INSIDE THIS ISSUE
DECEMBER 2017
Breathing TCSD Contacts Board Members Member Profile
1 3 4 4
Weekly Workout Calendar You’re an Ironman TCSD Conversation Coach’s Corner - Swim
Coach’s Corner - Swim 18 It’s the Law 19 USTA National Challenge Competition 20 Coach’s Corner - Bike 21
News
TRIATHLON CLUB OF SAN DIEGO
Introduction
DECEMBER TCSD EVENTS
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Breathing is always happening, always with you; never stops, never rests. Breathing is the key to keeping alive and functioning. We take our breath very much for granted. We condition our bodies, we train our minds, and we manage our nutritional inputs, but we typically do not ”work on” our breath.
in sport training, control is everything! Think of a laboratory experiment. There is a control group, and an experimental group. The control group retains constant conditions and can be described quantitatively. It can be replicated, allowing us to create the exact same environment from scratch, each time. A control group also enables us to depend on an expected outcome, to which we can compare and add in various “experimental factors”, hence: “variables”.
Breathing for Relaxation and Control,
10K/5K Saturday, December 9th Check-in: 7:30am Start: 8am
and its IMPACT on TRAINING and PERFORMANCE
Location Hospitality Point Park 2500 Quivira Ct., San Diego, 92109
2017 IRONMAN KONA VIEWING PARTY
By Anna Weltman, Top Performance Consulting
I would like to emphasize the importance of controlling your breathing, and describe the effects that doing so can have on your performance. Date: Thursday, December 7th 5:15-8:45pm Location: Qualcomm Auditorium 6455 Lusk Blvd., San Diego, 92121 Refer to the Club’s website for complete activity listings and information.
Control
There is no natural cessation in your breathing cycle. In fact, we are not aware of how we breathe most of the time, except for when we try to control our breathing (such as swimming under water). Controlling your breathing or being aware of your breathing is a huge step towards being in control and aware of everything else you do. And
Flow
Breathing is what helps us maintain our optimal state of “Flow”. The easiest way to describe “flow” is that is it a state of “BEING”! It is when you are totally engaged in what you are doing and not aware of how you got there. You are not analyzing what you need to do next; you just DO what you need to do next, and you do that automatically. Flow feels great, and probably everyone has had the experience at one time or another of the “flow”state. continued on page 16
DECEMBER 2017 2
DECEMBER TCSD MEETINGS, CLINICS, RACES & RIDES*
Triathlon Club of San Diego P.O. Box 910692 San Diego, California 92191 www.triclubsandiego.org Send correspondence to the address above or contact President, Kai Nakamura. Membership & Renewal $75/year, $60 active military (w/active ID). Additional years available at discount. TCSD membership (online) at http://tiny.cc/v3xypw TCSD e-lists Subscribe to the TCSD e-mailing list by sending a blank email with your name in the body to: TCSD-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
NEWSLETTER STAFF AND INFORMATION Publisher & Design/Production Sprague Design, Dean Sprague myhideano@hotmail.com (858) 270-1605 Editor Alexis Barnes asdbarnes@yahoo.com (718) 216-8555 Newsletter Articles and Ideas Please send to Dean Sprague at myhideano@hotmail.com and/or Alexis Barnes at asdbarnes@yahoo.com
Sunday, December 17th 8:00am
Thursday, December 7th 5:15 to 8:45pm
Beginner Bike Ride is a 9.66 mile route in Fairbanks Ranch/ Carmel Mountain and the 56 bike path. The route has a total ascent of 727.06 ft and has a maximum elevation of 552.33 ft. Nobody gets left behind. If you are not a beginner still come out to join us, we can always use help and company. Helmets are MANDATORY. Remember to bring water, favorite sports drink and flat repair kit. Optional 5K run after the ride. Bring your run gear if you plan to join. Helmets are MANDATORY. Remember to bring water, favorite sports drink and flat repair kit. Option: 5K run after the ride. Bring your run gear if you plan to join.
A Babbitville Presentation
Schedule of Events: 8:00am Bike Q&A and safety talk 8:30am Wheels Roll Meet up Location: Moment Bicycles - Carmel Valley 5965 Village Way, E-100 San Diego, CA 92130 (619) 523-2453 map: http://tiny.cc/jt94hy Contact/Questions: James Ismailoglu, membership@triclubsandiego.org
Refer to the Club’s website, facebook pages for complete activity listings, updates and information.
2017 Ironman Kona Viewing with Special Guests Mike Levine and Kathleen McCartney In July of 2015 Mike Levine was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer and given six to nine months to live. He was told to get his affairs in order, and his wife, Jan, was making plans to move to the Northwest so Mike could be with family while undergoing hospice care. I had met Mike over the years, and Jan reached out to me last November about putting together a going away party for Mike. Jan asked if I could invite some of our Ironman athletes from back in the day to say goodbye to Mike. The party was last December, and Mike certainly did not look good. John Howard, Julie Moss, Ken Souza and a number of other triathletes from our era joined us that evening. One person who couldn’t make it was Kathleen McCartney, the woman who motivated Mike to get into triathlon and the Ironman back in the day. Kathleen reached out a few days later and asked Mike if he’d like to go for a bike ride. Mike was on the couch totally worn out from a chemotherapy session and told Kathleen he didn’t think he could ride. Kathleen wouldn’t take no for an answer and what started out as a few mile ride with frequent stops turned into....... Schedule of Events: 5:15 Food/Social & Announcements 6:30 Q&A 7:00 Ironman Kona viewing 8:15 Bonus Q&A with Bob, Mike and Kathleen
bittville R Bab ad y i b
o
Contributing Writers: Richard Duquette, Alan KippingRuane, Craig Zelent w/Anne Quadrini Rogers, and Anna Weltman
TCSD MONTHLY GATHERING
presen ted
CONTACTS
TCSD BEGINNER RIDE
Location: Qualcomm Auditorium 6455 Lusk Blvd, San Diego, CA 92121 map: http://tiny.cc/00w5oy
All dates and events subject to change. * Refer to the Club’s website/calendar for additional workouts and latest information.
