Mark Mason
Ironman/Triathlete
Ironman/Triathlete
Welcome to My Website!
Click here to watch the AMPAGE "Ironman Sam" music video with footage of our last U.S. tour and lead singer Mark Mason racing in the 2009 Kona Ironman World Championship-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ddFg_DEVBQ
A long day at the Ford Ironman World Championship!
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Ironman Sam Album Cover 2009
Photo By Bruce Mulder
Me and my band AMPAGE DE-TOUR 1998
You can learn more about Mark Mason and his band Ampage by going to - www.ampage.com
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Athlete Bio :
1972 - I started running at age 12 after watching Dave Wottle and Steve Prefontaine run in the Munich Olympics. Even to this day those were some of the greatest running races I've ever seen.
1974 - At age 14 , I ran for the AAU team "Blue Angels" along with olympian Mary Decker and coaches Joe Salcido and Don Denoon. I was ranked 6th in the state of California for my age group in the mile at a time of 5:37 .
1974 Mark Mason
1976 - I quit running at age 16 due to leg injuries and became the lead singer, songwriter and bass player for the rock band " AMPAGE ". I spent the next 30 years recording albums , writing and recording songs for movies , a lot of touring , a LOT of partying AND NO TRAINING.
1998 Mark Mason and his band AMPAGE opening for Def Leppard
2003 - I found myself on a high school track on the Mendocino Coast of California and decided to run a mile and see how close to my old time of 5:37 I could get. Much to my surprise It wasn't even close. I think my time was somewhere in the 12 minute mile range. I had already quit drinking and partying years earlier so now I decided to start training for a few months until I beat my old mile time.
2006 - 3 years, a lot of training and a lot of 5k & 10k races later I was running somewhere in the 8 minute mile range.
Mark Mason Escape From Alcatraz 2009
2007 - A friend of mine told me about a race called " Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon". I thought it sounded kinda cool so I signed up for their lottery registration figuring I'd never get picked , after all my friend had been trying to get in that race for years with no luck.
I got picked first time out. I was very excited and then suddenly remembered I don,t know how to swim nor do I own a bike. GULP! The next thing I know I was taking swim lessons and bought an old Cervelo bike on ebay. A couple months later I did my first sprint triathlon in Oxnard Calif. as a tune up race for Alcatraz. After that , I was hooked ! I started doing race after race across the USA. I completed 13 triathlons and several 5K running races in my first year. While in Florida , I raced in the " Escape from Miami Triathlon ". It was there where I met Jeff Cuddeback who won in my age group and came in 2nd OVER ALL . He quickly became my first triathlon coach and inspiration. Later that year in California. I attempted a practice swim from Alcatraz. I only made it half way and decided not to do the race. ( I guess 3 months was not enough time to learn to swim well enough to complete Alcatraz) All in all I ended up placing somewhere in the middle of most of my races. I was happy with that for my 1st year in the sport.
L-R Coach Mike Doane, Andy Potts, Mark Mason after Kona Ironman Awards ceremony
2008 I hooked up with Olympian Andy Potts who introduced me to his coach Mike Doane in Colorado Springs Colorado. Long story short , Mike started coaching me. A couple months later I competed in the " Escape from Alcatraz " ( yes, I got picked again in the lottery ) triathlon this time completing it . A couple months later I flew out to Colorado Springs to train with Mike Doane and Andy Potts and have them clean up some of my bad training habits. Mike and I became fast friends and he has been coaching me ever since.
My Coach Mike Doane and Myself after finishing Kona Ironman
2009 was the year of the Ironman for me. I did the Hawaii Ironman 70.3, Vineman Ironman 70.3 and The Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona Hawaii. I also wrote, recorded and released the song ''Ironman Sam". We also released a music video of the song with footage of me from the Kona Ironman as well as footage from my last tour. It was an amazing year!
2009 Ford Ironman World Championship
2009 L-R Torston Able, Leanda Cave, Mark Mason
Back at the condo's Licking our wounds after a tough race in Kona
Picture L-R Mark Mason, Jan W. Mason 1984
PLEASE GIVE TO MY CHARITIES:
These 3 foundations are very important to me. My best friend and ''father figure'' as he would say, Jan W. Mason (My Dad) taught me how to swim, bike and run when I was young as well as play music. He also had Parkinsons. I watched that disease strip away everything my dad loved to do in life including playing guitar, biking and running long distance with me. While the Parkinsons didn't kill him Eventually Myasthenia Gravis did. Now my long time friend and music publisher has just been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. I would like find a cure to both of these diseases.
Over 18 years ago Bob Timmins saved my life from drugs and alcohol. I was playing in a rock band and living on the streets and alleys of Hollywood with the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction. Bob got me sober and showed me how to live. I owe him my life!!!!!. He has since passed on, but this foundation was set up to continue his lifes work. ALL proceeds from the song "Ironman Sam" will be given to these 3 foundations. I have also dedicated my newest album "Don't Shoot the Wounded'' to Bob Timmins. Please go to there websites and donate generously.
Thank You
The Timmins Foundation
Continuing Bob T's Legacy of helping people that have a desire to stop drinking get the treatment they need !
http://www.timminsfoundation.org/
Click here to watch the AMPAGE "Ironman Sam" music video with footage of our last U.S. tour and lead singer Mark Mason racing in the 2009 Kona Ironman World Championship-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ddFg_DEVBQ
A long day at the Ford Ironman World Championship!
