LIVE THE ULTIMATE FITNESS LIFESTYLE GEAR >> TRAINING >> RACE SCENE >> LIFESTYLE
NO.318
NATALIE
MORALES The NBC Today Show Cohost Balances Triathlon, Work and Motherhood
BEST CITIES FOR TRIATHLON Our Picks Will Surprise You!
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OCTOBER 2010
FUELING YOUR BODY
for Weight Loss PAGE 128
FROM RUNNER TO TRIATHLETE
How to Make the Leap PAGE 104
The Best Racing Flats
17 NEW
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contents
OctOber 2010
DEPARTMENTS
TRAiNiNg
gEAR AND TEch
18 editOr’s nOte
94 staying Fast aFter 40
134 tech suppOrt
20 Letters
98 sWiM
136 triathLete’s garage
100 bike
138 tri’d and tested
102 run
140 gear bag: race WheeL revieW
By JuliA BEESoN PolloRENo
24 checking in
26 starting Lines 28 training tip 30 MedicaLLy speaking 32 tri traveL 34 industri
152 at the races NuTRiTioN
By MATT FiTzgERAlD
By SARA MclARTy
By MElANiE McQuAiD
By BRucE REgENSBuRg AND lANcE wATSoN
104 FundaMentaLs
By TRoy JAcoBSoN
118 nutritiOn Q&a
106 spOrts science update
120 MuLtispOrt Menu
108 Fitness
By PiP TAyloR
122 eat right
By REBEccA MARkS RuDy
126 recipe 128 racing Weight
By MATT FiTzgERAlD
By TiM MicklEBoRough, PhD
By SAgE RouNTREE
110 dear cOach
FEATuRiNg MARk AllEN
114 injury Quick tip
By JoRDAN METzl, MD
By iAN BuchANAN
By AARoN hERSh
By AARoN hERSh
By AARoN hERSh
coluMNS 144 up FrOnt
By ANDy PoTTS
146 ticket punch
By SAMANThA McgloNE
148 singLetrack Mind By MElANiE McQuAiD
150 endurance cOnspiracy By TiM DEBooM
176 Light read
By JEF MAllETT
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www.orbea-usa.com
Craig Alexander, 2x Ironman World Champion, relies on the Orbea Ordu to carry him to victory.
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features
ocToBer 2010
on the CoVer Natalie Morales • Photo by Justin Lee Makeup by Mary Kahler • Hair by Laura Castorino Natalie Morales Best Cities for Triathlon The Best Racing Flats Fueling Your Body for Weight Loss From Runner to Triathlete
36 Today’s TriaThleTe As host and national correspondent for NBC’s the “Today Show,” Natalie Morales juggles a high-profile job with being a wife and mom to two young boys. When an on-the-job challenge to complete a triathlon introduced Morales to the sport, a passion for triathlon was quickly born. She sat down with Triathlete to talk about squeezing triathlon into a busy lifestyle, the benefits of spousal rivalry, her gear—and music—essentials, and how she finally conquered the swim. By Julia Beeson Polloreno PhotograPhs By Justin lee
44 (NoT your Typical) Top Tri TowNs Straightaway, erase cities such as Boulder and San Diego from your mind. Sure, these cities rock hands-down as places to live, work and train, but open your Oakley-wrapped eyes a bit further and 8
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you’ll find a wealth of alternate towns and cities that serve up ample swim, bike and run appeal as well. By holly Bennett
56 MakiNg iT work Get to know some bold companies that not only offer employees bright futures in terms of their careers, but also respect that triathletes have full lives outside of the office, and sometimes they just need to hit the pavement for a long ride. By Courtney Baird
64 No excuses guide To TraiNiNg Nearly every triathlete, even one living in a triathlon paradise, has to deal with obstacles: training in cold weather, prepping for races without a group or tri club nearby and the inevitable boredom that comes with training indoors. This guide will help you train year round like you live
36 44 74 128 104
in one of the top tri towns while, most importantly, rallying you to make the most of any training situation—rain or shine. By aaron hersh
74 raciNg FlaT review
By adam Chase PhotograPhs By John segesta
86 Brave New (TriaThloN) world In a country that has few options for burgeoning triathletes, one young teen is proving that you don’t need much to beat the odds. By lauren Ventura
Correction: The article “Fundamentals” in the September 2010 issue was written by Duane Franks. october 2010
THIS MONTH ON
triathlete.com
LOOKING AHEAD TO KONA
John Segesta/johnsegesta.com
The Ford Ironman World Championship is just weeks away and we’re ramping up our pre-race coverage in anticipation. We’ll profile several professionals and age-groupers that are getting ready to race on the Big Island. We’ll also provide training tips for competitors and look back on some of the most memorable moments from past years in Kona.
RACE COVERAGE As the season reaches its peak, three series will come to a close with championship races. The Dextro Energy ITU World Championship Series will close in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 12 with the Grand Final. Check Triathlete.com for complete coverage of the festivities. We’ll bring you news stories, photo galleries and video straight from Europe. Who will take the crown from an injury-plagued Alistair Brownlee? Will Emma Moffatt make a late-series comeback to reclaim her world championship title? Find out at Triathlete.com. On the same day the ITU builds upon its history, a new series crowns its first champions. The Rev3 triathlon series comes to a close with an iron-distance race in Cedar Point, Iowa, on Sept. 12, with the champions taking home checks for $15,000. Once again we’ll provide you with news and media straight from the race site. Finally, we’ll turn our attention to off-road triathlon on the weekend of Sept. 25, as the top Xterra athletes compete at the Xterra USA Championship in Ogden, Utah.
TRIATHLETE NEWSLETTER Can’t wait for your next issue of Triathlete magazine to get more gear reviews and training advice? Head over to Competitor.com/newsletters and sign up for the “Transition” newsletter. Every two weeks, you’ll receive gear reviews and training tips that are exclusive to newsletter subscribers.
TRICENTER
Triathlete.com’s webisode, TriCenter, continues to bring you the latest triathlon news from around the world. This month our news coverage on TriCenter will be coming to you twice a week. Tune in on Mondays and Thursdays to stay in the know on the latest in the world of triathlon. 10
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First Wave 12
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No Time for Tea BY AARON HERSH ITU’s elite women, led by Aussie Emma Moffatt, dashed by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel across from Hyde Park during the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series London race, held at the future site of the 2012 Olympic Games.
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First Wave 14
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A Running Start BY JACOB GIBB/COMPETITIVE IMAGE More than 3,500 amateurs and 20 pros participated in the Life Time Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis, the second event in a six-race series across the U.S. Racers charged into Lake Nokomis before heading out for a scenic bike and run around the area’s surrounding lakes.
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First Wave
Beating the Heat BY RICH CRUSE A major heat wave didn’t dampen the spirits of competitors at the Nautica New York City Triathlon. Athletes tackled a 1500-meter swim in the Hudson River, a 40K bike along Manhattan’s West Side Highway and a sweltering 10K run through iconic Central Park. 16
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Editor’s Note No. 318 | October 2010 Editorial Director
TJ Murphy, tjmurphy@competitorgroup.com Editor-in-Chief
Julia Beeson Polloreno, jpolloreno@competitorgroup.com Managing Editor
Somyr McLean Perry, sperry@competitorgroup.com Assistant Managing Editor
Lauren Ventura, lventura@competitorgroup.com Senior Editor
Matt Fitzgerald, mfitzgerald@competitorgroup.com Senior Editor
Courtney Baird, cbaird@competitorgroup.com Senior Tech Editor
Aaron Hersh, ahersh@competitorgroup.com Assistant Editor
Bethany Leach Mavis, bmavis@competitorgroup.com Copyeditor
Marilyn Iturri
Photo Editor
Nils Nilsen, nnilsen@competitorgroup.com Art Director
Lisa Williams, lrwilliams@competitorgroup.com Graphic Designer
Walking a TighTrope Four months after I gave birth to my son, I stood on the sandy shore of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, soaking in the pre-dawn calm in the moments before the start of the Timberman half-iron distance race. Standing beside me was a fellow competitor, a girl I had just met that morning in the transition area. When she had asked me earlier if I had people supporting me on the race course, I told her my husband, mom and newborn (outfitted in a “My Mom is a Triathlete” shirt) would be out there. She couldn’t believe I’d managed to get to the start of a half-Ironman only four months after childbirth. Truth was, getting back into triathlon wasn’t a goal to help me shed the baby weight or a test of my sleep-deprived personal mettle (childbirth puts those doubts to rest). Triathlon was a grounding force in a new world revolving around a different orbit. It was something just for me, a return to the gratifying, challenging pursuit I’d long considered such an integral part of my lifestyle, my identity. My son, Ethan, is 2 now, and I’m still trying to master the art of balancing motherhood with a full work life, family and social commitments, and a passion for triathlon (what I like to call “tridolatry”). And I know I’m not alone. This month’s cover model, NBC “Today Show” cohost and national correspondent Natalie Morales, discovered triathlon through a work assignment and has been hooked since. She represents many triathletes today who juggle triathlon with parenting, demanding jobs and countless other obligations. Yet, instead of triathlon becoming “one more thing” to add to the ballooning list of obligations, it actually can improve other aspects 18
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Oliver Baker, obaker@competitorgroup.com Online Content Director
Kurt Hoy, khoy@competitorgroup.com Web Producer Jené Shaw
Left to right: photographer Justin Lee, stylist Jeanne Sartor, me, Natalie, art director Lisa Williams, editorial director TJ Murphy.
of our lives. Natalie says her training makes her a better mom by allowing her time to do something healthy for herself, and solitary training sessions fuel her best brainstorming for a big interview or story. But perhaps more importantly, it promotes a sense of empowerment and vitality that spills over into every corner of her life. Check out my Q&A with Natalie, “Today’s Triathlete,” on page 36 for her tried-and-true tips for incorporating triathlon into an impossibly busy lifestyle (and don’t miss her workout-crushing iPod playlist). It’s my hope and intention that our Lifestyle Issue functions as a useful road map as you navigate the tricky balance between work, training and life in general. Contributor Holly Bennett and the editors have done extensive research—some objective, some subjective—to bring you the country’s “Top Tri Towns” (page 44). Forget the usual suspects Boulder and San Diego; while no one can discount these training havens, we dug deeper to uncover some cities that are as unexpected as they are appealing to the tri-inclined. Can’t pick up and move to one of our picks? Senior tech editor Aaron Hersh’s feature story, “No Excuses Guide to Training” (page 64), will help you enjoy training for triathlon in any city or situation. And if your triathlon habit garners you strange or incredulous looks from cubicle neighbors at work (so what if they don’t wear compression socks under their pants), definitely check out “Making It Work” on page 56. Senior editor Courtney Baird rounds up workplaces where “work” isn’t a four-letter word. Many of the companies featured in the story were selected with the help of our readers, who nominated their own employers. Talk all you want, though. I’m still convinced I have the best job out there. Julia Beeson Polloreno Editor-in-Chief
Liz Hichens, lhichens@competitorgroup.com Senior Video Producer
Steve Godwin, sgodwin@competitorgroup.com Video Producer
Kevin LaClaire, klaclaire@competitorgroup.com Medical Advisory Board
Jordan Metzl, MD; Jeff Sankoff, MD Advertising EVP, Media
Andrew R. Hersam, ahersam@competitorgroup.com VP, Endemic Sales
Kevin Burnette, kburnette@competitorgroup.com Director, Digital Advertising Sales
Jason Rossiter, jrossiter@competitorgroup.com
San Diego, CA Account Executive, Endemic Sales
Lisa Bilotti, lbilotti@competitorgroup.com
Account Executive, Endemic Sales
Lars Finanger, lfinanger@competitorgroup.com
Account Executive, Endemic Sales
Justin Sands, jsands@competitorgroup.com
Account Executive, Marketplace Sales
Alex Jarman, ajarman@competitorgroup.com
Boulder, CO Account Executive, Endemic Sales
Nathan Forbes, nforbes@competitorgroup.com
Account Executive, Endemic Sales
Mark Gouge, mgouge@competitorgroup.com
Account Executive, Endemic Sales
David Walker, dwalker@competitorgroup.com Advertising Coordinator
Shane Anderson, sanderson@competitorgroup.com Production Manager
Meghan McElravy, mmcelravy@competitorgroup.com Director, Audience Development
John Francis, jfrancis@competitorgroup.com Fulfillment Manager
Leslie Dodds, ldodds@competitorgroup.com Triathlete Magazine Offices
9477 Waples Street, Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92121 Phone: (858) 768-6805; Fax: (858) 768-6806 Triathlon.competitor.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: triathlete@pcspublink.com. Back Issues available for $8 each. Send a check to Triathlete Magazine Back Issues, 9477 Waples Street, Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92121 and specify issues requested, or visit Triathlon.competitor.com. 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 self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Printed in the USA. Triathlete Magazine is a publication of
David Moross Peter Englehart Scott P. Dickey Andrew R. Hersam Steve Gintowt John Smith Bouker Pool Dan Vaughan David O’Connell Rebecca McKinnon Sean Clottu
Chairman CEO President & COO EVP, Media Chief Financial Officer SVP, National Sales SVP, Marketing VP, Digital Media VP, Western Region Sales VP, Eastern Region Sales VP, Sales Development
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Le t ters
Contributors
Courtesy of Misty Becerra
Sara McLarty At just 7 years old, Sara completed her first triathlon. Today, she’s a professional triathlete and known for being the fastest swimmer in the sport. Currently McLarty coaches swimming at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. This is McLarty’s sixth year as a professional triathlete; she began her pro career with non-drafting races, small Continental Cups and the Under-23 World Championships in 2005. A few good finishes at those races earned her the USA Triathlon “Rookie of the Year” award. By 2006, she became the USAT Under-23 National Champion and the 2006 Aquathlon world champion, while this past July, McLarty came in fourth at the 2010 Life Time Fitness Triathlon in Minneapolis. Check out her article, “The Five Phases of Swim Training,” on page 98. While swimming for some of the best coaches in the world, McLarty recognized five common phases during training and uses the same concepts to guide her athletes.
Mats Allen
Mark aLLen No triathlete has gained the recognition or success that Mark Allen has. After competing and losing in the Ironman World Championship six times, he emerged victorious in 1989, winning the most difficult oneday sporting event in the world. He uses the incredible story of his journey to the top as the backdrop for his advice in “Dear Coach” on page 110, where he let’s readers know when to say when. Based in Santa Cruz, Calif., Allen has a stateof-the-art online triathlon training program at Markallenonline.com. Allen also recently released a new book that he co-authored with Brant Secunda titled Fit Soul Fit Body: 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You. Secunda is a shaman, healer and ceremonial leader in the Huichol Indian tradition. It was Allen’s studies with Secunda that enabled him to win his Ironman titles. You can visit their website at Fitsoul-fitbody.com.
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Motivation Cover to Cover
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can’t be the only subscriber so inspired by the back cover TYR advertisement featuring Chrissie Wellington that I cut it out and pasted it over my desk. It’s exactly the sort of motivation that I look for in the magazine, in addition to training and racing information. I am especially gratified that my 6-year-old and 4-year-old daughters recognize Wellington’s winning smile from watching the 2009 Kona coverage with me. Thank you for inspiration and motivation, cover to cover. Margie Kuzminski Leesburg, Va.
an overlooked ProduCt
I
am a salty sweater so when I saw the article on salt [“Pass the Salt,” July 2010], I thought for sure I would see my favorite sodium product: margarita Shot Bloks. Clif Bar makes this product, and it has 210 mg of sodium, which is more than any of the sports products that were given as examples of sodium replacement. I guess Clif Bar did not pay enough to be used in the article. It was a disappointment and disservice to athletes who read this magazine to not give examples of honest and good products that are made specifically with higher sodium content. Don’t use just the products of those advertisers who will pay for the coverage. Corey Clark Denver
Editor’s Response: Thank you for your product suggestion—we will be sure to give margarita Shot Bloks a try. Inclusion of products in editorial is never based on advertising interests and is taken from firsthand experiences of the editors and contributors.
tinley’s swan song
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hat happened to Tinley? I have been a loyal reader of Triathlete magazine for several years now, and I can honestly say that I have come to look forward to the magazine’s thought-provoking and often quirky last page, Tinley Talks. I hope that the “And There It Is ...” piece [June 2010] wasn’t Mr. Tinley’s swan song. If it was truly the end, then the publication has lost a part of its heart and soul. John McGrath Via e-mail october 2010
Le t ters
A LittLe LAte
StiLL USing My ChiroprACtor
s a second-year triathlete, I think the gear and tech guides are great, especially the bike, run and beginner’s guides [“Gear, Gadgets and Gizmos Galore,” Aug. 2010]. My one complaint is that the beginner’s guide comes out in July when I already bought any new gear and I’m in the middle of my training program. What about a pre-season guide that gives us newbies advice on what to buy before we start training?
have been using the services of chiropractors for years whenever I have a problem with my sacroiliac. It saddens me to read that Dr. Jordan Metzl [“Injury Quick Tip,” Aug. 2010] does not recommend chiropractors to take care of this injury. Doctors will give you a pill to calm the pain, leaving you with the problem. Manipulation is quick and painless. Usually you don’t need to go more than once, and you can go back to running the same day.
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Bob Reinard Chicago
A ChAnge for the good
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hen the management of a really good magazine (or any really good business) changes, it puts me on guard. There are two possibilities: It stays the same or, sadly, it mostly deteriorates. Getting better from really good is rare, so congratulations! Triathlete magazine got better! Yeah, I miss Scott Tinley, but I like Jef Mallett. Matt Fitzgerald is my favorite. Overall the layout and content has improved. Joachim Schnabel Via e-mail
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Pascal Nicolle Miami
Keep it SiMpLe
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am an avid triathlete and physical therapist. I specialize in the McKenzie Method, also known as Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy. I read the “Training Tip” article in the July 2010 issue by Matt Kraemer and Nathan Koch regarding addressing low back pain from the ground up and had a few remarks. When it comes to triathlon we have the swim, the bike and the run. Most articles you guys write about these three sports talk about the mechanics: the mechanics of how to perfect your swim stroke, the mechanics of pushing
the pedal on the bike and the mechanics of turnover when running. So why not look at the mechanics of the body and, in particular, the spine? We triathletes like it simple: swim, bike, run, eat and sleep. So why are Matt and Nathan making a simple backache such a complicated issue? About 80 percent of people will have back pain at least once in their lives, making it almost as common as a cold! Let’s look at mechanics: The spine mainly moves in two planes: sagittal (flexion and extension) and frontal (rotation and lateral flexion). In terms of those mechanics, biking is static flexion for the spine, running is dynamic extension. People typically get worse with movements or positions in one direction and better with movements or positions in the opposite direction. So why not look at those mechanics to figure out a simple and effective treatment plan? Whenever your pain is not constant, as in 24/7, you have a mechanical problem, which deems a mechanical rather than chemical (NSAIDs and muscle relaxers) approach. Don’t overdiagnose! Kristel Maes Savannah, Ga. october 2010
CheCkIng In Training Tip Medically Speaking Tri Travel IndusTri
Janos Schmidt/triathlon.org
Starting Lines
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c hec king in
Illustration by Nicole Gorman
Starting Lines
I Can Do ThaT By Mitch thrower As humans, we can use our bodies and minds to do so many fascinating and challenging things: work 24-hour shifts during residency, climb 29,035 feet to the summit of Mount Everest, recover from a debilitating injury, train for triathlon. But for many of us, the sky is not the limit because we often draw an imagined, seemingly impenetrable barrier between what we believe we can do and what we feel we cannot do. I remember watching American gymnast Shawn Johnson at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games as she sprang effortlessly from the high bar to the low bar, pirouetting mid-handstand. I thought to myself, “What convinces someone that her body can do that?” And I thought the same thing as I watched the Netherlands’ Gio van Bronckhorst make a split-second decision not to pass the ball but instead hammer it 40 yards in a jaw-dropping goal a few inches inside the net against Uruguay in this year’s World Cup. And what about the fishermen on the Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch” as they go up against some of the coldest and roughest waters on earth in the Bering Sea? I most certainly don’t think, “I can do that!” when I watch that show. 26
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But the most remarkable thing about what we think we can’t do, is this—we probably can do it and most often, what limits us is the fact that we really just don’t want to do it. After all, we operate a 75 trillion cell molecular machine every day that does things we can’t even fathom, and aren’t even aware of. Doubting if you can run a couple miles today? Well, your blood travels 60,000 miles per day through the body. What’s a five-mile jog, relatively speaking? My friend Chrissie Evans, a native New Yorker, has participated in several grueling, multi-stage running races, some surpassing 150 miles, all while traversing challenging terrain and weather in forbidding places such as the Gobi and Sahara deserts, Corsica, the Rockies, Egypt and Australia. But I’m sure if someone had asked her when she was a young girl if she would one day run 150 miles at a crack, she would’ve said, “No way!” Whether we realize it or not, and whether we’ve convinced ourselves that we can’t do it, triathlon is a showcase of “I can do that” endeavors. Think about it. When you started training for your first triathlon, you most likely started with the mindset that you were starting from scratch and, over time, would piece together the swim, bike and run into one cohesive sport. Triathlon was ingrained in most of us before we even knew what triathlon was. Remember those hot summer days when
we were kids? Swimming in the pool, riding our bikes down the street, playing tag in the backyard? That was triathlon before the sport even had a name. And now, wearing space age spandex and riding NASA-developed carbon fiber steeds, we perform miracles once unheard of—swimming, biking and running across distances and in times previously inconceivable to the ordinary man or woman. And then, at the end of it all, we collect our medal and head home filled with satisfied pride. The friends and relatives and strangers who witnessed us compete head home inspired to follow in our footsteps because when they think about it, they can do it too. Triathlon is perhaps a subtle reminder that, as our hearts beat some 90,000 times and our blood flows that amazing distance equal to two-and-a-half times around the world each day, energy and life course through our veins. Early in life, you started out as a triathlete and if you’re reading this, you’ve found your way back to the sport, so welcome home. Racing may not be a game of tag, even though you may find yourself running from someone in your age group as if they were “it.” Triathlon taps our innate abilities, impulses and instincts, which were alive when we were kids and are aching to be rekindled as adults. As triathletes, with each breath and every heartbeat, we discover that we are all, in fact, it. october 2010
THERMAL 11째f IncREASE In wARmTh fOR yOUR cOlD wEAThER
TRAInInG.
SEASOnS chAnGE.
UPGRADE TO LUKE BELL
Ironman 70.3 Champion www.zootsports.com
Training Tip
Kinesio Tape: a FuncTional Fashion Trend? By nathan koCh By now you’ve seen the colorful tape athletes are adorning in an effort to use the latest and greatest performance enhancer while sparking intrigue in the process. Kinesio taping has been made popular since the 2008 Olympics and continues to be a trend. Athletes such as David Beckham, Lance Armstrong, Serena Williams and Kerri Walsh have helped this functional fashion trend become recognizable. But what exactly is this tape and does it actually work? The different brands of kinesio tape are basically the same and come in a variety of colors. Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that certain colors are better than others at healing. In general, all forms of the tape are made of a high quality elastic woven tape that allows the tape to stretch 30 to 40 percent from its resting length. It is designed to mimic the properties of the skin. The theory is that it lifts the skin away from the muscle fascia, facilitating blood flow and drainage of fluids by the lymph system. The effect is thought to promote healing and prevent injury. It is also latex-free and contains a heat-activated adhesive that enables it to stay on for three to five days after application. Kinesio tape is also gentle enough to be applied directly to the skin. 28
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Initially, this tape was only available through a physical therapist or physiotherapist that had been through specific training and a certification process. Due to its increase in popularity, companies are beginning to focus on selling directly to the consumer athlete. You can find anecdotal evidence for the tape’s use on websites and blogs, as well as how-to-tape videos on YouTube. In reviewing the available research, I found no evidence to prove that kinesio tape has a direct impact on athletic performance. The current research suggests that there is no increase in power, muscle firing or proprioception when applied to healthy subjects. Most of the popularity has come from subjective information and not through direct research of kinesio tape application. The available research does provide some evidence for the use of taping in the shoulder and knee if, and only if, there is pain. It suggests that there is some capability for the tape to increase muscle firing patterns and decrease load on the joint in an injured knee or shoulder. One study out of the U.S. concluded that “when applied to a young, active patient population with a clinical diagnosis of rotator cuff tendinitis or impingement, kinesio tape may assist clinicians to obtain immediate
improvement in pain-free shoulder abduction. However, over time, kinesio tape appears to be no more effective than sham taping at decreasing shoulder pain intensity or disability.” The other study out of Taiwan concluded that “in baseball players with shoulder impingement syndrome the elastic kinesio tape resulted in positive changes in scapular motion and muscle performance. The results supported its use as a treatment in managing shoulder impingement syndrome.” It should be noted that in both of these studies a licensed clinician applied the tape. There is another form of tape that physiotherapists and physical therapists have been using for years called Leukotape. Leukotape is a high-strength rigid tape with a strong zinc oxide adhesive that requires a base layer of latex-free Cover-Roll Stretch Tape. Both are highly versatile and can be cut to any size. While Leukotape has been around longer and is much more heavily researched, you may have not heard about it because it is plain old beige and boring. However, there is much more research available that supports its efficacy. There is significant evidence to support changes in muscle firing, changes in joint position and changes in pain level in injured subjects. There is also recent evidence of improved shoulder range of motion in tennis players that are asymptomatic and healthy. This study is a first, in that it suggests some changes in healthy subjects, but this is only with Leukotape. So what’s the practical solution? I advocate providing all the information and options available to our athletes, and then coming up with a plan together. There are pluses to both kinds of tape: Kinesio tape is more flexible and is tolerated by the skin better. Leukotape can stabilize and restrict the joint to a greater degree. At our office, we generally use both kinds of tape with athletes that are having pain to allow them to continue to train while rehabbing an injury. We stress that this is a fun and exciting short-term assistance, like our favorite substitute teacher in grade school, and not the long-term solution to rehabbing an injury. Taping alone does not address the underlying culprit of the injury, although it may help speed up the healing process. So, bottom line: If you have shoulder impingement syndrome or knee pain, then by all means find a qualified clinician that can apply tape that matches your gear. But if you are not injured, either leave the placebo at home and save your money or at least turn the tape into cool, colorful designs so others have something to look at during races. Nathan Koch is a physical therapist at Endurance Rehabilitation in Scottsdale, Ariz. Visit Endurancerehab.com. october 2010
Nils Nilsen
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Courtesy Alexandra Metzl
Medically Speaking
When to Say When By Jordan d. Metzl, Md
Having written this column for almost four years, I always try to highlight a medical issue or patient that presents an interesting problem or dilemma that can be instructive for you the reader. Over the years, I’ve tried to write about everyone besides me because someone’s hamstring injury can teach one point, an Achilles injury another and hyponatremia yet another. This time, though, I’m contemplating my own injury. And as I sit here, one week out from Ironman Lake Placid, I’m not sure if I can do the race. I’m facing a difficult issue that I hope can help all of you. First off, the Ironman race is all about preparation. For those of you who have done one, or are in the process of preparing, or even thinking about it, you know what I mean. Yes, there are months of workouts, but more than that, one’s life goes into lockdown mode. The joy of race day, and the hard work to get there, is often offset by great sacrifice. Relationships suffer, parties are skipped, countless hamburgers and ice cream sandwiches are left lonely on the shelf, and these are only a fraction of the many sacrifices that are made to get athletes to the starting line. In many ways, the joy of race day is seeing all the participants succeed by completing this crazy (yet amazing) event, 30
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each of whom has overcome his or her own personal hurdle. My brothers Jamie and Josh are competing in Lake Placid too, our parents are coming, and we even had Metzl Brothers tri jerseys made. For me, as for all of you, this is a big deal. It doesn’t seem to matter if it’s the first time or the eighth; the journey to get to the starting line is long, arduous and involved. Herein lies the rub: My stupid left foot, specifically the ridiculous plantar fascia, is telling me to not run. I have written about plantar fasciitis before, and likely will again, but living through this annoying yet almost debilitating heel pain is enough to cause a string of words unsuitable for publication. Of course, I’ve tried all the treatments, and have several more ideas before race day, but as it presently stands, I simply don’t think I can run. So then I pose this question to you all: When is it time to pull the plug? Is it worth starting, trying or even showing up? The question is simple; the answer, however, is much more complicated. I can also say that it’s much easier to be the doctor than the patient, by the way. Having dealt with these issues with my patients for quite some time, here is the algorithm that seems to make the most sense when considering pulling out of a race. First of all, is there a risk for more serious or severe injury? If so, the answer is simple: Do not race. If there is little risk of serious injury, what will the race experience be like? Agonizing?
