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10 WEEKS TO A WINTER MARATHON
$1 FROM
EACH ISSUE DONATED TO CAF
N ° 272/DECEMBER 2006
WORLD’S LARGEST TRIATHLON MAGAZINE
ROBIN WILLIAMS & RUDY GARCIA COMEDIAN AND IRONMAN HOPEFUL BOND THROUGH CHALLENGED ATHLETES FOUNDATION
45 GREAT HOLIDAY GIFTS MARK ALLEN’S
10 TIPS FOR THE OFF-SEASON IMPROVE IN THE POOL
triathletemag.com
3 KEY WORKOUTS $4.99 / Canada $6.99
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CONTENTS
DECEMBER ‘06 No. 272 Cover: Rudy Garcia & Robin Williams Photo by Tim Mantoani
TRAINING
On the cover: • 10 WEEKS TO A WINTER MARATHON • RUDY GARCIA PROFILE • TRIATHLETE PRESENTS ITS HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE • MARK ALLEN’S 10 TIPS FOR OFF-SEASON TRAINING •3 TOP SWIM SETS
108 72
LAB RABBIT by Gale Bernhardt
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DEAR COACH by Roch Frey & Paul Huddle
106
42
LANE LINES by Steve Tarpinian
90
TRAINING FEATURE by Lance Watson
108
66 90
THE BIG RING by Matt Fitzgerald
92
ON THE RUN by Kirk Nordgren
96
DOCTOR’S ORDERS by Dr. Jordan Metzl
98
DEPARTMENTS FIRST WAVE Surf’s up by John Segesta
10
STARTING LINES by Mitch Thrower
12
EDITOR’S NOTE by Cameron Elford
14
MAIL CALL
16
CHECKING IN 18 News analysis; Tri news; Training tip; Second take; Training tip; 70.3 series; Winter cycling apparel; Point-counterpoint; Pro bike; Gatorade athlete; Club profile; Travel talk; Light read AT THE RACES 116 Acenture Chicago Triathlon, ITU World Championships, Monaco Ironman 70.3 and more 6 DECEMBER 2006
SPEED LAB by Tim Mickleborough, Ph.D.
100
TECH SUPPORT by Ian Buchanan
102
COLUMNS XTERRA ZONE by Kahuna Dave Nicholas
112
BIKE OF THE MONTH by Jay Prasuhn
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RACE CALENDAR
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TINLEY TALKS by Scott Tinley
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W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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CONTENTS
FEATURES FEATURES
THE IRONMAN’S IRON MAN
62
Checking in with Graham Fraser
By Stephen Fleck THE FOURTH SEASON
66
Make the most of your off-season training
By Mark Allen
72
DRIVEN TO SUCCEED Rudy Garcia-Tolson plans to tackle Kona ’07
By Matt Fitzgerald
78
POWER ON Get the goods on the top go-fast toys
Boost your power output this off-season with complex training
By the editors
By Robert Hockley
HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
8 DECEMBER 2006
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SURF’S UP Athletes wade out into the pounding Pacific surf off Venice Beach to start the swim at the Kaiser Permanente L.A. Triathlon on Sept. 10 in Los Angeles. 1 0 DECEMBER 2006
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
FIRST WAVE
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T R I AT H L E T E M A G A Z I N E 11
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STARTING LINES
No.272 - December 2006 Board of Directors Bernard Vulfs Dominique Sonnet Steve Gintowt Mitch Thrower Publishers John Duke Chief Executive Officer John Duke Associate Publisher Heather Gordon VP, Sales & Marketing Sean Watkins Editor-in-Chief T.J. Murphy, tjmurphy@triathletemag.com Managing Editor/Interactive Editor Cameron Elford, cam@triathletemag.com Senior Editor Jay Prasuhn, jay@triathletemag.com Associate Editor Rebecca Roozen, rebecca@triathletemag.com Photo Editor John Segesta, johns@triathletemag.com Creative Director Kristin Mayer, kristin@triathletemag.com Graphic Designer Oliver Baker, oliver@triathletemag.com Contributing Writers Matt Fitzgerald, Roch Frey, Paul Huddle, Tim Mickleborough, Scott Tinley
Jessiqa Pace
Contributing Photographers Delly Carr Robert Murphy
Bob Iger, Disney CEO, along with actress Maxine Bahns, Triathlete’s Mitch Thrower and actress Kathleen Robertson.
Go-fast gear No matter why we race, we all love the gear By Mitch Thrower Every year, I put a very special race on my race calendar: the Nautica Malibu Triathlon. Not just because it has never rained during this event, nor simply because of the spectacular racecourse along the beautiful Malibu coastline but because this event is where my favorite fleece sweatshirts come from each season. Of course, there is much more to the Nautica Malibu Triathlon than a great sweatshirt. The race also offers a celebrity division, enjoys outstanding sponsorship support and boasts a corporate challenge and a festival atmosphere. This year in Malibu, I raced as the cyclist on a celebrity relay team: Team LA Sheriffs, with Andy Baldwin as the swimmer and Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca, who is a lightning-fast runner. We placed second in the celebrity division, right behind NYPD Blue. I have watched the Nautica Malibu Triathlon grow over the years into one of the most popular events in our sport. The entertainment industry comes out in force both to participate and to cover the celebrities in the event. In addition, numerous high-profile corporate teams tackle the race, from companies like Neutrogena, Amgen, Disney and Herbalife. I even ran into a team from Yahoo, and a comment from one of the team members made me spill my coffee. He said, “We may not be fast, but we’re smart.” Still, regardless of how or why folks find their way into triathlon, we all share a common bond: a desire to be fit and healthy; a need to challenge ourselves and set goals for personal growth; and love for the cool gear that helps us race farther and faster. In this issue, you’ll find our holiday gift guide, with dozens of gift suggestions for your tri-obsessed family and friends (and, of course, for yourself). New triathlon gear is the stuff of speed, comfort and technology. It’s the fancy “no-morego-numb” bike seat, the new high-performance sunglasses, the wetsuit with the built-in propeller and, someday, the 100-percent drag-free bike frame. This winter, do a bit of housecleaning. Take an inventory of all the gear gathering dust in your garage, and blow out the stuff you no longer use or Train Smart, need on eBay to make room for the newest go-fast toys. Sure, it may not be the epitome of Russian asceticism, but a bit of retail therapy can help the bleak winter Mitch Thrower weather pass a bit more quickly and keep you jazzed mthrower@triathletemag.com to resume focused training in the coming months.
1 2 DECEMBER 2006
Medical Advisory Board Jordan Metzl, M.D., Krishna Polu, M.D. Advertising Director John Duke, johnduke@triathletemag.com Production/Circulation Manager Heather Gordon, heather@triathletemag.com Customer Service Linda Marlowe Senior Account Executive Sean Watkins, Cycling & Events seanw@triathletemag.com Account Executive Lisa Bilotti, Nutrition, Apparel, Footwear & Auto lisab@triathletemag.com Marketplace Sales Laura Agcaoili laura@triathletemag.com Office Assistant Shannon Frank shannon@triathletemag.com Accounting Vicky Trapp vicky@triathletemag.com Triathlon Group North America Offices 328 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 100, Encinitas, CA 92024 Phone: (760) 634-4100; Fax: (760) 634-4110 www.triathletemag.com Attention Retailers: To carry Triathlete in your store, call Retail Vision: (800) 381-1288 SUBSCRIPTIONS: Your satisfaction is important to us. For questions regarding your subscription call (800) 441-1666 or (760) 291-1562. Or, write to: Triathlete, P.O. Box 469055, Escondido, CA 92046. Or, e-mail: subs@triathletemag.com. Back Issues available for $5 each. Send a check to Triathlete Magazine Back Issues, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Ste. 100, Encinitas, CA 92024 and specify issues requested, or visit www.triathletemag.com. Publication Mail Agreement #40683563. Canadian mail distribution information: Express Messenger International, P.O. Box 25058, London BRC, Ontario, Canada N6C 6A8 Submission of material must carry the authors’/ photographers’ guarantees that the material may be published without additional approval and that it does not infringe upon the rights of others. No responsibility is assumed for loss or damage to unsolicited manuscripts, art work or photographs. All editorial contributions should be accompanied by selfaddressed, stamped envelopes. Printed in the USA.
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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EDITOR’S NOTE
Run. Speedo® Tip of the Month :: Wear socks for longer races nothing ruins a run split like blisters. :: Carry the food that you like to use with you on the run, don’t try anything new out on the course. :: Take the first mile to settle into your pace - there is no point in blazing out of transition at a pace faster than you know you can hold.
:: Increase your cadence as you get tired. We tend to slow down and “grind” towards the end, but it is much more efficient to take quicker, smaller strides.
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
:: Visualize the run course beforehand so that you know it well being familiar with landmarks/mile markers helps pace your effort and mentally tick off the miles.
Zone out By Cameron Elford o matter how you look at it, we are damn lucky. Lucky to enjoy a sport whose growth seems to know no bounds as new and spectacular courses are opened up each year. Lucky to remain balanced and grounded—inevitable by-products of a sport that demands equal doses of introspection, single-mindedness and humility. Lucky to connect with people who enrich our lives by helping us to better understand ourselves and who push us to achieve that which we never thought possible. Lucky to experience the world in a way that few non-athletes ever do. Let me pick up on that last point. Several months ago I was working on a project in Riga, the capital of Latvia, a former Soviet republic on the Baltic Sea. While the country is emerging from decades of oppression, it’s doing so slowly, and a vast disparity has emerged between those who have embraced the opportunities of the free market and those who remain tied to the, now broken, cradle-to-grave social contract once offered by the Communist system. The city is a remarkable combination of striking, though largely neglected, Renaissance architecture—now being restored with the help of
N
:: Relax to go fast!
2004 Olympian | Canada Samantha McGlone
EU structural funds—modern steel-and-glass high-rises, crumbling Soviet-era factories and ramshackle wood and brick houses. Many of my colleagues cased the typical tourists haunts, consisting largely of bars and other service-industry establishments designed to part tourists from their money and better judgment. A couple of us, however, decided to do a bit of exploring in a way only triathletes can, and we plotted a few workouts that took us into areas well off the tourist track. One workout took us west along the Daugava River, which runs through the center of Riga, an ancient city of about 800,000. Once outside the downtown core, we wound past dismal Soviet-era housing blocks and houses blackened by decades of soot and pollution. We didn’t see any other runners in the entire week we were there, and the routes we chose were about as far from the solitude of a trail run as you can get but, for all that, it was pretty cool. Not unlike most triathletes, I dig stuff that takes me out of my comfort zone—whether an Ironman-distance race, a tough breakthrough training session or a workout that brings me into contact with people, places or experiences that I wouldn’t normally encounter. As 2006 comes to close, think back to the past year. Did you get an opportunity to explore and push the limits of your comfort zone? If so, we’d love to hear about it. Please go to triathletemag.com and e-mail us. We’ll publish selected accounts and images on triathletemag.com. ▲ W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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MAIL CALL
Cheating or a competitive advantage? B
rad, Brad, Brad. Clearly even you don’t believe your argument against altitude tents. It’s clear by your tone [Point-Counterpoint in the October 2006 issue], which relies on sarcasm, humor and a little dig at your esteemed opponent’s extended college career. Let me say up front that it took me 13 years to finish my degree, so I’m a bit biased. Using Brad’s logic, I’m at an unfair advantage since I live at 6200 feet above sea level. I can also drive 20 miles to sleep and train at 10,000 feet. Based on my performance at my last five Ironman races this “advantage” has yet to bear fruit. However, I’ve noticed at these races that many of my fellow competitors have $5000 bikes. That’s not fair! I use an old bike that was probably first used by the Ancient Greeks. Not only that but I’ve met several other athletes whose coaches have names like: Paula, Roch, Paul, Mark etc. All of them are out of my price range. My coach is Barnes & Noble. And, of course, Triathlete magazine. How will I ever get to Kona when everyone but me is cheating? Joe Turcotte Colorado Springs, Colo.
Chicago success I
would like to thank you for having such a great staff. I met a writer from your magazine at the Accenture Chicago Triathlon, where I was doing my first sprint. He helped calm any nervousness I had and lead me to have a really good time. I’m hooked on being a triathlete. Thanks again. Steven Lisula Via e-mail
The debate continues . . . C
an you stand another comment on the swimsuit issue? I’m shocked to read so much negativity concerning this subject. I think it’s wonderful that your magazine has the guts to portray athletic women in a sexy way. I say hooray! Training hard, being athletic and looking good should be celebrated in every way possible. I just
16 D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 6
don’t understand why some women get so upset. Next swimsuit issue should be accompanied by a few self-help-style articles: How to lighten up, Step off that soap box, How to show off the body you’ve worked hard for. Edith Farnham Tampa, Fla.
Feeling left out W
hoa, whoa, back the truck up and hit the brakes. You left us out. Tempe is feeling like a Major League Baseball player who’s had a great first half of the season only to get left out of the All-Star game. We have got it all here: Ironman Arizona, Soma Half Ironman, ITU points series tri, a splash-and-dash and the Papago OffRoad Mountain-Bike Tri. Our roads have hosted top athletes including Hunter Kemper, Tim DeBoom, Michellie Jones, Faris Al-Sultan, Heather Gollnick, Heather Fuhr, Chris McCormack and Chris Legh. Tempe is located right in the middle of the valley, getting you to any type of ride you choose. Of course the best part about Tempe is that after any race or ride at Tempe Beach Park you can walk 100 yards into the downtown’s many restaurants and bars with your finisher’s medal, enjoy a cold beverage, reflect on your race and plan for your next triathlon in Tempe. Travis Dray Tempe, Ariz. find it hilarious when Outside magazine and Triathlete rank the coolest places to live, because art, culture, history and intellectual life are never seriously on the editors’ radar. I believe this explains why 80 percent of the coolest cities chosen in these contests are always west of the Mississippi, where the editors of these publications happen to live. I was born in Hollywood, Calif., and grew up in Newport Beach, Calif., where I was a surfer and catamaran racer through high school. I moved east at the age of 26 and have never looked back. I currently live just outside of Philadelphia, where I train about eight to 10 hours a week for Olympic-distance events. This leaves me plenty of time to attend lectures, museums, plays and other cultural happenings. San Diego, Boulder, Bend, St. Pete, Kona, Madison, Tucson, Austin—I have visited all of these cities and they are lovely. But, forgive me, they offer but a modicum of the cultural options or intellectual vitality of a city such as Philadelphia (or Chicago, New York
I
or Boston for that matter). And, last I checked, starter homes in most of the cities you chose are over $500,000. And Philly has world-class athletic facilities to match its world-class cultural institutions. Phillip Berman Penn Valley, Penn. y friends here at the L.A. Tri Club and I were so excited to see the article on America’s top-10 tri cities in the September issue. Certainly, Santa Monica would be in the top 10, probably the top five. To our dismay, we were bested by Montauk, St. Petersburg and Madison. How can a town that is frozen for four months of the year be good for triathlon? Besides being the heart of the LA Tri Club’s membership base (over 350 of our 1400 members live in Santa Monica), the cover of that very issue featured another great Santa Monica-based tri team, Team Riley, and its lovely member Estella Warren. We routinely pack in mid-week morning open-water workouts, have enough climbing to satisfy Lance Armstrong during his preparation for Tour victory No. 7, and it isn’t uncommon to see the best runners in the U.S. gracing our running routes. Year-round good weather, a huge and vibrant triathlon scene, lots of pros (both touring and homegrown.) And where else can you chat with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver while sipping your post-ride coffee? We’ll give you a mulligan and wait for the error to be corrected in 2007. Konrad Ribeiro Via e-mail
M
I’m super, thanks for asking I
’ve got a gripe about the supermodel story. How is an article about a supermodel triathlete supposed to make me faster? Seriously, when was the last time that looking at some hottie made you go faster in a race? Uh, well, I suppose there was that one time in the Marine Corps Marathon. Uh, what I mean is, what am I supposed to think when I show up to some race venue and there’s some six-foot, blond knockout of a woman, and she’s . . . No, what I really meant to say was gorgeous, beautiful, pouty lips don’t have any real relevance . . . Oh, never mind. Tom Donner Thibodaux, La. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M
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CHECKING IN ANALYSIS: Women on the rise TRI NEWS SECOND TAKE 70.3 SERIES WINTER CYCLING APPAREL POINT-COUNTERPOINT PRO BIKE GATORADE ATHLETE CLUB PROFILE TRAVEL TALK LIGHT READ
Robert Murphy/Blue Creek Photography
• • • • • • • • • • •
1 8 DECEMBER 2006
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b`W QO`P]\MaW\UZS QO`P]\ dSZQ`] QZ]ac`S T]` _cWQY b`O\aWbW]\aM]dS`aWhSR VSSZ ^cZZ T]` SOag S\b`g b`W^ZS RS\aWbg !2 3D/ `S[]dOPZS W\a]ZSM`O[ OW` dS\bWZObW]\ agabS[M/61 O\Ob][WQ VSSZ Qc^M #' '#M^ZSOaS dWaWb ca ]\ZW\S Ob aQ]bbcaO Q][ b] ^`SdWSe bVS S\bW`S Q]ZZSQbW]\
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Women on the rise By T.J. Murphy ike the crack of a whip, the 1980s triathlon explosion followed the 1970s running boom. As far as the whip goes, it seems fair to say the spirit that drove one drove the other: a desire to be fit and a desire to be tested. Just as the marathon was the driving force behind the running boom, the Ironman has become the driving force behind multisport. The wind that set sail to the flagship triathlon events has helped spring numerous other distances of running and triathlon into the mass arena. In running, everything from 5Ks to halfmarathons, and in triathlon everything from sprints, Olympic-distance races and half-Ironmans (not to mention XTERRAs, duathlons and so on). An overview of the trajectories of road running and triathlon suggests similar forces influence these two massparticipation endurance sports. Long ago, major marathons began adding shorter-distance races to their weekend schedules—8Ks, kids’ races. The same has happened in multisport, and the phrase “triathlon festival” is becoming far more commonplace. Timberman, Wildflower and Chicago, for example, all can be referred to as “triathlon weekends.” Going to Wildflower could mean you’re doing the long-course race, the Olympic-distance race, and/or the mountain-bike event. Another pattern that started with running and filtered into multisport was the advent of the charity-fundraiser training pro-
L
2 0 DECEMBER 2006
gram: the Leukemia Society’s Team in Training program first started gaining steam by transforming couch potatoes into runners with the marathon. Now it’s common to see TNT uniforms blanketing triathlons across the country. With all of this in mind, you can be confident that examining a snapshot of the road-racing world will give you a premonition of what to expect in triathlon. And what noticeable trend is occurring in road racing that we might soon see impacting triathlons? The answer: more and more women. Here’s the snapshot: In 1976, out of the 1,175 entrants entered in the Marine Corps Marathon in its inaugural year, 40 were women. Race organizers report the Washington, D.C.-based race now draws 30,000 runners of which approximately 47 percent are women. Numbers at this year’s Boston Marathon showed that within the 18to-39 age category more women entered the race than men: 5,089 women to 4,969 men—an event that requires a time-based qualification. On the West Coast, the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon in San Diego, in its relative youth as a major marathon in this country, is yielding fields with approximately 60 percent women. Steven Karpas is the race-development director for the Chevron Houston Marathon. “Right now, of the runners that come to our event—which includes the marathon, half-marathon and 5K— it pans out to be 50-50 between men and women,” Karpas says. “Four years ago, the ratio was 70 percent men versus 30 percent women. I firmly believe that in a few years our marathon will have more female runners than male runners. I think this can be traced back to the addition of our half-marathon race four years ago. It has allowed new runners—especially women—to get a start in the sport. Last year, our halfmarathon field was 55 percent women out of the 8,600 entered.” Laura Wright reports the same thing is happening at the Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn. “We have seen an increase in participation of women in the marathon, especially from 1995 to 2005,” she says. “With the addition of the half-marathon and 5K, the total amount of women participating in our race weekend is now 59 percent. In 1977, when our race started, 12 percent of the field was women.” Wright adds that since 1999 at the
companion races of the Grandma’s Marathon—the Garry Bjorklund HalfMarathon and the William A. Irvin 5K—the number of women entered in both races has been greater than the number of men. “I feel that adding more distance options to our event has helped increase the amount of female participation,” she says. Another dynamic at work in running has been the Team-in-Training factor. According to Andrea Greif, a spokeswoman for TNT, 76 percent of all TNT runners are women, and 73 percent of participants for all TNT events—which includes running, walking, cycling and triathlon—are women. Race directors suggest elements like the shorter-distance companion races and programs like Team-in-Training are offering a stepping-stone approach into the longer events that are appealing to women. Greif reports that a TNT survey of participants likes the social nature of their program. “They are attracted by the opportunity to have fun as part of a team and to meet people, make new friends and to have the group support while tackling the physical challenge. They are also attracted to the cause; it makes them feel good to be raising money to support a worthy mission.” Consider triathlon in 2007, with race-loaded weekends becoming prevalent—not to mention the success of the Ironman’s 70.3 series and the success of TNT in multisport—should we expect to see an equalization of men and women’s participation numbers in multisport? USAT’s Tim Yount says we’re already seeing it. “We are not at a 50-50 break right now, but the percentages are shifting rapidly,” he says. “What was an 80-20 split about five years ago is now roughly a 70-30 men-to-women ratio. I would guess that in a year or so we’ll be looking at 67-33 and by 2010 more than likely 60-40. The positive thing is that we are seeing a 55-45 split on some of our national age-group teams—Team USA—and participation at some of our national championships. At our youth nationals this year, we actually had more girls compete than boys.” Women weren’t part of the first Ironman, held in 1978. The first Olympic marathon for women wasn’t held until 1984, because for decades women were viewed as too fragile for endurance racing (a perplexing fact considering the state of endurance sports today). The times are a-changing. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
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Samantha McGlone 2006 Wildflower, Accenture Chicago & 70.3 Florida Champion Rides Profile Design
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photo | Segesta/wahoomedia.com
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XTERRA redesigns sponsorship strategy By mutual agreement, Nissan North America, Inc. and the XTERRA America Tour and World Championship decided that Nissan will no longer be the title sponsor after 2006. Tom Kiely, XTERRA CEO, stated, “As a result of the growth and expansion of XTERRA, the sponsorship packaging and strategy will be redesigned. Nissan has been a
2 2 DECEMBER 2006
Lieto leads high-profile Nevada Silverman relay team
countries including the XTERRA Global Tour off-road triathlon series, the XTERRA Scramble Trail Run Series, XTERRA Kids triathlons, XTERRA Duathlons, XTERRA Swims and XTERRA Mountain Bike Races.
Train in Spain with EuroCycler March 2007 will kick off EuroCycler's fifth season, featuring spring training camps for road cycling and triathlon near Girona, Spain. There will be five cycling weeks and three triathlonfocused camps. Triathletes are coached by pro triathlete and German national team coach Olaf Sabatschus, Andrea Brede of Germany, the women’s European Ironman champion, and Denny De Priest, former USAT national team coach. “On daily training rides along the scenic Mediterranean, our guests join dozens of European guests and swap training tips with all levels of athletes.
The Nevada Silverman Triathlon, which will take place in Henderson, Nev., on Nov. 12, boasts a high-profile team consisting of Chris Lieto, Jamie Patrick and Brian Astell. All three athletes are previous triathlon top finishers, but the biggest name of the trio is Lieto. He has broken numerous course records in Ironman races across the world and is the winner of Ironman Canada 2005 and Ironman Japan 2006. Lieto will take on the bike portion of the course. Patrick will complete the swim. Patrick has competed in 15 Ironman races and has finished first in the swim portion in four of those. Astell will tackle the run. The Silverman is offering $100,000 to the first relay team that can break the eight-hour mark on the challenging Ironman-distance course.
Rich Cruse
German triathlon great Jürgen Zäck has been banned from competition for two years by the DTU, the German Triathlon Union. On Sept. 12, the DTU’s anti-doping commission ruled that Zäck, long one of the top German Ironman-distance athletes, with an Ironman PR of 7:51:42, would be ineligible to compete for two years—until July 7, 2008. However, for Zäck, 40, who retired from the sport in July, the ban is largely symbolic, although it nonetheless casts a cloud over his long multisport career. Throughout his career Zäck had been an outspoken critic of all forms of cheating, including drafting and doping. Zäck tested positive for the steroid etiocholanone. “On May 22 I underwent an out-of-competition doping test,” said Zäck earlier this summer just days before pulling out of Ironman Germany in Frankfurt on July 23 and subsequently announcing his retirement. “On July 7, 2006, the DTU informed me about elevated levels of the metabolites etiocholanon in my A-sample.” Zäck has denied knowingly ingesting the steroid and points to contaminated supplements as the source of the banned substance. DTU anti-doping commission chair Reinhard Wilke noted of the Sept. 12 ruling, “The commission did not see any possibility other than imposing a two-year ban on Mr. Zäck.” Wilke stressed that the DTU will continue to test athletes and punish offenders.
Individual needs are catered to with a complete package and a structured athletic program,” says Richard Debrot, president and CEO of EuroCycler. “This is a performancefocused multisport experience for cyclists and triathletes across a range of skill levels, mixed with a dose of natural beauty and culture.” As part of the package, you’ll get to borrow a Scott full-carbon road bike. The CR1 Team bikes are equipped with triple chainrings fit for conquering the challenging European terrain. Seven- and 10-day camps include CaveMan, an Olympic-distance practice triathlon race, women-specific cycling, triathlon clinics and a program for non-riding spouses and kids who travel along. The venue is a beach resort with pools, a spa and gym, massage services, bike mechanics and nutritious cuisine. All-inclusive land packages start at $1,700 per person, per week. For more information, visit eurocycler.com or call 866-789-3876.
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
Zäck handed two-year DTU suspension
major sponsor of the XTERRA USA Championship Series for nine years; however, now that XTERRA is moving into trail running, winter events and more television properties, the need has developed to unbundle and repackage our sponsorship offerings.” Janet Clark, president of XTERRA, noted, “A few short years ago we were a small event property with a basic sponsorship offering, but now we are a multifaceted global brand with multiple products, properties and media. Our agreement with Nissan North America could not expand globally so we had to change to support XTERRA as it is today. This is a positive move for XTERRA and will allow us to work with a few more companies on specific and new initiatives, including the future launch of the XTERRA Winter Championships. Regarding the XTERRA brand, we can now move more aggressively into XTERRA products, gear and media as a great complement to XTERRA events.” XTERRA boasts 175 events in 15
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
CHECKING IN TRI NEWS
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Robert Murphy/Blue Creek Photography
CHECKING IN SECOND TAKE
Despite the rain, spirits were high at the 2006 Timberman 70.3 Triathlon in Gilford, N.H.
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John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
TRAINING TIP CHECKING IN
Cycling speed skills By Joe Friel f the six abilities I write about in The Triathlete’s Training Bible, the area in which age-group athletes could likely make the biggest improvement consists of speed skills: the ability to make the movements of the sport in an economical manner while at race cadence. Moving economically means your body has learned how to conserve energy and maximize efficiency. Now is a great time to refine and improve your speed skills in all three
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sports. Once the race season begins, your emphasis will shift to the racespecific abilities: muscular and anaerobic endurance. The starting point for improving cycling speed skills is to get a bike fit by a professional to ensure you are in an economical position for the types of races you do. You can also improve your cycling speed skills with a simple drill known as isolated leg training. This drill has been around as long as
bikes have been ridden and raced. But it’s still the best there is, and I have the athletes I coach do it all winter. It’s simple to set up: Put your bike on a trainer and place a chair on each side. Warm up, then unclip one foot and place it on the chair. While pedaling in an upright position in a low gear at a low cadence with one leg, pay close attention to the dead spots at the bottom and, especially, at the top of your stroke. Smooth out these dead spots by learning to move your foot horizontally rather than vertically. Pedal until fatigue begins to set in, then change legs. The changes you should see over several weeks include a decrease in effort, a delay in the onset of fatigue, the ability to use a higher cadence and ease in turning a higher gear. When you can skillfully do ILT in the aero position, then your pedaling speed skills are exceptionally economical. Joe Friel is a coach and the author of several endurance-training books including The Triathlete’s Training Bible. He may be reached through his Web site at trainingbible.com.
