2011-01 Triathlete

THE PROS’ FAVORITE SWIM GEAR

BIKE ADD-ONS THAT REALLY MATTER

YOU CAN BE AN IRONMAN A SUPER SIMPLE TRAINING PLAN THAT WILL ACTUALLY FIT INTO YOUR SCHEDULE

IRO20 NM10 ANHA IN WA RE I VIE I W

BECOME A FASTER RUNNER

MARK ALLEN’S TIPS FOR TAKING YOUR RUNNING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

2010 Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack

PLUS:

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR KONA

STRATEGIES FROM AGE-GROUPERS THAT DID IT

JAN2011TRIATHLETE.COM

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INTRODUCING THE ALL-NEW 2011 SPEED CONCEPT

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Contents january2011

features

122

How’d They Do It? Take inspiration—and training cues—from these age-groupers, who fit long-course triathlon training into their busy work and family lives to make it to the Ironman World Championship.

Edited by Courtney Baird

127

Destination: Kona Five finishers share the inspiring, inventive and just plain crazy things they went through to toe the starting line of the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship.

By Sarah Wassner Flynn

136

Weekend Getaways A trio of very different travel destinations—Ogden, Utah; Lake Tahoe and Austin, Texas—offers a distinct appeal to the multisportinclined during the off-season.

By Julia Beeson Polloreno, Lauren Ventura and Bethany Leach Mavis

147

Super Simple Ironman Training Plan

p. 96

Postcards from Kona

Snapshots from the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii replay one of the most grueling—and gratifying—days in all of sport.

By The Editors

A simple yet effective Ironman training plan to get you to the start line in just 20 weeks.

By Matt Fitzgerald john segesta

8

triathlete.com | January 2011

AWES mE Mirinda captured the 2010 Ironman World Championship in the K-Ruuz, setting a new course record of 2:53:32. The only thing stopping her was the finish line.

kswiss.com

Contents JANUARY2011

70

88 18 | From the Editor A glimpse into the future of triathlon.

Impressions of the redesign; an inexperienced bike mechanic gains confidence.

29 | Checking In

Pull buoy basics; USAT rules review; the correct way to do a flip turn; paddles to replace the “fist drill”

75 | Bike Tools for at-home bike maintenance; fixedgear winter training; get more aero for less money; Kestrel’s newest flagship bike reviewed

The secret to a running breakthrough; speed up your cadence with your playlist; the newest in compression clothing and GPS watches

155 | Fuel Fueling at altitude; real food alternatives to sports nutrition; add a superfood to your menu; a soup recipe from a New York cheftriathlete

Skeeter McGrit’s New Year’s resolutions

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

Chris “Macca” McCormack celebrates his second victory at the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on Oct. 9. Photograph by Bob Kupbens of Competitive Image THE PROS’ FAVORITE SWIM GEAR

87 | Run

176 | The Adventures of Bonkman

12

ON THE COVER

BIKE ADD-ONS THAT REALLY MATTE R

KONA WRAP-UP

Need to Know Hawaii Ironman by the numbers; one-hour workouts; tips for getting sponsored, even if you’re not a pro.

Time-Crunched Triathlete Focused fueling Racing Weight Improve your power-toweight ratio.

PROfile Get to know pro Dirk Bockel.

Dear Coach How to avoid a training plateau Ask a Pro New Year’s resolutions of the pros I’m a Triathlete Neurosurgeon and CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta walks the walk by completing a triathlon.

Confessions of an Age-Grouper The appropriate way to relieve yourself.

65 | Swim

YOU CAN BE AN IRONMAN

A SUPER SIMPLE TRAINING PLAN

THAT WILL ACTUALLY FIT INTO YOUR SCHEDULE

IR 20 ON 1 MA0 H N AW IN RE AI VIE I W

BECOME A FASTER RUNNER

MARK ALLEN’S TIPS FOR TAKING YOUR RUNNING TO THE NEXT LEVEL 2010 Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack

PLUS:

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR KONA STRAT

EGIES FROM AGE-GROUPERS THAT DID IT JAN2011TRIATHLETE.COM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: NILS NILSEN, STEVE GODWIN, ROCKY ARROYO/XTERRA PHOTOS

22 | Letters

76

20 grams of protein to help you recover from Chrissie worthy workouts.

Chrissie Wellington, 3x Ironman® Champion

CytoSport™ products complement a healthful eating and hydration plan that, when combined with a balanced exercise program, may contribute to healthy weight management and recovery from exercise. ©2011 CytoSport, Inc. Benicia, CA 94510 USA musclemilk.com

* Look Back On Kona

“

I felt really good all day. It was just one of those days. They never happen. It happened to me on the most important day, so I'm stoked.”

— Mirinda Carfrae to TriCenter an hour after

winning the 2010 Ironman World Championship

* TriCenter

Latest News Keeping Up with the Pros

Sick of the cold weather and ready to get back to racing? Get inspired by revisiting our 2010 Ironman World Championship coverage. We’ll look back with photos, interviews and articles from the big race.

• Download the free app at http://gettag.mobi using your phone browser.

• Scan over or take a photo of a barcode you see in this issue.

• The video will load instantly.

• No phone? Use the links provided next to the barcode to view our videos on a computer.

Follow Us!

If your phone has a Web browser and a camera:

Twitter

Get the free mobile app at

How-to clips, photos and expanded content can be accessed when you see this barcode in a story.

Facebook

Watch Videos On Your Phone

Race Wrap-Ups

2010 IN REVIEW Recap the 2010 professional racing season with a series of photo galleries and our picks for the top moments and athletes of the year.

http:/ / gettag.mobi * Hot Links PHOTOS

14

NEWS

How are the pros spending the new year? How is the 2011 racing season shaping up? We’ll keep you updated on all of the latest triathlon news.

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

RACE COVERAGE

Although this is a quiet month of racing, Triathlete.com will fill you in on all there is to know on the few key events you should keep up with.

GEAR & TECH

What’s worth the splurge and what should you pass on?

Triathlete senior editor Aaron Hersh will help you decide what 2011 gear is worth the money.

NUTRITION

Getting through the holidays and into the new year can leave you far from your ideal racing weight. It’s OK! We’ve got the nutrition tips to help you get back in shape.

NILS NILSEN

Our photographers bring you the best images of your favorite race destinations and professionals.

FIRST WAVE

16

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

Riding High

By Eric Wynn

Shonny Vanlandingham, 41, of Team Luna Chix outbiked the women’s field to claim the 2010 Xterra World Championship title in Maui on Oct. 24.

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

17

From the Editor

Ready for Prime Time Those of us who enjoy triathlon at the amateur level are already convinced that some of the hardest working professional athletes out there are people that swim, bike and run for their livelihood. No disrespect to pro tennis players, golfers or ball players, but consider the volume and intensity of training that pro triathletes—both short- and long-course racers—devote to their sport in relation to how much they get paid. It’s not even close to being on the same playing field as their counterparts. Multimillion-dollar sponsorship deals just aren’t part of the equation. Yet. On Halloween I stood on the sidelines of a triathlon event that had the same electric energy as any NBA or NFL game.

The Super Sprint Triathlon Grand Prix in Oceanside, Calif., was an invite-only race that featured a 300-meter ocean swim, 5-mile bike and 1.5-mile run course—completed two times through without stopping. The pro women and men competed in their own races on the flat and fast oceanfront course. It was an all-out sufferfest that had spectators biting their nails and cheering for their favorite racers until the first athletes staggered across the finish line about 45 minutes after the race start.

I watched the world’s fittest triathletes, including recently crowned Ironman world 18

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

champion Chris “Macca” McCormack; Matt Reed; American ITU star (and the U.S.’s best shot at an Olympic medal in triathlon) Jarrod Shoemaker; and some of the fastest women in the sport, including Sara McLarty, Michellie Jones and Kate Major. In the end, Filip Ospaly and Sara McLarty (a monthly contributor to Triathlete, I might add) pulled out impressive wins.

The level of spectator enthusiasm and rallying cries around our sport that morning left a lasting impression. (And at what other venue can you, as a spectator, rub elbows with some of the greatest athletes of our time?) I glimpsed the future of triathlon, when the sport’s brightest stars would get the attention and accolades they truly deserve. There’s no doubt that triathlon has entered the mainstream (Macca will soon grace the front of Wheaties boxes), but with the spectator-friendly format of the Super Sprint Grand Prix, the day we see ongoing national telecasts of triathlons—and dedicated athletes getting the big endorsement love they deserve— seems a little closer in reach.

Until that day, they train and race for the sheer love and challenge of it. In that same spirit of the ultimate challenge, in this issue we revisit the 2010 Ironman World Championship with our photo gallery, which pulls from a wide talent pool of the best photographers in the sport. If your goal is to qualify for Kona, you’ll find ample inspiration here. Or if you just want to get across the finish line of an Ironman feeling good, don’t miss our “Super-Simple Ironman Training Plan,” page 147. If your sights are set on short-course training and racing, we’ve got you covered, too, with expert advice and insight on everything from gear to training tips to nutrition.

Enjoy the issue.

Julia Beeson Polloreno

Editor-in-Chief

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Editorial Editorial Director TJ Murphy Editor-in-Chief Julia Beeson Polloreno Managing Editor Somyr McLean Perry Senior Tech Editor Aaron Hersh Senior Editor Courtney Baird Assistant Editor Bethany Leach Mavis Copyeditor Marilyn Iturri Contributing Writers Holly Bennett, Chris Carmichael, Matt Dixon, Matt Fitzgerald, Sarah Wassner Flynn, Samantha McGlone, Sara McLarty, Melanie McQuaid, Andy Potts, Jené Shaw, Pip Taylor Medical Advisory Board Jordan Metzl, MD, Jeff Sankoff, MD art Art Director Lisa Williams Photo Editor Nils Nilsen Graphic Designer Oliver Baker Contributing Artists & Photographers Mark Brewer, Hunter King, Jon Davis, Paul Phillips, John Segesta, Eric Wynn CirCulation & ProduCtion Director, Audience Development John Francis Fulfillment Manager Leslie Dodds Production Manager Meghan McElravy Advertising Coordinator Shane Anderson triathlEtE.Com Online Content Director Kurt Hoy Web Producer Liz Hichens Senior Video Producer Steve Godwin Video Producer Kevin LaClaire digital mEdia Vice President, Digital Media Dan Vaughan Director, Digital Advertising Sales Jason Rossiter advErtising EVP, Media/Publishing Director Andrew R. Hersam Senior Vice President, National Sales John Smith Senior Vice President, Marketing Bouker Pool Vice President, Endemic Sales Kevin Burnette Senior Vice President, Midwestern Region Sales Doug Kaplan Vice President, Western Region Sales David O’Connell Vice President, Eastern Region Sales Rebecca McKinnon Account Executives, Endemic Sales Lisa Bilotti lbilotti@competitorgroup.com, Lars Finanger lfinanger@competitorgroup.com, Nathan Forbes nforbes@competitorgroup.com, Mark Gouge mgouge@competitorgroup.com, Justin Sands jsands@competitorgroup.com, David Walker dwalker@competitorgroup.com Regional Event Sales Tom Borda, Katie Campbell, Chris Hohn, Chip McLaughlin, Ashley Powell, Dave Ragsdale, Matt Steinberg, Kelly Trimble, Chris Wheeler Vice President, Sales Development Sean Clottu Account Executive, Marketplace Sales Alex Jarman triathlEtE EuroPE Publisher Jim Peskett jim.peskett@competitormedia.com Editor Ian Osborne ian.osborne@competitormedia.co.uk Graphic Designer Kirstin Goodenough kirstin.goodenough@competitormedia.co.uk Digital Content Editor Paul Moore paul.moore@competitormedia.co.uk a PubliCation of

Chairman David Moross Chief Executive Officer Peter Englehart President & Chief Operating Officer Scott P. Dickey Executive Vice President, Media Andrew R. Hersam Chief Financial Officer Steve Gintowt triathlEtE magazinE offiCEs 9477 Waples Street, Suite 150, San Diego, CA 92121 Phone: 858-768-6805 Fax: 858-768-6806 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 triathlete.com. For a copy of Triathlete’s contributor guidelines, visit triathlete.com. Triathlete cannot be held responsible for unsolicited material. Printed in the UsA.

20

triathlete.com | January 2011

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Letters

&

LOWER BACK

ACHES AND PAINS

Stick to the Facts

SEEING PURPLE churning out Meredith Kessler was an average age-grouper Purplepatch Fitness coach Matt Dixon.

Ironman finishes when she joined up with with her first Ironman win at the Now she’s a force among the pro women finishes at this year’s Ironman St. George 2010 Ironman Canada and a pair of second-place just getting warmed up. and Ironman Coeur d’Alene. And she’s S BY LARRY ROSA

BY MATT FITZGERALD | PHOTOGRAPH

170

170

2010 TRIATHLETE.COM | November

She’s a Runner

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

22

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

There was a gross factual error in your wonderful article about our own Meredith (Keeran) Kessler in the November 2010 issue of Triathlete. I felt it was so incorrect as to be a distortion of the truth about this wonderful athlete. The line in question is: “She was a four-sport athlete in high school in Columbus, Ohio. One of those sports was swimming. None was running.”

Well, as her track coach and mentor over many years, I certainly felt slighted, but that’s just selfish and personal. As for truth in journalism, she was probably more accomplished as a track athlete than in any of her other three sports, still holding four school records, and finishing fourth in the State Championships in the 3200 run as a senior. She ran a faster mile as an eighth grader than any girl of any age has ever run in our school. She’s a runner. Wonderful article. Had to speak up.

Bob Kirk, Gahanna, Ohio

Gag Reflex I tried the energy gel recipe on page 184 of the November 2010 issue. My god! The texture and the taste of the mixture are the worst thing ever put in my mouth. It makes you feel like throwing up. I cannot believe that you didn’t try it before printing it—I’m sure you would have skipped it for the sake of your readers. But I had great fun shopping for the ingredients and I learned a lot about the benefit of each component of the recipe.

Josianne Pusterla, Quebec, Canada

We live in a world where we are increasingly subjected to opinions given as facts, and sadly your otherwise excellent magazine follows this trend.

An example from the November 2010 issue is the section on coffee drinking in the “Overhaul Your Diet” feature.

171 Brendan Brazier’s comments on coffee might be his opinion, but there is nothing corroborated by science about the concept of fatigued adrenal glands, nor of acidic nutrients triggering the creation of fat cells to keep the acid away from organs. Could we please have some clues as to which “facts” published are opinion and which are backed by evidence?

Paul Hobson, Los Angeles

Spill the Data Thank you for Rebecca Marks Rudy’s Eat Right feature, “Heavy Metals” [October 2010 issue]. This piece had several important points regarding the supplement drinks triathletes encounter on a daily basis. I often wonder which products I should buy for those long bike rides, those grueling track practices and the recovery afterward. Which works the best? Which is the healthiest? One glaring fact seems obvious from this article: Protein drinks are not as healthy as people might think. Rudy’s quick overview will hopefully turn a few heads.

However, I thought the magazine missed the mark. I plead, “More!” Competing with a picture of a giant muffin, Rudy’s article could have better explored the parameters of the debate concerning heavy metals in our foods, the manufacturing process, or even the healthy drinks themselves. I believe this was an important report that needed fuller coverage by Triathlete. Even though these were not Rudy’s original findings, at least more data could have been spilled! In a magazine that has become increasingly specialized over the years (with more coaching tips, workouts and detailed reviews), I can understand how

naming names and ties to such dangerous ingredients would hurt advertiser revenue. But wouldn’t this hurt the reader even more?

Chad Reid, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada

Swim Inspiration As a horrible swimmer looking to compete in my first triathlon in April, I find Sara McLarty’s beginner swimming articles priceless. I’m not worried about the bike or the run, but getting in that pool with a bunch of swimmers who can glide through the water terrifies me. I have this dream where the camera tracks each individual swimmer confidently gliding along, and when the camera gets to me, I look like a chimpanzee who fell out of a tree into some class 5 rapids.

Shudder. Her articles are as inspiring as they are instructional.

Dan Patterson, Billings, Mont.

Kudos on the Redesign I was a subscriber several years ago, when I was first introduced to the sport.

I gave up my subscription after a year because nothing in Triathlete spoke to me as a newbie. Moreover, I found the magazine difficult to follow. From time to time, through the years since my subscription lapsed, I have picked up the magazine at the airport or bookstore.

Even with my, “non-newbie”

status the magazine held little reason for me to re-subscribe, because still there was very little that applied to me (Olympic and sprint distance chick). That is until yesterday. I picked up Triathlete at the airport bookstore prior to a flight home. I figured I would see

what this “new” magazine was about.

Lo and behold, I have found numerous interesting articles that apply to and are interesting to me. The articles and front cover snippets are easy to follow throughout the pages of the magazine.

They apply to all levels and distances of tri folks. I am so excited by this new format, I can assure you that I will be reestablishing my subscription to Triathlete and I look forward to reading it throughout the years to come.

Dana EG Polonsky, Lorton, Va. I’m very impressed with the new format of Triathlete. I’m a long-time reader and found the prior format getting a bit stale.

So much so that I was going to let my subscription run out. Previously, it seemed as if I could get through an issue in 10 minutes. Somehow, it now seems much more meaty.

Jay Kerner, Baldwin, N.Y. I just got the November issue of Triathlete, and I dig the new look. It’s got a simple, clean look, yet it’s still packed with great content. Keep up the good work and thanks for putting out a great magazine!

Steve Colarossi, Chesterfield, Mich.

Much-Needed Tech Advice I really enjoyed the Bike Tech Support section in November’s issue. It could not have come at a better time as my rear derailleur has been a little less than enthusiastic about a few gear combinations, and I just noticed a little front brake rub on my last ride. As a very inexperienced (but quickly learning!) bike mechanic, I am sometimes a little embarrassed to bring my bike to the shop for simple adjustments that usually only take five seconds for a trained mechanic. Please keep more of these articles coming—there are many of us who are more than willing to pick up the wrench ourselves (and avoid downtime and extra expense) if just given a little know-how.

Eric H., Ellington, Conn.

We want to hear from you! Send your letters to jpolloreno@competitorgroup.com. Please include your name and city. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

24

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

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Contributors Sarah Wassner Flynn When Wassner Flynn isn’t writing about triathletes, she’s out running, biking or swimming herself. Although a fan of shorter races, working on the story “Destination: Kona,” page 127, inspired her to make it to Kona, too … one day. Triathlon excellence just might be in her genetic make-up; her sisters are pro triathletes Laurel and Rebeccah Wassner. The editor of Competitor magazine’s New York edition, Flynn lives in Hoboken, N.J., with her husband and 2-year-old son, Eamon, and newborn baby.

Pip Taylor As a professional triathlete and sports nutritionist, Taylor is passionate about healthy eating and lifestyle choices.

Advocating good nutrition for ongoing health but also as the foundation for optimal sports performance, Taylor addresses triathlon-specific issues and topics in the “Fuel” section and keeps readers informed of what’s new in the nutrition and foodie world. Send your sports nutrition questions to her at Fuel@competitorgroup.com.

Paul Phillips Paul Phillips is a world-renowned sports photographer and former athlete focused on triathlon and other high-performance sports, and his photography appears regularly in Triathlete, including in the Kona photo gallery, which begins on page 96. Phillips is also an ITU photographer and will be the London 2012 photographer for USA Triathlon. Phillips began his career in accounting and strategic consulting, using his first paycheck to buy a camera. In 2002, he founded the Minneapolis-based company Competitive Image, which combines his passion for endurance sports and photography.