Fun? A mix of the two? Many races involve discomfort, but will the pain be so great that you can’t swim, bike or run normally? My general rule of thumb is: If pain limits an athlete’s ability to perform a sports activity normally, then it’s probably best to stop. By this I mean that if the swim stroke is off because of shoulder pain, the bike stroke is off because of knee pain or the run stride is off because of foot pain, then think long and hard before pushing ahead. Why? Because injuries from improper form, especially over a daylong event such as Ironman, can take many months to heal and create more frustrating problems than the one you might be dealing with at present. Finding a sports medicine physician who understands endurance sport will help with the determination, so it’s probably a good idea to look for someone like that in your area. Together, you can make the most educated decision. As for me, by the time this is published I’ll have either finished Ironman number eight or made the decision that this plantar fascia is telling me “no.” Either way, I plan to follow my rules as I hope for the best. Editor’s note: Jordan (pictured left) finished Ford Ironman Lake Placid in a time of 11:48:03. Jordan D. Metzl, MD, Drjordanmetzl.com, is a nationally recognized sports medicine specialist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Metzl is a 26-time marathon runner and eight-time Ironman finisher. october 2010
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Tri Travel
Courtesy Sean Doll
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The Rincón Triathlon Club of Ventura, Calif.
DeStination: Ventura, Calif. By Lauren Ventura Sandwiched between its more recognizable neighbors, Los Angeles to the south and Santa Barbara to the north, Ventura, Calif., inevitably gets forgotten as a point of interest for active travelers. Well, unless you’re a surfer, then you’re more than aware of the Rincon surf break that attracts surfers from all over Southern California and beyond. But, if you’re a triathlete, and you’re looking for a low-key locale that has lots of swim, bike and run options, healthy cuisine in all price ranges and picturesque state parks, canyons and beaches, then Ventura is worthy of a second glance. To help uncover the ultimate places to train, race and recover in the area, the Ventura triathlon club, Rincón, shared some of their best-kept secrets. 32
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Where to train SWiM: I don’t know about you, but swimming with dolphins is a top 10 on my bucket list. And if you’re looking to do that while getting in an open-water swim practice, check out the Channel Islands National Park where a variety of species frolic daily. This stretch of ecologically diverse islands nestled off the Ventura coast can be accessed off the Ventura Pier or Carpinteria State Beach, and it’s also host to the Rincón Triathlon Club’s open-water swim sessions. If you’d rather just relax and absorb one of the most unique ecosystems the U.S. National Parks Service has to offer, then take a trip to one of the surrounding islands for a tour. Whether it’s tidepooling, whale watch-
ing, hiking or just being a nature voyeur, the Channel Islands truly live up to their homage as the “Galapagos Islands of North America.” BiKe: If local lore tends to lure you, then the Santa Paula-Ojai Loop will delight your inner history buff. Suggested by Rincón members for a good cycling workout, this roughly 78-mile trek zigzags from Ventura to Ojai to Santa Paula then back to Ventura and is situated along the now abandoned Southern Pacific Railroad tracks. The bike trail starts as the Ventura River Trail then turns into the Ojai Valley Trail and is dappled with relics of the area’s once booming oil industry. Another common cycling ride that the Rincón Triathlon Club recommends is the Casitas Pass ride, which begins at Inside Track, the local multisport shop on Main Street in downtown, and traverses approximately 40 to 60 miles, depending on the route. Starting out on the Ventura River Trail, the path presents october 2010
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The Ventura boardwalk and Promenade
The Ventura Pier
Top right: Ventura Tourism Board, middle three and bottom: National Park Service
Ochre sea stars can be seen in tidepools along the coast of Ventura and Santa Barbara.
Santa Rosa Island is one of five Channel Islands off of the Ventura coastline.
RAcES IN ThE SURROUNDINg AREAS Christal Dawn, the Rincón Triathlon Club’s president, provides us with the club’s favorite local races: ThE BREATh Of LIfE TRIAThLON Triforlife.com | June 2011 Olympic: Swim 1.5K, Bike 40K, Run 10K Sprint: Swim 400 meters, Bike 20.4K, Run 5K Ventura, Calif.
Anacapa Island offers active travelers options such as kayaking and hiking.
riders with hills, descents and a little stretch of Highway 1. Perhaps the most rewarding part comes when cresting the second summit where a commanding vista of Casitas Lake awaits. Or Inside Track owner Brian Smallwood, a Rincón board member, will happily provide curious cyclists with other riding options. RUN: The options are just about endless in this area if you’re looking for a challenging yet scenic run. Whether you want to take a road trip to Big Sycamore Canyon trails, part of the Point Mugu State Park in the nearby city of Newbury Park, or explore trails in the Santa Monica Mountains National Park, the Ventura Visitor Bureau will have the maps and information you need. In Ventura itself is another Rincón favorite—Grant Park: a sprawling 107-acre expanse that has numerous running trails, picnic areas and a great view of the Pacific where you can even see the october 2010
Channel Islands on a clear day.
REST AND RELAXATION The quaint downtown area is a diverse mix of upscale eateries, such as the historic Watermark On Main, and down-to-earth cafes, including Café Nouveau and Savory Café & Bakery. For some Hawaiian flare, head over to the boardwalk and check out the Aloha Steakhouse on South California Street. Owner Jim Avrea, a Kona qualifier and Rincón board member, will fill your belly and fill you in on all the great spots around the area to train. For lodging, check out the recently renovated Four Points Sheraton, which offers a heated outdoor pool, Jacuzzi, fitness center and even accepts pets. For an intimate vibe check out The Bella Maggiore Inn—it’s located downtown and is only a few blocks from the Ventura Pier and local beaches.
STRAwBERRy fIELDS TRIAThLON Strawberryfieldstri.com | July 2011 Olympic: Swim 1.5K, Bike 38.5K, Run 10K Sprint: Swim 400 meters, Bike 19K, Run 5K Oxnard Shores, Calif. SANTA BARBARA TRIAThLON Santabarbaratriathlon.com | August 2011 Long Course: Swim 1.5K, Bike 55K, Run 16K Co-ed/Women’s Only Sprint: Swim 450 meters, Bike 10K, Run 3K Santa Barbara, Calif. cARpINTERIA TRIAThLON Carpinteriatriathlon.com | September 2011 Olympic: Swim 1.5K, Bike 40K, Run 10K Sprint: Swim 0.5K, Bike 15K, Run 5K Carpinteria, Calif.
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IndusTRI
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wasting time in the water Optimize your Training -Private Instr. -Group Clinics Christopher Jacobs Olympic Gold Medalist 917-734-2590
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Courtesy Fitness Intelligence
STOP
A compeTiTive edGe We’re always looking for ways to analyze and improve our race performances, and constantly comparing ourselves to the competition. Now Mytriscore.com, the triathlon scorecard platform that allows competitors to benchmark their progress against their peers on one page, has made that so much easier. It debuted at the Nautica New York City Triathlon in July
and has received positive feedback from triathletes who have found that it helps them set measurable goals specific to their favorite race. You’ll be able to see data such as your relative strength in each stage across the overall field, your rank broken down by stage against the overall, gender and division, and a graph that shows where you stood in the field at the end of each stage.
GeT To KonA wiTh rAce-Specific TrAininG Preparing for Kona has never been so easy. In October, triathlon coaches Kerry Sullivan and Ben Greenfield will be adding to their online triathlon academy a special feature for members: a “Qualify for Kona” upgrade option to the Rock Star Triathlete Academy experience. This part of the website will be providing tools, information and resources for triathletes seeking to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman. It will offer tools such as an online training log
with a complete three-month Kona build-up, along with 25-week Ironman and half-Ironman training plans for all qualifying races. You can also listen to insider audio interviews with podium finishers and top Ironman pros, with travel information, course breakdowns and race-specific tips. Plus, you’ll have the benefit of a coached session during Ironman week in Kona that will walk you through the event. Visit Rockstartriathlete.com.
USA TriAThlon SUrpASSeS 800 officiAl clUbS USA Triathlon has reached 800 official clubs nationwide. USAT believes that no matter the level of multisport skill, athletes can enhance their triathlon experience by participating in a club, which allows athletes to train smarter, harder and have more fun with likeminded individuals. Official clubs receive access to a number of resources from USAT and are eligible for race discounts and discounts from its partners. Visit Usatriathlon.org for more information on the official club program and to locate one in your area.
drinK And ride
Users of Speedfil, the innovative hydration system that allows you to hydrate while staying aero, have the chance to be featured in a Speedfil ad in Triathlete magazine. Send in race photos of you using the Speedfil to picmyride@invisciddesign.com by October 1. The winner will also receive $100 cash, a new Speedfil and a Speedfil T-shirt. Visit Invisciddesign.com. october 2010
As cohost and national correspondent for NBC’s the “Today Show,” the leading morning news show in America, Natalie Morales juggles a high-profile job with being a wife and mom to two young boys. When an on-the-job challenge to complete a triathlon introduced Morales to the sport, a passion for triathlon was quickly born. She sat down with Triathlete to talk about squeezing triathlon into a busy lifestyle, the benefits of spousal rivalry, her gear—and music—essentials, and how she finally conquered the swim.
BY JULIA BEESON POLLORENO PHOTOGRAPHS BY JUSTIN LEE
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Q: What inspired you to do a triathlon? It was a throwdown challenge to me and one of our cohosts, Hoda Kotb, by Self magazine [to race the 2009 War At the Shore Triathlon in Long Branch, N.J.]. I was a marathoner and had always admired triathletes but thought there was no way I could ever do a triathlon because I hated swimming. But I looked fear in the eyes and said, ‘If I can learn how to swim and I can conquer this fear then perhaps this is something I’d really enjoy.’ It was just a sprint, but I remember thinking it was the hugest challenge in the world and most impossible thing to overcome. Once I realized the swim took me all of seven minutes, I realized, ‘I can do this, it’s not so bad.’ I caught the bug.
Q:
In that first race, what were the biggest challenges you had to overcome? My fear of the swim. As a child, I remember taking swimming lessons and everyone was swimming in their lane, and then there was me … swimming diagonally or in the opposite direction of everyone else. At the last triathlon I did—the Nautica in Miami—somebody told me right before the race, ‘Listen, nobody in the water is going to be judging your stroke—there are no stroke police in the water—so if you have to breast stroke, if you have to swim underwater, whatever it takes, you’re not going to be disqualified, it’s not going to make you less of a triathlete.’ The waves were fierce that day, and I had that thought in the back of my mind, ‘I think I’m going to pull a “Baywatch” move and put october 2010
my hand up and say, “Lifeguard, come rescue me!”’ And that was just getting out to the first buoy. Once I got out past the first buoy and swam to the second buoy it dawned on me: ‘This is just me having a moment of panic right now, I can do this.’ When I got out of the water it was like I had accomplished the most incredible victory in the world.
Q: What are your strengths and your weaknesses? My strength is definitely the run. I’ve been running since I was in high school and love it—it’s my sport. I’ve done a couple of competitive half-marathon and marathon times, so I know I have that at the end. I can pick up some steam hopefully if I’m not crushed in the beginning. I found that the cycling is probably my weakest part. I slow down on the bike, and I think it’s just a combination of that relief coming out of the water and not pushing myself completely through the bike. I’ve conquered my fear of swimming, but cycling, I’ve had a couple of spills on the bike. But it’s a cool thing to feel like I’m still learning and I’m still challenging and pushing myself.
“
My kids have always seen how active my husband and I are as a couple. It’s important to live the lifestyle that I hope they would want to have as well.”
Q:
Do you have a coach? I work with Terrier Tri, based here in New York, and with coach Robert Pennino, a fantastic coach who helped us with the first triathlon for our “Today Show” series. I join the group whenever I can, but a lot of times I have to just do it on my own and that works for me. It’s been really great now that my husband and I can do bike rides together, and we like to go running together when we can. My husband’s very first tri was the Nautica in April and he loved it. That is what has been so great—when you discover this sport you love, and it takes a lot of time away from family and friends to train, you want to have your family and friends catch the bug, too, whether it’s being at the finish line cheering you on or traveling with you to triathlons triathlete.com
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or more importantly in my case having a training partner. We work our training around each other, and it’s kind of like our date night, except it’s our date during the day where we get to train and do things that we really enjoy. We’re both super competitive so if I beat him on a run it always makes him want to go faster and harder and it’s the same thing for me. We push each other along.
Q: So then when you’re doing the same race you compare splits and age-group results? Absolutely. The first thing we do is go online and figure out our splits and how we did, what we need to work on. Transitions are clearly an area of weakness. We spend a little too much time getting out of a wetsuit and into our gear.
Q: What’s a typical training week like for you? It’s really tough with this job and the hours that I keep. Traveling is the biggest impediment to having a real triathlon training schedule. I build my own workout routines, which include doing bricks. Yesterday, I only had an hour to train, so I did a 40-minute bike ride followed by a 20-minute run. No day is really typical and I don’t really follow a structured schedule. I try to get into the pool twice a week, and find that the swim is great for recovery after a long weekend run. I’ll do a spin class, or run before or after a swim, as a brick workout. I also do one long run a week—at least 10 miles— and will do six-mile runs three or four times a week.
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Q:
Today Show image: Paul Drinkwater; Race photos: ASIphoto.com
What are your secrets for striking a balance between training, work and family? As long as I have the crazy schedule and lifestyle where it’s very hard to work in a more structured routine, then I have to make do with what I have and find little slots of time. If you can find a half-hour here and later that same day do another half hour, it’s the same thing as doing a combined workout. For me, it’s things like running to get my kids from school and then later in the day doing a more rigorous workout. There are days when I just don’t feel motivated at all, and I’ll give myself a pass for the day because my body needs the break. In my job it’s so important to be healthy because I’m getting up at four o’clock in the morning and I’ve got to be ready to go on a story on a moment’s notice, so you’ve got to be really healthy, fit and energetic. Sometimes I just need to relax, play with the kids and get my mommy time in, and tell myself that for tomorrow’s workout I’ll put in that extra effort. My kids have always seen how active my husband and I are as a couple. It’s important to live the lifestyle that I hope they would want to have as well. So my kids are very active … my 6 year old is already involved in sports, and they come and cheer us on at races. At my first triathlon, my oldest was there holding a sign. At the end of the race he said, ‘Mommy, I want to do a race too, can I do one?’
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Q:
What are your gear essentials? BodyGlide … or Pam! And the right shoes can make or break you. I use the same shoes in racing that I’ve been using in my training. I have two pairs that I rotate and love: the Asics Gel Cumulous II and Mizuno’s Wave Creation. To me, it’s not so much about the right gear as it is about the right eating, sleeping and habits—fueling myself the right way. I’m a big Gu person. I always take one or two packs of Gu with me when I race. I try not to eat that much the morning of a race, maybe just a banana or a dry bagel and a little bit of coffee— because I need my coffee.
Q:
What do your “Today Show” counterparts think about you doing triathlons? They think it’s great; in fact, I think some of the others have started to be inspired. Al Roker is training for his first marathon and I keep telling him, ‘C’mon Al, after the marathon you’re going to need to have a new goal,’ and when he hears what I’ve been doing with the triathlons, he says, ‘I might be able to do that.’ The great thing about triathlon is that you can do a sprint and call yourself a triathlete—it doesn’t have to be a half-Ironman or an Ironman.
Results
2009 The War At the Shore Sprint Triathlon in Long Branch, N.J. 5th place, age group 2010 Nautica South Beach Triathlon in Miami 1st, celebrity category Up next, Morales will race the War at the Shore in New Jersey on September 19.
Q:
Do you see yourself ever venturing into iron-distance racing? I would love to do the full Ironman and I have watched the Ironman races and have always been so floored by the athletes, especially the athletes with disabilities and I keep thinking, ‘If they can do it, how can I not push myself to be able to do something like that?’ Down the road, maybe when my kids are older, if I can have that kind of time to be able to train, I would love it. I think for my 40th birthday I may try to do a half-Ironman. Why not? I have two years to work on it. If you’re not always working toward something then you aren’t really living. It’s all about finding that next big triathlete.com
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Q: Do you follow any of the pros? Yeah, I know some of the names out there. What’s fascinating to me is that it’s still a sport that is catching on. The pros are so approachable; you can be at the same race and sit and chat with them and get tips just as if they were the person training next door. That’s what I like about it. There’s going to be a day, I hope, in which they actually get the recognition they deserve and are more prominently featured because I think they truly are the most accomplished athletes out there right now. 42
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Q: What have been some of the biggest benefits of doing triathlons? Physically, I have never felt stronger or more fit in my life. It’s been the best mental challenge as well. Having accomplished what I have physically has really allowed me to feel stronger about myself in every way—self-esteem, confidence, having the right emotional outlook, feeling energetic and happy and accomplished. I think that’s the ultimate goal when starting in triathlon.
Natalie’s iPod Playlist
How does that relate to being a mom?
“Sweet Disposition,” The Temper Trap “Marching On,” OneRepublic “Love the Way You Lie,” Eminem “Life in Technicolor II,” Coldplay “Mr. Brightside,” The Killers (Jaques LuCont’s Thin White Duke Mix) “Where the Streets Have No Name,” U2 “All the Right Moves,” OneRepublic “Human,” The Killers “Lost,” Coldplay “Cello Song,” The Books “Science of Fear,” The Temper Trap “Heartbreak Warfare,” John Mayer “Secrets,” OneRepublic “A Dustland Fairytale,” The Killers “Viva la Vida,” Coldplay “Shadow of the Day,” Linkin Park “The Adventure,” Angels and Airwaves “Waking Up,” OneRepublic “Untouched,” The Veronicas “Nothin’ on You,” B.o.B “Lovers In Japan,” Coldplay
Being pulled in a lot of directions, it’s so important to find something that I can enjoy and at the same time makes me more of an energetic mom, a happier mom. When I’m home with my kids I’m 120 percent present with them, so it’s always about the balance. Triathlon is kind of like life—you have to carve out time to get in those training sessions, but it all just works. In the end, I’m happier, I’m stronger, I’m more energetic, and when my head hits the pillow at night, I am out cold!
Q: What’s your one piece of advice to people looking to get into the sport? Reward yourself for each small accomplishment on your way to achieving that big goal, whether it’s a new tri suit or new shoes. Keep finding different ways to motivate yourself, and don’t get overwhelmed by what lies ahead.
(For cool-down or stretching): “Rebel Heart,” The Corrs “Just Breathe,” Pearl Jam “Need You Now,” Lady Antebellum “Apologize,” OneRepublic “Dare You to Move,” Switchfoot “Better Days,” Goo Goo Dolls “Come Home,” OneRepublic “Falling Slowly,” Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova “Only Hope,” Switchfoot october 2010
Apparel courtesy of Zoot Sports; Today Show kit courtesy of Champion System; Makeup by Mary Kahler; Hair by Laura Castorino.
thing you are going to do in life, whether it’s a physical or mental challenge, a big interview—for me, it’s a combination of all of that. It’s important to always have a big goal and a big prize at the finish line.
Q:
© 2010 Nestlé © 2010 Nestlé
stop hammering. start sledge hammering.
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By Holly Bennett
Straightaway, erase cities such as Boulder and San Diego from your mind. Sure, these cities rock
hands-down as places to live, work and train, but open your Oakley-wrapped eyes a bit further and you’ll find a wealth of alternate towns and cities that serve up ample swim, bike and run appeal as well. 44
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LAWRENCE, KANSAS Click the heels of your ruby red bike shoes three times and you just might end up in Lawrence, Kan., triathlon’s best kept secret and our pick for 2010’s Top Tri Town. As the U.S. home base to Aussie pro Pip Taylor, and host of Ironman 70.3 Kansas, Lawrence is as active as it gets. Just ask Don “Red Dog” Gardner, who leads twice daily year-round boot camp-style workouts, free to the thousands who participate in the community. Lawrence is also a fervently bike-friendly city, anchored by historic downtown retailer Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop, host to the annual Tour of Lawrence, and boasting some of the nation’s most considerate motorists on the area’s constantly rolling rides. There’s no lack of swim and run opportunities in Lawrence, either. Athletes train on the 10-mile Lawrence Riverfront Trail and adjoining single-tracks. “The Levee,” as it is known, “is the best maintained and most amazing surface I’ve ever run on,” says Taylor. Multiple city pools (including two 50-meter facilities) support the swim crowd, and the enviably low cost of living in Kansas equates to a $20 monthly all-access pool pass. For Taylor, who moonlights as a nutritionist, great food is a must-have, and Lawrence’s vibrant downtown restaurant scene does not disappoint. The Community Mercantile, or The Merc as it’s known to locals, is a much-revered co-op natural food grocery, and weekly farmers’ markets keep local pantries stocked with the freshest of seasonal produce.
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Courtesy Lawrence CVB
You’re all about the neighborly, down-home vibe in a city rich with recreation, arts and culture. You thrive on a totally tri geek-filled social scene. Aside from Lawrence’s Rock Chalk Triathlon and Multisport Club, triathlete-specific gatherings are notably absent. Also, long winters can hamper a triathlete who loves training in the great outdoors.
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MISSOULA, MONTANA Head straight out your door in Missoula and you’ll ride for hours without stopping—unless you’re not yet fit enough to tackle the challenging climbs which ascend in three breathtaking directions. Mountain biking is equally awesome in this outdoor enthusiast Shangri-la, and an impressive trail system and downtown dirt track provide plush run options as well. Olympic medalist Dave Berkoff coaches swim sessions at the University of Montana and the city’s recently rebuilt 50-meter pool. Or, take a break from the black line and swim briskly upstream in one of the three rivers that converge in town. Team Stampede, where local pro and Ironman Coeur d’Alene champion Linsey Corbin first cut her triathlon teeth, boasts more than 200 members—all of whom will eagerly join you for a Big Sky brew or Big Dipper ice cream post-training. Retailers Missoula Bike Works and Runner’s Edge also provide training partners, gear and advice aplenty. The heartiest triathletes train outdoors year-round here, while others opt for winter indoor training on treadmills and trainers, or else take part in a snow sport-inspired segue from the swim, bike and run grind. A cold weather inversion layer can cast a cloud over Missoula’s pristine mountain beauty, but with the money you’ll save due to
John Segesta/johnsegesta.com
You’re a multisport athlete with secret bull-riding ambitions and don’t mind the cold. Cowboy culture is alive and well in Montana. Quick getaways are a must. With most fl ights from Missoula International Airport funneling through Seattle, Denver or Salt Lake City, it’s likely two or three stops until your fi nal destination.
A NOD TO THE TRI’D & TRUE We can’t help but give a little “Best Of” list love to these perennial winners: Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Tropical island home to our sport’s pinnacle, near-spiritual event. Need we say more? San Diego, Calif. Land of surf, sun, sand—and loads of Lycra. Plus, it’s the balmy home base to Triathlete magazine and our sister publication, Inside Triathlon. Yup, we’re biased. Boulder, Colo. Open roads, winding trails and (literally) breathtaking mountain vistas. A pro (or three or four) in every swim lane. If only their talents were contagious. Bend, Ore. The Pacific Northwest’s Boulder—at two-thirds the altitude and half the price. Tucson, Ariz. Year-round opportunity to get schooled heading up Mount Lemmon’s 19-mile climb. San Francisco, Calif. Café society city living with spellbinding natural resources and a lavish spread of tri sport events. Austin, Texas Hip music and club scene meets equally happening cycling and running culture. Clermont, Fla. Home to Florida’s only actual hills—and to the country’s only National Training Center, a 300-acre campus designed to bring out your inner über-athlete. Bellevue, Wash. Upscale cross-lake neighbor to Seattle’s Emerald City. Less earthy, more affluent, equally outdoor-affectionate. Madison, Wis. College town energy and ambiance with big city assets—not to mention heaps of swim, bike and run rewards. 46
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#3
Shmuel Thaler
You want world-class competition but the big names in Boulder and San Diego are a tad too intimidating. The higher cost of living isn’t something you can live with.
SANTA CRUZ, CALIFORNIA Bookended by The Forest of Nisene Marks and Wilder Ranch State Parks, and best known for its surfing heritage, Santa Cruz is a trail runner and mountain biker’s dream come true. The road rides are equally magnificent so it’s no surprise that employees from several nearby cycling industry manufacturers live in Santa Cruz. Likewise, two-time triathlon Olympic medalist Bevan Docherty discovered this pristine training ground a year ago and has never looked back. “I left Boulder in search of an even more perfect training spot,” says Docherty. “I wasn’t sure I’d find it—until I discovered Santa Cruz.” The club scene—offering both the Santa Cruz Triathlon Association and the Santa Cruz Track Club—provides plenty of hard-core company, and you’ll gain the home turf advantage in stellar races such as the Santa Cruz Triathlon and the Big Kahuna long-course event. With a cost of living 46.7 percent above the national average, Santa Cruz’s price tag will certainly be too steep for some. But, if you’re willing to sacrifice here and there, this coastal paradise will reward you with idyllic year-round training, a surf-culture casual atmosphere and ocean access worth every penny you pinch. october 2010
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Music is your fourth passion. The annual Folks Festival delights with the laid-back likes of John Prine and The Swell Season. The occasional rattlesnake, bear or mountain lion traipsing through the backyard sends your heart rate soaring.
LYONS, COLORADO It’s no accident that Australian legend Chris Legh makes Lyons his April through December home. Legh bases his Penny’s Peak Performance Camps here, taking full advantage of the quad- and calf-busting trail runs and road rides that emanate in every direction. Nestled north of Boulder’s endurance athlete Mecca, this picturesque Rocky Mountain hamlet serves as a high-altitude training retreat for numerous pros, including Ironman champion Belinda Granger and Team Sky’s Tour de France stage winner Simon Gerrans. July marked the inaugural Lyons-based Centurion Cycling event, which offered all-ability rides of 100, 50 and 25 miles. Tough training days in Lyons are rewarded with a dip in the icy cold St. Vrain River, gourmet goodies from the newly refurbished St. Vrain Market or a beer at local brewpub Oskar Blues. With 242 sun-drenched days each year and only 34 inches of snow on average, winters in Lyons are milder than one might imagine. The tiny town’s only drawback is its lack of a swim facility, but that’s easily remedied with a short 17-mile drive to one of Boulder’s many community recreation centers.