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CHECKING IN 70.3 SERIES
By Rebecca Roozen he 70.3 series took its first steps in 2006 with races in Brazil, Baja and plenty of places in between. It put a spotlight on a distance other than the Ironman, giving age groupers a feasible goal but still a lengthy training schedule
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the season due to unforeseeable operational challenges. The race organization has worked out the kinks, and Denmark’s ready to hop on the halfIronman wagon in ’07. Or travel even farther east two weeks later and spend some time on Singapore’s pristine beaches and running trails. 2007 70.3 EVENT CALENDAR March 31, 2007 May 6, 2007 May 20, 2007 June 2, 2007 June 3, 2007 June 10, 2007 June 10, 2007 June 17, 2007 June 24, 2007 July 8, 2007 July 22, 2007 Aug. 4, 2007 Aug. 5, 2007 Aug. 19, 2007 Aug. 19, 2007 Sept. 2, 2007 Sept. 2, 2007 Sept. 9, 2007 Sept. 16, 2007 Nov. 10, 2007
Ford Ironman 70.3 California St. Croix Ironman 70.3 Ford Ironman 70.3 Florida Ford Ironman 70.3 Honu Switzerland Ironman 70.3 Eagleman Ironman 70.3 Baja Ironman 70.3 U.K. Ironman 70.3 Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3 Barclays North Ironman 70.3 Vineman Ironman 70.3 Whirlpool Steelhead 70.3 Antwerp Ironman 70.3 Timberman 70.3 Scandinavia Ironman 70.3 Singapore Ironman 70.3 Monaco Ironman 70.3 Cancun Ironman 70.3 Brazil Telecom Ironman 70.3 Ford Ironman World Championships 70.3
Plus
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Adjustable Aero Drag Factor Another Step Forward in Trainer Technology RacerMate’s 30 year mission has been to build the world’s most advanced bike trainers. Now, with CompuTrainer Plus, you can enter your own individual drag factor as determined on the road into our software algorithm.
The result – your speed on CompuTrainer Plus (and Velotron) is closer than ever to your speed on the real road course. Like all RacerMate technical innovations, it’s also retrofittable to older models.
www.racermateinc.com Velotron
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Bicycle Training Technology for World Class Performance
CompuTrainer W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
John Segesta/Wahoomedia.com
2007: Take two
and feeling of grand accomplishment. It lured athletes to destinations like St. Croix, Monaco and Cancun. It lured their families, too, for long-weekend getaways. But most importantly, the inaugural 70.3 series created a tremendous base to build upon. Races near… This series isn’t just about extravagant races overseas. For many, it’s about driving 30 minutes to a nearby city. If you’re looking for a 70.3 race that’s close to home—or at least in your state—here are a few of the ’06 favorites that are sure to be many triathletes’ ’07 goals. Try your hand in Oceanside, Calif.; Cambridge, Md.; Lubbock, Texas; Lake Stevens, Wash.; or Gilford, N.H. And far… But, if you’re in for a spendy, unforgettable holiday, there are a few glamorous stops on the series’ itinerary. Race and take a week in St. Croix, Monaco, Cancun, Copenhagen or Singapore. The latter two races are the series’ newest. In 2006, the Scandinavia Ironman 70.3 race, scheduled for Aug. 20, was canceled early in
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ZIPP 808’S
THE ULTIMATE WEAPON Cam Widoff Photo Tim Moxey
Cam Widoff is the ultimate competitor. His sport, the ultimate test for man and equipment and the Zipp 808 represents the ultimate in performance. Cam, like Zipp, just keep getting better with time. 808’s are unequivocally the most aerodynamic non-disc wheels in the world, even faster than any three-spoke. The partially ovoid rim cross-section and an 82 mm rim patent pending dimpled surface with Zipp’s exclusive aerodynamic shape makes them the ultimate weapon. 808’s are available in tubular and clincher (shown)
800.774.2383 www.zipp.com
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CHECKING IN GEAR
Batten down the hatches By Jay Prasuhn The leaves have turned, and the coffee stops are for more than post-ride banter. Winter is upon us. Smart layering combined with wind-blocking shells and gloves can help keep you on the road and protected from the weather. Descente Spirit Shelter Jersey ($140) and Coldout Glove ($25)
Louis Garneau Arm Warmers ($50) and Booties ($40)
LG’s arm warmers are great for those cool days when the sun makes a rare appearance and you find yourself overdressed. Plus, the Power Lycra is designed to support muscles and reduce fatigue. LG’s new rubber-soled and fleece-lined booties (below) are made to block the worst that cold, wet and windy days have to offer. louisgarneau.com
Cannondale Baselayer Light Crew ($50) Layering is the key to staying warm and dry, and worn under the jersey, Cannondale’s base layer provides the perfect barrier. It keeps the sweat away from your body to ward off chill while trapping heat to keep you warm. cannondale.com
Nothing keeps you warm like fleece lining on the interior, and Descente’s jersey and glove both have it. The Spirit Shelter is water- and windproof up front to keep the chill away from your core. The fleeced interior in the Coldout glove keeps your digits intact, with a tacky palm for easy shifting. descenteathletic.com
All photos courtesy the manufacturers
Pearl Izumi Gavia Jacket ($160) and Gavia Bib Tight ($200) One of cycling’s most venerable names debuts the Gavia line, featuring a water- and windproof yet super-stretchy soft-shell top. Pair it with the Gavia bib tight with its AmFIB, offering a wind and water barrier that will save your body on a cold, wet descent. pearlizumi.com
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Sugoi HydroLite ($100) Using some of the lightest new materials available, the HydroLite jacket protects you from the elements. And if the sun comes out and you need to ditch your shell, it packs into a tiny ball that fits easily into your jersey pocket. sugoi.com
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CHECKING IN POINT-COUNTERPOINT
Show me the money The debate over entry fees is about as close to being settled as the continued furor over drafting, with athletes typically staking out positions that allow for little wiggle room. This month, an age-group triathlete and race director follow the money.
It’s all about value
Bellyaching is a zero-sum game By Normon Thibault
s a short-time triathlete and long-time marketer, I understand value. I’ll also admit most purchases are emotional, not logical. Lucky for you Mr. RD. There are some sharks out there. You know who you are. You increase margins the old-fashioned way, by sticking it to the consumer. You do it two ways: Jack up the price or dumb down the quality of the product. We all do it in business. It’s how we make money. But at what point do you go from maximizing profits to abrogating your responsibility to your customers? I gotta tell you, a lot of us multiply the entry fees by the number of competitors and wonder where the money goes. So let’s talk minimums. Things I expect at any race at any price: safety and fun. If you fall short in either, you have failed, no matter how cheap your entry fee. Recently at a race not far from Chicago, the course was so poorly marked with so many riders off-course that two sets of results were posted: the Olympic distance and “non-standard Olympic distance.” I can’t believe the guy had the balls to post both. Nothing like documenting your own ineptitude. Above his obvious professional embarrassment flies the red flag of danger. If so many bikes were in places they shouldn’t have been, you can bet there were cars in potentially dangerous spots too. Safety is a tough one. It takes a lot of people, a lot of organization and a lot of money. But I can’t figure out why so many races have no transition security whatsoever. For those who find it hard, here’s the plan: 1) Number the bikes; 2) Number the athletes; 3) Bikes leave only at the “bike out” during and after the race; 4) Put your smartest guy at “bike out” to compare numbers on bikes to numbers on athletes. Get it? After these minimums, we can discuss the sliding scale that is value. Is a fabulous location worth a premium? Sure. Does a prize purse that draws the big shots satisfy my emotional need to race alongside (OK, behind) my heroes? Sure it does. But if you’re getting $100-plus a pop, I expect you to graduate from spray paint on the road to proper signage. Also, I expect to see 1.5 porta-potties for every $10 I spend. So if it’s 80 bucks, I want to see 12 crappers, and put one right at the “run out” would ya? The more you charge, the more accurate I expect your distance measurements to be. Lets see . . . 500 participants . . . 150 bucks apiece . . . yep, you got enough for a new GPS. But let’s not dismiss the emotional-needs thing. I just forked over big bucks for my first Ironman race next year. I don’t want to be an “extreme-distance triathlete,” so I paid extra. When I cross the line and Mike Reilly proclaims, “You are an Ironman!” will it be worth the $470? Yep. You bet it will—all that and then some. But I’m still gonna be counting crappers.
race (a lot). I also put on races. I volunteer at a number of triathlons a year, and, through my business, I sponsor 30 to 40 events a year. Yesterday I did a race called the Rowbotham Lake Ramble, a 70-kilometer mountain-bike race with a $40 entry fee, four fully stocked aid stations plus a BBQ and beer waiting at the finish. For most people doing the race, $40 was less than the cost of one tire, and yet I still heard several complaints because the entry fee had gone up over the last five years. After directing races for 13 years I have learned that one thing is certain: People complain—and some people complain a lot. When you pay for any good or service, whether a newspaper, a new car or a triathlon, you want to get your money’s worth. But most complainers lack even a basic understanding of the costs associated with producing a product or putting on a triathlon. Typical complainer math goes as follows: 500 athletes at $150 apiece, minus a $10 T-shirt, equals $70,000 profit. Wow, what a great way to rip off all the triathletes and earn some easy cash. Here is a little info on some of the items in our annual race budget: entry form and Web site, office expenses, promotional materials, policing costs and event-permit fees, event-sanctioning fees, race apparel and medals, charity donations, prize money, food, people power and equipment rental. A little more than signage and crappers, isn’t it? If being a race director is so easy and profitable, then where have some of the sport’s great races gone over the past two decades? Where is the new car in my driveway (I drive a 1984 Honda Passport 70 scooter)? Why do I still have a mortgage (being paid by my other full-time job)? And I just love it when people whine that the price for our event has gone up over the last 12 years. Wow! Big news . . . something has gone up in price. How is this different from most other consumables, from houses to energy to labor costs? In my estimation, I have done somewhere between 400 and 500 races since 1988. Out of those, there are a few that I will probably never return to until a number of things are fixed. Once I stopped during a race because I was so disappointed in the race organization, and I did not return for years until they sorted things out. Still, whenever I am unhappy about an event I try to help them by writing a detailed note explaining my experience and credentials and then outlining the positive (always first) and the negative things about the race. Being a race director is hard, stressful but deeply satisfying and rewarding work. For me, it has basically been a second full-time job for the past 12 years. There is never a moment in my day where I am just sitting around with nothing else that could be done. Bottom line: if you don’t like an event or you think you are being ripped off, then be constructive and do something about it. Clueless whining about it at poolside to your buddies is not going to help our sport, and it won’t help races survive. Then, without races, what would you complain about? Oh, I am sure you would find something.
Bill Dermody is a marketing manager in Geneseo, Ill. He has been competing in triathlon for two years and will compete in his first Ironman in Coeur d'Alene next June.
Based in Nanaimo, Canada, Normon Thibault is the race director of the New Balance Half and co-owner of Frontrunners running and triathlon store.
By Bill Dermody
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CHECKING IN PRO BIKE
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Bryan Rhodes’ Cervelo P3 Carbon By Jay Prasuhn ew Zealand’s Bryan Rhodes serves as a perfect example of what many of us try to achieve: getting the bike under us. So many athletes are splayed out in a superman position. Rhodes’ philosophy: steep angles plus skeletal support equal a comfortable and aero ride. So to reach that, Ironman veteran Rhodes, last year’s Ironman U.K. champ who tested his equipment and position at the San Diego Wind Tunnel as part of his Hawaii Ironman prep, goes for a smaller frame than most to get himself over the cranks while getting the cockpit under him. Standing about 5’10”, Rhodes might fit on a 56cm frame but instead opts for a 51cm bike. It’s smaller than most would recommend, but Rhodsey’s been at this game for a long time, so we figure he knows what he’s doing. To counteract the short top tube, Rhodes runs a Profile Design Lava
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110mm stem, just long enough to keep his knees from hitting the back of his aerobar pads. With the saddle positioned dead center of the rails in the fore clamp, we measured his seat angle at 79 degrees with plenty of drop to the aerobars—typical for an aggressive, aero-conscious pro athlete’s setup. Like any good Kiwi, Rhodes runs New Zealand-made Keywin pedals, a super-light resin platform rarely seen stateside. At 192 grams per pair with Ti spindles, we’re surprised they’re not found on more bikes. He’s also running the new Australian-based X-Treme wheels, with a smooth gloss coat over the carbon so reflective you can do your hair in it. We’d like to think they go pretty fast, too. You can find more on the gregarious Kiwi and longtime Cervelo-sponsored athlete at rhodsey.orcon.net.nz.
A Frame Cervelo P3 Carbon, 51cm B Fork Cervelo Wolf, carbon steerer C Headset Full Speed Ahead IS II, 1 1/8” D Aerobar Profile Design T2+ Cobra &
CobraWing E Groupset Shimano Dura-Ace 10-speed,
11-23 cassette F Chainring Shimano Dura-Ace, 53-39,
175mm crankset G Wheels X-Treme Matrix front, X-Treme
Blade rear H Tires Continental Competition, 700c x
19mm tubulars I Pedals Keywin CRM Road, Ti spindles J Hydration Profile Design Karbon Kage K Saddle Fi’zi:k Arione
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It has occurred to us at Velocy that in barefoot running your heel will rarely strike the ground first.....
www.velocy.com
It’s also apparent to us that power, acceleration, speed, and balance are best achieved when performing off the forefoot. In looking at how to increase performance, at Velocy, we have engineered footwear that enhances human movement. Forward Gravity™ is a forefoot technology that enables humans to harness the power of gravity in walking and running. So if you are ready for fewer injuries, increased efficiency, comfort and faster times, test a pair of VELOCY shoes and experience the undeniable difference.
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CHECKING IN GATORADE ATHLETE/CLUB PROFILE
GATORADE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
KAREN FRALEN By Marni Rakes aving enrolled at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Karen Fralen, of Stafford, Va., was well trained in jumping out of airplanes, marching with weighted backpacks, artillery and countless other military drills. Now the 41-year-old trains and succeeds in a different arena: triathlon. Fralen, a self-described fitness enthusiast, enlisted in her first triathlon in 2000. She developed a passion for cycling after suffering a running injury, and not long after she bought a bike she was dominating her age group, from
Courtesy of Karen Fralen
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sprint races to Ironmans. Fralen recently placed in the top of her age group at RYKA Iron Girl Columbia Women's Triathlon; plus, she has completed four Ironman-distance triathlons and competed in Kona twice. But there’s plenty
more to life than triathlon for Fralen. “My daughter and twin boys come first in my life,” says the part-time teacher and swim coach. “I try to fit in training whenever I can. Even if it’s riding the trainer at 11 o’clock at night.”
The CU Triathlon Team he CU Tri Team is made up of 140 genuine and fun-loving athletes. About 80 of them are very active club members. They’re not just active in triathlon but in the community as well: volunteering for security at football, basketball and volleyball games,
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hosting the Frozen Foot 5K road race and feeding the homeless. This year they plan on going to a local children’s hospital and nursing home, renting joggers and taking those who want to do a race (5K, 10K or more), and running it with them. The team has won the Collegiate National Championships 10 times out of the last 14 years. Despite its reputation as a serious threat at any national competition, the CU Triathlon Team has a very friendly, easygoing and relaxed attitude. The team prides itself on its
non-elitist approach to workouts and social activities. Coach Kirk Nelson gears the workouts to fit athletes of all levels and backgrounds without creating a separation of elite team members. The team holds seven nonmandatory practices a week, one of which includes yoga/core work. The talent pool is always very deep, with four team members qualifying for the age-group world championships in Switzerland this year. Three went and placed very well. Leah Larson took eighth in the 20-24 age category, Mike Clark took ninth in the 20-24 age group and Dave Clarke took 15th in the 25-29 age group. For more details, go to the team’s Web site at cutriteam.com. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Courtesy CU Triathlon Team
By Matthew Daugherty, CU Triathlon Team president
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Courtesy of Hubie and Warren
CHECKING IN TRAVEL TALK
he first rule the U.S. Multi-Sport Team agreed upon was a budget for Interbike, the industry trade show that took place in Las Vegas at the end of September. We had an extensive schedule of meetings and decided our gambling budget would be a whopping $0. Everyone in Vegas has a hand out for a tip (I thought I even saw a cat with his paw out, or was that a dream?), and everything is on the high end of pricing. Plus, we had to fly stand-by to make this trip work in the first place. But the real reason for our non-existent gambling fund is because we went to Vegas to focus on meeting new clients for our 2007 Multisport Directory. Last year was our first year at Interbike, and it was mind blowing. It took three days just to walk through the show. This year we tacked on another week to make the most of the trip. After day three, you’re overwhelmed, excited
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and exhausted. It feels like you’re in a cave. No widows. So when you finally do make it outside, it’s like a new world. A different world. And inside the cave, people from all walks of life come together to provide products to promote health and fitness. The products range from bikes (triathlon, road, mountain, BMX) to new nutrition and clothing products and every bicycle component you can imagine. As work came to a close on the showroom floor each day, darkness crept in and so did the party crowd. It was a chance for us (if we were lucky enough to be invited) to meet industry people in a more casual environment. One party was in the Voodoo Lounge on the top of the Rio. The patio was packed with plenty of entertainment, even girls in cages, and many pros strutting their stuff. The complete rock ‘n’ roll effort. Pre-show mornings consisted of a leisurely run to jump-start the heart.
The distance was determined by how much the previous evening lingered in our veins (hard to avoid good times in Vegas). Running in Sin City is an adventure at best, and we have a new saying, “No one walks in L.A., and no one runs in Las Vegas.” We found a big parking lot in UNLV and ran through the campus. One problem we ran into immediately was that the budget was swiftly dissolving. The best deal we found was a can of Foster’s (25-ouncer) for six bucks. When you are a grassroots organization you have to be a smart consumer. On top of the six-bucks deal there was free live entertainment. Taking advantage of that means you’re an educated consumer. Chalk one up for the team. Overall, the multisport part of this show is growing by leaps and bounds. For us to be a part of this brings a great feeling of pride to see and hear this industry rock. So let’s all get psyched for the upcoming year and indulge ourselves in what we love to do. Swim, bike, run, ride, paddle, climb, walk, gamble, crawl, whatever it is . . . just keep moving and enjoy our awesome sport. Start planning your events now for 2007. See you next month . . . H&W W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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All in the family By Tim Hola
icture this. You’re getting ready for a big race. Instead of the typical hightech racing goggles, gels, aero bike and racing flats with elastic laces, you pack a scuba mask for the swim, a gold-tone five-speed Sears bike (with fenders) for the ride and a classic pair of grey Brooks Chariot running shoes for the run. Yes, I know it’s hard to imagine, but for my parents, Fran and Ken Hola, it was those exact items that propelled them into the sport of triathlon. “It was 22 years ago, in 1984, when we saw the Big Creek Triathlon in Des Moines, Iowa, on an evening TV news report and heard there was a triathlon in Lake Okoboji later in the summer. We had never done one before, so we signed up,” Fran explains. Ken, on the other hand was lured by the competition. “I liked it because I wanted the opportunity to compete, especially on the bike, and get a good workout,” Ken says. What my parents didn’t realize was this was the start of a bond in our family that would last for years. The Lake Okoboji Triathlon was a 1.5-mile swim, 18-mile bike and 6.2mile run. “Back then, you didn’t see any aerobars, disc wheels or high-tech gadgets. The equipment we used worked out just fine for our first race, although I can imagine the looks I’d get today if I lined up in my swim wave wearing a big bulky scuba mask,” Ken admits. After suffering some minor injuries while running, my mom switched her focus to the pool, where she still spends most of her time today. My father, however, still races at age 62. I grew up as a swimmer in high school and frequently watched my dad compete in triathlons and duathlons. He asked me once or twice to participate with him, but I was always a little hesitant because I just liked to swim. When I turned 20, I finally succumbed. It was the summer of 1995 in Des Moines. I’d
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CHECKING IN LIGHT READ
be lying if I told you I didn’t enjoy the variety of sports coupled with the intensity of a fast race. However, to share that enjoyment with my dad, knowing he was out there going through the same feelings, made it that much better. Since then, my dad and I have raced together at least one race per season. We even share the same sponsor, PowerBar. There have been many memorable moments. In 2000, at the Manitou Sprint Triathlon in White Bear Lake, Minn., we found ourselves racing together on the bike. “In that race, Tim started in a wave behind me and passed me on the bike,” says Ken. “After he passed me, I gave it all I had and re-passed him and said, ‘Speed it up, kid!’ I then ran out of gas and he was long gone.” It’s days like that that keep things in perspective. I remember I was trying for the overall win. I was very focused, but when he passed me, it made me laugh and realize why I like to race: to have fun and to get in a good workout, a bond we share. “I think it’s great that Tim and I share this activity, and it’s something that definitely strengthens our relationship year after year,” Ken believes. Triathlon strengthens our family. Every member of our family has done a triathlon, including my sister Christine. It seems like it’s contributed to our family’s well being by each of us learning from each other. Plus, we’ve been lucky enough to travel to many places as a family. I’m thankful this sport has given us so many positive experiences. I will soon be a father myself and hope that I can pass on those experiences to my kids. Ken says, “Racing with my son gives me the opportunity to share the same experiences I have in a race, and while doing so, I feel privileged that we can embrace this healthy lifestyle together.”
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TRIATHLETE MAG’S
GIFT GUIDE
Our round-up of the latest gear—just in time for the holidays ONCE AGAIN, OUR ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE ROARS TO THE RESCUE WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING EVERYTHING YOU WANT IN THE SPIRIT (AND PRACTICE) OF HOLIDAY GIFT RECEIVING. Surely your friends and family are convinced you have more than enough of everything when it comes to multisport. They think you’re nuts. Three or four bikes, a wetsuit or two and wheels galore. And don’t forget the dressers and closets crammed with shorts, shirts, socks, saddles and shoes. But we know—it’s never enough. We’re talking about three sports combined into one, where the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. They have little idea that even shoelaces have been re-invented for triathletes. And what was fast and cutting edge last year is now slow and unsavory. What’s a triathlete to do? For starters, Xerox 100 copies of the following gift guide and “accidentally” leave them on your coworkers’ desks and on your spouse’s pillow. Don’t feel a smidge of guilt over this campaign. Think of the favor you’ll be doing for your beloved friends and family members. Think how you will have subtracted the stress and torment from their lives as they try to figure what to get you. And just in case they fail to follow through, there’s not much wrong with sneaking in a little gift shopping for yourself after the presents have been raided and you’re face to face with gaping holes in your wish list. Just remember the final lines from the 1971 version of Willy Wonka: Willy Wonka: But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he wanted. Charlie Bucket: What happened? Willy Wonka: He lived happily ever after.
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BIKE GEAR FI’ZI:K VITESSE TRI $139 Based around the wildly popular Arione Tri, the first-ever women’s-specific tri saddle takes one of Fi’zi:k’s most popular women’s saddles and adds a longer and more padded nose, while still boasting all the features of the Arione, including a carbon-reinforced shell and titanium rails. fizik.it
SCOTT TRI CARBON SHOE $160 The perfect pair-up for your Plasma, Scott’s foray into bike footwear with the Tri Carbon has all the right features: a low-profile carbon-fiber outsole, a single inward-cinched Velcro closure, a triple-density insole, a heel strap for quick entry and RAM ventilation for cooling. scottusa.com
CONTINENTAL GP TRIATHLON $50 Based on the hugely successful GP4000, the GP Triathlon goes for a super-slick tread optimized for forward, full-speed-ahead racing with almost zero rolling resistance. Indicators show tread wear, so you’ll never have to risk riding on an unsafe or worn-out tire. Vectran puncture protection keeps you in the race instead of on the shoulder. highwaytwo.com
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ROTOR TIME TRIAL Q-RINGS $245 This aero 54-tooth (paired with 42T inner ring) chainring was custom created for triathletes requesting a bigger, more aero cookie. The outer ring is also available separately for $156. rotorusa.com
KOOBI PRS $150 The PRS remains one of the most comfortable, customizable saddles in cycling. Using different colored elastomers (each with a different durometer) inserted at the rear of the Ti rails, cyclists can tune the suspension for long days in the saddle. koobi.com
TOKEN TI/SCANDIUM/ALLOY 10-SPEED CASSETTE $249 The best way to a triathlete’s heart is to lighten his or her ride. To that end, Token offers a new mixed-material cassette, consisting of four hard-anodized 7075 cogs, four scandium cogs, with the two smallest teeth comprised of titanium. Depending on ratio, weight ranges from a featherweight 101 to 150 grams and each carries a 10,000-kilometer warranty. tokenproducts.com
TRIXTER $1,095 Off-season rides on trainers are OK, but you lose that natural feel and rhythm, especially out of saddle. The Trixter offers the real-world ride of a bike that pivots, has 32 levels of pedal resistance and seven levels of upper-body resistance for a great core-training experience. Used by XC pros Christophe Sauser and Kashi Leuchs, the XTERRA set (and roadies) will find it a great alternative to the straight-line trainer this winter. x-biking.com
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A SLIPPERY WORK OF ART In the world of sports there are few things as beautiful as a high performance road wheel. A smooth elegant hub, super thin spokes, and sleek profiled rim; the entire taut structure primed for action. More athlete than machine, it lives for speed.
RD-600 WHEELSET
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BUILT FOR THE RIDE RD-600 by FSA embodies the qualities for which designers and riders yearn: minimal mass, supple feel, high speed stability, and excellent technical detailing. All with an arresting visual presence. The 110mm center flange is an aerodynamic boon and fierce torque transmitter. The unique shape, forged by a proprietary process and equipped with highest grade Japanese bearings, broadcasts its efficiency from the first glance. TAKE THE OTHER ROAD To reach beyond convention, sometimes you need to think differently, to break with tradition. For those with the urge, there’s an unexpected reward, the RD-600.
TWO FLANGES
THREE FLANGES
Placing one-third of the spokes in line with the rim allows the RD-600 to present only 12 spokes to the wind, avoiding the aero vs. strength dilemma facing traditional two flange designs.
Every RD-600 wheelset comes with Scatto, FSA’s superior quick release. Made to unusual high standard, this unit delivers a smooth positive cam action that’s been compared to a luxury car mechanism. But, best of all, the grip is twice as strong as conventional releases. Enjoy a new level of confidence with RD-600 and Scatto.