26 Untitled-17 1

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011 11/4/10 5:18 PM

DT SWISS TRICON WHEEL SYSTEM

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Two piece hub The two piece flange and hub shell design keeps the bearing seat free of tension.

This allows the bearings to spin as smoothly as possible.

Star Ratchet Thanks to the proven DT Swiss Ratchet System 速 the hubs can easily be converted to different axle standards and rotors.

Straight double threaded spokes This spoke connection is considerably stronger as it is playfree on both ends and therefore subject to smaller peak loads.

Open Crowfoot Spoke pattern with combined radial and crossed spokes for high stiffness and perfect transmission of torques.

Torx nipples Thanks to the Torx design the truing tool has a better grip on the nipple.

Rim insert The spoke inserts are supported on two sides in the rim creating a big contact surface.

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TIME-CRUNCHED TRIATHLETE / RACING WEIGHT / DEAR COACH / ASK A PRO / I’M A TRIATHLETE

REMAINS OF THE DAY

An age-group athlete chases the daylight at the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HUGH GENTRY

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

29

NEED TO KNOW

DECEMB ER

CHECKING IN

12 Months of Motivation The editors of Triathlete and Inside Triathlon magazines have selected a dozen of the most beautiful and inspiring race photographs to create a stylish—and motivational—wall calendar for 2011. The Inside Triathlon calendar makes a wonderful gift for any triathlete and is now available at REI, select bike and tri shops and from online retailers Velogear.com and Trisports.com.

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6/9/10 4:52 PM

[BY THE NUMBERS] THE 2010 HAWAII IRONMAN

25.52 Percent of pro men that Mirinda Carfrae out-split on the run

9 30

Women younger than 30 years old to finish in the top 30, including women’s champ Mirinda Carfrae

three

48th vs. 23rd

Male age groups Carfrae would have won

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

Number of Ironman World Championship titles between two racers, Tim DeBoom and Normann Stadler, who both crossed the finish line at 8:49:26

Mirinda Carfrae’s place against the men this year vs. Chrissie Wellington’s last year

How high the first overall amateur female would have placed in the pro women’s race

TWENTY-FIRST

120

Reported degrees of the asphalt on the Queen K Highway during mid-day

*The fastest-ever Kona run split is 2:40:04 by Mark Allen.

Miles Rasmus Henning rode while wearing his swimskin

2:24

112

2:35:44

The marathon split Craig “Crowie” Alexander would have needed to win*

Number of seconds the final finisher had remaining before the midnight deadline to finish the race Andy Potts’ lead in minutes after the swim

83

Chris Lieto’s average pace on the bike in mph

forty-seven

TRIATHLON IS

SPECIALIZED NEVER BEFORE HAS ONE TRIATHLON TEAM SO UTTERLY DOMINATED THE SPORT. ACROSS ALL DISTANCES AND DISCIPLINES, SPECIALIZED SET THE TRI WORLD ON FIRE IN 2010: OUR ATHLETES WON WORLD TITLES IN IRONMAN, OLYMPIC, SPRINT, AND XTERRA DISTANCES, ALONG WITH DOZENS OF OTHER PRESTIGIOUS TITLES. INCREDIBLY, FIVE DIFFERENT SPECIALIZED BIKES WERE RIDDEN TO VICTORY: TARMAC SL3, AMIRA, SHIV, TRANSITION, AND EPIC 29ER. WE ARE EXTREMELY PROUD OF THESE ATHLETES AND EQUALLY PROUD OF OUR OVERALL COMMITMENT TO THE SPORT. SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO INNOVATE AND DESIGN THE PERFECT BIKES FOR YOUR TRIATHLON—WHETHER A BEGINNER, SEASONED AGE-GROUPER, “MACCA,” OR EVEN A “CAVEMAN.”

CHECKING IN

NEED TO KNOW

Cardiovascular Disease and Vitamin D Deficiency

Triathlete Spotlight

Are you on the trainer and treadmill too much and not getting enough sun? You might be putting yourself at risk for cardiovascular disease. A recent study suggests that people with a vitamin D deficiency have a 20 percent greater chance of suffering from cardiovascular disease than people who aren’t deficient.

The scientists came up with the 20 percent figure after they adjusted their sampling of 16,000 adults for age, gender, race/ethnicity, season of measurement, physical activity, body mass index, DID YOU smoking status, KNOW? hypertension, Sunscreen can diabetes, elevatlimit your body’s production of ed cholesterol, vitamin D. chronic kidney disease and vitamin D supplementation.

If you think you're already getting enough natural sunlight, remember that sunscreens can limit your body’s production of vitamin D. Check with your doctor to determine if you are vitamin D deficient, which can be done with a simple blood test, and together decide if you should begin any type of supplementation. // MELANIE MCQUAID

Nominate an athlete for Triathlete Spotlight.

E-mail Trispotlight@competitorgroup.com.

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TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

ASIPHOTO.COM (2), NILS NILSEN

Benjamin Greene’s mother had a brain aneurism at the dinner table when she was six months pregnant with him. Although she was rushed to the hospital, the doctors couldn’t save her. Greene survived, but he was transferred to a neonatal clinic 100 miles away from his father and two older brothers. His skin was a thin, transparent film, barely protecting his organs. The doctors said his chances weren’t good.

But Greene survived, and the nurses dubbed him the miracle baby.

As could be expected, there were some problems with Greene’s development.

He suffered from mild cerebral palsy, and when he finally learned to walk, he hobbled and would trip often. Although Ben Greene loved sports, he was always picked last, and the kids would often tease him when he tried to play. “There were a lot of lonely nights when the guys were out playing football,” his father, Neal Greene, says. When it came to school, he had to work twice as hard to get the same grades as his peers.

But Greene endured. And when he got older, he found something that the other kids couldn’t accomplish quite so easily. It was something that required perseverance and hard work: Ironman.

A year before the 2009 Ironman Arizona, Greene announced to his family that he would finish the race. He trained intensely, often waking up at 4 a.m. to ride his bike. Then, on Nov. 22, 2009, after 16 hours and 11 minutes of racing, Greene crossed the finish line and collapsed into the arms of his trainer. “The strength obviously can’t come from his legs when he’s doing these events,” Greene’s father says. “It’s all in his heart and in his brain.”

Besides being an Ironman finisher, Greene, who is now 21, is a full-time student at Arizona State University, where he is majoring in health and wellness. He pays his own way and works part-time to do so.

He is also constantly fundraising for Endure to Cure, a foundation for pediatric cancer patients, and hopes to one day work with kids.

Despite his full schedule, Greene is out on the roads again, training and racing in local triathlons. If history is any guide, he’ll have his second Ironman under his belt in no time. // COURTNEY BAIRD

CHECK MATE

2010 FORD IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION

CHRIS “MACCA” MCCORMACK’S TACTICAL BRILLIANCE—AND A WIND-CHEATING S-WORKS SHIV—HELPED HIM WIN THE 2010 FORD IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. IAMSPECIALIZED.COM

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manager who’s sponsored athletes since the ’80s, says he cares more about how influential athletes are in their communities. “If they coach, are involved in a club or support younger athletes, it’s much more important than simply winning,” he says.

Several sponsorship teams emphasize that there’s so much more to being a team member than first-place finishes. Team Snapple director Bart Forsyth agrees: “I would much rather have 25 athletes who are proud to be affiliated with Team Snapple than the 25 fastest people we can find.”

Get SponSored

As An Age-Grouper

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triathlete.com | January 2011

and offer our team sponsors more than just a pro team,” says Team Sport Beans/NTTC Director Mark Wendley. “It's great to have a pro on the podium at a big race, but it's even better to have a pro on the podium and maybe a dozen age-group athletes racing in the team uniform.”

Several companies choose “brand ambassadors” through an application process, and others—such as Sport Beans/ NTTC—allow anyone to join a club team and pay a relatively small fee to get a long list of products and big discounts on other tri gear.

If you’re concerned that your race resume won’t measure up to other athletes’, don’t worry. Steven Harad, a Kestrel and Oval brand

do …

• Gain a presence in your community. “one of our athletes started her own charity—she's a great athlete, but her passion outside of racing pushed her in front of a lot of other applicants with better race results,” says team Snapple director Bart Forsyth.

• Be social media savvy. “As a company on the cutting edge of technology, we view social media opportunities as highly important,” says Carole Sharples, the vice president of operations at trakkers, which has a team of 40 amateur athletes. Sponsors love athletes who are already hooked into a large, established community to help spread the word.

don't …

• come with a sense of entitlement. “there are so many great athletes looking for sponsorship that we really have no incentive to put up with athletes who don't appreciate the work and investment that goes into a team like ours,” Forsyth says. “this is a labor of love for me, and entitled athletes just make it no fun.”

• Focus on what the company is doing for you. Rather, focus on what you can do for them. Remember that they use sponsored athletes to influence others to look at their brand.

• Just wear the uniform.

Your job is to promote your sponsor in the triathlon community.

hunter king

Being a professional triathlete obviously has its perks. Not only do you get to swim, bike and run all day, but you get paid for it, too. And the more podium finishes you rack up, the more sponsorship opportunities come your way. But you don’t have to be Chrissie Wellington or Chris McCormack to reap the benefits of sponsorship. Countless brands, from Aquaphor to Odwalla, sponsor triathlon teams specifically for agegroupers like you.

Companies see sponsorship teams as a win-win—you, as an athlete, get free products and discounts, and they get the word out about their brand. “The reason we offer our club team is to enhance our presence in the sport

How to Find Sponsorship opportunities 1. Create a profile on sportssponsorship sites such as Athlinks.com or Hookit.com.

The better your profile, the more likely you’ll get noticed.

2. Love Nuun? Obsessed with Zoot? Investigate your favorite brands—they may already have a team. Even if some big product companies don’t offer much financially, it’s a good first step. Plus, advocating for something you already love should be easy.

3. See if your local bike or running shop has a team.

4. Check out Activeambas sadors.com. Active creates teams for various Fortune 100 and 500 brands and has more than 8,000 members.

New sponsorships pop up all the time and peak season tends to run January through April.

5. Scan the forums on Slowtwitch.com, as sponsors often post their applications there. // Jené Shaw

Dos and Don’ts When Applying For Sponsorship

8 HOURS USED TO BE FAST 2010 CHALLENGE ROTH CHAMPION

RASMUS HENNING ROCKED ROTH—AND THE TRIATHLON WORLD—RIDING HIS S-WORKS TRANSITION TO A BLISTERING 7:52:36 VICTORY. IAMSPECIALIZED.COM

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Time Strapped?

Get more out of your 60-minute sessions with this handy guide.

If you’re a triathlete juggling a full-time job, a family and a social life, you know it’s tough to fit in every training session. Sometimes all you have is an hour between staff meetings and birthday parties, and you wind up with an unfulfilling workout because you’re strapped for time.

Enter “One-Hour Workouts: 50 Swim, Bike and Run Workouts for Busy Athletes.” Former pro triathlete Scott “The Terminator” Molina and coaches Mark Newton and Michael Jacques teamed up to create this practical guide for onthe-go athletes who need to maximize their 60-minute training window.

The book is divided into base, tempo and speed training plus strength and cross-training, including triathlete-essential brick workouts and water running.

The workouts range from classics (a basic tempo run at anaerobic threshold) to the slightly wacky (swim 50 meters, jump out of the water and do 10 to 20 push-ups, dive back in for another 50 meters).

“One-Hour Workouts” has something for athletes of all levels, but it generally speaks to a more experienced audience, i.e. “swim 6 x 400 meters at Ironman race pace.” Beginners can benefit from the coach tips in the highlighted boxes, such as “If the difference in your swim speed in a wetsuit vs. a swimsuit is more than six seconds per 100 meters, then your body position is obviously in need of some improvement.”

The authors warn that this book’s purpose is not to guide you through a fully developed training plan. It’s simply a great resource for focusing your short efforts. And another reason not to miss a workout. $24.95 at Velogear.com // JENÉ SHAW

Belinda Granger

Snapshots: Kickin’ It 2010 Ironman world champion Mirinda Carfrae

Nicole DeBoom

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TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

COURTESY OF MAUNA LANI BAY HOTEL & BUNGALOWS

Where do the pros hide out on the Big Island after Kona? We found them soaking in some sun at the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows on the Kohala Coast.

GOmez

2010 DEXTRO ENERGY ITU WORLD CHAMPION

JAVIER GOMEZ POWERED HIS S-WORKS TARMAC SL3 TO VICTORY IN THE PRESTIGIOUS 2010 ITU WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. IAMSPECIALIZED.COM

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triathlete.com | January 2011

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HOW SWEDE IT IS!

2010 ITU SPRINT WORLD CHAMPION

LISA NORDEN WON THE 2010 ITU SPRINT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, WITH HELP FROM A CRUSHING BIKE LEG ABOARD HER S-WORKS AMIRA. IAMSPECIALIZED.COM

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How to Plan Your Race Calendar

2011 January to February

their way typically when triathletes work These early winter months are during lable avai s race few a only are back into heav y training. There So if ally in the Southern Hemisphere. these months, and they’re typic the or Rica a Cost Rev3 in ting participa you weren’t already planning on ably be open prob will dule sche race your , Ironman 70.3 Pucon in Chile during this time of year.

March

local race where you can test your March is a good month to find a that hosts a lot of triathlons, try fitness. If you don’t live in an area remind your body of what it’s to 10K entering a half marathon or re g you are with your fitness. If you’ like to race and see how far alon also can h Marc , ship pion Cham onal eyeing the USAT Age Group Nati te ification out of the way. Any athle be a time where you can get qual TUSA a at p grou ageof his or her who finishes in the top 10 percent qualifies. ically mat auto t even d tione sanc

April to July

, that you’d like to qualify for, April If you have a championship race . shed mpli acco goal your get to ths May, June and July are great mon ugh thro er happening from Septemb With most championship races ver ified by July gives you time to reco qual self your ing gett r, Novembe and plan your trip. dy started thinking about this time Veteran Ironman racers have alrea anside ornia, which is set for April in Oce of year—the Ironman 70.3 Calif tal U.S. that inen cont the in race nce dista and which is the only half-iron dy sold out. offers racers Kona slots, is alrea

Triathlon requires a lot of proactive planning— you need to map out how you will train and what races you will train for.

Perhaps the most challenging part about triathlon planning relates to championship races. If you’re eyeing a race you have to qualify for—such as the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, or the USAT Age Group National Championship in Burlington, Vt.—you have to allow for injuries, illnesses and just plain bad luck at potential qualification races. That is, if you don’t qualify on your first try, you might have to set your sights on racing the following year.

Here’s a quick guide for planning for your dream race.

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TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

August

where in a tune-up race to let you know August can be a great time to get to qualify for ort eff ditch lasta as used be your fitness stands. It can also your goal race.

September to November

USAT Age place during these months—the Most championship races take ship 70.3 and pion Cham ld Wor an Ironm the , Group National Championship World in September, and the Ironman the Xterra USA Championship are e events, thes of one for ed ifi qual ve If you’ Championship is in early October. have fun! er, , you can still make use of Septemb But if you’ve missed out this year a ing gett for t grea be can ths mon e October and November, as thes cation an World Championship qualifi head start on 2012. The 2012 Ironm the And n. onsi Wisc an Ironm ember with process begins in the U.S. in Sept pionship also Cham onal Nati p Grou Age qualification process for the 2012 begins in September.

// COURTNEY BAIRD

“THE CAVEMAN” REINVENTS THE WHEEL 2010 XTERRA WORLD CHAMPION

CONRAD STOLTZ SWITCHED TO THE S-WORKS EPIC 29ER FOR HIS BEST SEASON EVER, INCLUDING A HISTORIC 4TH XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP AND 8TH US TITLE. IAMSPECIALIZED.COM

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time-crunched triathlete

Focus Your Fueling

by chris carMichael

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triathlete.com | January 2011

Meal Portion Relatively short workouts are a hallmark of the time-crunched triathlete’s training program, simply because you don’t have time for longer, low- to moderate-intensity workouts. Your nutritional habits should

reflect your training habits, which in this case means you can achieve your sports nutrition goals with smaller portions of food immediately before and during training sessions.

When you’re training for sprint and Olympic-distance triathlons using workouts that are primarily 60 to 120 minutes, you almost never burn through the 1600-plus calories of stored carbohydrate in your muscles and blood. As a result, the nutritional demands of these workouts—even if they’re strenuous— are not as high as for sessions that last more than three hours.

So if you’re going to eat a pre-workout snack, the primary goal is to achieve a small bump in blood sugar (perhaps with a little caffeine to boost alertness and focus). It can be small and mostly carbohydrate (100 to 150 calories, like a gel, gra-

Chris CarmiChael: john segesta

Weight management is a hot topic as we move out of the holiday season and begin preparing for the racing season.

Athletes who accumulate 12 or more hours of training a week can often rely on their training volume to melt off excess weight.

But time-crunched triathletes who must fit training into about eight hours and as few as four or five workouts a week have to take a different approach. For career professionals and working parents who are training for triathlons, it pays to work on focused fueling and to watch out for caloric overcompensation.

OCTOBER 9, 2010 > CHRIS McCORMACK MOVES TOWARD HIS SECOND IRONMAN® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

There is no app for wisdom.

It develops over decades filled with life experiences. Early on there are more stumbles than successes because youth acts on pure whim and suffers the consequences. But for the fortunate few, wisdom displaces whim. And wisdom inspires actions based on carefully calculated risk.

Chris McCormack, now 37, is one of the few. On and off the racecourse, Chris is a wise man. Around the world, he is a fierce competitor. He has youthful brawn and remarkable determination, like so many triathletes. What sets Chris McCormack apart is his ability to calculate the risks that accompany every opportunity.

In June, just months before his bid for a second Ironman® World Championship, we asked that he consider switching his original CLIF SHOT® Energy Gel for the newest formula. Chris sized up the risks – and the opportunities. He made the switch. And he won his second Ironman® World Championship in Kona.

LA NEW FORMULA

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New CLIF SHOT® Energy Gel formula carried four world class athletes to four World Championship titles in 2010 – CHRIS McCORMACK, SHONNY VANLANDINGHAM, CONRAD STOLTZ and CATHERINE PENDREL

CLIFBAR.COM Distributed by Clif Bar & Company, Emeryville, CA 94608 U.S.A. ©2010 Clif Bar & Company • CLIF, CLIF SHOT and LITTER LEASH are registered trademarks of Clif Bar & Company.

Ironman is a registered trademark of World Triathlon Corporation.

time-crunched triathlete nola bar or sports chews), and you can eat it as close as 15 to 20 minutes before your training session.

If you start a 60- to 120-minute workout well fed, you most likely won’t need any calories during the session. You will need fluids and electrolytes, but you’re not going to bonk in a 60- to 120-minute workout if you start the session with nearly full glycogen stores. During your longest workouts, you’ll need carbohydrates as well as electrolytes and fluid. You should also start eating in the first 45 minutes of a longer workout so you’re supplementing the stored carbohydrate you’re burning.