Courtesy of Brian Donnell/Ducks in a Row Studio
#4
#5
TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN
You’re an open water junkie. What’s not to love about plunging into the “Caribbean of the North?” You can’t take your job with you. Traverse City’s 12.1 percent unemployment rate leapfrogs the 10.2 percent national average.
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Courtesy of Traverse City CVB
Perched between two peninsulas in Northwestern Michigan, Traverse City borders copious amounts of the clearest, cleanest open water a triathlete could hope for. Tagged one of America’s best beach towns by AOL Travel, this endurance sports haven is aptly nicknamed the “Caribbean of the North.” But Traverse City’s tri sport charms begin well before the water’s edge. Cyclists—both mountain and road—are treated to a variety of terrain, with choice views spanning multiple bays, bucolic farmland and rolling vineyards. Runners can course through the area’s TART trail system—estimated to span more than 55 miles. Xterra pros Josiah and Yaro Middaugh hail from Traverse City and base their Middaugh Bros. Triathlon Camp here, introducing eager athletes to the triathlon-rich resources of their hometown. Traverse City also teems with endurance events including a handful of local triathlons, the Bayshore Marathon and the legendary Iceman Cometh Challenge bike race. When winter blankets the area in white, it’s best to buck up like a local and strap on snowshoes or Nordic skis. october 2010
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#6
Kip Malone
TOP FIVE HONORABLE MENTIONS
#1
Albuquerque, N.M. With 280 annual days of sunshine, bountiful outdoor resources, a moderately high altitude and a remarkably low cost of living, the Duke City deserves a date on your tri training calendar, if not serious consideration as a long-term destination. Santa Rosa, Calif. Home to cycling superstar Levi Leipheimer and hardcore Ironman 70.3 Vineman, Santa Rosa serves up seriously hot summer training days amidst its rolling hills and trails. Spend your rest day at any of the area’s numerous wine cellars, and you’ll taste the true splendor of this Northern California wonderland. Flagstaff, Ariz. Highaltitude hideout for multiple Olympic medalists and hopefuls, Flagstaff is one of the best U.S. venues for running and off-road riding. Sadly, many trails were destroyed during 2010’s summer fires—even more reason to express our support for this quaint college town. Ogden, Utah Altitude, affordability, and abundant outdoor athletics—all reasons why Ogden earns a multisport “A” grade in our opinion. Utah winters are no joke, but the substantial snow allows Ogden to host the annual Xterra Winter World Championship. Greenville, S.C. Serious roadies, tough trail riders, bike-to-work junkies and two-wheeled weekend warriors—if it’s cycling related, Greenville’s got it. Add plenty of run and swim resources, plus a big dose of Blue Ridge Mountain beauty, and you’ve found another Southern endurance hot spot.
#2
You exercise your brain as much as your body. You’ll be right at home among the Ivy Leaguers. You don’t care to deal with the issues associated with living in a bustling college town (simpling parking your car can be a major chore here).
Natalia McKittrick/Pedal Power Photography
#3
#4 #5
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CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS Neighboring the marathon’s historical hub of Boston lies Cambridge, a hotbed of East Coast triathlon training. Runners pack the scenic Charles River multi-use path and enjoy Massachusetts’ multiple rails-to-trails. Revered academic institutions Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology host competitive Masters swim programs, or one can transcend society’s scurry with a dip in the tranquil water of nearby Walden Pond. Cambridge is an extraordinarily bike-friendly city, but if you don’t want to battle traffic, pack up and drive to reach the solitude of open roads in nearby New Hampshire or Western Mass. With clubs and coaches in abundance, and proximity to marquee races such as Rev3 Quassy and Rhode Island’s Ironman 70.3, it’s no wonder that Cambridge hosts the annual Multisport World Expo. The area is home to accomplished professionals Dede Greisbauer and Caitlin Snow—along with thousands of other Type-A triathletes ready to run and ride hard on your heels and wheels. Median homes prices hover around $440,000, so Cambridge is not for the faint of budget. But the relatively low unemployment rate (nearly half the U.S. average) bodes well for those willing to give it the old college try. october 2010
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA San Luis Obispo, better known as SLO, is a college town with a sublime Mediterranean climate and unequaled outdoor access. Whether you prefer to ride the panoramic Pacific Coast Highway or a variety of vineyard-packed hills and steep mountain ascents, cycling in SLO offers something for every appetite. Running routes are similarly diverse, and multiple pools and nearby ocean access make your tri training complete. Between Team Kman and the TriSLO RoadRunners, you’ll have your choice of more than 20 group workouts each week. Cal Poly State University also boasts a strong tri team, and students volunteer with a vengeance at the nearby Wildflower Triathlon Festival. Multisport retailers Art’s Cyclery and GH Sports stock essential gear for every swim, bike and run pursuit. As the first U.S. city to ban smoking in public places, host to a year-round farmers’ market block party, and fan of cycling and all things green, San Luis Obispo exudes a healthy, high-spirited atmosphere backed by progressive action. The only tempering factor is its lack of affordability.
#7
Nick Lucero Photography
Money is not a concern for you or you don’t mind being a renter. The exorbitant cost of living forces you to auction off your tri gear on eBay.
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#8
You embrace a wealth of hydration options. Winsome wineries, potent coffee and handcrafted ales are everywhere. You don’t live and breathe the “Just Do It” creed. Eugene is Nike’s birthplace.
EUGENE, OREGON
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Long-famed as Track Town, USA, Eugene is gaining momentum in the multisport world as well. Certainly Eugene-local Cristina Caldwell—USAT’s lone Oregon council member—has a hand in this. Her newly opened MultiSport Advantage’s Performance Training Center offers a full range of coaching, group training, performance testing and retail services. With a quality assortment of swimming pools, miles of multi-use paths, nearby hills for tougher trail running and a rich medley of riding opportunities, it’s a wonder that Eugene seems yet to be discovered by the triathlon community at large. Perhaps the lack of local races (the Duck Bill Thrill Olympic Triathlon is the sole contender) dissuades some, or possibly the rumors of relentless rain. In reality, while Eugene’s grey skies can dampen an outdoor enthusiast’s spirits, the precipitation is rarely more than a thick mist—hardly enough to discourage the most tenacious triathlete. Wedged an hour’s drive each way between the mountains and the coast, Eugene may well be an unspoiled swim, bike and run Eden—it just needs a bit more tri buzz. october 2010
#9
You’re right at home among the young college crowd. With the local university student body comprising half the town’s population, the median age barely tops 22. Beat-the-heat tourists from Florida cripple your enjoyment of this otherwise secluded sports-friendly sanctuary.
Small town feel meets cutting edge sports science appeal aptly characterizes Boone, N.C. Boone-based Appalachian State University’s Human Performance Lab is considered one of the best in the country, and its Community Testing Program offers a full battery of fitness tests to the public at a fractional cost. Atop nearby Beech Mountain, Lance Armstrong famously found inner peace and outer strength while contemplating his post-cancer return to cycling. He calls this Alps-like area his favorite U.S. training ground. Hit the trails in Moses Cone Park and you might be equally inspired by a flock of fleet-footed Olympic distance running hopefuls, athletes from nearby ZAP Fitness’ non-profit training center. While lap swim lanes are in short supply, Boone is nestled near a number of pristine mountain lakes, including Watauga Lake, host to a well-loved annual triathlon. If a stacked pro field is more your style, a three-hour drive deposits you on the start line of the newly launched Rev3 Knoxville race.
Tommy Penick/tommypenickphoto.com
BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA
ATHENS, GEORGIA
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You successfully balance your three-sport obsession with a family foundation. You’ll love Athens’ safe, small town feel. The terms “New Wave” and “alternative rock” are turn-offs. The B-52’s, R.E.M. and Widespread Panic are examples of local bands made good from this modern music hub.
Methodology Our methodology for choosing this year’s top tri towns merged a mixed medley of techniques, including: Referrals from professional and age-group athletes, friends and various online forums First-hand familiarity Combing prior “best of” lists to avoid over-
awarded spots and to find less famous neighboring locales Data from Sperling’s Best Places and various city websites Significant Google-sleuthing to find fitness facilities, clubs/teams, nearby races, retailers and training venues Old-fashioned phone calling to prime area contacts
october 2010
Josh D. Weiss/joshdweiss.com
Great bike towns make great tri towns, and Athens certainly passes cycling muster. Home to the renowned Twilight Criterium pro cycling event, Athens is supportive of both its traditional and underground bike cultures. The growing Classic City Tri Club, with several Ironman-accomplished members, is evidence that more and more Athenians are embracing multisport. For beginners wanting to test the triathlon waters, coaches from WoW! Boot Camp lead the way with their fun-filled holistic approach. Swimmers with ties to the University of Georgia benefit from the 50-meter pool at the Gabrielsen Natatorium, while others can access the local YMCA. The State Botanical Gardens offer shady trails where runners can escape the Georgia heat and also enjoy an educational experience in this living laboratory. Powerman Alabama is a half-day drive from Athens, and only a twohour drive east takes you to Ironman 70.3 Augusta. Or you can also head west to catch the nearby Aflac Iron Girl Atlanta and visit triathlon retailer All3sports’ flagship store, where you’re sure to cure your consumer cravings.
probikekit.com
re a a e r , the s e t ule? e d l e h t h sc tria e r l o b f i x fle oes ork D w a r ? o run offe ce t me a d y l o n n p s a a t f p a e gre com ew o , bik i a v e m r i g h res e t n w u i v t s s d o u e f n n n to fi ight ’s a r. Do u ca r e s e o r b ves y i e d l e i s l e s m l H e r n o u e e f tyle? ploy ave n it c les to co aces wh s h e m e f h e i s l W ffer lete the r pl riab tive h o t a a c i t v e y h a a l i f n r e d to lot o ot on ct that t e ated pport th n e c n s o l just lieve o respe Is it t su e y ird n b e a e h e t b s t m l age iathle rs, but a metimes rtney r T t man so tha ou ree a c d s c n e y r c a i pla e. b f the e office, d i o r s rm th long a r in te tside of o ent f ou m e pav
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g n i k a k M or w t i
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Bingham McCutchen LLP
Field: Law Headquarters: Boston total employees: 2,200 Hiring: As needed
It’s true: Lawyers work hard. Bingham McCutchen’s attorneys are no different. But what is different is that unlike some other firms, Bingham doesn’t treat its lawyers “like a commodity,” says Michael Desmond, an Ironman athlete and Bingham partner based in Washington, D.C. Instead, “Attorneys are treated as professionals and are given lots of discretion in terms of how they work and arrange their work. This allows interest in things like triathlon.” The firm also offers telecommuting, flexible hours and discounts on gym memberships.
Active Network Field: Media/marketing/technology Headquarters: San Diego total employees: 2,300 Hiring: Yes added perks: Yearly triathlon training camp in Warner Springs Ranch, Calif. The Active Network, which runs Active.com, might just be the best place to work for triathletes. Wellness director Arch Fuston runs a charity challenge program in which employees are given entry into a local triathlon, a cycling kit, Fuston’s free coaching, swim and open-water clinics, and weekly training sessions in exchange for raising money for charity. If you don’t have a bike, you can borrow one from management, as well as swim in the headquarters’ three-lane pool or work out in its fitness center. What’s more, all employees have access to what the company calls the ActiveX program—a strength-building, whole-body fitness and wellness program run by Fuston. The program is free and has become so popular that even its employees in China are participating remotely, says Dave Alberga, chief executive officer. 58
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Gensler
Field: Architecture/interior design Headquarters: San Francisco total employees: 2,300 Hiring: Yes Architecture is a world of strict deadlines, demanding clients and long hours. Instead of intensely monitoring who’s working late or not, Gensler believes that a happy employee is a productive employee, and the company encourages life outside the office. “The attitude is that people come first,” says Terence Young, an elite triathlete and design director of Gensler’s Los Angeles office. The firm trusts that if an employee needs to go for a run at 2:00 p.m., he’ll still be committed to getting his work done, says J.F. Finn, a triathlete and managing director of Gensler’s Las Vegas office. It doesn’t hurt that David Gensler, an executive director of the firm and son of founder Art Gensler, is also a triathlete.
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CHASING LEGENDS. SLICING THROUGH HISTORY. This October, Chrissie Wellington will attempt to rewrite Kona history as she goes for a 4th consecutive victory. Holder of the Kona Course Record, the Ironman World’s Best record and unbeaten over the Ironman distance, Chrissie looks to her 2011 Cannondale Slice Hi-MOD for inspiration in her quest for four. With cutting edge carbon composite and aerodynamic technology, mated to energy saving ergonomics and SAVE vibration absorption technology, the Slice is designed to produce record-breaking bike times while leaving Chrissie fresh for a run at history. Cannondale Slice. Find Your New Fast. cannondale.com
Trisports.com
❱❱❱❱❱❱❱❱❱❱❱❱❱ Google Inc.
Field: Technology Headquarters: Mountain View, Calif. total employees: 20,600 Hiring: Yes, especially in sales and engineering added perks: Main campus offers bike repair, concierge services Triathletes have bottomless stomachs. At Google’s main campus, you get to feed that stomach—for free. Google employees get free grub at any of its 16 campus cafes, according to Google spokesperson Jordan Newman. The main campus also offers four gyms with personal trainers, onsite wellness centers, chiropractors, massage therapists and doctors, among other perks. For those who don’t work in Mountain View, Google offers subsidized gym memberships and has bike rooms and showers in all of its global offices. Regarding work flexibility, “Generally, work here is project based. As long as you are getting your work done, people are happy,” Newman says.
Field: Retail Headquarters: Tucson, Ariz. total employees: 50 Hiring: No added perks: Free gear, two-lane endless pool at headquarters The employees of Trisports.com get paid to live and breathe swimming, biking and running—and most of them choose to do it on their own time. “We encourage all of our employees to participate in athletic activities, primarily triathlon, since that’s what we do,” says Sarah Lieneke-Nickle, director of marketing. Add to that a locker room with showers, store credit for riding your bike to work, race reimbursements, bike loaner programs and a generally flexible schedule, and you’ve got a triathlete’s paradise.
Livestrong Foundation Field: Nonprofit, cancer awareness Headquarters: Austin, Texas total employees: 81 Hiring: Yes added perks: Onsite gym, yoga, intermittent glimpses of Lance By virtue of the Livestrong Foundation’s founder—Lance Armstrong—the nonprofit attracts athletic employees who are also passionate about the fight against cancer. It also offers one of the best vacation programs and schedules out there. “We say we’re a results-oriented work place,” says Mona Patel, executive vice president of people and organizational development. Livestrong believes that its employees will get their work done and offers them 20 or more days off a year, no matter how long they’ve been working at Livestrong. “People don’t accrue paid time off,” Patel says. “We trust people to be the best decision makers.” 60
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Staff Sgt. Christina M. Styer
U.S. Military Field: Defense Headquarters: Arlington, Va. total servicemen/women: 1.4 million on active duty, 718,000 civilian employees recruiting: Always
U.S. Navy commander John Collins came up with the Ironman concept in 1977, and triathlon has been ingrained in the military ever since. While a life in the armed forces isn’t for everyone—and anyone who signs up must always serve country first and triathlon second—the military is a place that provides ample training partners and a fitness-based culture. Deployment can throw a wrench in training, but many servicemen and women figure out ways to get around it. “I spent a year in Kuwait and I was still able to run, bike and swim,” says commander Kristin Barnes, a Navy pilot and triathlete. And if you are an exceptional athlete, some service branches offer world-class athlete programs. Pro and Olympic hopeful Tim O’Donnell was in such a program while he served as a Navy lieutenant. “I received unbelievable support,” he says.
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Your Rights
USAA Field: Insurance, banking Headquarters: San Antonio, Texas total employees: 22,000 Hiring: Yes added perks: Employee-led running and cycling teams; concierge services USAA likes to practice what it loosely calls “surround-sound wellness,” says Clay Allen, director of regional corporate communications. Its four major U.S. campuses offer employees healthy food options, which are priced lower than the unhealthy ones. Its campuses also have onsite health clinics, nurses, physical therapists and gyms. If you participate in a free annual health risk assessment, you receive a stipend to be spent on something fitness-related. And the company also offers work-from-home and flexible schedule programs, even for its call center employees.
As a triathlete, work flexibility is a major issue. Some days it’s just easier to come in to work at 10:00 a.m. after a good brick workout than to clock in with all your coworkers. Unfortunately, when it comes to demanding a flexible schedule that is amenable to your training, you have no real legal rights, according to Bruce D. May, an employment lawyer at Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth. This makes finding a work place that values its employees and is open to working with you and your needs—as long as you meet theirs—all the more important.
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No Excuses Guide to Training BY AARON HERSH, MARK DETERLINE, GEOFF NENNINGER AND SHAUN GUEST • PHOTOS BY NILS NILSEN We can all fantasize about living in one of America’s best triathlon cities, but very few of us actually get to run the trails around Boulder, Colo., or ride in the constant sunshine of Tucson, Ariz. Nearly every triathlete, even one living in a triathlon paradise, has to deal with obstacles: training in cold weather, prepping for races without a group or tri club nearby and the inevitable boredom that comes with training indoors. All these barriers can get between triathletes and their goals, but don’t cave in! There are ways to overcome these obstacles and experience an off-season filled with quality workouts. This guide will help you train year-round like you do live in one of the top tri towns (see page 44) while, most importantly, helping you rally to make the most of any training situation—rain or shine.
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Going It Alone
E
xperienced training partners offer more than just motivation to roll out of bed before sunrise—they can point out flaws in technique or training methods that you might otherwise miss. However, there are still ways to critique yourself and learn about the sport if your town isn’t filled with multisport veterans.
Swim Technique Gliding elegantly through the water comes naturally to only a fortunate few; everyone else has to work diligently to improve swim technique, but it is very difficult to accurately perceive flaws in one’s own stroke. If you don’t have a coach or knowledgeable training partner to provide constructive criticism, watching your stroke on video can reveal mistakes in technique that might otherwise go unnoticed. Take a video camera to the pool; place it on the pool deck at the front of the lane and record as you swim toward it. Next, move the camera to the side of the lane and swim past it. Compare the footage of your own stroke to YouTube videos of world-class swimmers such as Michael Phelps, Natalie Coughlin and Ian Thorpe. Make a list of the differences you see between your technique and theirs, and focus on improving one aspect at a time. It will take roughly two to three weeks of slow, concentrated swimming to change the connection from your brain to your working muscles, so be patient. Videotape yourself after a couple weeks of practice before moving onto the next aspect to make sure you have made a significant change in your style.
INTERVAL WORKOUT FOR THE GREAT INDOORS Mixing strokes and intensities helps keep you focused while staring at the black line. This 2000-yard main set will keep you engaged while building fitness through the long off-season. After a short warm-up: 4 x 200 broken up as 50 freestyle easy, 50 breaststroke hard, 50 freestyle easy, 50 backstroke hard 4 x 150 broken up as 75 free easy, 75 free hard 4 x 100 broken up as 25 freestyle drill, 25 freestyle hard, 25 freestyle drill, 25 freestyle hard 4 x 50 freestyle sprints Short cool-down and climb out of the pool.
SWIM
Study The Sport It’s no secret—triathlon is not a simple sport to learn on your own. Three sports’ worth of gear, training strategies and technique is a lot to absorb. If you are jumping in but haven’t yet found an experienced triathlete to guide you through the sport, the “Triathlon Training Series” DVD box set can be an invaluable tool. It is aimed at beginner triathletes and is filled with helpful tips about all three disciplines as well as transition, strength training and even guides you through the logistics of traveling to a race. 66
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E-114
weight
rigidity
comfort
At first glance, an Argon 18 bicycle is a striking sight for its unique, distinctive look. But an Argon 18 is more than just another pretty bike; it’s also an exceptional example of current technologies, well-conceived and appropriately applied. These technological solutions are the end product of lengthy and involved thinking about the dynamic properties most desirable in a bike. We have names for our exclusive design concepts and manufacturing methods: AFS, HDS, S3, the 3D Headtube and ONEness Concept. Learning more about our technological innovations will give you a better understanding of why an Argon 18 offers a truly unique riding experience. Every Argon 18 model exhibits road manners found in no other bike and this, put simply, is the result of our ongoing quest for that elusive optimal balance.
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ARGON 18 Tel.: (514) 271-2992 www.argon18bike.com
The Art of Distraction
B
eating on the treadmill, shivering through an outdoor winter workout and staring at a TV while riding the trainer aren’t exactly the most enjoyable aspects of the sport of triathlon, but the winter forces many triathletes to do these kinds of things. Beat the boredom of winter and indoor training with these gadgets and interval workouts.
Multifunctional Running Computers Running with a heart rate monitor—even when you’re just logging base miles—can keep you entertained with facts and figures about your workout. Wrist-mounted GPS units such as Garmin’s Forerunner series integrate heart rate, speed and GPS features that help you organize workouts and trace your route. A GPS also helps take advantage of recommended routes in unfamiliar areas via websites such as Mapmyrun.com.
Music The Polar Wearlink+ is a heart rate monitor system that wirelessly connects to a Nike+ foot pod and displays your personal data on an iPod Nano. Or try the Finis SwiMP3, a waterproof MP3 player that uses vibration to conduct sounds underwater. A speaker enclosed in a plastic shell sends vibrations through the user’s cheekbone and into the ear. The buttons on the player feel chintzy, but the sound is clear and crisp. If you dread staring at the black line, the SwiMP3 can make solo swim sessions a little more entertaining.
Training DVDs The Spinervals DVD line guides the rider through different interval workouts across a wide range of styles. Even if you don’t want to watch a training video, mix up your effort during the ride with your own interval workout and make yourself sweat.
INTERVAL WORKOUT FOR THE GREAT INDOORS Hard runs are the key to improving fitness at any time of the year, and cold months provide a great opportunity to focus on the run. Senior editor Matt Fitzgerald recommends using this workout to lift your fitness without the mental grind of a 20-minute tempo session. Warm up with 1-2 miles of easy jogging. Run hard for the following sequence of durations (in minutes): 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy 2 minutes H, 2 minutes E 3 minutes H, 3 minutes E 2 minutes H, 2 minutes E 1 minute H, 1 minute E 2 minutes H, 2 minutes E 3 minutes H, 3 minutes E 2 minutes H, 2 minutes E 1 minute H, 1 minute E The one-minute intervals should be run slightly faster than the two-minute intervals, which should be run slightly faster than the three-minute intervals, which should be run at roughly 10K race pace. Cool down with one to two miles of easy jogging.
RUN
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NCE SISTA ER RE T A HT W THE ®NIGHT-LIG E DIGLO N R I E D H N W A IN ANY E TRA . LET M E M I Y T AT AN
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Simulate the Outdoors While Riding Indoors
R
iding indoors is a time-effective training strategy, but cycling in the living room while hooked up to a resistance unit simply isn’t as engaging as rolling down a road. It is, however, an opportunity to build fitness with quick and effective workouts without the interruptions that come with riding outside.
Ride your own bike Spin bikes may be convenient, but adapting to your race-day position is critical for race-day comfort, and riding your own machine ensures that you are training in that position. Indoor cycle trainers attach a resistance unit to your bike’s rear wheel and convert your ride into a stationary exercise bike, allowing you to spend valuable time adapting your body to your exact position. Trainers are limiting, however, because they don’t require the rider to balance or steer the bike.
Spin Class Although riding an exercise bike is not as efficient as riding your race bike, group spin classes can break up the monotony of training alone in the basement. It’s nice to follow a group workout whenever possible, but occasionally overeager instructors can break your rhythm with one too many sprints, so don’t be afraid to do your own thing during a spin class.
INTERVAL WORKOUT FOR THE GREAT INDOORS Short but intense trainer rides help maintain BIKE summer fitness and keep boredom at bay. The first step of any successful trainer workout is finding a good movie to watch. After that, start with a short warm-up and go right into the workout. Don’t stress too much about hitting a precise heart rate or power number; just find a hard effort level that you can maintain through the entire workout. 6 minutes hard, 1 minute easy 4 min H, 1 min E 2 min H, 1 min E 10 min H, 1 min E 2 min H, 1 min E 4 min H, 1 min E 6 min H Spin easy for a couple minutes and jump off the bike.