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OPTICS SMITH PROJEKT $99 AND AUDREY $80 The Projekt exemplifies post-race laid-back cool, with a photochromic lens that changes tint with the brightness of the sun. On the flipside, the Audrey is designed specifically for women and is available in a variety of colors. smithoptics.com
TIFOSI FORZA WITH GT FOTOTEC $60 The features-to-price ratio of Tifosi’s great line gets better with every product we field test. The Forza is light (20g) with swappable lenses and rubberized nose and ear pads. Add GT Fototec and you have one of the most impressive lenses we’ve used—great for boosting visibility and flat-light contrast on grey winter days. tifosioptics.com
RYDERS SPRINT XR $60 One of Ryders’ most popular lightweight performance eyepieces (featuring rubberized nose and temple pads and lens vents to prevent fogging on cool rides and runs) now features a photochromic lens that changes transmission according the intensity of ambient light. All that while retaining a killer price point. ryderseyewear.com
RUDY PROJECT HORUS $150 Aside from being one of the most aggressive-looking and functionally adjustable optics in triathlon, the Horus has a unique method of lens swapping; instead of changing the lenses, the entire frame bottom, with lens, is snapped easily in and out of the frame upper. Plus the Horus is compatible with RxSwap, allowing you to get prescription optics built into the frame without a separate clip-on. rudyprojectusa.com
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OAKLEY THUMP PRO $249 With replaceable lenses, the new Thump Pro is smaller and lighter than previous incarnations and uses rubberized nose and earsocks, making it great for your winter trail runs. Available with 256MB of space (or 512MB for $50 more or 1GB for $100 more). Plus, to help you get psyched for the race, the Thump Pro includes Overdrive, which allows you to call up your favorite psyche-up track. oakley.com
ZEAL OPTICS AIRESTREAM $110 The Airestream follows Zeal’s trend of creating technical products that look great, so you can look stylish after the finish line, too. The Airestream features a wood-grain finish (other finishes available as well), and the new ZB-13 polarized lens enhances depth perception and contrast in a variety of light conditions. zealoptics.com
TRI TECH RS800SD RUNNING COMPUTER $489, ADIDAS WEARLINK SLEEVELESS $45 AND ADISTAR FUSION SHOE $110 Polar provided the HRM data and Adidas created the apparel and shoes. Put ’em together and you have an integrated system whereby the adistart Fusion shirt with ClimaCool replaces the traditional chest strap with the WearLink WIND transmitter that’s built into the shirt. It provides heart-rate data, while the Polar S3 Stride Sensor pod, inserted into the sole of the adiStar Fusion shoes, relays pace and cadence data to the computer. polar-adidas.com
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TIMEX IRONMAN SLEEK $60
ZOOT ZENITH $575
The quintessential gift for any triathlete, the water-resistant Ironman watch comes with all the must-haves: 50-lap memory chrono with a dated training log, countdown and interval timers, two time zones, three alarms and Indiglo light. timex.com
Using BioWrap, Zoot took a super-flexible 2mm suit and strategically bonded and stitched 2mm and 3mm panels through the torso, legs and glutes to provide necessary buoyancy (for effective 4mm and 5mm sections). In practice, the thin sections of 2mm openings make the suit ultra-flexible through the stroke and surprisingly open for breathing through the chest. zootsports.com
COMPUTRAINER GPS COURSE CREATOR $65 Pairing up with Garmin, CompuTrainer created a program that allows you to download any ride or race (or course preview in your car) from a Garmin 305 and load it into your CompuTrainer program. Prep for anything from your weekend group ride to the Ironman 70.3 Monaco in the comfort of your own home. computrainer.com
IBIKE $400 This two-ounce wattage reader bucks current trends, requiring no special hubs or cranks (so you can use it on race day with your disc), and delivers watts (current, max and average), altitude, calories, hill gradient, temperature and wind speed as well as bike-computer functions, all within a three-line display screen. Includes Mac- and PC-compatible ride-analysis software. ibikesports.com
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SWIM TOYS FINIS SWIMP3 $199 Liven up a loved-one’s swim workout with the SwiMP3. They’ll get about two hours worth from the 128MB capacity. More than enough tunes for a thorough swim workout. The battery lasts about four hours and is rechargeable through a USB cable. finisinc.com
SPEEDO POWER PADDLES $19.99 Make a splash with the swimmer in your family and opt for Speedo’s Power Paddles, which have broad blades for optimal water contact. Holes allow water to channel through paddle, increasing the fluidity of each stroke. For tiny and large paws alike, choose from sizes small to x-large. speedo.com
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www.sbrshop.com
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BARRACUDA PREDATOR GOGGLE $19.99, $23.99 Give the gift of leak- and fog-free water eyewear. The Predator’s Positive Pressure frame doesn’t let even a drop sneak in. And the wide-angle, anti-fog lenses give a clear view of everything below. Non-mirrored lenses run for $19.99, and those with mirrored lenses are $23.99. Take your pick from five colors. barracuda.com.au
TYR STREAMLINE TRAINING BOARD $15.50 The StreamLine Training Board is designed to reduce and relieve stress on the shoulders because it allows you to mimic the body’s natural swimming position. The foammolded hand-grippers allow for smooth—and straight—driving and maneuverability for quick turns. tyr.com
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This pendant is constructed in 14k gold or sterling silver. Choose from a small (22mm) or large (26mm) charm. Both have a polished, raised border and figures, which are designed to stand out on a matte finish background. marindesigns.com
DOGHEAD DESIGN TRI-PENDANTS $15.95, $35.95 These detailed tri-pendants are die-struck then detailed with a hand-finish. Available in silver- or gold-plated finish for $15.95 and in solid sterling silver for $34.95. Both come with a cord and clasp and are shipped in a shiny, metal foil-covered box, perfect for those who despise Scotch tape and ribbons. dogheaddesign.com
FIRST COAST PROMOTIONS TRIATHLETE PENDANT $32 - $189 Buy a simple pendant in 14k gold ($68) or in sterling silver ($32) for the tri-chick on your list. Or, jazz it up a bit with a diamond ($189) or a larger pendant ($169). sportsgifts4u.com
TRI JEWELRY
MARIN DESIGNS FINE JEWELRY MULTISPORT PENDANT $49.99-$219.99
BEADED KREATIONS BY KAREN $35-$45 Your lady loves the bling. But she also prefers to race rather than primp on the weekends. Karen’s Beaded Kreations are made with sterling-silver block letters, charms and Swarovski crystals. They can be custom ordered with just blocks, just charms or both. Take your pick from popular sayings—or make your own—for your triathlete: “Swim Bike Run,” “Tri Chick,” “Love to Tri” and “Triathlete.” beadedkreations.com
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STOCKING STUFF ANKLE ID $19.99
XTERRA ULTRA 44 SUNBLOCK AND LIP ICE $14 SolRx’s XTERRA Ultra SPF 44 sunblock is formulated in an organic aloe base with WaterBlock, their famous no-sweat-intoeyes waterproof system. SolRx’s WaterBlock formula system provides 97 to 100 percent SPF effectiveness in and out of the water for up to eight hours. xterragear.com
Simply strap it on and go. Stainless-steel construction makes the ANKLE ID extremely durable. It can be laser engraved with up to six lines of text. The ankle band is constructed with comfortable neoprene, and the closure system uses 3M reflective Velcro. Fully adjustable, one size fits all. roadid.com
GLEN MCGOWEAN’S CHILDREN’S BOOKS $20 Indoctrinate the little ones into the multisport lifestyle with triathlete Glen McGowean’s children’s books. With color illustrations, the titles include, My Triathlon Family, Hey, There Goes Mommy! and Hey, There Goes Daddy! mytriathlonfamily.com
TRAINING PEAK’S Training Plans Training Peaks has developed a series of triathlon-training plans for all levels of multisport athletes. There are 40 complete plans for every level of triathlete, from newbies to pros, and for every distance, from sprints to Ironman. Each plan has been designed by Matt Fitzgerald, a Triathlete contributing editor, certified coach and author of Triathlete Magazine's Complete Triathlon Book and Triathlete Magazine's Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide.
Everyone who signs up for a training plan will receive a free copy of Essential Week-by-Week Training Guide
EVERY PLAN INCLUDES: • Nightly e-mails of your workouts • A daily log to track your workouts • Powerful calendar lets you change the plan to fit your schedule
• Interactive graphs to track your progress • Monitor your nutrition with the integrated Nutrition Tracker • Moderated message boards to get your tough training questions answered
Sign up for your interactive plan at
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FERS DE SOTO TRIATHLON TRAVEL PACK $132 Built for the traveler keeping the packing concise, the 4200-cubic inch TPT has everything a triathlete needs to race: padded ergo straps and back, a watertight wetsuit compartment, bottle holder, transition rack hanger, change mat, plus proper travel amenities including a padded laptop case, a passport pocket and two cell phone/mp3 pockets. desotosport.com
CAMPUS QUILT (PRICES VARY) Why let your race T-shirts collect dust in the closet when you can repurpose them into a T-shirt Quilt from Campus Quilts? On a cold winter night you can snuggle up by the fire and recount your race memories. campusquilt.com.
MONKEE DO APPAREL (PRICES VARY) Put a little fun in your swim, bike and run. Monkee Do is a new line of gifts and apparel for fun-loving athletes of all ages. trimonkee.com
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THE POWER TO PERFORM – IN THE RACE, AND IN LIFE. The strongest-performing athletes in the world rely on best-in-class CycleOps Power Technology. Now available in a full range of performance equipment designed to help make you more competitive in less time than you ever thought possible.
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ORTHOTIC SANDAL $40-$80 Maintaining a proper gait is important, even when in your casual gear, and Orthotic Sandal has addressed this with a collection of sandals that correct biomechanical gait issues and pronation with a canted medial heel support, helping align the leg while walking. orthoticsandal.com
Pro 300 PT ™ Indoor Cycle The first indoor cycle that measures power.
HOLIDAY GIFT RACING SET $36
Fluid2™ Best-in-class indoor trainer that transforms your training program.
PowerTap™ SL 2.4 Hub Cycling’s most advanced power measurement technology.
Tired of racing with clumsy, heavy, bouncing, bottle belts with nowhere to put your number? You can fly with this complete lightweight racing set: • One snap GEL Race Number Belt • Three snap Race Number Belts • One Neoprene Timing Chip Ankle Strap • Three sets of Lace Locks • Free shipping anywhere in the continental United States Offer good through Dec. 31, 2006. 2canyon.com
PowerTuned™ Software The power to turn training data into a competitive advantage.
Bringing the Power of Cycling to Life.™ Madison, Wisconsin 800.783.7257 Saris Cycling GroupTM is Saris Cycle RacksTM and CycleOpsTM Power.
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A POWER BREAKTHROUGH. KATE MAJOR
2 Time Ironman Champion
2 Time Ironman Champion Kate Major is the model of efficiency, power and performance. No wonder CycleOps is an integral part of her training program.
Photo by John Segesta
CYCLEOPS POWER. IRONMAN-PROVEN TECHNOLOGY, NOW WIRELESS. Cycling's finest power meter is now cycling's first wireless power meter. The PowerTapTM SL 2.4 combines the lightweight and reliable SL hub with a 2.4GHz wireless transmitter. Making it easier than ever to track vital statistics like your power, heart rate and cadence. And build your competitive advantage in less time than you ever thought possible. CycleOpsTM Power. The Science of Performance. Discover the full range of CycleOpsTM Power Technology at cycleops.com. CycleOps Power. The Science of Performance.
PowerTap SL 2.4
Saris Cycling Group, Inc. Madison, Wisconsin 800.783.7257
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CERVELO WOOL TRAINER $199 Treat your significant other to a bit of style with Cervelo’s 100percent Merino wool trainer. Fashioned after a classic wool cycling top, it’s perfect for a night with a hot apple cider and talk about the day’s chilly ride. cervelo.com
MY TRI APPAREL (PRICES VARY) Your one-stop shop for tri apparel and gifts. Pick the design you like and have it printed on T-shirts, coffee mugs, messenger bags and more. cafepress.com/trimyapparel.
TRIATHLON TRANSITIONS $30 AND ENDURANCE CORE $35 Perfect for the off-season, both Triathlon Transitions (which illustrates just what makes a swift, efficient move from swim to bike and bike to run) and Endurance Core (a collection of sport-specific conditioning exercises) are great for developing speed and power next season. endurancefilms.com
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www.tri3bar.com W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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LOCK LACES $4.99 Turbo-charge your transitions with Lock Laces and their patented Elastic Lacing System. Great for running, triathlons, adventure racing and just to speed up your daily life. locklaces.com
WINTER BEANIE $18.95 The Triathlete SweatVac winter beanie (produced by Do Wrap) is designed for comfort in conditions ranging from chilly to below freezing. It’ll keep you from overheating during a workout and from chilling afterward. These beanies are extremely comfortable, machine washable, great under helmets and don’t itch. Perfect for running, riding or any other fitness adventure. trimagstore.com
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WHAT IT TAKES $29.95 What it Takes is the just-released documentary chronicling the lives of four elite triathletes— Peter Reid, Lori Bowden, Heather Fuhr and Luke Bell—as they prepare for the Hawaii Ironman. Ideal fare for winter riding on the indoor trainer. trimagstore.com
TRIGGER POINT TECHNOLOGIES PODS $26 AND ULTIMATE SIX FOR RUNNERS $20 TPT’s Pods are concave foam stability platforms of three differing heights that help the muscles around the ankle fire to promote proper balance and biomechanics through the core. With the Ultimate Six for Runners, TPT has identified six biomechanical points that form a chain that facilitate muscular integrity and stave off injury. tptherapy.com
SEATSHIELD $29.95
HAND-PAINTED FRAME $17.99
The SeatShield is an easy-to-use seat cover that is designed to protect car upholstery from sweat and mud. Waterproof, sweat-proof and odor-proof, the Seat Shield slips on and off the seat in seconds. seatshield.com
Beautiful hand-painted shadow-box style frame, designed to hold 4 x 6 photos. sportivagifts.com
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TRI SANTA $14.95 A variety of gift cards featuring a multisport-savvy Santa. Twelve cards per set. trisanta.com
AEROPOCKET $14.95 Large enough for five energy bars, the Velcro-secured Aeropocket features lightweight mesh construction and fits between aerobars. The Aeropocket can also be attached under the top tube or on a running belt. tniusa.com
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Checking in with Graham Fraser By Stephen Fleck TWENTY YEARS AGO THIS PAST SUMMER, IRONMAN NORTH AMERICA PRESIDENT GRAHAM FRASER WAS STANDING ON A BEACH JUST OUTSIDE HIS HOMETOWN OF GRIMSBY, ONTARIO. He was staring out at a calm but cold Lake Ontario. Three hundred keen triathletes were gathered awaiting his final instructions for the first race that he had ever organized. Triathlete mag contributor and friend Stephen Fleck had the good fortune to be there on that hot summer day in 1986, and he recently had a chance to talk with Fraser about that day, the two decades that have elapsed since and where his business of running the largest series of Ironman races in the world is headed. Triathlete: When you were standing on Grimsby Beach at that first Trisport triathlon in 1986, what were the thoughts going through your head when the starting gun went off? Graham Fraser: My thoughts were not what I thought they would be. As you know, one-third of the field turned around after about 200 meters of the swim because the water was too cold. I was petrified! I really did not have a chance to savor the moment because of that. So, we quickly organized one of the first duathlons, ever. I also remember being very tired because, just like a first Ironman, I did not sleep much the night before. We really did not know what we were doing back then. It was all so new.
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Triathlete: Did you think then that it would ever grow to what it is now for you? Fraser: No. Not a clue. People think that I had some master business plan. All the chips seemed to fall in place. The last 20 years for me have really been all about being in the right place at the right time and seeing the opportunities that were in front of me. One of my great strengths, and weaknesses, is that I never say “No” to anything. Obviously, this can work for you and against you, but overall it has served me well for the challenges that we have faced.
The first number of years, I could not train as much as I wanted to because of time commitments with the business, but now I do have a bit more time to train and race. When I go to a race I like to be competitive, but in the end it really doesn’t matter how I do. What I really like now is the social aspect of racing. I like to go to races where there are people that I know or I have known in the past and we can reconnect socially.
Triathlete: How different is running a triathlon today than it was 20 years ago? Fraser: The first 10 years were a lot harder than the second 10 years. Back then we struggled to get sponsors. We had to do a lot of the things for ourselves that are now outsourced, like timing and other services. However, there are still many challenges; now, they are just different. The world has changed. There are more cars on the roads. Insurance is a bigger challenge. You have to deal with communities in a different way. People think it’s all about the money, but it’s really about forging strong relationships with everyone involved with the event at all levels. That takes up a huge amount of time and energy.
Triathlete: You are perhaps one of the most prolific race directors in the sport. Has there been one race that you directed that really stood out for you? Fraser: If I had to pick one it would have to be Ironman Canada in 2003, the year of the [forest] fires [which burned all around Penticton and forced event organizers to reroute the run course]. I learned more about race directing, people’s emotions, crisis management, thinking on my feet and leadership in that one week than in 100 other races that we have done. There were so many things that we could not control. I think that everyone that was there either for the race or working for the event knew that it was something very special. I remember getting up at the awards ceremony and being completely drained and not knowing what to say. The whole experience was very emotional but also very rewarding.
Triathlete: Many people know you as a successful race director, but you are also a very good triathlete as well. Fraser: I love our business. I love what we are doing with it, but I have always been an athlete, and I love the training that I can do.
Triathlete: In Canada, much of the success triathlon has enjoyed, at all levels (Olympics, Ironman, high participation rates), can be traced directly back to what you have done. How does that make you feel?
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The voice of Ironman Mike Reilly along with Fraser and World Triathlon Corporation chief Ben Fertic. Fraser: It’s not something that I think about a lot, but when I see people like recent Ironman Canada winner Jasper Blake, who has come up through our various series over the years in Ontario and then with our Ironman North America events, go on to win like that, it does make me feel good. It’s not so much what these various people have done, it’s who they are as people, that most impresses me, that and the close relationship that we have with them. That’s what I will be thinking about when I am sitting on my rocking chair years from now—the quality of the people and the relationships. Triathlete: There is so much going on during an Ironman race day. What is the best part of the day for you and what is the most challenging part? Fraser: There are two best parts of the day for me: the start and the end. I still tend to get a little emotional at the start of all of our Ironman races because I am looking around and seeing all of our team and realizing all of the hard work that they have done to get to this point. It’s the same thing at the finish in the last half hour before midnight. I love running in with the last finishers and the emotions of that particular time, too. Hard part of the day: dealing with whatever crisis comes up. The challenging part is never knowing what that crisis will be. My real job on race day is to always be thinking 10 to15 minutes ahead of what’s going on to try and avert those problems that invariably do come up. Triathlete: Do triathletes understand the amount of work and organization that goes on behind the scenes to put on an Ironman race? Fraser: Some do. Most don’t and nor should they. They come in expecting a very organized and professional event, and that’s what we want to deliver. We set a very high standard for ourselves, and I think that’s what sets us apart. The one thing that I don’t like about the business is the athletes over-analyzing it. They should come in, race and enjoy it, not worry about the entry fee, how much money we are making and all sorts of other details. It drives me crazy when I go on
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some of those forums and see what is being said. They have no idea of what we spend on the races and they don’t see the huge amount of logistical work and detail that goes on to get the races off the ground. For what people get to do, I still think it’s a great bargain. Triathlete: How important are the relationships you have with your key sponsors. Fraser: It’s very important. It’s about respecting their wants and needs and making sure they feel welcome and part of the event: delivering real value to them in return for their support. We consider them partners, really. The bottom line is that we keep our promises of what we say we are going to do and, more so, we always try to under-promise and over-deliver. Triathlete: There have been some special announcements made for the entries to Ironman Canada in 2007. There was talk of over 3000 people entered. Fraser: We tried a new process in Penticton this year for everyone that was there with a pre-registration option for all people entered this year for next year and have made an extra effort to let as many people in as we can with some other programs, but at the end of the day it looks like we will be looking at about the same number of people as we have for the past couple of years, perhaps a few more. Triathlete: How much longer do you see yourself doing what you do now? Fraser: I will keep doing this until it’s not fun to get up in the morning and keep doing it, and then it will be time to move into something else. Right now I really enjoy working with the people in my company and what we are doing. We get to see people achieve their dreams, and that’s a great thing to be doing. Stephen Fleck has been involved with the sport of triathlon, one way or another, for 25 years. He’s done nine Ironman races and has room for one more on his dance card.
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The Fourth Season
Make the most of your off-season training By Mark Allen
MOST TRIATHLETES HAVE AT LEAST A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF BASE BUILDING, SPEED WORK AND TAPERING. THESE ARE THE THREE MOST TALKED ABOUT PHASES OF TRIATHLON TRAINING. BUT WHAT ABOUT THAT TIME BETWEEN LAST YEAR’S HISTORY AND NEXT SEASON’S HOPES? This is the off-season, a training phase that, due to its underestimated importance, really deserves a stronger name: the fourth season, perhaps. The topic of off-season training might not be very sexy, but this period plays a crucial role for every triathlete wanting to take his or her fitness and racing to the next level in the next season. Making the most of this time of year will give you a leg up on the competition. The fourth season has one main purpose: to replace the energy you
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expended during the rest of the year. This process has several components. First, it means taking it easy, resting and letting your body have enough energy to regenerate all the bits and pieces that started to fall apart toward the end of the racing season. In addition, with a reduced training volume you will be able to top up on your reserves of micronutrients, which typically get used up as quickly as you can take them in during heavy training. The final necessity in the off-season is to give the “muscle” between your ears a break. It takes energy to pursue goals, train and stay focused. Now’s the time to let that go—at least in your training program—so your brain can also take a breather from the discipline it provides throughout the racing season. Here are a few guidelines to help you put together a perfect fourth season.
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Mark Allen is the six-time winner of the Ironman World Championship. For information about Mark’s speaking availability, call 800-994-5306. In addition, Allen has formulated an endurance drink designed to work in the real world. Read more about this and his customized training programs at markallenonline.com. For information on Allen’s next Fit Body Fit Soul seminar please go to shamanism.com.
1. Cut way back on your training. This is the most difficult thing for type-A triathletes to do. Does life have purpose without a two-hour long run on Sundays? Yes, it does! It just has a different rhythm than during the other three phases of your training. In fact, if you listen to your body and heed what it is calling for you might find there is very little rhythm at all to your training at this time of year. One week you might feel fresh, the next completely exhausted. The rule here is to temper the enthusiasm and exaggerate your efforts to recharge when you are tired. So how much should one cut back? The answer: enough to lose fitness. Yes, that’s right, the off-season is a time to decondition fairly significantly. By doing so you will actually prepare your body to achieve a higher level of peak fitness next year than you reached this past year. Maintaining a strong level of fitness all year leads to only small gains when you eventually hit your peak. This advice is not a green card to just sit in front of the tube and veg out. Activity is called for, especially running, but the volume should be much less than in-season. Here are some suggestions on how much to cut back: • Ironman-distance racers: Restrict your off-season volume to about 30 to 35 percent of your peak. So those six-hour rides become two at most. • Half-Ironman distance: Hold your training at about 40 to 50 percent of the season’s peak. • Olympic- and sprint-distance athletes: Keep things at around 50 to 60 percent of your peak volume. These are very rough estimates that you will need to adjust year to year, depending on the condition your body is in at the end of each season.
2. Do other sports. Now’s the time of year to pull out all that sporting equipment that gathers dust during your tri season. The off-season is a time for active recovery. So instead of a road ride, hop on the mountain bike, crosscountry ski or snowshoe. Don’t want to go to the pool? Then do some dry-land work with stretch cords once in a while.
3. Sleep. This is the best part of off-season training. It is your obligation to get rest at this time of year. There should be very few early-morning alarms going off to make your masters workout at 5 a.m. If you sacrificed a lot of ZZZs in-season, now’s the time to get them back. But don’t expect one nine-hour night to do the trick. If you are way behind in this area, give yourself a good month or so to rebuild the reserve. Regaining sleep is just like getting fit or losing weight. It happens over time. So if, after a few good nights in the sack, you feel more tired than before, take it as a good sign that your body is now in full recovery mode and go with it as long as you can until you feel truly regenerated.
4. Charge up your support crew. Did anyone close to you give a little (or a lot) so you could do your thing during the season? If so, now’s the time to balance that equation out. Give back to those who helped you out and who will be 6 8 DECEMBER 2006
there for you next season. And if doing that means missing planned workouts, so be it. Now’s the time to make this sacrifice, both for you and for them.
5. Get some physiological testing. The main thing that can help you out at this time of year is to find out if your body is depleted in anything important (nutrients, hormones, etc). If you are like most triathletes, by the end of the season you have a pretty good chance of being low on something that needs replenishing. There are many ways to get a look inside your body’s chemistry, but one of the simplest is a blood test that checks for all the goodies that you should have (hormone levels, mineral balance, etc.) Don’t do it the day after your Ironman because the docs will think you just had a heart attack. But after you are basically recovered from your season finale, take the plunge and see what’s going on inside the machine.
6. Stretch. It is easiest to work on flexibility when you are not also asking your body to load on the training. The fourth season is perfect for that. If you get into a decent rhythm now, it will carry over much more easily into your early-season training, which is the most important time to keep flexibility going.
7. Do a race somewhere exotic. A good off-season should last roughly six weeks at a minimum and up to about three months if necessary to enable you to fully recharge. Chances are that, at some point in this process, you’ll start feeling that familiar itch to do something a little more intense and competitive. So go do something. It might be a short running race (up to halfmarathon), a cross-country ski race, a cyclocross event or even a triathlon (no longer than half-Ironman-distance tops) in a unique locale that draws you more than the actual race. The rule is to only do one week of any kind of faster stuff leading up to the race, but give it your best in the event. You will most likely be sorer than normal afterwards, and you’ll almost certainly be far from setting a PR. But the change of pace will help keep all the physiological markers of fitness intact without putting you at risk of going overboard with regimented training at this time of year.
8. You are what you eat. Give yourself a week or two of decadence after your last big event of the season, but then get it out of your system and go back to mostly healthy fare. Lots of nutrients take time to replenish, and good food is the best way to stock up. If 90 percent of the food you eat is wholesome and natural, the other 10 percent won’t harm you, even if it’s decidedly less so.
9. Build your weakness into a strength. Although the off-season is not a time to put anything big in your logbook, you can lay the groundwork for revamping any tri-related weaknesses you may have. The key to doing this is to first make sure you have taken some decent downtime so that even if you do some extra work in your weakest sport it will not take away from the big recovery picture. Dedicate the first half of your fourth season to R&R. Then, in the second half, you can build up some consistency in one sport you feel needs extra attention. The workouts don’t need to be long, intense or grueling. Just make them consistent. You will be pleasantly surprised at your body’s ability to improve in one sport when you are not piling on big workouts in two others at the same time. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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10. Do’s and don’ts.
applies to the issue of weight. While this is a very individual matter, everyone should put on a few pounds with the reduced training. However, in general, anything more than 10 pounds in the plus column might be stretching the definition of “recovery.” • Don’t stop running. You can hang up the bike for a while and avoid swimming like the plague. But whatever you do, keep up a base of running. If you go cold turkey on running your bones and connective tissues will lose a lot of the density and stiffness they have gained in response to running, putting you at great risk of injury when you resume running. This is something to avoid, if possible. • Do listen to your body, have fun and give yourself a pat on the back for making the decision to treat yourself and your supporters right. Have a great fourth season! See you at the races next year.
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
• Don’t do speed work just to keep your edge. Speed and recovery are opposites on the workout spectrum. Avoid the urge to go hard—no matter how out of shape you feel you are getting. • Don’t resume training after just a two-week break. In the short term, this will certainly get you in better shape than your wise training partners who are resting up now and letting their fitness drift south a bit. But when the real program starts back, your edge will slip into oblivion as quickly as you can say “overtrained.” • Don’t confuse reduced training with no training. You want to let your fitness slide enough that the first weeks of base training are a bit of a struggle. But you also want to make sure that you include enough activity during the off-season so you don’t lose everything. The same principle
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I’m not out here to make a point or prove people wrong. I’m just DOING WHAT I LOVE to do. I love to swim and do triathlons. The fact that I can INSPIRE and HELP people just by doing what I love to do is just a side BENEFIT.
