WELCOME TO SMOG!
SCROLL DOWN FOR EACH LOCATION’S INFO…
SMOG LA (Los Angeles, CA)
When: Saturday’s, 8 am
Where: Avenue A Lifeguard Tower, Redondo Beach, CA
Leaders: Bryan Mineo, Founder + Antony Nguyen, Ambassador + Alex Moothart, Ambassador
Alex was a competitive swimmer for 13 years – from the age of 9 through the Division I collegiate level at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Having reached the National level in distance freestyle events, his love of competing in a pool has translated seamlessly to competing in the ocean. With a 14-year history of teaching anyone from infancy to adulthood, Alex is well-versed in all things swimming.
Prior to coaching under Bryan at SMOG, Alex was a coach for the West Hollywood Aquatics Master’s Program for 4 years before moving down to the South Bay where he discovered his love for the open water. Alex is a full-time as both a Life Coach and a Swim Coach, ready to help, motivate, and inspire anyone whether you’re in or out of the water.
SMOG SD (San Diego, CA)
When: Sunday’s, 7:30 am
Where: Moonlight Beach (at the big palm tree), Encinitas, CA
Leaders: Bryan Mineo, Founder + Antony Nguyen, Ambassador
Antony began swimming later in life when he first explored Laguna Beach and fell in love with the ocean. After being lectured by a 17 year old lifeguard on how not to bodysurf and within the same week performing his first rescue of a child from a rip current, Antony was inspired to start training to become an ocean lifeguard at 37. Two plus years of training with SMOG and coach Bryan, Antony completed his lifeguard training at the Laguna Beach Lifeguard Academy.
When not staring at code all day, Antony enjoys sharpening his culinary skills and finding new music. He has discovered that being of service to others is his key to happiness and hopes that everyone can experience of being free in the open water.
SMOG OC (Orange County, CA)
When: Friday’s, 7 am
Where: Corona Del Mar
Leaders: Bryan Mineo, Founder + Lexi Kelly, Ambassador
SMOG SF (San Francisco, CA)
When: Saturday’s, 8 am
Where: Chrissy Field Beach, San Francisco, CA
Leaders: Megan Tobin, Ambassador
Megan Tobin is an Ironman triathlete, open water swimmer and Triathlon and Open Water Swim Coach now living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Megan has been proudly coached by the Swim Mechanic for years, and a member of SMOG since its inception. She loves sharing what has been given to her: a love of swimming and the ocean.
Megan’s always been an athlete; swimming, playing basketball, softball and field hockey in high school, and playing field hockey at a collegiate and national level. After devoting several years to building a career in technology marketing as well as a family, she discovered triathlon through her colleagues. What started as a way to get back in shape 13 years ago became a passion for multisport, self care and, perhaps surprisingly, bringing balance back into her life.
SMOG HI (Oahu, HI)
When: Sunday’s, 8:30 am
Where: Kailua Beach Park, Ohau, HI
Leaders: Kelly Love, Ambassador + Pam Melish, Ambassador
Kelly Love-Abel has been swimming since the age of seven. A competitive breaststroker and IM’er, she held pool and school records at college of Notre Dame of Maryland, where she graduated in 1999 with a BA in Spanish. After giving birth to her son, Love-Abel was temporarily paralyzed in one leg. Unable to walk, run or cycle, she returned to the water for rehabilitation and recovery. She returned to competitive swimming in the way of open water racing. A once dedicated pool swimmer, she likes to help others not only discover a love for the water and better stroke technique while building confidence and dissolving fear in the open water. Love-Abel currently resides in Kailua with her husband Jeramie, son Michael Patrick, and two boxers Adelheid and Roxie.
Pam Melish found the water in the spring of 1973, and being a tall girl, she felt graceful and powerful. Years of club team and swim camps, as well as being a lifeguard, Pam has carried her love of swimming through her entire life and today teaches swimming to students of all ages. She’s passionate about inspiring swimmers to achieve their swim goals by giving them the tools to become more efficient in the water. In 2012, she moved to Kailua where she met a group of moms that traded shifts of ocean swimming and kid watching, and since has found so much happiness in connecting the ocean to local community. Pam races in open water across Oahu, swims masters and coaches daily.
SMOG SN (Sierra Nevada)
When: Saturday’s, 8 am
Where: Jenkinson Lake, CA
Leaders: April Valerie, Ambassador
April started swimming competitively at the age of eight for a neighborhood summer league in San Jose. She had an immediate aptitude and continued swimming through high school. After high school she moved to Redondo Beach and took an eight year break from the sport.
While working with triathlete colleagues, she was intrigued by the idea of racing in one. She just needed to learn how to swim in the ocean. She found a beginning ocean swim group and learned how to navigate through the waves and unpredictability of open water.
Once she got over her initial fears and jitters, she was hooked on the thrill and tranquility Ocean swimming provided. With her new found love of this new sport, she wanted to help others overcome their anxiety and get comfortable in the ocean by leading a an informal beginning open water swim group.