But be conscious of how much you’re eating; a lot of athletes eat more than they need during training sessions, perhaps because they forget they started with a large bank of stored calories. For most training sessions that last between three and four hours you only need to consume 20 percent to 30 percent of the calories you’re expending. In other words, if you’re burning 600 calories an hour for three to four

hours, you only need 120 to 180 calories an hour. That’s only one Gu (100 calories) and half a bottle of sports drink. caloric Overcompensation Triathletes often believe they’ve burned more calories or energy in a workout than they actually have. And that can have a big impact on post-workout eating habits. Since athletes with less time tend to exercise at higher intensities to achieve the workload necessary for improvement, the perceived exertions for these workouts are understandably high. But they’re also short and involve hard efforts separated by recovery periods (intervals), so the total caloric expenditure often fails to add up to a number equal to that perception. Unfortunately, many athletes base their appetite on their perception of how hard they worked, and wolf down more calories than are necessary to replenish their carbohydrate stores, build and maintain muscle and recover and adapt to their training. The result: You train hard yet you still gain weight. Be careful not to gorge after

relatively short training sessions. Instead, just eat a moderate-sized meal.

Caloric overcompensation can occur before training sessions, too. Athletes increase the size of their meals throughout the day in anticipation of an upcoming workout, even though the workout is relatively short and the time since the last workout was long enough to allow for full glycogen replenishment. Focus your sportspecific nutrition between one hour before and after your workout, and leave the rest of your daily diet unaffected by short workouts.

Carmichael Training Systems Pro Coach Jim Rutberg co-wrote this article. Chris Carmichael is founder and chief executive officer of Carmichael Training Systems, the official coaching and camps partner of Ironman. He and Rutberg are also the authors of “The Time-Crunched Triathlete.”

For information on coaching, camps and performance testing, visit Trainright.com or call 866-355-0645.

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Chris McCormack rides the 808 Firecrest wheelset, Zipp Tangente Tubulars, and SRAM RED components

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. We launched the new 808 Firecrest at Kona, and Chris McCormack took full advantage. Out on the Queen K, his 808s with Zipp Tangente tubulars were the fastest, most efficient, best handling wheels on the road. And in the marathon’s final mile, he had enough left in the tank to win one of the most dramatic duels in triathlon history. | Not only is Firecrest more aerodynamic than any other rim design, its distinctive wide profile also improves handling in crosswinds, wheel strength, and overall ride quality. It only took one shot for Macca to prove that it’s simply a better wheel in every way. | But that victory wasn’t the only one for Zipp this year. Mirinda Carfrae won on ZEDTECH 4s and Karin Thuerig set a bike course record with a 303/404 setup. Zipp once again dominated the Kona Bike Count with nearly 60% of all aero wheels. Clearly, superior technology makes a difference for every athlete.

Firecrest 808 available in Tubular, Carbon Clincher, ZEDTECH ®.

Zipp Tangente Tires available in Tubular & Clincher 21mm & 23mm.

1.800.472.3972 | zipp.com

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racing weight

Pick Your Priority:

Weight Loss or Fitness

46

triathlete.com | January 2011

matt fitzgerald: Nils NilseN

by matt fitzgerald

One of the most important performance variables in cycling is known as the powerto-weight ratio. It’s a measure of how much sustained power (measured in watts) an athlete can produce on the bike per kilogram or pound of body weight. The more watts per unit of weight athletes can sustain, the faster they will go in races.

There are two ways to improve your power-to-weight ratio. One way is to increase your sustained power output with improved fitness. The other is to lose weight.

In 2009, researchers at Southern Connecticut State University conducted an interesting study in which they compared the effects of sprint interval training (a good way to increase power capacity), weight loss and a combination of sprint interval training and weight loss on the power-to-weight ratio of experienced cyclists. Thirty-four cyclists participated in the study, and were separated into four groups. For 10 weeks, one group added twice-weekly sprint interval sessions to its training while maintaining its current body weight; a second group continued with its normal training while actively pursuing weight loss through dieting; a third group added sprint intervals and pursued weight loss; and a fourth control group continued with its normal training and maintained its current body weight.

The results were revealing. Members of the sprint interval-training group improved their power-to-weight ratio by 10 percent, on average. They achieved this gain entirely through an increase in their power output, as their weight did not change. Members of the weight loss group increased their power-to-weight ratio almost as much—by an average 9.3 percent. This gain was achieved entirely through weight loss (they lost 11 pounds on average), as their power output did not change. As you might expect, members of the control group experienced no gain in power, no weight loss and thus no change in power-toweight ratio.

But what might surprise you is that

Mirinda Carfrae en route to victory with ZEDTECH 4s and SRAM RED components

Photo: Nick Salazar

PERFORMANCE UNDER PRESSURE. Every detail matters at Kona, and every inefficiency is magnified. But Zipp wheels are designed to meet the challenge of the world’s greatest triathlon. That’s why Mirinda Carfrae chose the ZEDTECH 4 wheelset in a 650c size that’s perfect for smaller riders. | During the bike leg, exclusive ZEDTECH details like dimpled aero hubs and grade 2 silicon nitride ceramic bearings helped her conserve energy.

Coming out of T2 with fresh legs, she set a run course record and scored a commanding victory. | Meanwhile, Karin Thuerig rode a Zipp 303 front wheel and 404 rear to break a bike course record that stood for almost twenty years. And that’s not to mention Chris McCormack’s electrifying win and Zipp’s perennial domination of the Kona Bike Count. You might say Kona was good to us this year.

ZedTech available in 202, 303, 404, 808, 1080, 900, Sub-9, and Super-9.

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racing weight

// EMMA SNOWSILL

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST

members of the combined sprint interval training and weight loss group also did not improve their power-to-weight ratio over the 10-week study period. The problem for this group was that, while they did lose a significant amount of weight through dietary restriction, this very restriction seemed to prevent them from gaining any power through sprint interval training. More specifically, suggested the authors of the study, inadequate protein intake kept their muscles from adapting to the stress imposed by the sprints.

The general conclusion that the authors drew from their investigation was that cyclists seeking to enhance their power-toweight ratio should either add sprint intervals to their training or lose weight, but should not do both simultaneously. This conclusion is consistent with the observation of many other exercise scientists, coaches and athletes that the aggressive pursuit of weight loss through dietary restriction is not compatible with aggressive training for maximum performance.

Maximum weight loss and maximum performance cannot be equal priorities for an endurance athlete at the same time.

Unfortunately, triathletes often make the mistake of trying to prioritize both simultaneously. At the start of a period of training for an upcoming race they find themselves well above their ideal racing weight. So they ramp up their training to build fitness for the race and at the same time diet to lose weight for the race, not understanding that the two measures work at cross purposes. Their calorie-restricted diet fails to provide enough energy to support optimal training adaptation, so their fitness improves sluggishly and they don’t race as well as hoped, despite losing weight.

There is an appropriate time for the aggressive pursuit of weight loss, and it’s not when you are focused on building fitness for a specific race. Instead it’s the several weeks before the start a new training cycle. Go ahead and cut calories to shed fat quickly while training at a maintenance level, but when the training cycle begins you should shift your priority from weight loss to fitness building. Continue to eat healthy, but make sure your body gets all the energy it needs for optimal workout performance and recovery. You will probably still lose weight as an effect of your increased training, just not as quickly as you could on a reduced-calorie diet. As compensation, you will feel, perform, recover and race better.

Cyclists seeking to enhance their power-to-weight ratio should either add sprint intervals to their training or lose weight, but should not do both simultaneously.

Using the same building blocks as standard 2XU Compression garments, 2XU Thermal Compression delivers performance compression with a softer and warmer feel.

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Matt Fitzgerald is the author of “Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance” (VeloPress, 2009).

triathlete.com | January 2011

2xuHP_TriMag_prelim.indd 1

11/8/10 2:15 PM

“Hills Hurt...

Couches Kill!” equip yourself this winter

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Profile

Dirk Bockel

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triathlete.com | January 2011

Nickname: Dirk … ahem … Diggler Star sign: Libra Against the odds: My wife, Alicia, and I met at a bar in Florida, where we both went to college. I had no money so she bought my drinks all night. Three weeks later I took her to Germany to meet my family and spend Christmas together.

That was in 2003—we’ve been married six years now.

Just call him Dirk: With my name, it was inevitable I’d be tagged “Dirk Diggler” by my buddies. You might say the behavior of my youth fueled the fire. When I met Alicia, my friends were amazed by my newfound level of commitment.

Shocked, actually.

// holly Bennett

Courtesy of aliCia boCkel

Bockel kick-started the 2010 season with a second-place finish at the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon and performed big in Kona, placing eighth overall. At 6-foot-2, the globe-trotting Olympian (2008) stands tall among his pro peers, who all attest to Bockel's fun-loving, positive personality and genuine love of the sport.

It’s getting hot in here: Early in our relationship, we moved to Luxembourg so that I could pursue triathlon fulltime. We lived in a converted sauna in the house of the president of the triathlon federation.

No need to travel the world, just come to dinner: I was born in Germany, but I’m now a citizen of Luxembourg. My father is German, my stepmother is Korean and my wife is American. We practically have our own language when we get together.

Where the demons lurk: It did take Alicia a while to acclimate to my family’s habits. Like my dad leaving the bathroom door open when he’s naked.

Nudity is just not a big deal in Germany.

Funny thing is, the door remains closed when the bathroom is unoccupied. My stepmother is a feng-shui devotee and worries that if the door is left open, evil spirits will fly out of the toilet.

Early taste of fame: Dieter Baumann was my childhood hero. He won Olympic gold in the 5000 meters. I met him at an event just before he did a major television interview. I was standing right there and kept popping my head in front of the camera.

In case of emergency: In school I ran track, played handball and took lifeguarding classes before switching to triathlon. If you’re nervous in the water, swim near me. Unless we see a shark— then I’ll be the fastest one to shore.

Make it so: I use a positive thinking technique called the “ultimate intention statement.” I write about a big race as though it has already happened, a detailed paragraph on how I want it to play out. It’s about writing down what I want—and then making it happen. Alicia made a medal for me that reads, “Ironman World Champion.” So watch out!

The five-year plan: My dream for when I retire? I want to travel around in an Airstream, with no agenda. I want to have a few kids and take them hiking and mountain biking. Have barbecues. Sleep in. Maybe visit a national monument.

The things normal people do.

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dear coach

Dear Coach, I started training for my first triathlon with great success and recently completed my first race. But in my subsequent training, I feel like my performance and endurance are actually getting worse.

Is there such a thing as a training plateau?

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triathlete.com | January 2011

“A+B=C” formula, but unfortunately, the complexities of both physiology and life don’t allow us such luxuries.

Simply put, a training plateau is a period when your performance simply stagnates and, despite best efforts, you see no improvements. It is usually accompanied by a feeling of fatigue and limited enthusiasm.

What causes it? Several factors can contribute to a plateau, and they are a normal part of any training program. But the key is to react to them and make your best effort to avoid them. Here are

a few reasons why a training plateau might occur.

Lack of planning Many training plateaus occur because of monotony in the training program, simply doing the same thing week after week. This can be a repetition of the same template in training each week, or the same type of sessions (similar intensity) day after day. This is a common problem for many athletes, and the key to remember is that the body responds best to variance, in both intensity and types of training.

john segesta, larry rosa

with matt dixon

There are many factors that might cause a decline in performance, so let’s take a step back to review training plateaus so that I can suggest a path forward. It is important to understand that performance is not a linear progression of ever-increasing improvement. It is a journey that is sure to include a few setbacks and periods of limited visible gains, some of which are a normal part of a training cycle, others a negative response to an incorrect approach to training. Training and performance would be much simpler if it were an

Accumulation of fatigue If you continue to train without adequate recovery, your body is less capable of adapting to—or drawing improvements from—your training. This, by definition, will create a plateau. This is probably the No. 1 reason for long-term decline in performance, and the greatest mistake athletes can make in their training approach.

Accumulation of stress Often a plateau can occur due to factors outside of the actual plan. If you have an accumulation of stress in other parts

of life, whether it is work, relationships, financial or even nutrition, training performance will decline. Always be cognizant of life factors when evaluating your training.

Put forth best efforts to avoid or escape a plateau.

This includes setting up your training with a clear roadmap, which will define evolving phases of training to allow progression and variance in approach. Planning ahead and integrating phases of recovery throughout the season is a truly critical component of avoiding plateaus. Imagine going on a road trip but setting out with no direction or map to understand if you are going to the right place. In this situation, it is very difficult to avoid getting lost.

If you start to feel in a rut, your first course of action should be evaluation. You might need an experienced coach or friend who can review your training plan and make suggestions, or you might be able to honestly assess whether your training included enough recovery, progression and variance.

Whatever the conclusion to your evaluation, there is little doubt that the training approach needs to change. You may well need to integrate more recovery into your plan, or more variance, or alter the weekly approach of your training. The worst thing you can do is keep doing the same thing—the results will never be positive.

Matt Dixon is an exercise physiologist, former professional triathlete, elite coach and the owner of the San Francisco-based Purplepatch Fitness.

January 2011 | triathlete.com

53

CHECKING IN

ASK A PRO

Whether you carefully set out a list of goals for the new year, or shun the subscription to mandatory self-improvement come Jan. 1, the start of the new year is a natural time for reflection on the successes and failures of the past 12 months and to set out some ground rules for the next.

Q:

As the new year approaches, and thoughts turn to resolutions for 2011, I’m interested to know if you have any advice on goal setting. What are some of your—and fellow pros’— own goals?

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TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

NILS NILSEN

WITH SAMANTHA MCGLONE

Goal setting is critical for any training plan. Unless you know where you are going it is impossible to chart an effective path to get there.

So instead of looking at resolutions as hard-and-fast rules to be followed for as long as possible (usually until mid-January for most of us) think of the year’s end as a time to take stock of last season’s performance and lay out some short, medium and long-term goals for the coming year and beyond. For example, if a long-term goal is to complete an Ironman

in 2012, a good intermediate step could be to finish two half-iron races in the 2011 season (medium-term goal). To prepare for these longer distances some good short term goals could be to gradually increase run and bike mileage to race distances while continuing to work on weaknesses: swim stroke and running efficiency are two common ones. Some immediate resolutions could be to commit to Masters swim workouts with a coach three times a week, and integrating running drills and strides two times a week. Small changes that can be done every day add up to big performance gains down the road.

What are the pros resolving to change up this year?

We took an informal poll of some of the most successful triathletes in the sport to see what they'll be working on in 2011. As for my own resolutions? Train harder and smarter. Eat more kale and less chocolate. Do core work and stretch everyday. Watch less “Jersey Shore� and read more Hemingway. Stop twirling my hair. Most importantly I resolve to my editors to submit my Triathlete columns on time every month.

Hillary Biscay: Ironman champion, Ultraman: I don't do New Year's resolutions.

It's not that I don't do resolutions in general; it's just that Jan. 1 isn't really a date that is relevant to my life. I am continually resolving to better myself in any number of ways: in my diet, my training, my coaching. But the "start dates" for these resolutions usually correspond to my rac-

ing cycle. In other words, my results at major races tend to prompt me to start various self-improvement projects.

Tim O'Donnell, ITU Long Course world champion: To stop losing to Terenzo Bozzone by 30 seconds in 70.3 races.

Chris McDonald, three-time Ironman champion: To switch the lights off every time I leave the room. My wife is helping me stick to that one.

I am also resolving to make sure that my daily training plan consistently leads the way to achieve my one-, twoand three-year goals.

Chris Legh, Ironman champion: I'm finally spending a winter in the Northern Hemisphere, so I plan to hit the ski slopes and trails as much as I can. I may not start the season with a suntan, but maybe 30 days in the mountains will give me an edge. I'm also getting on in age, so I plan to enjoy one of my last years of racing as much as I can!

Julie Dibens, Xterra and Ironman 70.3 world champion: My New Year’s resolution?

Normally it is to beat Chrissie [Wellington] at everything I do ... but that doesn't last long.

Rebeccah Wassner, pro triathlete: Grow at least one thing that we can eat, and travel somewhere for fun without my bike box.

Terenzo Bozzone, Ironman 70.3 world champion: To have a good race at the world championship in Kona in October.

January 2011 | triathlete.com

55

CHECKING IN

I’M A TRIATHLETE

Sanjay Gupta

BY LAUREN VENTURA

Dr. Gupta and his Fit Nation Challenge team at the 2010 Nautica New York City Triathlon

S 56

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

It hardly seems possible that one person could have the time to be an award-winning journalist, reporting on everything from the Sept. 11 attacks to Hurricane Katrina and the earthquakes in Haiti and Pakistan, while still finding time to perform his surgical duties at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. But Dr. Gupta, now 43, does just that.

Gupta’s latest crusade focuses on one of the worst epidemics in this country: obesity. To help do his part to combat America’s growing waistline, Gupta and CNN launched the Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge last year and are working on another for 2011.

“As a doctor I’m always thinking of ways I can walk the walk,” Gupta ex-

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Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon and CNN’s chief medical correspondent for the Health, Medical and Wellness Unit, has been called a lot of names: a humanitarian, father of three, a superman, a pop culture icon, one of the sexiest men alive. Now he can add the label “triathlete” to the mix.

plains. “I was thinking of getting a group of people who were representative of these problems—people who’re trying to make a change in their lives, physically, emotionally, diet-wise—and give those people the tools to change, and use their stories to engage our audience.”

The outcome of the six-month training journey took six CNN viewers, who were looking to get fit, to the finish line of the 2010 Nautica New York City Triathlon. Using triathlon as a vehicle for weight loss and health fitness wasn’t just a fluke, though, Gupta reveals; extensive research drove the decision.

“I looked at everything, such as what is the likelihood that a non-athletic person would be able to finish a triathlon?”

Gupta says. “What does triathlon do to your body overall; what’s the importance of using all the muscle groups in various stages of training—was that, from a medical standpoint, better for these people than completing a marathon?”

What he and his researchers at CNN determined is that although marathon training can be beneficial, it could potentially raise inflammatory proteins in the blood too high in non-athletes who

CHECKING IN

I’M A TRIATHLETE

Dr. Gupta’s triathlon checklist

You’ll hear “ people who are great

triathletes nurturing newer triathletes, giving them insider tips and just helping them. I really love that about the sport.

Favorite Training Song: Weezer’s “Island In The Sun.” “It’s always the first song I play when I start my training.”

Training Gear He Can’t Live Without: “I got really attached to various anti-chafe creams. I now fully understand the need for those products after training for triathlon because I could have qualified for a horror show in the early stages of my training.”

”

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TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

nating soda, sweets and unnecessary calories from a diet and adding in a healthy breakfast.

“What was so surprising for our triathletes was the huge difference that just those first few changes made. And then when you add in the triathlon training—they made huge progress,” he says.

But it was his own race experience that really opened his eyes to the world of triathlon, not just as a transformative, healthy sport but also as a culture.

“You’ll hear people who are great triathletes nurturing newer triathletes, giving them insider tips and just helping them. I really love that about the sport,” says Gupta. As for his favorite triathlon moment, it happened 13 miles into the bike course of the Nautica New York City Triathlon. “I was coming over the West Side Highway, I saw the Washington Street Bridge in the distance—everyone around me was chatting and talking, just being so supportive—it was a great moment.”

Most Important Training Lesson Learned: “I learned a lot about sodium replacement. Taking a salt packet and pouring it right on your tongue, a packet right from a fast food restaurant, and using it between the bike/run transition can really help prevent dehydration.”