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 3
TCSD BOARD MEMBERS
MEMBER PROFILE JOANNE SALAZ
President
Kai Nakamura
president@triclubsandiego.org
Vice President
Darrell Steele
vicepresident@triclubsandiego.org
Nickname: Jo
Treasurer
Melissa Sosnowski
treasurer@triclubsandiego.org
Member since: 2013
Secretary
Tracy Cohen-Peranteau secretary@triclubsandiego.org
Program and Events Officer
Tim Price
eventsdirector@triclubsandiego.org
Marketing Office
Marison Beniek
marketing@triclubsandiego.org
TCSD Board of Directors TCSD Board Advisor
bod@triclubsandiego.org Brian Long
TCSD Mentors
advisor@triclubsandiego.org info@triclubsandiego.org
TCSD VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE MEMBERS Beginner Coaches
Favorite local restaurant: C-Level, Downtown SD. When not training, I enjoy: (how sad? I feel like all I do is TRAIN!) Spending time with my husband and kids. Before I became a triathlete, I was: A marathoner. Who or what inspired you to start triathlons? My dad would encourage me to do them, so I did it. My first triathlon: Cerritos Auto Square Triathlon, 1983. It was a run/bike/swim (the swim was last.) Pre and/or Post event ritual: Definitely carbo load before. After a half or a marathon, I go to McDonald’s and get a Big Mac. My father, who has since passed away, used to take me there after a race, and I’ve kept up the tradition. Favorite Race/Tri event(s): Lake Tahoe Triathlon, a half. Gorgeous course, hilly bike. Favorite segment (swim, bike or run): The swim. PR/Best race: 2014 HITS, Palm Springs Half, 5:55:42. continued on page 5
DECEMBER 2017 4
james@triclubsandiego.org
Dean Rosenberg
coaches@triclubsandiego.org
Steve Tally
coaches@triclubsandiego.org
Bike Case Rentals
Bob Rosen
brosen@triclubsandiego.org
Club Historian
Ian Kelly
ikelly@triclubsandiego.org
Ironman Coaches
Craig Zelent
tricraigz@yahoo.com
Membership Director
James Ismailoglu
james@triclubsandiego.org
Newsletter Editor
Alexis Barnes
asdbarnes@yahoo.com
(718) 216-8555
Newsletter Publisher
Dean Sprague
dsprague@triclubsandiego.org
(858) 270-1605
Race Director, Aquathlon
Tim Price
eventsdirector@triclubsandiego.org
Race Director, Duathlon
Jay Weber
Age Group: F50-54, Aquabike all last season. Occupation: Court Reporter.
James Ismailoglu
Expo Coordinator (760) 214-0055
Race Director, Triathlon Social Director
Elizabeth Kenny
Social Media Director
Jennifer Potter
Sponsorship Director
Tina Valle
sponsorship@triclubsandiego.org
Swim Director
Chris Costales
tcsdswim@gmail.com
Swim Director, Open Water
Trevor King
trevor@EnergyLabTraining.com
TCSD Cares
Steve Tally
stally@triclubsandiego.org
Track Coach, UTC (Spring/Summer) Bill Gleason
gleasoncoaching@gmail.com
Mark Alfaro Volunteer Coordinator
Monica Sberna
sbernamm@gmail.com
Youth Team Coach
Judi Carbary
events@triclubsandiego.org
Web Administrators
John Hill
jhill@triclubsandiego.org
(858) 717-1114
RUN
BIKE
SWIM
TCSD OFFICIAL WEEKLY WORKOUT WINTER CALENDAR
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF OFFICIAL CLUB WORKOUTS, REVIEW THE WORKOUT SCHEDULE ON THE CLUB’S WEBSITE. •
Location: La Jolla Cove.
6:00 PM
Ocean Swim in Carlsbad
6:00 PM
Open Water Swim
7:00 PM
LJHS Swim Workout (Coggan Family Aquatic Complex)
•
Location: Glorietta Bay, 1975 Strand Way, Coronado. •
Location: 800 Nautilus St., La Jolla.
Tuesday 6:00 AM Pannikin Bike Ride
•
Location: Pannikin - 7467 Girard Ave., La Jolla.
6:00 AM Ocean Swim in Carlsbad
Location: Tamarack Beach.
•
Most embarrassing or disastrous moment: Recently (Rock the Bay) was hit by a car on the bike. Fixed my bike, got back on and placed first.
Equipment wish list: New helmet (since the crash) Rudy.
Location: Tamarack Beach.
•
Can’t race without: My Hammer Gel and goggles.
My equipment: Wetsuit: Xterra Bike(s): QR Kilo (aka my baby) Running Shoe(s): Mizuno
Monday 6:00 AM Ocean Swim, advanced/expert swimmers
Next season’s athletic goal: To podium in every race (so far accomplished!!!).
6:30 AM Bike Workout in Point Loma, Group ride
•
Location: Moment Cycle Sport, Liberty Station.
5:45 PM
Track Workout at UCSD, Coached session 9730 Hopkins Drive.
•
Location: Triton Track and Field Stadium (UCSD)
6:30 PM
Run Workout in Carlsbad/North County, Coached session • Location: Starts at the Bike Trail that runs between Carlsbad Village and Tamarack Ave. parallel to the Coaster tracks.
Best advice: It's all about finish LINES, not finish TIMES! (for beginners). Favorite Thing(s) About TCSD: The people I've met. Super awesome, sweet people.
Wednesday 6:00 AM Ocean Swim, advanced/expert swimmers
•
Location: La Jolla Cove.
6:00 PM
Bike Workout in Central San Diego, Coached session
6:00 PM
Ocean Swim in Carlsbad
6:00 PM
Trail Run
7:00 PM
LJHS Swim Workout (Coggan Family Aquatic Complex)
•
•
Location: varies, typically Fiesta Island.
Location: Tamarack Beach.
•
Location: Pulse South Bay, 1020 Tierra Del Rey # A2, Chula Vista. •
Location: 800 Nautilus St., La Jolla.
Thursday 6:00 AM Ocean Swim in Carlsbad 6:15 AM Pannikin Bike Ride
•
•
Location: Tamarack Beach.
Location: Pannikin - 7467 Girard Ave., La Jolla.
6:30 AM Bike Workout in Point Loma, Group ride
•
Location: Moment Cycle Sport, Liberty Station.
5:30 PM
Open Water Swim Workout
6:00 PM
BOWS Swim Workout (Beginners’ Open Water Swim)
•
Location: Ventura Cove (every other week until June) •
Location: Bonita Cove, Mission Bay.
Friday 6:30 AM First light ocean Swim
•
Location: La Jolla Cove.
Saturday 8:00 AM Bike Workout, TCSD Group Ride
•
Location: Meet at Starbucks in Del Mar, Hwy. 101 & 15th St.
8:30 AM Bike Workout, Group Ride
•
Location: Revolution Bike Shop, 235 S. Highway 101, Solana Beach.
8:30 AM Bike Workout, Group Ride
•
Location: Moment Cycle Sport, Liberty Station
•
Location: Moment Cycle Sport, Liberty Station.
Sunday 8:00 AM Bike Workout, Group Ride
* Refer to the Club’s website/calendar for additional workouts and latest information.