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Driven to Succeed Rudy Garcia-Tolson plans to tackle Kona ’07 By Matt Fitzgerald
Courtesy Lifetime Fitness
RUDY GARCIA-TOLSON HAS AN ENVIABLE LIFE. HIS JOB CONSISTS OF TRAINING FOR AND COMPETING IN TRIATHLONS AND SWIMMING EVENTS, REPRESENTING HIS CORPORATE SPONSORS AND DOING THE OCCASIONAL MOTIVATIONAL-SPEAKING GIG. He makes enough money to have purchased a house in pricey Southern California— when he was 14 years old. Recently, Garcia accepted an invitation to spend the next two years (beginning in February) living at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., where he will focus on preparing for Beijing 2008. Rudy has appeared in a longrunning television advertisement on the Disney Channel and in a major motion picture (Emanuel’s Gift, appearing as himself) and his circle of friends includes the actor Robin Williams. Speaking carelessly, some of us might say we would give our right leg to live a life like Rudy’s. But Rudy himself gave up both legs for it. Born with multiple congenital birth defects, Rudy had both legs amputated at age 5. He took up swimming shortly thereafter and excelled, even against able-bodied competition. He then branched into running races, competing on high-tech prosthetic legs, and later got into triathlons, which required a separate pair of high-tech legs for the bike segment. (Because he can use his buttocks muscles to move his leg stumps, Rudy chooses to compete on a regular upright bike instead of a recumbent.) Rudy’s athletic accomplishments to date are stunning. He ran a 2:24 half-marathon at age 14 and a 20:08 5K the following year, and his personal best time for one mile is a jaw-dropping 5:57. In the pool he has won multiple national championships and set multiple national records in his disability category. Two years ago, at age 16, he won a gold medal and set a new world record in the 200-meter individual medley (2:42:20) at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens. As a double above-the-knee amputee, Rudy is the first athlete who has even attempted some of the challenges he has set for himself, especially in triathlon. In the process he has almost single-handedly advanced prosthetics technology by a matter of decades within just the past several years. Rudy’s long-time prosthetist, Michael Davidson of Loma Linda Medical Center, works closely with Rudy to solve the limitations that his cycling and running legs try to impose upon his awesome athletic talent and insatiable competitive will. A whole generation of disabled athletes (and even non-athletes) is benefiting from the results of this ongoing cooperative effort—not to mention the example Rudy sets. Way back in 1998 I had the pleasure of profiling Rudy for this magazine. I visited him and his family at their home in Bloomington, W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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Calif., and came away with a new hero. Eight years later I was fortunate enough to have an opportunity to catch up with Rudy again. The occasion? Rudy turned 18 on Sept. 14 and is now old enough to compete in the Hawaii Ironman, which he will tackle in 2007 in a bid to become the first double above-the-knee amputee to complete a triathlon of this distance. I spoke with Rudy by telephone the day after he completed the Malibu Triathlon in September as a tune-up to another tune-up: November’s Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clermont, Fla., which Rudy must complete to earn a Kona entry slot. Triathlete magazine: How did the Malibu race go? Rudy Garcia-Tolson: It went well. I had a great swim, and then on the bike I had a little trouble. My chain came off and then I had to stop and fix my leg. But those are problems that will get fixed soon. I had an amazing run, I think. I went 32 minutes for 4 miles, and I felt strong. For the run I had new running legs and they worked great, so I think we’re moving in the right direction. Just give me new legs for the bike and I’ll be all set. TM: It’s been a long time since I spoke with you. What’s been going on in your life? RGT: I graduated from high school in May and I made the world’s team in swimming at the U.S. Paralympics Swimming National Championships [held in August, in San Antonio, Texas], so I’ll be going to South Africa in December to represent the USA. I’ve been training for swimming like crazy, and I’ve also been training to do an Ironman 70.3 in Florida in December. My goal is to do the Hawaii Ironman next year.
TM: What made you decide to do Hawaii? RGT: Ever since I started doing triathlons, Ironman has come up every so often. Word was going around that I would be the first double-amputee to ever do Ironman. I never really paid much attention to that talk because I knew that that race was just totally insane and would take a lot of time and a lot of training. Last year I was sitting at a dinner for Challenged Athletes and they showed a video of Sarah Reinertsen, the first [female amputee] to do Ironman. I was so inspired by that, I went up to [Challenged Athletes Foundation’s] Bob Babbitt afterward and I said, “Let’s do this. I want to make this my goal.” I was originally planning to do Ironman this year, but at the time I made the decision I was still in high school, so I didn’t have enough time to do the training I needed to do. When I go there I want to know that I’m ready. I don’t want to have any doubts or second thoughts about whether I’ve trained enough. TM: What will the biggest challenge be for you? RGT: The swimming is a piece of cake. I don’t have to worry about the swimming. The thing that’s going to be a major challenge for me is the bike. Let’s hope that the wind is not too bad. The thing I have to worry about is my stumps and how they will cooperate with being in my bike legs and pedaling for 112 miles. I need to get on my bike a lot more and start training for that. Having no legs, all of my power comes from my butt muscles, so I have to really get those muscles in shape. Cycling is definitely my weak link in triathlon. And we also have to come up with new concepts for how my legs stay on and different parts for my legs, because no other double amputee has ever done this, so I’m kind of like a pioneer. But once I get off the bike, no matter how much pain I’m in, I know that mentally and physically I can handle a marathon. TM: So it seems like it’s as much a technical challenge as it is a fitness challenge. RGT: It’s always been that way for me. Back when I saw my prosthetist for the first time, in 1996, my mom told him, “I want my son to run.” He looked at my mom and said, “No way. How are we going to do that?” We proved a lot of people wrong. We’re going to have to work together like we have in the past and figure out what’s the best way to go. TM: Are you sure it’s even possible for an athlete with your disability to complete an Ironman? RGT: There’s no doubt in my mind that I can do it. I know for a fact that I can do it, because I have a positive attitude about life and I don’t think I’ve ever set a goal in my life that I haven’t achieved. I don’t mean to sound cocky or anything, because I know it’s going to be very hard, but just based on what I have been able to do in the past I am very confident that I will be able to finish.
TM: So the 56-mile ride you have to do at Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 will be almost twice as long as you’ve ever gone before? RGT: Yeah. The half-Ironman is a test to show that I can handle that kind of distance. 7 4 DECEMBER 2006
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Rich Cruse
TM: What’s the longest ride you’ve done so far? RGT: The longest ride I’ve done was about 30 miles, and when I have gone that far I’ve had a lot of pain in my legs. With the legs I have I probably couldn’t go more than 40 miles. We are going to try a new solution in Florida and I just hope it works.
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TM: You’ve become somewhat famous within the past eight years. Do you enjoy being well-known and recognized? RGT: People come up to me all the time and say, “You’ve inspired me.” Other people who know me better are always asking, “Don’t you get tired of that?” But that’s my job, and I’m very grateful that I can help people, because I’m doing something good with my life. The one thing I want people to understand is that I’m not out here to make a point or prove people wrong. I’m just doing what I love to do. I love to swim and do triathlons. The fact that I can inspire and help people by doing what I love to do is just a side benefit. TM: What’s been your biggest accomplishment so far? RGT: My biggest accomplishment so far was going to Athens and competing in the Paralympics, because I set that goal at a very young age. [Indeed, Rudy told me about it when I interviewed him in ’98.] I got to visit Athens and soak up the whole Paralympic experience and represent my country. Everything about it was great, and to top it off I won a gold medal and set a world record. TM: Have you thought about what your next challenge will be after Hawaii? RGT: One thing I like to specify is that no one tells me what to do. No one tells me what race to do or what sport I should get into or what new challenges I should take on. Everything I do is something I want to do. After Ironman I’ll focus on training for the Paralympics in Beijing in 2008. USA Swimming is starting a residency program at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado. I’ll be living there for two years. I talked to the head coach and she said I would be able to train for triathlons as well. I was there for three months before Athens. I think being there will boost my morale a lot and it will give me a lot more training time.
TM: What do you like to do when you’re not training? RGT: I love to surf. I live about 45 minutes from the beach, so I go there pretty often with my friend. I love to be in the water and the whole surfing thing and just having fun with my friends. TM: I assume you surf without legs? RGT: When I surf I don’t have legs. I paddle the same way ablebodied surfers paddle, and when I want to ride a wave I sit on the board and turn sideways. It looks pretty cool. The best part of surfing for me is to go out on a day with big waves and just catch tubes. Because I’m so small I can stay inside those three- and fourfoot tubes, and it’s fun. 7 6 DECEMBER 2006
TM: When I interviewed you eight years ago you said you wanted to be a computer programmer when you grew up. Terry Martin [a PowerBar representative and Rudy’s first triathlon coach] said he envisioned you as a congressman. What are the chances you’ll eventually wind up doing either of those things? RGT: I don’t think there’s any chance of me doing anything like that. I’m very good with the computer, but I don’t think I could make a living on it because I’m more of an active person. And to me, being a congressman just seems like a boring job. I love to be outdoors doing something. I don’t like to be stuck inside sitting in a meeting. That’s just boring to me. TM: What do you talk about when you do motivational speaking? RGT: I usually just tell my story—what happened to me when I was little. And then I tell them things like how fast I can run a mile. I think hearing that really motivates people, because they see that even though I have no legs, I’m still faster than they are. They don’t want to be labeled as the guy who got passed by a kid with no legs! I know there are a lot of people out there who say, “I’m overweight. I can’t do this, I can’t do that.” But when they learn about me, that changes their perspective. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Courtesy Lifetime Fitness
TM: What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now? RGT: Ten years from now I think I’ll still be doing triathlons. I’m not sure about swimming. We’ll see how my shoulders hold up. As of now I have no problems, which I’m very thankful for. And I think I’ll be a motivational speaker. I’ve done a few motivational-speaking gigs around the United States. I’ll take some classes on communications in college so I can be a motivational speaker when I get older.
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Location courtesy of Ed Allison/www.solgym.com
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POWER ON Boost your power output this off-season with complex training By Robert Hockley • Art by John Segesta
THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT DEVELOPING TRIATHLON-SPECIFIC POWER THROUGH THE USE OF AN APPROACH KNOWN AS COMPLEX TRAINING (MORE ON THIS IN JUST A MINUTE). But first, I must state that any strength-conditioning program that just seeks to improve power and muscular endurance is missing half the picture. In fact, a sound conditioning program should seek to correct any imbalances, and, as a result, aid in injury prevention.
Background essentials Correcting imbalances: Every strength program should start with an assessment that looks for any postural or biomechanical dysfunctions. Now, this could be an article in itself, but a few great resources for postural and kinetic chain assessment include: • National Academy of Sports Medicine (nasm.org) • Teachings of Pete Egoscue (egoscue.com) • Athletic Body in Balance (By Gray Cook) Typically, the correction of any imbalances is an on-going process, and the athlete must be prepared to perform regular corrective stretching and/or strengthening exercises. Enhancing coordination: In addition, regardless of the sport, qualities such as balance, reaction time and hand-eye co-ordination play a
B
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crucial part in athletic performance. These qualities or, as I prefer, skills, can start to fade in older athletes; however, the good news is that they can be improved upon with a sound program both inside and outside the gym. To this end, use reaction balls, agility ladders, mini-hurdles, balance boards, boxing speed bags and boxing double-end bags (these are the bags that are suspended between two elastic cords).
The nuts & bolts of complex training I first experienced complex training as a young semi-pro soccer player in Europe. We were made to do squats, then straight to vertical leaps; we saw fantastic gains in our vertical jump. Fast-forward many years, when I began conditioning athletes, I used complex training with a few pro beach volleyball players. We used combinations of squats, lunges, deadlifts and step-ups with various jumps, hops and bounds. We also combined upper-body exercises with explosive resistance-band exercises. So what is complex training and how do I adapt it to fit my triathlon training programs? Complex workouts match pairs of exercises. First, a resistance exercise is performed to stimulate muscle fibers. Then, this is followed by a speed or plyometric move using the same muscles just stimulated. This challenges the muscles at their highest levels of stimulation and allows muscle fibers and the nervous system to work together to trick slow-twitch fibers into reacting more like fast-twitch. In complex training, the body progresses from a no-stress level then steadily fatigues from the resistance exercise. Then recovery starts, but because the body doesn’t know what to expect next it taps into its energy stores to overcompensate for the next demand. Training in this window of supercompensation allows athletes to make great gains. Plyometric (speed) moves are the perfect complement to this resistance work because they emphasize short bursts of power. The rest and recovery within the pairs and between different pairs of exercises is a crucial part of this training. Once you have completed the weight exercise, allow enough recovery time so you can do the
SAMPLE WORKOUT Perform the below workout twice a week with three days between workouts. If you do a second workout on these days, ensure it is an easy swim or spin on the bike. During the race season, drop one of these workouts and replace it with a core-stability session. Warm-up should consist of dynamic yoga-style moves followed by some cuff-rotator exercises using resistance tubing. Remember to regularly shuffle the order of the below exercises and alternate upper and lower body. • Dumbbell squats (A) paired with all-out 30-second sprints on a spin bike • Lat pulldowns (B) paired with dynamic swim pull with resistance tubing • Romanian deadlifts (C) paired with 30 seconds all out on slide board • Dumbbell chest press (D) paired with medicine-ball chest pass • Dumbbell step-ups (E) paired with all-out 30-second sprints on spin bike • Curl and overhead press (not pictured) paired with medicine-ball woodchops Other exercises that can be included: • Dumbbell multi-directional lunges • Hyperextensions and reverse hyperextensions on a Swiss ball • Dips and bench dips • Pull-ups • Swim motion lying on top of Swiss ball • Supine rotations on Swiss ball • Standing cable rotation I guess many would ask why the need for complex training for triathletes? What about building power to bridge across a gap? Power to attack a hill and break away or starting the swim strong to find open water or beating your rival on the final sprint. Actually, when you think about it, our sport is like one long drawn-out complex workout: swim and bike until you’re pretty fatigued, then run as fast as you can. speed move at maximum pace—but do not allow those muscles to cool down completely. Every rep of this plyometric (i.e., performed with explosive speed) move should be done at maximum effort, and once the athlete starts to slow down or break form, it’s time to stop.
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Please note that it is essential that an athlete builds into these types of exercises, since plyometric training carries an increased risk of injury, particularly for individuals unaccustomed to such forms of training. This type of training is one of the most effective ways to increase power without dramatic increases in muscle mass. This is due to the fact that complex training is not just muscular but neuromuscular in nature. Due to the explosive nature of the exercises, gains come as much or more from neuromuscular adaptation than from an increase in muscle mass. Well that’s the theory behind it, so how do we put it into practice?
Putting it into practice For the last several years, we have been doing our squats, step-ups, lunges and deadlifts using dumbbells next to a spin bike. Following the resistance exercise, the athlete then jumps on the bike and does an all-out 30-second sprint. Alternate lower- and upper-body exercises. For example, after completing the squats/spin-bike pairing follow this up by pairing lat pulldowns with explosive swim strokes using resistance bands or stretch cords. Then, after a short rest, move on to the next lower-body exercise/plyometric pair. Variables such as exercise selection and order should change frequently—sometimes even from the first circuit to the second and third on any given day. For the strength exercises, I prefer dumbbells over barbells for the fact that unilateral movement allows each side to work more evenly than bilateral movement, which helps prevent or erase imbalances. Not only are the gains made substantial, but you can also complete a 8 2 DECEMBER 2006
very effective workout in a short period of time. Below are the phases of complex training, and please see the sidebar on page 80 for a sample complex-training routine. Off-season phase: The bulk of an athlete’s off-season strengthtraining phase should be spent correcting imbalances and building a sound strength foundation. Weights are light, at 60 to 70 percent of estimated max. Some plyometric work can be gradually introduced, but it should not be paired with weight exercises at this stage. Weights: 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps Plyometrics: 2 sets of 6-10 reps (or 30-second bursts) Pre-competition phase: Increase resistance work to between 70 and 85 percent of estimated max, but reduce the number of reps. Weight exercises and plyometrics should now be paired. Weights: 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps Plyometrics: 2-3 sets of 4-10 reps (or 30-second bursts) Competition phase: Weight resistance work now 80 to 90 percent of estimated max and paired with advanced plyometrics. Weights: 2-3 sets of 4-6 reps Plyometrics: 2-3 sets of 4-8 reps (or 30-second bursts) Transition/active rest: General light lifting program and coreconditioning exercises. Robert Hockley holds USAT level II and USAC coaching credentials. The LA Tri Club member is also a three-time Ironman finisher and has had multiple Escape from Alcatraz finishes. For more information, please contact him at rljhockley@msn.com or visit tricorecoaching.com. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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LAB RABBIT
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LANE LINES
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THE BIG RING
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ON THE RUN
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DOCTOR’S ORDERS
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SPEED LAB
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TECH SUPPORT
102
DEAR COACH
106
TRAINING FEATURE
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“The world BREAKS EVERYONE and afterward many are STRONGER at the BROKEN PLACES.” [Ernest Hemingway]
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John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
TRAINING
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TRAINING LAB RABBIT The second path is to return to building event endurance to a peak while allowing enough time for a good taper. The second option is a good choice for the Ironman-distance racers—if your LT moves from 80 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate, you’ve increased the capacity of your aerobic engine. You can go faster yet still remain aerobic. For example, if your maximum heart rate is 185 and you can move your lactate threshold from a heart rate of 148 to 167, you’ve developed a more efficient and powerful aerobic engine. On page 88 is an overview of your the training plan for weeks 15 through 18. Notice that training volume continues to build through week 17. Now, let’s look in greater detail at the workouts for this training cycle.
Off-season primer Weeks 15-18 of our plan to help you recover and prepare for 2007 By Gale Bernhardt he November issue marked the second month of our quest to build foundation fitness through the winter months. That issue outlined the training plan to get you through the six weeks from Thanksgiving through Christmas. This month, we will continue to lead you through the off-season, and we have included the option of doing a 5K or 10K running race in week 18. At the end of week 22 you also have the option of running a half-marathon. To order back issues of the October and November issues, which detail weeks one through 14 of our Lab Rabbit off-season training plan, please be sure to visit triathletemag.com.
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In this training block you are taking the strength you have built in the weight room and transferring it to the pool by using paddles in one swim workout per week and to the bike by riding hills. You also will begin to work on lactate-threshold running and cycling speed. Why work on lactate threshold if you are using this off-season plan for half-Ironmanand Ironman-distance racing? Great question. One path to improving performance is to develop a solid base of fitness (which you have been busy building), followed by lactate-threshold work for six to eight weeks. After you boost LT, then you can take one of two paths, depending on your training results and race distance. One approach is to hold training volume relatively constant and continue to work on LT speed.
Strength training: Strength training now shifts to the Power Endurance phase. There are two options here. One option is to do the weight-room work and no plyometrics (see sidebar on page 87 for more on plyometrics). In this case, warm up cycling or running for 10 to 30 minutes, then do the same strength-training exercises you have been doing, but complete 3 to 4 sets of 8 to15 repetitions of each exercise. Reduce the weight on the hip-extension exercises and on any other exercises where you were lifting heavier weights in the Maximum Strength phase. If you select this option, reduce strength-training time to one hour. The second option is to include basic plyometrics. See the sidebar on page 87 for specific instructions. Swim: As with previous columns, specific swim workout details are not included. The aerobic, speed and form workouts carry the same descriptions as in the previous months. For all swims, make the main aerobic set in the 1000- to 2000-yard or meter range. These swims can be broken into intervals. The only new swim-workout terminology used in this training block is Force Work. In Force Work training sessions, include paddles for a portion of the main set. If you are using paddles for the first time, begin with a total of only 200 to 300 yards or meters per workout and progress from there. Bike: The Friday rides are primarily aerobic, but you can begin to add some gently rolling hills to the sessions. The Saturday rides are multi-faceted workouts for building endurance, speed and strength. Ride the hills with a strong effort. You can include all training intensities within the ride, but limit the legsearing efforts at LT and above in the first workout. Begin conservatively. As your training progress continues, you can build more accumulated time at and above lactate threshold. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
Specific preparation phase: Weeks 15 to 18
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LAB RABBIT TRAINING
REFERENCE SCALE FOR RATING OF PERCEIVED EXERTION AND TRAINING ZONES ZONE
SWIM PACE
PERCENT OF LACTATETHRESHOLD HEART RATE (BIKE)
1
Work on form, no clock watching.
2
T-pace + 10 seconds per 100
3
T-Pace + 5 seconds per 100
80 and less
81-88
89-93
(RUN) 84 and less
85-91
92-95
Run: The Tuesday workouts include lactatethreshold work. After a good warm-up, include a few intervals at lactate-threshold heart rate or at roughly your 10K pace. The progression: Week 15: 4 to 6 repeats of 3 minutes at LT heart rate or 10K pace. Take one-minute easy-jogging recovery intervals between repeats. Week 16: 4 to 5 repeats of 4 minutes at LT heart rate or 10K pace. Take one-minute easy-jogging recovery intervals between repeats. Week 17: 4 to 5 repeats of 5 minutes at LT heart rate or 10k pace. Take one minute and thirty seconds of easy jogging between repeats. The Thursday runs are easy aerobic—the same as in the last training block. The Saturday runs are aerobic, but in this training block you can add in some gently rolling hills. Race: The last week of this training block is a rest week. The only new workout appearing this week is an optional race. Consider running a 5K or a 10K race. If you choose a 5K event, warm up more than if you were to run a 10K. In both cases, be sure to cool down with plenty of walking after the event. If you decide not to race, do a fast run with a group of your training buddies instead. Modifers: Athletes with more or less training time available can make modifications to the plan. If you’d like to reduce the training: • Keep the strength-training sets at a minimum and keep the warm-up time for weight training minimized • Eliminate one day of strength training • Reduce the length of the Friday bike rides • Reduce swimming time • Reduce the length of the long run to 45 or 60 minutes • Keep the long bike ride capped at 1:30 to 2:00 W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
RATING OF PERCEIVED EXERTION OR RPE (BORG SCALE)
BREATHING AND PERCEPTION USING RUNNING AS THE EXAMPLE
TERMS COMMONLY USED TO DESCRIBE EACH ZONE
6-9
Gentle, rhythmic breathing. Pace is easy and relaxed. For running, intensity is a jog or trot
Easy, Aerobic, Recovery
10-12
Breathing rate and pace increase slightly. Many notice a change with slightly deeper breathing, although still comfortable. Running pace remains comfortable and conversation is possible
Aerobic, Extensive Endurance, Aerobic Threshold Endurance. Ironman-distance race pace for beginners is typically within Zones 1 and 2
13-14
Breathing is harder, pace is moderate. It is more difficult to hold a conversation
Tempo, Intensive Endurance. Ironman-distance race pace for experienced athletes is typically within Zones 1 to 3
PLYOMETRIC WORKOUT Plyometrics use your body’s stretch reflex to help develop power. If you did the treadmill workout described last month, you have already experienced one form of the stretch reflex. The treadmill workout in the preceding phase and the drills in this column aim to decrease the amount of time you spend on the ground with each step. If time spent on the ground is decreased, the yield will be faster running. Plyometric workouts should be done on a good jumping surface. Concrete or other very hard floors should be avoided. Also, a good pair of cross-training or court shoes should be used for plyometric workouts. Warm up for 10 to 20 minutes on a bike or running before starting plyo workouts. Complete your plyo workout, then do your strength-training workout immediately afterwards. Below are some tips for plyo workouts: • A square can be made on the floor by taping the pattern shown at right on smooth carpet or a wooden court floor • You can make a portable four-square by taping pieces of athletic tape together, sticky side to sticky side • Concentrate on accuracy first, then speed. Over the course of four weeks you want to reduce the time it takes you to complete the specified number of jumps • To add mental imagery to the workout, imagine your legs are powerful springs • For counting, if the pattern calls for jumping forward and backward from square 1 to square 2, a count of “one” is when your feet return to square 1 • Rest between jumps, until you are fully recovered— about 1 to 3 minutes • When doing single-leg jumps, complete one set with the right leg, then left leg. Do not do all right-leg sets before going to the left leg. Rest 2 or 3 minutes after both legs have completed one set • Record the time it takes to complete each jump
drill. (For example: Number 1 to 2, 20 jumps: 20 seconds.) • If you are a beginner at plyometrics, do the lower number of sets indicated and/or cut the number of jumps in half • If jumping is painful, skip plyometrics
BEGINNING PLYOMETRIC FLOORWORK: FOUR-SQUARE PATTERN
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PLYO WORKOUTS FOR WEEKS 14 AND 18 Using both legs: • Number 1 to 2, 20 jumps, 2-4 sets • Number 1 to 4, 20 jumps, 2-4 sets • Number 1 to 2 to 3 to 4, three times around, 2 sets • Number 1 to 4 to 3 to 2, three times around, 2 sets
WEEKS 15 AND 16 Using both legs: • Number 1 to 2, 20 jumps, 1-2 sets • Number 1 to 4, 20 jumps, 1-2 sets • Number 1 to 3, 20 jumps, 1-2 sets. (Be sure to jump diagonally, keeping hips and toes pointed forward) • Number 4 to 2, 20 jumps, 1-2 sets. (Be sure to jump diagonally, keeping hips and toes pointed forward) Using one leg (complete each of the below exercises with one leg, then switch legs and repeat): • Number 1 to 2, 10 jumps, 2 sets • Number 1 to 4, 10 jumps, 2 sets
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If you’d like to increase the training: • Increase the Friday ride to 60 minutes • Increase the Sunday ride by 30 minutes
Next month In the next training block we will add more speed to swimming, include lactate-threshold intervals in our cycling workouts and continue to build the length of the long runs and rides. At the end of the plan, there is an optional halfmarathon. Can you find a half-marathon on February 24 or 25? If there is not a race near you, plan your own half-marathon.
TO CHECK IN WITH OUR LATEST LAB RABBITS FOLLOWING THE OFF-SEASON PLAN, PLEASE VISIT:
LAB RABBIT TRAINING PLAN: WEEKS 15 TO 18 WEEK
MONDAY
15 New Year’s Resolutions Week
1:15 Strength Training
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TUESDAY
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1:00 Swim: Form Work
1:00 Swim: Form Work
1:00 Swim: Force Work
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00:45 Run with LT Work
00:30 Run: Easy Aerobic
1:00 Swim: Speed Work 00:45 Run with pick-ups or TM 1:00 Swim: Form Work 00:45 Run with LT Work
1:00 Swim: Speed Work
1:30 Strength Training
1:30 Strength Training
1:30 Strength Training: Reduce the weight if you race this weekend
1:15 Swim: Force Work 00:30 Run: Easy Aerobic 1:15 Swim: Force Work 00:45 Run: Easy Aerobic 1:00 Swim: Threshold Main Set 00:30 Run: Aerobic Effort
Daniel Brizard: activetrainer.typepad.com/daniels_training_blog/ Skip Sullivan: activetrainer.typepad.com/skips_training_blog/ Liz Towne: activetrainer.typepad.com/lizs_training_blog/ Sara Menefee: activetrainer.typepad.com/saras_training_blog/ Edward L. Vescovi: activetrainer.typepad.com/edwards_training_blog/ Megan Hebert: activetrainer.typepad.com/megans_training_blog/ Coach Gale’s Blog: activetrainer.typepad.com/coach_gale/
FRIDAY 00:45 Bike Hills: Aerobic Effort
1:00 Bike Hills: Aerobic Effort
1:15 Bike Hills: Aerobic Effort
1:00 Bike: Cadence Focus
SATURDAY 1:00 Swim: Aerobic Effort 1:15 Run: Aerobic Effort Hills 1:15 Swim: Aerobic Effort 1:30 Run: Aerobic Effort Hills 1:15 Swim: Aerobic Effort 1:45 Run: Aerobic Effort Hills
1:00 Fast group run or race
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John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
Gale Bernhardt was the 2003 USA Triathlon Pan American Games and 2004 USA Triathlon Olympic coach. An interactive, detailed, version of this training plan can be found on ActiveTrainer.com. The last two columns used the plan titled “Triathlon Base Training: 8.5 to 13.5 hrs/wk.” This column builds on the previous plan and moves to “Triathlon Base Training, Phase 2: 7.0 to 15 hrs/wk.”
