Name: Mike Varlotta
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Mike Varlotta at the Climbing Wall in Point Breeze.(Gabor Degre/Post-Gazette)
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Residence: Brookline
Age: 36
Occupation: English teacher, Perry Traditional Academy; boys' and girls' tennis coach at Perry; boys' and girls' swimming coach at South High School.
Fitness fanaticisms: Rock climbing, running, swimming, biking and tennis. Varlotta gets up at 4:15 a.m. to run six miles before school; he plays tennis five or six times a week in the summer; a little less in the winter. When he's coaching, he also swims or plays tennis.
Athletic achievements: Varlotta has done three Pittsburgh marathons -- "My first race was a marathon and I ran in under four hours." He also has done a mini-triathlon in Uniontown. His first long bike trip was 4,500 miles, from Pittsburgh to California. On their honeymoon, he and his wife bicycled to New Hampshire, stopping along the way to climb.
Just for fun: Playing with his three children: Elisa, 4; Giovanna, 2, and Michael Anthony, 2 months.
Staying hungry: Homemade pasta with a light marinara sauce. "I do not eat fast foods. The kids at school always tease me that they're going to sneak a Big Mac into my lunch."
Health tip: "Go outside and play." Varlotta recommends contacting American Youth Hostels or the Explorers Club of Pittsburgh to learn about inexpensive and "cool outdoor pursuits."
Inspiration:"New routes on new rock."