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Styles of Trainers WIND TRAINERS: Wind trainers generate resistance by forcing the rider to push a fan. They are the most affordable option and provide smooth resistance, but they are noisy. FLUID AND MAGNETIC RESISTANCE TRAINERS: Fluid and magnetic trainers create smooth resistance without the wind trainer racket, but they can cost twice as much as an equivalent wind trainer. The new Cycleops Jet Fluid Pro trainer boasts a stable platform and an improved flywheel design that lengthens the life of the resistance unit and smoothes the resistance to provide a more road-like feel. At $370, the Jet Fluid Pro is not cheap, but its high-quality resistance unit and lifetime warranty ensure years of (relatively) enjoyable indoor cycling. COMPUTER-BASED TRAINER: A computer-based trainer, like the Computrainer, starting at $1649, can simulate real race courses during an indoor training ride and provide feedback about your power, speed and heart rate. october 2010
Meet the MeMe e t ethe t the
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hen the gun sounds at the Ironman Career Highlight: Highlight: Finished Finished 20062006 Status: Status: Amateur Amateur Athlete AthleteCareer IronMan World Championship in Country: United States henhen the the gungun sounds sounds atinthe atHawaii the Ironman Ironman IronMan World Championship in in 8:58 -World second in Championship his age group. Country: Country: United United StatesStatesIronMan World Championship in 8:58 8:58 - second - second in hisinage hisgroup. age group. World World Championship in Hawaii in Hawaii in in October, 14 Championship superb triathletes from October, October, 14 superb 14 superb triathletes triathletes from from the fearsome Timex Multisport Team — top thethe fearsome fearsome Timex Timex Multisport Multisport Team Team — top — top elites and age groupers from around the elites elites andand ageage groupers groupers from from around around thethe world — —will splash into the Kona surf and world world will — will splash splash intointo thethe Kona Kona surfsurf andand begin their epic 112-mile journey. Leading begin begin their their epic epic 112-mile 112-mile journey. journey. Leading Leading them will be one of the world’s best agethem them willwill be be oneone of the of the world’s world’s best best ageagegroup triathletes, Tim Hola of group group triathletes, triathletes, TimTim Hola Hola of Highlands of Highlands Highlands Ranch, Colorado, competing ininhis Ranch, Ranch, Colorado, Colorado, competing competing his in amazing his amazing amazing 12th–straight Hawaii Ironman. 12th–straight 12th–straight Hawaii Hawaii Ironman. Ironman. Hola, 35, is ais triathlete who lined up Hola, Hola, 35, 35,second-generation a issecond-generation a second-generation triathlete triathlete who who linedlined up up alongside his his daddad at dad hishis first Tri Des alongside alongside his at at first hisrace, first race,the race, theBig Big theCreek Creek Big Creek Tri in inTri Des in Des Moines, Iowa, atIowa, age in in1995. “The bug bit,” Moines, Moines, Iowa, at age at20age 20 201995. in 1995. “The“The bug instantly bug instantly instantly bit,” bit,” sayssays thesays former high-school swimmer and rower. “I “I the former the former high-school high-school swimmer swimmer andcollege and college college rower. rower. always always wanted wanted to what seemy what my limits my limits are,and are, andthis and this isis this it.”isHe He it.” He always wanted to to seesee what limits are, it.” qualified first qualified Kona foratKona at Mrs. atT’s Mrs. T’s T’s Chicago in Chicago 1999 in 1999 and has has and has firstfirst qualified for for Kona Mrs. ininChicago inin1999 and made to it Hawaii to Hawaii every every year year since. since. made it made toit Hawaii every year since. A father Aoffather of 3-1/2-year-old of 3-1/2-year-old twins, twins, Holaset Hola sethis his setBig Big hisIsland Island Big Island PR PR A father 3-1/2-year-old twins, Hola PR of 8:58 of 8:58 in 2006, in 2006, good good for second for second in his in age his group, age group, took took 40th of 8:58 in 2006, good for second in his age group, took 40th40th overall overall in 2008, in and 2008, and and was was 5thin in 5th his in age hisgroup age group group last year last year year in in overall in 2008, was 5th his age last in 9:17 9:17 despite despite cutting cutting his weekly his weekly workout workout time time by one-third. by one-third. 9:17 despite cutting his weekly workout time by one-third. “Family “Family comes comes first,first, but my racing my racing hasn’t hasn’t suffered,” suffered,” he he “Family comes first, butbutmy racing hasn’t suffered,” he insists. insists. Here’s Here’s how how he gets he gets in world-class in world-class shape shape on aon mere a mere insists. Here’s how he gets in world-class shape on a mere 15-to-20 15-to-20 hours hours a week: a week: 15-to-20 hours a week: DO WORKOUTS DO WORKOUTS EARLY: EARLY: HolaHola forsakes forsakes parties parties and Jay and Jay DOLeno WORKOUTS EARLY: Hola forsakes parties and Jay Leno to betoup beand up running and running at 4:30 at 4:30 a.m. a.m. Leno to be up and running at 4:30 a.m. INCORPORATE INCORPORATE THETHE KIDS: KIDS: HolaHola combines combines babysitting babysitting INCORPORATE THE KIDS: Hola combines babysitting with with a two-seat a two-seat running running stroller stroller and and a mountain a mountain bike-bikewithpulled a two-seat running stroller and a mountain bikepulled trailer. trailer. pulled trailer. UP THE UP THE CYCLING CYCLING INTENSITY: INTENSITY: Focusing Focusing on speed, on speed, not not UP distance, THEdistance, CYCLING INTENSITY: Focusing ona speed, notduring HolaHola adds adds intervals, intervals, including including a hard hard hourhour during a long a long ride and ride 3-by-5-minute and 3-by-5-minute sprints sprints during during the week. the week. distance, Hola adds intervals, including a hard hour during a long ride and 3-by-5-minute sprints during the week. UP THE UP THE RUNNING RUNNING INTENSITY: INTENSITY: Speed Speed comes comes with with every-other-week, every-other-week, one-hour one-hour run sessions, run sessions, with 4x8 4x8 UP hard, THEhard, RUNNING INTENSITY: Speed comes withwith minute minute all-out all-out intervals. intervals. hard, every-other-week, one-hour run sessions, with 4x8 minute all-out intervals. UP THE UP THE HILLS: HILLS: Other Other weeks, weeks, HolaHola builds builds strength strength with with or 7 8 HILLS: or quarter-mile 8 quarter-mile hillweeks, repeats. hill repeats. UP 7THE Other Hola builds strength with 7 orPROPER 8 quarter-mile hill repeats. PROPER EQUIPMENT: EQUIPMENT: HolaHola usesuses the new the new Timex Timex GPSGPS watch watch to monitor to monitor his performance hisHola performance training. training. PROPER EQUIPMENT: usesduring the during new Timex GPS
watch to monitor his performance during training.
Photo:Photo: ©Larry Photo: ©Larry Rosa Rosa Rosa ©Larry
UP UP THE RECOVERY: RECOVERY: Hola Hola lets his lets race-battered his race-battered body body UP THE THE RECOVERY: Hola lets his race-battered body heal heal with with a day a or day two or of two easy of easy training. training. heal with a day or two of easy training. LIFT WEIGHTS: WEIGHTS: ToToprevent To prevent injuries injuries after after ageage 30 ageor 30 35, 35, LIFTLIFT WEIGHTS: prevent injuries after 30 oror35, Hola does does aafull-body a full-body set ofset 1515 ofgym 15 gym exercises exercises once once a week. week. HolaHola does full-body set of gym exercises once aaweek. AVOID AVOID PROCESSED PROCESSED FOOD: FOOD: SodaSoda pop,pop, friedfried foodfood and and AVOID PROCESSED FOOD: Soda pop, fried food and greasy greasy red meat red meat are out. are out. “I like“I angel-hair like angel-hair pastapasta and and greasy red meat are out. “I like angel-hair pasta and chicken chicken or fish,” or fish,” he says. he says. chicken or fish,” he says. CONSISTENT CONSISTENT PRE-RACE PRE-RACE DINNER DINNER ROUTINE: ROUTINE: KeepKeep CONSISTENT PRE-RACE DINNER ROUTINE: Keep your your bodybody regular regular by sticking by sticking with with the tried-and-true. the tried-and-true. yourHola body regular by favorites sticking with the tried-and-true. Hola picks picks up his upfavorites his at a local at a local market, market, finishes finishes by by Hola6:30 picks uphits histhe favorites a local market, finishes by 6:30 pm, pm, and and hits hay the early. hayatearly. 6:30 pm, and hits the hay early. BE PREPARED: BE PREPARED: Before Before gamegame day, Hola day, Hola checks checks his seat his seat BE for PREPARED: Before game day, Hola seat bag bagtube, for tube, tire lever, tire lever, 2 CO2 2 CO2 cartridges, cartridges, andchecks an andAllen anhis Allen wrench. wrench. bag for tube, tire lever, 2 CO2 cartridges, and an Allen wrench. PRE-DRIVE PRE-DRIVE THETHE COURSE: COURSE: Before Before the race, the race, HolaHola checks checks the route. theTHE route. “I don’t “I don’t wantwant to miss to miss any anyturns big turns earlyearly PRE-DRIVE COURSE: Before the big race, Hola in theinbike,” the bike,” he says. he“Isays. checks the route. don’t want to miss any big turns early in the bike,” he says. TIMEX TIMEX MULTISPORT MULTISPORT TEAM TEAM HEADED HEADED TO KONA TO KONA Wendy Wendy Mader Mader Mac BrownHEADED Christine Christine Anderson AndersonMac Brown TIMEX MULTISPORT TEAM TO KONA Jackie Jackie Arendt Arendt Christine Anderson CindiCindi Bannink Bannink Jackie Arendt Eric Bean Eric Bean CindiDaniel Bannink Daniel Brienza Brienza Eric Bean Daniel Brienza
For more For more info on infothe onteam the team visit visit TimexIronman.com/MultisportTeam TimexIronman.com/MultisportTeam To chat To chat with with the team, the team, check check out www.Facebook.com/TimexSports out www.Facebook.com/TimexSports For more info on the team visit TimexIronman.com/MultisportTeam
To chat with the team, check out www.Facebook.com/TimexSports
BrianBrian Schaning Schaning Stu Fitch Stu Fitch Wendy Mader Mac Brown BarryBarry Siff Siff Tim Hola Tim Hola Brian Schaning Stu Fitch Thomas Thomas Kirill Kotsegarov Kirill Kotsegarov ChrisChris Barry Siff TimTamara Hola Tamara Kozulina Kozulina Chris Thomas Kirill Kotsegarov Tamara Kozulina
AVI-QUEST’S NEW ACTIVE MIDSOLE PROVIDES THE CRAZIEST FOREFOOT PROPULSION THAT BRINGS YOUR
Warming Trends: Fall & Winter Training Wear
TRAINING TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.
The North Face Impulse 1/2 Zip Hoodie, $70 Thenorthface.com The Impulse is an ideal outer later for a chilly day or a great insulating layer for a frigid one. The North Face Kenetix Capri, $55 Thenorthface.com The Kenetix Capri’s thin fabric makes it perfect for fall runs.
©American Sporting Goods Corporation 2010
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Sugoi MidZero Arm Warmers, $30 Sugoi.com These medium-weight arm warmers can be an outer layer on a moderate day and can add some insulation on a cold day. Descente Element Toe Covers, $15 Descenteathletic.com The lightweight covers are ideal for a moderate day. Castelli Sorpasso Bib Tight Castelli-cycling.com The Sorpassos are ideal for cold weather because of the thick fleece-lined legs. We found it to be incredibly comfortable, thanks to the ample pad and sleek shoulder straps. october 2010
I can’t believe how light Nanograms are. It’s like riding with the weight of one pedal instead of two. My foot is so close to the spindle, I can hold the gear better, and I have a real awareness that 100% of my power goes right into the bike. – Chris McCormack – 2007 Ironman World Champion
®
www.speedplay.com
Racing Flat Review By AdAm ChAse • Photos By John segestA
R
unning at your peak is a delicate balance between comfort and discomfort. You are already tired from your two-sport warm-up and most would agree that “speed” is a relative term that is gauged, in part, by one’s tolerance for pain, but that doesn’t have to translate to excruciating pain, at least not in your feet. To run at your best you need shoes that will perform, shoes that won’t hold you back, whether due to weight, difficult entry, bad fit, rigidity, lack of drainage or irritating seams that create blisters, among other problems. With that in mind, this shoe review is meant to help you open the door to your breakthrough shoe and a breakthrough performance. Keep in mind that racing flats and lightweight trainers traditionally fit more snugly and are more Spartan than high mileage training shoes. Also, these are your racing shoes so think about transition speed, drainage for when you poor water over your head, and how they’ll fit and feel if you run without socks. Our panel of testers, all experienced and elite racers, rated the test samples objectively in order to direct your choice. Envision your all-time favorite racing flat, improve it in your head and use that ideal to determine whether that shoe would hold your instep firmly or be roomy in the toe box. Is that shoe flexible or stiff when you walk in it and does the underfoot feel soft or hard? Is your perfect racer low to the ground or does it have a little more cushion and suspension? And when you run in this paradigm of a speedster, does the impact feel firm and responsive or is it more dampening and fluid? Once you know what you are looking for, you can head to a running shoe store with a short list of shoes that best match your needs and go from virtual to real as you test the shoes at the shop. 74
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Adidas adiStar Adios
FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly narrow
$110 | Adidas.com FEEL Flex: somewhat stiff Weight: very light How many shoes have run faster than 2:04 in the Instep: softly wrapping marathon? Only these. And they should probably be called RIDE Cushioning: somewhat firm Stability: stable “Dehaan Kun” because that is elite runner Haile Gebrselassie’s Response: bouncy Transition: smooth native tongue for “adios” or “goodbye.” Or maybe “G’day” as Bevan Docherty would say? These classic racing flats have a close and narrow fit that really embraces the foot through every stage of their smooth heel-to-toe transition. Our testers found the tongue was a little sloppy but that it didn’t detract from the shoe’s ride, which was enhanced by the flexible uppers and firm and adequately cushioned midsole. These are recommended for sprint and 70.3 distances but only Gebrselassie types would want to use the Adios for iron distance.
Asics GEL Speedstar 4
FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting
Forefoot: slightly narrow $85 | Asicsamerica.com FEEL Flex: flexible Weight: light This neutral lightweight racing and training shoe Instep: softly wrapping is well suited for higher mileage races or speedwork. RIDE Cushioning: soft Stability: stable With its new asymmetric lacing and the elimination of Response: bouncy Transition: somewhat fast overlays, the Speedstar 4 offers a snug fit, which might be too snug for those with wider feet (although the close fit was not considered restrictive by our test team). Asics lowered the midsole to make the Speedstar 4 more of a racing flat yet kept the cushioning and mid-foot tooling adequate enough to keep our testers comfortable over many a rapid-paced mile. The Speedstar makes an excellent shoe for anything from a half to a full iron-distance race.
october 2010
Ecco Biom A
FIT
Heel: super snug Mid-foot: close-
fitting Forefoot: slightly narrow $195 textile | Ecco.com FEEL Flex: flexible Weight: somewhat heavy The term “form fitting” is used to describe Instep: lightly compressing apparel but it would be an appropriate description RIDE Cushioning: firm Stability: very stable of Ecco’s Biom series, designed with the help of Response: dampening Transition: fast former professional triathlete Torbjørn Sindballe. The Biom A is the most tuned for speed, as in up-on-your-toes pace, and it has a fit that goes along with that sort of rapid turnover. The narrow, low profile feel conforms to the foot’s anatomy and is designed to be biomechanically true to the kind of flex and toe-off that comes with speed. For a glove-like fit and greater durability, there’s also a yak leather version. Our testers didn’t recommend the Biom A for longer training runs or for those who have wider feet or need much cushioning. They did conclude that the shoe encourages a quick tempo and was comfortable without socks.
Karhu Racer Fulcrum Ride Brooks T6 Racer $85 | Brooksrunning.com Weighing in at a mere six ounces, the T6 Racer is one of the lightest racing flats on the market. Our testers found it to have the traditionally snug and close fit of a racer with a highly flexible and wrapping feel. Although only available in men’s models, female testers and, more notably, Chrissie Wellington, have had success sizing down. These minimalist shoes had their overlays removed from the toe box for more flexibility in the forefoot, and we recommend them for efficient, neutral runners, although they probably don’t offer enough cushioning or protection for most beyond a 70.3. One tester summed it up, “The T6 is a fast, efficient shoe that hugged my feet and felt natural but was a little on the small side.” FIT
Heel: very snug Mid-foot: very closefitting Forefoot: narrow
FEEL
Flex: very flexible Weight: very light Instep: sock-like
RIDE
Cushioning: soft Stability: free Response: bouncy Transition: fast
october 2010
FIT
Heel: less snug Mid-foot: less close-fitting Forefoot: roomy
FEEL
Flex: very flexible Weight: light
$115 | Karhu.com Instep: softly wrapping An unusual but very welcome exception to RIDE Cushioning: somewhat firm the rule governing most racing shoes, Karhu’s Stability: somewhat free Response: bouncy Racer has a rather roomy upper that our test Transition: somewhat fast team deemed wide enough for runners with bigger volume feet but who still want a lightweight flat. The upper mesh promotes breathability and quick drainage. The shoe’s flexibility made it one of the least likely candidates for blisters, and it was comfortable without socks. The neutral midsole offered enough cushioning for longer races and resisted compression.
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K-Swiss K-RUUZ $85 | Kswiss.com Shoe? What shoe? The K-Ruuz is so light and sock-like, our test team felt they were running almost unshod. The K-Ruuz is a classic racer with its narrow, foot-hugging fit and low-to-the-ground profile. Certainly Mirinda Carfrae has made them shine! It didn’t offer much in the way of cushioning so it might not be a go-to choice for those racing longer distances or for those who need a little more shock absorption in the midsoles region, but the highly flexible flyweight flat felt very natural and almost as though they were painted onto our testers’ feet.
Mizuno Wave Musha 2 $80 | Mizunousa.com The Musha 2, like its predecessor, is a unique pairing of lack of weight with support, underfoot protection and cushioning—a mix that serves up a rather stable racing flat. Our testers recommended it for half and full iron distances, even for triathletes needing moderate motion control, athough they cautioned that going sockless may lead to friction due to the upper overlays. The upper has the snug fit of a racing shoe and it stood out for being light and flexible while the midsole technologies make it more forgiving than a standard flat. 76
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FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly roomy
FEEL
Flex: very flexible Weight: very light, Instep: sock-like
RIDE
Cushioning: somewhat firm, Stability: free, Response: somewhat dampening, Transition: somewhat fast
FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly narrow
FEEL
Flex: very flexible Weight: very light Instep: lightly compressing
RIDE
Cushioning: somewhat firm Stability: stable Response: somewhat dampening Transition: smooth october 2010
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New Balance 100
FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly narrow
$75 | Newbalance.com FEEL Flex: somewhat stiff Weight: very light This shoe was designed to handle 100-mile trail Instep: lightly compressing races, and it manages to offer a minimalist, barefoot-like RIDE Cushioning: firm Stability: free feel while still providing significant underfoot protection. Response: somewhat dampening New Balance pared down its trail shoe design and Transition: somewhat fast imbedded a plastic rock protection sheet in the forefoot to make the 100 a great all-surface racer and trainer. Our test team found the narrow, snug fit to be racing flat-esque, and the ride only differed from a road shoe in the firmness of the protection plate. This shoe is made to be worn sockless, and the only pressure felt by testers came from the heel hold and when the tongue was wrinkled (which is easy to straighten out on the fly).
Newton Stability Racer
FIT
Heel: less snug Mid-foot: less close-fitting Forefoot: slightly roomy
FEEL Flex: flexible Weight: light $155 | Newtonrunning.com Instep: softly wrapping You saw this shoe in action if you watched RIDE Cushioning: somewhat firm Craig Alexander whiz by the competition in Stability: somewhat free Response: very last year’s Ironman coverage. Those seeking a bouncy Transition: somewhat fast forefoot-friendly, lightweight shoe that doesn’t spare creature comforts should follow suit by putting Newton’s Stability Racer on their list. With a munificent upper fit and midsole metatarsal sensor plate, the Stability Racer is a comfortable choice for mid-foot strikers or those who want encouragement to run more on the fore of their feet. Our testers found the Racer fit a little small and suggested a half size bigger, and those who were already forefoot runners reported the shoe pushed them a little more forward than they wanted. The open mesh upper is extremely breathable and, in concert with a wide toe box, makes these shoes nearly blister-proof.
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Nike Free Run+ $85 | Nike.com Nike’s Free running program has been instrumental in helping to define the minimalist or barefoot movement that has captivated the running market. The newest of the Free shoes, the Free Run+ impressed our test team with the liberating qualities of foot flex and sock-like fit and seamless and cushioned feel. The team recommends weaning oneself into using the Free because the shoes give so much flex that it necessitates training your feet to adapt to the forefoot style they encourage. These shoes might take a little longer to get on in a transition, but they breathe well, feel good without socks and don’t hold moisture. FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly roomy
FEEL
Flex: very flexible Weight: very light Instep: sock-like
RIDE
Cushioning: soft Stability: free Response: bouncy Transition: * october 2010
Nike Lunar Racer+ 2 $100 | Nike.com Fast yet soft, the improved Lunar Racer+ 2 wowed our test team with its obliging fit, flexibility and almost transparent feel. The update of this responsive racing shoe ups the arch height and durability of the outsole. Our test team reported a comfortable fit for a variety of foot types and couldn’t believe its lack of weight given the outstanding cushioning and shock absorption that was more characteristic of very light training shoes instead of your typical racing flats. That impression was due, in part, to the differential between a higher heel and lower forefoot, moisture retention and rubbing on seams with bare feet.
FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly narrow
FEEL
Flex: flexible Weight: very light Instep: softly wrapping
RIDE
Cushioning: soft Stability: somewhat free Response: somewhat dampening Transition: somewhat fast
Reebok Premier SF Attack $90 | Reebok.com An unsung hero, the Attack is almost generic and yet was a hit across the board when it came to a comfortable fit, resilient feel and outstanding performance, all in a lightweight, neutral, low-profile package that is good for the iron distance. Testers enjoyed the aptly-named “smooth” fit of the Attack, which was sock-free friendly and slightly more giving than a standard racing flat but still conforming and containing enough for a higher cadence without slop. The low-profile feel was offset by simple and firm cushioning, and the no-frills midsole translated to an efficient, smooth-transitioning stride for many a mile.
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FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly roomy
FEEL
Flex: flexible Weight: light Instep: softly wrapping
RIDE
Cushioning: somewhat firm, Stability: stable, Response: bouncy, Transition: smooth
october 2010
Saucony ProGrid Kinvara
FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly roomy
FEEL Flex: flexible Weight: very light $90 | Saucony.com Instep: softly wrapping The Kinvara is a show-stopper with its RIDE Cushioning: soft Stability: somewhat free new take on minimalist running. Our test team Response: somewhat dampening was duly impressed with the comfort and perTransition: smooth formance of a shoe that initially struck them as somewhat bare bones. This is a neutral training shoe that encourages mid- or forefoot running and is light enough for racing but offers resilient cushioning and protection for solid training sessions. The fit was a close one, except for the roomy forefoot, and they aren’t the easiest shoes to get into during T2. But once on foot the Kinvara pulled an impressive disappearing act: They go away so that you run as though you are barefoot. Accordingly, we don’t recommend these for runners who feel they need motion control.
Scott T2C Saucony Grid Type A3 $95 | Saucony.com There is a reason you’ll see some of the fleetest of triathletes wearing this extremely light racing flat: It is all about performance and nothing else. Then again, weighing in at a mere seven ounces, there isn’t room for much else. The neutral Type A3 is the quintessential racing flat: Its fit is foot wrapping, its feel is low profile and flexible, and its ride is all about high turnover. The toe box is a little wider than some of the other flat-like shoes tested, but the heel hold and minimalist mesh upper otherwise scream “race.” The mesh upper is quick draining and the Type A3 was comfortable while running sockless. FIT
Heel: snug Midfoot: less close-fitting Forefoot: slightly roomy
FEEL
Flex: very flexible Weight: very light Instep: softly wrapping
RIDE
Cushioning: soft Stability: free Response: somewhat dampening Transition: somewhat fast
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FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly narrow
$110 | Scott-sports.com FEEL Flex: flexible Weight: light Scott has brought some ingenuity to the marInstep: softly wrapping ket with the T2C, thanks to a novel heel entry that RIDE Cushioning: soft Stability: somewhat free explains the name and expedites quick transitions Response: bouncy Transition: somewhat fast without forfeiting security. This is a racing shoe in its fit and feel, but our testers felt its midsole held up properly so that it didn’t have the raw ride of a flat but rather rolled nicely and protected the foot throughout the running gait. The T2C was designed for triathletes (with the help of pro Normann Stadler) and, as such, it is an efficient, neutral racing flat that works well with bare feet and allows water to flow right out of its airy upper.
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Somnio Pacemaker $135 | Somniorunning.com More than meets the eye, the Pacemaker is a customized lightweight training shoe that can double as a racer for those with special biomechanical needs. Thanks to interchangeable footbeds that help with fit, support and arch height, and cushioning inserts for adjustable heel and forefoot shock absorption and decreased pronation, Somnio lets you dial in your desired fit, feel and ride. The Pacemaker provided a snug fit, supportive feel and stable ride. It didn’t retain too much moisture, and our testers found it was comfortable without socks. FIT
Heel: snug Mid-foot: close-fitting Forefoot: slightly narrow
FEEL
Flex: flexible Weight: light Instep: lightly compressing
RIDE
Cushioning: somewhat firm Stability: stable Response: somewhat dampening Transition: somewhat smooth
Zoot UltraSpeed $110 | Zootsports.com The UltraSpeed is all about shaving: Shaving time in transition thanks to its no-lace, slip-on upper and shaving weight to get down to a mere six ounces. The low-profile, minimalist feel of these sockless racers is quite bare, so our testers didn’t recommend them for anything long or for those without efficient biomechanics. The UltraSpeed recevied heaps of praise for its just-right foot hold, and testers characterized them as a racing shoe that made them feel as though they were running naked. 84
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FIT
Heel: less snug Mid-foot: less close-fitting Forefoot: slightly narrow
FEEL
Flex: very flexible Weight: very light Instep: sock-like
RIDE
Cushioning: soft Stability: somewhat free Response: bouncy Transition: somewhat fast october 2010
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Images Courtesy of Rajen Shah and V.N. COLOR
In a country that has few options for burgeoning triathletes, one young teen is proving that you don’t need much to beat the odds. By Lauren Ventura
october 2010
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INDIA
is often associated with the lotus flower, roving cows, the Himalayas, exotic spiced cuisine and the Taj Mahal. But one thing that doesn’t come to mind is triathlon. A sport not known for participation from less developed areas of the globe, triathlon is slowly starting to take root in India. And one teenage female, Pooja Chaurushi, is part of the movement. Chaurushi, 19, although not well known in the U.S., is slowly making a home for herself on the ITU Asian circuit as a Junior Elite competitor and one of the only female representatives of her country. In 2008, she competed for the first time at the Amakusa ITU Triathlon Asian Cup in Japan, then the following year she jetted to Kazakhstan for two ITU races: Burabay ITU Premium Asian Cup and the Kokshetau ITU Triathlon Asian Cup. But the race she’s most proud of participating in is the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Grand Final, which took place at Australia’s Gold Coast. She participated in the Gold Coast Grand Final in the junior women’s division after winning a scholarship through a writing contest. Although she came in dead last, she remains unfazed. “I was still recovering from a stress fracture in my shin that I got while cycling in Kazakhstan,” she explains. But, first things first: How did a young girl discover such a sport in a country that has no tri-specific shops, few triathlon competitions and few resources for specialized coaching save the Internet and books? “In 2007, I got a chance to compete in my first triathlon,” Chaurushi says as she’s about to explain her introduction to the sport. But just as sudden as her 88
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random quest to be a triathlete, Rajen Shah, her mentor and financier, interjects: “And she won! She won on a touring bike that she borrowed from a delivery driver; it was 22 kilograms and she won the nationals!” The nationals Shah is speaking of are the Indian 33rd National Games. Chaurushi backtracks to explain. “In 2004, I was selected for the (Indian) Junior Squad Triathlon Camp for beginners. A coach from Australia was there and he gave us all the knowledge about triathlon, but I wasn’t ready or interested in competing yet.” She realized she had to find someone who knew more about the sport, someone from her hometown of Surat in the state of Gujarat. This proved difficult, for even though Surat is a bustling metropolis, the sixth largest city in all of India. Enter Shah: The only person in Gujarat who knows anything about cycling. Well, at least if you ask Surat’s local bike shop clerk. “In Surat, not many people know about sport cycling. No one here knows about what kind of bike you use in racing, let alone triathlon,” Shah says. He’s been cycling for 10 years and knows a thing or two about the difficulties of learning about the sport in Gujarat. “Overall our city is not as conservative as you may think … things are quite modern here. But, initially, when Pooja was racing around wearing a bike helmet, she did october 2010
Courtesy of Rajen Shah
IN SURAT, NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT SPORT CYCLING. NO ONE HERE KNOWS ABOUT WHAT KIND OF BIKE YOU USE IN RACING, LET ALONE TRIATHLON.
The First Endurance product line is designed to work together, as a complete nutrition system, to maximize endurance and performance. At First Endurance, we integrate the latest clinical research with input from the best triathletes and cyclists in the world. This collaboration allows our research and development team to continue to push the limits of endurance. See for yourself how the award-winning, critically acclaimed First Endurance system can help take your training and racing to a new level.