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Winter refit Three key off-season swim workouts
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
By Steve Tarpinian
ith so many athletes flying around doing races in Australia, Florida, South Africa . . . until late November—and with the following racing season kicking off as early as January in Mexico, South America and Asia, the offseason seems to be shrinking. Still, regardless of how short the time between your last race and when you start to ramp up your training again, it is nonetheless important to schedule an off-season. However, continuing with a number of key training sessions
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during this time allows you to maintain and even improve your form in the pool. Let’s begin by looking at technique and endurance, since all effective off-season programs should include these two elements.
Workout No. 1: Technique focus Newsflash: Drills are only useful if they are performed properly and deliberately. For example, many swimmers will do a single-arm drill, yet if asked what particular
aspect of their technique they are working on they will scratch their heads and shrug their shoulders. When this is the case, I can guarantee that they are making the same mistakes in the drill as they are in their regular stroke. When performed correctly, the following drills have shown terrific results. One final note on technique: do what works. If you have been following a plan for several months and are not seeing any improvement, take the time to experiment. The “perfect” technique or “perfect” drill set is a myth. For proof, look at any final heat at any swim meet and notice all the technique differences. In short, find your own “perfect” stroke. With that in mind, look at these three common drills with a fresh eye and see how they work for you. • Catch-up drill: The key here is to work on rolling your entire body as you pull. • Kick on side drill: Have one goggle in the water and one out as you kick on your side and maintain a streamlined body position. • Fist drill: Simple? Yes. Effective? Yes. Just make sure you do not rush it. Try to feel the pressure of the water against your forearm. Also, take a few strokes with
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LANE LINES TRAINING closed fists and then open your hands; this gives you the dynamic feedback from the higher elbow pull that will help make the technique change stay. • Min-max 50s: This set is a great way to integrate technique work and find the best balance of stroke rate and length. Simply count your strokes for a 50 and take your time. Add the two numbers and play with speed and distance per stroke to find the lowest combined (strokes plus time) number. Here is how to do it: • Warm-up 300 mix • 4 x 50 Catch-up drill • 4 x 50 Kick on side drill • 4 x 50 Fist drill • 10 x 50 Min-max drill (Take 15 seconds rest after each 50) • 200 cool-down
Workout No. 2: Endurance builder Simply find a distance that takes you between five and eight minutes to swim. For example, let’s say that this distance is 500 meters. Complete three swims of this distance, descending the time on each swim (so the second 500 faster than the first and the third faster than the second).
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TAKE-HOME MESSAGE … Including a number of key training sessions during the off-season allows you to maintain and even improve your form in the pool Drills are only useful if they are performed properly and deliberately The “perfect” technique is a myth. Look at any final heat at any swim meet and notice all the technique differences. In short, find your own “perfect” stroke Here is how to do it: • Warm-up 300 mix • 2 x 50 Catch-up drill • 2 x 50 Kick on side drill • 2 x 50 Fist drill • 3 x 500 descending with 30 seconds rest after each 500 • 200 cool-down
Workout No. 3: Speed booster There are a few things that make swimming very different from running and biking. One is that body position changes drastically when you go at lower (notice the use
of the word “lower” as opposed to “slower”) speeds. Lots of laps at very low speeds lull a swimmer into getting comfortable with a poor body position. This is why many coaches have their athletes use fins for drill sets, since fins allow the swimmers to maintain both speed and an efficient body position. Bear this in mind in the following key workout outlined below. Here is how to do it: • Warm-up 300 • 2 x 50 Catch-up drill • 2 x 50 Kick on side drill • 2 x 50 Fist drill •10 x 25 on 20 seconds rest. Fast turnover for the first eight strokes, then easy the remainder of the 25 • 500-1000 easy, aerobic swim •10 x 50 building speed on each 50. Begin with very long, easy strokes and progress to faster and more powerful strokes • 200 cool-down Steve Tarpinian is the creator of the Swimpower and Yoga for Endurance Athletes DVDs, the author of Swimming for Triathlons and a keynote speaker on swimming and triathlons worldwide. For more, please visit TTUniversity.com.
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TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
Courtesy Kelly Guest
Your winter cycling fitness priorities include: ■ Physical and mental regeneration (achieved through reduced training volume/intensity and alternative workouts, such as mountain biking) ■ Rebuilding an aerobic base (achieved through low- to moderate-intensity riding of increasing volume) ■ Technique development (achieved through drills and cadence work) ■ Strength building (achieved through high-gear intervals, hill climbs and resistance training)
Winter rules Get set for cold-weather cycling By Matt Fitzgerald e don’t all live in San Diego. Some of us live in places that have a fourth season called winter, which is characterized by freezing temperatures, bone-chilling winds and perhaps even snow and ice. No matter where you live, the winter season calls for a different approach to bike training than the rest of the year. Specifically, winter cycling fitness priorities include: 1) Physical and mental regeneration (achieved through reduced training volume/intensity and alternative workouts, such as mountain biking) 2) Rebuilding an aerobic base (achieved through low- to moderate-intensity riding of increasing volume) 3) Technique development (achieved through drills and cadence work) 4) Strength building (achieved through
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high-gear intervals, hill climbs and resistance training) Recently I gathered winter cycling tips from three triathletes and coaches representing three distinct approaches to winter cycling. While all agree on the fundamental objectives of winter bike training, each favors a slightly different way of achieving it. You can learn something from each of them.
KELLY “MOUNTAIN MAN” GUEST: EMBRACE THE ELEMENTS Kelly Guest earned the nickname “Mountain Man” by pursuing a unique winter training strategy that entails living in a remote cabin without electricity in the wilderness of British Columbia. He trains there by running, snowshoeing, riding cyclocross and mountain bikes, lifting weights and swimming whenever he can get to a pool. Guest admits that living alone in a cabin and training up to 40 hours a week in the snow is not something everyone can or would want to do. “I think that all triathletes can benefit from my Mountain Man approach,” he says. “The key benefit is an overall stronger body because of activities that engage different muscles, which can help prevent overuse injuries during the season. Another great benefit is the improvement of bike skills and the
increased confidence that comes from winter riding on slippery roads and making splitsecond adjustments necessary to keep yourself on your bike.” According to Guest, winter riding doesn’t have to be highly structured to be beneficial. “I just like to get the time in and have some fun,” he says. “The most structure I have is the overall time and a decision as to whether the ride should be hilly or flat. I figure there is so much structure the rest of the year that the winter should be a time for exploration and fun!”
TROY JACOBSON: WHO NEEDS AN EXCUSE TO RIDE INDOORS? A former professional triathlete and now a leading coach based in the Baltimore area, Troy Jacobson is the creator of Spinervals indoor-cycling videos and believes that riding indoors is not something triathletes should do only when they have to. “Regardless of the weather, riding indoors is more time-efficient and it provides a more controlled environment for certain workouts, such as high-intensity intervals and technique drills,” he says. The key to making long aerobic indoor rides work, he says, is to focus your attention on stimuli that keep the workout interesting and purposeful, such as power output, the virtual course in a CompuTrainer program or the other athletes in a Spinervals video. As for equipment, says Jacobson, “For any serious athlete, you can’t really beat having your own bike on a trainer. It gives you the opportunity to train in the position you’ll be racing in. Jacobson also recommends setting up a high-powered fan to keep you cool and arranging your environment to minimize interruptions: Have all of your fluids, a sweat towel, the phone and the TV remote control within easy reach, and use the bathroom right before you start your workout. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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LISA BENTLEY: FIVE DEGREES IS MY LIMIT Ten-time Ironman winner Lisa Bentley may be Canadian, but that doesn’t mean she likes the cold. “Five degrees Celsius [41 degrees F] is my limit,” she says. “If it’s any colder, I ride indoors.” Because it is her annual routine to do an early-season Ironman, Bentley knows how to build serious fitness on her indoor trainer. “You should do workouts that will keep you interested, such as intervals—even if they are only at 75 percent—it is the winter after all,” she says.
“In general, just keep mixing up different wattage and gear choices.” “If you are truly building base and strength,” says Bentley, “then I would recommend getting off the trainer and doing some of your strength and core work in the middle of the workout. For example: • 5 minutes hard on trainer • 1 minute easy spin • Get off the bike • 3 x (body-weight squats for 20 seconds, crunches for 20 seconds)
• Back on bike • 1 minute easy spin • 5 minutes hard, and repeat “It’s fun, it keeps you interested, and it gets you fit,” says Bentley. “The best way not to get bored is to get totally into it—to realize that it is better to ride indoors than outside, that it is going to be a better-quality workout, that you are warm and toasty instead of freezing. It takes mental preparation to convince yourself of all of that, but once you do, you should be able to get the job done.” ▲
SAMPLE WINTER WORKOUTS WINTER REJUVENATION (OUTDOORS)
• Bundle up and ride 1 to 2 hours easy on a cyclocross or mountain bike, throwing in random highintensity spurts whenever you feel like it
AEROBIC BASE
• Warm up for 10-20 minutes • 6-12 x 5 minutes at 75% of max power with 3-minute recoveries at warm-up pace • Cool down for 10-20 minutes
STRENGTH BUILDING
• Warm up for 10-20 minutes • 6-12 x 5 minutes in high gear, 1-minute spin, 3 minutes calisthenics of the bike • Cool down for 10-20 minutes
TECHNIQUE AND CADENCE • Warm up for 10 minutes • 2-3 x 10 minutes at 65% max power @ 100 RPM • 1-minute spinout (pedal at maximum cadence in lowest gear) • 4-6 x 1 minute pedaling right leg only/left leg only • Cool down for 10 minutes
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Choosing alternatives to winter running By Kirk Nordgren, CTS Expert Coach
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running. The principle of specificity has been proven many times: if you want to be a better runner, you have to run. Stride frequency, running mechanics and ground-impact trauma (good and bad) won’t be the same with skiing or snowshoeing. Add winter cross-training as much as your schedule and climate will allow, but don’t cut out your running entirely.
Aerobic Benefit
nstead of spending hours on a treadmill this winter, get out there in the snow to maintain and improve your running fitness. But which snow sport is right for you? It all depends on four basic variables: skill, benefits, opportunity and cost. Skill: When looking for a winter running alternative, it’s important to think about the time you’re willing to commit to learning a new activity. Since there aren’t any complicated techniques to learn, you can get a great workout and have a lot of fun the very first time you step into snowshoes. Cross-country skiing, though equally fun and a great workout, is more complicated. It only takes a day to learn how to cross-country ski, using either the classic or skate method, but it can take several outings to become proficient. If you’re only going to get out in the snow a few times each winter, it can be frustrating to constantly struggle with your skiing technique when all you really want is a good replacement for a run session. On the other hand, if there’s snow on the ground from November through April, you have plenty of time to become a great skier. Benefits: Snow sports can deliver a wide variety of benefits for runners, and the right activity for you may be a question of what you’re looking for. Cross-country skiing, for instance, is one of the most demanding aerobic activities available, but it’s also a very low-impact sport. As a result, it’s perfect for people who
want to keep their aerobic engines tuned up while reducing the shock their bodies have to absorb during the race season. On the other end of the spectrum, muscling a pair of hiking snowshoes (which are larger and heavier than running snowshoes) through deep snow can help runners gain leg strength. Both cross-country skiing and snowshoeing tend to be more aerobically demanding than running and burn more calories per hour. This can play a crucial role in your training because it means that, other things being relatively equal, one hour of skiing or snowshoeing delivers a bigger training load than one hour of running. Opportunity: Proximity to snow doesn’t automatically make all kinds of snow sports available. While you can ski using the classic style on any groomed trails or in the backcountry, the skating style of cross-country skiing requires wide, groomed trails. Similarly, the large surface area of hiking snowshoes helps keep you on top of deep snow, even untouched powder in the backcountry. Smaller running snowshoes, however, are better suited to packed snow or groomed trails because they tend to sink into deep powder. Cost: Hiking snowshoes are the cheapest way to go ($80 to $250) because they tend to be the least technologically advanced. Running snowshoes are a bit more expensive ($200 to $350) because manufacturers use lighter materials and more advanced designs to try and make them faster for competitions. Either option is cheap to rent as well ($8 to $12 per day). If you go the skiing route, rental equipment is very affordable ($15 to $50 per day), but buying a whole ski package can be expensive ($250 to $1200). Start by renting to get an idea of the type of equipment you’ll want to invest in. If you decide to pursue the sport at even a recreational level, it’s best to stay away from “combi” equipment that tries to do both classic and skate skiing, but doesn’t do either very well. Instead, go for the skis, poles, bindings and boots specifically designed for either skate or classic skiing. While cross-country skiing and snowshoeing can both be effective alternatives to running when your favorite routes are covered in snow, it’s important to remember they shouldn’t completely replace running for the entire winter. Snow-bound running alternatives are great for your aerobic engine, and the upper-body component of skiing and snowshoeing with poles can give you an awesome full-body workout, but the best way to maintain your running form is by actually
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As you choose an alternative to running this winter, consider the time and money you want to invest and select your sport accordingly. In spite of their different demands, both skiing and snowshoeing will complement your running and help you enjoy training all winter long. Kirk Nordgren is an Expert Coach for Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. Nordgren honed his cross-country ski-racing skills while attending the University of Minnesota-Duluth. To find out what CTS can do for you, and to sign up for our free newsletters, visit trainright.com/newsletter.
TAKE-HOME MESSAGE ■ Cross-country skiing is perfect for people who want to keep their aerobic engines tuned up while reducing the shock their bodies have to absorb during the race season. ■ Muscling a pair of hiking snowshoes through deep snow can help runners gain leg strength. ■ Other things being relatively equal, one hour of skiing or snowshoeing delivers a bigger training load than one hour of running. ■ While cross-country skiing and snowshoeing can both be effective alternatives to running when your favorite routes are covered in snow, it’s important to remember that they shouldn’t completely replace running for the entire winter.
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Team triathlon The often-overlooked benefits of our sport Jordan D. Metzl, MD
our of us decided to make the drive from New York to the Timberman 70.3 triathlon in New Hampshire in August. We left New York on Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. As is often the case in the summer, the traffic was heavy. As we slowly crawled along the highway (and I mean slowly), the conversation turned to the
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upcoming race: Were there many hills? Was it going to rain on race day? Were we prepared? Did we have the right nutrition plan? The miles wore on and afternoon turned to evening and night. We kept talking. We played the world-famous “Metzl name game”—a ridiculous way to pass time by guessing the names of famous people from their initials. We talked about our plans for the upcoming year; we talked about our hopes for the future and, once in a while, the conversation drifted back to triathlon. By the time we finally got to New Hampshire, eight hours later, we were psyched to be there. But we had learned more about each other in those eight hours than we had in the previous several months. The triathlon crowd is really a pleasure to be around. Triathletes tend to be healthy and driven to succeed but not fanatical, successful in life and in sport and able to multitask in many areas of their lives. I’d rather spend eight hours in a car with three other triathletes than with three of just about anything else. As I looked around the expo the day before the Timberman, I realized how team-oriented the sport is becoming. Yes, team-oriented. Okay, perhaps not in the same way as football or basketball, but it was clear from looking around the expo that many who had made the trek to New
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Hampshire had experiences that were similar to ours. The friendships among teammates, among friends and families, were apparent everywhere. This was more than just a race—it was a weekend of fitness spent among friends and supporters. On the day of the race it rained like crazy. A teammate of mine held an umbrella over my head while I prepared my transition site, and I did the same in return. Teammates shared clothing, teammates shared encouragement and teammates shared preparation tips. When the gun goes off, it always becomes an individual sport, and this time was no different. But in this race, a few things along the way struck me. A woman had flatted out and was done for the day at mile 40 of the bike. Rather than sulk on the side of the road, she stood there, in the rain, cheering for everyone as they rode by. Later in the race, during the two-loop run course, teammates yelled encouragement to each other as they passed; no matter how much athletes were hurting, they all had an upbeat, positive word to pass along to their fellow racers. It was at mile 11 of the run, when I had already developed a massive blister on my foot, that I realized how much our individual performances on race day really are team efforts. I was ahead of my friend Sari. As I ran toward her on the loop back, she shouted, “Jordan, you look awesome!” “You too!” I yelled (I am not known for my creativity). The truth of the matter, of course, was that my foot was killing me and I desperately needed to use the port-a-potty, but her encouragement made me feel so much better that I almost forgot. I perked up, pushed onward and made it to the finish. Of course we were all there, waiting for Sari, when she finished shortly afterward. Usually my column is about injury prevention and recovery. But in this one I wanted to highlight the tremendous psychological benefits triathlon can confer when we recognize the sport’s ability to build and strengthen our relationships. And I wanted to underscore the value of giving back and encouraging others to achieve their dreams. Triathlon would not have half the merit it has if it were truly an individual sport. ▲ Jordan D. Metzl, MD, is a nationally recognized sports-medicine specialist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. In addition, Dr. Metzl is a 25-time marathon runner and four-time Ironman finisher.
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Speed Lab By Tim Mickleborough, Ph.D Dear Speed Lab, My problem is a rather embarrassing one, but I need some answers. This past season was my first year of competing in triathlons, and as I started to increase my mileage and intensity on the run I started to experience stomach problems in the form of bloating and diarrhea. I have no idea what is going on or why I am getting these symptoms. Is it related to running, diet or something else? Thanks, Brittany Dear Brittany, On the one hand, running is good for maintaining regular bowel movements. This fact may explain why there is a decreased incidence of colon cancer among those who participate in running. However, there can be too much of a good thing in this regard. Up to 60 percent of runners are troubled by abdominal cramps, diarrhea or the urge to defecate during or after running. Interestingly, some studies have suggested that men are more frequently affected than women. The physiological mechanism responsible for these gastrointestinal symptoms during or after running is not known. It has been suggested that reduced intestinal blood flow could be responsible, although this seems unlikely (Gil et al., 1998). It has also been suggested that the increased mechanical action of running (bouncing, etc), compounded by an elevated level of hormones in the blood that increase bowel motility, may be the cause of these symptoms (Larson and Fisher, 1987; Sullivan et al., 1984). Symptoms also appear to be increased in runners who become dehydrated. The mechanical-action hypothesis seems most plausible to me, because it provides the best explanation for why this phenomenon is specific to running. When you ride a bike, blood is also diverted from the gut, but cyclists report half the number of GI problems as runners. That’s because running has twice the force of impact. All the pounding jostles the GI tract, 1 0 0 DECEMBER 2006
which, in turn, speeds up the need for a pit stop. But why do some runners suffer from this condition while others do not? It may be due to individual variation in the amount of bacteria in the stomach, digestion time and even hormone and stress levels that affect digestion. In addition, running compounds preexisting conditions like lactose intolerance and irritable-bowel syndrome. Some runners experience difficulty only during speed work and races (at higher intensities, more blood is diverted, increasing the likelihood of GI distress). The solution is to experiment with your diet the day before those workouts during which you typically experience GI trouble. You should test different foods and find what works best for you. For example, try to eliminate dairy products 24 hours before running. Milk, cheese and ice cream can trigger stomach pain because they contain lactose, a sugar that’s hard for some people to digest. If you just can’t skip your glass of milk, try soy, rice or almond milks, which generally don’t contain lactose. Or choose acidophilus milk and yogurts with live and active cultures. These products have added bacteria that help break down lactose. Also consider reducing your intake of fiber. Fiber cleans out your system, but it also increases the risk for GI trouble. Replace high-fiber fruits and veggies like pears and green peas with lower-fiber cantaloupe and tomatoes. Certain sweeteners can also lead to GI trouble. Check the ingredients in your energy bar for anything ending in “ol”—sorbitol, mannitol, and so on— and consider avoiding products that list fructose as the first sugar on the ingredient list. Other potential solutions include avoiding cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, which contain raffinose, a gasinducing compound also found in beans. Finally, watch the timing of your meals. Allow three hours between big meals and your run, and eat dinner at least two hours before bed. And, of course, try to empty your system before a run. Coffee and tea can help move things
along, but limit your intake to one cup. In summary, prevention of this condition requires that the athlete identify any provocative foods and remove them from the diet for a period of 24 to 48 hours prior to running.
Dear Speed Lab, I have been competing in triathlons for the past 10 years. My problem is an ongoing case of cramps following the swim—and which only occur when I wear my wetsuit. When I try to remove my wetsuit, both of my calf muscles start to cramp up. It has gotten to the point where I have to sometimes stay in the transition area and stretch the calf muscles before I head out on the bike. Can you shed any light on this problem? It does not happen when I do a swim without a wetsuit. Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks, Peter Dear Peter, This problem may be related to the type of wetsuit you wear during your races. Do you wear a full-body wetsuit? A poorly fitted full-body wetsuit may impede blood flow to your lower limbs. On the other-hand, although a shorty suit is less likely to impede blood flow to the legs, the temperature of the water will seem cooler than if you were wearing a fullbody suit and can cause more vasoconstriction and less blood flow in the legs, thereby increasing the likelihood of cramping after the swim. Also, remember that you are moving from a supine (horizontal) to a standing position (in the swim-bike transition) in a matter of seconds, and this results in blood flow moving from your thoracic region to your legs very quickly. This redistribution of blood flow can also cause cramping. My advice is to massage your calves before you put your wetsuit on, sit down in transition to take your wetsuit off and ensure your suit is properly fitted. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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TRAINING TECH SUPPORT
By the numbers Frame fit can be a complex equation
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
By Ian Buchanan
an, I read an earlier Tech Support article (in the September 2006 issue) comparing dimensions and fit on an Elite and Cervélo. This was helpful, but it made me think a bit more about some of the other dimensions listed in frame-geometry charts. I keep seeing “Bottom Bracket Drop” and “Fork Offset” listed. I understand where these dimensions are taken on a frame, but how do they relate to the fit and ride of the bike? Thanks, Jim Dear Jim, While the fundamentals of how a bike fits are found in seat-tube angle, top-tube length and head-tube height, as discussed in the September article, the finer details of fit and ride are found in dimensions like bottom-bracket drop and fork offset. Bottom-bracket drop: This dimension is the height difference between the center of the bottom bracket/crank and the center of the dropouts (where the wheel’s axle connects to the frame/fork). Some manufacturers replace the drop dimension with “Bottom Bracket Rise,” which, conversely, measures from the ground to the center of the bottom bracket. Both dimensions refer to the same thing with regard to fit and handling. The aforementioned Elite and Cervélo models serve as excellent examples of the spectrum currently offered in the market in terms of bottom-bracket placement. Cervélo’s 700c aero bikes have six centimeters of bottom-bracket drop (28cm of rise), while many of Elite’s tri bikes have eight centimeters of drop (26cm of rise). Two
I
1 0 2 DECEMBER 2006
centimeters is a lot of difference in frame geometry, and here is what it affects: 1. Effective head-tube length: Effective head-tube length matters because it determines how high or low a handlebar can safely be placed on a bike. Because the rider is lower in relation to the top of the headset’s upper steering bearings, a frame with a lower bottom-bracket height will have a taller effective head-tube length than a bike with a higher bottom bracket. From a fitting perspective, this means that with a given head-tube height and style (integrated or non-integrated), a frame with eight centimeters of bottom-bracket drop allows for up to two centimeters more handlebar height than a frame with six centimeters of drop. Likewise, a frame with six centimeters of drop allows for up to two centimeters lower handlebar height than an eight-centimeter drop frame. 2. Handling and stability: Bottom bracket drop is one variable among many that impacts a frame’s handling and stability characteristics. This being said, in general, bikes with taller bottom brackets have a higher center of gravity, more ground clearance and tend to be more responsive/sensitive to rider input; bikes with lower bottom brackets have a lower center of gravity and tend to be on the more stable and predictable side. Fork offset: Also known as “rake,” fork offset has to be considered in conjunction with the head-tube angle of the bike for its implications to be understood.
Head-tube angle + fork offset = trail. Trail is a significant contributor to how a bike handles while also having some fitting implications. Fork offset is the distance from the center of the front wheel axle directly back to the center of the bike’s steering axis (invisible line tracing the frame’s head-tube angle to the ground). Currently, on most aero forks this means an offset (rake) between 40mm and 45mm. Trail is a measure of the relationship between head-tube angle and fork offset and is determined by plotting a line straight down the fork’s steering axis (head-tube angle) to the ground and plotting another line straight down to the ground from the center of the front axle. Trail is the distance between where these two lines contact the ground. So, what does trail affect? In general, bikes with more trail have greater castor effect, meaning the wheel tends to self-center more readily and thus the bike feels more stable, while bikes with less trail tend to steer quicker but can also require more rider input to keep them going in a straight line. While some manufacturers tend to keep trail consistent between frame sizes, others vary trail size-to-size. Because of this, and the fact that there are many variables beyond trail involved in handling, it is difficult to recommend an average trail number. This said, for an average-sized rider looking for an aero bike that self-centers predictably and offers reasonably quick steering, between 6.2cm and 6.5cm of trail are usually reliable dimensions. A strong argument can be made that aero forks would benefit from having more W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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TRAINING TECH SUPPORT
fork-offset options than what is currently available and that in conjunction many aero frames would benefit from slacker headtube angles. As a frame’s head-tube angle becomes slacker, a fork needs more offset in order to maintain the same trail dimension. A frame with a 73-degree head-tube angle and a 40mm offset fork and a frame with a 71-degree head-tube angle and a 52mm offset fork have the same 6.21cm of trail. However, what differs is that the 71degree/52mm combination will have a
1 0 4 DECEMBER 2006
front-to-center (front wheel axle to center of bottom bracket) and wheelbase measurement over three centimeters longer than the 73-degree/40mm rake combination. Three centimeters is a huge number in bike dimensions. In many cases, especially with a properly fit triathlon bike, the additional front-to-center length of the slacker head angle and greater fork rake counteracts the additional weight on the front of the bike and can help make the bike more stable and predictable.
To further add credence to the argument above, from a fitting perspective, forks with greater offset and frames with slacker headtube angles offer more toe clearance between the rider’s foot and the tire during sharp cornering at lower speeds. Especially with 700c wheels, this is a notable benefit as many riders do experience toe overlap on small- to medium-sized stock frames. While top-tube length, seat-tube angle and head-tube angle are the most important dimensions on a frame when it comes to fit, dimensions like bottom-bracket drop and fork offset not only affect fit but also handling. While scrutinizing each detail of a frame’s dimensions may not be required, it does pay to know what matters in relation to your riding position. Train hard and train smart! Ian Ian Buchanan is co-owner of Fit Werx. Fit Werx is based in Waitsfield, Vermont, and offers cycling and triathlon products, specialty fitting and analysis services, consultation and technology research. Fit Werx can be reached at 802-4967570 or through the Web at fitwerx.com.