Nutrition Must-have: “I became a big fan of Clif Shot Bloks and Gu. These were good for me because I knew how many calories were in them.

Plus they didn’t make me sick to my stomach.”

Nutrition No-no’s: Alcohol and ice cream. “Don’t worry, I didn’t become a monk. I would still get ice cream; it just wouldn’t be in the house. Instead I’d have to work for it by walking to get it: I’d bring the kids with me to a local ice cream shop down the street instead.”

His Ride: I have a Trek Madone 6.9. It’s such a great bike. I really love the Kozo Shimano electric gear shifting feature [not pictured].”

BRIGHTROOM.COM

might already be at risk for high blood pressure or high cholesterol. A combination that Gupta decided was too risky for his contestants.

“On the other hand, using the cross-training required in triathlon and really mixing up the training, and picking the right distance—we chose the Olympic distance— we thought it was a good fit for the cross-section of people we ultimately chose,” he says.

One contestant, Angie Brouhard, a breast cancer survivor, didn’t want to just get in shape: She wanted to show viewers that when you beat cancer, you can come back from it stronger than ever. Brouhard crossed the finish line on her wedding anniversary, using triathlon to show her husband, family and friends that she was still going strong.

All told, the combined weight loss for the team was more than 130 pounds, a feat that Gupta credits in part to the “low hanging fruit” denominator—elimi-

checking in

conFeSSIonS oF an age-grouPer

It Happens by holly bennett

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triathlete.com | January 2011

of mine was crushing the marathon in Kona, on her way to a podium spot in her first Ironman. Her boyfriend, following the final miles on his mountain bike, saw that she had soiled her tri pants.

He sprinted back to town, stopped off at the Ironman merchandise store and—in a display of true triathlete love—made it to the finish in time to greet her with a freshly purchased pair of run shorts.

While there’s no race clock time to be lost when nature calls during training, the challenge of finding a facility can be daunting indeed. It’s one thing to run in a civilized area with abundant fast food restaurants, gas stations and grocery stores. But bathroom access on backcountry roads is limited, at best, especially when the wandering eyes of field workers, farmhouse inhabitants and passing motorists follow your every step. There is, though, a certain “I’ve got a secret” satisfaction to dropping drawer in the open air. Plus, a good squat story fuels the fodder for future training group chats, given the multisport athlete’s bizarre tendency to over-share. So, when that universally familiar feeling is too strong to avoid, do your best to find an appropriate and semi-private pit stop.

After all, in the unforgettable words of fellow endurance athlete Forrest Gump, “It happens.”

What to do when It Happens to you

»

Know your local indecent exposure laws, and don’t get caught breaking them.

»

Plan ahead and tuck a small supply of tissue in your Fuel Belt.

»

If you forget the tissue, be sure you remember how to identify the telltale red and green leaves of poison oak or ivy.

»

When possible, plot your run route to include a Starbucks or grocery store.

» In a dire emergency, knock on a random door. There’s a chance the inhabitants will recognize—and have empathy for—your anxietyridden expression and tightly locked legs.

» If busted by the prying

eyes of a passer-by, smile and act like you’ve simply stopped to tweet.

hunter king

A gal in my running group recently shared a horror story one of her friends had witnessed. A runner, logging a long workout on the gym treadmill, had to relieve himself—and chose to do so as he ran in place. That guy needs to have his membership revoked. Not just his gym membership, but his acceptance in the group universally known as endurance athletes. Obviously his commitment to sport has crossed over to unhealthy, not to mention unsanitary, obsession.

Sure, we long-distance triathletes take a sort of twisted pride in our ability to tinkle on the fly. It’s not always the easiest feat to achieve—and certainly not one most people (except maybe the treadmill guy) wish to practice off the race course.

When I raced my first Ironman, I must have tried five or six times before I could successfully go on the go. It wasn’t that I didn’t desperately feel the need; in fact, my bladder was near its bursting point.

The problem was the roughly chip-sealed roads on the bike course, jarring and jostling me so badly that relaxation—a prepee requirement for us girls—was nearly impossible. I’ve since learned that if I seize up straight away, I’ll actually save time by pulling over and using a proper potty, rather than wasting my focus on attaining a Zen-like state which allows for in-flight flow.

Of course, going No. 1 is child’s play compared to the sudden rumbling that signals an urgent No. 2 emergency. I’ve been fortunate never to experience Code Brown during a race, but some are not so lucky. Years ago, a friend

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PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIO CANTU

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

65

TRAINING TIPS

Pull Buoy Basics

DRILL OF THE MONTH

Shark Drill

ter kick with a buoy in place should use a band to strap their ankles together.

Using a pull buoy for more than onethird of total yardage, however, can be disadvantageous. Triathletes should not become reliant on a pull buoy to achieve good body positioning; rather, it should be used sparingly as a tool to approximate the feel of right body position. Holding a buoy between the legs causes swimmers to slightly arch their backs. This body position should be emulated in regular swimming to keep the whole body horizontal at the surface. The goal is to utilize buoys as a focused training tool, not as a crutch.

//SARA MCLARTY

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TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

PULL BUOY: NILS NILSEN, SHARK DRILL: JOHN SEGESTA/JOHNSEGESTA.COM

The pull buoy is a basic piece of swimming equipment used to improve a swimmer’s power. A buoy is typically held between the thighs to float the hips and legs at the surface of the water.

The action of swimming with a buoy is called “pulling” because only the arms are used for forward momentum.

Triathletes can benefit from pulling during a workout (with or without hand paddles) to increase arm strength and upper body power. Any regular swimming set can be transformed into a pulling workout: long or short repetitions, fast or slow intervals, ladders or descending pace. Athletes who still flut-

The “finish” of a freestyle swim stroke starts when the arm passes the waist and ends when the hand exits the water at mid-thigh. This motion looks like a tricep-pushdown in the gym and uses the same muscles. With practice and improved strength, this small motion in the water can create a longer and more efficient stroke.

A shark drill is a great way to practice a good freestyle finish. Start by placing a pull buoy between your thighs. Imagine the part of the buoy sticking out of the water is a shark fin. Pull a regular lap of freestyle except at the finish of each stroke, reach back and tap the shark fin with your fingers. This drill will encourage you to maximize the full length of the stroke and discourage lifting the arm out of the water too early.

If your triceps are unusually sore after practice, this confirms that you are making the correct changes to your stroke.

The finish of each stroke dictates the start of the next stroke. By lengthening the stroke with a good finish, the leading arm will glide a bit farther. These extra inches gained by each stroke are creating a greater “distance per stroke” and making you a more efficient swimmer.

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TRAINING TIPS

What’s Your Number?

Distance per stroke is especially important in long-distance swimming and open-water triathlons to conserve energy and maintain pace.

5 ways to improve DPS: 1. Improve body position in the water: Stay horizontal and at the surface.

2. Lengthen stroke: Reach at the front and finish at the back.

3. Strengthen kick and improve core stability.

4. Swim in a straight line.

5. Count your strokes: Know your number and then lower it.

By the Rules 1.

A periodic glance at the USA Triathlon rulebook is always a smart move— especially with contradictory information sometimes floating around.

If you’re a beginner, consider this Swim Rules 101.

2.

athletes may wear a wetsuit but will not receive awards.

The bottom of the lake/river/ ocean is free game for resting and forward propulsion (i.e. dolphin diving). On the other hand, boats and buoys are great places for resting but you cannot use them to make forward progress in the race.

If provided with a race cap, you are required to wear it.

Goggles are optional, swimsuits are not! No artificial propulsion devices either. Leave your fins, pull buoy, paddles and water wings at home.

3.

4.

//SARA MCLARTY

68

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

NILS NILSEN

All athletes must start in their designated wave or group.

Athletes starting in an earlier wave will be disqualified from the event.

On the other hand, you will not be punished for starting in a later wave if for some reason you miss the start of your assigned wave.

Wetsuits have always been a topic of confusion. Not anymore! For all USAT events, agegroup athletes may wear a wetsuit if the water temperature is below 78 degrees F. If the temperature is between 78 and 84 degrees F,

Distance per stroke, or DPS, is a ratio between the distance a swimmer moves through the water in relation to how many stroke cycles he completed. Confusing? Here is an example: If you take 25 strokes across a 25-yard pool, your DPS is 1 yard.

If you take 25 strokes to go 50 yards, your DPS is 2 yards.

Swimmers and triathletes strive for a higher DPS because it is synonymous with greater efficiency in the water and ultimately faster times.

Covering a length of pool with fewer strokes means that you have used less energy. The saved energy can be used later in the event or to go faster at the moment.

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TRAINING TIPS

3 Flip Turn Tips 1.

How To … Do a Flip Turn (the correct way)

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

3.

//COURTNEY BAIRD

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2.

How-to video: Learn proper flip turn technique. Watch our demo on your phone or at Triathlete.com/flipturn.

If your phone has a web browser and camera, download the free app at http://gettag.mobi and scan over (or take a picture of) this barcode.

STEVE GODWIN

Many swimmers are intimidated by flip turns, especially if they swim in a Masters swim program populated by former collegiate swimmers who effortlessly glide into and off of the wall. In an effort to decrease the intimidation factor, Triathlete has turned to one of the most iconic teachers in the sport of swimming for tips: Bob Bowman, coach of Olympic great Michael Phelps.

Bowman says that to get started, you should practice doing somersaults in shallow water—water that reaches about up to your chest. Start with your hands at your side with your palms facing forward. Then, bend your legs to get ready to jump. As you jump, use your palms to flip yourself over by bringing them up toward your forehead.

Be sure to remain in a tight ball, as this helps you rotate quickly and easily.

Next, practice your flip turns in the middle of the lane, away from the wall. Take a couple of strokes, snap your chin to your chest while you pull your arms through, so they’re resting at your side.

Then flip over. Use your arms to help you flip, as you did when you somersaulted in shallow water.

Before your feet plant on the imaginary wall, your arms should be in the streamlined position. “The more you do this away from the wall, the better

off you’re going to be,” Bowman says.

Next, practice a drill that Bowman says is “selfteaching.” Swim straight into the wall. Bowman says doing a flip turn is like throwing a tennis ball.

If you throw a tennis ball straight into a wall, it will pop straight out—and the same idea goes for a flip turn. Then, just like you did when you were practicing without a wall, flip over. Your feet should rotate straight over you. Plant your heels on the wall so that your toes are pointing straight up and your knees are at a 90-degree angle. Make sure that before you push off the wall your arms are in the streamlined position. Then, push off the wall while you are still on your back. Take six freestyle kicks. Rotate to your side and take six more freestyle kicks. Then, begin your stroke by pulling with the arm that is closest to the bottom of the pool.

Once you’ve practiced the second drill enough, you’ll be ready to try a real flip turn.

Many athletes do flip turns by rotating to their side before they push off the wall.

Bowman recommends avoiding this. Instead, push off the wall while you’re still on your back and then rotate to the side while you’re gliding through the water.

It’s also important to use the black line at the bottom of the pool or the edge where the wall meets the floor to judge when to begin your turn instead of looking up. “When you pick your chin up, you flatten out your back and it makes it difficult to get into a ball,” Bowman says.

When you are circle swimming with others, before you turn, always swim over to the left side of the lane so you can swim straight into the wall and flip straight out.

GEAR BAG

THE ESSENTIALS In an effort to learn just how the pros swim so fast, we asked them:

What’s your essential swim training tool and why?

Mirinda Carfrae, 2010 Ironman world champion: “My paddles—they are a great tool to help build sportspecific strength, which I think is key. They’re also a great tool to use to keep up with some faster swimmers from time to time.”

Finis PT Paddles

Swim paddles are typically used as a strength-training tool.

72

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

Sara McLarty, ITU pro and Triathlete’s resident swim expert: “My small, green Strokemaker Hand Paddles, because without them I couldn’t keep up with the high school squirts I train with in the pool.”

Sarah Groff, one of the top American ITU athletes: “A band. Nothing will get you more focused on correct body positioning or stronger than some band-only swim sets.”

Chris “Macca” McCormack, two-time Ironman world champion: “Paddles; they’re the only training tool I use in the pool.”

NILS NILSEN

The swimmer straps a big plank onto his hand to increase his resistance and feel for the water. This allows the swimmer to learn how to optimally position the hand while also improving strength. The PT Paddles work in exactly the opposite way—they reduce the swimmer’s grip on the water.

This unique training tool is a bulbous piece of plastic that straps onto the swimmer’s palm and streamlines his hand, similar to an aero helmet. Turning the swimmer’s hand into a bulb—rather than a flat paddle—reduces the hydrodynamic drag between the hand and the water and forces the swimmer to use his forearm to create power. To generate that additional power, the swimmer has to insert his forearm into the water vertically, and this stroke change helps generate additional grip on the water when swimming with an open or closed hand.

Swimming with a balled-up fist accomplishes the same thing, so why pay money for a swim tool that can be replicated by closing your hand? Because keeping a tight fist requires a surprising amount of attention, and inadvertently opening the hand increases grip on the water. Allowing your hand to creep open creates the illusion that your technique has improved but in reality, you simply cheated the drill.

We found swimming with PT Paddles to be more effective and enjoyable than performing the “fist drill” because the paddles take the focus off your fists and redirects it to your swim technique. Plus, it is nearly impossible to cheat the drill while wearing these paddles. //AARON HERSH

Matty Reed, 2008 Olympian: “A resistance band— it builds power and strength and allows me to really work on my arms. You have to pay attention to your body and head positions to use the band effectively.”

Karen Smyers on the Mighty Hamptons:

“I have been hearing about this great race called the Mighty Hamptons for years and finally got the opportunity to race there. It lived up to all the hype: beautiful course, expertly-run, good competition, and gourmet chocolate chip cookies as prizes. Who could ask for anything more?”

“The Legend Continues” If you have never experienced this event, 2011 is the year to do it, if you have, you know the beauty of this course.

Paul McCloskey

2010 Mightyman Champion from Belchertown MA: “The course is Awesome! Challenging with nice flats to get you cooking, and hills to separate everyone.

A great end of the year Half. The temperature is ideal for not overheating. I’d like to come back and bring more people with me!”

Dave Scott on the Mighty Hamptons:

“I remember the first Mighty Hamptons race quite well. Thirty years ago, prior to the event, Long Island was dotted with potato fields and Southampton was an idyllic setting for a wild race. All the triathletes in the ‘81 event were warmly welcomed by the community and I’m sorry that I can’t be with you for the 30th running. Keep me on the list, I look forward to coming back for the 31st! Good luck to everyone and enjoy the great hospitality and scenery of the Mighty Hamptons!

Cameron Elford

Triathlete Magazine on the Mighty Man Half: “Challenge yourself to one of the most awesome tests of endurance. Simply; A Must do Event”.

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DOUBLE VISION

ITU racers closed out the 2010 season on Oct. 10 with the Huatulco ITU Triathlon World Cup in Mexico.

American Matt Chrabot took bronze; Gwen Jorgensen was the top female American, finishing fifth.

PHOTOGRAPH BY RICH CRUSE/TRIATHLON.ORG

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

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training tips

An Off-road Workout with Roadie Benefits One of the first places that mountain

©American Sporting Goods Corporation 2010

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rated by two to three minutes of rest. This workout is more of a strength workout than a cardiovascular workout, so your heart rate will likely be a bit lower than if you were doing hill repeats at a higher cadence.

Using a big gear helps you to focus on applying power evenly through the pedal stroke while thinking about pushing and pulling in circles with each leg.

Once you are comfortable with the big gear hill repeat, you can add the advanced effort to the workout by dropping into a much easier gear for the last minute and spinning at 100 percent effort for the last minute. This will then tax your cardiovascular system when your legs are tired and mimic a race effort when you are pre-fatigued, thus addressing two energy systems in one workout.

Start with three repetitions and build to five or six, keeping in mind that quality is always preferable to quantity in any training session. Lastly, consider your bike position. Extrapolating your position on a mountain bike directly from your road bike may not be your ideal off-road position. Visiting your local bike fitter is money well spent. //melanie mcQuaid Rocky ARRoyo/XTERRA PhoTos

biking throws off road cyclists is in the climbing. Road cyclists are accustomed to copious amounts of traction, but riding on the dirt makes it a scarce resource. This difference is most noticeable when climbing and cornering. Strong mountain bikers will constantly reposition their body weight to maximize traction and steer the bike rather than relying solely on their tires or handlebars to navigate the trails.

With notable exceptions, it is more efficient to remain seated while climbing on a mountain bike. In Xterra racing it is preferable to minimize anaerobic efforts to save your legs for the run, so seated climbing is a good strategy while saving climbing out of the saddle for making accelerations to pass. It takes some savvy weight placement to maintain traction on your rear tire (where power transfer occurs) when you shift your weight to the handlebars to stand out of the saddle, so keeping your center of gravity over the rear wheel will help maintain traction.

The workout involves five-minute climbing efforts using a big gear with a cadence of approximately 55 to 65 rpm. The efforts are sepa-

training tips

A Fixed-Gear Bike Can Help Your Training The popularity of fixed-gear bikes has grown, particularly in subcultures of hipsters and bike messengers. But beyond the trendiness of “fixies” are their benefits to triathletes as an off-season training tool (or in-season recovery option). Jonathan Cane of City Coach Multisport in New York City encourages his athletes to get out on a fixie during the winter. It’s the simplest form of a bike—no derailleur or brakes necessary—just a direct drivetrain.

“Because you can’t coast, you tend to get a lot out of your off-season road miles,” says Cane. Fixed-gear bikes aren’t that expensive, and with the help of a bike shop, you could even convert your old road bike to a fixie. Here are a few reasons to ride a fixed-gear bike: It will smooth out your pedal stroke.

Because coasting is not an option, you’ll find the dead spots in your pedal stroke

pretty quickly. A fixie forces you to keep your pedal circles smooth and constant no matter your cadence, so you’ll automatically become more efficient.

It will boost your cadence. When you’re headed downhill, you won’t be able to rely on shifting to a bigger gear. You’ll have to pedal at a higher cadence, which helps improve neuromuscular efficiency. Cane says, “I find that if I can push an athlete’s ‘cadence comfort zone’ up by a few rpm, they’ll selfselect a higher cadence during races, which can lead to faster run times as well.”

Find a gently rolling course where you can comfortably spin 85-90 rpm on the flats. Focus on the descents, where you’ll feel under-geared. See how fast you can get your cadence without bouncing your hips.

Riding a fixie defies negative stereotypes about triathletes. The cycling community is segregated and triathletes

are known for their expensive taste and obsession with carbon. Get out there and prove we care about more than just being aerodynamic.

It will increase efficiency on rolling hills. If you have a habit of coasting over every crest of a hill, a fixie will break you of that habit quickly (because if you do try to coast, you’ll wind up catapulting over your handlebars). Uphills will be harder because you only have one gear option, so you’ll build strength in your legs that will come in handy for your upcoming season.

It mixes up your routine. In order to stay focused and excited all year, you should change something about your workout regimen. Fixie riders often say they feel more “connected” to their bikes—that it’s liberating not to deal with the complications of gears and to be able to just ride, pure and simple. //Jené Shaw

$ 25

Cost per second of time savings

Speed Per Dollar $ 13.34

(lower is better)

$ 1.72*

$ 1.34*

Road position vs. wind tunnel tri bike fit

Road helmet vs. aero helmet

Loose clothing vs. triathlon suit

*Best bang for your buck

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Aero race wheels

IllustratIon by Hunter KIng

Standard tri bike vs.