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2009 Ironman Canada Champion 2009 Ironman Arizona Champion
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firsten du r anc e .c o m • 8 6 6 -3 4 7 -7 8 1 1
HIP &
LOWER BACK
Courtesy of Rajen Shah
ACHES AND PAINS
WHAT COULD CAUSE YOUR ACHES AND PAINS? When the quads get tight and the pelvis tilts due to lack of elasticity within the muscles, they could begin to pull on their insertion points within the hip and lower back.
WHAT DO I DO ABOUT IT? The Hip Dysfunction Kit includes all the tools to assist plus the DVD with: • How-to Section • Practical Education • 30-min Re-Gen Class • Tips for a Better Lifestyle
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get some attention. People here do not wear a helmet even on a motorcycle, so to wear one on a bike was unusual.” Chaurushi agrees. “There aren’t many people who know about this sport here. It’s been difficult for me to explain the events,” she says. “But slowly, because I’ve won medals, they’re supporting me more now.” And support is important for Chaurushi because in India, one’s family, especially as a young female, must give their blessing in terms of decisions such as pursuing a sport professionally. Also, endurance sports in India are not something that most females stick with. Culturally, many women tend to quit sports as they age to focus on college or a family and social life. “Initially people were resistant because I was a woman, but with time everyone has begun supporting me; they want me to keep moving forward with it,” Chaurushi says. Whenever you feel discouraged by your lack of a tri-friendly workplace or city, merely because your company abuts a freeway with nowhere to jog or there isn’t a place within a short drive to indulge in an open-water swim—think of Pooja. She lives in a place that is fairly tri-unfriendly. She must do her cycling training at 4 a.m. three times a week because the streets are too congested for her to safely ride any other time. And despite this, if you talk with Chaurushi, you wouldn’t get one complaint. With physical therapists hundreds of miles away in Mumbai, getting treatment for injuries, such as her shoulder injury and stress fracture, is also troublesome. With triathlon being almost as unknown as “sport cycling” in India, finding a true bike coach was even more of a stretch. She found an Australian cycling coach through her ITU connections and communicates via e-mail. Shah e-mails
INITIALLY PEOPLE WERE RESISTANT BECAUSE I WAS A WOMAN, BUT WITH TIME EVERYONE HAS BEGUN SUPPORTING ME; THEY WANT ME TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD WITH IT. the coach her heart rate monitor information from her cycling training in hopes of shaving down her PR. When asked if this is challenging, Chaurushi laughs, “Oh yes, but it’s better than having no coach at all.” Chaurushi is a full-time college student currently, but not your average one, at least not in this corner of the globe. At one point during our interview, she ponders her situation. “I am practicing alone, and I’m the only girl in my state doing triathlon. Sometimes I feel it would be nice to have someone doing this with me. Just someone I can ride my bike with or compete with during my workouts.” Unlike the numerous triathlon clubs that litter the cities and towns across the U.S., India has very few, if any. But she perks up perceptively when mentioning all the benefits of her training situation: There’s an Olympic-size pool in her town, and she has a swim coach, a supportive family and, of course, the support of Shah, who encourages her every step of the way. october 2010
T R A INING
Larry Rosa
“It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.” —Dr. George Sheehan 92
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STAYING FAST AFTER 40 94 | SWIM 98 | BIKE 100 | RUN 102 | FUNDAMENTALS 104 | SPORTS SCIENCE UPDATE 106 | FITNESS 108 | DEAR COACH 110 | INJURY QUICK TIP 114 |
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T R A INING step closer to perfect will give you a competitive advantage against your younger self. It’s never too late to start giving your muscles better fuel. A case in point is the professional cyclist Chris Horner, who lived largely on fast food and soft drinks until his late 30s. When a crash forced him off the bike for two weeks, he decided to clean up his diet (subtracting fast food meals, adding vegetables, and so forth) to prevent weight gain. He maintained his improved diet even after returning to training and actually lost weight and gained climbing performance. The 2010 season, when he was 38 years old, was one of the best of his career, highlighted by his first victory in a European stage race—the Tour of the Basque Country.
Staying Fast After 40 age is just a number, so use it to your aDvantage by aDapting anD Changing your training routines for raCing optimally well beyonD your perCeiveD prime. By Matt Fitzgerald
E
ndurance athletes who start competing in their teens or early 20s usually hit their lifetime performance peak somewhere around age 30. They maintain that peak for several years and then, sometime between 35 and 40, they start to slow down. What causes them to slow down? Age, of course. But while time waits for no man (or woman), there is a lot you can do to delay the point at which you start to slow down—and to reduce the rate of your performance decline. Here are six ways to stay fast after 40. 94
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Dial in your Diet. Many endurance athletes seem to get away with poor eating habits during their 20s and early 30s, in the sense that they suffer no obvious performance consequences. But the older we get, the more we are affected by dietary missteps such as eating too many sweets and not enough vegetables. That’s good news, really, because it means you can prolong your performance peak by improving your diet. Whether your current diet is bad, average or pretty good, moving it a
As we all know, each athlete has a unique body that responds to training somewhat differently than any other. For this reason, each athlete has an ideal training formula that is also a little different from any other athlete’s. Experience can teach you your ideal training formula. By paying attention to how your body responds to different training patterns, you can do more of what works and less of what doesn’t until you’ve developed a well-customized training recipe. How much volume can your body handle? How much high-intensity training? Which specific types of workouts seem to give you the most benefit, and which ones give you the least? These are the sorts of questions you should be asking throughout your career as a triathlete. The answers will enable you to continually refine your training to make it more effective. You may lose a bit of speed each year after age 40, but you can make up the difference in performance for a while by applying a little more of what you’ve learned about your body to each year’s training.
take aDvantage of teChnology. There are various kinds of technology that can elevate your performance level. For example, investing in a speed and distance device or power meter can help you train more effectively in running or cycling, while investing in an altitude tent can give you a quick boost in VO2 max. Such technologies are available to younger and older athletes alike, of course, but older athletes often have an easier time affording them. Speaking for myself, I’ve been able to invest more in performance-enhancing technologies as I’ve gotten older, and it has paid off. Last year, for example, I bought an altitude tent and a high-end indoor bike trainer. Using them brought my cycling performance to a higher level than ever at age 38. october 2010
Photos by John Segesta/johnsegesta.com
Customize your training.
T R A INING Take recovery seriously. Along with a dip in top-end speed, the first effect of aging on training that most endurance athletes notice is a loss of recovery capacity. While you’re still able to do more or less the same workouts you’ve done in the past, you start to notice that you just don’t bounce back from them quite as quickly. To limit the negative effects of not being able to perform hard workouts as often, you need to take your recovery very seriously. Religiously practice all of the little measures that can help you bounce back faster after workouts including post-workout nutrition, ice baths, massage and wearing compression socks.
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No matter how consistent you are with such measures, though, you will not be able to perform as hard as often as you once did. Don’t force it. Listen to your body and adapt by spacing out your key sessions a little more in your training. This is a concession to aging that will actually reduce aging’s effects on your race performances compared to what would happen if you tried to train like the younger you.
sTreTch and sTrengTh Train. Our muscles and joint tissues lose elasticity as we age, and our muscles also shrink and lose strength. It’s important to increase your commitment to stretching and strength training
are anTioxidanTs The FounTain oF youTh? As we get older, our bodies gradually lose their capacity to fight free radicals with antioxidants—including those free radicals that cause fatigue during exercise. Could antioxidant supplementation combat this effect of aging on endurance performance? A new study conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles and published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition provides intriguing evidence that antioxidant supplementation may actually be helpful to older endurance athletes. The subjects of the study were 16 male cyclists between the ages of 50 and 73 years who trained at least four hours per week. Half of the subjects were randomly assigned to take an antioxidant supplement daily for three weeks while the others were given a placebo. All of the subjects engaged in their normal training during the study and all underwent performance testing at the start of the study, again after one week, and one last time after three weeks. At week one, the subjects receiving the antioxidant supplement exhibited a 16.7 percent increase in anaerobic threshold. This increase was almost completely maintained at three weeks. There was no change in anaerobic threshold in the control group. The supplemented subjects also exhibited an increase in power output at anaerobic threshold while the control subjects did not. It’s unclear how that increase was achieved. There were no major changes in any of the physiological parameters measured in the supplemented group. And a complicating factor is that the supplement used in this study contained the amino acid L-arginine in addition to antioxidant nutrients. L-arginine is known to increase the body’s production of nitric oxide, which helps the blood vessels relax, increasing blood flow. It is possible that this mechanism was responsible for the supplement’s effect on anaerobic threshold. So, while the results of this study hint at the possible benefits antioxidant supplementation may offer aging athletes, more research is still needed. Stay tuned.
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after age 40 to stave off the effects of growing older. Since most younger endurance athletes take their strength and flexibility for granted and do little strength training and stretching, you can actually reverse the aging process to some degree by doing these things and maintain peak performance to age 40 and beyond. Recently I asked six-time Hawaii Ironman winner Dave Scott, now 56 and still very fast, how he has managed to retain so much of his youthful speed. He cited his lifelong commitment to strength training as the single biggest factor. Thanks to his frequent trips to the gym, Scott says, “I’ve never had any of those issues 96
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that other athletes have. I’ve never had low-back pain; I’ve never had those little niggling things that slow athletes down as they get older.” It doesn’t take a huge time commitment to get meaningful improvements from strength training and flexibility improvements from stretching. Nor does it require any special equipment. I advise busy triathletes who wouldn’t strength train or stretch otherwise to perform what I call “TV workouts” three times a week. These consist of alternating bodyweight strength exercises (single-leg squats, push-ups, etc.) and stretches (toe touches, etc.) that you can do in 20 minutes at home in front of the TV before you go to bed.
Keep the passion alive. It’s not all physical. The most successful masters triathletes maintain a youthful zeal for chasing goals and training hard that keeps them young in the water, on the bike and on the run. There’s nothing wrong with losing interest in going fast as you get older and finding other motivations to stay in the sport. But if you like the idea of beating athletes who are young enough to be your children, you’ll want to be aware of your sources of motivation to train and race hard and milk them for all they’re worth. As they say, age is just a state of mind, and passion denotes a young state of mind. october 2010
SWIM 15 x 100 freestyle (5 at 2:00, 4 at 1:55, 3 at 1:50, 2 at 1:45, 1 fast) 200 easy
3.
The SPEEd PHASE begins when the “A” race is right around the corner. In late April and early May, focus on going very fast during one swim practice each week. Speed sets should include very short distances (50s and 25s) with long rests or easy swimming between reps. For ExAmPlE: 500 choice warm-up 8 x 75 at 2:00 (25 kick / 25 drill / 25 build) 6 x 50 fast (100 easy swim after each 50) 500 easy pull
The 5 Phases of Swim Training By Sara McLarty
A
re your swim splits always the same? Perhaps it’s because your swim training is always the same. Swim practice should change multiple times during the year. There are five phases of swim training: endurance, strength, speed, taper and recovery. For the best results on race day, spend some time focusing on each phase. How much time is a question that can only be answered on an individual basis and must also take into consideration the triathlete’s ability level and the competition distance. A year-round athlete will spend two to three months in a phase while a first-timer might only spend a few days. Sprint athletes emphasize the speed phase while iron-distance athletes spend more time on endurance.
THE PHASES: A typical triathlete, with “A” races in early June and September, will be used for the following examples. The interval times used in the example assume the athlete swims a 1:40 pace per 100 yards. Adjust the times as appropriate to fit your pace. The EndurAncE PHASE of swim training usually starts after the winter holidays
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or at the beginning of the New Year. This is typically when races open registration and athletes realize that it’s time to start training. Between the months of January and March, focus on building (or rebuilding) endurance. Training sets should be long, and the effort level should be moderate. Break the monotony of workouts with equipment and creative sets. For ExAmPlE: 600 warm-up (200 swim / 200 kick / 200 drills) 9 x 200 freestyle with 30 seconds rest (3 with fins, 3 pull, 3 swim) 100 easy
2.
In the STrEngTH PHASE, the pace clock becomes very important and the intervals become challenging. Starting in late March and continuing through April, include a strength set in two-thirds of weekly swim practices. Knock off five or 10 seconds from your regular send-offinterval and try to descend times (i.e. swim faster and faster splits) all the way through a set with a large number of intervals. Use pulling equipment during the main set to build upper body strength. For ExAmPlE: 600 warm-up (2 X 200 swim / 50 kick / 50 drill) 6 x 50 freestyle at 1:00 (descend 1-3, 4-6)
The length of the TAPEr PHASE depends on the race distance, but two weeks before race day is the average. The idea is to reduce the amount of time spent in the pool in each practice, not to reduce the total number of swim practices during the week. You risk losing your “feel for the water” when you take too much time between swims. Practice racespecific skills including head-up swimming, sighting, buoy turns and drafting. For ExAmPlE: 400 warm-up (if in open water) 10 x 50 at 1:00 (25 head-up drill / 25 swim) 6 x 100 pull with 20 seconds rest 8 x 25 at 1:00 (1 easy, 1 fast) 100 easy
5.
After the first “A” race, spend a few days in the rEcovEry PHASE. Swim practice should be easy to loosen up muscles and allow the body to regenerate itself. Between mid-June and September, create mini training blocks of each phase to prepare for the second “A” race. Slightly shorten the endurance phase and lengthen the taper. For ExAmPlE: 10-minute easy swim 10 x 50 with 20 seconds rest (25 kick / 25 perfect swim) 10 x 100 with 20 seconds rest (50 kick / 50 swim) 10-minute easy pull At the end of the season, don’t be afraid to take time off from the pool. An off-season recovery phase starts with a two-week break from the water followed by up to two months of easy swimming. Make stroke changes at this time and increase your efficiency for next year. Sara McLarty coaches swimming at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. Do you have a swim question you would like answered in this column? Send it to swim@competitorgroup.com. october 2010
Nils Nilsen
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Dave Silver Photography
Bi k e
Need a Training Adventure? Try a Stage Race By Melanie McQuaid
W
hen I was focused on mountain bike racing, the Canadian National Team had enlisted a coach to oversee the team’s yearly training plan. A big component of the training plan included road stage races planned in the spring and late summer to boost our aerobic base before key mountain bike races. Today, I look for a stage race to offer me a ready-made training camp filled with multiple days of hard riding. Because my specialty is Xterra racing, I favor mountain bike stage races. The logistics of a mountain bike stage race can vary. Races such as the Absa Cape Epic and TransRockies offer long road stages that have you travel from point to point and stay in a tent or camper between stages. Choosing a race like this means putting aside the swim and most of your run training to focus on just riding for a week, but, on the plus side, it’s a pretty amazing adventure. For races that are seven days or more, scheduling well in advance of your key races is important as they will be very physically draining. 100
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Some races, such as BC Bike Race and Intermontane Challenge, are either a travelling circus which uproots each morning to set up again ahead of you, or a race based out of one place with stages in a cloverleaf around the base. You will travel either the night before or the morning of the race to the starting line and finish in a community or start and finish in the same place. The BC Bike Race of British Columbia in particular has the best singletrack in the world (and who doesn’t enjoy a glass of wine in a fancy restaurant after riding hard all day?). Getting organized for long days on the bike always takes more time and energy than just the race itself, and managing recovery is important to get the most out of the race. If you choose to try road stage racing, I suggest a hilly stage race over a flat one if you want to get ready for Xterra, as generally you need to work on climbing to be strong for off-road racing. If lots of hills are not in the cards then racing criteriums (aka crits), or short course bike races, can also help. In general, crit racing will
mimic the energy system required for mountain bike racing better than road racing. A crit is a mass start race on a short one- to two-mile loop with multiple laps until a predetermined race time is reached, generally 45 to 60 minutes. This short, intense type of racing encourages lots of sprinting and fast riding which will help you develop fast, powerful legs. The technical aspect of crit racing can be intimidating to a person new to bike racing but will make you a more confident technical rider. Getting a feel for road or trail etiquette and mass starts will help you feel more comfortable when you get to a race with 500 or more starters. Choosing marathon (three or more hours) length bike races would be best since that is going to prepare you better for the long stages you will tackle in a stage race. All of this cycling training will not only make you a better cyclist in Xterra or Ironman, but it will also help add to your overall racing expertise. And you’ll have the adventure of a lifetime. Melanie McQuaid is a three-time Xterra world champion and also owns several national and overall titles in Xterra racing. McQuaid specializes in off-road and half-iron distance racing. Off the race course, McQuaid is a gardener and oenophile with an addiction to vegetables, chocolate and pedicures. october 2010
Larry Rosa
Run
Run Your Way to a Faster Ironman Finish By Bruce regensBurg and Lance Watson
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f you are a middle-of-the-pack Ironman athlete and wonder where you can make your biggest gains, the answer usually lies in the run. Although a large percentage of Ironman participants are capable of running a marathon in less than four hours, in most 102
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iron-distance races less than 10 percent finish the run in under four hours. How many times have we heard participants say, “I had a great swim, a great ride and a horrible run”? Why is this? The answer is: They walk it.
There is nothing wrong with walking during an Ironman—if you plan to. However, most athletes don’t plan to walk but end up doing it anyway. Here are the reasons for unscheduled walking and suggested plans of action to help you pick up the pace: october 2010
Run What happened: My nutrition plan failed. The athlete has eaten either too much or too little on the bike. Too much snacking can cause gastrointestinal problems such as sloshing, bloating or multiple bathroom stops. Too little nutrition can lead to dehydration and/or downright bonking. Worse yet, some athletes ingest the wrong nutrition. Grabbing untested goodies at the aid station is risky at best. Solution: practice With productS. Each person has slightly different nutritional needs, which is why it’s imperative to understand how much to ingest and what liquids and foods can be safely ingested. A sports bar or drink that tastes good at home may taste like sawdust halfway through an Ironman. Test your nutrition on your long runs, rides and bricks, at race-specific heart rates. Your carbohydrate ingestion should be between 200 and 400 calories per hour and your liquid ingestion between one and one-and-a-half liters per hour, depending on your weight and metabolism. Sodium intake should be about 500 to 750mg/L of fluid intake. What happened: i Went too hard on the bike. This is not to say you should go easy on the bike, but it’s necessary to manage your swim and bike effort so the run doesn’t suffer. Solution: Manage your energy output. Have a steady swim, but don’t try to break any records. We all know how hard it is to take 10 seconds off per 100 meters. The reality is that this increase in effort will only give you a six-minute advantage on the swim! The same goes for the bike portion: You can gain 20 minutes on your bike time only to lose an hour or more on your marathon. On the bike, keep your effort about five to 10 percent below your october 2010
half-Ironman bike effort. Check your ego in at T1 and leave it there till T2. What happened: i tranSitioned through t2 too quickly. No one should leave the second transition until they can confidently run to the first aid station. Solution: take your tiMe. By the time you get off the bike, the idea of running a marathon is often unappealing. Take some time in T2 to get yourself mentally, physically and nutritionally prepared. Be efficient and orderly. What happened: overtraining While most people are adequately trained for an Ironman (at least well-trained enough to finish in under 17 hours), some take a leap of faith. The great majority do not taper properly. The most common mistake is when an athlete performs their longest run or bike session less than two to three weeks before the race date. Solution: enSure you are properly trained and tapered. Your best bets are to get a qualified coach who understands your abilities and to be aware of overtraining. Listen to your body, and check your morning resting heart rate. If it is consistently five to 10 beats higher than normal, you need extra rest. If you have muscle fatigue, you may need to take unscheduled rest. The taper should be a minimum of two to three weeks to let your body rejuvenate. The final week should be very easy, but it is important to keep moving. LifeSport Coach Bruce Regensburg has completed several Ironmans well into his 60s, including Hawaii, and has coached numerous Ironman athletes to successfully complete marathons. LifeSport head coach Lance Watson has coached a number of Ironman, Olympic and age-group champions. Visit LifeSport.ca. triathlete.com
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FundamenTals are accustomed to arduous training regimens and have the discipline and motivation required for successful endurance training. Runners have a good sense of pace. They understand the need to manage their energy output in training and racing. Runners can finish a triathlon on a high note, with their strongest discipline, whereas non-runners are more likely to struggle in the final leg.
ChAllenges: While the runner’s aerobic engine is strong, his or her muscular system is not conditioned for swimming and cycling. Strong running legs don’t automatically translate into strong and efficient cycling legs, as it takes specific training and motor skill development to ride well. Runners who don’t have a swim background can suffer from “sinking leg syndrome” in the water, caused in part by their lean, muscular legs, high leg bone density and poor ankle flexibility. Athletes from competitive running backgrounds typically have poor upper-body strength and endurance. Given these advantages and challenges, here are some tips to accelerate the transformation from runner to triathlete:
making the leap: Runner to Triathlete By Troy JacoBson
T
riathlon draws many of its new participants from the ranks of cyclists, swimmers and runners. Because its participation rate is so high, no single sport serves as a more productive recruiting pipeline for triathlon than running. Like cyclists, swimmers and other singlesport athletes, runners have a distinct set of advantages and disadvantages with respect to triathlon training and racing. Here are just a few: 104
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AdvAntAges: Experienced runners have developed a strong aerobic engine from years of logging miles. A runner’s cardiovascular system functions at a high level and delivers oxygen and fuel efficiently to the working muscles. Their legs are strong and conditioned for repetitive motion. Runners have an endurance mentality. They
CyCling: Since a runner’s aerobic engine is already developed, the focus should be on developing the motor skills necessary for efficient pedaling. Work on developing a smooth spin at 90 rpm and higher, as this will allow for greater power output at a lower metabolic cost. For example, while on a bike trainer, warm up for 10 to 15 minutes with easy pedaling. Then do 3 x 30-second “openers” at a higher intensity. Next, perform 10 to 15 “super spin” repetitions of 20 to 30 seconds at 110 to 120 rpm. Focus on keeping your upper body still and avoid bouncing on the saddle. Rest 30 seconds after each rep. Finish with a five- to 10-minute steady-state interval at around 100 rpm and then cool down. swimming: Runners need to work on their body position in the water or else they will forever drag their anchors (i.e. legs). Additionally, they must improve their notoriously poor ankle flexibility to develop a more efficient kick. Begin your swim training by developing good habits immediately. Drill, drill and drill some more under the watchful eye of a swim coach. Also, work on your kick by incorporating several kick sets into your workouts and by occasionally using fins. october 2010
Photos by Nils Nilsen
Put skill And teChnique first.
Brick it. Even the most successful runner has rubber legs coming off the bike if he or she is not used to the bike-run transition. Incorporate one or two brick workouts into your weekly training program to get your body used to the switch from one sport to the other. For example, bike for 30 minutes on the road or on the trainer at a high cadence with the last few minutes at race effort speed. Immediately transition to the run in less than one minute with the goal of establishing your normal stride within the first two to three minutes of a 15-minute run. Repeat this set
october 2010
immediately for a highly effective 90-minute brick workout. Runners who transition to triathlon are rewarded with the many benefits of cross-training and can see continuous improvement in their new sport over many years. The key is to focus on motor skill development and to leverage the already well-established aerobic engine so that, if all goes well, you’ll enjoy passing a lot of former swimmers just before the finish line. Troy Jacobson, a former pro and competitive master’s triathlete, is the official coach of Ironman and the head endurance sports coach for Life Time Fitness. Visit Coachtroy.com.
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drink a Slushie, run Longer By Tim mickleBorough, PhD
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cientists have been investigating the effects of extreme temperature conditions on human performance and fatigue for many years. Pre-cooling the body is an effective and legal means of improving athletic performance in the heat. The use of pre-cooling methods before competition are 106
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based on the concept that starting a contest with a cooler body will increase the amount of time it takes for the athlete to reach a limiting core body temperature and thereby delay fatigue. The mechanisms underlying the performance effects associated with pre-cooling
are not fully understood, nor have the optimal pre-cooling methods for use in different types of events been determined. There are a number of “cooling” products available for athletes, such as cooling jackets that employ novel fabrics and coolants, rapid thermal exchange devices, fans that produce an ice mist, plunge pools, cold showers and portable tents with air conditioning units that produce a cool microclimate. Most of these products have not been independently tested. A more aggressive and practical internal pre-cooling technique is to drink an ice slushie drink mixture prior to exercise in high heat. Recently, Rodney Siegel and colleagues at Australia’s Edith Cowan University had 10 recreational male athletes drink either a syrup-flavored ice slurry with a 30-degree core temperature or cold water at 39 degrees just prior to running on a treadmill to exhaustion in a heated environment of 93 degrees. The athletes were able to run for roughly 50 minutes on average after drinking the slurry, compared to just 40 minutes after drinking cold water. Interestingly, ice slurry ingestion not only delayed the point at which the subjects reached a critically high core body temperature, but also allowed a higher tolerable core body temperature before exhaustion was reached. In short, the slurry let them start colder and get hotter. (The drink’s nutritional content is a separate topic.) So, from a practical standpoint, would ingesting an ice slurry before a triathlon in the heat prove to be worthwhile? If your event lasted 50 minutes or less, it very well might. However, this type of pre-cooling strategy may not prove to last long enough to make a difference in Olympic- through iron-distance triathlons, marathons and so forth. Further research is still needed. Tim Mickleborough, PhD is an assistant professor of kinesiology at the University of Indiana, Bloomington and fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. His research interests tend to center on the effects of nutrition on physiological function. october 2010
Illustration by Hunter King
SportS Science Update
F i t ne S S
Sit Up Straight By Sage RountRee
O
ne simple action has a profound effect on your triathlon performance: sitting up straight. You can and should do it anywhere from your car to your desk to a movie theater to your dining room table. Too often, we’re guilty of slumping forward. Our pelvises tilt backward, drawn into that position both by tight hamstrings and by bucket-shaped chairs and car seats with no lumbar support. This encourages our upper backs to round even more than usual, our shoulders to roll forward and our chests to collapse. Having hands on a keyboard or steering wheel
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Be aware. Take every opportunity to notice your posture and to move toward a neutral position: head balanced, chin slightly tucked, shoulders low with the chest broad, pelvis in a neutral position—weight on the sitting bones, not the sacrum. If it’s hard to come into this position, change your surroundings. You might need to raise or lower the height of your work chair, for example, or get a new chair entirely. In your car, a rolled towel slipped along the small of your back will help you hold your pelvis level; on a plane, an airline-issued blanket, if available, or your jacket can do the same. Sliding forward toward your table or desk instead of resting against the seat back and resting the soles of your feet flat on the ground can give you room to balance the relationship of your spine and pelvis. To aid your awareness, choose one day a week to set a countdown timer on your sports watch. When it chimes—every 20 minutes, say—do a quick postural assessment. While you’re at it, take a few deep breaths and focus on releasing tension around your shoulders and neck, letting it go with every exhalation. 108
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2.
Stretch the tight muScleS. A few times each day, take a minute to stretch your chest and your hamstrings. You can do this in your office or wherever you happen to be sitting. Stand up and lace the fingers of your two hands together behind your back in a “handcuffed” position. Keeping your shoulders low, lift your hands a little higher as you take five or more breaths and enjoy the stretch in your chest muscles. Follow this by folding into an L shape, hands to your desk or table. Hold your hips over your heels, bending your knees as necessary, and stay for a few breaths as your hamstrings release and your shoulders stretch. In the evening, take a pillow or two off your bed and lay them on the ground. Lie back across them so that they run the length of your spine. Staying here for a few minutes will help open your chest. If you can support your pelvis with another pillow, you’ll get a gentle stretch for the hip flexors, where tightness can contribute to poor posture.