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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TRAINING DEAR COACH
Maintaining momentum When it comes to off-season racing, listen to your body By Paul Huddle and Roch Frey
DEAR COACHES, I know that after an Ironman different people recover differently, but I am trying to set a few goals so I won’t be despondent following my final race of the season. I have thought about a marathon (with the goal of qualifying for Boston) and a half-marathon or even a 5K. In addition, last winter I practically dropped cycling for three months and just trained for a marathon, and my swimming dwindled also. I don’t want to do that this time, so I need to pick out a spring cycling event to keep me motivated. What do you guys think? Marianne Marianne, Let’s step back first and clarify our position on the off-season. Chances are good you have been training for seven to 10 months come November, right? If so, your body and mind are going to be in dire need of a break. Now, this doesn’t mean complete time off to most people, but we do know several top professional athletes that take four to six weeks away from any swimming, cycling or running and come back year after year continuing to excel. Chances are good that if you rest up after your final 2006 Ironman you could have a good 5K or half-marathon four
1 0 6 DECEMBER 2006
weeks later. The key will be a little rest first, since you will have an entire year of training in your system plus the marathon from Ironman. Give yourself the first two post-Ironman weeks very easy and then get back into some normal run training with a few easy bikes and swims leading up to the running race. If you recover from Ironman, odds are that you will feel great and have a solid running race. However, you could get into major problems if you try to train hard or long for this running race, so rely on the fitness that you have already gained. After the running race, you will need to re-analyze how you are feeling. If you are jacked up physically and mentally, then you should be fine to keep training and aiming for a marathon in January with the goal of qualifying for Boston; however, if you do this it means you will have been training straight through until April and W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
Aletta
Very efficient & aerodynamic
will be in serious need of some down time post-Boston before you gear up for the triathlon season. Just adjust your racing schedule and focus more on the mid- to later-season races if this occurs. If, on the other hand you are feeling wasted after either the Ironman or the planned 5K, then its time for an off-season. Remember what the off-season is: time for the body and mind to rest so you can build back up next season and get faster. The off-season (or at least the first part of it) is not the time to focus on getting faster in one of your weaker disciplines. A lot of triathletes make this mistake. Now, on to January through April. Sounds like you did almost no swimming or cycling while running a lot last winter/early spring. It’s OK to focus on one discipline early in the season but, as you found out, it is sometimes a long road back after non-existent swimW W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
ming or cycling for three months. The key is to keep in touch with all disciplines: One to two short swim and bike sessions each week while running more is all that is needed to maintain the other sports. They don’t have to be long. All workouts can be short, focusing one each week on technique while the other can be more of a quality session. This will keep those specific muscles firing so you don’t feel like a fish out of water come spring. An early-season bike event can be a good idea, but if you are focusing on running through the winter, go into this cycling event as a workout, without any specific goals. What you need to do is have an idea of when your off-season will take place but, more importantly, wait and see how you feel after your Ironman race—then you can lock in your plans. ▲ Roch and Paul
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Go long this winter Triathlete’s 10-week guide to a marathon P.B By Lance Watson inter is a great time for working on your running, and if you are a long-course triathlete, scheduling an off-season marathon will Icomplement your endurance development for next season. In putting together a 10-week marathontraining schedule for triathletes, I have maintained some swimming and cycling in the program to make sure you don’t get too far away from fitness and skill in those sports. Year-round frequency on the bike and swim is important for overall triathlon skill development. It is also an integral part of the cross-training component of this marathon build. Still, the following program gives top priority to your run sessions.
W
marathon program focuses on zones 1-4 as the foundation for an endurance event. Pay attention to your heart rate and sense of perceived effort during your workouts. Note, however, that the heart is a muscle, not a machine, and heart-rate numbers can change from day to day as a result of stress, hormones, climate, hydration, fatigue, caffeine and a host of other factors. Learn to rely on pace, perceived effort and heart rate to train effectively. As you progress, note your pace at a given heart rate. It should improve over the course of the program. You should be able to set a relatively accurate goal time for the marathon by the end of this program, based on your consistent performance in heart-rate zone 3 for the long runs.
Hitting your zones You can use your heart rate as a guide to ensure you are training in the correct zones. Generally, the zones are listed as 1 through 5, with 1 and 2 being the easiest effort (used primarily for recovery and warm-up) and 5 being above your lactic threshold, similar to running a very fast 800 on the track. Endurance athletes do not spend too much time in zone 5, since it is highly taxing on the body, and too much work in this area leads to breakdown and over-training. This 1 0 8 DECEMBER 2006
Program overview Prerequisites: You must be comfortable running for 75 minutes. This program is for the fit triathlete who would like to run at least a sub-4:30 marathon. The week prior to the start of this program should be a recovery week. Sessions labeled “Advanced” are optional and suitable for triathletes used to doing more swim, bike and run volume. It is important that these additional sessions are not done
at the expense of your run workouts. Keep it real: There is some range listed in the workout descriptions to account for your level of fitness and your marathon goals. Choose the volume level appropriate for you. Stay on track: Swims are listed generally with reference to the best choice of swim session for that day. This time of year should be strength (i.e. pull with paddles sets) and technique-focused. Riding should be aerobic (riding on the small ring) and technique-oriented, with emphasis on higher cadence and a smooth pedal stroke plus cornering, braking and descending skills. The workouts should be done in the order listed in the day. Structure: Overall, the training program progresses with two weeks of build followed by one week of recovery. Weeks three and six are lower-volume recovery-oriented weeks with long runs during those weeks occurring on Saturday to allow an extra day prior to the next two build weeks of the training cycle. The final two weeks, nine and 10, are for the taper. Intervals: The recovery times for interval sets are listed in brackets, and the recovery consists of walking for the specified time. Intervals require a harder effort with higher heart and cardio output. Fartlek: Pick-ups are done at your current 10K run pace, and recovery is at your marathon pace so your heart rate drops gradually. Strides: Run at approximately 85 percent of your sprint speed for 100 yards. Take 30 seconds’ rest after each. Focus on building speed through increased turnover and stride length. Over the past 20 years, Lance Watson has coached Ironman and Olympic champions. He would be happy to build a program specifically for you, and beginner and experienced triathletes are invited to contact LifeSport Coaching (coach@LifeSport.ca) or visit lifesport.ca.
HEART-RATE HEART-RATE TRAINING ZONES USED: TRAINING ZONES The training schedule is heart-rate based, but with some reference to pace. The heart-rate zones of reference are as follows: Zone 1: lactate threshold minus 15-22% Zone 2: lactate threshold minus 9-14% Zone 3: lactate threshold minus 4-8% Zone 4: lactate threshold minus 0-3% (this is the heart rate you would race at for 10km of running or 40km of cycling) Zone 5: lactate threshold plus 0-8%
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
TRAINING
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TRAINING
�œˆ˜
/
1
10 Week Training Program WEEK 1
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Plan Time: Swim 2:15 Bike 1:30 Run 4:45
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretch Workout 2: Bike ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
Workout 1: Swim 1:15 AEROBIC POWER: long aerobic pull/paddles set Workout 2: Run 1:00, THRESHOLD DEVELOPMENT: 6-8 x 4 minutes with 2-minute recoveries
Workout 1: Run 0:30, RECOVERY RUN: 25-35 minutes Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
Workout 1: Run 0:45, AEROBIC BASE: Zone 2 Workout 2: Bike 1:30, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE/ PEDAL STROKE EFFICIENCY: 1-2 hours; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; include 30-60 minutes at race cadence + 1015 RPMto encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and technique-focused Workout 2: Run, ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20-second pick-ups at 5K race pace, with full recovery
Workout 1: Run 1:00,TEMPO Warm-up: 15 seconds in zone 1; Main set: 20 minutes in zone 3/10 minutes in zone 4; Cool-down: 15 minutes in zone 1
Workout 1: Run 1:30, AEROBIC BASE: 30 minutes in zone 1 followed by 1 hour in zone 2 Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1.5-3 hours. Fluctuate between zone 1-3
WEEK 2
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Plan Time: Swim 2:15 Bike 1:30 Run 4:45
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretch Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
Workout 1: Swim 1:15, AEROBIC POWER: long aerobic pull/paddles set Workout 2: Run 1:15, THRESHOLD DEVELOPMENT: 6-8 x 6 minutes with 3-minute recoveries
Workout 1: Run 0:30, RECOVERY RUN: 25-35 minutes Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
Workout 1: Run 1:00, AEROBIC BASE: Zone 2 Workout 2: Bike 1:30, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE/PEDA L STROKE EFFICIENCY 1-2 hours; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; include 30-60 minutes at race cadence + 10-15 RPM to encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and technique-focused Workout 2: Run, ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20-second pick-ups at 5K race pace, with full recovery
Workout 1: Run 0:45, Include 8 x 1:30 @ 10K pace with 1 minute at marathon pace after each work interval
Workout 1: Run 1:15, TEST RUN: Build run from zone 1 to 2 to 3. The last third is at goal marathon pace Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1.5-3 hours. Fluctuate between Zone 1-3.
WEEK 3
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY Workout 1: Run 0:35, TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20-second pickups to 5K pace with full recovery after each Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1-2 hours. Fluctuate between Zone 1-3.
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iĂŒĂŠ>Â˜ĂŠiÂ˜ĂŒÂˆĂ€iĂŠÂŽÂˆĂŒĂŠ>˜`ĂŠV>Lœœ`Â?iĂŠÂœv }œœ`ˆiĂƒĂŠqĂŠÂ?iĂ€ĂƒiĂž]ĂŠĂŒĂ€ÂˆĂŠ}i>Ă€]ĂŠĂƒÂœVÂŽĂƒ]ĂŠÂ…>ĂŒ] >VViĂƒĂƒÂœĂ€ÂˆiĂƒ]ĂŠĂœ>ĂŒiÀÊLÂœĂŒĂŒÂ?iĂƒ]ĂŠLÂœĂ?iĂƒĂŠÂœvĂŠ ĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠv>Ă›ÂœĂ€ÂˆĂŒiĂŠy>Ă›ÂœĂ€ĂƒĂŠÂœv 1ĂŠ>˜`ĂŠ 1Ă“"] >ĂŠ,ÂœÂ?iĂ?]ĂŠ>ĂŠ*ÂœĂ€ĂƒVÂ…iIĂŠqĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠĂŒĂ€>ÂˆÂ˜ĂŠ>˜`ĂŠĂ€>Vi ĂœÂˆĂŒÂ…ĂŠ>Â?Â?ĂŠÂ˜iĂ?ĂŒĂŠĂƒi>ĂƒÂœÂ˜Â°ĂŠ Ă•ĂƒĂŒĂŠĂƒi˜`ĂŠĂ•ĂƒĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ Ă€iĂƒĂ•Â“iĂŠ>˜`ĂŠĂœi½Â?Â?ĂŠĂƒi˜`ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•ĂŠĂŒÂ…iĂŠ`iĂŒ>ˆÂ?ĂƒÂ° "1,ĂŠfÂŁn™Ê*," , f
Workout 1: Bike 1:00, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE/PEDA L STROKE EFFICIENCY: 45-75 minutes; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; include 15-30 minutes at race cadence + 1015 RPM to encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and technique-focused
Workout 1: Run 2:00, AEROBIC BASE: 30 minutes in zone 1 followed by 1.5 hours in zone 2
Plan Time: Swim 1:00 Bike 1:00 Run 3:20
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretch THIS IS A RECOVERY WEEK
Workout 1: Bike, ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
Workout 1: Run 0:45, THRESHOLD MAINTENANCE: 3-4 x 4 minutes with 2-minute recoveries Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
WEEK 4
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Plan Time: Swim 2:15 Bike 1:30 Run 6:15
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretch Workout 2 : Bike, ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
Workout 1: Swim 1:15, AEROBIC POWER: long aerobic pull/paddles set Workout 2: Run 0:30, RECOVERY RUN: 25-35 minutes
Workout 1: Run 1:30, THRESHOLD DEVELOPMENT: Warm-up: 15 minutes with stretching & 4-5 light strides; Main set: 6-10 x 1 kilometer with 1.5-minute recoveries after each work interval in Zone 4; Cooldown: 15 minutes Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
Workout 1: Run 1:15, AEROBIC BASE: Zone 2 Workout 2:Bike 1:30, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE/PEDA L STROKE EFFICIENCY: 1-2 hours; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; include 30-60 minutes at race cadence + 10-15 RPM to encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and technique-focused Workout 2: Run, ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20-second pick-ups at 5K race pace, with full recovery
Workout 1: Run 1:00, TEMPO: Warm-up: 15 minutes in zone 1 Main set: 15 minutes in zone 3/15 minutes zone 4 Cool-down: 15 minutes in zone 1
Workout 1: Run 2:00, AEROBIC BASE: 30 minutes in zone 1 followed by 1.5 hours in zone 2 Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1.5-3 hours. Fluctuate between Zone 1-3
WEEK 5
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Workout 1: Swim 1:15, AEROBIC POWER: long aerobic pull/paddles set Workout 2: Run 0:30, RECOVERY RUN: 25-35 minutes
Workout 1: Run 1:30, THRESHOLD DEVELOPMENT: Warm-up: 15 minutes with stretching & 4-5 light strides; Main set: 4-6 x 1 mile with 3-minute recoveries after each work interval in Zone 4; Cool-down: 15 minutes Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
Workout 1: Run 1:00, AEROBIC BASE: Zone 2 Workout 2: Bike 1:30, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE/PEDA L STROKE EFFICIENCY: 1-2 hours; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; include 30-60 minutes at race cadence + 10-15 RPM to encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and technique-focused Workout 2: Run , ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20-second pick-ups at 5K race pace, with full recovery
Workout 1: Run 0:45, Include 8 x 1:30 @ 10K pace with 1 minute at marathon pace after each work interval
Workout 1: Run 1:30, TEST RUN: Build run from zone 1 to 2 to 3. The last third is at goal marathon pace Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1.5-3 hours. Fluctuate between Zone 1-3
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iĂŒĂƒĂŠĂžÂœĂ•ĂŠfĂ“xĂ¤ĂŠĂœÂœĂ€ĂŒÂ…ĂŠÂœvĂŠ}œœ`ˆiĂƒÂ° I /Â…iĂŠÂŤĂ€ÂœÂ“ÂˆĂƒiĂŠÂœvĂŠ>ĂŠ,ÂœÂ?iĂ?ĂŠ>˜`ĂŠ>ĂŠ*ÂœĂ€ĂƒVÂ…iʓ>ÞÊLiĂŠ>ĂŠÂ?ˆi° /Â…iĂŠĂ€iĂƒĂŒ]ĂŠÂ…ÂœĂœiĂ›iĂ€]ĂŠÂˆĂƒĂŠÂ˜ÂœĂŒÂ°ĂŠ/ 1ĂŠÂˆĂƒĂŠÂ?ÂˆÂ“ÂˆĂŒi`ĂŠĂŒÂœĂŠxää°
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Plan Time: Swim 2:15 Bike 1:30 Run 5:15
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretch Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
D272_TrainingFeature_ce_rr.qxd
10/13/06
2:53 PM
Page 111
TRAINING WEEK 6
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretc h THIS IS A RECOVERY WEEK.
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: drills and techniquefocused Workout 2: Bike , ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
Workout 1: Run 0:45, THRESHOLD MAINTENANCE: Include 3 x 6 minutes fartlek with 3-minute recovery intervals Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
Workout 1: Bike 1:30, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE/PEDA L STROKE EFFICIENCY: 1-2 hours; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; include 30-60 minutes at race cadence + 10-15 RPM to encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush.
Plan Time: Swim 2:00 Bike 1:30 Run 3:50
WEEK 7
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Plan Time: Swim 2:15 Bike 1:30 Run 7:15
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretch Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
Workout 1: Swim 1:15, AEROBIC POWER: long aerobic pull/paddles set Workout 2: Run 0:30, RECOVERY RUN: 25-35 minutes
Workout 1: Run 1:30, THRESHOLD DEVELOPMENT: Warm-up: 15 minutes with stretching & 4-5 light strides; Main set: 8-12 x 1 kilometer with 1.5minute recoveries after each work interval in Zone 4; Cool-down: 15 minutes Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
WEEK 8
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Plan Time: Swim 2:15 Bike 1:30 Run 4:45
Workout 1: Day Off: Walk/stretc h Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
Workout 1: Swim 1:15, AEROBIC POWER: long aerobic pull/paddles set Workout 2: Run 0:30, RECOVERY RUN: 25-35 minutes
Workout 1: Bike 1:30, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE, PEDAL STROKE EFFICIENCY 1-2 hours; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; Include 30-60 minutes at race cadence + 1015 RPM to encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
WEEK 9
MONDAY
TUESDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and techniquefocused
Workout 1: Run 2:30, AEROBIC BASE: 30 minutes in zone 1 followed by 2 hours in zone 2
Workout 1: Run 0:35, TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20second pick-ups to 5K pace with full recovery after each Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1-2 hours. Fluctuate between Zone 1-3
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Workout 1: Run 1:15, AEROBIC BASE: Zone 2 Workout 2: Bike 1:30, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE/PEDA L STROKE EFFICIENCY: 1-2 hours; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; include 30-60 minutes at race cadence + 10-15 RPM to encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and techniquefocused Workout 2: Run, ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20-second pick-ups at 5K race pace, with full recovery
Workout 1: Run 1:00, TEMPO: Warm-up: 15 minutes in zone 1 Main set: 10 minutes in zone 3/20 minutes zone 4 Cool-down: 15 minutes in zone 1
Workout 1: Run 3:00, AEROBIC BASE: 30 minutes in zone 1 followed by 2.5 hours in zone 2 Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1.5-3 hours. Fluctuate between Zone 1-3
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Workout 1: Run 1:30, THRESHOLD DEVELOPMENT:Interv als Warm-up: 15 minutes with stretching followed by 4-5 light strides; Main set: 6-8 x 1 mile in zone 4 with 3-minute recoveries; Cool-down: 15 minutes
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and techniquefocused Workout 2: Run, ADVANCED TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20-second pick-ups at 5K race pace, with full recovery
Workout 1: Run 0:45, Include 5 x 2 minutes at 10K pace with 1:30 recoveries at marathon pace
Workout 1: Run 2:00, TEST RUN: Build run from zone 1 to 2 to 3. The last third of the run is at goal marathon pace Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1.5-3 hours. Fluctuate between Zone 1-3
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Plan Time: Swim 2:00 Bike 1:30 Run 2:50
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretc h THIS IS A RECOVERY WEEK: start taper
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: drills and technique focused Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED: 60-minute recovery ride zone 1-2
Workout 1: Run 0:45, THRESHOLD MAINTENANCE: Include 3 x 6 minutes fartlek with 3-minute recovery Workout 2: Swim, ADVANCED THRESHOLD or PACE WORK set
Workout 1: Bike 1:30, AEROBIC BASE MAINTENANCE/PEDA L STROKE EFFICIENCY: 1-2 hours; fluctuate HR from zone 1-3; include 30-60 minutes at race cadence + 10-15 RPM to encourage smooth pedal stroke and as an aerobic flush
Workout 1: Swim 1:00, TECHNIQUE: Drills and techniquefocused
Workout 1: Run 1:30, AEROBIC BASE: 30 minutes is in zone 1; 1 hour in zone 2
Workout 1: Run 0:35, TECHNIQUE: 30-40 minutes aerobic in zone 2; include 4-6 x 20second pick-ups to 5K race pace, with full recovery Workout 2: Bike, ADVANCED AEROBIC BASE: 1-2 hours. Fluctuate between Zone 1-3
WEEK 10
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretch
Workout 1: Run 0:45, THRESHOLD MAINTENANCE: Warm-up: 10 minutes Main set: 2-3 x 1 mile in zone 3 with 3-minute recoveries Cool-down: 10 minutes
Workout 1: Run 0:30, RECOVERY RUN: 25-35 minutes
Workout 1: Day Off, Walk/stretch
Workout 1: Run 0:25, Tune-up run;’ include 4-6 minutes in zone 3
Workout 1: Race, Marathon: Goal HR is zone 3
Plan Time: Bike 0:30 Run 1:40
Workout 1: Bike 0:30, RECOVERY RIDE: Zone 1-2
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
FRIDAY
T R I AT H L E T E M A G A Z I N E 1 1 1
XTERRA ZONE
Saluting ST Scott Tinley inducted into the XTERRA Hall of Fame
ay the letters “ST.” To anyone who’s been in our sport for a while, those letters will bring a smile. California’s Scott Tinley, who won the Hawaii Ironman in both 1982 and 1985, is one of the legends of triathlon. In 1996, Tinley competed in XTERRA’s inaugural event, known then as AquaTerra. That day, he finished in fourth place and went on to finish in the top 10 in both 1997 and ’98. When XTERRA was first launched, we knew that to create a world-class event we needed world-class athletes. Tinley was among the first to get a call, and he was instrumental in getting athletes to Maui. When you look at a list of top pros that showed up in Maui 10 years ago, they numbered far greater than what one quirky start-up race with a $5,000 prize purse should have attracted: Jimmy Riccitello, Mike Pigg, Wes Hobson, Ray Browning, Pat Brown, Scott Molina, Emilio De Soto, Jeff Devlin, Ken Glah, Paul Huddle, Michellie Jones, Paula Newby-Fraser, Sian Welch, Karen Smyers—and more I probably can’t remember. A lot of that interest was the result of ST’s involvement. And when we put those triathletes together with Ned Overend, Mike Kloser and Shari Kain from World Cup mountain biking our sport was born. Beyond all the accolades earned over the course of a legendary, groundbreaking career, Tinley is a character. And we all have Tinley stories. I remember at the Bonelli Park Triathlon, in Southern Califor-
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1 1 2 DECEMBER 2006
nia in 2000, Tinley drove his car straight through the finishline tape, nearly knocked me over and totally blocked the chute. Then he hops out to say goodbye and I tell him, “Tinley, you’re blocking the whole frickin’ track.” He gives that California-blonde look, where his chin sticks out at an angle, and tells me “Naaah, don’t worry—they’re slow enough to get around.” Nowadays you can find out what’s on Tinley’s mind on the last page of Triathlete. It’s always worth a read, even if it sometimes doesn’t make a lot of sense. To be the Rick Reilly of multisport is not ST’s goal, but to tell it like it is very well could be. Tinley never has been one to whisper sweet nothings to readers and write only what you want to hear, but he will always tell you what he thinks. Kinda refreshing. And he’s not just honest and upfront (and occasionally annoying) in his writing. Case in
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
All images courtesy Team Unlimited/XTERRA
By Kahuna Dave Nicholas
point: Tinley was supposed to be on a pro panel at an XTERRA race along with Pigg, Wendy Ingraham and Overend at Half Moon Bay, in California, a few years ago. A couple hundred people are there, Pigg, Wendy and Ned are chatting, then the time comes and no Tinley. We wait a bit and have to start. Later that afternoon, here comes Tinley, looking and walking just like Tinley. He apologizes and tells me he was driving along the coast and was gonna be early but saw some nice waves outside Santa
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Cruz and simply had to stop. What do you say to that? And when it came to racing, Tinley could beat you on a rented bike after guzzling half a dozen beers the night before. We could use a few more guys like Tinley. For all those reasons, and for his many contributions to and influence on our sport, we saluted Tinley as a 2006 inductee into the XTERRA Hall of Fame on the Saturday night before the XTERRA world championship on Maui. Attaboy ST. â–˛
T R I AT H L E T E M A G A Z I N E 1 1 3
D272_BOMTitanFlex_ce_rr.qxd
10/6/06
10:19 AM
Page 114
BIKE OF THE MONTH
Forward thinking TitanFlex Transition
John Leonffu/warmfocus.com
By Jay Prasuhn
he sport of triathlon was borne of outside-the-box thinking. It started with Boone Lennon’s Scott aerobars, then Dan Empfield came in with the goods: steep, tri-specific bike geometry and wetsuits. The evolution continued with the advent of the beam bike. While TitanFlex’s premise 14 years ago—comfort—was obvious, secondary benefits to the bike’s design quickly became apparent: enhanced aerodynamics and increased rider efficiency. With that, TitanFlex has steadily maintained a loyal following, and the new Transition continues the heritage. It’s all thanks to the qualities of this unbeatable metal in the Transition’s titanium beam. Titanium is remarkably light yet exhibits an uncommon strength-to-flexibility ratio. The result in the Transition is a beam that flexes when the bike is jarred, typically by bumps in the road. That said, the Transition is targeted at two types of consumers: those requiring day-long comfort for the sake of speed and efficiency and those simply desiring comfort for comfort’s sake. The first group consists of long-course athletes, and there’s a reason this bike has been ridden to RAAM wins. When you’re in the saddle for five, six, seven hours in Ironman training (or for days in RAAM), comfort is important, but economy of movement is real-
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1 1 4 DECEMBER 2006
ly where it’s at for these guys. The beam flexes to absorb high-frequency road vibrations, meaning your body is spared from an asphaltinduced beatdown. Over the course of a long day, that equates to less fatigue—invaluable when you’ve a marathon to run off the bike. The second group, those with flexibility issues or bad backs, benefit greatly from the bike’s design. As a former shop rat, I can tell you there’re heaps of these 50-and-up consumers. The comfort provided by the shock absorption and fit variance of the Transition make it a bike that, for many, makes a sprint, a 70.3 or an Ironman a possibility instead of a dream. Nothing like a bike that can get or keep people in the sport. Fitting the Transition is simple, as a standard 26.2 seatpost handles your seat height, and the boom is adjustable horizontally. The ride was just as promised. Through the chunky sections of road the Transition takes up the hits. The uninitiated will experience an initial light bobbing during the pedal stroke, but the rider, in an effort to reduce the bob, will by default gravitate to a rounder pedal stroke. The bike, in fact, improves your pedaling style and efficiency. The titanium booms are available in four different internal diameters to create a uniform vertical deflection whether you’re a 145pound pixie or a 305-pound Clydesdale. As a
160-pounder, I was fitted with the lightest offering, the Vanilla boom, which caught all the little jabs the road had to offer. The aluminum mainframe, of course, was as stiff as needed on the climbs, and the fit was as balanced and as aggressive as I desired. Finally, we can’t forget how aero the Transition is, and the absence of a traditional seat tube makes for a frame that cuts through the wind. Without a seat tube, airflow can travel past the frame unabated, and the parallelogram design allows for minimal crosswind deflection. TitanFlex designer Tom Pizkin, a veteran of the wind tunnel, knows it all too well. He even added a clever little invention— the CleanBrake—as a $25 add-on. Available only for the front brake, the CleanBrake consists of two cable stops welded onto the base bar between the bar-end and stem-clamp area, with the brake cable stretched between these points on its way to the caliper; a pull on the rubber-housed cable actuates the brake. What’s cool is it’s invisible from the front. The looks it draws are priceless, and it worked great, even on fast descents. If all things aero are paramount to you, you gotta take this option. Forward-thinking technology remains timeless and relevant. Whether your priority is comfort, efficiency or aerodynamics, the Transition is the cure to all ails. You can find more at ttinet.com/tf. ▲ W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Project1
10/11/06
12:11 PM
Page 2
American athletes can experience the unique atmosphere of a truly international Ironman. Ironman New Zealand offers you the opportunity to realise your Ironman dreams in the worlds most beautiful place. You don’t need to qualify 80 Kona Slots, field limited to 1500
Your dollar goes further Experience a great destination
Ironman New Zealand, celebrating its 23rd anniversary in 2007, holds a special place in the Ironman family as the first licensed qualifying event for the Ironman World Championship and also the event with the biggest number of international competitors. Secure your place now! Visit our new website for all the event and travel details.