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG
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CONGRATULATIONS! You are an Ironman! SPONSORS OF TCSD MULTISPORT
Moment Cycle Sport Contact: JT Lyons 2816 Historic Decatur Rd., Ste. 135 San Diego, CA 92106 (619) 523-BIKE and Moment Bicycles - Carmel Valley 5965 Village Way, E-100 San Diego, CA 92130 (619) 523-2453 www.momentcyclesport.com Discount: 10% off product, labor excluded.
Pulse Endurance Sports Contact: Mike Drury 1020 A-2 Tierra Del Rey Chula Vista, CA 91910 (619) 656-5222 and 7638 Clairemont Mesa Blvd. San Diego, CA 92111 (858) 384-2867 www.pulseendurance.com Discount: 10-15% off.
APPAREL & EQUIPMENT
Aqua Sphere www.AquaSphereSwim.com Discount: Products sold through local retailers with TCSD discount.
DECEMBER 2017 6
IM Florida, Panama City - November 4, 2017 AG AG Rank OV Rank Swim Jason Berchek M 45-49 86 601 1:14 Bruce Rosa M 55-59 35 933 1:20 Randy Paddock M 60-64 38 1818 1:43 2,193 finishers. Transitions and seconds not included.
Bike 5:35 6:02 7:08
Run 5:00 5:06 6:08
Finish 12:04 12:55 15:26
Swim 1:32
Bike 8:24
Run 5:58
Finish 16:18
IM Arizona, Tempe - November 19, 2017 AG AG Rank OV Rank Swim Juan Rocha M 35-39 22 121 1:18 Aaro Jarvinen M 30-34 20 151 1:15 Daniel Reintjes M 40-44 280 344 01:15 David Zapata M 30-34 37 261 1:19 Jason Verbracken M 40-44 61 389 1:30 Fan Zhang M 50-54 30 411 1:18 Jeff Krebs M 55-59 15 466 1:42 Mark Bauckman M 55-59 16 473 1:10 Kelly Mitchell F 30-34 15 485 1:08 Brian Abraham M 40-44 132 763 1:30 Bruce Paddy M 55-59 29 768 1:22 Steve Tally M 55-59 30 785 1:26 Kristi Douglas F 45-49 31 885 1:24 Aaron Harding M 50-54 102 954 1:32 Melissa Vasel F 40-44 43 1015 1:35 Trevor Splettstoesser M 40-44 181 1159 1:26 Jerry Dwek M 55-59 67 1204 1:43 Danny Arnold M 60-64 32 1566 1:38 Lauren Essex F 55-59 23 1592 1:36 Michael Mitchell M 55-59 99 1601 1:31 Mary Schmitz F 50-54 59 1602 1:31 Hugo Lepur M 45-49 267 1684 1:35 Cecily Arenas F 40-44 95 1859 1:48 Marsha Wingler F 45-49 94 1913 1:34 Scott Barton M 40-44 268 1930 2:02 Paula Dayoub-Schweizer F 55-59 46 2064 1:34 Tassia Bezdeka F 30-34 66 2086 1:33 Young Duong M 35-39 214 2185 2:03
Bike 5:18 5:27 05:57 6:05 5:35 6:29 6:13 6:18 6:17 5:45 6:08 6:18 6:01 6:40 7:22 6:45 6:35 6:38 6:41 7:19 7:19 6:47 7:04 6:56 7:26 7:29 8:01 7:42
Run 3:35 3:46 04:09 3:39 4:21 3:48 3:47 4:12 4:18 5:20 4:56 4:45 5:25 4:48 4:12 5:12 5:09 5:59 6:09 5:35 5:35 6:11 6:23 6:53 5:57 6:54 6:10 6:31
Finish 10:21 10:36 11:37 11:15 11:43 11:47 11:56 11:56 11:59 12:45 12:47 12:49 13:05 13:16 13:24 13:45 13:50 14:43 14:45 14:47 14:47 15:00 15:34 15:44 15:48 16:13 16:16 16:37
Bike 5:44
Run 5:23
Finish 12:21
IM Los Cabos - November 12, 2017 AG AG Rank OV Rank Crystal Cavanagh F 60-64 3 377
2,236 finishers. Transitions and seconds not included. IM Cozumel - November 26, 2017 AG AG Rank OV Rank Tim Young M 45-49 71 541 1,191 finishers. Transitions and seconds not included.
Swim 1:02
TCSD CONVERSATION WITH:
Anne Quadrini Rogers
By Craig Zelent
“
”
I have known Anne Quadrini Rogers for a few years, but got to know her much better from our trip this summer to USA Triathlon Nationals in Omaha. Anne is one of my favorite people in TCSD and I think you’ll enjoy getting to know her, too. Craig: What was your athletic background when you were younger? Anne: I‘m the oldest of four kids and
was 4 1/2 when the youngest was born. I think for my mom‘s sanity, she always had us outside running around. I was also a tomboy, so I‘d rather be outside throwing the football or riding a bike than be inside playing with dolls. When I was swimming at a community pool while in fourth grade, someone mentioned to me that if I swam a certain number of laps, I could swim a mile. I was so intrigued, I did it that day. An Omaha, NE. USAT Nationals in 17 20 endurance athlete was born! g in ish fin Anne Rogers Charlie I played soccer, softball, and even a lithave all been in the military. How has that tle bit of basketball growing up. Soccer was so shaped you? competitive in high school that I opted for drill team. Friday night football was life in Texas, Diane: My daddy was in the Marines before he even in Dallas. Drill team was the squad that did married my mom. Even though he was no longer dance routines with high kicks and splits during active when we were born, “Once a Marine, halftime and cheered during the game. Practices always a Marine.” We made our beds with were 2 to 2 1/2 hours a day during football sea- “Marine corners”, woke up early every day, even son, requiring dedication and efficiency to keep during vacation (lots to do everyday!) and up with our studies at my challenging college stayed active in sports and life. Discipline was expected. prep school. In addition, my mom‘s dad was a Marine durThe military has been a constant theme in ing WWII, and my wonderful husband Charlie was your life. Your grandpa, dad, and husband in the Army when we met. My first job after get-
SPONSORS OF TCSD
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Road Runner Sports 5553 Copley Dr. San Diego, CA 92111 (858) 974-4455
ROKA https://www.roka.com Discount: 30% off swim items, 20% off run apparel, cycling apparel, triathlon apparel, and sunglasses.
Rudy Project www.e-rudy.com Discount: 52.5% off CODE: Use code SDTC. continued on page 8
continued on page 8
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 7
SPONSORS OF TCSD
Xterra Wetsuits www.xterrawetsuits.com www.xterrawetsuits.com/collections/tcsd Discount: use C-TCSD
COACHING & FITNESS
Energy Lab Training Contact: Trevor King email: ftrevorwking@yahoo.com www.energylabtraining.com
Evolution Multisport Contact: Chris Holley www.evolutionmultisport.com www.chrisholleyhealthcoach
The Fit Stop Human Performance Lab Contact: Ken Nicodemus (760) 634-5169 kjnico@roadrunner.com www.fitstop-lab.com Discount: see TCSD website for details.