John Segesta/johnsegesta.com
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only exacerbates this position. At the top of the spine’s chain, the chin juts forward, shortening the back of the neck. What’s more, spending hours every week folded over a bicycle, especially with your forearms on aerobars, compounds the problem. Your chest muscles shorten, limiting your ability to take full, deep breaths, and the muscles of your upper back become overstretched, limiting your ability to engage them fully for your swim stroke. You lose some of your ability to stand or sit tall, and that compromises your balance in the water, your comfort on the bike and your efficiency on the run. Not good! Fortunately, you can undo these imbalances by following these simple steps.
3.
Strengthen the weak muScleS. Two or three times a day, rest on your belly on the ground. Take your hands out to the sides, in a T, a W or a V formation. Pointing your thumbs to the sky, squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other 10 to 15 times. Rest and repeat for two or three sets. This simple exercise, coupled with awareness of your posture and stretching of your tight spots, can go a long way toward keeping you balanced for swimming, cycling and running. Sage Rountree, Sagerountree.com, author of The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga, is a USAT-certified coach who teaches workshops on yoga for athletes nationwide. october 2010
De a r Co a C h
how Much racing Is Too Much? Featuring Mark allen Dear CoaCh, I like to race a lot. I usually do about eight to 10 triathlons every summer—mostly sprints and Olympic-distance races with an occasional Ironman 70.3. Overall I’m pretty happy with the results I get, but sometimes I feel as if I’m never really “peaking” for anything. I’m always in good shape but maybe never as fit as I would be if I focused on one race. Can I race as often as I want to and be sharp for everything? Or should I assign different priority levels to races and train differently for each race depending on the importance? Jeff Tucson, Ariz.
That is a great question and one that is important to answer. Many people like to race a lot. They love the camaraderie and buzz of being at events. They enjoy the heat of competition. They use racing to motivate them to train. However, racing too frequently is a sure-fire recipe for flat results. There’s just no way people can race all the time and hit their personal peak potential. I saw this early in my career even with some
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Nils Nilsen
Dear Jeff,
Half Day Swim Clinics in Kona October 7, 8 or 9. See details at TTUniversity.com
Want to swim faster? Swimpower 3 can take 1:30* off your 1.5k swim time in 8 weeks
July 12, 2010 Review of SP 3: “The Swim Power 3 DVD teaches a great program for swimmers to add to their training routine to increase their freestyle pull strength and technique. It is a simple, inexpensive way to increase swimming ability and swimming speed.” —Matt Luebbers, about.com guide to swimming A Better Way: The Swimpower 3 Program (DVD, manual and Sport Vector Cord) 10-15 minutes, 3 times a week. Along with structured swim sessions. Swim Power 3 will give you what you need to improve your swim speed by helping you improve your pull technique and pull power.
See results at swimpower.com and order at TTUniversity.com *Swimmers improved an average of 26 seconds per 500 freestyle, your results may vary. As in, you may very well get even faster!
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MightyMan Half Distance October 3, 2010
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De a r Co a C h In my philosophy a race should also be just that: a race. This means it should never be something that is considered a day that you are just “training through.” A race is most satisfying when it is a top personal effort, and every race should be approached with that idea in mind. Of course, as you go through your season and your fitness builds, the kind of result you can achieve with a top personal effort will improve. During my career I usually raced about seven times each season, which was about half of what most of my competitors did. But each of those seven races typically concluded with fantastic results because I had enough consistency in my training to make huge gains in fitness. Then, at the end of the season, my conditioning was at a peak because of how I structured both the training and my race calendar. And you know the results. Mark Allen has won six Ironman world championships in his triathlon career and now shares his keys to success through his online coaching service, Markallenonline.com.
512-968-1888
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Rich Cruse
of the top pros who had all day to train and recover. Those who packed their race schedules might, on occasion, have a good result, but only because the field was not deep. In big events, they never raised their performance up to the next level. One reason for this is that a true peak performance only comes at the end of a full training cycle. This includes a base phase, a speed phase and then a fairly significant taper to help your body recover and store up for that out-of-this-world performance. If a person is always racing, they’ll never be able to put in the fairly tough workouts necessary to accrue big fitness gains and great race results. If they try to do both at the same time—race fast and train hard—they end up getting totally burned out and are flat for all the races. In short, it is just not possible to have both race frequency and peak racing performances. Even assigning priorities to a race calendar that is fully packed can inhibit your results simply because every time you race you break up the consistency of your training cycles. Well-placed races are necessary and will enhance your fitness.
train happy.
Brooks T6 Racer
brooksrunning.com
Nils Nilsen
Injury QuIck TIp
Does Overstriding really cause running Injury? By Jordan d. Metzl, Md
I
was running with a local coach named Spencer last week and we were discussing stride length as we passed the miles. “Jordan,” he said, “if you shorten your stride and increase your turnover, you’ll spend less time on the ground, run faster and get hurt less.” “Can this really be true?” I wondered. Much like throwing a baseball, there are many ways to run, but is there really a right way? A recent study published in an American College of Sports Medicine journal suggests that stride length does make a difference in reducing injury risk. In this study, reducing stride length by only 10 percent reduced the risk of developing stress fractures in the foot and leg. This also correlated to lessened landing forces with foot strike and a quicker turnover rate. Both of these issues seemed to correlate with improved speed and less injury. As Spencer and I ran together, I tried shortening my stride and quickening my turnover, or taking faster but shorter steps. It felt quite strange; I needed some encouragement to make sure I was doing it the right way and I wasn’t at all convinced on the whole subject. Does this mean that everyone should shorten their stride and quicken their steps? I guess it’s kind of like using dental floss—we know it’s a good idea but few people do it 114
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every day. Furthermore, there is probably no right way to run. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” many have quipped. How does one go about shortening stride length, especially if Spencer isn’t around to help? Running uphill, bounding and working on shortening the stride to keep the feet underneath during foot strike can help shorten stride length. Some athletes are now turning to the barefoot running craze or at least using less supportive running shoes as a means of increasing turnover rate. All of these measures should be done gradually because injuries from trying to force the body into something new are quite common in sports medicine offices. Reviewing the data on stride length and looking at my own running technique, these are my takeaways: Everyone runs differently, so be confident in what you are doing. Shortening stride length seems to help some athletes who are suffering from foot and shin ailments and it might increase speed as well. Practice it, try it out and if you don’t like it, stick to what is working for you. Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., Drjordanmetzl.com, is a nationally recognized sports medicine specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. In addition to his medical practice, Metzl is a 27-time marathon runner and eight-time Ironman finisher. october 2010
Punish Your Body, Not Your Wallet 2010 QR Tequilo was $1600
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Nils Nilsen
NU T RI T ION
october 2010
NUTRITION Q&A MULTISPORT MENU EAT RIGHT RECIPE RACING WEIGHT
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Keeping Your Heart Healthy By PiP Taylor
Q:
I had a heart attack at age 47 while training. Yes, you can live a healthy lifestyle, but genetics can still take you out! Two procedures, three stents and a stopped heart later, I am back running and feeling positive but can’t train hard. I have to take prescriptions such as Lipitor and Plavix. I am eating even more low fat and low sodium [meals]. Are there foods that can help “clean” out those vessels and lower blood pressure? Douglas Ellmore Sr. Via e-mail
A:
I am sorry to hear of your rough experience—especially as it seems as though you really try to take care of your health through good nutrition and being active through triathlon training. You are certainly not alone. Heart health in athletes is often overlooked, and since your question is really a medical one, you really should work in close consultation with your doctor, particularly when it comes to the effects and interactions of the various medications prescribed. But, what I can do is provide some specific nutritional advice that can benefit you as well as provide some general guidelines that are applicable to everyone. Heart attacks, or myocardial infarctions, occur when clogged arteries cut off the supply of blood to the heart, causing cell death. Healthy lifestyle choices play a major role in preventing the blockages that lead to a heart attack; however, there are also strong genetic determinants. Early heart attacks (before age 118
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65) tend to run in families, and even with good diet and exercise you cannot just override your hereditary background. In your case, it sounds as though you have genetic dyslipidemia, causing unusually high cholesterol. Fortunately you are now on medication, which can help you stay healthy, but unfortunately you will always need to take this medication. You can still exercise, as you are doing, and this is usually recommended, but anything you do should be under the medical supervision of your doctor, who can best advise you on what kind and how much training you should do and monitor any changes. By following a healthy lifestyle, you might be able to reduce or minimize your medication. However, in your case it seems as though this is already the path you are on. Current research suggests that arteries can become blocked by the build-up of fatty deposits or plaques on cell walls. Plaques form as a result of mechanical stress on the cell walls—stress that can be caused by high levels of cholesterol in the blood or high blood pressure, among other factors. These plaques can grow and block blood flow, or they can rupture, triggering a blood clot to form, which in turn can block the artery or travel through the blood stream and block an artery elsewhere. This can lead to either a heart attack or a stroke. Risk factors include high blood pressure and high cholesterol, smoking, high body fat, stress, inactivity and diet. Some of these may have genetic influences; however, lifestyle choices are also crucial and may not
only exacerbate genetic predisposition but can also be the primary contributor. I am assuming that everyone reading this has the exercise part down, and hopefully there are no smokers either. Stress is part of everyone’s life and to an extent is a healthy thing, unless it is overbearing. Hopefully triathlon training is a stress release for you rather than a contributor. And I believe many triathletes are serious about their nutrition, but I’m sure there are also many diets out there that could use some dramatic improving. But don’t think that just because you are training hard, are lean and fit-looking that you can get away with eating junk food. You can look good on the outside yet have underlying health issues caused by an unhealthy diet that you might not even realize. Nutrition is something that you can choose to modify. Eating well means eating whole, real foods, limiting the intake of processed foods and buying food that looks like food—it doesn’t need a label to explain what it is. Also, food is usually more wholesome when you prepare and cook it yourself. You will immediately be increasing your intake of key vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients while reducing intake of salt, added sugars, saturated and trans fats, preservatives and other additives. Through diet you can improve cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure. Cholesterol levels are raised by consuming high levels of saturated fats and dietary cholesterol in sensitive people, so limit the intake of animal fats, whole fat dairy foods, cakes, pies, cookies and egg yolks if you have high cholesterol already or a genetic predisposition. Soluble fiber, found in oats, bran cereals, fruits and vegetables, helps reduce cholesterol by binding to fats in the intestine. Healthy unsaturated fats and omega-3 fats can also help lower cholesterol and are found in nuts, avocadoes, fish and olive oil. In addition, control portion sizes, limit your salt intake, moderate or eliminate alcohol and aim for variety on your plate. So, to answer your question: Keep eating well and identify areas where perhaps you could make improvements, keep exercising, take your medication and work closely with your doctor. For everyone else, if you have a family history of heart disease or stroke, see your doctor so that he or she can monitor indicators such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Your doctor can then work with you to determine the best plan of attack to keep you healthy on and off the race course. Even if you have no known family history of heart disease or high cholesterol a regular check-up is always a good idea! Australia native Pip Taylor is a certified sports nutritionist and an accomplished professional triathlete. Visit her website at Piptaylor.com. october 2010
Nils Nilsen
NutritioN Q&A
Nils Nilsen
mu lti sp or t me nu
3Bar $1.99-$2.49
Developed by triathlete Erin DeMarines with the triathlete in mind, 3Bar was adapted from her grandma’s cookie recipe into a healthy treat that’s great before a workout or as a snack. The taste and texture are excellent, much like a cookie, but not too sweet. The all-natural bars are made with ingredients such as almond butter, dark chocolate and blueberries, and it’s available in tropical tri, cocoa crunch and blueberry blast. Tri3bar.com (tropical tri flavor) 1.83 ounces/52 grams calories: 210 total fat: 8 grams carbs: 23 grams sugar: 7 grams protein: 12 grams
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aBBott NutritioN ZoNe Perfect Bar $1.29
These bars are available in more than 20 different flavors, from apple cinnamon to dark chocolate caramel pecan, so there’s something for every palate. They’re an excellent source of protein, but they sit a little heavier than other bars—best saved for post-workout or as on-the-go meal replacement. The chocolate-y flavors will cater to your sweet tooth, but they pack more sugar than other bars the same size. Zoneperfect.com (chocolate peanut butter flavor) 1.76 ounces/50 grams calories: 210 total fat: 7 g total fat carbs: 24 grams sugar: 15 grams protein: 14 grams
Perfect foods Bar $27.99-$28.99 for 12
San Diego-based Perfect Foods Bars, endorsed by top pros such as Matty Reed, have the primary ingredients peanut butter and honey, making them a great source of protein. However, that combo means they also need to be stored in the fridge or else the Rice Krispiesesque texture becomes oily. These all-natural bars are available in peanut butter, fruit & nut, carob chip, cranberry crunch (lite) and almond flavors. Don’t dwell too long on the list of primarily organic ingredients such asred bell pepper, alfalfa and kelp—we promise you won’t taste them. Perfectfoodsbar.com (fruit & nut flavor) 2.7 ounces/77 grams calories: 293 total fat: 15 grams carbs: 26 grams sugar: 16 grams protein: 19 grams
GoodoNYa Bar $2.79-$2.99
Created by former Olympic field hockey player Kris Fillat, the GoodOnYa handmade bars are a good source of protein, fiber and vitamin E, and the breakfast bar flavor goes great with a cup of coffee right before a weekend long ride. The motto for the bars is “every ingredient matters,” and the bars are made from 100 percent organic ingredients. They aren’t overly sweet or heavy, making them a great pre- or post-workout bar. They’re also available in peanut butter chocolate. Thegoodonyabar.com (peanut butter honey flavor) 2 ounces/57 grams calories: 273 total fat: 15.6 grams carbs: 22.1 grams sugar: 10.3 grams protein: 10.1 grams
october 2010
E at r i g H t
Heavy Metal
Forego the supplement drinks—and contaminants—by tapping into your inner Martha Stewart to find protein in unexpected sources. Try this recipe for a post-training treat.
By ReBecca MaRks Rudy
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utrition professionals have long criticized packaged and processed foods, including those marketed toward improving sports performance. And supplementation has come under scrutiny again, this time for the presence of heavy metals in high-protein drinks. The July 2010 issue of Consumer Reports magazine exposed 15 high-protein drinks and powders that contain varying levels of toxins such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. Just weeks before the report hit newsstands, a May 2010 article in Pharmaceutical Research cited the obvious: Setting limitations for toxic metals in foods, drugs and supplements is appropriate but difficult to carry out, given the two-fold challenge of the toxins’ presence in the environment, as well as lack of analytical procedures. What then does one do with the information that is built both on scare tactics as well as inexact science? The simple answer: moderation. After a closer look at the message from Consumer Reports, the troubling levels of metals came in when individuals were taking in three or more servings of the supplement drinks per day. Who would even need to consume that much? For athletes taking in 96 grams of protein in those three servings (as in Muscle Milk Chocolate, which contained the highest level of lead at 13 µg*), this is overkill assuming they are able to eat a variety of “real” foods. To put this in perspective, an athlete involved in endurance sports such as triathlon can aim for .45 to .75 grams of protein per pound of body weight. So, for an athlete who weighs 150 pounds, even the upper recommendation of approximately 112 grams of protein can be achieved without the additional metals of protein drinks by fitting in choices such as the ones below. *According to the investigation this exceeds the daily limit as proposed by the US Pharmacopeia, which would be 10 μg.
8 oz Greek-style yogurt: 15 grams 1 cup Kashi GoLean cereal: 13 grams 1 ounce roasted almonds: 6 grams 1 Boca veggie burger: 19 grams 1 cup Amy’s Kitchen Lentil Soup: 8 grams 6 ounces grilled chicken breast (skinless): 45 grams ½ cup brown rice: 3 grams ½ cup Stonyfield Farms Minty Chocolate Chip frozen yogurt: 4 grams Rebecca graduated magna cum laude in classics from Harvard University in 1999 and received her Master of Science in nutrition communication from Tufts University in 2003. She currently trains, races and resides in Princeton, N.J. A sports nutritionist with Trismarter.com, she believes that peak athletic performance is contingent upon a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
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BJ’s Protein-Packed Muffins ingredients: 1 ½ cups oat bran 1 cup egg whites ½ cup unsweetened cinnamon apple sauce ½ cup pumpkin ¼ cup non-fat Greek-style yogurt or cottage cheese 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter 1 full banana, sliced 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries PreParation: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover muffin tin with cooking spray. Mix these ingredients in order above. Add in the blueberries right before spooning the batter into the cooking pan. Bake muffins for 25 minutes. Remove muffins from oven but leave in pan until cooled. Enjoy warm, or freeze muffins and store individually for later. Add extra protein to your snack by complementing with a hard-boiled egg, a cup of non-fat Greek-style yogurt, a non-fat latte or a cold glass of skim or soy milk.
alternative PreParations and additions: Substitute non-fat vanilla yogurt (Greekstyle will increase protein) for pumpkin Add 1 tablespoon of honey for a slightly sweeter muffin Use ¼ cup shredded coconut for additional flavor or to increase caloric content Chop walnuts for flavor and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids Throw in raisins or dried cranberries for texture and flavor Thanks to Trismarter.com client and fivetime Ironman BJ Gumkowski! NuTriTioN iNForMaTioN Yield: 6 MuFFiNS CalorieS
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FaT
3 grams
SaTuraTed FaT
.5
TraNS FaT
0
CarbohYdraTe
30 grams
ProTeiN
12 grams october 2010
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E at r i g h t Back in the ‘90s milk did a body good and apparently it still does. Touted as a recovery drink, chocolate milk has been praised for its 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein composition that is considered ideal for muscle recovery. Chocolate milk is a cost-effective, convenient predecessor to the often messy, frequently gritty recovery shakes. Athletes have embraced the research and are jumping at the chance to recapture a taste of youth. Now more good news—especially for women—comes from a small study at McMaster University in Canada: Women who drink skim milk after resistance training benefit from greater fat loss and muscle gain as compared with those who consumed a carbohydrate-based energy drink. This research is encouraging for women who tend to be wary of milk and other dairy products because of caloric ramifications. True, when clients seek advice on weight loss and management tools, liquid calories are typically the first to go. After all, it’s fairly
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easy to find low or no-calorie substitutes for favored drinks including teas, lemonades and sodas. These are innately nutrient-void beverages, and their loss from the diet is not missed. On the other hand, dairy—especially non- and low-fat products—can remain a staple as it boasts powerful nutrients from protein and carbohydrate to calcium, potassium and vitamins A and D (assuming it’s fortified). For years The National Dairy Council has been running campaigns (many targeted at women in particular) to promote the recommended 1000-1200 mg of calcium per day. Three servings of dairy can accomplish this. Now the argument for dairy is even more compelling. Rather than causing weight gain from excess calories, milk can help women achieve a more favorable body composition when paired with muscle-building exercise.
istockphoto.com
Milk: iT dOes a TriaThleTe’s bOdy GOOd
lOOkinG fOr ways TO fiT in dairy afTer TraininG?
Pack a milk-in-a-box for post workout; keep cold in an insulated lunch sack. Splurge on a latte made with non-fat milk. Prepare hot chocolate using skim milk with sugar-free and fat-free hot cocoa. Enjoy drinkable yogurt while driving back from the gym or heading to work.
CY
Tri Club Grub: OTTawa TriaThlOn Club
CMY
K
The Ottawa Triathlon Club’s programs are based in one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Canada’s capital city, an area chock full of upscale restaurants and pubs. The club’s hang out, however, is the oldest and most down-to-earth of the local establishments: The Carleton Tavern. In existence since 1935, the Tavern has a long and colorful history under the guidance of the Saikaley family. It’s the perfect location for club functions such as the annual motivational talk given by guest “celebs” such as Sam McGlone and Karen Smyers, or the December Kona party, one of the OTC’s many fundraising initiatives. “The menu has all the classics, from the two-egg breakfast through the Hamburg and fries, but it’s the Saikaleys’ Lebanese heritage that brings the real highlights with dishes like homemade hummus and tabbouleh,” says the club’s director Geordie McConnell.
Marc Lavoie/ZoomPhoto.ca
The Carleton Tavern is located at 223 Armstrong St. in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. For more information, visit Carletontavern.com or Ottawatriathlonclub.com.
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RECIPE
Easy Minestrone BY ADAM KELINSON
T
his satisfying soup is easy to prepare and perfect for the fall and winter. You can vary the recipe according to what you have in your freezer or fridge. It’s guaranteed to warm you inside and out. INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 medium turnip, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 large can whole peeled tomatoes sea salt 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or water) 3 cups assorted fresh or frozen vegetables (such as corn, peas, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 cups toasted buckwheat groats or other grain or pasta, cooked
NUTRITION FACTS
Serves 4 Serving Size: 440 grams Calories: 298 Calories from Fat: 75 % Daily Value (based upon daily caloric intake of 2000)
Total Fat: 8g
13%
Sat: 1g
6%
Trans: 0g Sodium: 242mg
10%
Total Carbs: 52g
17%
Dietary Fiber: 12g
49%
Sugars: 5g Protein: 10g Vitamin A
267%
Vitamin C
62%
Calcium
12%
Iron
21%
PREPARATION
Heat olive oil in medium-sized Dutch oven or large pot. Sauté chopped onion, carrot, celery and turnip for two to three minutes. Add garlic and sauté one minute or until fragrant. Pour liquid from can of tomatoes into the pot, temporarily reserving the tomatoes. Pour the tomatoes into a bowl and crush them with your hands, then add to the pot. Season liberally with salt and adjust to taste. Add stock to pot and bring to a simmer. Add the remaining vegetables, herbs and grain. Cook until vegetables are tender; time will vary depending upon the vegetables used.
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Annette Slade Photography
Adam Kelinson is a professional chef and the founder of Organic Performance, Organicperformance.com, a nutrition consulting company in New York. He is an Ironman triathlete and has written on diet and nutrition for Inside Triathlon, TrailRunner and many nutrition websites. This recipe was taken from his book, The Athlete’s Plate, available in bookstores, tri shops and online at Velopress.com. october 2010
Nils Nilsen
Racing Weight
the Pros and cons of Workout Fasting By Matt Fitzgerald
S
everal years ago I used to run on occasion with a female friend who twice qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon. One day when I met her at her house for a run I brought over a canister of a 128
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sports drink that I was then getting for free and wanted her to try. When she mixed up a bottle in the kitchen I noticed that she used only half the recommended amount of powder. Bemused, I asked why. october 2010
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“It’s 120 calories per serving,” she said. “I don’t want all that.” I was surprised. My philosophy on the use of ergogenic or nutritional aids during workouts had always been to take in as many calories as I needed to maximize my performance. The idea that the calories I consumed during runs or rides might hinder my efforts to get leaner for racing never crossed my mind. But after witnessing my friend’s “workout fasting,” I began asking around and learned that many endurance athletes intentionally restrict their caloric intake during training to promote fat loss. Is there any validity to the fear that taking in sports drinks, gels and so forth in workouts makes it more difficult to shed excess body fat? Should you, at least in some circumstances, intentionally take in fewer calories than would be required to optimize your workout performance? Let’s look at the science. Athletes who fast, or who are tempted to fast, during workouts operate on the belief that the calories in ergogenic aids simply supplement the calories eaten during the rest of the day and thereby increase the day’s total calorie intake. But this is not the case. Studies have shown that when athletes consume carbohydrates during exercise, they eat less during the rest of the day. So, for instance, by using a sports drink during workouts you get the advantage of better performance without the disadvantage of increased total daily calorie intake. The other fear that lies behind the choice to restrict carbohydrate intake during workouts is that doing so reduces the amount of fat burned during the workout. This is true. Your body will burn more carbs and less fat in workouts during which you consume carbs than during workouts in which you fast. But this does not mean that using a sports drink during workouts will make it harder for you to shed excess body fat. With respect to losing body fat, what matters is not the type of calories
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2XUhp_TriMag_prelim.indd 1
you burn during workouts but how many calories you burn, and you will usually burn more calories in carb-fueled workouts because you will be able to work harder in those workouts. The reason it doesn’t matter whether you burn primarily fat or carbs during workouts is this: During the hours that follow a workout in which you burn mostly carbs, your body will burn mostly fat. And during the hours that follow a workout in which you burn mostly fat, your body will burn mostly carbs. Research has consistently shown that the most effective workouts for fat loss are high-intensity interval workouts that burn mostly carbs. Why? Because the body burns a ton of fat after such workouts. So don’t worry about the fact that your body will burn less fat during carb-fueled workouts. You’ll come out ahead in the long run. Does all of this mean you should never intentionally restrict carbohydrate intake during workouts that are long enough for carb consumption to make a difference (roughly one hour and up)? No. There are benefits associated with occasional workout fasting, but they have nothing to do with getting leaner. It so happens that some of the positive physiological adaptations to training are triggered by depletion of the body’s internal carbohydrate stores. When you consume carbs during a workout, your body’s carb stores become less depleted and there’s less stimulus for positive adaptations. In addition, it has been shown that performing longer workouts without taking in carbs increases the body’s fatburning capacity during exercise, which aids performance in longdistance races. It’s not necessary to withhold carbs in every long workout to maximize fitness gains and fatburning capacity, but it’s a good idea to do it occasionally. Matt Fitzgerald is the author of Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance (VeloPress, 2009, Velopress.com). october 2010
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TECH SUPPORT TRIATHLETE’S GARAGE TRI’D AND TESTED GEAR BAG october 2010
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understanding press-Fit By Ian Buchanan Dear Tech SupporT, What are the advantages and drawbacks of the new press-fit bottom brackets and cranks? Which press-fit size is the best and can a current bike be converted? Ted
TeD, First, a brief history: Press-fit, or integrated, bottom brackets were actually introduced decades ago in BMX, but have taken some time to be refined to the point where they work well universally in multi-gear applications. The first integrated bottom bracket designs in multi134
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speed bikes that I remember were in the early 1990s when Gary Fisher, Klein and Merlin all offered bikes with threadless bottom bracket shells. These designs used cartridge bearings that were pressed around the bottom bracket spindle and were held in place with metal circlips. In addition to being a chore to service, the biggest limitation of these designs was that they were only compatible with the square taper spindle cranks that were popular at the time. As improvements in bottom bracket crank design were released, these early integrated bottom bracket frames became obsolete, as they were simply not compatible.