Super tri bike

$ 1.78*

it’s no secret that reducing aerodynamic drag makes a cyclist faster, and plenty of companies are eager to split you and your money to reduce your wind drag. if you have decided to upgrade your ride for more speed but can’t choose between an aero helmet and a pair of race wheels, ask yourself this: What type of aero gear offers the most time savings for the lowest price?

Mike giraud of the a2 Wind tunnel went into the lab and tested helmets,

frames, clothing, wheels and body position to find the difference in drag between highly tuned aerodynamic versions and standard versions of these products. giraud measured the resistance created by each product in grams of drag and we converted that data into dollars-persecond of time savings to give you a rough guideline for the aerodynamic value of upgrading each category. there is a lot of variance within each product category and these numbers can provide a rough guideline when choosing your next bike upgrade, not firm answers about which product is best.

training tips

Efficient Bike Strength Training at Home By christopher thomas

Appropriate strength training in the

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point is to build exercise-specific strength.

A proper, natural progression warmup should precede the focused work to follow. The first five minutes should be used to let the legs adjust to spinning at a minimal effort (low heart rate: very easy). The next five minutes should be used to gradually build up to a decent effort (heart rate elevates by 10 beats per minute: moderate effort). A good 10-minute block of drills should follow. Two very good drills to incorporate into any warm-up are onelegged spinning and 30-second intervals of higher cadence work (more than 110 rpm) at lower resistance.

The heart of the workout, or main set, will follow. Each interval should last a total of 10 minutes. The interval starts with a superset of leg strength exercises. The strength exercises are performed first in order to fire or activate the muscles.

A proper superset is performed with as little rest as possible before engaging in the next exercise. The first exercise is the walking lunge. The main focus for this exercise should be on engaging the core,

Nils NilseN

off-season can lead to significant improvements during the race season. The key is to stay patient. This patience can be one of the hardest elements for most of us type-A personalities, who demand immediate gratification. However, if implemented correctly, the benefits of exercise-specific strength training can be extraordinary.

A proper yearly training cycle allows for off-season recovery and strength focus. This is the time of year when the muscular system becomes more significant than the aerobic system. As the year progresses and the training cycle shifts into the build and peak phase, the aerobic system will catch up and surpass the muscular. However, the goal is to have this shift happen later in the season and at a higher power point than in previous years.

Here’s a home-based workout that does not require any major equipment. The idea is to have a convenient power workout that can be completed each week without having to go the gym. This workout should take one hour in total duration, and its key

keeping the neck neutral with the spine, and not letting the front knee move ahead of the foot. The second exercise is the hamstring curl. This should be done in the supine position on the floor with the heels over the top of an exercise ball. Beginners should keep their gluteus touching the floor, while intermediate/advanced athletes can perform the curls with the gluteus raised. The third exercise is the jumping squat. Once again the core needs to be engaged with the neck neutral with the spine. The upper body should be upright and the squat motion should not go beyond 90 degrees. Then the explosion up should have a controlled jump that lands softly.

The fourth and final exercise is the eccentric (focus on downward motion of the calf raise rather than the upward motion) calf extension. This should be a one-second upward motion followed by a controlled three-second downward motion.

Once the strength exercises are completed, the main bike portion begins. The idea is to get right up to the prescribed effort level and try to hold it for the remainder of the 10 minutes. This is a strength workout and therefore the second and third intervals have lower cadence prescriptions. The first interval is important to set the stage for the intervals to follow. I recommend performing this workout once or twice per week

Tech SupporT

during the off-season. This is a tremendous way to build explosive bike strength for the next race season. This strength session can also replace one of your regular weekly gym sessions.

Bike Trainer/Weight Combo – 60 minutes Bike Warm-up: 20 minutes of gradually building effort, including drills. interval 1 • Superset strength exercises: 25-30 reps • Walking lunges, hamstring curls using an exercise ball, jumping squats (no weight), eccentric calf extensions • Bike: finish the 10 minutes (if the strength movements take you four minutes, then bike for six minutes) hr Low Zone 2 • cadence: 85-95 interval 2 • repeat strength exercises • Bike until the 10-minute mark hr high Zone 2 • cadence: 75-80 interval 3 • repeat strength exercises • Bike until the 10-minute mark, hr Zone 3 • cadence: 80-85 cool-down: 10 minutes of easy spinning

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Keeping these tools nearby will help keep your mileage up and your bike repair expenses down.

Torque wrench: If you’ve made the investment in a carbon fiber frame or components, then you definitely want to consider this gadget. Carbon components are more prone to crushing than their metal counterparts so it’s critical to tighten the bolts with precisely the right amount of torque. Torque wrenches cost $20 to $300. Expensive torque wrenches have features such as increased precision, wide torque adjustment ranges and even an electronic display. Talk to a trusted bike mechanic to make sure you understand how it works before you make your purchase and always tighten bolts to the manufacturer-recommended torque value.

Allen wrenches: Your seat tube, saddle, bottle cages and handlebars are all secured with Allen bolts, which can loosen and corrode over time. Keep them fresh and tight. The best buy in this case is a multi-tool that provides a whole set of wrenches in an easy-to-carry fold-out design. Keep this in your jersey during a long ride and you’ll quickly become a broken-down cyclist’s best friend.

Chain stretch gauge: Chains stretch over time and stop fitting into the teeth on your cassette and chain rings, which causes these expensive components to quickly wear out. A chain stretch gauge will let you know when it’s time to replace the chain before you have to replace the entire drivetrain.

WD-40: There’s a whole book devoted to the multitude of uses for this product, but its main purpose is cleanliness. Don’t let road gunk collect on your bike.

It’s bad for the components, causes speed-sucking friction and frustrates the mechanic who has to repair it. That trusty blue can of lubricant will keep your parts slick, corrosion-free and shiny enough to make the guys at your home shop smile at the sight of them.

YouTube: Looking to do it yourself but don’t know how? There are thousands of how-to videos on YouTube.com. You can even search by using the “My Problem Is...” search function. Most of the videos put up by experts are easy to understand, and, if nothing else, will make you feel a little less ignorant when you go to the shop for help. //Jim Gourley

Nils NilseN

Christopher Thomas is an expert coach with LifeSport Coaching, Lifesportcoaching. com. Thomas is certified in personal training and weight room instruction from ACSM and AFAA, and as a Youth Fitness Trainer and Specialist in Fitness for Older Adults by the International Sports Sciences Association. He was named the 2009 USA Triathlon Amateur Athlete of the Year.

An OunCe Of PrevenTiOn

Tri GaraGe

Kestrel 4000 Pro SL-Ultegra

Aero Details: Other than

The Kestrel Airfoil was the brand’s marquee bike for well over a decade and every version of it has shared one key feature—no seat tube. This unique characteristic reduced the Airfoil’s aerodynamic drag and allowed the bike to absorb road vibration instead of sending it up to the rider. At first glance, Kestrel’s new top-end bike, the 4000, MSRP $4,000, looks a lot like an Airfoil with a seat tube, but it is built around an entirely different design philosophy and its ride experience—not to mention aerodynamic characteristics—reflects the next step in Kestrel’s evolution.

Fit: The Kestrel 4000 fits a short person much differently than it fits a tall person.

The small frames are a good match for riders who prefer a relatively conservative position, but the tall sizes are better for riders who need to get low. This trend is more extreme at the smallest and largest sizes. Although this geometric quirk prevents bike fitters from categorizing the 4000 as aggressive or conservative, all sizes are built around sound triathlonspecific geometry. Just make sure your particular size matches your fit preferences because a small 4000 is appropriate for a rider who requires a more upright position and a large 4000 is best for a rider who prefers a “long and low” position.

Ride: The biggest consequence of Kestrel’s decision to build its newest flagship bike with a seat tube is increased stiffness in all directions. The Airfoil doesn’t bob incessantly like a beam bike, but it has more lateral and vertical give than traditional bikes. The 4000’s thin, arching seat tube bolsters the frame enough to drastically increase its responsiveness compared to an Airfoil but still preserves some of that silky ride feeling.

The 4000’s combination of smoothness and stiffness is transcendent.

Components: The majority of tri bikes have a flashy rear derailleur but budget parts everywhere else. Although the rear derailleur is perhaps the most noticed component on a bike, it minimally impacts a bike’s functionality. The 4000 Pro sl-Ultegra is not equipped with a cheap mix of components masquerading as high end; it has a true shimano Ultegra component kit and it executes crisp front and rear shifts because of high-quality parts—such as the Ultegra crank and cassette—that often go unnoticed.

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//aaron hersh

More photos: View this bike in greater detail on your phone or at Triathlete.com/kestrel4000.

If your phone has a web browser and camera, download the free app at http://gettag.mobi and scan over (or take a picture of) this barcode.

Nils NilseN

Snap it!

the addition of a seat tube, the aerodynamic details on the 4000 form the most significant difference between the Airfoil and Kestrel’s new flagship. The Kestrel 4000 doesn’t have an integrated aerobar attachment system, such as those on the Trek speed Concept 9 series and the specialized shiv, but it has wind tunnel-proven aero features that allow it to bang heads with every other bike in the transition area. The shift housing is routed into the frame in the space behind the stem to shield the housing behind the aerobars. The front brake cable routes straight down the head tube and never strays into clean air. Combine the efficient cable routing with the 4000’s slender downtube, streamlined head tube and narrow seatstays and it’s obvious why Kestrel says, “The 4000 records better drag numbers than the Airfoil at all yaw angles, without a rider.”

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST

The Xterra World Championship on Oct. 24 in Maui provided a challenging, postcard-perfect stage for the world’s best off-road triathletes.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MIKE ADRIAN/ XTERRA PHOTOS

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

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training tips

The Secret to Breakthrough Running

A

As a regular runner, you might have tried incorporating variations in your

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Nils NilseN

training in an effort to experience a running breakthrough. Certainly there is no one element to guarantee you a breakthrough, and everything from cadence rate to hill work to speed work is part of taking your running to a new level. But there is one thing you can do to punch through that ceiling you might think is impenetrable: Run races!

A simple footrace can completely revamp your run capability because you begin the race on fresh legs. You’ll never begin the run on fresh legs in a triathlon.

And that’s why a fast running race can give you that breakthrough you’re looking for: A faster sustained speed than you ever experience as a triathlete recalibrates what your body considers its top end and makes it possible to carry that over into your triathlons.

It’s kind of like driving 80 mph on the freeway (which, of course, none of us ever does), and suddenly you slow to 65 when you see a cop. Going 65 mph feels like you are crawling, but if you putter along at 50 and then step it up to 65 mph, you feel like you

are flying. It’s the same with running: If the fastest you ever run in a triathlon is, say, a seven-minute mile, but then you enter a running race and hold 6:30s, it becomes likely that seven minutes will feel slow in your next triathlon and you can increase your pace to 6:45. It changes your perception of speed.

But this practice also does a number on your physiology. There is a value called VO2max, which is a measure of how much oxygen your body can absorb per unit of time. The more oxygen you can absorb, the more it’s available to the working muscles during exercise to break down stored fuel for energy. Through some very specific training and also through racing, you can raise that value regardless of your starting point, and as it rises so do all your fitness capabilities, including your ability to burn both stored fats and carbohydrates for fuel.

In other words, if your VO2max increases, you gain the ability to go faster at all levels of output or heart rates.

The big gains in VO2max come when you approach your maximum heart rate, and the easiest way to approach that heart rate is in a running race. But the catch is that the longer the running race, the less likely it is that you will be able to go fast enough to get your heart rate close to your max.

Think about it this way: If you compare the high-end intensity you can attain in a 5K and a marathon, it is clear that the 5K is going to trump the marathon in terms of your ability to approach or even reach your max heart rate near the end. So the ideal running race distance for helping you make a breakthrough in your running is a half-marathon or less, with 5K to 10K being the best distances for helping you become a better overall runner. //By mark allen

Samantha McGlone

E-114 weight

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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.

optimal balance www.argon18bike.com

TRAINING TIPS

Use Music to Boost Your Cadence Want to work on quickening your stride? All you need is a new playlist … and a little rhythm.

To increase your running efficiency and speed, you should develop a consistent metronomic cadence. The higher your turnover rate (steps taken per minute), the less time you spend in the air—which in turn reduces impact and lowers your risk of injury.

Test your current cadence by counting your right foot strikes for 60 seconds during an easy run. Multiply that by two.

If you’re right around 180, you’re at an optimal stride rate. If you fall below that average—like most of us—you can work on your cadence using music as a tool.

Marathon world-record holder Haile Gebrselassie has famously used music (specifically the song “Scatman” by

Snow Chains for Your Running Shoes

Scatman John) to lock in his optimal

If you need a pair of dedicated mud and ice shoes that can stand up to any conditions, this trick will turn an old pair of running shoes into your new favorite winter trainers. You’ll need a pair of running shoes, a bag of three-eighth-inch hex head screws, a Sharpie and a drill or screwdriver.

Put the shoes on and run a few strides while feeling for the regions of your forefoot that take most of the pressure during a stride.

Pop the shoes off and mark three spots on the sole underneath those pressure points with the Sharpie.

They will probably be along the ball of your foot. Make sure to center the screws on tall knobs of rubber to prevent the screws’ tips from wiggling through the sole.

If you are using a screwdriver, poke a thumbtack into the sole

Simply match your feet to the beat to

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

//AARON HERSH

carefully selected music can actually enhance endurance by 15 percent.

These songs are all close to that sweet spot of 180 beats per minute. teach your body what an optimal cadence feels like. If you’re just starting out it may feel pretty fast, so aim to focus on your stride only during the chorus and then work your way up to full songs. //JENÉ SHAW

1. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” Wham!

2. “The Distance,” Cake 3. “Love is a Battlefield,” Pat Bene tar 4. “I’m Still Standing,” Elton John 5. “Umbrella,” Rihanna 6. “Dancing with Myself,” Billy Idol 7. “Free Fallin’,” Tom Petty & The Hear tbreakers 8. “Give it Away,” Red Hot Chili Pepp ers 9. “Such Great Heights,” The Postal Service 10. “Footloose,” Kenny Loggins 11. “Son of A Preacher Man,” Dusty Sprin gfield 12. “Everlong,” Foo Fighters 13. “Lose Yourself,” Eminem 14. “Wonderwall,” Oasis 15. “Longest Time,” Billy Joel

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to create a small hole to set the screw. Jamming a screw into hard rubber can be frustrating without a power tool, so be patient. The screws should go in easily if you’re using a drill.

Once those three screws are in place, add one more at the front of the sole and two more at the rear of the forefoot, toward the medial side of the shoe. There is no need to add any screws under the heel because running on ice naturally forces runners up onto their toes.

Your haggard old running shoes are now the perfect pair of snow, ice and mud trainers. The only side effect of installing the screws is a clanking sound when running on pavement, but they still grip the road effectively. Just be careful around hardwood floors.

stride rate, and research has shown that

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Compress Yourself

Newsflash: Compression gear isn’t just about looking good in Lycra. The form-fitting, high-tech gear goes the distance when it comes to both performance and recovery— focusing on everything from fighting shin splits to re-oxygenating the heart while you train. “You may pay more for compression, but it lasts longer and you get so much more out of it,” says Richard Verney, marketing director for Aussie brand 2XU. Here, we highlight four top compression product picks—along with the unique benefits of each brand. //Sarah WaSSner Flynn

2XU Zoot Zoot fans will love this line of compression sports apparel from the Kona-based brand. Each garment— constructed with an odorfighting and comfy poly-pro blend—promises to speed bloodflow back to the heart to be re-oxygenated so you can go longer and recover more quickly. Another plus: Customized sizing applies to muscle circumference at the waist, thigh and calf for the ultimate fit.

Try: CompressRx Thermal gear for training in chilly temps. The arm sleeves, tights and tops claim to bring body temp up while fighting lactic acid buildup. $100-$130, Zootsports.com

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CEP

With a four-way stretch fabric developed in the labs of Kyoto, Japan, this anatomically engineered apparel applies gentle pressure on joints and major muscle groups via a “conditioning web.” The criss-cross pattern wraps around limbs to provide extra stability and support.

Try: Ventilator Stabilyx Tri Shorts made from an extrabreathable fabric. These race-ready shorts target the quads, IT band, hip and core—and offer extra sun protection. Available this spring.

Known as “two times you,” this brand delivers on its name with a two-fold approach to compression. “We help athletes perform better and minimize damage,” says Verney. The secret? Encasing muscles in a long-lasting Lycra woven in a circular net that works to eliminate tears and damage. A recent study by the Australian Institute of Sport showed that cyclists who wore 2XU compression socks post-workout were able to get in even more intense intervals on their second go.

Try: 2010 2XU Compression Tights. Catering to the calves and hamstrings, these are great to throw on for runs—and recovery time.

$85, cw-x.com

$110, 2xu.com

$60, cepcompression.com

CW-X

Athletes have embraced the benefits of compression clothing for the past few years, but the technology has been used in medicine for decades. CEP, the most worn compression sock at the 2010 Hawaii Ironman, is the athletic clothing division of the medical compression company, Medi. Medi’s products have been validated in the medical field and CEP brings that proven technology to athletes.

Try: CEP Running Socks, which reduce the muscle damage caused when the foot strikes the ground and improves circulation during and after exercise.

tested

1

GPS Watches GPs running watches are no longer novelty gadgets more suited to a technology geek than a distance runner. They are small, light, accurate, reasonably priced and it doesn’t take a computer hacker to figure out how to use one. The question is, which one is right for you?

2

3 Nils NilseN

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2 Garmin Forerunner 310XT Ease of use: The Forerunner 310XT comes with a DVD manual that has straightforward instructions for setting up the watch, using it and then reviewing the collected workout data. We didn’t have to pull out the magnifying glass and comb through the instruction manual; the DVD puts all the important details right in front of the user. The watch buttons are all clearly marked and the screen’s brilliant contrast makes the display easy to read, even when bouncing up and down during a trail run. The Garmin Forerunner 310XT was clearly the easiest to use of the three GPS watches in this test.

Functionality: The Forerunner 310XT has the most readable and easy-to-use single-sport mode of any watch in this review. It can display one, two, three or four pieces of information, including time, speed, calorie, distance and heart rate functions. The screen layout can easily be changed to display your favorite combination of mid-workout info. Switch the watch into multisport mode to track a brick workout or a race. It also has fun

features such as a heart rate graph and a “phantom pacer” to help keep you on your preset goal pace. We found the battery lasts just about 18 hours when communicating with satellites and it holds onto its juice between uses, so it doesn’t need to be charged frequently. On the downside, it cannot be used as a standard watch and it usually took about two minutes to link the watch with satellites, though sometimes they started communicating instantaneously.

3 Timex Global Trainer

Ease of use: The Global Trainer has the most functions and display options of any unit in this review and, therefore, has the most complicated series of button presses to memorize before mastering the watch. After figuring out how to navigate through the watch, the Global Trainer is actually quite easy to use, despite its complex features.