Gleason Endurance Coaching Contact: Bill Gleason email: GleasonCoaching@gmail.com www.GleasonCoaching.com continued on page 11
DECEMBER 2017 8
CONVERSATION, continued ting married was as a civilian in the Army Corps of Engineers in West Germany, where Charlie was stationed at the end of the Cold War. I also was active with the officers‘ wives group. So yes, the discipline, dedication, and efficiency of military life has rubbed off on me.
became very involved in cycling. My favorite race was the “Hotter than Hell Hundred” in Wichita Falls...in August. Once again, it was me and the guys. But my competitiveness and determination came out, and I loved passing the guys, especially going uphill. Fast forward In getting to know you, I have detected a lot several years, and I had twins. No more cycling of Texas A&M pride. What is so special for me. When my twins were getting older, I started about the Aggies? running. Again, being Anne: In eigth grade, I the competitive decided I wanted to be person I am, I an engineer (just like joined a few friends my daddy!), and since in a challenge of “my blood runs five marathons in maroon”, Texas A&M five months... and was the obvious ended up with a choice. stress fracture in my The traditions, foot. No running for discipline, and loyeight weeks. Back to alty of A&M drew cycling and swimme there, and it ming! was the only place I decided I couldn‘t I applied to (much let all that cross-trainto my mom‘s coning go to waste, and I cern.) Going from Anne with Sister M convinced my good a donna, 2017 an all-girls high . friend Janet to do a triathlon with school to a male-dominated major was me. On 10-10-10, we did “The Day quite a change... which I certainly enjoyed. Texas A&M started the 12th man tradition of at the Beach” at Hermosa Beach. As Janet and I stood on the shore, looking at standing during the game, ready to help our team (with player E. King Gill in the Dixie the angry, choppy ocean, we both realized we Classic in 1922), and no matter how the game hadn‘t done any open water swimming! goes, the Fighting Texas Aggie Band ALWAYS Although I could swim all day long in a pool, I couldn‘t do freestyle in that choppy water. I wins halftime! I participate with the San Diego Aggie Club, briefly panicked, thinking I can‘t DNF in my first so that I can be with others who understand tri. I finished that whole swim doing the backwhat it means to be an Aggie. The most impor- stroke! Janet and I somehow finished the swim tant tradition is Aggie Muster, celebrated by Aggies all around the world on April 21, San together, so we jumped on our mountain bikes Jacinto Day (commemorating the day of the and started the three-lap bike portion. Each final battle in the war for Texas independence.) lap, we passed these teens volunteering on the Any Aggie who has died over the past year will course. Every time we cycled past them, they‘d be remembered in a solemn ceremony on that yell out, “And that‘s the way we roll!” That has day. Celebrations off campus often also include since become a mantra for Janet and me. As I crossed that finish line, I knew I had found my a social and BBQ, of course. What was the inspiration that led to your sport. It was hard, but I felt like a kid, going from one sport to the next. I had become a first triathlon? triathlete! Anne: After graduating from Texas A&M, I moved back to Dallas. In my spare time, I In 2017 you raced Olympic Distance
Nationals in Omaha for the first time. What was that experience like? Anne: I had the opportunity to race USA Tri Nationals in Omaha. What a fantastic experience! One that I hope I can do again. Even though I knew I wouldn‘t finish anywhere near the top, I was still happy to be there. One of the highlights of the trip was meeting Sister Madonna Buder, the Iron Nun. At 87 years old, she is still a ball of energy! I enjoyed volunteering with you and Holly Stroschine at packet pickup—the energy from everyone was high. People were excited to be at Nationals! The swim for me didn‘t go as planned (I had a fight with my goggles, and lost), but the bike went well. I had fun cycling past all those cornfields, as well as up the one hill in Omaha. Even though I hadn‘t placed in the race (no surprise there), I went to the awards ceremony. Awards were given out to the top 10 in each age group (Congratulations, Craig!), starting with the 85+ age group. What an inspiration to see the athletes in those older age groups. They all looked so great! I want to be like them when I “grow up”! If I am ever lucky enough to qualify for Nationals again, I plan to go.
You completed the HITS Ironman in Palm Springs in 2015. What was that experience like for you? Anne: When Janet and I did our first sprint triathlon together, we marveled at those athletes doing olympic distance. We eventually did our first olympic together (LA Tri Events), as well as our first half ironman together (Vineman). Our plan was to do IMAZ together, but I ended up not being able to volunteer the year before. So she did IMAZ, and two weeks later, I did the full distance at HITS Palm Springs. I had done several 70.3s by then, but I knew the training would be more. Boy, that was an understatement! That month of peak volume was definitely a challenge. Since I knew the course would be flat and windy, I trained mostly on Fiesta Island. 25 laps around is not only physical training, but also mental training!!! My schedule had four weekends over 100 miles. On the third one, I struggled just to get to 76 miles. My body needed a break. I broke down crying, and called Charlie. I asked him if I came home, could we go walk on the beach together. He was so understanding and supportive of me. I had my little breakdown, but the following weekend, I was strong and ready to go again. For the race, we stayed with some good friends who have a desert home in Indio. My cheering crew was ready with signs and cowbells. Since the race had many laps for each leg, I was able to see my cheering squad several times throughout the day; they worked hard, too! Although my favorite sport is cycling, I was so ready to get off my bike. I saw Charlie at T2 and happily exclaimed, “All I have left is a marathon!” That statement made perfect sense to me at the continued on page 10
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 9
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CONVERSATION, continued time! One of the best things was, on the first lap of the run, I saw Janet. What a wonderful surprise! She was holding a “140.6” sticker in her hand and said, “All you have to do is run a marathon, and this is yours!” I did the ironman shuffle and made my way across that finish line. Years of leading up to the point, all the training, the dedi-
DECEMBER 2017 10
cation, the sacrifices, and I crossed that line. Wow!!! I did it!!! What an amazing feeling. I‘m actually getting teary-eyed just thinking about it now.
What athletic performances are you most proud of? Anne: I remember sitting in a tri club meeting when I was still living in the Pasadena area. Our own Bob Babbitt was the speaker at the meeting. He asked for those in the room who had complet-
ed a full distance triathlon to raise their hand. The lady next to me raised her hand. She looked like a “normal” person, not a super athlete. It was at that moment I decided to one day do an ironman. So, many years later, after much training and sacrifice, when I crossed that line in Palm Springs, I felt so proud of myself. I had done it!!!
