“Fake it till you make it.”
Joel Friel
I am a father of two, training for triathlons and grinding gravel for fitness, fun and mental health.
I coach endurance sports at Green Mountain Community Fitness, where I work with the Masters Swim group, private coaching clients and also work as the Aquatics Director. I offer triathlon, swim, bike, run and fitness coaching, both in person and remotely.
I discovered triathlon in 2018, when I signed up for and completed three sprint distance races. I was very quickly hooked. I spent a lot of 2018-19 in recovery from concussion suffered during collision with a car while riding my bike. In 2019 I completed my first and second 70.3 races. In 2021 and 2022, I won the USAT National Championships in the Clydesdale division, qualifying both years for the World Triathlon Championships. In 2023 I competed in Spain for Team USA.
Training, for me, is about changing myself for the better. It’s about finding consistency in health, both physical and mental/emotional, and about becoming the person always felt I was inside, but have never been able to materialize. Races are fun, but I’m here for the lessons, the learning, and the growth.
Other things I do: Translation | Green Mountain Gravel
Personal Results
PRs:
5k: 22:32.1 (2022)
Half-marathon: 1:49:31 (2021)
Marathon: 4:31:54 (2003)
Results:
2024 Montpelier Mile 7:19, 10th AG
2024 IRONMAN 70.3 Western Massachusetts 5:23:33
2023 Elmore Triathlon Series (3): 0:57:02 – 1st AG, 4th Overall
2023 Elmore Triathlon Series (1): 0:57:23 – 2nd AG, 3rd Overall
2023 World Triathlon Championships, Long Course: 08:34:13
2023 Millstone Madness Snowshoe Race: 0:32:55 – 1st AG, 3rd Overall
2022 TOUGHMAN USAT National Championships: 5:10:32 – 1st Clydesdale, National Champion
2022 Elmore 5K: 0:22:32.1 – 7th AG
2022 Colchester Triathlon: 1:05:04 – 3rd AG, 6th Overall
2022 Millstone Madness Snowshoe Race: 0:35:09 – 1st AG, 3rd Overall
2021 Granite City 5K: 0:22:17 (short course) – 1st AG, 2nd Overall
2021 Leaf Peepers Half Marathon: 1:51:23 – 10th AG
2021 TOUGHMAN USAT National Championships: 5:22:17 – 1st Clydesdale, National Champion
2021 Ticonderoga Double Ti: 3:41:13 – 4th Overall
2021 Ticonderoga Olympic Triathlon: 2:31:46 – 5th AG, 23rd Overall
2021 Ticonderoga Sprint Triathlon: 1:09:32 – 1st AG, 7th Overall
2021 Shelburne Half Marathon: 1:49:31 – 2nd AG
2019 IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells-La Quinta: 5:08:29
2019 Leaf Peepers Half Marathon: 2:06:02
2019 Musselman 70.3: 5:43:24 – 2nd Place Clydesdale
2019 Race Against Racism 5K: 0:23:42
2019 Greater Nashua Sprint Triathlon: 1:03:55 – 5th AG, 36th Overall
2018 The Canadian Triathlon, Sprint: 1:50:11.0 – 1st Clydesdale
2018 Vermont Sun Triathlon: 1:23:52.5
2018 Colchester Triathlon: 01:21:34
2015 Barre Heritage 5K: 0:28:28 – 1st AG
2014 Berlin Pond Five Miler: 0:47:10 – DFL AG
2003 St. George Marathon: 4:31:54
2001 Vermont City Marathon: 4:50:50