Functionality: Like the Garmin 310XT, the Global Trainer can display up to four data fields with speed, time, distance and heart rate data. Its multisport and single-sport modes are easy to access, and the displays can be changed on the fly. It easily displays old workout data and training routes. The Global Trainer’s trispecific multisport mode can be accessed without changing settings and can display different sets of data for each sport. This multisport mode is the ideal race-tracking tool; we wouldn’t change a thing. The Global Trainer occasionally struggled to link with the satellites. Sometimes it connected within a minute, other times it took more than five minutes. Of the watches tested, it was the most difficult to read while running. The background screen blends slightly with the numbers, especially when glancing at one of the smaller display windows. The watch face is quite sizable, and some smaller individuals found it to be too big for their wrists, but several people loved its assertive look. One Triathlete staffer said, “It’s as big as my fist.” Despite its size, it is only 10 grams heavier than the Garmin and 34 grams less than the Suunto T3d and GPS Pod. //aaron hersh

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1 Suunto T3d and GPS Pod

Ease of use: At first, I struggled to sync the pod and watch. The instruction manual doesn’t provide step-by-step directions to match the two components so I called Suunto’s helpline and, much to my surprise, a human answered the phone and walked me through the process. Within minutes, the pod and watch were communicating with each other. Once the pod is synced with the watch, using the T3d is simple and intuitive.

Functionality: Unlike the other two watches in this test, the T3d doubles as a standard timepiece. The GPS unit is in a separate pod rather than in the watch itself, so the watch body is thin, sleek and the unit has a long battery life. The tradeoff for its wristwatch functionality is that the T3d lacks multiple data displays or a multisport mode. It’s the best choice for an all-purpose watch that measures running speed, but it does not provide as much data as the other two watches in this review.

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POSTCARDS FROM KONA Snapshots from the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship in Hawaii replay one of the most grueling—and gratifying—days in all of sport.

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Previous spread: Dawn breaks on Dig Me Beach. by bob kupbens/Competitive image Top: Craig Alexander prepares to defend his world champion title. by hugh gentry Above: Age-group athletes tread lightly before the race start. by paul phillips/Competitive image Right: The calm before the storm that is a mass swim start. by hugh gentry

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A bird’s-eye view of Kailua-Kona and the swim course in Kailua Bay. by eric wynn

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Andreas Raelert of Germany pushed an average pace of 24.67 mph on the bike. He battled with Chris McCormack in the final miles of the run and held on for second place. by hugh gentry

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SPEED HAS A NEW NAME THE NEW VORTTICE HELMET

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Left: Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae rides strong on her Cannondale Slice. The eventual 2010 champion had to run down just three athletes after the bike leg—which she did in course record speed. Above: American Andy Potts was the first out of the water and led in the early miles of the bike leg, but dropped back to 21st at the finish. by john segesta

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In her first-ever Ironman, Julie Dibens rode to a strong lead on the bike but couldn’t hold off a hard-charging Mirinda Carfrae and Caroline Steffen on the run.

Dibens finished third in 9:10:04. by hugh gentry

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Touted as a top contender, Denmark’s Rasmus Henning wilted on the bike. by nils nilsen

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Above: From left, pros Fraser Cartmell, Andy Potts and Terenzo Bozzone tackle the marathon course. by eric wynn Right: Power cyclist Chris Lieto surged to the front on the bike but was later overcome by the faster runners in the field. He finished 11th and was the top American of the day. by bob Kupbens/competitive image

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Chris “Macca� McCormack tries to cool off after overtaking Chris Lieto prior to heading into the Energy Lab. Macca churned out a blistering 6:14 per mile average pace for the marathon. by eric wynn

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Macca celebrates a hard-fought victory. His official finish time: 8:10:37. By BoB KupBens/Competitive image

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2009 Kona champion Craig �Crowie� Alexander turned in a 2:41:59 marathon to finish just off the podium in fourth. by hugh gentry

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Mirinda Carfrae shows her Aussie pride while running down Ali’i Drive to the hallowed Kona finish line.

by John segesta

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ISM_TriMag_prelim.indd 1

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Left: Pros Normann Stadler and Tim DeBoom share a congratulatory hug after a long day at the office. by bob kupbens/Competitive image Above: Beth Shutt of Pennsylvania leans on finish line volunteers after going the distance. by kerry yndestad/Competitive image

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If your phone has a web browser and camera, download the free app at http://gettag.mobi GetGet the the freefree mobile app at mobile app at and scan over (or take a picture of) this barcode.

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H

HUGH GENTRY; BOB KUPBENS/COMPETITIVE IMAGE

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HOW’D THEY DO IT Think you don’t have the time or the ability to qualify and train for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii? Think again. Take inspiration— and training cues—from these age-groupers, who fit long-course triathlon training into their busy work and family lives to make it to triathlon’s most hallowed grounds.

EDITED BY COURTNEY BAIRD January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

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.

2010 Finish Time: 10:03:10 Profession: Business owner/ builder Where did you qualify?

Ironman Coeur d’Alene How many years have you raced Kona? One

Sample Training Week*:

Brett Hellstedt, 35 North Yarmouth, Maine

2010 Finish Time: 9:10:40 Profession: Firefighter Where did you qualify?

Ironman Florida How many years have you raced Kona? Six

Sample Training Week: “With my firefighter schedule (24 hours on and 48 hours off ), two daughters (ages 9 and 5) and a wife with a hectic schedule, I do a lot of shuffling around with my training. I also do a lot of training at 4 a.m. or 11 p.m. so that I can get in family time, help with homework, and run kids to dance, piano and other things.”

Monday 4000-meter swim 90-min. bike with drills Tuesday 70-min. run with hill intervals 2-hr. bike on a varied course Wednesday 2.5-hr. bike 30-min. easy run Thursday 3500m swim 90-minute run Friday 3500m swim 120-min. bike with hills Saturday 4-hour bike Sunday 60-min. run with a 40-min. fartlek

*Taken from Matt Fitzgerald’s Ironman Triathlon Training Plan - Level 10

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“Ironman Coeur d’Alene was my first attempt at an iron-distance triathlon and I qualified for Kona with a 9:39 and fifth place in my age group. As I ran down the last mile at Coeur d’Alene, I was confident that I was in position to get a slot to Kona but I was sure I was not going to take it—my wife and I were expecting our first child. When I finished, my wife encouraged me to go and I ultimately took the slot. It was very difficult to continue with the volume of training, but she was a great supporter.”

Monday Rest Tuesday Swim workout: 400-meter warmup, 10x25m drills, 8 x 100m at base pace, 4 x 200m at threshold pace, 12x25m kick, 400m cool-down; Bike workout: 105 min. with 2 x 18 min. at threshold intensity Wednesday Swim workout: 400m warm-up, 6x50m drills, 7 x 200m at base pace, 9 x 100m at base pace, 400m cool-down; Run workout: 12 x 1 min. at speed pace with 3 min. active recoveries, 72 min. total Thursday Brick workout: bike 90 min. and run 45 min. at high aerobic intensity Friday Bike workout: 95 min. with 8 x 3 min. at VO2max intensity; Swim workout: 400m warm-up, 10x25m drills, 6x100m at base pace, 9 x 75m at VO2max pace, 9 x 25m at speed pace, 12x25m kick, 400m cool-down Saturday Bike workout: 6 hours at moderate aerobic intensity; Run 45 min. at recovery intensity Sunday Swim workout: 350m warm-up, 3,000m at base pace, 350m cooldown; Run workout: 160 min. at moderate aerobic pace

Patrick Schuster, 38 Arlington, Texas

.

2010 Finish Time: 10:43:15 Profession: Exercise physiologist Where did you qualify?

Ironman 70.3 Hawaii How many years have you raced Kona? Two

Sample Training Week: “I work at a gym, which is pretty convenient because I fit in workouts before and in between working with clients and teaching classes. However, time efficiency is key, so I do most of my riding on the trainer. I only ride outside once a week. My days start very early—I am up at 5:30 a.m. at the latest in order to fit my training in my schedule.”

Monday a.m.: 70-minute bike with a strength focus, 60-minute tempo run; p.m.: 45-minute swim with a strength focus Tuesday a.m.: 75-minute endurance swim; p.m.: Weights Wednesday a.m.: 90-minute VO2max effort run; p.m.: 40-minute recovery swim Thursday a.m.: 70-minute bike with a strength focus; p.m.: 60-minute bike with a race-specific effort Friday a.m.: 120-minute endurance run; p.m.: Weights Saturday a.m.: 60-minute VO2max intensity swim, 120-minute bike with a strength/race effort Sunday a.m.: 5-hour endurance bike, 30-minute transition run

Christina Jackson, 29 Oceanside, Calif.

2010 Finish Time: 11:28:07 Profession: Collegiate swim coach Where did you qualify?

Ironman Louisville How many years have you raced Kona? One

NILS NILSEN (2), ASIPHOTO.COM (2)

Sample Training Week:

Amy Krakauer, 24 Davidson, N.C.

“I don’t know that I have a typical training week. My work schedule changed drastically throughout various parts of the tri season, so my training was really centered around what I could fit in. I always fit in one recovery day, one long ride day, one long run day and/or a good brick day.

Beyond that it really became what I had time for.”

Monday 1.5-hour bike on trainer, 1-hour swim Tuesday Recovery Wednesday 1.5-hour bike on trainer, 4- to 8-mile run Thursday 1-hour swim, 20- to 30-mile bike outside Friday 4- to 6-mile run, 30-minute swim Saturday 1.5-hour lake swim and/or a long run of 10 to 18 miles Sunday Long ride, anywhere from 50 to 100 miles

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DESTINATION:

KONA

BY SARAH WASSNER FLYNN

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KONA: JOHN SEGESTA; RACE PHOTOS: ASIPHOTO.COM

To say that finishing the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, is a challenge is like calling Mirinda Carfrae fast—both are vast understatements. It’s pretty much a given that each of the 1,800 competitors has to clear plenty of mental and physical hurdles over those 140.6 miles. But for some people, simply getting to the starting line can require just as much effort. Five finishers share the inspiring, inventive and just plain crazy things they went through to toe the starting line of the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship.

Coming Full Circle Last August, as Brian Oringderff lay gravely ill in a hospital bed, thoughts of his soon-to-be-born son, Jet, got him through the darker days.

A college basketball player turned triathlete, Oringderff,

40, of Canton, Ga., had developed a pulmonary embolism after routine rotator cuff surgery. Six blood clots had lodged themselves in his vascular system, four settling in his lungs. The condition is fatal 34 percent of the time, often causing a stroke or heart attack.

After five harrowing days in the ICU and a course of heavy blood thinners, the clots dissolved and Oringderff survived. But then tragedy struck again. Jet, the Oringderffs’ first child, suddenly arrived in January, 14 weeks premature, and died of sepsis just one week later. Oring-

derff and his wife, Denise, were gutted. “I was numb and stayed that way for several months. I have never felt more helpless,” he recalls.

While coping with the loss of his son—and the near loss of his own life—Oringderff received some uplifting news: He’d been selected for the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship via lottery. “I

“

As I started training, I felt better mentally and got a better day-to-day outlook.”

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ORINGDERFF: ASIPHOTO.COM; LILES: JOHN SEGESTA

15:29:46

had just been taken off the blood thinners two weeks earlier, but I knew right away that I was going to go to Kona,” he says. “There was never a doubt about that.”

And after months of dwelling on the past, Oringderff began looking to the future—Oct. 9, 2010, to be exact. “As I started training, I felt better mentally and got a better day-to-day outlook,” he says, adding that swimming, biking and running up to 15 hours a week helped him come to terms with the loss of Jet. “I know my son would have wanted me to get on with life.”

On race day, fueled by thoughts of Jet and Denise, Oringderff finished in 15:29:46, capping 14 months of emotional peaks and valleys on an upswing. “From lying in a hospital bed to saying goodbye to my son to completing an Ironman, I have survived the challenges,” Oringderff says. “The full circle of life has happened for me.”

Tri Bride Plenty of people choose Hawaii as a spot for a destination wedding. But to tie the knot on the Big Island just days before competing in the Ironman? That takes guts—and a lot of planning.

Stephanie Liles did just that, marrying Mike Weyant on the grounds of King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel in the days leading up to her

“

Mike and I got engaged at a triathlon, so we figured getting married near one would be fitting.”

first-ever world championship. After originally planning a low-key affair near her home in Tallahassee, Fla., Liles shifted the venue when she qualified for Kona.

“Mike and I got engaged at a triathlon, so we figured getting married near one would be fitting,” Liles says.

“Plus, we couldn’t have picked a better setting than Hawaii.”

Planning a wedding thousands of miles away—in a spot Liles hadn’t even seen in person—is enough of a challenge, but the 37-year-old was also training, working full-

10:57:29 time and taking care of her three children. Even packing for the trip proved tedious: “Getting my bike there was no problem. But a wedding dress? I had a tough time with that!” says Liles.

Though the bride wore compression socks up until the ceremony and had to re-

tire early from the reception to rest her legs, she says the day was perfect and relaxed, just the way she wanted it.

“I was more nervous for the race than the wedding. Getting married was the easy part,” admits Liles. Nerves notwithstanding, the newlywed finished in 10:57:29.

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The Matchmaker Tom Kramer didn’t come to Kona for the glory of racing down Ali’i Drive or feeling the sun sting his shoulders as he pedaled along the Queen K highway. Rather, Kramer, 44, of Malvern, Penn., had a much more specific reason for racing: finding a bone marrow match for his wife, Pamela.

Suffering from myelofibrosis, an often-fatal disease that creates a scarring of the bone marrow, Pamela has been searching, unsuccessfully, for a donor for several years.

“

I figure if I keep racing, we’ll find someone. If not for Pamela, then for someone else in need.”

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13:43:31 Though Kramer’s plans were almost derailed by back surgery, he managed to make it to every single race and had added about 400 potential donors to the national registry by the time he reached Hawaii. While a match has yet to emerge for his wife,

Kramer, who completed the race in 13:43:31, remains confident. “Triathletes are typically open, giving people.

We embrace causes,” he says.

“I figure if I keep racing, we’ll find someone. If not for Pamela, then for someone else in need.”

JOHN SEGESTA

Left with no immediate options, Kramer turned to triathlon, the sport he’s competed in for 25 years. First, he launched Racingtoregister .com, a website aimed to encourage people to join the national bone marrow registry. Then, to get the word out about his efforts, he set off on a streak of endurance events over the course of seven months, including a marathon, two half-iron distance races and nine half-marathons before culminating in Kona. “There are a lot of good stories out there, so I wanted to do something that was a little shocking to get people to realize the importance of becoming a potential donor,” he says.

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On the Mend On the morning of Aug. 24, 2007, Kathleen Allen lay on the side of a road near her home outside Denver, her body broken, her bike a crumpled heap of carbon. The mom of four and elite agegrouper was prepping for the Age Group World Championships when she collided with a garbage truck, which threw her from her bike, breaking four vertebrae, both wrists and a rib. She was bruised, battered and near death after a blood clot caused a minor stroke.

“

It was all about taking baby steps, listening to my doctor and adjusting to the ‘new normal’ by figuring out what I could do with my injuries.”

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12:06:24 do plenty. She raced her first post-crash triathlon, the 2008 USAT Age Group National Championship, just a little over a year after her accident. Although she had barely run a step over 6 miles straight before that race, Allen again qualified for the Age Group World Champs.

“I was ecstatic,” she says. “I caught a glimpse of the old

me out there.” Next, Allen started eyeing the Ironman, though she took the leap from Olympic-distance racing with trepidation. “I have a body that talks back a lot more. I have to listen to it, and sometimes I say, ‘I just can’t do it.’”

But, as Allen has proved over and over, most days—including Oct. 9 in Kona, where she finished in 12:06:24—she can.

JOHN SEGESTA

Flash forward three years: Allen, smiling, strong and striding toward the finish line of the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship.

The woman who couldn’t even roll over from her back to her side during her 22-day stay in the hospital is now an Ironman finisher. But how?

“I willed myself to do it,” says Allen, 36. “It was all about taking baby steps, listening to my doctor and adjusting to the ‘new normal’ by figuring out what I could do with my injuries.”

It turns out Allen could

The Fighter In 2008, Clayton Treska was diagnosed with stage 1 testicular cancer and received chemotherapy treatments as an outpatient. “It was three months of chemo, and after about five months I was back training,” he recalls. Treska was a U.S. Marine—a very large U.S. Marine. “I was 6-foot-2 and weighed about 295 pounds,” he says. “I lifted a lot of weights.”

“

I’m fortunate to be alive,” he admits. “I have learned to cherish every moment of every day.”

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15:16:58 way,” he says.

He went into the hospital on July 25, 2009, to eventually have his own stem cells injected back into his body.

The procedure was his last hope, and he didn’t know if he’d ever come out of the hospital. To keep himself, his friends and family focused on something besides the cancer, he continued training even while he was sick from the treatment.

“The convulsions were so bad and without any food in

my system, the blood vessels in my eyes burst,” he says.

“Every day was a challenge.”

But nothing slowed him down. He walked a mile in the hospital, which turned out to be 36 laps around the nurse’s desk. He did pushups and sit-ups whenever he could. “Every minute of every day, all I thought about was June 5 [the day of the Hawaii 70.3 race].”

Treska, along with 26 family members and friends, traveled to the Big Island—

and on June 5 he finished the 70.3.

And less than a year after starting his chemotherapy— and just a few months after leaving the hospital where he lived—Treska became an Ironman when he crossed the finish line on Ali’i Drive in 15:16:58. “I’m fortunate to be alive,” he admits. “I have learned to cherish every moment of every day.”

Bob Babbitt also contributed to this article.

ASIPHOTO.COM

But deep down, he always wanted to be a triathlete. “I always knew that triathletes were the best athletes in the world.” He signed up for Ironman 70.3 Hawaii on the Big Island and started training.

“I couldn’t swim and I had a hard time riding a bike,” he continues. “But that’s what I had my heart set on, so I was going to do whatever it took.”

As he upped his training, Treska began to have back problems so he went to see his doctors to make sure the pain had nothing to do with his cancer. Doctor’s told him that it wasn’t cancer, and that the back pain had everything to do with overtraining.

But the doctors were wrong. By the time they figured it out, 29-year-old Treska was diagnosed with stage 4 testicular cancer and told it was terminal. “Chemotherapy could have killed me so they had to find another

Photo: © John Segesta

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Ogden

A trio of very different travel destinations—Ogden, Utah, Lake Tahoe and Austin, Texas—offers distinct appeal to the multisport-inclined during the off-season.

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EMMA GARRARD, COURTESY HYATT LAKE TAHOE, COURTESY DENISE CHAMBERS/AUSTIN CVB, NILS NILSEN

Weekend Getaways

Lake Tahoe

Austin

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Ogden, Utah Dirt or snow, northern Utah offers endless off-road recreational outlets. By Julia Beeson Polloreno

nship XTERRA USA Champio

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trolling down historic 25th Street in Ogden, Utah, the aroma of freshfrom-the-oven caramel apple bread wafts in circles around my head. I follow my nose to the storefront of Great Harvest Bread Company, where compression socks-clad patrons seated at bistro tables dig into fresh-baked bread and cinnamon rolls dripping with icing.

Xterra has taken over Ogden—about a 45-minute drive from Salt Lake City— for its annual USA Championship, and triathletes from around the world have descended on the pioneer town and onetime railway hub for a weekend of racing and relaxation.