By then, the storm had rolled in. Here I was at the highest peak in the continental US, and I could see maybe 50 feet away. After the requisite photos, we “hurried” down the mountain. That was almost harder than going up, especially because of the hail and rain; the trail had become a river. It was dark again by the time we reached the bottom, but we had done it. What an amazing feeling!
What is the dumbest or funniest thing you have done in your sporting life? Anne: Well, the dumbest was not doing an open water swim before my first tri. One of the funniest and also dumbest isn‘t tri-related but does involve my first time wearing a wetsuit. My company was doing a team building day, r Hiker friends. with her Badass Mothe ht, rig m fro which included surfing lesd thi , ne An sons. I was having the hardest time putting on A non-triathlon athletic endeavor of which I my wetsuit. Turns out, I was trying to put my am very proud was hiking up and down Mt. legs into the arms! Oops! Whitney in one day. I was part of a group of 11 women, and we called ourselves the “Badass Mother Hikers.” The day before we summited, many hikers had to turn back because of bad weather. Our group started at 3:00 am, since we wanted to make it to the top well before noon, when the storms typically roll in. The hike started great, and the sunrise was beautiful. We were doing it! But the closer we got to the top, the heavier the clouds became. At one point, due to the ice on the trail (in July!), we all had to put crampons onto our hiking boots. I normally like H to do things myself (I get that from iking in Big Bear with Th omas, Charlie , Brian. my grandmother Antoinette, after whom I am You have named). But at over 14,000 feet elevation, I identical twin boys at Purdue now. just couldn‘t function well enough to get the How did having an athletic mom impact left one on. A passing hiker asked if I would like their lives? him to help; my first thought was No! But, I relented and let him help. We finally made it to Anne: God blessed me with twin boys... and not the top! (All 11 of us made it, but not all girls. Being a tomboy growing up, I wouldn‘t have known what to do with a girly-girl! My together.) sons played every sport out there while growing
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continued on page 12
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CONVERSATION, continued up; they had endless bounds of energy. Where and give me 20!” Pumping did they get that from? While still in elementary out 20 push-ups would get school they started water polo, which became their blood moving and their sport, even playing for Purdue. change the dynamic to help Thomas and Brian were on the Rose Bowl them refocus. Charlie, who Water Polo team. For those who don‘t know the had been in the Army, area, The Rose Bowl Aquatics Center was built thought it was funny that I for the ‘84 Olympics, with two full sized was the one playing drill serOlympic pools. In addition, the road around the geant. Maybe it came from the Rose Bowl Stadium is, very conveniently, 5km Marines in my family (daddy, around. There are also about 10 roads leading grandpa, cousins), from A&M, down (read, hills!) into the Rose Bowl area. In or from Charlie, but push-ups other words, a great place to train while your seemed like the most logical Anne with sons Thomas and Brian, 2014 LA Tri Series. (and effective) thing to redisons spend hours at water polo practice! rect them. And it worked! I was that crazy mom who, during the weekend-long tournaments, would have to run or cycle between games. One of the parDuring Thomas and Brian‘s senior year, they did a sprint ents once asked my sons what it was like to have such an athletic triathlon (LA Tri Series) with me. Due to their water polo backmom. They looked at her quizzically and responded, “It‘s normal.” ground, they were first and third out of the water! Then they Since water polo was so demanding, Brian and Thomas had to jumped onto their heavy mountain bikes and sped along. be very efficient and finish most of their homework before prac- Although they did well in the race, despite their lack of experitice. Sometimes, I would catch them drifting off task or starting ence and proper equipment, they decided they much preferred to bicker with each other. That‘s when I would shout out, “Drop water polo. But now that they have a tri under their belt, when
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they get older, they can jump into the sport more easily, knowing they have already completed one. I always went to cheer on my boys in their games, so when I asked them and Charlie to cheer me on for my first marathon (Pasadena), they happily obliged. My sons surprised me and made the most amazing signs. As I was hitting the wall at mile 23, wondering why I was doing this to myself, I turned the corner (literally) and there they were, waving their wonderful homemade signs. Oh, that was the best thing! It gave me the boost I needed to finish that race. I still have those signs!
What have you done as a volunteer for TCSD? Anne: Although I haven‘t held an official position at TCSD, I volunteer as often as I can. I enjoy helping with set up at our awesome club races and events, especially at check-in: what a great way to meet the other members! I also like helping at the expos so I can tell other people about our amazing club.
receiving the coveted “Terrific Titan” award for exceptional volunteer service. As they started reading about the background of the person receiving the award, I soon realized I was the recipient! What an amazing honor! I am proud to say, the tradition of “Serviam” has been carried on by my sons, who volunteer at their church and with their fraternities.
What is the best thing you get from volunteering? Anne: I think volunteering is such an important part of our society, from schools, to our awesome tri club, to the amazing acts of volunteering during the recent hurricanes in our country. And although volunteering is mainly to help the recipient, it also helps the volunteer. One of my favorite volunteer memories was years ago when I was working in the Junior League thrift store during Christmas time. A man came into the store with a handful of crumpled bills and some change, looking for a gift for his wife. We looked together searching around the store and found the perfect gift. He was so excited. But I think I got more out of it than he did. It felt so good to see the smile on his face!
What other volunteer roles in the community have you found to be particularly rewardcontinued on page 15 ing? net Uribe. Anne: Volunteering has always ermosa Beach) with Ja the Beach Triathlon (H 10 Day at been an important part of my 20 life, with my parents setting the example. My high school‘s motto was “Serviam”, Latin for “I will serve.” Teaching Sunday school at church, volunteering with Junior League of Pasadena (Junior League is an international women‘s volunteer group), and being president of my running club were all great. But my favorite positions involved volunteering with and for my sons, including reading to their class in the library, helping out in the classroom, and of course, being the official “Water Polo Mom”. I didn‘t realize how much I had been volunteering until my sons‘ senior year. I was invited to the “Terrific Titan” luncheon (their high school‘s mascot was the Titans) under the guise that my friend was
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CONVERSATION, continued What role does God play in your life? Anne: God has always played an important part in my life. Again, my parents were great role models for my siblings and me. My mom was the director of religious education at my church for 15 years. Everyone knew the Quadrini family, which meant we had to behave at church! No easy task for siblings about the same age who might have to preferred to chat and giggle during mass. I am so grateful to God for all the opportunities I have had, and for being able to make it through the challenging times in my life as well. I was very ill many years ago and ended up in the hospital. I consider the day I entered the hospital as my “Living Day,” and I want to live each day to the fullest to show my thankfulness. One of my mantras while I race is the verse from Philippians 4:13. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” During the run, I pray for people, especially those who cannot do what I am doing. My strong, powerful daddy had a stroke last year, and I often pray for him and dedicate my run to him.