FOR TRAVEL PACKAGES PLEASE CONTACT: ENDURANCE SPORTS TRAVEL www.endurancesportstravel.com PHONE:
1-610-399-4662 EMAIL:
kenglah@endurancesportstravel.com
Saturday 3 March 2007
www.ironman.co.nz S
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10/16/06
9:40 AM
Page 116
AT THE RACES
Nailed: Wealing, McQuaid take series from unlucky contenders Historic Flume Trail’s history turns tables on pre-race series leaders McMahon and Whitmore.
itting second in the 2006 Nissan Xterra points series behind dominant Canadian Brent McMahon and just ahead of powerful South African Conrad Stoltz, American Seth Wealing would need a miracle—a finish ahead of the talented Stoltz and at least seven places ahead of McMahon—to take the series title at the season finale: the Nissan Xterra USA Championships in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, on Oct. 2. A race win? Maybe. Stealing the race-series title? A long shot. Well, Nevada certainly is an apt place to gamble. As luck would have it, the long shot paid off for Wealing—as well as for Canadian Melanie McQuaid in the women’s race—when five-inch-long nails, a relic of Tahoe’s past, squelched the races of McMahon and women’s favorite Jamie Whitmore, paving the way for Wealing and McQuaid to grab the national and series titles. Unfortunately for the luckless Stoltz, however, while pre-riding the Flume Trail two days before the race Stoltz hit
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1 1 6 DECEMBER 2006
Canadian Mike Vine had a solid day to finish second a minute behind Wealing.
a bump and went over the bars, breaking his wrist and his L5 vertebrae. On a crisp race morning over crystalline Lake Tahoe, Wealing made the race his all-in bet. Coming out of the water first, Wealing charged the climb to Marlette Lake, cleaned the tricky descent back to T2 and cruised the 10km run ahead of Canadian runnerup Mike Vine for the win, making him the first American male to win the USA Championship in the six-year history of the race. As race winner and new national XTERRA champion, Wealing celebrated. But his eyes were on that finish line, for McMahon was still on course. “Man, this is cool, but I’m trying not to think about the series,” Wealing said. Riding the famed flume trail a few minutes behind Wealing, the Canadian rolled over a long spike left over from the 1800s, a nail that once held together a long, v-shaped flume that shuttled water down from the Sierra Nevadas. When the flume was dismantled, the W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Rich Cruse/www.richcruse.com
By Jay Prasuhn
D272_AtTheRaces_rr_tj.qxd
10/16/06
9:40 AM
Page 117
AT THE RACES
It was a longshot for American Seth Wealing to win, but he beat the odds and crossed the line first in 2:34:41. nails were strewn about by workers. Now that nail, which punctured McMahon’s tread and sidewall, was dismantling his expected cakewalk to a series title, as he was forced to pull the spike and put in a fresh tube. Finally into T2, McMahon was in 14th place and tried to chase back through the field to the needed seventh-place to retain the series win. But the effort would be for naught as an exhausted, dejected McMahon finished 11th. “Last year when this happened to me, I was philosophical about it, knowing there’s not too many people who get it on that flume trail,” McMahon said. “To come here leading the series with a big gap and to get another nail at the same spot on the trail . . . it’s one in a thousand. You can only make up so much time when you’re 13 minutes down.” While McMahon was disappointed,
Whitmore took his philosophy from a year ago. “I’ve been blessed the last four years to have smooth races here,” Whitmore said. “Every year those nails take somebody out, and this year it was me.” Going into the race, Whitmore and longtime adversary Melanie McQuaid were in a tie for the ’07 series title, and Tahoe was for all the marbles, with the top finisher between the two taking the crown. Just as happened in the men’s race, Whitmore was in close pursuit of McQuaid early in the bike when “I heard the nail hit the rim, and then I heard pffffssssh.” Whitmore said. “I knew I had to stop and change it . . . and that I had to re-evaluate my goals.” Ahead, McQuaid pushed on, unaware of her chief rival’s bad luck, and held her pace to win the race and the series title. “What you can’t count on is the heartbreak with something like that,”
McQuaid said of Whitmore’s flat. “You gotta think that when something like that happens in such a big race, it’s pretty much done. It’s a bummer for her and for me, because I’d have liked to have beaten her fair and square.” New Zealand’s Jennifer Smith had the day’s fastest 1:48:30 bike, making up her swim deficit and closing on McQuaid, but she still fell short of the Canadian pro mountain biker to take second overall. Fellow Canadian Danelle Kabush would assemble the fastest run of the day, in 38:34, to take third ahead of Candy Angle, who took honors as the first American across the line, while Whitmore took fifth.
Canada’s Melanie McQuaid crossed the line in 3:00:22 to win the race and the series.
NISSAN XTERRA USA CHAMPIONSHIP Incline Village, Nev. Oct. 1, 2006 1.5km swim, 30km mountain bike, 10km trail run
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
WOMEN 1. Melanie McQuaid (CAN) 2. Jennifer Smith (NZL) 3. Danelle Kabush (CAN) 4. Candy Angle (USA) 5. Jamie Whitmore (USA)
3:00:22 3:02:31 3:03:40 3:05:02 3:06:02
MEN 1. Seth Wealing (USA) 2. Mike Vine (CAN) 3. Chris Legh (AUS) 4. Andrew Noble (AUS) 5. Bucky Schafer (USA)
2:34:41 2:35:46 2:36:12 2:37:58 2:41:08
T R I AT H L E T E M A G A Z I N E 1 1 7
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Big chill at Ironman Wisconsin By T.J. Murphy ow in its fifth year, weather conditions at the Ford Ironman Wisconsin absorbed the full attention of the racers. Unlike in years past, where heat and humidity wreaked havoc, 2006 was marked by rain and cold winds. After Andrea Fisher and Hilary Biscay led the entire field out of the water, the men’s title was won by Germany’s Markus Forster in his first Ironman victory. Forster transitioned off the bike second to Australia’s Chris McDonald, who held the lead going into the
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marathon. Clearly a two-man race by the 13.1-mile point, McDonald was chased down, and the German subsequently beat the Aussie by five minutes. Martin LaMontagne Lacasse of Sherbrooke, Quebec, put in a strong run to take third. Katja Schumacher claimed victory in the women’s race, netting her fourth Ironman win. She passed Biscay halfway through the bike leg and then pulled away from the American. Despite a concerted effort by Biscay, Schumacher maintained her lead to the finish chute. Biscay has posted a number of top
Ironman finishes this year: two thirdplace finishes at Ford Ironman Arizona and Ironman Brazil and a fifth place at Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene. Third place was claimed by local favorite Lauren Jensen of New Berlin, Wisc. Despite the tough weather (race announcer Mike Reilly said the conditions were among the worst he’d ever seen), Ironman Wisconsin continues to be one of the most popular races on the circuit. Nearly 2500 finished the 2006 event, and entries for the 2007 sold out (like usual) in a storm-like flash. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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IRONMAN WISCONSIN
WOMEN 1. Katja Schumacher (GER) 2. Hillary Biscay (USA) 3. Lauren Jensen (USA) 4. Paolina Allan (CAN) 5. Andrea Fisher (USA)
10:01:22 10:07:01 10:26:36 10:26:57 10:29:45
MEN 1. Markus Forster (GER) 2. Chris McDonald (AUS) 3. Martin LaMontagne (CAN) 4. Markus Strini (AUT) 5. Brad Seng (USA)
9:07:24 9:12:35 9:29:35 9:32:38 9:41:24
Germany’s Mark Forster fought off harsh conditions and Aussie Chris McDonald for the win.
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Madison, Wis. Sept. 11, 2006 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run
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AT THE RACES mma Snowsill and Greg Bennett, both from Australia, won the sixth-annual Kaiser Permanente L.A. Triathlon in Los Angeles on Sept. 10. The Olympic-distance event began with a 1.5km ocean swim off Venice Beach before the 40km bike course headed east up Venice Boulevard, past Beverly Hills and through Hollywood to T2 near the Staples Center downtown. The 10km out-and-back run sped past the Disney Concert Hall to the Los Angeles River before retracing its steps to finish in front of the Staples Center. The strong pro field was headlined by Australia’s Bennett, Craig Alexander (who won here in 2004), Chris McCormack and Stephen Hackett; the USA’s Brian Fleischmann and Doug Friman; and Sweden’s Bjorn Andersson. Top women included Australia’s Emma Snowsill (the 2004 LA champion); American great and 2006 Timberman Tri winner Karen Smyers; the USA’s Julie Swail and Becky Lavelle; two-time Wildflower winner and 2006 Chicago Triathlon champion Sam McGlone, from Canada; and Great Britain’s Leanda Cave.
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Aussies rule in L.A. By Cameron Elford
Aussie Greg Bennett dominated on the bike and cruised to victory in 1:47:12.
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AT THE RACES Due to the warm, late-summer weather, race officials announced that the swim, which was patrolled by 40 L.A. County lifeguards, would not be wetsuit-legal for the professional athletes (the age-group athletes, however, were permitted to wear wetsuits)—still, many athletes felt the chill of the 70degree water and only warmed up once onto the run. At 7 a.m., under overcast skies, the pro men charged from sandy Venice Beach into the pounding Pacific rollers to begin the swim, which ran parallel to the beach to the Venice Pier and back. The small but powerful field of 10 women pros started five minutes later followed by an additional 14 agegroup waves. Despite the heavy shore break, the men’s field managed to hang together, although the USA’s John Kenny carved out close to a two-minute lead to finish the swim in 18:35. Most of the favorites, however, were out in the second chase pack. Snowsill and Swail led the women out of the water in 21 minutes. Cave exited on her own close behind, and Lavelle, McGlone, Smyers and the USA’s Amanda Felder trickled out over the next five minutes.
Confusion on the bike Once on the bike, the tiny but powerful Snowsill quickly powered to a solo lead. Behind her, however, confusion reigned. Snowsill, who was following the lead vehicles, was the only athlete in the pro women’s field to take a hard right turn onto a three-mile outand-back section. But the rest of the pro women and several of the pro men missed the turn and sailed straight through the intersection.
Australian Craig Alexander was the 2004 L.A. Triathlon champ and snagged second this time around.
“No one directed them onto the out-and-back,” said former top pro Wendy Ingraham, who was riding in the women’s lead vehicle. “Anyone behind [Snowsill] wouldn’t have known to turn there.” Still, despite riding three miles more than the rest of the pro women, Snowsill posted a stunning run to pull back the entire women’s field but for Cave, who crossed the line in first place. But it was a pyrrhic victory for Cave, who, along with the rest of the women, knew they had missed the out-and-back after race officials informed them of the gaffe while they were still on course. “If I had known she was so close behind me, I would’ve slowed to down to let her cross the line in first,” said Cave. Snowsill finished just seconds behind Cave, but her victory was assured. “This just shows how good [Snowsill] is,” said Smyers. “She did and extra three miles on the bike and still almost caught Leanda.” “I figured I’d pass people in the outand-back,” said Snowsill, “but I didn’t see anyone, so I didn’t know if I went wrong or they went wrong, but I’m not going to stop and talk about it during the race.”
Although she was cold coming out of the swim, Snowsill quickly found her rhythm. “I’m happy with my race,” she said. “It’s my third race in three weeks, so I’m feeling pretty tired now, but it was good fun. I love this race. It’s a great course—very scenic.” Once the race results were adjusted to reflect the course mishap, Colorado’s Mary Beth Ellis was awarded second place behind Snowsill, and California’s Julie Swail was third. The rest of the women’s field was unranked. While the men were able to avoid much of the confusion that plagued the pro women’s field, several of the athletes further back also missed the turn. Still, the great Bennett turned in a dominating performance with a crushing bike and steady run to hold off Alexander. Entering T2 in the lead with a minute over Alexander, Bennett held steady over the final leg. “With a minute lead, they’d have to take six seconds a kilometer out of me,” said Bennett. “I’m used to the World Cups where you have a five-second lead. When you have a minute it helps you to relax a lot more. When you have a lead, you can’t get too excited—Alcatraz in 2002, I had a two-minute lead and thought I had to sprint, and I blew myself to pieces.” “The swim felt pretty cruisy,” said Bennett, “but I knew the back half of the bike course is hilly, and I wanted to open up a gap before the hills and then really work the hills and open it a bit more, and it worked.” Alexander finished strong in second, while Australia’s Stephen Hackett took third among the pro men.
KAISER PERMANENTE L.A. TRIATHLON
WOMEN 1. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 2. Mary Beth Ellis (USA) 3. Julie Swail (USA)
1:57:23 2:06:54 2:10:02
MEN 1. Greg Bennett (AUS) 2. Craig Alexander (AUS) 3. Stephen Hackett (AUS) 4. Will Smith (NZL) 5. Paul Matthews (AUS)
1:47:12 1:48:25 1:49:43 1:50:36 1:51:23
Emma Snowsill was the leader of the pack and cranked out yet another win to add to her outstanding ‘06 resume.
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W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
Los Angeles, Calif. Sept. 10, 2006 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run
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Alexander, McGlone reign in the Windy City By Rebecca Roozen
1 2 4 DECEMBER 2006
he Accenture Chicago Triathlon is not only the world’s largest triathlon—over 8,000 joined in Aug. 27 for its 24th running—but it’s now also one of the four events making up the new Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series. Race directors Jack Caress (L.A. Triathlon), John Korff (Nautica New York Triathlon), Jan Caille (Accenture Chicago Triathlon) and Kevin Steele and Marilyn Franzen (both of Life Time Fitness Triathlon) were all present in the Windy City, making the partnerships seem strong in the series’ introductory year. “We are extremely excited to partner with the benchmark triathlon events in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and New York,” says Jan Caille, producer of the Accenture Chicago Triathlon. “The series features the Olympic distance established by the 2000 and 2004 Summer Games and comes at a time when the world is experiencing explosive growth in the sport’s participation.” Chicago is nicknamed the Windy City due its history of long-winded politicians. Coincidentally, the name suits its weather patterns perfectly. Strong breezes blew off Lake Michigan Sunday
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morning, but luckily the cloudy weather that accompanied the wind kept the agegroup athletes cool for most of the morning. By mid-morning, however, the sun broke through the gray, and the sweltering humidity heated things up as the professional athletes rounded out their second run loop and headed for the finish. The 2004 Accenture Chicago Triathlon winner, Aussie Craig Alexander, took the title again, in 1:49:54. Alexander was seventh out of the water but quickly began to close in on Great Britain’s Simon Lessing. Lessing held his ground at the front of the pack on the mostly flat Lake Shore Drive bike and was first into T2. But Alexander surged forward on the run leaving Lessing, who finished second in 1:50:13, and fellow countryman Greg Bennett behind. Bennett finished third in 1:52:27. Alexander kicked off his North American race season with a win at the St. Croix “I feel like I’ve had a really solid race today, so I’m really happy,” said Alexander. “Simon [Lessing] is probably the greatest short-course [athlete] in the
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Raymond Britt, Nantucket Media
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AT THE RACES history of the sport. He’s a five-time world champion, and to beat him is an absolute honor.” Two Americans, Brian Fleischmann and Matt Reed, second at the 2004 Accenture Chicago Triathlon and first at the 2006 Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon, finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
McGlone gains ground for the win
Canadian Sam McGlone came out of the water late but blasted the bike and run for the win.
In the women’s race, Canadian Sam McGlone made up significant time out of the water late to take the win in 2:02:25. McGlone took second in the 2005 Accenture Chicago Triathlon, first at the 2006 Wildflower Triathlon and second at 2006 Nautica New York Triathlon. As she made up time on the 40km lakeside bike and 10km run, she cruised by Australia’s Emma Snowsill, the 2004 Accenture Chicago Triathlon, 2006 Life Time Fitness Triathlon and Nautica New York Triathlon champ. Snowsill finished almost two minutes later in front of California’s Becky Lavelle. American Joanna Zeiger and the UK’s Leanda Cave finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
The weekend long event also included a kids’ race, a sprint-distance event and a Paralympic Development Team International-distance race. The Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series connects the four most prominent Olympic-distance triathlons in the United States. The total prize purse is more than $1,000,000. The series championship will be in July 2007 at the Life Time Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis, Minn.
ACCENTURE CHICAGO TRIATHLON Chicago, Ill. Aug. 27, 2006 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run WOMEN 1. Samantha McGlone (CAN) 2. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 3. Becky Lavelle (USA) 4. Joanna Zeiger (USA) 5. Leanda Cave (GBR)
2:02:25 2:04:14 2:05:04 2:06:24 2:07:51
MEN 1. Craig Alexander (AUS) 2. Simon Lessing (GBR) 3. Greg Bennett (AUS) 4. Brian Fleischmann (USA) 5. Matt Reed (USA)
1:49:54 1:50:13 1:52:27 1:52:38 1:53:23
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Don, Snowsill top podium in Lausanne By Sarah Wassner Flynn
n the first weekend of September thousands of triathletes descended upon Lausanne, Switzerland, for the 2006 ITU world championships. In the city known as the world’s Olympic Capital, it seemed only fitting that this race showcased past Olympians as well as what may be the stars of the 2008 Games—and beyond: Athletes like Emma Snowsill of Australia, already a two-time world champion shooting for an unprecedented third win. Or Vanessa Fernandes, at 20 years-old a young but fast rising Portuguese star. Then there was the 2004 Olympic champ, Hamish Carter, out to nab one last gold medal before stepping down back to spend more time with his family. And Tim Don, a heralded duathlete and aquathlete who’d shown sparks of brilliance. These superstars joined other elite and age-group triathletes—hailing from as far away as Tahiti and the Cook Islands—in Lausanne, a French-speaking town nestled on the southern slope of the Swiss plateau. The event spanned two days, with the age-group competitions lasting throughout Saturday, September 2, and the elites and under23 races following on Sunday.
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Team USA has strong showing On the first day, Team USA had a stellar showing on the podium, picking 1 2 6 DECEMBER 2006
up 16 golds, six silvers and nine bronze medals in the age-group races— including 12 medals for physicallychallenged athletes. Receiving some of the biggest cheers of the day were Marc Bonnet-Eymard of Winter Garden, Fla., who won the overall men’s title in 2:05:31, improving upon his runner-up performance in 2005. Greg Rouault (25-29; 2:07:51), David Roadhouse (60-64; 2:34:34), Pat Wickens (65-69; 2:41:23) and Richard Robinson (75-79; 3:29:03) also picked up gold medals in their age groups. On the women’s side, Stephanie Popelar (Parker, Colo.) finished 13th overall as the top American woman in 2:26:35, while Holly Nybo (40-44; 2:26:51) and Susan Bradley-Cox (6559; 3:28:05) each nabbed wins in their categories.
Americans Laura Bennett (first out in 19:02) and Sarah Haskins; Joelle Franzman of Germany; Liz Blatchford of Great Britain; and Fernades. Snowsill, who had an uncharacteristically slow start, trailed the leaders out of the water—but not for long. The Aussie soon joined the lead pack on the sevenloop bike course snaking through Lausanne’s narrow, sloping streets. “To be honest, if there’d been a breakaway, I wouldn’t have gone,” says Snowsill, who was playing it safe after a stomach bug and jet lag left her weakened prior to the race. “I was just watching Vanessa and trying to keep my wits about me.” Snowsill didn’t have to watch Fernandes for long. After entering T2 alongside 19 other women, the 25-yearold sprung onto the run course, setting a pace to which Fernandes could not respond. Beaming as she strode down the final stretch to the finish line in 2:04:02, Snowsill basked in the moment of becoming the first woman to win three Olympic-distance ITU world championships. “A couple minutes from the finish line, it hit me,” says Snowsill. “But because I wasn’t feeling 100 percent, I didn’t want to leave anything to chance. I just wanted to stay focused and leave nothing behind on the race course.” Nothing, that is, except for the women’s field, which, thanks to her 33:35 10km split, she walloped by nearly a minute. Fernandes, sturdily locked into second place, finished in 2:04:48, in front of Felicity Abrams, 20, of Australia. “Of course I wanted to win, but I just didn’t have it in me today in the run,”
Delly Carr
AT THE RACES
Snowsill unbeatable By Sunday, the anticipation was palpable for what had been lauded as the closest match-up among professional women in years: Emma versus Vanessa. The pair joined 74 other competitors on the pontoon for the 10:45 a.m. start. Saturday’s clouds gave way to a sparkling start and temperatures hovered in the 70s as the field sliced through Lake Geneva. From the gun, a tightly clustered front pack formed, including
Aussie Emma Snowsill made history in Switzerland where she became the first woman to win three Olympic-distance ITU world champs. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
AT THE RACES said Fernandes, who turned 21 just days after the race. “But I am still very proud of what I did, and proud to represent my country.” The rebuilding American squad— lacking powerhouses Susan Williams, Barb Lindquist, Sheila Taromina and Joanna Zeiger from the 2005 team—was led by Bennett (eighth in 2:06:16), Haskins (21st; 2:07:43) and Becky Lavelle (24th; 2:08:00).
Don tops men’s field Within minutes of the conclusion of the women’s race, the elite men’s swim was underway. American Andy Potts emerged first out of the lake in 17:14, but his slight lead soon folded into a group of 52 on the bike. Carter led a breakaway charge of 10. By the time they entered T2, the group—including Don and Frederic Balaubre of France—had built up a cushion of more than a minute on the rest of the field. With Don perched dangerously close on Carter’s shoulder, the Kiwi led for the first half of the flat, fast four-loop run. But he was passed by Don, who flew to a 30:47 run. Holding off a fast-closing
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Balabre (third; 1:52:12), Carter secured the silver medal (1:51:49) in what will be his last worlds appearance. Although he hasn’t announced his retirement from the sport entirely, Carter has stated that he will not compete in any more worldchampionship races. “I thought he’d falter, and that I’d get him on the last lap,” said Carter. “There were a lot of good runners out there, but Tim was the only one out there that I couldn’t beat.” Hunter Kemper and his speedy 31:06 run led Team USA with a seventh-place finish (1:53:07). Potts (18th; 1:53:57) and Doug Friman (21st; 01:54:29), both unable to make up lost time from their bike legs, rounded out the top three Americans. Meanwhile, Don boisterously celebrated his worlds victory—the first for his country since Simon Lessing’s in 2000. “Top of the world! Can you believe it?” exclaimed an elated Don. “I’d love to say that this win came easily. But when you have an Olympic champion chasing you, nothing is easy. The race was just incredible.”
2006 ITU WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Lausanne, Switzerland 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run Sept. 2-3, 2006 ELITE WOMEN 1. Emma Snowsill (AUS) 2. Vanessa Fernandes (POR) 3. Felicity Abram (AUS) 4. Lauren Groves (CAN) 5. Nadia Cortassa (ITA)
2:04:03 2:04:48 2:05:14 2:05:24 2:05:28
ELITE MEN 1. Tim Don (GBR) 2. Hamish Carter (NZL) 3. Frederic Belaubre (FRA) 4. Kris Gemmell (NZL) 5. Volodymyr Polikarpenko (UKR)
1:51:32 1:51:49 1:52:12 1:53:01 1:53:04
AGE GROUP WOMEN 1. Chrissie Wellington (GBR) 2. Katrin Esefeld (GER) 3. Lotte Branigan (DEN) 4. Claire Goldsmith (AUS) 5. Fiona Ford (GBR)
2:17:32 2:21:34 2:22:05 2:23:35 2:23:44
AGE GROUP MEN 1. Marc Bonnet-Eymard (USA) 2. Lucas Pretto (BRA) 3. Sam Mallard (NZL) 4. Herve Schreck (FRA) 5. Marko Tormanen (FIN)
2:05:31 2:06:53 2:07:17 2:07:32 2:07:33
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Half distance, full speed By Jay Prasuhn
across the line 22nd overall, her run split was faster than 10 of the men who finished in front of her. Sopheia crossed second, with Moore taking third nine seconds back. The top five athletes in each age group qualified for the 2006 ITU World Long Distance Championships, held in November in Canberra, Australia.
USAT HALFMAX NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Innsbrook, Mo. Sept. 16, 2006 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run WOMEN 1. Elizabeth Fedofsky 2. Laura Sopheia 3. Kristin Moore 4. Amber Mounday 5. Leslie Curley
4:40:40 4:52:45 4:52:54 4:54:46 4:54:48
MEN 1. Patrick Evoe 2. Tim Hola 3. Ted Zderic 4. Brian Scott 5. Kevin Dessart
4:04:53 4:10:42 4:17:38 4:18:37 4:18:41
herself from Csomor, she could only outsplit Thuerig by just one minute after 13.1 miles of running and would have to settle for second.
Race of attrition
Thuerig, Zamora Take Ironman Monaco 70.3 By Jay Prasuhn or all the talk about Natascha Badmann’s Kona chances in October, there’s another woman making a bid to be the top Swiss finisher at the Hawaii Ironman: Karin Thuerig. A world champion time trialist with a deserved reputation within the sport for her devastating bike prowess, Thuerig used her bike to help beat back the effort of British shortcourse specialist Michelle Dillon on Sept. 3 and take the second-annual Ironman Monaco 70.3 title in 4:41. And while several top names crashed their way out of the men’s race, it was Spaniard Marcel Zamora who won the
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game of last man standing to take the men’s win in 4:12. With a focus on a high finish at the Hawaii Ironman this year, Thuerig has cast aside any pro cycling ambitions, focusing on improving her run and swim. It seemed to pay off. As expected, it was Dillon out of the water well ahead of any pro women, in 22:33. But Dillon’s advantage would be whittled quickly on the steep, technical hills as Thuerig nullified her deficit. By T2, Thuerig’s lead over Dillon and Erika Csomor of Hungary was seven minutes, and Thuerig tore into the four-lap run. While Dillon distanced
In the men’s race, Kiwi Kieran Doe scrambled onto Larvotto Beach first in 21:06, with two-time Hawaii Ironman champ Luc Van Lierde, Great Britain’s Paul Amey, Finland’s Tom Soderdahl, defending race champion Rutger Beke and Zamora taking up the chase just seconds behind. Wet roads on the bike would prove pivotal as Beke and several other athletes crashed out. Doe pushed the pace up front and arrived at the run transition with a 4:32 lead, but a pursuing group including Van Lierde, Zamora and Austrian Norbert Domnik, who took up chase. After four miles, Zamora and Domnik gapped Van Lierde slightly while cutting Doe’s lead to 1:33. Five miles later Zamora attacked to drop Domnik, passing Doe for the lead in the process. By the finish, he followed in the footsteps of F1 racer and fellow countryman Fernando Alonso by winning in Monaco. Domink held off Van Lierde for second. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Courtesy Ultramax
ith a powerful run, Elizabeth Fedofsky claimed her second U.S. Half Triathlon National Champion title at the USAT Halfmax National Championship in Innsbruck, Mo., just outside St. Louis on Sept. 16. In the men’s race it was Austin age grouper Patrick Evoe who held off defending champ Tim Hola, from Colorado, to take the men’s title in 4:04. Hola made an early statement, covering the 1.2-mile swim in Aspen Lake in 23:19, the fastest of the day. But Evoe’s quick pace on the bike reeled in Hola, and Evoe entered T2 with a two-minute advantage. On the run, Evoe extended his lead further still, logging a 1:19:49 half-marathon to take the overall men’s title by over six minutes. In the women’s race, Fedofsky came out 20 seconds behind Laura Sopheia’s 28:21 swim and gave up a few more seconds to Sopheia and a closing Kristin Moore on the rolling bike course. But it was on the run that Fedofsky shined. Her 1:32:16 half-marathon outpaced her competition and left Sopheia and Moore in her wake by 12 minutes. While Fedofsky’s overall time of 4:40 put her
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Statement of Ownership, Management, & Circulation 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
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Switzerland’s Karin Thuerig worked extra hard to improve her run and swim, and it paid off in Monaco.
9.
Monaco Ironman 70.3 Monte Carlo, Monaco Sept. 3, 2006 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run 10.
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
WOMEN 1. Karin Thuerig (SUI) 2. Michelle Dillon (GBR) 3. Erika Csomor (HUN) 4. Therese Omme (SWE) 5. Dina Braguii (ITA)
4:41:37 4:47:03 4:52:00 5:09:33 5:10:21
MEN 1. Marcel Zamora-Perez (ESP) 2. Norbert Domnik (AUT) 3. Luc Van Lierde (BEL) 4. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 5. Kieran Doe (NZL)
4:12:14 4:14:10 4:14:37 4:14:51 4:15:21
11.
12.
13. 14. 15.
