakes Kids Duathlon in 2010
Ezra became a regular on the FIT Family Series kids circuit
The Kurek Family poses for the what would later become the FIT Family Series logo
Henry enjoying time on the lake in Vermilion
Maddy working at the 2019 American Triple-T
Maddy finishes her first race in 2010 at the Portage Lakes Kids Duathlon
Ezra finishes his first duathlon at age 4 at the 2010 Portage Lakes Kids Duathlon
The Kurek Family in 2012…they grow up so fast!
THE SURVIVOR; Along with being an amazing mother, business partner and wife, Jennifer is a cancer survivor. Under going radiation treatments in the morning and driving down to the American Triple-T to work 80+ hours without a complaint in 2010. Jennifer never missed a single event in 2010 due to her cancer treatment. In 2021 Jennifer celebrated 11 years being cancer FREE!!! WHAT A WOMAN!
Jennifer was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2010 and did not miss a single HFP Race
Jennifer finishes her first and last triathlon in 2011 just to let Cancer know who was boss!
THE TEAM; It was always so important that HFP Racing had a strong team and each year dozens of athletes claimed their spots on the team. So many special memories come from Team HFP and the amazing athletes that make up this team to this day.
Representing Team USA was Kevin Smythe, Shannon, Curt Haywood and Don Cain at the 2017 Triathlon World Championships
Team HFP lined up and ready to race at the Caesar Creek Ohio Duathlon
Longtime Team HFP members Deb and Ed Wheeler from Strongsville
Team HFP member Mitch Shrader
John Menzies one of the longest standing Team HFP members and dear friend of the Kurek family
Longtime Team HFP member Roy Youngmann
From volunteer life guard, to HFP staff member to elite age group triathlete, Team HFP member Todd Ricketts
Arthur DeVennish is an awe inspiring Team HFP member
Mark Lemmon and Shannon finish the grueling American Birkebeiner in 1999
Shannon with Mark Lemmon after destroying each other in the mountains of Helen, GA
Shannon with Avery Brooks at the first ever triathlon in Sri Lanka in 2012
Team HFP Racing 2005
The Team HFP veterans; Randy Lehrer, Curt Haywood, Don Cain, Brian Barker, Mark Lemmon, Tom Lebuhn and Shannon
Michael Boone, Curt Haywood, Todd Ricketts and Shannon at the 2016 USAT Nationals
Keeping it light at the start line; Don Cain, Randy Lehrer and Shannon with Daniel Smith in the background (never one to miss a photo op)
Mark Lemmon, Curt Haywood, Brian Barker and Shannon goofing during an epic trip to NYC to watch Bruce Springsteen
Mark Lemmon , Shannon and Curt Haywood always ready for a workout!
The first official men and women in black, Team HFP 1994
Infinit Nutrition Founder, Michael Folan with Shannon at the 1995 Gulf Coast Half Ironman
Not only did they work the races but Shannon’s Mom Carol and Aunt Sandi raced many of the same races they volunteered at.
THE THINGS WE WILL MISS THE MOST; HFP Racing will never fade from our memories and the last 32 years were an amazing journey. Of course there will be some things that we will miss more than others…here are the top 5.
Pre-Race Prayer – Shannon’s most important time of every Sunday race
The early morning swim start
Sunset the night before the race…red sky at night a race directors delight!
Sunrise on race day…nothing is better than seeing the sun on race morning
The kids! What more needs to be said. They inspired us all!
THE FUTURE…WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE KUREKS; Our kids can finally count on mom and dad not missing any more birthdays or ball games and our relatives will finally see us at a wedding between May and September. Ezra turned 15 this year and is pursuing his dream of playing in the MLB putting in workouts 7 days a week and traveling with his travel baseball team across the country. Maddy is a 3 sport athlete and a straight A student. She recently got her drivers license and can drive herself to those many year-round practices. Henry graduated from C-Tech in 2019 and is already part of the work force for nearly 2 years. He still loves sessions at the Newark Skate Park on his scooter and spending most of his paycheck on his Mazda Speed 3. Jennifer is enjoying being able to manage all the many obligations that the kids activities require and keeping up with my constant entrepreneurial spirit. I will expanding my responsibilities as operations director at M3S Sports and will be staying involved in the sport of triathlon as a participant. I can’t wait to see many of you at a race in the near future.
Thanks to everyone for blessing our lives…it was a heck of a run!
Jennifer, Maddy, Shannon, Ezra and Henry
Ezra with one of his travel baseball teammates
Ezra using all the latest technology to recovery from his hard workouts
Shannon and Henry doing come cart racing on a recent father-son vacation (dad won!)
Henry getting in a scooter session on top of a concrete pavilion at a highway rest stop
Henry contemplating his next run at the Knoxville Tennessee Skatepark
Maddy driving hard on a layup during a Granville Aces basketball game in 2021
No one defends harder than Maddy during her Granville Aces basketball games
Another length of the floor layup for Maddy Kurek
Getting some huge air as Maddy spikes the ball during a Granville Aces volleyball game
The Kurek Family – Memorial Day 2021
Ezra is SAFE at home at a recent Arsenal Travel Baseball game
Greenswell Events, a Central Ohio-based multisport event management company, announces the acquisition of HFP Racing, an Ohio-based multisport racing company.
For further details on this announcement, download the document.
HFP Racing News 