What do you do for a living? Anne: I was educated as an engineer and truly enjoyed all the
crazy people in marketing actually had a reason for having us engineers do (or not do) certain things. But then I started working with my husband, Charlie, who is a financial advisor and wealth manager. We have our own firm, Azimuth Wealth Advisors. “Azimuth” is a quantitative measure of direction. The term is used both in field artillery (Charlie‘s job in the Army) for finding the direction to safely fire weapons and hit the distant target, and in the cellular industry (I was an engineer at Verizon) for designing the cell sites.
What are your future triathlon goals? Anne: I would love to make it to USA Nationals again. And, as an even higher goal, I would love to represent the USA in Worlds.
Anne, thank you so much for telling us your story. Your family and friends have been very blessed to have you in their lives. TCSD is part of that fortunate group of people. I am sure I will see you again at Nationals and probably Worlds. That is assuming you can break yourself of the habit of putting your legs in the arm holes of your wetsuit. Craig Zelent is a USA Triathlon Level 1 Certified Coach. Craig can be reached at 760-214-0055 or tricraigz@yahoo.com.
technical work I did. When I got my MBA, I learned that those
WWW.TRICLUBSANDIEGO.ORG 15
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Flow is not just focus. It is a harmonious experience where your mind and body work together effortlessly and has been defined as the optimal experience. Flow occurs in performance. This is not just restricted to sport performance, but also occurs in music, drama, doing laundry, gardening, or even playing a game of chess. Flow is a state of being aware in a pointed focus and being totally in the present moment. Another way to interpret a meaning of “flow” was developed by the author of the book “Flow in Sports,” (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi). It reveals that: “the Past is a Road to Nowhere, the Future is a Road Under Construction, and the Present is the Road to Flow.”
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Breathing is key for keeping yourself in the best frame of mind, healthiest state of body, and most productive sense of clarity. It is the starting point from which begins any topic, any issue, or any exploration. Preparing the body to be still is to allow the mind to become more aware. With this awareness comes the ability to become the observer, the witness, and the reflection of any given situation, without getting emotionally involved. Therefore, the perspective remains non-judgmental and has greater opportunity for unequivocal perception. The state of “presence” or “flow“ is attained and best results occur in this state. Q: How should one prepare for a training situation most efficiently to create and maintain this state of flow? A: Ensure the following pre-requisites are practiced, developed, and met on a regular basis:
sufficient activity, ample rest, and breathing techniques. I will next touch briefly on activity and rest and discuss breathing technique in more detail.
Activity and Rest Activity is one side of the picture of life; rest is the other. Both are necessary to perform maximally and get the best out of your performances. For every day you are awake, you spend a night asleep. If you have ever missed more than a couple of nights of good sleep, you will have less energy to spend during your waking hours. Every system in the body has this dichotomy where it is active or passive. Rest is therefore a requirement if there is to be activity. Rest correlates to the amount of activity performed. If you are very busy, you will need to rest more. It also depends on the activity that you are doing to tax your body. For the most part, I am referring to the obvious muscular demands placed on your body during triathlon training.
Types of Rest
There several types of rest: active rest, passive rest, and sleep. Active rest refers to physical, emotional or mental stress-relief that involves movement of the body. Passive rest refers to activities that break the normal cycles of physical, emotional and mental stress, not involving body movement. Sleep, of course, does not entail any voluntary physical movement and typically does not impose any kind of stress. Examples of active rest are yoga, Tai-Chi, Stretching, and Walking, enjoyment of non-com-
petitive sports such as tennis, golf, swimming, surfing, jogging, etc.., gardening, and sex. Examples of passive rest are deep breathing, meditation, prayer, massage, viewing peaceful scenes and places, naps, watching TV or movies, reading, listening to music, and talking (typically about feelings) with another person. Ironically, when there is adequate rest, the amount of activity actually FEELS like less and takes less effort. Things happen more smoothly and easily. The body goes into the state of ‘flow’. A few words about sleep. The best sleep is “unconcocted” sleep. (I just concocted that term!) That means it was not induced with sleeping aids that enter the bloodstream, which include ingestibles, inhalables, and topical treatments. It was also not created by passing out due to any circumstances other than fatigue. The reason I mention this is because in some sports, particularly the fighting and combat sports, sleep can occur because of having passed out. Passing out may be the result of receiving a blow to the body (a hit, punch, etc.) Triathlon is not a combat sport, so this doesn’t generally apply, but was worth describing because unusual things DO sometimes occur to triathletes (bicycle crashes, for one!)
Breathing
In a previous article, I mentioned that athletes are always evaluating the challenge ahead of them with the skills they think they have. When you are confident that you have the skills, you seek out the challenge and overcome it. When you are not quite sure, then emotions like fear and worry come into the picture and cause anxiety, thus clouding your mind further and keeping your confidence at bay. If you can get around the anxiety, you once again have a shot at attaining the “flow” state. Different techniques can help with the anxiety. The easiest one to master, and the one that is most accessible to you, is BREATHING. I mentioned already that controlling your breathing allows you to control everything else you do. Control over your breath teaches focus, concentration, and action-on-demand. It trains your body to master an area of functioning such that you not only benefit from that function’s positive effects, but you also become a master at mastering yourself.
Here are some breath control techniques to help relax you and get you into that ideal state of ”flow”. 1. Sit in a comfortable position in a quiet area and begin to focus on the rhythm of your breathing. 2. Inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose 3. Allow the belly to expand as you inhale and to fall as you exhale. 4. Breathe slowly and deeply going deeper and deeper and having longer and longer exhales. 5. Begin to soften your face – feel your face soften, relax, and loosen its tension. 6. Soften the ears, the eyebrows, the eyes, and the chin. (All facial features that we rarely think of, let alone send signals to, from the brain). Softening these will allow the entire face to soften as well, and more quickly. 7. Work your way down in the “softening” process, into all of your body, including the less-obvious areas (armpits, crook of elbow, behind knees, back of Achilles tendons, all the toes, and the arch of the foo.). 8. Continue breathing as you visualize your body parts. 9. Repeat a mantra in your head: “I am relaxed” “my body is relaxed” or for each part. “My arms are relaxed, my fingers are relaxed, etc...” 10. Allow a stillness to overcome your entire body and just focus on listening to the effortless breath, in and out.
Conclusion
Flow is a premium state of performance where we are fully “being”. It is not a constant state, but it is a highly productive state. We are engulfed in the present moment, performing smooth and precise action not hampered by anxieties or thoughts, and not restricted nor constricted in any way. We are pure flowing energy, the organic result of releasing tension and obstacles. Winners and top performers are in control of their flow states, transitioning into flow at will. To attain this state regularly and consistently requires work and the ability to control our bodies and minds. To attain this mastery of control and awareness in ourselves, I recommend incorporating breathing exercises into your training.