_____________________________________________________
Ironman Sam Album Cover 2009
Photo By Bruce Mulder
Me and my band AMPAGE DE-TOUR 1998
You can learn more about Mark Mason and his band Ampage by going to - www.ampage.com
__________________________________________________________
Athlete Bio :
1972 - I started running at age 12 after watching Dave Wottle and Steve Prefontaine run in the Munich Olympics. Even to this day those were some of the greatest running races I've ever seen.
1974 - At age 14 , I ran for the AAU team "Blue Angels" along with olympian Mary Decker and coaches Joe Salcido and Don Denoon. I was ranked 6th in the state of California for my age group in the mile at a time of 5:37 .
1974 Mark Mason
1976 - I quit running at age 16 due to leg injuries and became the lead singer, songwriter and bass player for the rock band " AMPAGE ". I spent the next 30 years recording albums , writing and recording songs for movies , a lot of touring , a LOT of partying AND NO TRAINING.
1998 Mark Mason and his band AMPAGE opening for Def Leppard
2003 - I found myself on a high school track on the Mendocino Coast of California and decided to run a mile and see how close to my old time of 5:37 I could get. Much to my surprise It wasn't even close. I think my time was somewhere in the 12 minute mile range. I had already quit drinking and partying years earlier so now I decided to start training for a few months until I beat my old mile time.
2006 - 3 years, a lot of training and a lot of 5k & 10k races later I was running somewhere in the 8 minute mile range.
Mark Mason Escape From Alcatraz 2009
2007 - A friend of mine told me about a race called " Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon". I thought it sounded kinda cool so I signed up for their lottery registration figuring I'd never get picked , after all my friend had been trying to get in that race for years with no luck.
I got picked first time out. I was very excited and then suddenly remembered I don,t know how to swim nor do I own a bike. GULP! The next thing I know I was taking swim lessons and bought an old Cervelo bike on ebay. A couple months later I did my first sprint triathlon in Oxnard Calif. as a tune up race for Alcatraz. After that , I was hooked ! I started doing race after race across the USA. I completed 13 triathlons and several 5K running races in my first year. While in Florida , I raced in the " Escape from Miami Triathlon ". It was there where I met Jeff Cuddeback who won in my age group and came in 2nd OVER ALL . He quickly became my first triathlon coach and inspiration. Later that year in California. I attempted a practice swim from Alcatraz. I only made it half way and decided not to do the race. ( I guess 3 months was not enough time to learn to swim well enough to complete Alcatraz) All in all I ended up placing somewhere in the middle of most of my races. I was happy with that for my 1st year in the sport.
L-R Coach Mike Doane, Andy Potts, Mark Mason after Kona Ironman Awards ceremony
2008 I hooked up with Olympian Andy Potts who introduced me to his coach Mike Doane in Colorado Springs Colorado. Long story short , Mike started coaching me. A couple months later I competed in the " Escape from Alcatraz " ( yes, I got picked again in the lottery ) triathlon this time completing it . A couple months later I flew out to Colorado Springs to train with Mike Doane and Andy Potts and have them clean up some of my bad training habits. Mike and I became fast friends and he has been coaching me ever since.
My Coach Mike Doane and Myself after finishing Kona Ironman
2009 was the year of the Ironman for me. I did the Hawaii Ironman 70.3, Vineman Ironman 70.3 and The Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona Hawaii. I also wrote, recorded and released the song ''Ironman Sam". We also released a music video of the song with footage of me from the Kona Ironman as well as footage from my last tour. It was an amazing year!
2009 Ford Ironman World Championship
2009 L-R Torston Able, Leanda Cave, Mark Mason
Back at the condo's Licking our wounds after a tough race in Kona
Picture L-R Mark Mason, Jan W. Mason 1984
PLEASE GIVE TO MY CHARITIES:
These 3 foundations are very important to me. My best friend and ''father figure'' as he would say, Jan W. Mason (My Dad) taught me how to swim, bike and run when I was young as well as play music. He also had Parkinsons. I watched that disease strip away everything my dad loved to do in life including playing guitar, biking and running long distance with me. While the Parkinsons didn't kill him Eventually Myasthenia Gravis did. Now my long time friend and music publisher has just been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. I would like find a cure to both of these diseases.
Over 18 years ago Bob Timmins saved my life from drugs and alcohol. I was playing in a rock band and living on the streets and alleys of Hollywood with the disease of alcoholism and drug addiction. Bob got me sober and showed me how to live. I owe him my life!!!!!. He has since passed on, but this foundation was set up to continue his lifes work. ALL proceeds from the song "Ironman Sam" will be given to these 3 foundations. I have also dedicated my newest album "Don't Shoot the Wounded'' to Bob Timmins. Please go to there websites and donate generously.
Thank You
The Timmins Foundation
Continuing Bob T's Legacy of helping people that have a desire to stop drinking get the treatment they need !
http://www.timminsfoundation.org/
Favorite Quote : By Steve Prefontaine
" Somebody May Beat Me , But They are Going To Have To Bleed To Do It "
1996 Mark Mason during Filming of Ampage Music Video "The Beast Inside"
Contact:
Mark Mason
(310) 418 - 1590
email: ampage@earthlink.net