Situated at the base of the Wasatch Mountains with quick access to Snowbasin Resort, Ogden offers active visitors both historic charm and a stunning mountain playground any time of the year. The race’s host hotel, the Ogden Marriott, is a convenient home base for explorations of old Ogden, highlighted by 25th Street. The three-block stretch, just a quick stroll across the hotel parking lot, is lined with restaurants still bearing their original, kitschy electric signs, art galleries, bars, coffee houses and eclectic shops. In addition to Great Harvest Bread Company, other highlights are Rooster’s Brewing Company, a local hot spot that serves up housemade brews and traditional pub fare; Dragonfly Health Foods, a homey little store with a café in the back where you can sit and sip fair-trade, organic coffee or a fresh-pressed smoothie; and Tona, a Japanese eatery that boasts service and sushi that would rival any big-city counterpart. Race day dovetails with the city’s annual Harvest Moon Festival— your typical multi-block party—and after the race 25th Street is packed with body-marked revelers and locals alike, who stroll vendor booths and soak in the local flavor and live entertainment.

On the western end of 25th street, the stately Union Station train depot elegantly commemorates the city’s railroad roots. Kids climb aboard the

NILS NILSEN, COURTESY OGDEN CVB

Snowbasin

S

immense decommissioned engines, and families stroll the museum showcasing Ogden’s historical role as a major center for railroad travel and commerce.

Another family-friendly opportunity for recreation—Forbes recently named Ogden one of America’s Top 10 Best Places to Raise a Family—is the town’s minor league baseball team that plays at Lindquist Field. The Ogden Raptors are one of six farm teams for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Outside of a stroll down 25th Street and an exploration of the nearby Salomon Center, which houses an indoor climbing wall and “skydiving”—and perhaps a visit to Bingham Cyclery for any bike needs—the real attractions are outside the city limits. There is no better showcase of the incredible mountain terrain at Snowbasin than Xterra’s annual USA Championship venue. The course features a 1.5K swim in the calm, clear waters of Pineview Reservoir, which sits at 4,500 feet above sea level (and just down the road from the resort); a 30K mountain bike through Wheeler Canyon and Snowbasin, home to the downhill and super G races of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games; and a single-loop 9K singletrack run that cuts through Aspen groves and wildflower fields awash in the colors of fall. (Melanie McQuaid of Canada took the 2010 women’s title, while South African Conrad Stoltz was the men’s champion.)

Snowbasin’s singletrack trails are well maintained throughout the summer and fall months, and there are nearly 50 miles of trails that cater to every level of rider. Perched at 8,710 feet, Snowbasin’s Needles Lodge Dining Room is a popular place to take in all the mountain action. We rode the gondola up to Needles Lodge on a Saturday evening for a barbecue and stargazing, a memorable trip highlight.

The resort really beckons most visitors during the winter months, though, when savvy skiers and snowboarders come for some of the world’s best

et Historic 25th Stre

Snowbasin powder minus the massive crowds of some of Utah’s flashier ski destinations. For winter cross training, Snowbasin has 3,000 skiable acres, including 26K of Nordic trails, spread across 3,000 vertical feet. The resort is also host to a number of competitions, including the Winter Dew Tour Toyota Championship in early February.

Whether you’re into snow games or going off-road Xterra style, a visit to Ogden and neighboring Snowbasin will fit the bill any season.

OGDEN LINKS Snowbasin.com Marriott.com Greatharvest.com Roostersbrewingco.com Tonarestaurant.com Salomoncenter.com Binghamcyclery.com

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

139

Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada Cradled between the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains to the west and the Carson Range to the east, the Lake Tahoe area is a versatile getaway that offers something for every type of traveler. By Lauren Ventura

“

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

I

thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole world affords,” Mark Twain wrote upon seeing Tahoe for the first time. I can’t say I disagree.

As I rounded the peak of Mount Rose, California-Nevada’s Lake Tahoe sat picture-perfect alongside each roadside turnoff. Its sheer size, clarity and almost tropical blueness seemed unreal.

Having never been to this idyllic alpine lake before, I was pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of runners, cyclists and overall exercise enthusiasts and had my breath taken away not only by the amount of activities I wanted to squeeze into one weekend, but the roughly 6,000 feet in altitude. And whether it’s family time or a romantic trip for two, the lake effortlessly offers those, too.

The best area to visit when short on time is the northern area of the lake.

Dotted with several resorts, northern Lake Tahoe wraps in a 180-degree arc that includes Incline Village, the 1950sesque town of Kings Beach, the more upscale Tahoe City, sleepy Carnelian Bay and some other smaller towns. Being a major foodie though, I should warn you: Tahoe’s not there to impress the palate.

Nevertheless, there are a few good options such as The Log Cabin Caffe in King’s Beach, which dishes up a mean breakfast (ask for fruit on your French toast and you won’t be disappointed), or for a light dinner and winning wine selections set your sights on the PlumpJack Cafe in Olympic Valley.

Above all, the Lake Tahoe region is best suited for lake gazing, active pursuits and definitely has something for whatever form your off-season training takes you, such as snow-shoeing, down-

EMMA GARRARD, LAKE TAHOE VISITOR AUTHORITY

140

“

hill or cross-country skiing, ice skating, sledding, horseback riding and even biathlon—a quirky mixture of shooting targets while skiing.

Once home to the 1960 Winter Olympic Games, the Resort at Squaw Creek or Squaw Village provides most of these great alternatives to the swim, bike, run routine in one central area located in the rolling meadows of Olympic Valley. A quick survey from the locals assured its top-notch notoriety. “There’s so much varied terrain at Squaw with a whole network of trails to choose from—it’s the best all-around ski area here,” says Danielle Griffin, a Tahoe Dave’s retail expert.

One of the easiest adventures is the quick hike to the Lower Glen Alpine Falls in South Lake Tahoe. Here you can check out waterfalls with 65-foot drops and find a soft spot to sit and enjoy the sounds of cascading water. If you’d prefer to hit the trails on two wheels, each town around the entire lake has at least one or two equipment rental stores that provide everything from mountain bikes to kayaks to skis, apparel and trail maps.

If you enjoy the cha-ching of slots during your downtime, take your weekend getaway stay to South Lake Tahoe’s Heavenly Resort in California. South Lake Tahoe isn’t as earthy as its northern neighbor, but it does offer more centralized shopping options, several oldschool casinos and some of the steepest slopes around. Also accessible nearby is the Tahoe Rim Trail, which traverses 150 miles through streams, meadows and can take you to the south’s lesser lake, Echo.

The Hyatt Regency at Incline Village, host of the 2011 Xterra Lake Tahoe, deftly combines a little of everything: a large-scale casino, crackling fireplaces, heated pools amidst its grounds, and, best of all, small private cabanas where you can overlook the 23-mile lake expanse in all its glory. Make sure to request a room with a view.

If you happen upon Tahoe when

snow’s lacking and it’s not too frigid, or if skiing’s just not your forte, take advantage of the multitude of multi-use trails.

My favorite trail begins in Tahoe City and heads around the lake and along the Truckee River into Squaw Valley totaling about four miles of paved sightseeing bliss. It was here that I noticed you can go tubing down the Truckee, a sight which made me wish I had more time to grab a bottle of bubbly and loll all day on a yellow inflatable floatie.

After a weekend in Tahoe, it seemed a cruel joke to have so many adventures to discover in a mere three days, but as I travelled back up Mount Rose, with the cerulean eye of Tahoe glinting in my rearview, I knew I’d be back.

LAKE TAHOE LINKS Laketahoe.hyatt.com Squawcreek.com Skiheavenly.com Logcabinbreakfast.com Plumpjack.com Tahoerimtrail.org Tahoesbest.com/biking Recreationintahoe.com (South) Northtahoeparks.com (North)

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

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Austin, Texas I Nestled in the Texas Hill Country, Austin has an active, eclectic culture that will suck you in. By Bethany Leach Mavis

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

Austin Marat hon

COURTESY DENISE CHAMBERS/AUSTIN CVB

142

’m sitting at a booth with my tour guide, and in between sentences I sip on my El Jimador margarita and down the chips and queso. I’m in Guero’s Taco Bar, an Austin institution situated on the popular South Congress Avenue.

Black-and-white antique photos adorn the exposed brick walls in this Central Seed and Feed Store-turned-restaurant that has embraced the unique cultural identity of this Central Texas town.

A unique ingenuity sets apart this Southern city and permeates everything from the food—I gobble a taco al pastor complete with marinated pork, chopped onions, cilantro and pineapple—to the string of one-of-a-kind boutiques to the eateries. After Guero’s, I mosey over to Hey, Cupcake, a cupcake joint along South Congress based out of a silver Airstream trailer, distinguished by a giant rotating cupcake on its roof.

This resourcefulness can perhaps be attributed to the slogan “Keep Austin Weird,” which started as a movement in the 1970s by the town’s business association to preserve small businesses but has evolved into something much more all-encompassing. “It’s now become a mindset,” says Jennifer Walker, the marketing communications director for the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau, and my host.

A winter trip to Austin is not at all what non-Texans picture when they think of the Lone Star State. No tumbleweeds, no bone-dry desert. In fact, Austin has made use of its natural resources—its parks, hills, lakes and trails are all triathlete-friendly training spots.

Austin is unlike any other town in Texas. Sure, some people say “y’all” and wear big belt buckles, but it’s known for its eclectic, sometimes quirky citizens.

Besides being the most eclectic town in Texas, it’s also

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TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

Guero’s Taco Bar

Austin also offers plenty of activities for out-of-towners looking for some low-key recreation—Austin was named the “Best Golf City in America” by Golf magazine and has 300 days of sunshine annually. Drive just outside of town to Bastrop to play a round of golf on a par 72 course designed by Arthur Hills at the secluded Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort & Spa. When it comes to good food, you pretty much can’t go wrong. This is the town with the Whole Foods flagship store—an 80,000-square-foot black hole that will suck you in for hours before you realize it. It has multiple instore casual “restaurant” areas, plus an incredible selection in its prepared foods department. Even the airport stays true to the city’s slogan, with Austin-based restaurants The Salt Lick and Amy’s Ice Creams lining the walkways between gates, a live music stage set to entertain travelers and a tie-dyed “Keep Austin Weird” T-shirt hanging in a retail shop.

Whether you’re looking for a place to train in the winter or just get away for a little relaxation, this eclectic Texan city will keep you boot-scootin’, chowing down and wishing you never had to leave.

AUSTIN LINKS Guerostacobar.com Heycupcake.com Townlaketrail.org Mellowjohnnys.com Continentalclub.com Drafthouse.com Yogayoga.com Lostpines.hyatt.com Wholefoods.com Saltlickbbq.com Amysicecreams.com Austintexas.org

ANDREW LOEHMAN, COURTESY DENISE CHAMBERS/AUSTIN CVB

one of the fittest. It’s home base to pro triathlete Desiree Ficker, and a winter training spot for pros Michael and Amanda Lovato. Just down the road a couple hours are San Antonio and Houston, some of the most obese towns in the nation, but any given weekend in Austin, cyclists swarm the roads and runners take to the trails, such as the 10-mile Town Lake Trail. Just take a look at the effect that Lance Armstrong has had on this town in the last decade: “The effect has been huge—no question,” says Austin T3 triathlon training head coach Maurice Culley.

Armstrong’s bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s, is housed in an historic warehouse building in the heart of downtown and draws tourists from all over the nation to see his autographed yellow Tour de France jerseys framed on the walls and try a coffee at the store’s Juan Pelota Café. There’s even an intersection— Barton Springs Road and South Lamar Blvd.—that has three thriving bike shops all within three-tenths of a mile.

Most Austin bike shops have weekly rides and bike rentals, so visitors can go for a long ride through the Hill Country.

But active visitors looking to take a break from the swim/bike/run routine can stay in town to enjoy the city known as the live music capital of the world. Swig a locally brewed Shiner Bock (Shiner, Texas, is less than two hours southeast of Austin) at the Continental Club—a hole-in-the-wall South Congress venue, a favorite performance spot of legends Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Ely, where you can catch a live show every night of the week, and where onlookers feel compelled to two-step around the dance floor. You can also catch a flick while eating dinner at Alamo Drafthouse—get there on time because the pre-show antics are just as entertaining as the film itself. Or perhaps a massage or yoga class at Yoga Yoga will relieve end-of-season tension.

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Super Simple

Ironman TraInIng Plan Guess what: Ironman training can be both uncomplicated and effective.

By Matt Fitzgerald

147

Throughout the 1980s a certain triathlete trained hard but with incredible monotony. He completed the same rides and runs on the same routes day after day after day. The only real variation in his training was that he tried to go faster and faster over those same routes as race day drew nearer. That triathlete was none other than Dave Scott, and the repetitiveness of his training did not stop him from winning the Hawaii Ironman six times.

148

Simplicity is a virtue in Ironman training (and in triathlon training generally) because it minimizes the mental stress of the training process and makes it easy to chart and track progress.

When you’re doing the same types of workouts over and over, it’s plain to see when your performance is improving.

Naturally, there must be some variation in your Ironman training, but not as much as many athletes might believe. First, the overall volume of training and the duration of the longest swims, rides and runs must increase as the plan unfolds. After all, an Ironman is an extreme endurance test and increasing training volume and workout duration is how you build endurance. Second, there should be some variation in the intensity of your training, with moderate-intensity, moderately high-intensity, and highintensity workouts regularly performed in each discipline. This is because different training intensities build fitness in different and complementary ways, so that a multi-intensity program builds greater fitness with a smaller time commitment than an all-moderate-intensity training plan would. Finally, like your long, endurance-building workouts, your higher-intensity workouts should become increasingly race-specific as you go along, specifically by demanding that you sustain relatively high speeds for longer periods of time.

Here’s a 20-week Ironman training plan based on the principle of simplicity. It’s a relatively low-volume plan that is appropriate for less experienced and competitive athletes and for athletes of any level of experience and competitiveness who don’t have a lot of time to train. The plan prescribes three swims, three rides and three runs (plus one or two short transition runs in the latter part of the schedule) per week. Monday is always a rest day and every fourth week is a reduced-volume recovery week. There is only a handful of different types of workouts, each of which has a simple format and is simple to execute.

Training Plan Key Easy ride/run Ride or run the designated duration at a steady, comfortable pace.

Endurance ride/run/swim Ride, run or swim the designated duration at a steady, moderate pace.

Interval ride/run Per form the designated number of intervals at the highest intensity level you can

sustain through the end of the last interval without bonking.

Recover after each interval with easy spinning or jogging for a duration equal to twice that of the hard interval. Warm up with at least 10 minutes of easy riding or running and cool down long enough to reach the designated total workout duration.

Interval swim Swim the designated number of intervals in the main set (MS) at the highest speed you can sustain through the

TuE WEEk 1

Interval Bike: 40 min. w/ 6 x 20 sec. sprints

Interval Swim: MS: 8 x

WEd Easy run: 5 miles

25y (1,000y total)

WEEk 2

Interval Bike: 40 min. w/ 8 x 20 sec. sprints

Interval Swim: MS: 10 x

Easy run: 5 miles

25y (1,100y total)

WEEk 3

Interval Bike: 40 min. w/ 10 x 20 sec. sprints

Interval Swim: MS: 12 x

Easy run: 5 miles

WEEk 4

WEEk 5

Recovery

25y (1,200y total)

Interval Bike: 40 min. w/ 6 x 20 sec. sprints

Interval Swim: MS: 10 x

Easy run: 5 miles

25y (1,200y total)

Tempo Bike: 45 min. w/ last 15 min. comfortably hard Interval Swim: MS: 10 x

Easy run: 5.5 miles

WEEk 6

50y (1,500y total)

Interval Bike: 45 min. w/ 8 x 1 min. fast uphill

Interval Swim: MS: 8 x 50y, 8 x 25y (1,600y total)

Easy run: 6 miles

end of the last interval without bonking. Rest on the wall for 10 seconds after 25- to 75-yard intervals, rest 15 seconds after 100- to 200-yard intervals, and rest 20 seconds after intervals longer than 200 yards.

Apportion the remainder of the prescribed total workout distance to warm-up and cooldown yardage and to drill, kick and pull sets.

Swim time trial Swim the designated time-trial distance as though it were a race. Apportion the remainder

Thu

FrI

Interval Swim: MS:

Interval run:

4 x 100y (1,000y total)

Easy Bike: 40 min.

40 min. w/ 6 x 20 sec. relaxed sprints

Interval Swim: MS:

Interval run:

5 x 100y (1,100y total)

Easy Bike: 45 min.

40 min. w/ 8 x 20 sec. relaxed sprints

Interval Swim: MS:

Interval run:

6 x 100y (1,200y total)

Easy Bike: 45 min.

45 min. w/ 8 x 20 sec. relaxed sprints

Interval Swim: MS:

Interval run:

5 x 100y (1,200y total)

40 min. w/ 6 x 20 sec. relaxed sprints

Easy Bike: 45 min.

Interval Swim: MS: 4 x 150y (1,500y total)

Easy Bike: 45 min.

Interval Swim: MS: 4 x 200y (1,600y total) Easy Bike: 45 min.

Interval run: 40 min. w/ 6 x 1 min. fast

Tempo run: 45 min. w/ last 15 min. comfortably hard

of the designated total workout distance to a warm-up and a cool-down.

Tempo ride/run Ride or run the first part of the total duration at a comfortable pace. Ride or run the last part at an effort level that feels challenging yet still relatively comfortable.

Transition run Immediately after you complete the prescribed bike workout, put on your running shoes and run the designated duration at a comfortable pace.

SaT

Endurance Bike: 25 miles

Endurance Bike: 30 miles

Endurance Bike: 35 miles

Endurance Bike: 30 miles

Endurance Bike: 40 miles

Sun Endurance run: 6 miles Endurance Swim: 1,000y Endurance run: 7 miles Endurance Swim: 1,250y Endurance run: 8 miles Endurance Swim: 1,500y Endurance run: 6 miles Endurance Swim: 1,200y Endurance run: 9 miles Endurance Swim: 1,700y Endurance run: 10 miles

Endurance Bike: 45 miles

Swim Time Trial: MS: 800y time trial (1,800y total)

Note: Mondays are rest days.

149

Tue

Week7

Tempo Bike: 50 min. w/ last 20 min. comfortably hard

interval Swim: MS: 12 x

Wed

easy run: 6 miles

Week 8

Week 9

Recovery

50y (1,700y total)

interval Bike: 45 min. w/ 6 x 90 sec. fast

interval Swim: MS: 16 x

easy run: 6 miles

50y (1,500y total)

Tempo Bike + Transition run: 55 min. bike w/ last 20 min. comfortably hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 8 x

easy run: 6 miles

Thu interval Swim: MS: 5 x 150y (1,700y total)

easy Bike: 50 min.

interval Swim: MS: 8 x 100y (1,500y total) easy Bike: 45 min.

interval Swim: MS: 4 x 250y (1,900y total)

easy Bike: 50 min.

Fri

SaT

interval run:

endurance Bike + Transition run: 50 miles

40 min. w/ 10 x 1 min. fast uphill

Tempo run: 45 min. w/ last 15 min. comfortably hard

interval run: 45 min. w/ 8 x 2 min. fast

Week 10

75y (1,900y total)

interval Bike + Transition run: 55 min. bike w/ 8 x 2 min. fast + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 10 x

easy run: 6 miles

interval Swim: MS: 6 x 150y (2,100y total)

easy Bike: 55 min.