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COACH’S
CORNER:
5
courtesy of Alan Kipping-Ruane, from the TriHub.com
Ways to Get More Distance Per Stroke
As I left the pool today, my swimming technique became very apparent to me. When I was younger, I was a competitive swimmer, and distance per stroke wasn’t as important as speed and turnover rate. Now as a triathlete, that isn’t the case. As you know, you aren’t sprinting just 100 yards and stopping, but more like 2.4 miles in an ironman. To go faster, you want to get any extra edge you can give yourself, and distance per stroke is often overlooked by athletes. It’s with this idea that I wanted to share with you how to get more distance per stroke and gain that extra speed by not getting so tired so fast.
3. Chin to Chest
1. Flip Turns
5. Baby Kicks
I will say outright that perfecting flip turns won’t help much for open water swimming, but they are still important. Why flip turns are on this list is due to a couple of little known ways that they bring your fitness to a whole new level. The stronger you make your flip turns, the more you can strengthen other parts of your stroke that will have benefits such as taking your first stroke without breathing off the wall and kicking with a butterfly dolphin kick to get to the surface. For these reasons, be sure to practice and strengthen your flip turns.
Picture for a moment a baby on its back gleefully kicking at the air. Compare this to most grown ups, who rarely kick unless they’re playing a game of soccer. Yes, even swimmers are notorious for not fully using the lower halves of their bodies. Kicks may only account for 3-10% of forward propulsion, but any little bit helps while you are racing towards the finish line. The lesson here is to strengthen your legs and don’t forget to kick heartily while in the water. That’s it, folks! These five simple tips will improve your stroke technique and help your swim times drop. Incorporate these into your practice and make the local pool your BOSS.
2. Reach and Extend
I instruct most athletes to maintain a chin to chest posture because it represents the point being made, keep your head looking down. That means staring at the oh-so famous black line and T running down the pool that as a, swimmer, you come to hate and love. Keeping your head position down keeps your hips from sagging behind you and raises them to again put you in a more streamlined position.
4. Par for a Four Stroke Swim golf is fun to play, but it’s a swift reminder to work on your form if you have terrible technique. You can begin to fix this by restricting your breathing to every fourth or fifth stroke. The less you pause to take a breath, the faster you will be propelled forward, making you more hydrodynamic. In a nutshell, play golf and breathe less.
Reaching in the swim stroke occurs after your arm drops into the water before you begin your pull and finish. The farther you reach, the more your body glides and becomes hydrodynamic in the water. Causing a streamlined effect, this body position is better for setting up for a strong pull and catch, making your pulling force increase and decreasing stroke count.
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DECEMBER 2017 18
IT’S THE LAW:
By Richard L. Duquette, Esq. Bicycle Injury Lawyer, 911Law.com
When Is a Turning Movement Illegal? Turning movements not only include the typical 90º turning movement, but also lane changes. California Vehicle Code §22107 states: “No person shall turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left upon a roadway until such movement can be made with reasonable safety and then only after the giving of an appropriate signal in the manner provided in this chapter in the event any other vehicle may be affected by the movement.” Thus, any turning movement or lane change that causes an accident may be considered illegal because it was not made “with reasonable safety.” Since this code section does not state “motor vehicle,” the term “vehicle” as used in this section includes a bicycle. The code also requires the use of turn signals if any other vehicle (including a bicycle) may be affected by the turning movement. It is good to get into the habit of signaling all of the time, not just when alerting others of your turning movement. One could argue that if there are no other cars on the road, you can turn without using any signals. But how many times have you
heard someone say, “I didn’t see the other car,” just after an accident occurred? The California Driver Handbook concurs: ”Signal even when you don't see any vehicles around you. The vehicle you don’t see might hit you. ”Further, with more and more hybrid vehicles on the road, a bicyclist may not hear these often quiet vehicles approaching from behind, so habitual signaling may alert a vehicle you are unaware of. Signal as a matter of law, of courtesy, and of self-protection. For bicyclists, there are two ways to make a left turn: 1. The same as a motor vehicle: signal, move into the left lane when safe to do so, and turn left after yielding to any oncoming traffic. 2. As a pedestrian: Dismount and walk your bike across when safe to cross. Any signal of intention to turn right or left shall be given continuously during the last 100 feet traveled by the vehicle before turning (Vehicle Code §22108). After you signal your intention, you are not automatically entitled to make the maneuver. It’s necessary to be sure that the place you intend to go is not already occupied. Make sure it’s clear before you move. Look back before you pass or merge. A rear-view mirror is a good idea, but don't rely on it alone.
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USAT National Challenge Competition It’s winter. Your next race could be months away... how do you stay motivated to train and keep fit over the offseason months? The USA Triathlon (USAT) National Challenge Competition (NCC) was designed with one idea in mind: keeping triathletes motivated and active during the off-season. Triathlon clubs from around the country go head-to-head from December to February by logging training miles in all three disciplines. There are three sessions: Swim (December), Bike (January), Run (February) During each session everyone trains in all three disciplines, but awards are given for the team and athletes with the most mileage for that month’s discipline and again for the overall competition. Clubs compete in divisions according to club size, so even smaller clubs have a chance to win prizes. There are also prizes awarded to individual athletes in each session and overall. All stats are tracked in real time, as they are entered, so you can always see how your club is doing and how you are doing
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against others in your club and across the country. Follow other competitors on Twitter using #USATNCC.
RULES & INFO: http://tiny.cc/drj6oy WEBSITE: Select Triathlon Club of San Diego “TCSD” when you register online and log your workouts at: http://ncc.usatriathlon.org/ NOTE: Enter your actual miles into the NCC site. The weighting will be calculated automatically. Reminder: Elliptical miles will not be a weighted discipline. Three (3) XC Skiing miles equals one (1) run mile. 1 Swim Mile= 10 Mile, 1 Bike Mile= 1 Mile, 1 Run Mile= 3 Mile HOW DO I JOIN? You must first be a USAT member to participate - join or renew at usatriathlon.org. Then register for the NCC and select team “TCSD” at http://ncc.usatriathlon.org/ TEAM LEADERBOARD: http://ncc.usatriathlon.org/teams/teamSearch TCSD CONTACT: Tami Threet at threets@cox.net
COACH’S
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3. Determine Strengths and Weaknesses Depending on what type of riding and racing you do (cross country, endurance, sprints, etc.), you will want to focus on different areas of your power curve. For example, a sprinter cares most about peak power over short periods of time. This might be 30 or 60 second power for example. An endurance rider cares more about 60 minute power for example. A power meter allows to you accurately assess your strengths and weaknesses in relation to your specific discipline. Then, using your training zones, you can look to maintain your strengths while improving any weaknesses.