Publication Title: Triathlete Publication Number: 0898-3410 Filing Date:September 21, 2006 Issue Frequency: Published Monthly Number of Issues Published Annually: 12 Annual Subscription Price: $29.95 Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 328 Encinitas Blvd., Ste 100, Encinitas, San Diego, CA 92024-8704; Contact Person: Heather Gordon; Telephone: 760.634.4100 Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 328 Encinitas Blvd., Ste 100, Encinitas, CA 92024 Full Names and Complete Mailing Address of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: John Duke, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Ste 100, Encinitas, CA 92024; Editor: TJ Murphy, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Ste. 100, Encinitas, CA 92024 Managing Editor: Cameron Elford, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Ste 100, Encinitas, CA 92024 Owner: Triathlon Group North America, LLC., 328 Encinitas Blvd., Ste 100, Encinitas, CA 92024; La Jolla Holding Group, LLC., 7777 Girard, Ste 200, La Jolla, CA 92037; V.S. Publishing, 800 Silverado Street, La Jolla, CA 92037 Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or more of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None Tax Status: The Purpose, Function, and Nonprofit Status of this Organization and the Exempt Status for Federal Income Tax Purposes: Has Not Changed During the Preceding 12 Months. Publication Title: Triathlete Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: October 2006 Extent and Nature of Circulation A. Total Number of Copies:
Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 91,215. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 88,372. B. Paid and/or Requested Circulation: 1. Paid/Requested OutsideCounty Mail Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 42,007. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 42,240. 2. Paid In-County Subscriptions Stated on Form 3541: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: N/A. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: N/A. 3. Sales through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other NonUSPS Paid Distribution: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 41,267. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 39,037. 4. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: N/A. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: N/A. C. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average No.Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 83,274. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 81,277. D. Free Distribution By Mail: 1. Outside-County as Stated on Form 3541: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 0. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 0. 2. In-County as Stated on Form 3541: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 0. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing
Date: 0. 3. Other Classes Mailed Through the USPS: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 0. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 0. E. Free Distribution Outside the Mail: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 6,191. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 5,600. F. Total Free Distribution: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 6,191. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 5,600. G. Total Distribution: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 89,465. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 86,877. H. Copies Not Distributed: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 1,750. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 1,495. I. Total: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 91,215 No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 88,372. J. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months: 93%. No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date: 94%. 16. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Will be printed in the December 2006 Issue of this publication. 17. I Certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions and/or civil sanctions and or civil sanctions. Heather Gordon Associate Publisher
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Shapiro tops field at Iron Girl Columbia By TJ Murphy hat happens when you organize a women-only sprint-distance triathlon in a pleasant park located in Ellicott City, Md.? Think many women will come? Yes, in fact, they will, as was proven on Aug. 27 this year, when nearly 1900 women hit the starting line at Centennial Lake on a fine Sunday morning for the first edition of the Columbia RYKA Iron Girl triathlon. Margaret Shapiro of Annendale, Va., and Desiree Ficker of Austin, Texas, battled each other for the win, with Shapiro coming out on top with a time of 1:21:48 on the 1km swim/30km bike/5km run course. But the story here was less about who finished first and more about who finished. Athletes from a variety of backgrounds came armed with everything from commuter bikes to full-tilt timetrial bikes, and the energy of the day could best be described as team-oriented rather than competitive. Organized by the Columbia Triathlon Association, the race drew participants ranging in age from 14 to 76 and representing 26 states.
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RKYA Iron Girl Columbia Ellicott City, Md. Aug. 27, 2006 1km swim, 30km bike, 5km run 1. Margaret Shapiro (Annandale, Va.) 2. Desiree Ficker (Austin, Texas) 3. Lori Smith (Cumberland, Md.) 4. Hope Hall (Reston, Va.) 5. Janelle McIntyre (Ellicott City, Md.) 6. Stacy Karwacki (Baltimore, Md.) 7. Katrina Dowidchuk (Wilmington, Del.) 8. Connie Peterson (Harrisonburg, Va.) 9. Hilary Cairns (Washington, D,C.) 10.Jennifer Schlife (Oak Park, Ill.)
1 3 0 DECEMBER 2006
1:21:48 1:26:18 1:29:49 1:33:18 1:34:10 1:34:16 1:34:36 1:34:47 1:35:12 1:36:25
Athletes chase accolades and fun at youth nationals By Jay Prasuhn t would only be fitting that the USAT Youth National Champs, held in Wisconsin Dells, Wis., on Aug. 26, would hold the swim in a wave pool near a water slide. Such was the case as hundreds of kids headed to the Midwest and Wisconsin Dells’ Noah’s Ark Water Park. Many of the top competitors were winners or top regional finishers at the 10-race Youth Grand Prix series stops that preceded the race in Wisconsin Dells, and they were chasing the title of national champion—always a good “What I did this summer” essay as the kids had one last race school started. The course took athletes from the wave pool out to a bike course around the park grounds followed a run within the park. The tightest race was found in the girls 9-10 age group, as Aleena Villani outlasted runner-up Drew Sanclemente by just 10 seconds after a 17:07 finish. Most other age groups featured age-group winners that earned national titles with a comfortable minute buffer—perhaps alluding to a future dominance in the senior ranks? Only time will tell.
I
USAT Youth National Championships Aug. 26, 2006 Wisconsin Dells, Wis. 100-meter swim, 3.1-mile bike, .6-mile run Ages 7-8 GIRLS 1. Cierra Boutelle 19:21 2. Larkin Dickson 20:46 3. Lauren Farkas 21:17 BOYS 1. Nathan Ploeger 2. Ian Dretzka 3. Robbie Powell
18:14 19:15 19:19
Ages 9-10 GIRLS 1. Aleena Villani 2. Drew Sanclemente 3. Audrey Manchester
17:07 17:17 17:24
BOYS 1. Caden Ewing 2. Neilson Powless 3. Kyle Rex
15:51 16:13 16:47
200-meter swim, 6.2-mile bike, 1.2-mile run Ages 11-12 GIRLS 1. April Rosas_Willett 29:01 2. Mackenzie Williams 29:35 3. Shayna Powless 29:57 BOYS 1. John Funk 2. Joshan Kantue 3. Duston Benton
27:19 28:39 28:56
Ages 13-15 GIRLS 1. Amanda Russell 2. Tatum Tyynismaa 3. Gina Villani
27:08 28:01 28:58
BOYS 1. Luke Farkas 2. Lukas Verzbikas 3. Ethan Doherty
25:35 26:00 26:46
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
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Malibu. Calif. Sept. 17, 2006 800-meter swim, 18-mile bike, 4-mile run
By Mitch Thrower housands gathered on Zuma Beach, in Southern California, on Sept. 17 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Nautica Malibu Triathlon, a sprint-distance triathlon that raised over $615,000 for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. This year’s event started off with a bang as celebrities, pro athletes, and age groupers took off at 7:15 a.m.
T
Nautica Malibu Triathlon Jessiqa Pace
Nautica Malibu Triathlon celebrates 20th anniversary
Desperate Housewives relay team again this year. Huffman’s husband, William H. Macy, ran alongside her just for fun. Nautica Malibu Triathlon veterans David Duchovny and Jon Cryer competed in the individual celebrity division with Randy Eickoff taking home the title. Other notable performances were seen from Mark Paul-Gosslear, Carl Lewis, David Denman and Amanda Beard, who all posted impressive finishes.
TV comedian, Jimmy Kimmel once joked that the Nautica Malibu Triathlon was simply a few laps around the hot tub with a martini. In this year’s race, however, competition was fierce, but Sweden’s Bjorn Anderson and the USA’s Lara Brown showed excellent form to win the overall elite divisions with times 1:16:59 and 1:27:24.8, respectively. Felicity Huffman defended the
ELITE WOMEN: Lara Brown (USA)
1:27:24
ELITE MEN: Bjorn Anderson (Swe)
1:16:59
AGE-GROUP WOMEN: Christine McEvoy (USA)1:32:15 AGE-GROUP MEN: Cameron Dye (USA)
1:20:26
CELEBRITY WOMEN: Kristen Hultgreen
1:46:07
CELEBRITY MEN: Randy Eickhoff
1:19:36
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AT THE RACES
The muddy city In the spirit of adventure, heavy rain was welcomed by nearly 2000 muddy buddies
By T.J. Murphy hile it may be hard to categorize a Muddy Buddy race (multisport? adventure race? carnival?), the nine-event series— Boston, Orlando, Vancouver, Los Angeles, San Jose, Chicago, Austin, Boulder and Richmond—has secured a loyal audience among fitness fanatics looking for just that: something completely different. The essential Muddy Buddy is held on a six-mile course broken into five segments. Two-person teams share a bike as they leapfrog the segments (while one bikes, the other runs, and at checkpoints they trade activities). Each transition is punctuated by an obstacle. Balance beams, cargo-net crawls and
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monkey bars are the sorts of things that make up the Mystery Events. Nothing better defines a Muddy Buddy, however, than the earthy element planted firmly in the race title. This, of course, would be the mud. And at the Chicago Muddy Buddy on Sept. 10, a night of steady rain followed by a morning of steady rain equated into one of the muddiest Muddy Buddies of all time. Held on a horse ranch in Gilbert, Illinois, the looping and at times hilly trails were so slick with mud that they provided as much traction as a sheet of wet ice. The misty and cool conditions of the day did not deter a clogged Red Hook beer tent that filled up as muddy buddies finished off the course with the celebrated crawl through the mud pit, hosed themselves off and made straight for the beer. The tent provided frontrow spectating for the mud pit, and those who had already earned their tshirts made certain that those behind them didn’t try to wimp out on embracing the 30-foot long, two-foot deep crawl through the muck.
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WOMEN 1. Feisty and Furious Kendra Schramm and Alexandra Cox
55:20
MEN 1. Blue Racing Derrick Fluegge and Eli Mercer
42:08
COED 1. Coaches Caryn Blanke and Dave Blanke
47:37
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Lavelle breaks the tape for fifth time at Pacific Grove Fleischmann finishes first in men’s field
By Rebecca Roozen
Groff but out-swam her on the second lap and exited the water with a 16-second lead. Lavelle increased her lead on the bike and entered T2 five minutes ahead of second-place finisher Evelyn Williamson of New Zealand. This was Lavelle’s fifth win at the Triathlon at Pacific Grove. She holds the course record of 2:01:21, set in 2001.
Fleischmann tops men’s field Brian Fleischmann of Colorado Springs, Colo., outlasted his competition and crossed the line first in 1:55:07. He made it out of the water in 20:04, ahead of the rest of the pack. But Fleischmann’s finish was just 12 seconds faster than runner-up David Thompson of St. Paul, Minn., who made up time on the bike and run. Bucky Shafer of Englewood, Colo., took third in 1:56.17.
Triathlon at Pacific Grove
WOMEN 1. Becky Lavelle (Calif.) 2. Sarah Groff (Colo.) 3. Alexis Waddel (Calif.) 4. Kelly Couch (Calif.) 5. Erika Aklufi (Calif.)
2:06:17 2:09:00 2:10:40 2:10:54 2:13:17
MEN 1. Brian Fleischmann (Colo.) 2. David Thompson (Minn.) 3. Bucky Shafer (Colo.) 4. Barrett Brandon (Neb.) 5. Dave Messenheimer (Colo.)
1:55:07 1:55:19 1:56:17 1:56:33 1:56:41
oastal fog rolled in early Saturday, Sept. 9 across Monterey Bay, south of san Francisco, as approximately 1150 age groupers hopped into the bay to start the 12th annual Olympic Distance Triathlon at Pacific Grove. The 34 professional competitors set out on the 1.5km two-lap Monterey Bay swim, 40km four-lap scenic bike and 10km three-lap trail run at noon.
C
Lavelle leads the women Becky Lavelle, 31, of Los Gatos, Calif., returned home from Switzerland, where she competed in the ITU world championship, just days before the Pacific Grove race. But Lavelle didn’t appear jet-lagged as she built an insurmountable lead to win the women’s elite race in 2:06:17. During the first lap of the swim, Lavelle was stroke for stroke with eventual third-place finisher Sarah 1 3 4 DECEMBER 2006
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Action Sports International
Pacific Grove, Calif. 1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run Sept. 9, 2006
dec tri ad
10/10/06
2:08 PM
Page 1
2007 IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
2007 CAMP SCHEDULE SAN DIEGO WINTER CAMP FEBRUARY 7-11 IRONMAN ARIZONA CAMP FEBRUARY 23-25 IRONMAN COEUR D’ALENE CAMP APRIL 27-29 IRONMAN USA CAMP JUNE 1-3 IRONMAN CANADA CAMP JUNE 15-17 IRONMAN WISCONSIN CAMP JULY 13-15 p re s e n t e d b y
IRONMAN FLORIDA CAMP SEPTEMBER 14-16 WIND TUNNEL CAMPS VARIOUS DATES
WILL YOU BE READY? R
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Multisports.com | P.O. Box 235150 | Encinitas, CA 92024 | T 760.635.1795 | F 760.943.7077
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International Triathlon & Duathlon Race Calendar
Triathlete endeavors to present the most comprehensive calendar of tris and dus. However, because event dates are subject to change, please check with race directors to confirm event information before making plans. See Multi-Event Contacts for contact information for promoters that have multiple listings. Listings printed in red indicate Triathlete-sponsored races. USA Triathlonsanctioned races are designated with a #. Register at active.com for events designated with @. RACE DIRECTORS: For online race listings, please go to triathletemag.com and post your races under our Calendar link. Allow one week for your events to become live. For listing in our print calendar, e-mail your information to rebecca@triathlete mag.com or fax it to (760) 6344110. Entries submitted before Sept. 30 have been included in the December issue. All entries that were submitted after that date will be in the January issue. Please note that most XTERRA global tour events consist of approximately a 1.5K swim, 30K mountain bike and 10K trail run.
MOUNTAIN PACIFIC 04/29- Sacramento, CA—Sacramento Intl. Triathlon. Updog Sports. .75mi S, 16mi B, 4mi R; .5K S, 8mi B, 2mi R
1 3 6 DECEMBER 2006
08/11- Telluride, CO—TelluTri Mountain High Challenge. .75mi S, 43mi B, 5mi R
SOUTH ATLANTIC NORTH ATLANTIC SOUTH CENTRAL INTERNATIONAL 12/17 Canberra ACT, Australia—Canberra City LD Triathlon X-Tri Australia. 1.9K S, 90K B, 21K R. REMINDER: If a race’s contact information is not listed with the event in the preceding section, refer to the Multi-Event Contacts listings on pages 188 and 192. There, you will find a list of race organizers who put on either multiple races or series events. For more events and online race registration, please be sure to check out triathletemag.com and active.com. Both sites offer up-to-date racing and training information, as well as the most recent news and coverage of triathlon’s most popular events. To register your race online, go to triathletemag.com. ▲
XTERRA TV All the XTERRA action from Lake Tahoe is coming soon as the award-winning Nissan Xterra USA Championship show begins its run in national syndication on Nov. 20. Taped on location in Nevada on Oct. 1, the national championship of off-road triathlon played host to more than 300 athletes representing 44 states across the United States. The broadcast tracks both amateur and professional competitors on their 28-mile journey through unyielding terrain in search of money, fame and national titles. The one-hour special is scheduled to air in more than 100 markets, on local ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX affiliates, from November through April. Check your local listings to see when it’s on in your hometown, or visit xterraplanet.com for a schedule. It’s also not too early to mark your calendars for the CBS Sports Spectacular presentation of the Nissan Xterra World Championship set for 1 p.m. EST on the Saturday before the Super Bowl, Feb. 3, 2007. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M
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CALENDAR
3 Discliplines Racing: www.3disciplines.com; 866.820.6036 5430 Sports: Barry Siff, 1507 North St., Boulder, CO, barry@5430sports.com, www.5430sports.com; 303.442.0041. AA Sports: 503.644.6822; www.racecenter.com; events@ racecenter.com. Blue Sky Sports, LLC: 678.237.0308; director@ tribluesky.com; www.tribluesky.com. Bradventures LLC. Producer of Auburn International Triathlon. www.auburntriathlon.com; 530-888-9911; info@bradventures.com. By the Beach Productions: 5153 Soquel Dr., Soquel, CA, 831.465.6517; www.bythebeachproductions.com; info@ bythebeachproductions.com. Capri Events: 773.404.2372; www.caprievents. com. CFT Sommer Sports: 838 W. DeSoto St., P.O. Box 121236, Clermont, FL 34712; 352.394.1320 (p); 352.394.1702 (f); info@triflorida.com; http://greatfloridian.com. CGI Racing: 856-308-7522; www.cgiracing.com. Cutting Edge Events: 217.347.3739; www.cu tingedge events.net, beccakoester@yahoo.com, www.sign meup.com. Danskin Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Triathlon Series: 800.452.9526, www.danskin.com, triathlon@ danskin.com. Elite Endeavors: Jim & Joyce Donaldson, 8963 Stoneybrook Blvd., Sylvania, OH 43560; 419.829.2398, jdjp@sev.org. Emerald Coast Events Commission: 850.784.9542; www.emeraldcoasstevents.com; jlynch@knology.net. EndorFUN Sports: 603.293.8353 Envirosports: P.O. Box 1040, Stinson Beach, CA 94970, 415.868.1829 (p), 415.868.2611 (f), info@envirosports. com, www.envirosports.com. Event Power: 22 Jagger Ln., Southampton, NY 11968; 631.283.7400; eventpower@aol.com; www.swimpower. com. Exclusive Sports Marketing & Nestle Sprintkids Series: 1060 Holland Dr., Ste. 3-L, Boca Raton, FL 33487; 561.241.3801; 888.ESMSPORTS (376-7767);tjcesarz@ exclusivesports. com; www.fam ilyfitnessweekend.com. Fat Rabbit Racing: Craig Thompson, 614.424.7990, 614.306.1996; craigthompson@fatrabbitracing.com; www.fatrabbitracing.com. FIRM Racing: 66 Bruce Rd., Marlboro, MA 01732; P: (508) 485-5855, F: (508) 229-8394; bill@firm-racing.com, www.firm-racing.com. Georgia Multisport Productions: Jim Rainey, 4180 Liberty Trace, Marietta, GA 30066; 770.926.6993, 770. 928. 9292 (F); jim@gamultisports.com, www.gamultisports.com. Great Smokey Mountains Triathlon Club: www.gsmtc.com; tri2000@dnet.net. Greater Knoxville Triathlon Club: Kevin Mahan, 205 Cross Creek Private Ln., Lenoir City, TN 37771, 865.675.BIKE (2453) (p), 865.988.9250 (f), www.knoxtri.org; kevinmahan@char tertn.net. Green Brook Racing LLC: Joe Patanella, P.O. Box 825, Green Brook, NJ 08812-825, 732.841.2558; greenbrookracing@ aol.com, www.greenbrookracing.com. HFP Racing: P.O. Box 375, Thornville, OH 43076; shannon@hfpracing.com, 740.743.2418; scott@ hfpracing.com, 440. 350.1708; www.hfpracing.com
1 3 8 DECEMBER 2006
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
MULTI-EVENT CONTACTS
Ironhead Race Productions: Jack Weiss, P.O. Box 1113, Euless, TX 76039-1113; 817.355.1279; ironjack@ironheadrp.com; www.ironheadrp.com. HMA Promotions: 216.752.5151; www.hmapromotions.net Ironman North America: 4999 Pearl East Circle Suite 301, Boulder, CO, 80301; 518.523.2665; 518.523.7542; imanusa@capital. net. J&A Productions: www.japroductions.com; info@japroduc tions.com. JMS Racing Services: P.O. Box 582, Marion, IN 52302, 319.373.0741; www.pigmantri.com/ jmsracing.html; jim@ pigmantri.com; john@pig mantri.com. KOZ Enterprises: San Diego Triathlon Series. P.O. Box 421052, San Diego, CA 92142; 858.268.1250; www.kozenter prises.com; info@ kozenterprises.com. Lake Geneva Extreme Sports: P.O. Box 1134, Lake Geneva, WI 53147, www.lakegenevasports.com; lgsports@lake genevasports.com; 262.275.3577. MESP, Inc. Racing Series: 29395 Agoura Rd., Ste. 102, Agoura Hills, CA 91301; 818.707.8867 (p); 818.707.8868 (f); www. mesp.com. Mountain Man Events: P.O. Box 255, Flagstaff, AZ 86002; www.mountainmanevents.com; admin@ mountainmanevents.com. New York Triathlon: P.O. Box 50, Saugerties, NY 12477-0050; 845.247.0271; www.nytc.org. North Coast Multisports, Inc: P.O. Box 2512, Stow, Ohio 44224; 216-272-0064; mrzymek@aol.com. On Your Mark Events: 209.795.7832; info@onyourmarkevents.com;www.onyourmark events.com. Pacific Sports, LLC: 1500 S. Sunkist St., Ste. E, Anaheim, CA 92806; 714.978.1528 (p); 714.978.1505 (f); www.pacificsportsllc.com. Palmetto Race & Event Production: P.O. Box 1634, Bluffton, SC 29910; 843.815.5267 (p); 843.785.2734 (f); andy5267@ aol.com; www.palmettorace.com. PCH Sports: www.pchsports.com; 2079 Cambridge Ave., Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007; 760.944.7261. Piranha Sports, LLC/ Greater Atlantic Multisport Series/Greater Atlantic Club Challenge/Escape from School Youth Triahtlon Series: Neil Semmel, P.O. Box 150, Kirkwood,
DE 19708; nsemmel@piranha-sports.com; www.piranhasports.com. Premier Event Management: P.O. Box 8764, Metairie, La. 70011. 504.454.6561. www.pem-usa.com.. Race Day Events: 1032 Antrim Way, Knoxville, TN 37919; 865.250.5948; www.racedayevents.com; KevinMahan@chartertn.net; Kevin@racedayevents.net Score This!!!, Inc.: 15 Ranch Trail Ct., Orchard Park, NY 14127; 716.662.9379; www.score-this.com; info@scorethis.com. Set-Up, Inc.: P.O. Box 15144, Wilmington, NC 28408; 910.458.0299; set-upinc.com; billscott@set-upinc. com. Shelburne Athletic Club: 802.985.2229; www.shelburneathletic.com. TBF Racing: Bill Driskell, 5209 Blaze Ct., Rocklin, CA 95677; 916.202.3006; bill@totalbodyfitness.com; tbfracing.com. Team Magic, Inc.: Therese Bynum, Faye Yates; 205.595.8633; www.team-magic.com; races@ team-magic.com. Team Unlimited: XTERRA Series; 877.751.8880; www.xterraplanet.com; info@xterraplanet.com. Time Out! Productions: Rich Havens, P.O. Box 543, Forestdale, MA 02644; 508.477.6311 (p); 508.477.6334 (f); timeout@ capecod.net; www.timeoutproductions.com. TriAthlantic Association: 410.593.9662; www.triath.com. Triathlon Canada: 1185 Eglington Ave., East Suite 704, Toronto, Ontario M3C 3C6; www.triathloncanada.com; 416.426. 7430 Tri-California Events, Inc. Terry Davis, 1284 Adobe Ln., Pacific Grove, CA 93950; 831.373.0678, www.tricalifornia.com. Tuxedo Brothers Event Management: Don Carr, 317.733.3300; tuxbro@indy.rr.com; www.tuxbro.com. UltraFit/USA: P.O. Box 06358, Columbus OH 43206, 614.481.9077, www.ultrafit-usa.com. Updog Sports LLC. www.updogsports.com, info@updogsports.com. Vermont Sun Sport & Fitness: 812 Exchange St., Middlebury, VT 05753; 802.388.6888; www.vermontsun.com/ triathlon. html, vtsun@together.net. YellowJacket Racing: 6 Regent St., Rochester, NY 14607; 585.244.5181; www.yellowjacketracing.com, yellowjackeâ&#x2013;˛ tracing@hotmail.com. W W W. T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M
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25 reasons to go geek or . . . Advantages of calling yourself a multisport endurance athlete By Scott Tinley n keeping with the holiday spirit of giving, I’m sharing my version of motive and drive. In Lettermen-esque, clip-artfor-the-fridge prose, I submit the top 25 reasons to go long and varied, in name and practice, to justify our tri-geekiness. 25. You seem mysterious. Multisport only denotes “more that one.” For all anyone really knows, you split your time between sword-swallowing and dwarf-tossing. 24. You can get your picture published in a sport magazine kissing the ground and people will know right away that you’re simply happy to have finished a long event, not stepping off a military C-130 after being held hostage. 23. Any label with the word “endurance” in it implies that you can outlast your competitors and companions. At anything. 22. You learn a lot about biology and science. Stuff like: you’re supposed to drink water when you’re thirsty and the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.
I
21. You can wear bike helmets that appear as if they came off the set of Braveheart. And, damn, you feel like a great warrior when you blow by those kids on the bike path. 20. You can eat for sport and never think that you have a serious dis-eating order or that you up mix your words when you are trying to lose weight on the Bud Light Diet. 19. Earn a few dollars in prize money by accident (you checked the wrong box on the application) and write off a new SUV, a backyard pool and trips to Europe on your tax return. You won’t get audited. Trust me: the IRS loves ambiguous occupational titles such as “semi-pro, multisport, enduring, test pilot jock-type person.” 18. Shave unwanted body hair and be able to hold a straight face when you tell your co-workers it’s at the request of your massage therapist looking to reduce friction. 17. Have a default excuse for any event that you wish to avoid. Thanksgiving at the in-laws? Long ride day. Company
meeting in Bakersfield? Recovering from long run day. 16. Look good in spandex. 15. Spend more on a bike than you did on your first car and be able to hold a straight face when you tell your partner that, “It completes you.” 14. You can give yourself a nickname, however silly, and your stature will go up in your community of fellow multisport, endurance athletes. 13. With the word “athlete” in any personal label, no one will expect anything intelligent to emanate from your mind, let alone pass through your sunburned lips. Surprise them and undo their misperceptions. 12. Learn to tame your fear of what lurks below when you plunge into the deep for your first ocean swim. 11. Be OK just running for a few months. You don’t want to wear out that new wetsuit before next season. 10. Become comfortable in Starbuckscolored outfits. 9. Chicks will dig you. Dudes will check you out. Genderless, postmodern metros will offer you a Gauloises and a book by Camus. 8. Eat like a pig. Oh, I already said that? It’s worth mentioning again. 7. Find yourself, lose yourself. Make some new friends. Lose those friends when you fail to split the difference. 6. Meet some former multisport, endurance star like Kenny Souza, Jim Riccitello or Julie Moss. Realize that even they looked bigger on TV. Reapply sunscreen immediately. 5. Confuse and delight your regular-job neighbors as you regale and embellish stories of long training rides, putting up new routes on K2 and lunching with Congolese tri-geeks before an afternoon of chasing wild boars with wind-tunnel-tested titanium spears. 4. Get renowned Multisport.com coach Paul Huddle’s personal phone number. 3. Be able to pee in your pants in a race without being hauled in for therapy. 2. Develop enlarged breasts, err, VO2 max. 1. Be happy with your all your fears, wants, desires, quirks, goals, dreams, accomplishments, delusions and the fact that you ain’t like nobody else. ▲
John Segesta/wahoomedia.com
Publication Mail Agreement #40683563: Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Express Messenger International, P.O. Box 25058, London BRC, Ontario, Canada N6C 6A8
TINLEY TALKS
Triathlete (ISSN08983410) is published monthly by Triathlon Group North America LLC, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas, CA 92024; (760) 6344100. Subscription rates: U.S., one year (12 issues) $29.95 (12 issues); two years (24 issues) $49.95. Canada $35.95 per year; all other countries $58.95 per year, U.S. currency only. Periodicals postage paid at Encinitas, CA, and additional mailing offices. Single copy price $3.99. Triathlete is copyright 2003 by Triathlon Group North America, LLC. All rights reserved. Postmaster: Send address changes to Triathlete, P.O. Box 469055, Escondido, CA 92046-9513. Ride-along enclosed in all book region 2 copies.
1 4 4 DECEMBER 2006
W W W. T R I AT H L E T E . C O M
Project2
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Becky Lavelle 2006 Escape from Alcatraz Champion 2006 Vineman Half Ironman Champion USA Triathlon National Team Member 2005 USA National Champion
THE PLEASURE AND PAIN IS ONLY YOURS. IT’S PERSONAL. We all have to do it. Explain our actions. Make sense of it to somebody that doesn’t quite get it. You may even question yourself sometimes, but not for long. No matter how tired you are, how much your muscles ache and joints hurt, you feel better after training and nobody can take that from you. It’s just you and your body. The pleasure and pain is only yours. It’s personal. BUILT FOR THE TOTAL BODY, WITH THE TOTAL ATHLETE IN MIND. THE 2007 MULTI-SPORT COLLECTION. WWW.TYR.COM
© 2006 TYR Sport Inc. All rights reserved.