40 years of age…A devoted husband…Father of two…Triathlon fanatic.  What else is there?  I’ve always been a competitive person both at work and play. However, after a short period of playing rugby during my Air Force career, I never really had a true outlet to satisfy my competitive nature. This is a characteristic sometimes difficult to satisfy as the Director of Marketing and Community Relations for Royal Oaks Hospital. One day, a very close friend of mine, Fred Overton, had the crazy idea that we should compete in a triathlon together. Maybe not to compete as much as just finish the thing. I must confess, it was the thought of being able to hang out with a good friend while training that appealed to me more than than the early morning swims, the grueling hours in the saddle and the seemingly endless miles of pounding the pavement during runs. Well, that was three years ago and since then I’ve competed in twelve triathlons of varying distances throughout several states to include Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and California.  I’m by no means an elite athlete, but I’m actually proud to say I compete in the 200+ lbs Clydesdale division. That’s called, “Clyde Pride” Baby!  Needless to say, in spite of the early morning wake-ups, the split routines, the countless brick sessions, the constant juggling of family, work and training and the recent gut wrenching loss of my primary training partner due to heart failure, I’m very proud to call myself a triathlete.  Fred never said it would be easy.  Rest in Peace Brother…

My initial involvement with WCMMC was to support Fred Overton, my husband, in his desire to be an active triathlete who competed in various multisport events. Fred was one of the primary founders in establishing WCMMC with a goal of bringing together a common group of athletes who would enjoy participating in competitive events and to develop a friendship with this special group.  Fred also had a personal underlying goal of wanting to stay active and beat his genetic odds of dying from an early cardiac related death. Fred had an unfortunate family history of the men in his family dying of heart attacks in their early 40's. He  was determined to beat his genetic odds and felt if he engaged in eating right, exercising, and being involved in competitive events he would increase his chances of having a longer survival rate. Tragically on, October 30, 2009, at the age of 43, he died from a heart attack while training for a marathon.  Along with myself, his family, friends, and community were devistated over the sudden loss and manner of his death.  We guided our grief in a positive direction in which we decided  to celebrate the wonderful years we had with him, focus on the things he enjoyed doing, and accomplish one of his dreams......to have a triathlon in his home town.  My committment to WCMMC is to have the first annual Tribute Triathlon in 2010 with the goal of  ensuring athletes and their families have information about cardiac health.  It is my desire to provide heart healthy information so athletes can make well informed decisions about their cardiac status and evaluate if they need to seek further medical attention.  I would also like to see young athletes,(ages 13-18), in our community have access to a proper cardiac workup before participating in sports events.  It is early in life when cardiac issues can be detected, treated, and have the best possible outcome if an abnormality is found. I have attended several triathlons to support Fred and must say I admire the friendliness, support, stamina, and commitment of each of the athletes. Personally, I have pledged to begin training so I can be an active participant in the first annual Fred Overton Tribute Triathlon.  All my love Fred.....

Jeff Lowman, Treasurer
Upon completion of my collegiate athletic career, I wanted to explore new challenges that would not only satisfy my competitive nature but would also provide overall health benefits.  With a desire to try something new and different,  I completed my first triathlon in 2003.  The positive environment surrounding multi-sport events and the overwhelming support participants provide to each other, while striving toward personal achievement, is why I am part of WCMMC. It was Fred's goal to have a club in which  members of all skill levels, novice to professional, could learn, train and compete with each other, then celebrate together each other's accomplishments.  It is that atmosphere, within WCMMC, in which I aspire to complete my first St. Louis marathon in April and Half Iron Man in June.  I am a Missouri State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser and Vice President and Instructor at Lowman and Co. National Real Estate Appraisal School.  It is with my knowledge of finance, statistics, and economics I am honored to serve WCMMC in the capacity of treasurer.

I was a competitive gymnast for approximately 10 years, and I spent numerous hours working to enhance and maintain my level of fitness. After leaving the sport of gymnastics in college, I began to look for other activities to continue to develop athletically. This was extremely important to me since I knew the physical and mental benefits of exercise.  In addition to weight training, I now run and cycle on a regular basis. Participating in and volunteering at events has given me the opportunity to meet a lot of great people that provide encouragement for me to move beyond my usual comfort level and try new things. When Fred Overton mentioned developing a multi-sport club, I was excited and honored to be a part of it in any capacity. That presented the next challenge for me--participating in a multi-sport event. Swimming is definitely the biggest struggle for me.  In an effort to keep my promise to Fred and compete in a triathlon, I continue swimming, biking, and running in preparation for his event, the Tribute Triathlon in 2010.