On November 17, 2011,
in 
Every athlete has a list of the latest gear that is sure to make you better, faster, stronger. With the holiday season rapidly approaching, and as we start to dream about our next race season, it’s time to refine that list.
You know the stuff you would like to get for your racing and training needs, but it takes time to save up for one purchase and it seems like items get added to the list faster than you can buy them. Well now’s your chance to knock off a good chunk in one go. Plus, it will be so much easier for Aunt Mable to buy you a gift if she actually knows what you want. And you may even avoid adding another holiday-themed sweater to your closet in the process.
So what will make you a better, faster, stronger swimmer? To help, I’ve created a list of my favorite items this year. Everything on my wish list has been tested and evaluated for its efficiency and effectiveness, and will be worth seeing under the Christmas tree.
Swim iPod
For anyone that is bored to tears with swims that seem to go on forever, there is the SwimMan Waterproof 3G iPod Shuffle. It is completely self-contained and waterproof and one of the easiest to install on your swim goggles. Just put it on and off you go.
Drag Suit
The drag suit for men and women has returned. What an ideal way to help… Read the rest
On October 17, 2011,
in 
As summer begins to wind down, hopefully you can look back on a successful year of racing. Perhaps you still have another race or two? You might even be getting ready for Kona, another fall Ironman, or maybe a fall marathon. If so, stay the course and keep rocking it. You are almost there. Maybe your season didn’t go as planned and you are not happy with your training or results for any number of reasons. Regardless, Autumn is a time to reflect on what went right and wrong in your year and to make some plans and goals for next year. Too soon you say? Ah, read on my friends and I hope you’ll see that what you do or don’t do now will have a major impact on your next year.
For those of you that had a good year, I’m willing to bet you put in some quality time and effort into your off season LAST year that allowed you to really train and race effectively this year. I’m also willing to bet that those of you dissapointed in your year may not have been as successful last fall and winter in preparing for your year. It’s consistency week after week, month after month, year after year that really leads to success. When I talk about consistency, I don’t mean x number of swims, bikes, runs, or strength sessions week after week. That would basically allow you to become pretty good at adapting to that type… Read the rest
On September 20, 2011,
in 
The ‘up-down’ look.
Why the ‘up-down’ look?
I got this in high-school and college, but never thought I’d get it when meeting girls on a NYC-based track club for the first time – mind you – who were in their 30’s. I will never forget that day being a newbie to NYC and its infamous running community. It almost made me not want to run anymore, and it certainly, changed the mindset of my race so fast my head spun because the “look” took place at the start line to my very first NYRR 4-mile event.
I was so excited to join my very first “team” since collegiate running, and from the looks of it, they were a good group of girls to run with (or maybe the email and phone sounds of it). But first impressions mean everything and completely ignoring me at the start line of my very first in-town, new-town race was the most insecure, idiotic thing I have ever experienced – especially after the two-faced warm welcomes I received on paper. Yes, the resume was approved, but, oh wait “we need to see what she’s really made of first”…was what those ‘chics’ were really thinking.
I’ll never be “that girl”…
~
It has now been exactly three years since that incident.
Am I the same person I was at the start line: absolutely.
But my life experiences and training experiences have coincided with each other in more ways than one could ever… Read the rest
On September 13, 2011,
in 
Although triathlons are scheduled well into October, trail season is upon us and provides an excellent transition from race season to off season. Triathletes without a late-season race on the schedule may already be planning their off season training or looking for races of a different nature. As the end of summer approaches, I always feel a pull from the road less traveled; I hear the wind, trees and trails calling my name in a way they didn’t all summer long. Students have settled into their fall semester schedules, football fans come by the thousands on alternating weekends and I feel a need to escape to the serenity of dirt-packed pathways and unexpected training adventures. Trail running offers the perfect opportunity to maintain or even increase your fitness while providing a much needed break from the road.
Aside from the mental benefits of running off road (think clear head and calm mind), trail running provides a huge boost to your overall fitness including increased lower body strength (hamstrings, quads, glutes, calves and feet) and a hearty workout for the heart and lungs. Additionally, trail running improves balance and core strength due to the constant adjustments to body position as you climb, jump, hop and descend. Obstacles such as roots, rocks and hills (did I say hills?) will constantly challenge you to adapt and find your balance while maintaining a consistent pace. Your joints and tendons will appreciate the softer surface since dirt absorbs more shock than asphalt or pavement.
If… Read the rest
On August 30, 2011,
in 
Have you ever been asked why you tri? Do you tri because you needed a new challenge or because you have something to prove to yourself or to others? Do you tri in rememberence or honor of a loved one? Are you doing it because of a dare or because a friend needed a training buddy?
There are so many reasons why one tries. So often I find that when people first learn that I train for triathlons for fun, they can’t help but ask why? Why wake up early to ensure that a swim workout and a long run can be completed in the same day? Personally, the answer to this question is relatively simple: I tri because I can.
4 years ago I was banned from the gym, and could not find the strength to go for a run. I spent entire days in the hospital, laying in a chair while drugs dripped into my arm, fighting a nasty and horrible disease. 4 years ago I was a cancer warrior, today I am a cancer survivor and that is why I tri – to prove to friends and family that I can.