SMOG ME (Portland, ME)
When: Thursday’s 6 pm, Sunday’s 8 am
Where: East End Beach, Portland, ME
Leaders: Tyler Wright, Ambassador
Tyler followed his older sister’s example and began swimming for the local YMCA at age seven. Over the course of his childhood, Tyler competed in state, New England, and eventually YMCA National meets. Upon graduating high school Tyler began a collegiate swimming career at College of the Holy Cross. In college Tyler set records in butterfly and backstroke events, as well as relays, but more importantly, Tyler found his love for coaching at Holy Cross. Tyler coached athletes of all ages for a neighboring Special Olympic team. Through one on one coaching, as well as student group organizing, Tyler enjoyed watching volunteerism and his athletes’ comfort and love for the water grow.
After college Tyler began doing more open water swimming in the lakes, rivers, and ocean of his home state of Maine, as well as in lakes in his temporary home of Missouri. Tyler now resides in Portland, Maine and enjoys triathlon training, as well as helping people grow in their abilities in the open water, whether it’s training for their first ever triathlon swim leg, or giving technique and training feedback to experienced competitive swimmers. Tyler is excited be a part of the expansion of SMOG, and to be heading SMOG ME!
SMOG KN
When: Saturdays 7:30am
Where: Kailua-Kona Pier, Hawai’i
Leaders: Dan Gampon, Coach
Dan was born and raised in Kailua-Kona and has been around the ocean his entire life, paddling, swimming and surfing. His passion for triathlon grew from watching the Ironman World Championships each year and the athletes that came along with that. Dan has been a triathlete for 7 years and has qualified and finished the Ironman World Championship 2x, and has competed in Ironman 70.3’s all around the world. Dan’s goal every day is to share the Aloha and stoke that comes from the islands of Hawai’i, to those everywhere else.
SMOG MX
When: Saturday’s 11:00am
Where: Las Estacas Parque Nacional, Morelos, Mexico
Leaders: Federico Aradillas, Coach
Living in Mexico City, Federico is an elite triathlete that enjoys testing his physical limits every day. He strongly believes that limits live as long as you allow them to and when you push through them you can truly accomplish anything you want. Federico originally became a SMOGger to learn more about open water swimming, as it hasn’t always come naturally to him, and he has drawn confidence and built speed with the group since. Being part of an inclusive community like SMOG has allowed Federico to see firsthand what teamwork and camaraderie can do to boost athletic performance.
SMOG ATX
When: COMING SOON!
Where: Austin, TX
Leaders: Dan Weber, Ambassador
SMOG MI
When: COMING SOON!
Where: Miami, Florida
Leaders: Andi Berry, Ambassador
ABOUT SMOG
As the sun barely peaked…
over the roofs on the Esplanade, a few swimmers gathered to meet their coach for an ocean swim at 6:30am, in August 2014. Coffee and friendly conversation followed. Unknowingly, the foundation of SMOG was being built.
The next week consisted of 3 swimmers, followed by 6 swimmers on week 3, and so on. From Day 1, the group mission has been to provide a safe, inclusive environment where everyone can enjoy open water swimming and a supportive community surrounding the deep connection the ocean creates.
Today, with nearly 1800 members across three cities, SMOG is home to the country’s largest year round open water training community. From beginner to olympian, SMOG prepares athletes for their specific races and goals.
What is SMOG?
Each month-long training block consists of a variety of workout formats, from circuit training, to distance courses, to time trials, crafted specifically around the triathlon and swimming race calendars.
Head coach Bryan Mineo, as well as assistant coaches Alex Moothart, Megan Tobin, Antony Nguyen lead with a hands-on approach, focusing attention on each athlete and their needs.
We believe structured pool training is critical to open water success and are proud to be partnered with the largest masters swim program in the country, SCAQ. With weekly triathlon focused pool sessions, SCAQ is the complete complement to the SMOG open water program.
SMOG is grateful for generous local support including title sponsor Subaru Pacific as well as The Village Runner, Addaday, Blue Seventy, and Goodr.
Membership
Membership Includes:
- Coached and paddle supported open water sessions
- Tri Star coached bike and run workouts: organized bike/run after with Strava routes and aid stations
- Key workouts throughout the season to prepare for races
- *NEW* Discounted Membership for SCAQ, our partner providing 60+ pool workouts per week
- *NEW* Discount on Open Water Master Clinics (spring and fall)
- Discounts and free swag from our awesome sponsors
- *NEW* Calendar of workouts included in monthly newsletter
- *NEW* Summer Celebration in June and Holiday Party in December (free to members)
Your donation supports the permitting and safety for the group, buoy crew, and paddlers who facilitate our growth and keep all SMOG sessions the most fun open water training in California.
Title Sponsor: Subaru Pacific
Sponsors: Blue Seventy, Village Runner, Goodr, Addaday
AUGUST 2019 CALENDAR
Week 1
Workouts: Entry/Exit Repeats
Lecture: Open Water Acclimation
Week 2
Workouts: Middle Distance Circuits
Lecture: Relaxed Breathing for Efficiency
Week 3
Workouts: Distance - Loop Contest
Lecture: Sync and Timing of the Breath
Week 4
Workouts: Mixed Circuits with Relays
Lecture: Proper Head Positioning