One other company was working on integrated designs in the early 1990s—Cannondale. While the initial Cannondale crank designs had some compromises, Cannondale continued to develop the idea and in 2000 introduced “SI” (System Integrated). SI took the crank and bottom bracket concept one step further by adding the frame into the system, creating what we now know as a press-fit frame. Cannondale offered the new design as an international standard (available to any frame manufacturer that wanted to use it at no cost) and named it BB30 after the 30mm diameter of the crank spindle. While integrated bottom brackets are not the standard yet, you will see more and more of them each year. Big bike manufacturers such as Trek, Specialized and Giant have put integrated bottom brackets into some of their frames over the past few years while specialty builders such as Parlee and Guru now offer BB30 in some models as well. There will likely never be a universal standard for press-fit frames—Trek uses their own 90mm wide bottom bracket shell they call BB90 in some road models; Giant and Scott’s press-fit road options use a standard developed with Shimano called BB83. However, while it is a good idea to check compatibility and adapter options if you want to use a specific crank and frame together before you buy, the relative simplicity of the press-fit design means that most press-fit frames will work with a wide variety of cranks. Can you convert an existing bike with a threaded bottom bracket to press-fit? No. However, you can still take advantage of some of the benefits the concept has produced. Modern external bearings cranks, whether used in a press-fit or threaded frame, offer many weight and stiffness benefits compared to earlier designs. Also, if you want to use an oversized BB30 axle in your threaded frame, Zipp offers ultra-thin walled threaded cups with its light and stiff 30mm spindle equipped VumaQuad and VumaChrono cranks. Of course, for those with a press-fit frame, Zipp offers BB30 adapters too. I would not use integrated bottom bracket design as a criteria for buying or not buying a frame or bike at this point—there are other far more important variables such as fit and ride quality, to name a couple. But, as press-fit designs become more refined and solid, you will see more and more frames that use it. Like the threadless headset, press-fit bottom brackets do the same job as threaded, but are lighter, simpler, stiffer and cheaper to produce. Ian Buchanan is co-owner of Fit Werx with locations in Waitsfield, Vt., and Peabody, Mass., and offers cycling and triathlon products, specialty bicycle fitting and analysis services, consultation, and technology research. Visit Fitwerx.com. october 2010
Nils Nilsen
T e ch Suppor T
2010 TRIATHLON TEAM
T Ri aT hl e T e ’s g a R a ge
Blue Triad sP By AAron HersH
T
The Blue Triad SP retails for $2,770
Spec
fit
aero detailS
Budget SenSitive, moderate performance The Triad SP is built with a hodgepodge of budget-sensitive components. Blue combined a SRAM rear derailleur and shifters with a Shimano cassette and chain, and a FSA crankset and front derailleur. Component companies such as SRAM and Shimano work hard to ensure compatibility between their drivetrain components, and this mixed kit doesn’t shift as crisply as a complete group from a single manufacturer. Although these parts aren’t the ideal combination, they are still functional and more than sufficient for a tri bike. The Profile Design T2+ aerobar that comes with the Triad SP has a tall stack height to the top of the elbow pads, which further accentuates the frame’s conservative geometry.
perfect for a conServative poSition Many tri bikes were originally designed for professional road cycling teams, not the triathletes who actually buy the bikes. Those high-level road cyclists never run after a bike race, so they can contort themselves into positions that would cripple many triathletes. Some triathletes can certainly fit on those same bikes but the rest of us are often forced to jury-rig a sustainable position with spacers and tall aerobars. Unlike bikes designed for road time trialists who often ride in incredibly low positions, the Blue Triad SP is designed specifically for triathletes looking to ride in a more comfortable, upright position. It has a typical steep seat tube angle but a taller front end than many other tri bikes. This combination can take stress off the lower back, neck and hip flexors. Combine the tall frame with the tall Profile T2+ aerobars that come on the SP, and this bike is an ideal match for the athlete looking for a more relaxed position—not the right choice for the rider looking to get low.
aero deSign trickled down from the $5,000 model at a reaSonaBle price The Triad SP has the exact same shape as the more expensive Triad, and its aerodynamic features can match nearly any bike in the sub-$3,000 price range. The shape of the head tube and downtube has a huge influence on the wind drag created by the frame and those tubes are built with textbook airfoil profiles. The rear brake is hidden beneath the bottom bracket. The aerodynamic benefit of this location is up for debate, however, and it limits the brake calipers that can be used on the Triad. The cables route cleanly into the frame behind the stem and are guided all the way to the derailleurs, but they can be difficult to route through the frame. Both the seatstays and the chainstays are tightly tucked against the rear wheel, which Blue says reduces the Triad’s frontal surface area in some wind conditions. This impressive list of aero features is competitive with any bike at this terrestrial price point.
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he Blue Triad SP is a true triathlon bike, designed for a specific type of rider. There are many great triathlon bikes priced at less than $3,000 and most of them are built with geometry that accommodates a low and aggressive position. But not everyone who wants a fast bike prefers that riding style, and the Triad SP is the bike for riders looking for a technologically advanced machine with a tall front end designed for a conservative position. If you want to slam your bars as low as possible, the Triad SP is not the right bike for you, but if an aerodynamically advanced, value-oriented tri bike built for a comfortable position meets your needs, the Blue Triad SP is an ideal match.
ride not the StiffeSt, But Smooth and Steady The Triad SP is a smooth-riding bike. It isn’t as snappy as some carbon frames, but its buttery ride mutes all but the roughest pavement vibrations. Even though the Triad SP isn’t the stiffest tri frame on the market, I didn’t notice the flex unless sprinting all out, and that probably isn’t a good idea in a triathlon anyway. The Triad SP handles quickly, but doesn’t make wild or jerky turns. Its tall geometry takes some of the weight off the front wheel and prevents the bike from veering off course during a break in concentration.
october 2010
Cut Your Race Costs with the Help of TriBike Transport (because we know you went over budget on your bike)
TriBike Transport, the preferred transport service for Ironman athletes, is proud to announce a new agreement with United Airlines. TriBike Transport customers, family members and friends can now save up to 15% on airfare with United to our supported events. TriBike Transport is also pleased to offer customers, friends and family 15% off on hotel rates with Choice Hotels and 20% off on rental car costs. Visit www.tribiketransport.com for full details on how to start saving! TriBike Transport is the premier transport service to North American Ironman, Half Ironman and destination events. TriBike Transport offers a convenient alternative to packing and paying oversized baggage fees by major airlines when traveling with your bike to an event. Athletes never have to dismantle their bike and it is ready to ride when you arrive on site. Let us transport your tribike hassle free today!
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Nils Nilsen
T r i’ d a nd T e s T e d
new Balance n8 By AAron HersH
T
he end of the triathlon racing season is fast approaching and the off-season is more than just a time to rest—it’s an opportunity to jump to another level of fitness in one sport. If you are looking to reinvent yourself as a runner, the New Balance N8 tracks all the functions needed to dial in your training—pace, distance, cadence and heart rate.
speed functions The N8 measures speed and distance with a foot pod that straps onto the shoe. The pod works like a simple version of a Nintendo Wii remote. It has an accelerometer—a gadget that records changes in speed—that calculates how far your foot travels with each step. The watch adds up the distance of each stride and divides by the total time to give running speed. To test the N8’s accuracy, our tester recorded the time it took them to cover a specific distance when running on a track and over a pre-measured road course. We divided the distance by the time to calculate their actual running 138
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speed and compared that to the speed recorded by the N8*. Our tester unit was within 5% of the actual running speed and distance on the track and it performed best when running in a straight line. In addition to providing a close estimate of running speed and distance, the New Balance N8 measures cadence exactly. Tracking cadence during a run is a good way to monitor changes in gait and helps the runner maintain proper form, so the pod provides additional value in this respect. *The formula used is as follows: time (minutes) / distance(miles) = 1/velocity = pace (min per mile).
other uses
What it’s missing
The N8 measures heart rate and time in addition to data from the foot pod. It holds pre-programmed heart rate zones to ensure the runner is training at the right intensity level. The watch can display any three measurements at one time but two of the three display areas are small and difficult to read mid-stride.
GPS watches produce nearly the same data as the N8. They do not measure cadence, but GPS run watches provide mapping functions that are a great way to find, record and review training routes on websites such as MapMyRun.com. GPS computers do not work when running under any type of cover but the N8 can record data in any situation.
ease of use Setting the N8 takes some time and a very specific series of button presses, but the instruction booklet is clear and concise. Once the watch is programmed and calibrated, changing the display format, recording data during a run and reviewing it after a workout is simple and easy. Storing all this data takes a lot of space, however, and the N8 can only store 10 runs at one time so be sure to fill out a log book.
Bottom line No current run computer measures speed or distance perfectly. The speed and distance information provided by the N8 is accurate enough to provide training guidance but it does not give precise speed and distance. In addition to the speed info, the New Balance N8 can help a runner improve form and efficiency by monitoring cadence, and no GPS can provide that data. october 2010
GeaR BaG
Wind Cheating Wheels Reviewed By AAron HersH ace wheels are not the most cost-efficient way to improve your bike split, but they may be the sexiest. However, those deep rims aren’t just for looks: The rim is the most critical component of an aerodynamic wheel. Triathlon race wheels reduce wind drag by converting a standard tire and rim into an aerodynamically efficient shape. Designing race wheels with deep rims is the most common way manufacturers reduce drag, but the rim’s shape is just as important as its depth. The first aero wheels utilized narrow V-shaped rims but aerodynamicists eventually figured out that certain wide and deep rims actually create less drag than narrower alternatives. Zipp and Hed have dominated the race wheel market for many years because they shared a patent on the most aerodynamic rim shape—the toroidal rim. This bulged rim shape creates less drag than a deep-V rim even when the rider is in a gentle crosswind. The patent on this valuable rim shape just expired, leaving the race wheel market open to serious new competitors. No one has grabbed this opportunity yet, but Zipp has already designed and patented a new shape that it asserts is even more aerodynamic than a toroidal rim.
Photos by Nils Nilsen
R
The anonymous aerodynamicisT on The Topic of rim depTh A wheel with a deep rim is not necessarily more aerodynamic than one with a shallower rim. There are two types of aerodynamic drag: pressure drag and frictional drag. Frictional drag is the resistance created by air rubbing against an object as it passes over. Pressure drag occurs when air separates from an object as it passes over it, which creates a large air pressure difference in front of and behind the object. This difference creates a force on the object in the direction of the wind. At the speeds bicycles travel, pressure drag is the predominant form of drag so aero
wheels are designed to keep the flow attached to the surface of the wheel to minimize pressure drag. The shape of the rim, not just the depth, determines if air will stick to the surface or flutter off to the sides. A deep rim that is the wrong shape will still see flow separation in even minimal crosswinds and, consequently, will create a lot of pressure drag. A rim that is shaped to allow air to gently transition from the tire to the brake track and onto the rim body reduces the wheel’s aerodynamic drag more effectively than any other characteristic.
The evoluTion of race wheels Traditional
Box rim
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Cutting edge
deep v
sTraighT walled
Toroidal
wide Brake Track Toroidal
wide Brake Track wide id
october 2010
Gear BaG ZiPP 404 carbon clincHer
$2700 ride quality: 130/140.6 (Our product ratings are depicted as a fraction of 140.6, the number of miles in an Ironman. ) It corners like a tubular but the carbon brake track isn’t as grippy as an aluminum rim. usability: 125/140.6. The clincher tires make changing a flat simple, but the wide rim requires a brake adjustment when going from a standard training wheel to these. Value: 128/140.6 Cutting edge aero profile and carbon clincher rims make it a phenomenal piece of wheel technology, but it is still really pricey. aero ProFile: Truly the next generation.
Hed Jet 9 and Jet disc clincHer Jet 9 Front $800, Jet disc $1050 ride quality: 120/140.6 Aluminum brake track grips perfectly, and the spoked disc corners better than any rival, but the deep front rim can feel twitchy in the wind and the Jet wheels’ relatively stout weight makes them slow to accelerate. usability: 130/140.6 Clincher tires. Aluminum brake track. Solid cornering characteristics. The only issue is spreading the brake calipers to accommodate the wide rim and handling the front wheel in a crosswind. Value: 133/140.6 Best aero profile for the price in the industry, but the flexible fairings give the wheels a cheap feel. aero ProFile: Hed Jet wheels are simply standard aluminum rim wheels covered with carbon fairings. The fairing is flexible and feels a bit chintzy. Despite their low production value, the Jet 9 and Jet disc are near the pinnacle of wheel aerodynamics. The key to their aerodynamic efficiency is the smooth integration between the rim and the tire. Its 23mm wide brake track, as opposed to a conventional 19mm wide track, turns the wheel and tire combination into one smooth toroidal unit.
october 2010
Despite the name, the biggest difference between the Zipp 404 Carbon Clinchers and competitors’ race wheels is not the fact that they are carbon clinchers. Other manufacturers have, in fact, been successfully producing carbon clinchers for a couple of years. The 404 CCs are a milestone in race wheel design because of their evolutionary rim shape and unmatched combination of speed, weight and usability. Like the Hed Jets, the 404 CCs have an ultra-wide brake track to improve wheel aerodynamics, but Zipp has taken the toroidal rim shape one step further with its new Firecrest rim profile. The rim of the 404 CCs is not only incredibly aerodynamic, but the wide brake track also creates a silky ride experience that can only be matched by tubular tires and other wide clinchers. Widening the brake track increases the amount of air held in the tire and lets it absorb little bumps in the road that would normally skip the rider off the pavement. This buttery ride quality, combined with the incredibly light rims, make the 404 CCs a thrill on the road. Even with the carbon rim they are still heavier than comparable tubular wheels, but the 404 CCs are more nimble and eager to accelerate than any aero clincher wheel I’ve ever ridden.
Until just three years ago, even the most aerodynamic wheels in the world had an obvious design flaw. The rims themselves had an efficient toroidal profile but, with a tire on, the wheels became a figure eight because they had a narrow brake track that formed a waist between the wide tire and wide rim. Mad scientist Steve Hed was the first to solve this problem by building an aero wheel with a wide brake track that smoothly transitions from rim to tire and makes the entire system, rather than just the rim, fully toroidal. Not only is the Jet disc aerodynamic, but it rides better than any other disc because of its construction. It has sheets of carbon covering a conventional spoked wheel to give it the aerodynamic properties of a disc. Foam core discs transmit more road vibration than spoked wheels and this makes the ride feel harsh and compromises cornering because the wheel bounces off the pebbles in an asphalt road. The Jet disc rides like a spoked wheel because it is a spoked wheel.
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Gear BaG Easton EC90 tt
$1699 RidE Quality: 135/140.6 Wide rim clinchers are great, but nothing rides as well as a tubular tire. Easton’s mastery of carbon construction is evident when jamming these wheels into a high speed corner or accelerating away from T1. The light yet stiff rims accelerate and corner like a motorcycle. The rim sidewalls are paper thin but the wheels are still stiffer than many of the bulkier race wheels on the market. The snappy and responsive ride distinguishes the EC90 TTs from many other tri race wheels. usability: 100/140.6 Tubulars are a pain to install and expensive to replace. ValuE: 118/140.6 They are light and fun to ride but lack the formerly patented aerodynamic toroidal rim that separates Zipp and Hed wheels from the rest. aERo PRofilE: The EC90 TTs have a hurdle to overcome to compete against the incumbent industry-leading race wheels. Although the EC90s have a deep rim, the straight-walled shape has been shown to be slightly less aerodynamic than the toroidal shape (see VeloNews, Sept. 2010, “Knife the Wind”), but that doesn’t mean that the EC90 TTs aren’t great wheels.
The Triathlete delivers speed, strength and control. At Vittoria, we think your tires should too. Triathlon EVO Cs, Diamante Pro Light and Rubino Pro slick: Made for tri, commited to you! Vittoria. YOuR tires.
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your tires. RuBINO PRO sLICk | 150 TPI Nylon . Training Clincher . Optimum performance (215 g) . Excellent mileage and reliability Matthew Reed | us National Team professional triathlete
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october 2010
Gear BaG SRAM S80 wheelSet
$1190 Ride QuAlity: 90/140.6 The S80s weigh more than some training wheels and have a standard, narrow clincher rim so they aren’t a blast to ride. uSAbility: 130/140.6 The narrow clincher rim makes swapping wheels and changing a flat easy. The deep front wheel catches air like any other 82mm deep rim. VAlue: 128/140.6 Moderately priced with the rim shape that made the Zipp 808 an aerodynamic marvel. AeRo PRofile: These SRAM wheels are built on Zipp-designed rims. They have the same shape as the previous generation Zipp 808 clinchers that sold for more than $2,300. Lower grade hubs, cheaper spokes and no dimples are the differences between the 808s and the S80s, but they still have the all-important toroidal rim shape. The S80s are not light but once they are up to speed, they keep rolling because of the aero rim. They do not, however, have a wide brake track to take full advantage of the toroidal shape like the pricier wheels from Zipp and Hed. They provide most of the performance of the most expensive race wheels at a sensible, although certainly not cheap, price.
october 2010
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Stick To Your Race Plan BY ANDY POTTS
I
n racing there is what you want to have happen and what actually happens. These two possibilities are not mutually exclusive but often require a magical day to come together. Most of my races fall somewhere in between. Fortunately, I usually have a plan in mind for anything that can happen during a race to adversely affect my outcome. Having a plan is a great place to start and half the battle. Conversely, having a strategy for all potential scenarios is only effective if you can enact it. My race strategy starts with the distance of the race: Is it an Olympic, half-iron or an Ironman? Once that is established I look at the conditions of the race. Will it be hot or cold weather? Will it be humid or dry, rainy or windy? Will it be hilly or flat? Then I reflect on my preparation leading up to the race. Am I swimming exceptionally well? Have I been riding the house down or have I been tearing up the trails on my runs? I try to gauge where I will be strong and where I will be weak if the pressure is on during a particular leg of the race. Only after looking into each of the location and training factors do I then look 144
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at my competition. Oftentimes, I won’t even consider who is at the race—I only aspire to be fully prepared no matter who may be there and no matter how the race plays out. If the race calls for a deviation from the original plan, then sometimes you just have to abort your plan and race. My best race plans have contingencies in them. However, if you have to react to something that happens during a race and your body isn’t prepared for it, then it won’t really matter how many contingencies you have planned for. There is no substitute for hard work no matter how diligently you strategize. Triathletes often ask me for one key tip before a race. The biggest tip I can offer anyone is about strategy: Don’t overdo the first three to five minutes of each leg. Take the mental approach to build the first three to five minutes of each discipline. Setting up each leg is just as important physically as it is mentally. Once you’ve established your rhythm you can start to dig into the race. If you can build into each leg, you’ll be prepared to react to anything, such as if the wind changes direction or if a
competitor starts turning the screws to up the pace. If three to five minutes isn’t long enough to establish a good rhythm for longer distances, extend it to 10 or 15 minutes. When devising a race plan you need to take an honest look at your strengths and weaknesses. If you have the tendency to flame out or bonk during workouts, use that knowledge to your advantage. Start conservatively and then try to build during each leg so that you have enough energy to complete the race on a high note. If you find that you only get stronger during demanding workouts, a good strategy is to try to start off aggressively and hold on as best as you can. A great place to find your race plan is by objectively looking at your training and assessing where you are in your season. Another key to devising a successful race strategy is to assess your overall mental approach and your general physical well-being leading up to each race. You’ll obviously need to tweak things if you haven’t had optimal training or were sick leading into a race weekend. If you have been on top of your game, you can choose to be more aggressive. There is nothing wrong with trying a new plan and reviewing the results to see if the plan is worth adopting. However, when you look at the results, take into account all of the circumstances that surround each event. Rudyard Kipling once penned, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs … If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds’ worth of distance run … Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it.” It is very difficult to stick to the plan when chaos is happening all around you. Among the characteristics it takes to adhere to your race strategy are discipline, courage and a firm belief in yourself. Those who have the fortitude to stick to their race plan, maintain a positive mental outlook during the race and have trained for the event will find success at the end of the line. I think it is much better to end your race on a high note, flying down the finishing chute, than it is to come limping home. If you can cross the finish line with your hands reaching in the air, with the knowledge that you gave it your best, then you know that you have a race strategy that you can continue to use and work toward in your training. A great race strategy has you reaching the finish line exhausted but exhilarated. After turning pro in 2003, Andy Potts earned a spot on the 2004 U.S. Olympic squad. Following a trajectory for podium finishes, he won his first ITU World Cup in 2005, won the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2007 and placed seventh in 2008 at Kona. Visit Andypottstri.com. october 2010
Larry Rosa
UP F RON T
Single Sport Envy SAMANTHA MCGLONE
M
y first (and only) cross country running nationals was less than spectacular; the team needed an extra body and I figured a weekend road trip to Montreal sounded like a good time. As expected, the post-race party was the highlight of the weekend. My teammates and I shyly ogled the “real runners,” the fast men and women who had just punched their tickets to the world championships. I could only imagine what it would be like to run that smoothly and effortlessly. There was no small measure of envy, knowing that as a triathlete I would never be able to experience that level of speed and efficiency. It was my first bout of “single sport envy.” All triathletes go through it at one point, being envious of those who excel in one of the three disciplines. Whether it stems from insecurity in our weaker events or from a feeling of missed opportunity in an individual sport, triathletes sometimes resent the “jack of all trades, master of none” reputation that accompanies multisport. Pro triathletes were often good—but not outstanding—single-sport athletes who fell into triathlon as a default when running, biking or swimming didn’t quite work out. A lingering sense of insecurity often comes along for the ride, and the single-sport athletes 146
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certainly do nothing to help bolster our egos. I have been the recipient of the smug looks from other Masters swimmers as I reach for a pull buoy to aid my ever-sinking quads. Cyclists are an even worse breed of snob, and proud of it. In their eyes, triathletes are second-class citizens (although they have happily adopted our aerobars, time-trial bikes and compression gear without admitting where they came from). Any attempt to join the local group ride on a TT bike will be met with silent avoidance or even outright hostility. When I ride the Shootout in Tucson, I show up with a road bike and a poker face. Sometimes my PowerBar logos give the game away, but as long as I don’t mention the word “triathlon” the guys can convince themselves that they are just getting beat by a girl. This is bad enough. Getting beat by a girl who isn’t even a “real cyclist,” just a triathlete, might be too much for their fragile egos to bear. The runners seem friendly enough, but their eyes tend to glaze over when we set up our bike trainers beside the track. Visualization and mental imagery can be helpful in these situations. Usually I visualize the skinny runner in the next lane being thrown into an open-water swim start and mentally cheer as those weak, inflexible ankles struggle to kick
through the choppy surf. Petty? Perhaps, but it makes me feel better about having to lug those extra swimming muscles through 26.2 miles. Most of all it reminds me that what we do is pretty darn hard too and deserves respect. My most violent bouts of single sport envy usually surface as I am packing my bike and paying the equivalent of an extra ticket in excess baggage fees (can’t I just buy it a seat and skip the packing step?) while my running counterparts stroll onto the plane with nothing more than a singlet and a backpack. It is at these moments that I take a deep breath and remind myself that it could be worse: I could be a pentathlete. The logistics of travelling with horses, swords and guns probably blow my one lowly bike box out of the water. When it all seems too much and single sport envy threatens to overwhelm the balance, try to remember that the advantages of being a triathlete far outweigh the disadvantages. Triathletes travel everywhere from big cities to funky small towns to exotic beach destinations and actually get a chance to take in some of the scenery. By default, a triathlon has to be held in a clean body of water surrounded by open roads on which to ride and run. Next time you are swimming through the ocean or pristine lake, spare a thought for those poor souls who travel across the world only to spend five days inside a track stadium or swimming pool. Those black lines look pretty much the same from London to Tokyo. Triathletes also hold the advantage in the injury department. Chronic overuse injuries prevail in any endurance sport, but the combination of swimming, running and biking mean that we get the benefit of balanced muscle development and core strength. Injured runners are commonly told to add cross-training to their regimes; triathletes are already well ahead of the game in that respect. So far, the only antidote to single sport envy is to interact with someone with a case of multisportitis. Ten years after I experienced my first bout, I ran into one of the very same “real runners” that had helped convince me that my skills were better suited to triathlon than the 10K. Long since retired from competitive running, this two-time Olympian approached me and introduced himself. He was excited to meet me, he said. He was nervous about doing his first Ironman next summer and wanted to ask advice from a “real pro.” I smiled and the envy instantly dissipated. Samantha McGlone is an Olympian and Ironman 70.3 world champion. She finished second at the Ironman World Championship in 2007 and is the current Ironman Arizona course record holder. october 2010
Nils Nilsen
T ICK E T PU NCH
Can You Handle The Heat? BY MELANIE MCQUAID
O
nly this year have I started to really delve into the research behind heat acclimation. I typically don’t struggle in low humidity heat situations, such as the desert in the summer, nor do I find the temperature in Maui difficult to manage as it is generally breezy. However, I do race in the East and Southeast regions of the U.S. at least once per year and if I am to be humbled by weather, this is where it always occurs. I think I’ve never really respected the need to acclimate to extreme humidity before races. Did you know it can take up to 14 days for you to fully acclimate your body? Adaptation to physical exertion in high temperatures results in a decreased heart rate, core rectal (insert giggle here) temperature, perceived exertion as well as increased plasma volume and sweat rate. During the first few days of experiencing high heat and humidity, athletes have a reduced ability to exercise at the intensity or duration that they can in milder temperatures. After several days of exercise and heat exposure, the body adapts to the combined stress of an increase in internal metabolic heat production and increased ambient temperature. Athletes who adapt to heat by performing controlled exercise for five to 14 days show an increase in exercise tolerance time and a decrease in the psychological rating of their perceived exertion. The last adaptation can make or break your race: Just thinking you feel better can make you go faster. Adaptation is an important pre-race plan. The majority of acclimation, about 80 percent of it, takes place in the first seven days of heat exposure. [4] 148
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The body cools itself through conduction, convection and evaporation. Conduction is when heat is transferred from the body to a cooler or warmer object on or near the skin, like a cooling vest or a heat blanket. Convection is when cooler air is passed over the skin, as with a fan or wind. Evaporation performs 80 percent of heat dissipation during high intensity activity and is accomplished primarily through water loss on the skin through sweating. When heat acclimation occurs, the body improves its ability to transfer heat from the core through increased sweat rate, increased sweat sensitivity and decreased sodium loss in relation to the total sweat volume.1 However, in order to take advantage of your acclimated ability to cool your body through an increased sweat rate, you must replace lost fluids or you’ll face an increased risk of dehydration. During intense activity, an acclimated athlete can lose up to three liters of fluid per hour, depending on an individual’s sweat rate.3 Monitoring fluid loss and managing replacement is the second key factor to performing at your potential in the heat after acclimation. The reason acclimation makes a difference for athletes is two-fold. Once heat acclimation is achieved the body is able to sweat more with less sodium loss, which reduces core temperature. At lower core temperature, less blood is needed at the skin, which maintains stroke volume in the heart and this improves performance at high intensities. So besides drinking fluids, is there anything else that can help?