We all have a reason to get up in the morning, to spend hours every weekend on the bike, to push ourselves through injury and pain. We are triathletes and that is our way. We have all reached a moment where going for a run wasn’t enough, where we needed a challenge that so… Read the rest
On August 16, 2011,
in “You will never accomplish anything, until you expect it of yourself”
Believing is the key quality everyone needs to possess when it comes to training for a triathlon, or really when it comes to accomplishing anything you have set as a goal. You have to believe that you can do it. Yes, you need to work hard and be determined, but you also have to believe that that’s going to pay off, right? Even if its baby steps, keep working at whatever it is that you want to do, and with time and a positive mind, you will succeed.
One thing that is hard for alot of us triathletes, is that during race week, when we should be tapering, we begin freaking out and thinking of all the workouts we still need to do. I can attest to it. However, rest is the best workout, and the only workout you should be doing that week. You have to believe that the time you have spent, and the workouts that you have done will get you through your race. When worst comes to worst, you learn from your race and it only motivates you to keep working at your goals. So what else can you do to help assure a positive mind and race?
1) Set reasonable goals. Goals should be SMART: Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. From the triathletes point of view this should be the idea of a goal that focus’s on correct pacing throughout the race… Read the rest
As endurance athletes, it is hardly possible to race and train in the summer without battling the heat several hours a week. Unless you are content to spend all your time on the treadmill, indoor trainer or temperature-regulated pool, you’ll no doubt find yourself battling heat and humidity (not to mention forearm and shin sweat) on a regular basis. Maintaining hydration and keeping your core temperature as low as possible will serve you well; here are a few additional things you can do to limit the effects of heat in the summer months.
Time your workouts
It seems obvious but schedule some or all of your workouts early in the morning or late in the evening. While pre-dawn workouts aren’t always possible, they provide an excellent opportunity to get your workout in before the heat and humidity take over. If you aren’t an early riser, use a power nap later in the day as an incentive to get up and go. Evening workouts can also provide a break from extreme temperatures although heat and humidity can linger well past sundown. I’ve headed out for many a run at 8:00 in evening when temperatures were still in the upper 80′s and humidity was 80-90%. The drawback of evening workouts is the effect is has on sleep; it can take hours to wind down from an intense workout and can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule.
Hydrate Before, During and After Your Workouts
Most athletes know the importance of hydration during workouts,… Read the rest
In an article I recently read titled “Swim Bag‐What’s in yours?,” the author, Mary Eggars, discusses the issue of swim equipment or swim “toys” as they are know within the tri community. She does a great job of identifying some of the gadgets that are available for use. By design these toys are to help increase efficiency and a more consistent feel for the water, build better swim mechanics along with overall strength and technique. Perusing the list of potential necessities she identifies to bring along for your swim workouts, I could not help but stop and focus on the second item on her list: Hand Paddles.
I believe this particular swim tool is sometimes the most over used and minimally understood piece of equipment in our arsenal. If used correctly and in the right amount (yardage), it can create substantial improvement in power and feel. But, and there is always a but, if used incorrectly or for pounding out too many yards, you may be headed for shoulder soreness or potential shoulder injuries.
When the question comes up whether to use paddles or not, there are a number of things I take into consideration.
1. The mechanical proficiency of the swimmer. Putting paddles on a swimmer who has technical issues (i.e.: dropped elbows, bi‐lateral imbalance in their hand entry, crossing the centerline, a lack of feel for the catch and inability to anchor that catch) may not be in their best interest until some of these technical deficiencies… Read the rest
Do you remember the first time you finally were able to balance, pedal, and move forward all at once on your first bicycle? If you do remember, it was no doubt a magical moment after weeks of frustrating crashes.
Some children will never learn how to ride a bike or how to swim. Once these youth reach adulthood, it is very difficult to learn. Many children don’t learn due to a lack of resources, including not being able to afford a bike, lacking an adult in their lives able to teach them, and/or just having no interest since people around them do not use bicycles. This blog will discuss an innovative solution for this void, ACHIEVE Kids Tri, and how you can help support it by convincing friends or family to sign up for the Sold Out Nation’s Triathlon through an ACHIEVE Kids Tri charity slot.
Support a great cause and register through the Nation’s Tri Charity Option!
ACHIEVE Kids Tri, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to enriching the lives of youth by introducing them to the sport of triathlon.
Athletes learn how to train for the swim, bike, run, and transitions of a triathlon in a free six-week camp open to youth ages 9 – 14. At the end of every ACHIEVE camp, the athletes put all their hard work into action at a USA Triathlon-sanctioned Official Kids’ Triathlon. As youth navigate the challenges of a… Read the rest
It’s about half way through summer and that means that you are either gearing up for your first race of the season or for most of us you have just completed your first summer triathlon and are wondering what’s next!? Depending on your capabilities, you may prefer to stick with another sprint race, or try something a little longer like an Olympic. Before you decide what’s next, focus on your latest race and answer the following questions:
- What area was your strength?
- Which part did you enjoy the most?
- Where do you need the most work?
- How fast were your transitions?
- Did you make any mistakes?
- How was your nutrition during the race and leading up to the race?
- How were your stress levels and sleeping schedule leading up to the race?
These seven questions hit on some of the key factors that can influence how your race went or is going to go. The important thing to remember if you have already raced, is taking away what you have learned from your race. Sure you may have had a terrible swim, but maybe you had a great bike. Keeping positive thoughts about your race will help motivate you to keep going.
Also, transitions may seem like the easy part, but particularly in a sprint race where these precious seconds can make a difference in your final standing, it is important to know what you… Read the rest