Tempo run: 50 min. w/ last 20 min. comfortably hard

Week 11

50y, 10 x 25y (2,100y total)

Tempo Bike + Transition run: 1 hr. bike w/ last 20 min. comfortably hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 10 x

easy run: 6 miles

interval Swim: MS: 5 x 200y (2,300y total)

easy Bike: 1 hr.

interval run: 45 min. w/ 8 x 2 min. fast

Week 12

Recovery

75y, 10 x 25y (2,300y total)

interval Bike + Transition run: 50 min. bike w/ 8 x 1 min. fast + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 15 x

easy run: 6 miles

interval Swim: MS: 12 x 100y (1,800y total)

easy Bike: 50 min.

Tempo run: 40 min. w/ last 12 min. comfortably hard

Week 13

50y (1,800y total)

Tempo Bike + Transition run: 1 hr. 10 min. bike w/ last 20 min. comfortably hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 18 x 50y (,500y total)

Note: Mondays are rest days.

150

easy run: 6.5 miles

interval Swim: MS: 4 x 300y (2,500y total)

easy Bike: 1 hr.

interval run: 50 min. w/ 10 x 2 min. fast

easy bike + 10min. easy run

Sun endurance run: 11 miles endurance Swim: 2,100y endurance run: 8 miles

endurance Bike: 40 miles

endurance Swim: MS: 1,600y steady (1,800y total)

endurance Bike + Transition run: 55 miles easy bike + 10min. easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 60 miles easy bike + 15min. easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 65 miles easy bike + 10min. easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 50 miles easy bike + 15min. easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 70 miles easy bike + 10min. easy run

endurance run: 12 miles endurance Swim: 2,400y

endurance run: 10 miles endurance Swim: 2,700y

endurance run: 13 miles endurance Swim: 3,000y

endurance run: 10 miles endurance Swim: 2,400y

endurance run: 14 miles endurance Swim: 3,000y

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Week 14

Tue interval Bike + Transition run: 1 hr. 10 min. bike w/ 10 x 2 min. hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 8 x

Wed

Week 15

bike w/ last 25 min. comfortably hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 6 x

easy run: 6.5 miles

easy Bike: 1 hr. 15

Week 16

Recovery

w/ 10 x 2 min. hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 16 x

Tempo run: 1 hr. w/ last 20 min. comfortably hard

min.

interval Swim: easy run:

MS: 4 x 300y, 4 x 100y (2,800y total)

7 miles

easy Bike: 1 hr. 15

interval run: 55 min. w/ 5 x 3 min. fast

min.

75y, 6 x 50y (2,800y total)

interval Bike + Transition run: 1 hr. bike

Fri

interval Swim: MS: 2 x 400y, 4 x 100y (2,600y total)

100y, 8 x 25 y (2,600y total)

Tempo Bike + Transition run: 1 hr. 15 min.

Thu

easy run: 6 miles

interval Swim: MS: 2 x 400y, 4 x 100y (2,300y total)

easy Bike: 1 hr.

Tempo run: 50 min. w/ last 15 min. comfortably hard

Week 17

50y (2,300y total)

Tempo Bike + Transition run: 1 hr. 20 min. bike w/ last 30 min. comfortably hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 10 x

easy run: 7 miles

interval Swim: MS: 4 x 400y (3,000y total)

interval run:

easy Bike: 1 hr. 20

1 hr. w/ 3 x 5 min. fast

min.

Week 18

100y, 10 x 50y (3,000y total)

interval Bike + Transition run: 1 hr. 20 min. bike w/ 3 x 5 min. hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 8 x 75y,

interval Swim: easy run:

MS: 4 x 300y, 4 x 100y (3,000y total)

7 miles

easy Bike: 1 hr. 30

Week 19

w/ last 20 min. comfortably hard + 10-min. easy run

interval Swim: MS: 10 x

1 hr. w/ last 25 min. comfortably hard

min.

8 x 50y, 8 x 25y (3,000y total)

Tempo Bike + Transition run: 1 hr. bike

Tempo run:

easy run: 7 miles

interval Swim: MS: 4 x 400y (2,600y total)

easy Bike: 1 hr.

interval run: 45 min. w/ 6 x 2 min. fast

Week 20

100y, 10 x 50y (2,600y total)

interval Bike: 45 min. w/ 6 x 1 min. hard

interval Swim: MS: 10 x 50y (2,200y total)

Note: Mondays are rest days.

152

easy run: 5 miles

interval Swim: MS: 4 x 300y (1,600y total) easy Bike: 30 min.

SaT endurance Bike + Transition run: 55 miles easy bike + 20min. easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 85 miles easy bike + 10min. easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 50 miles easy bike + 15min. easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 100 miles easy bike + 10min. easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 70 miles easy bike + 1-hour easy run

endurance Bike + Transition run: 50 miles easy bike + 10min. easy run

easy run:

easy Bike:

30 min.

20 min.

Sun endurance run: 11 miles endurance Swim: 3,300y

endurance run: 16 miles endurance Swim: 3,800y endurance run: 10 miles Swim Time Trial: MS: 1,650y as fastest as possible (2,400y total)

endurance run: 18 miles endurance Swim: 4,000y

easy run: 5 miles

endurance Swim: 4,000y

endurance run: 10 miles endurance Swim: 4,000y

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Ironman 70.3 Austin racers, including German pro Nina Kraft (who finished seventh), were met with sunny, 80-degree weather in the Texas Hill Country on Oct. 17.

PHOTOGRAPH BY MARIO CANTU

January 2011 | TRIATHLETE.COM

155

fuel

nutrition Q & A

to check labels; some granola bars are incredibly high in sugar or fat). Foods containing fiber, protein and calcium can also increase satiety and help to keep you alert.

Maintain a stable blood sugar level.

Low glycemic index foods can help you achieve this. Incorporate foods such as whole grain bread, oatmeal, nuts and seeds and apples. High sugar and refined snacks might seem like the perfect choice for your fatigue-fogged brain at 2 a.m., but they will leave you feeling sluggish and unsatisfied. Keep your night time meals lean and light; heavy, rich, sugary, fatty foods are more likely to cause digestive problems and also lead to poor quality sleep when you eventually get to rest.

Q:

As a flight attendant I fly a lot of red-eyes and am awake all hours of the night. After midnight my blood sugar falls faster than the president's approval rating. How do I fight off hunger without chowing down on chips, cookies and other unhealthy snacks?

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Take food with you to work. You can prepare something healthy beforehand, and be better able to resist the high fat, high sugar temptations around you. Great options are soup in a thermos, sandwiches and pita wraps, salads packed with dressing on the side (nobody wants to eat soggy leaves), chopped fruit and raw vegetables. Invest in a small cooler bag; this will not only keep food appetizing but fresh, too. Non-refrigerated healthy options are raw nuts, rice cakes, whole grain crackers, long-life flavored milk, sports/granola bars (just remember

Keep your training regimen in place.

Even when you are tired, small amounts of exercise (as little as 10- to 15-minute bursts) can be beneficial in reducing stress, resetting or maintaining the circadian clock and keeping food cravings at bay, and yes, even maintaining fitness.

Be careful in your consumption of coffee and other stimulants. Drinking in excess during the night will further disrupt any sleep you might get later on. Also consider any medications you are taking and how they might also disrupt your appetite (discuss this with your doctor).

When you do get to sleep, then sleep. Minimize distractions. Sleep in a dark room, turn your phone/TV/radio/computer off, and if possible, shut the door on family, friends, roommates or anyone else who might disturb a daytime sleeper.

PiP Taylor: nils nilsen

by pip taylor

Shift work or night work can be hugely stressful—not only can it disrupt social and family life, and I am sure triathlon training plans and goals, but it can have major ramifications for sleep quality and health status.

Still, you can take control and be healthy; it might just take a little extra planning, willpower and perhaps accepting some unconventional meals at unconventional times.

Here’s what you can do:

Keep a food log. Record what you eat for several days to gain a big picture of when and what you are eating. This log will be useful in helping you recognize that sometimes you feel hungry not because you are lacking in fuel or nutrients but because of other factors: boredom, fatigue, stress or an out-of-kilter circadian rhythm.

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fuel

multisport menu

Sports Nutrition Substitutes Though sport-specific products are often touted as the best thing you can put in your body while doing anything athletic, a few “real food” alternatives—if you can call Twizzlers real food—can give you the nutrients you need, too. Though these alternatives are often more difficult to digest than their sport-specific counterparts, they can be easier on the tastebuds and a good nutritional supplement during or after a long ride, when you just can't stomach sucking down another gel.

the popular energy gel Hammer Gel apple-cinnamon is great for quick, easily digestible energy. it gives you sugar and electrolytes for that energy boost, and also offers a balanced dose of potassium and sodium for effective electrolyte replacement. instead of fast-burning sugar, Hammer Gel provides calories through complex carbohydrates to sustain an athlete’s energy level rather than spiking up and down with simple sugars.

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Rold Gold Honey Twists can be an alternative to a drink like Xood. they are loaded with salt and have more complex carbohydrate than Xood, meaning these pretzels can sustain your energy but don’t give you as much of an immediate boost. But these honey twists are best saved for a long ride rather than a run, or you’ll risk upsetting your stomach without absorbing much of their nutritional value.

recovery drinks such as Endurox R4 offer athletes complex carbs, sodium and potassium to replenish electrolytes, protein to rebuild muscles and simple sugar to quickly replace those burned carbohydrates. though chocolate milk has earned the reputation as a well-rounded recovery drink, Nesquik chocolate milk has more fat and fewer complex carbs than endurox, but it offers similar amounts of sodium, ample potassium, nearly the same amount of protein and a huge dose of simple sugar. // aaron hersh and Bethany leach mavis

nils nilsen

Twizzlers, on the other hand, have a leg up on Hammer Gel with great taste, but the electrolyte supply is unbalanced. their sodium content is lower than Hammer Gel and they have no potassium. twizzlers might not have the complex carbohydrates to sustain your energy levels, but they provide a strong short-term boost from the simple sugars.

When it comes to sustained energy, sports drink Xood mangosteen balances sodium and potassium to provide athletes with complete electrolyte replacement. A serving has 2.5 grams of protein but not very many slow-burning complex carbohydrates. However, since Xood is a drink, it’s easily digested and absorbed, as compared to solid food, which takes more time to process.

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fuel

eat right

Keys to Peak Fueling by pip taylor challenges athletes might face at moderate altitude.

Hydration

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adaptations and systems during altitude acclimatization is crucial, but nutritional demands vary.

For example, a mildly warm day will require different nutritional strategies as compared with one of searing heat and humidity.

Similarly, with rising altitude there will be greater effects.

When endurance athletes talk of moderate altitude, they are generally talking somewhere in the range of 5,000-8,000 feet.

Here are some nutritional

Fuel Utilization Basal metabolic rate increases at altitude, especially in the first couple of days.

Appetite is also suppressed by hypoxia, so to minimize reduction in body mass and loss of muscle, take care to match your caloric needs.

With time to acclimatize, BMR drops again, but not quite to base level (sea level rate). There also seems to

jon davis

Many athletes choose to live and train at altitude with the goal of increasing endurance performance, and with altitude training comes unique nutritional demands.

Systems that react to altitude and changes in oxygen pressure include cardiovascular, pulmonary, endocrine and the central nervous system, meaning changes in resting and maximal heart rate, rates of ventilation, blood pressure, VO2max and oxygen transport.

Nutritional support of these

Extra fluid intake is vital.

Rising altitude means that breathing is shallower and more frequent; this increased ventilation along with dry air leads to greater fluid losses through the respiratory system. Additionally, sweat evaporates quickly, which can lead you to believe you are not losing much fluid and are less inclined to drink.

When training or competing at altitude, carry more fluid than you would regularly and keep drinking. Even on shorter runs that you would complete at sea level without water, it is a good idea to use something such as a hydration belt when training at altitude; you are more likely to drink often when fluid is readily available.

eat right

S A V E T H E D AT E !

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be a shift in fuel utilization toward a greater reliance on carbohydrate as opposed to fat stores. If flying in for a race, you might consider frequent small meals that are carbohydrate-rich to maintain energy levels. Carbohydrate-rich sports drinks would also be beneficial.

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Iron Stores As the body tries to adapt to a lower oxygen concentration in the air, greater numbers of red blood cells, which transport oxygen to working muscles, are produced by the bone marrow. In fact, this is the primary reason why endurance athletes train at altitude: to achieve the increase in oxygen-carrying capacity and the associated improvements in endurance capacity.

However, iron is required to manufacture hemoglobin (the oxygen-binding portion of red blood cells) and consequently, any iron deficiency can reduce the benefits of altitude training.

Before you go to altitude, consider having a blood test to ensure your iron stores are adequate. Talk to your

doctor about your plans to train or race at altitude and if you should consider taking iron supplements. Otherwise, include iron-rich foods in your diet (animal sources such as lean red meats are best absorbed).

Immune Stress Altitude places stress on the body, which might affect your immune system when combined with hard training. A diet rich in natural antioxidants is perhaps even more important to help the body cope, adapt and stay healthy. Along with a healthy diet, good hygiene habits and plenty of recovery will also help.

Other Factors Often altitude goes hand in hand with either hot, dry climates or cold conditions.

Keep this in mind when it comes to changing nutritional needs.

Remember, too, that individuals adapt to altitude differently. Take your time, listen to your body and don’t expect to feel great in the first few days or even up to two weeks. // PiP taylor

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Sierra Nevada, Spain 7,610 ft.

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FUEL

HEALTHFUL HINTS

Melanie’s Warm Arugula Salad Xterra pro, 70.3 racer and bonafide foodie Melanie McQuaid shares one of her favorite onion recipes.

1. Peel and slice two medium onions in uniform thin slices. First cut in half, lay them cut side down on the board and slice thinly along the bulb. The pieces should be about the same size.

2. Over medium flame, heat oil and add the onions. They should sizzle but not splatter. Ensure you have enough oil to come in contact with all of the onions.

Overlooked Superfood:

The Onion

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a wider variety of healthenhancing sulfur compounds when cooked. There are still many benefits of raw garlic and onions, but this is good news for those who prefer them cooked. However, cooking them longer than 30 minutes can destroy most of the beneficial compounds.

One of the most delicious ways to enjoy onions is to caramelize them. Once cooked, they can be added to salads, sandwiches, pizza or sauces to add a wonderful sweetness and flavor to any recipe. If you shy away from onions because you are afraid of bad breath, eating them this way could change your mind, as caramelized onions will not give you any powerful onion aftereffects.

The following recipe is a tasty way to enjoy the health benefits of onion. // MELANIE MCQUAID

4. Place warm onions over a large bowl of arugula, sliced strawberries, feta cheese and pecans. Add a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and olive oil to taste.

Mix, allow greens to wilt slightly and enjoy!

Note: You can use red, white or yellow onions in this recipe, but green onions won’t work. In addition, the white portion of leeks will also caramelize well. Leeks have equal superfood benefits with their own special flavor.

They contain vitamin C, vitamin E and some B vitamins, along with the minerals copper, iron and potassium.

JON DAVIS

A family of superfoods that is a lesser-known superstar is the allium family. Often considered a flavoring rather than a food, garlic, onions, leeks and chives have potent health-promoting qualities.

These foods enhance the production of glutathione, a tripeptide that serves as an antioxidant for the liver. By helping to eliminate toxins and carcinogens, glutathione puts the allium family on the list of anti-cancer superfoods.

Onions contain calcium, potassium, vitamin C and folate. It is believed that anti-cancer benefits in onions come from the sulfur compounds known as allyl sulfides. In addition, onions contain the flavonoid quercetin which is associated with immune-boosting properties.

It is interesting to note that onions and garlic contain

3. Stir every 30 seconds or so. The onions will begin to lose water and will reduce in size while the liquid in your pan increases. As the onions start to brown, turn down the heat. They should cook 15-20 minutes.

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When she’s not sharing her passion for cooking with her students at the French Culinary Institute in New York, chef Candy Argondizza indulges in her second passion, triathlon.

BY BETHANY LEACH MAVIS

TRIATHLETE.COM | January 2011

New York City even within her team, which grew from a small group to about 50 or 60 people, she says.

Argondizza enjoys the Olympic and half-iron

[NEW YORK SPOTLIGHT]

Argondizza’s Favorite…

Places to swim: “Since you’re in a city, you have to [swim] in a pool at the gym. The Hudson [River] is really disgusting.”

Places to bike: Central Park and on Long Island.

Places to run: “Running you can do anywhere, but being in Manhattan is challenging because it’s so congested. You get pretty good at dodging traffic.”

ERIC RASCO

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C

Chef Candy Argondizza graduated at the top of her class in 1981 from the Culinary Institute of America in New York, and since 2001, she’s been using her extensive cooking experience to train aspiring chefs at the French Culinary Institute in New York City, where she is the assistant director of culinary arts. She has shared her culinary expertise on “The Today Show” and has cooked at the James Beard House—“an honor in the chef world,” she says.

Her second passion, though, she discovered at an indoor triathlon 10 years ago at Chelsea Piers, the well-known Manhattan athletic facility. She finished the sprint-distance triathlon, complete with a swim in the pool, a ride on the spin bike

and a run on the treadmill, and was hooked. “I just loved it,” she says.

She jumped into triathlon by joining the Full Throttle Endurance team, which trains in Central Park and at Chelsea Piers. “I love the focus of training with a group,” she says. “I’ve always been active, and having a goal to work toward makes it fun.”

Argondizza says working out with a team also helps her to stay disciplined because of her odd work hours. She’s usually training by 5:30 a.m., takes a nap after her workout, gets to work by 1 p.m. and finishes at 11 p.m. Though she sleeps only four or five hours each night, she’s still motivated to get up and do it all again the next day. “Training with a team helps because of the peer pressure,” she says.

Over the last seven years, Argondizza has seen the triathlon scene explode in

TriathlEats distances because she says that as she gets older, endurance, not speed, is her strength. With a sprint race, “By the time I’m warmed up, it’s over,” she says.

She typically races about five times per summer and has completed races such as the Ironman 70.3 Eagleman, the Miami International Triathlon and Pine Barrens Olympic Distance Triathlon in New Jersey. The team’s season runs May to October, and Argondizza enjoys her time off between seasons. “It’s different than the West Coast,” she says, referring to the ability to train outdoors year-round in places such as Southern California. “It’s healthy to have some time to recover, to ski, to do other fun things.”

Roasted and Spiced Butternut Squash Soup Argondizza shares this hearty soup recipe, which is easy, healthy and seasonal. “I think the average person is intimidated by cooking,” she says, “but cooking is fun, once you have a recipe like this.” It’s low fat, and Argondizza likes to enjoy it after a race. paired with an ice-cold beer. The soup can be eaten hot or cold.

Ingredients: 2 butternut squash, cut in half and seeded 2 liters of chicken stock 1 onion, diced 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, seeded and diced 6 sage leaves 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons butter Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Place the squash on a sheet pan, cut side down, and add ½ cup of water and place in a 350-degree oven.

Cook until a knife can be inserted easily through the thickest part of the squash.

2. Sweat the onion, apple and sage in the butter until the onion is tender; then add the cinnamon and cook briefly. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and lower to a simmer.

3. Scoop the flesh out of the squash and add to the chicken stock mixture; cook together for 30 to 45 minutes to blend the flavors.

4. Carefully puree the (very hot) soup in a blender until smooth. Season and serve.

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ERIC RASCO

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