REASONS TO BUY A POWER METER
4. Can Make the Most of Limited Training Time
courtesy of PowerCity.com
1. Eliminates Guesswork
Perhaps the biggest advantage to using a power meter is that it removes the guesswork that goes into training and racing. With a power meter, you can quantify exactly how hard you are working (as your effort is directly measured in watts). Many people use a heart rate monitor in their training. However, heart rate monitors only tell you how hard the effort is to your body. They don’t tell you the actual amount of work you are performing. Watts are a much more accurate way to measure your effort. In addition, heart rate only training suffers from a number of shortcomings. Heart rates can vary day-to-day, they can ramp up slowly at the start of an interva, and they can suffer from what is called cardiovascular drift. With power meters however, there is no guesswork. You can hit your exact intensity target at all times. This means no wasted time, precise intensity and better training.
2. Allows for Structured Training When you just start out, you can improve your performance by following the ‘just ride lots’ technique. But soon, you will start to see your improvement slow. A structured training program where you focus on different intensities at varying durations is the ticket to continued improvements in power and performance. After you use your power meter to determine your functional threshold power, you can build a structured training plan with power-based training zones. This will allow you to precisely target the relevant zone and energy system – which leads to maximum performance gains. Level Name
Average Power Average HR
PRE
1
Active Recovery
<55%
<68%
<2
2
Endurance
56-75%
69-83%
2-3
3
Tempo
76-90%
84-94%
3-4
4
Lactate Threshold
91-105%
95-105%
4-5
5
VO2 Max
106-120%
>106%
6-7
6
Anaeobic Capacity
>121%
NA
>7
7
Neuromuscular Power
NA
NA
Max.
Athletes with limited time to train (aka “time crunched”) can especially take advantage of a power meter. Power meters help make the most of your training time by improving the quality of your training sessions. They also help to remove ‘junk’ training. Joe Friel, elite triathlon and cycling coach and author of numerous cycling books including The Cyclist’s Training Bible, calls the power meter the most effective tool for increasing speed. He highly recommends that any cyclist who is looking to improve buy a power meter.
5. Can Track Fitness More Accurately Power meters provide highly accurate details about how your fitness is changing throughout the season. You can track your average power numbers at given distances. You can also track maximum power numbers, functional threshold power and much more. Using software like Training Peaks and their Performance Management Chart for example, you can track of variety of important metrics such as your Training Stress Score (TSS), Acute Training Load (ATL), Chronic Training Load (CTL) and Training Stress Balance (TSB). The information gained from this type of software and analysis is invaluable. Another example is Efficiency Factor (EF). EF is your average or normalized power for a workout divided by your average heart rate. As fitness increases, at a given heart rate, you will generate more power, and therefore your Efficiency Factor will increase. It’s a great way to tell if your fitness is improving. However, you can’t compute important metrics like these without a power meter.
6. Race Pacing We all know that in most long, steady-state races such as a triathlons and time trials, your best strategy is to pace yourself. You don’t want to start too hard and end up limping to the finish. Nor do you want to start too easy and finish with gas left in the tank. Well a power meter allows you to pace yourself almost perfectly. Once an athlete’s optimal power has been determined with a power meter, they can gauge exactly how hard to push during a race. For example, if your race is two hours long, and you know you can average approximately 200 watts for two hours (you learned continued on page 22
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COACH’S CORNER, Power Meter continued this through training with your power meter), you then ride at or close to 200 watts. If you look down and see 225 watts on your head unit, you know to back off. Vice versa if you see 175 watts. While everyone else pushing too hard into a head wind or guessing how hard to ride down a hill, the athlete with a power meter is just rolling along at the prescribed power. In fact, using a power meter in a race situation is such an advantage, many have referred to it as legal cheating. Game on!
7. Race Planning A power meter can also serve as a “cheat sheet” in terms of prerace preparation. If you have access to the course before the race, perform a simulation race as part of your training and then have a look at the data. You’ll have an exact rendering of what you need to do to prepare for the big day. Lots of short, punchy climbs? Then work on those. Lots of time spent right around your FTP? Then focus on that. With the data in your pre-race power file, you will line up on race day already a leg-up on your competition.
8. Data Allows for Experimentation Since power meters provide instant data, athletes can experiment with different techniques such as riding position, bicycle set-up, cadence and aerodynamics in order to determine how these affect performance. For example, assuming external factors such as wind and grade are held constant, an athlete can ride for a mile, make a change in riding position, and then ride another mile and see how the change effects performance.
9. Motivation With a power meter, there’s no lying. You get immediate, accurate performance assessment. This can serve as a great motivational tool. There is nothing more satisfying then ending an interval or a ride and seeing an increase in your average or maximum power numbers. A power meter can really help you hit that 100% effort target. In fact, it can serve as a great training tool because of this alone.
10. Communication with Your Coach Do you have a coach or are you thinking about getting one? If so, a power meter greatly improves the value that they can provide. A power meter will provide a wealth of data for your coach. Not only power but things like speed and cadence are also inform-
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ative. With this data, the coach can create a plan that is tailored to your needs. Also, by continuing to view data from your rides, they can closely monitor your performance and make adjustments where necessary. Bonus: Better Determine When Recovery is Needed We promised 10 reasons to buy a power meter…but here is one more. When used with a heart rate monitor, a power meter allows you to detect the onset of fatigue and/or illness. For example, your power to heart rate is a key training metric. If you see significantly lower power outputs for a given heart rate, it’s probably time for some recovery.
Cost/Benefit So you’re convinced that a power meter is the single most effective training tool a cyclist can use for improving performance… but you think they are too expensive? We would argue differently. Cyclists often spend hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars upgrading the components on their bike. And we can’t think of a single upgrade that can offer the potential gains that a power meter can. Power meters are simply an invaluable piece of technology when it comes to cycling performance. In addition, power meter price wars are on! As power meters have become more well-known, they’ve increased in popularity. As they’ve increased in popularity, more manufacturers have introduced new power meter offerings. More power meters results in a more competitive environment which means lower prices. Practically all major manufacturers have lowered their prices. Whereas before, you might have had to spend several thousand dollars if you wanted to buy a power meter. However now, there are a host of quality options for much less. So more options and lower prices – that’s a win-win for consumers.
Summary: Reasons to Buy a Power Meter It is for all of these reasons that power meter have become essential tools for cyclists of all levels, their coaches as well as sports scientists – who use them as a fundamental way to measure and improve cycling performance. Put simply – power meters can unlock more speed and endurance than any other training tool. If your serious about your cycling… or just want a tool to measure and track your performance, it’s time to get powered up and buy a power meter!
e are always looking for race reports. Share your latest experience, your first or 500th event. No two races are the same. Stories need not be just about triathlon, they can include running, cycling, tri travels… etc., whatever you think other club members may find interesting. Without content, this newsletter will
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