Towels on your head might feel good, but actually don’t do anything to facilitate cooling. Cold sponges and ice cubes next to the skin can improve conduction of heat from the body. Reducing the length and intensity of your warm-up to control core temperature before your actual race or hard workout is a good idea. Training early in the morning to avoid the worst of the heat can preserve your energy for the race. Limiting training sessions to 90 minutes or less to avoid too much accumulation of lactic acid from heat stress can also help, as does reducing the overall workload by more than half versus training in mild temperatures during the first few days of heat exposure. When you decide to facilitate full acclimatization to heat, reducing your workload drastically in the first few days and then increasing it once your body is acclimated can allow for better training in hot temperatures. Some physical attributes can affect heat tolerance. Age or sex have not been scientifically proven to affect heat tolerance although aging will affect recovery and so, with time, an older athlete will tolerate fewer mistakes with heat stress. Large people have a smaller body surface area-to-mass ratio for the evaporation of sweat compared to a smaller person and are shown to have poorer responses to heat stress. Reducing body fat can help with heat tolerance as the insular quality of fat that helps so much in cold climates works equally well in hot environments, decreasing the body’s ability to transfer heat out of the body. It is true that the weather is the same for everyone on race day, but acclimation will help you attain your best performance in the heat. If you do everything right, the hot and humid conditions can be your secret weapon come race day. Melanie McQuaid is a three-time Xterra world champion and also owns several national and overall titles in Xterra racing. McQuaid specializes in off-road and half-iron distance racing. Off the race course, McQuaid is a gardener and oenophile with an addiction to vegetables, chocolate and pedicures. REFERENCES: 1. Armstrong, E. and C. Maresh. “Effects of training, environment, and host factors on sweating response to exercise.” International Journal of Sports Medicine Supplement, 19, 103-105 (1998). 2. Hubbard, R. and E. Armstrong. “Heat acclimatisation and decline in sweating during humidity transients.” International Journal of Sports Medicine Supplement, 19, 250-254 (1998). 3. Noakes, T. “Fluid replacement during exercise.” Exercise Sports Science Review, 21(2), 297-301 (1998). 4. Pandolf , K. “Time course of heat acclimatisation and its decay.” International Journal of Sports Medicine Supplement, 19, 51-55 (1998). october 2010
Nils Nilsen
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Learn to Be a Defensive Rider BY TIM DEBOOM
S
itting on my bike at the four-way stop, I tried to make eye contact with each of the drivers, to make sure they knew it was my turn to go. The looks I received, or possibly perceived, were disdain, anger and maybe even hate. I cannot say for sure that this is what they were feeling, but it was evident that they did not want to share the road with me. I felt as though they were three snarling beasts being reined by their handlers, just waiting to strike at the precise moment I dared to venture into the intersection. There was no altercation that day, and happily, any altercation is a rare occurrence. However, I may just be lucky since I ride my bike almost every day and constantly hear about other cyclist run-ins with motorists. Or my “luck” may have more to do with my perspective when I head out on my bike each day. I have had my share of incidents in the past, but one in particular gave me a wake-up call and set me on the road to becoming a truly defensive rider. Expecting the worst is not a fun way to start each day’s ride, but as I’ve noticed, most of my greatest fears lie in anticipation. Being mauled by a car surely ranks as one of 150
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my big concerns in life. I should probably knock on wood for even writing this column! In the winter of 1995, I was in Tucson, Ariz., training for my first professional season, finishing my final ride before I traveled to Argentina to compete in triathlon’s first appearance at the Pan American Games. About a mile from home, I was hit, or I should say, I hit the car that had turned directly in front of me, leaving me no option. After my front wheel crunched into the passenger side, I flew off my bike and over the hood. This all took place in slow motion and recurred in dreams for quite a while afterward. I awoke to several people standing over me, including EMT’s. Everyone was talking and asking questions, but the only voice I heard and cared about was the one asking, “Can you feel your legs?” That question will take your breath away. Thankfully, I could, and it made the extreme pain in my back more bearable. I ended up breaking three vertebrae, but I fully recovered physically and even got to race the second half of the season. Mentally, however, the effects were irreversible. I have never ridden a bike again without the lingering feeling of that crash lurking somewhere in my
subconscious. Beside the fact that the driver never even apologized, and the accident made me more timid on two wheels for a couple months, the final result was a positive one. My eyes were wide open to riding carefully and defensively. A friend told me to ride like I am invisible, meaning, that cars do not see me. I stopped rolling stop signs and red lights. I followed every rule of the road. Slowly, the habit of counting the number of times I almost died on a ride disappeared. I still have plenty of close calls out riding, but I have come to the conclusion that it is a 50-50 split between idiot drivers and idiot cyclists. Sometimes that ratio is even more skewed toward idiot cyclists. I am appalled at what I see out there sometimes. Boulder County has become a hotbed of cyclist-todriver animosity, and every day I see cyclists doing the exact things that infuriate drivers. Of course, there will always be the knucklehead who just wants to taunt cyclists and is mad that people could be out enjoying themselves when they have to go to work, but why give them the ammunition by riding two or three abreast, rolling through stop signs or taking a nature break in plain view of everyone? The cyclist never wins if it comes down to bike against car—that’s the takeaway in the argument. Most drivers do not realize just how easily their actions could kill someone on a bike. We all know someone who has been hit or even killed by a motorist. Nowadays, I am almost as fearful of hitting a cyclist myself while driving as I am of getting hit on my bike. Either situation would absolutely devastate my life. This is not meant to be a rant against drivers or a sermon to cyclists; I just hope that everyone can be more aware on the roads. No one deserves to be out there more than anyone else. The “I’m a taxpayer” arguments from drivers are weathered and old, just as cyclists overuse the “legality of riding two abreast.” Courtesy and common sense ultimately rule the road. In the end, if it all gets to be too much for you, just do what many, including myself, now do: occasionally take to the trails. It is quite liberating to ride on a sweet single track, knowing that there’s no chance of having an argument with an angry driver. While I am still a little nervous of running into something out there, a bear or deer would probably be more forgiving than a car. Pro triathlete Tim DeBoom is a two-time winner of the Ironman World Championship. Most recently, DeBoom won the 2010 Ironman 70.3 Hawaii. Visit Timdeboom. com for more information and to read his blog. october 2010
a t t he r a c es “Watch out for the climb at mile 12!” Wouldn’t it be nice to read about a race before you sign up? Now you can. Active.com introduces Ratings & Reviews!
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Rated 8 times
Matt Moses/Competitive Image
AmericAns reed And HAskins repeAt in minneApolis
Sarah Haskins had the fastest bike split of the women, giving her the lead at the start of the run.
152
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october 2010
a t t he r a c es “Super challenging, but fun!”
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Paul Phillips/Competitive Image
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Matt Reed entered T2 behind Cameron Dye but passed him early in the run and held on to his lead over Matt Chrabot.
Life Time fiTness TriaThLon July 10, 2010–Minneapolis 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run Swim
Bike
1. Sarah Haskins (USA)
19:22
1:03:32 36:39 2:00:50
Run
Total
2. Rebeccah Wassner (USA) 19:21
1:04:20 37:40 2:02:42
3. Mary Beth Ellis (USA)
00:00* 00:00*
39:22 2:04:37
4. Sara McLarty (USA)
18:18
1:04:33 44:01 2:08:18
5. Pip Taylor (AUS)
19:23
1:07:31 40:34 2:08:49
Men
Swim
Bike
Run
1. Matt Reed (USA)
17:56
57:00
32:30 1:48:34
Total
2. Matt Chrabot (USA)
00:00* 00:00*
32:38 1:48:42
3. Craig Alexander (AUS)
18:18
58:04
32:14 1:49:45
4. Filip Ospaly (CZE)
18:20
59:34
31:48 1:50:49
5. Clark Ellice (USA)
18:37
59:11
32:26 1:51:23
*Split times not available 154
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october 2010
Matt Moses/Competitive Image
Reigning Ironman world champion Craig Alexander rounded out the podium.
WoMen
LOTTERY OPENS NOVEMBER 1, 12:01 AM
a t t he r a c es
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Lieto and Carfrae dominate ironman 70.3 Vineman
156
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Larry Rosa
Athletes swam 1.2 miles in a dammed section of the Russian River in Guerneville, Calif.
october 2010
a t t he r a c es
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158
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Tri 1-2 Hort.indt 1
Larry Rosa
Aussie Mirinda Carfrae biked past vineyards in Sonoma County, Calif., before using her 1:16:52 run to take the win.
october 2010 7/8/10 11:51 AM
a t t he r a c es “The volunteers were amazing!” Wouldn’t it be nice to read about a race before you sign up? Now you can. Active.com introduces Ratings & Reviews!
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Ironman 70.3 VIneman July 18, 2010–Sonoma County, Calif. 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run Women
Swim
Bike
Run
Total
1. Mirinda Carfrae (AUS)
28:40 2:27:42 1:16:52 4:15:51
2. Leanda Cave (GBR)
26:55 2:28:57 1:23:15 4:22:03
3. Tyler Stewart (USA)
32:42 2:23:17 1:25:54 4:25:11
4. Melanie McQuaid (CAN) 29:25 2:25:29 1:29:25 4:27:02 30:39 2:25:04 1:27:57 4:27:17
men
Swim
1. Chris Lieto (USA)
25:45 2:08:49 1:16:44 3:54:05
2. Kieran Doe (NZL)
25:44 2:12:06 1:19:53 4:00:23
3. James Cotter (USA)
25:44 2:17:38 1:16:35 4:02:39
4. Jamie Whyte (NZL)
27:07 2:17:43 1:16:47 4:04:21
5. Paul Attard (AUS)
29:08 2:17:56 1:15:09 4:05:02
Bike
Run
Total
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october 2010
Larry Rosa
American Chris Lieto’s 2:08:49 bike split and strong run gave him a six-minute lead over runner-up Kieran Doe at the finish.
5. Angela Naeth (CAN)
SCIENCE & NUTRITION
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BY MARK HANSEN
Athletes of all ages and from all sports have long sought ways to improve their performance through nutritional supplements and creative training strategies. A new supplement developed for competitive athletes is generating controversy and threatening to revolutionize several endurance sports. The product that has been generating so much debate is EPO BOOST™; an all-natural supplement developed by U.S. based Biomedical Research Laboratories. EPO is industry shorthand for erythropoietin, a hormone produced by the kidneys that regulates red blood cell (RBC) production. Increasing red blood cell production has long been the focus of competitive athletes due to the impact of RBC levels on oxygen intake and utilization. The greater the red blood cell production, the greater the body’s ability to absorb oxygen, which in turn gives an athlete more strength and endurance. Strength and endurance are precious resources to any athlete. Thus competitive athletes have tried various techniques to gain an advantage by increasing EPO and RBC levels. Traditional techniques for boosting RBC levels include synthetic drugs and blood doping. These practices are both dangerous and banned by organized sports associations. Fans of EPO BOOST™ point out that the patentpending formula is all-natural and is clinically proven to increase erythropoietin levels, resulting in greater strength and endurance. The scientific evidence behind EPO BOOST™ does seem to represent a breakthrough in sports medicine. A 28-day double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial, performed by Dr. Whitehead from the Department of Health and Human Performance at Northwestern State University, showed that the ingredients found in EPO BOOST™ increased EPO production by over
90% compared to the group taking the placebo1. The supplement group also showed dramatic improvements in athletic performance (as measured by VO2max and running economy). One of the active ingredients in the formula is Echinacea Purpurea, an herb that stimulates the immune system and is normally associated with alternative treatments for the common cold. Surprisingly, Dr. Whitehead’s study revealed that Echinacea promotes a substantial increase in natural levels of EPO (erythropoietin). Industry experts were shocked to discover that this simple herb had such an effect on the body.
“A 28-day double-blind placebocontrolled clinical trial showed a 90% increase in EPO production and dramatic improvements in athletic performance.”
Since its release last year, competitive athletes have flocked to this new supplement, which offers all the benefits of greater EPO levels with none of the dangerous side effects or legal trouble. A company spokesman confirmed that the patent-pending formula contains active components that have been shown to boost EPO levels, resulting in greater strength and endurance. Jason Walkley, a member of the Royal Air Force Elite Triathlon Team in the United Kingdom claimed an increased tolerance to fatigue after taking EPO BOOST™. Jason stated, “I recently ran a 26.2km race completely at my Lactate Turn Point (LTP) without a drop in pace, and with 5 km to go I really turned the screw on my competitors and increased my pace significantly over the last 5km.” Mr. Walkley is not alone in his praise of the product. Ursula Frans, a top marathon runner from South Africa used EPO BOOST™
in her preparation for this year’s Two Oceans Marathon. Having finished in the top 20, she stated that her performance and endurance were substantially improved with EPO BOOST™. The product has appeared in several magazines and dozens of websites and blogs. According to published reports, the promise of EPO enhancing products has even been picked up by Olympic athletes such as Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres. Not everyone is so endeared to the product. Several athletes have said the supplement gives some athletes an unfair advantage. They describe the performance improvements as “unnatural” and pointed to athletes from cycling and long distance running as evidence that people are catching on to the supplement and using it for a competitive advantage. Any athlete can use EPO BOOST™ without a prescription and without changing a diet or exercise regimen. The company offers an unparalleled guarantee. Athletes can use the product for a full 90 days and if not completely satisfied, send back whatever product is remaining - even an empty bottle - and get a ‘no questions asked’ refund. A company spokesman, speaking off the record, admitted that the product doesn’t work overnight and that most athletes won’t see the extreme performance enhancements for up to four weeks. In a world infatuated with instant success, that kind of realistic admission might cost some sales but is likely to keep customers happy. While the controversy over the advantage athletes using EPO BOOST™ are obtaining is unlikely to go away anytime soon, one thing is for sure: blood doping and synthetic drugs are a thing of the past now that amateurs and professionals alike can tap into a natural product that generates Olympian-like strength and endurance. Biomedical Research Laboratories accepts orders from its website at www.EPOBOOST.com. A company spokesman confirmed a special offer: if you order this month, you’ll receive FREE ENROLLMENT into the company’s Elite Athlete Club where you’ll qualify to receive a full 25% discount on all your bottles of EPO BOOST™. And so you don’t go a day without EPO BOOST™ in your system – increasing your endurance, you’ll automatically receive a fresh bottle every 30-days and your credit card will be billed the Elite Athlete Club Member Price of $44.95 plus S/H – not the $59.95 fee non-members have to pay. There are no minimum amounts of bottles to buy and you can cancel at any time. The number to call is 1-800-590-6545, and you can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. � 1. Whitehead et al. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 17 (2007): 378-9.
a t t he r a c es “Watch out for the climb at mile 12!” Wouldn’t it be nice to read about a race before you sign up? Now you can. Active.com introduces Ratings & Reviews!
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Wassner TWins and Ospaly On TOp in nauTica nyc TriaThlOn
Twin sisters Rebeccah and Laurel Wassner, who both live in New York, finished in first and second respectively.
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Justin Lee
Volunteers help age-groupers exit the Hudson River after a 1500-meter swim.
october 2010
SISTER MADONNA BUDER KAREN SMYERS JULIE MOSS MARK ALLEN THOMAS HELLRIEGEL HELL TEAM HOYT DAVID BAILEY AND CARLOS MOLEDA PAULA ULA NEWBY-FRASER ANDRE NIEDRIG ANDREAS GREG WELCH ROBERT MCKEAGUE SARAH REINERTSEN
INSPIRATION DEDICATION CELEBRATION
PETER REID NATASCHA BADMANN MARC HERREMANS HERR NORMANN STADLER CHRISSIE WELLINGTON
PETER REID NATASCHA BADMANN MARC HERREMA EMA NORMANN STA CHRISSIE WELLINGTON
SISTER MADONNA BUDER KAREN SMYERS THOMAS From the moment the starting gunHELLRIEGEL is fiRIEGEL red on Kona’s sandy beach, triathletes have 17 hours to cross the finish DAVID BAILEY AND CARLOS CARLO MOLEDA line. Those hours test men and women, forcing them to look deep SISTER MADONNA BUDER KAREN SMYERS ANDRE NIEDRIG ANDREAS RIG within themselves, revealing both heroes and champions. HOMAS HELLRIEGEL ROBERT MCKEAGUE SARAH REINERTSEN 17 Hours to Glory celebrates the ultimate achievements of seventeen DAVID BAILEY AND CARLOS MOLEDA athletes with unbelievable drive and true strength of character, each PETE REID PETER portrait building a picture of triathlon’s most storied race. ANDREAS NIEDRIG NATASCHA BADMANN MARC HERR HERREM The Ironman World Championship is the measure of a triathlete, but ROBERT MCKEAGUE SARAH REINERTSEN NORMANN ST 17 Hours to Glory shows there are no limits on the possibilities of the human spirit. CHRISSIE WELLINGTON W ®
AVAILABLE IN BOOKSTORES, TRIATHLON SHOPS, AND ONLINE. PLEASE VISIT VELOPRESS.COM FOR A LISTING OF ALL 17 PROFILED ATHLETES.
PETER REID JULIE MOSS MARK ALLEN ASCHA BADMANN MARCPAPERBACK HERREMANS WITH TWO COLOR PHOTOSECTIONS TEAM HOYT OYT 6" x 9", 296 pp., $21.95 NORMANN STADLER PA PAULA NEWBY-FRASER 978-1-934030-43-1 CHRISSIE WELLINGTON GREG WELCH ELCH SISTER MADONNA BUDER B KAREN SMYERS HOMAS HELLRIEGEL PETER REID DAVID BAILEY AND CARLOS MOLEDA ANDREAS NIEDRIG RIGNATASCHA BADMANN MARC HERREMANS NORMANN STADLE ROBERT MCKEAGUE SARAH REINERTSEN CHRISSIE WELLINGTON JULIE MOSS MARK ALLEN REMANS TEAM HOYT N STADLER Retailers, please find order info at velopress.com. PAULA NEWBY-FRASER
a t t he r a c es “Super challenging, but fun!”
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Canadian first-year pro Jenny Fletcher placed fifth in the women’s race.
october 2010 8/3/10 4:24 PM
a t t he r a c es
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Elite racer Jeanette Shelow-Macdougall finished fifth in her division.
7th Annual 7
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Bay Islands Triathlon B November 13, 2010 N
This should be the last race of your season!
Crystal clear waters, breathtaking views, and a Caribbean vacation — all waiting for you. For hotel information, and all-inclusive accommodations contact: info@bayislandstriathlon.com 1 6BIT100601_halfpg 6 t r i a t h l ehoriz_TriMag_0809.indd te.com
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a t t he r a c es “Watch out for the climb at mile 12!” Wouldn’t it be nice to read about a race before you sign up? Now you can. Active.com introduces Ratings & Reviews!
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Rated 8 times
Filip Ospaly of the Czech Republic took the victory after finishing fourth at the Life Time Fitness race in Minneapolis.
Nautica New York citY triathloN July 18, 2010–New York 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run WomeN
Swim
Bike
Run
Total
1. Rebeccah Wassner (USA)
12:37
1:06:14
37:27
2:00:25
2. Laurel Wassner (USA)
13:14
1:07:17
37:16
2:02:16
3. Nicole Kelleher (USA)
14:01
1:08:24
36:53
2:03:56
4. Sara McLarty (USA)
12:05
1:06:38
43:47
2:06:50
5. Jenny Fletcher (CAN)
14:02
1:08:37
41:59
2:09:10
meN
Swim
Bike
Run
Total
1. Filip Ospaly (CZE)
12:14
58:53
31:36
1:46:28
2. David Thompson (USA)
12:39
57:59
32:21
1:47:02
3. Kyle Leto (USA)
12:13
1:01:05
34:19
1:51:34
4. Jordan Jones (USA)
12:45
1:01:19
33:45
1:52:28
5. Ethan Brown (USA)
12:11
1:02:47
33:42
1:52:49
october 2010
triathlete.com
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a t t he r a c es
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Rated 15 times
Paula Findlay and Javier Gomez Take iTu london TiTles
168
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Spain’s Javier Gomez broke away from both Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee on the final lap of the run before breaking the tape.
october 2010
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Rated 12 times
Delly Carr/triathlon.org
Aussie Emma Moffatt plunges into Serpentine Lake at the center of Hyde Park, the site of the 2012 Olympic triathlon.
Fit. Lock. Forget. PALLADIO TEAM is the seatpost that solves the adjustment problem. The 3T patent DiffLock lets you dial in your saddle angle to a half-degree precision, and lock it in for good. For more fresh thinking on bike fit, go to:ppp'ma^g^p,m'\hf
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october 2010
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a t t he r a c es “Watch out for the climb at mile 12!” Wouldn’t it be nice to read about a race before you sign up? Now you can. Active.com introduces Ratings & Reviews!
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Dextro energy triathlon itU WorlD Championship lonDon July 24-25, 2010–London 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run
170
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Swim
Bike
1. Paula Findlay (CAN)
19:43 57:17
33:51 1:51:48
2. Nicola Spirig (SUI)
19:51 57:08
33:59 1:51:51
3. Helen Jenkins (GBR)
19:31 57:27
33:58 1:51:53
4. Andrea Hewitt (NZL)
19:23 57:33
34:05 1:51:55
5. Laura Bennett (USA)
19:20 57:40
34:39 1:52:34
men
Swim
Run
1. Javier Gomez (ESP)
18:03 53:44
29:31 1:42:08
2. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR)
18:00 53:53
29:33 1:42:14
3. Jan Frodeno (GER)
18:02 53:47
29:54 1:42:30
4. Alexander Brukhankov (RUS) 18:01 53:49
29:58 1:42:44
5. Mario Mola (ESP)
30:02 1:42:46
Bike
19:01 52:53
Run
Total
Total
october 2010
Delly Carr/triathlon.org
Canadian 21-year-old Paula Findlay stunned the field by breaking away from Nicola Spirig and Helen Jenkins to take the win.
Women
SweepStakeS RuleS 1. No purchase necessary. To enter without ordering, send a single entry on an index card to: Triathlete Quintana Roo Sweepstakes, 9477 Waples St., Ste. 150, San Diego, CA 92121, with your name, address and phone number. This sweepstakes is sponsored by Competitor Group, Inc., 9477 Waples St., Ste. 150, San Diego, CA 92121. 2. All entries must be received and postmarked by Dec 15, 2010. Triathlete is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, illegible or postage-due mail. 3. One entry per person will be eligible for the drawing. 4. One winner will be selected no later than Jan. 15, 2011 from among all eligible entries received. Winner selection will take place under the supervision of Triathlete, whose decisions are final. Each entrant consents to transfer all information contained in the completed entry form to other companies. 5. The odds of winning are determined by the total number of eligible entries received. Taxes, where applicable, are the sole responsibility of the winner. 6. Potential winners will be notified by mail, telephone or e-mail. Potential winners must follow the directions contained in any of the correspondence and return all forms correctly completed within 7 days if the date of correspondence. Noncompliance will result in disqualification and the naming of an alternate winner. A timeline for prize fulfillment will be provided to the winner (may take up to 90 days or more). 7. There is no cash exchange for this prize. 8. Employees of Competitor Group, Inc., Quintana Roo or anyone affiliated are not eligible. Sweepstakes subject to all federal, state and local tax laws and void where prohibited by law. 9. For the name of the winner, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and letter of request to: Triathlete Quintana Roo Sweepstakes, 9477 Waples St., Ste. 150, San Diego, CA 92121.
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175
Rise Up and Race Like a Mother By Jef Mallett Somewhere in my 30 years of racing, people got comfortable calling me a “veteran triathlete.” I may have even gotten comfortable with it myself, or at least found it useful. I recently wrote a book about the sport entitled Trizophrenia: Inside the Minds of a Triathlete—I’m learning to mention it at every opportunity. And while funny pictures and deftly crafted text are all well and good, readers also like to be reassured that the author might actually know something. “Veteran triathlete” promises such a wealth of experience, and it sounds friendlier and less self-important than “Kona champion.” Also, it is not completely false. But veteran status has an ugly side. It shows up in the fall when the air turns cool, the leaves turn color and bring it on turns to I’ll do better next year, and you’ve ushered enough seasons in and out that you realize that the flawed year you just finished was not only this past spring’s bring it on, but last fall’s better next year. Last year I finished Ironman Louisville and Trizophrenia within a couple weeks of each other, with the efforts of the latter showing a wee too prominently in the results of the former. “I’ll do better next year,” I promised after the 2009 Ironman Louisville. “The 2010 season begins now,” I said, and I worked myself into pretty good shape just in time for everything to fall apart.
I had happily scheduled myself to the rim of my resources to get the word out about “Trizo,” and if I had to blog and talk a lot about my favorite subjects, and combine some book-pushing with a lifetime-highlight-reel swim in the San Francisco Bay and race some equally highlight-worthy triathlons in the lakes and mountains, well, duty is duty. I had the world by the tail. I grew up in farm country. I should have known. The part with the tail is the part that kicks. Powie! My wife had a new job in a new city. We had a new address to move to and an old house to sell, not to mention a new urban lifestyle and a new landscape to learn. I had the same obligations but a lot less time to fulfill them, let alone train or sleep sufficiently, not that I knew which box all my bike crap was in, anyway, and by June—June!—I was wondering if I might not already be looking at an Olympic-caliber “wait until next year.” What I wanted more than anything was to go out and show the world that I really was qualified to write a book about the sport. Some reassurance was needed, and I found it fermenting in the refrigerator. Beer? No. Beer has a lot to offer, even reassurance sometimes, but what I found was my sourdough
starter. When work is done, I train. And when training is done, I bake bread, and I like to go old school and bake with sourdough. Sourdough starter, or levain, if you’d rather, or poolish, barm, biga or mother, is basically home-grown wild yeast. It makes superior bread, but it takes a while, starting with the mother itself. Yeast is a living thing. And your own sourdough is a crop. But unlike most crops, you can send it into a dormant state at will. If you’re going to miss a couple days of feeding the culture, you can put it in the refrigerator and get away with it. But there are limits. I put mine in the refrigerator when life started getting crazy. Life stayed crazy for a long time, and when I finally pulled it out of the refrigerator it didn’t look much like starter at all. It looked like putty with a big puddle of alcohol on top. My 10-year-old culture, dead. Ten years is nothing compared to some heirloom cultures, but it’s still an investment, and besides, 30 years of racing instills a certain ethic about giving up. I measured out a new portion to combine with fresh flour and water, stirred it back together and set it on the counter to see what happened. Bubbles happened. Just a few in the morning, but bubbles are bubbles, and bubbles mean life. Another couple days and a little replenishing, and it was back to full strength (the new house might eventually smell like baking bread after all). Sourdough is hardy stuff—it’s tougher to kill your mother than you think. It was just the sort of thing I needed to apply to my own circumstances. If a 10-year-old slurry of flour and water and yeast was that tough to kill, then my 30-year mishmash of racing might have some breath left in it, too. Maybe my season wasn’t dead. Just dormant. A week later I entered a quick sprint in my newly former hometown and surprised myself. By Maryland’s Savageman duo in September, I could be showing some bubbles again, and by the Detroit Marathon in October, I might just have the suds to qualify for Boston. Living things live. It’s what they do. Given any chance at all, life goes on. The triathlon life is no different, so I’m not giving up. Survive. Revive. And race like a mother.
Triathlete (ISSN08983410) is published monthly by The Competitor Group, 9477 Waples St., Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92121; (858) 768-6805. Subscription rates: U.S., one year (12 issues) $34.95; two years (24 issues) $59.95. Canada $58.95 per year; all other countries $90.95 per year, U.S. currency only. Periodicals postage paid at San Diego, CA, and additional mailing offices. Single copy price $5.99. Triathlete is copyright 2003 by The Competitor Group. 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.
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L igh t Re a d
CHRISSIE WELLINGTON 2007 1st, IRONMAN KOREA 9:54:37 2007 1st, IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 9:08:45 2008 1st, IRONMAN AUSTRALIA 9:03:55 2008 1st, IRONMAN EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 8:51:24.7 2008 1st, IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 9:06:23 2009 1st, IRONMAN AUSTRALIA 8:57:10 2009 1st, QUELLE CHALLENGE, ROTH, GERMANY 8:31:59 2009 1st, IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 8:54:02 2010 1st, CHALLENGE ROTH, GERMANY 8:19:13 2010 ___ , IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ________________
HELLO DOUBLE-DIGIT DYNASTY.
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