Learning the Rules

USA Triathlon has issued a set of rules to maintain consistency and order from race to race across the country. The rules include sections on membership, and rules of conduct for swimming, cycling, running, and transition. Also included are special sections on protests, hearings and appeals, and rules modifications for physically challenged athletes.

USA Triathlon annual members are entitled to ONE free rule book per year. Extra copies are $5 each, as are copies for non members. Mail your check, made out to USA Triathlon.

USA Triathlon
Attention: Rule Book
1 365 Garden of the Gods Road, Suite 250
Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Or free,
Download the rules

Wearing your GPS and freind Finder! ONeill's Navijacket

Being found is becoming a thing of the past, not such a bad thing when you are on a mountain. Especially if you are out of bounds, O'Neill has just release the NaviJacket, The NavJacket is the product of an inspired partnership between O’Neill’s Wearable Electronics Department - the H Division, and MyGuide - a market leader in delivering navigation solutions based on GPS technology.

The NavJacket instead allows you to easily navigate through the mountains with the help of the integrated display on the sleeve and the audio instructions in the hood.

Simply enter your desired location and let the NavJacket guide you effortlessly down the slopes.

And it doesn’t just stop with navigation. Your current speed, up-to-date local weather forecasts, and in-depth details about your route, such as distance and time have all been incorporated into the flexible display sleeve on the jacket using the latest technology.

Using your mobile phone connected to the GPS unit, 3D views of the resorts as well as points of interest throughout the resort will also be available.

An additional innovative feature of the NavJacket is a friend finder function, which will allow you to either track down friends, or choose to follow their path through the slopes.

Check it out! O'Neill

Transition Bag, Nathan, Human Proulision Labs

HUGE, Space for almost everything that you could need. The only thing that would not fit is a bike, even a fold up one. Oh well, can't win them all. I have played with two of these bags and both have more than enough room for all your stuff on race day, but changing cloths as well and your victory speech. The Holiday addition of Triathlete Magazine did a review of this bag as well. Now the off season is not only about getting your body ready for the grueling season ahead, but get your life and stuff in order. What better way than to be able to have all your Tri gear in one place, back pack it over to the transition area and unzip, layout your stuff and even be able to have a pad to step on once you come into T1. Yes that's right it has a pad that folds down/up making transition T1 even easier.
Happy Holidays!

Dry Land Swimming - Bands or machine - Dara Torres

Dara Torres is back in the pool after giving birth about a year ago and setting records. Well if you are not sure who she is, then here is the surprise she is 40 years old and breaking records and shamefully putting it to kids half her age. How is she doing it, by spending less time in the water and hitting the gym for dry land training. The NY Times has a great article about her.

Anyway the most interesting part was that "her day had begun just after dawn in the weight room, where she worked her legs until they quivered and her arms until they ached — without pressing a weight or lifting a dumbbell. The 90-minute workout was the first leg of her training triathlon. It was followed by 90 minutes of swimming and 60 minutes of stretching." So does a swiss ball and bands or weights help or a dry swim trainer help you stay fit. From the looks of Dara I would say whatever she is doing it is working.

The results are in the time that you put into any sport. As we get older it is much more difficult to recover and with science and technology helping us understand our bodies better, doing exercises different from the sport in which you compete might help jump start and heal you for taking it to the next level.
Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving

Cold, Rain, and Snow

image from Luminous Landscapes
So if you are from the northeast it has gotten cold, rainy and some have gotten snow. What are you to do, well you can be like our United States Postal Service, "Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet nor dark of night shall stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds".
The best thing to do in beating the elements is make sure you have good protective gear, and layers of it, 2XU compression and cold weather gear is a great place to start. A good shell and pants will also keep rain, slush and snow from getting to your skin. A good pair of Gators are one of the best investments and will last 10+ years. So whatever your plans are for the winter, try not to get to attached to the gym and get outside, winter training is something that can't be overlooked.
Cheers

Ironman Championship, Pain and finishing

image ironman 2007 world campionship
We have seen the footage, watched the race, heard the stories and maybe one day will experience the thrill, disappointment, satisfaction of this race that captures the curiosity of all triathletes. This year seems to be the year that will put the Ironman into Tour De France status, in turms of media coverage. You could watch the whole event on Ironman.com's website, next year this will or should be covered live by Versus. An article (blog) that was published by Chris Lieto sums up the race, first hand.
Check it out! Trifuel 's Ironman World Championships Race Report

Neglected and Over Used!

image from eothopod
One of the most overused muscle and seldom worked out is the rotator cuff. We spend countless time in front of our computers, in our cars, swimming and biking and this causes our shoulders to be internally rotated and protracted for long periods of time. Which leads to weakness!

This is the off season lets get to work on making the core and muscle that are overused and neglected stronger.

Scapular Push-up: This strengthens your scapular muscles, rhomboids, and middle trapezius.

1. Put your hands directly under your shoulders on a Swiss ball.
2. With arms slightly bent, pinch your shoulder blades together for 2 seconds, then push them apart and pause. Do 12 to 15 reps

Behind the Neck Band Pull: Lower traps for adequate scapular upward rotation and shoulder health.

1. Arms shoulder width apart, grasp the resistance band with your at shoulder width apart and palms facing forward.
   
2. Pull the bands apart, by pulling the shoulder blades back and down and flexing the elbows.
   

To learn more goto Triathlete magazine, or subscribe.

2007 Ford Ironman World Championship

KONA, KONA, KONA, is upon us! If you can watch the race, it is going to be one of the best based on all the trash talking going one. Here are some of the stats:
The field racing here in Kona on Saturday will include just over 1,800 athletes.

Of that group, 73 per cent are men.

There are 90 male pros and 52 women professionals.

The largest category is the men 35-39 with 259 athletes, but the men's 40-44 is only nine behind on that front.

The largest women's categories are the 30-34 and 40-44, each with 75 participants.

51 countries are represented here, making this truly a world championship

There are 49 states represented.

One way to celebrate your birthday would be doing an Ironman, which is exactly what Patrick Bless, Marty Bulcock, Erik Grimm, Michelle Krelle, Hiroyuki Nishiuchi and Lynette Warn are doing.

The youngest competitors on Saturday include Phan Long from Carmel, Indiana and Tatiana Vertiz from Dallas, Texas.

Frank Farrar, the former governor of South Dakota, is our oldest competitor at 78. He's a few months older than our other 78-year-old, California's Loren Leonard.

Sister Madonna Buder, 77, from Spokane, Washington, is our oldest female competitor.

Watch this video from last years champion Normann Stadler.

The one competitor that is sure to excite is the defending Ford Ironman 70.3 World Champion, Samantha McGlone, is here to compete in her first Ironman. She’s prepared carefully and arrives here in Kona both fresh and with lots of bottom-end speed thanks to a career that included both the Olympics and lots of World Cup experience. She has breathed some life back into the smaller events and has shown that you don't need to do Kona to be successful. Samantha is the best at the 70.3 distance.

and

Craig Alexander
who is a world class professional triathlete with nearly a decade of racing experience. Craig, known as Crowie, is based in Boulder Colorado in the USA for the spring and summer, then heads home to Cronulla for the Australian summer. He too is also the male Ford Ironman 70.3 World Champion 2006.

This is crucial to your training.
Kona

Cyclocross coming to Mercer County Park, NJ

Mercer Cup, presented by Toyota
, is coming to NJ. Wow Mercer County park has changed so much in the last 10 years, you now have the New Jersey State Triathlon being held here and the USRowing National Championship Regatta, what a great thing to see.
So what is this:

• "Cyclocross has been described in many ways, some of the more common phrases are...
• “the toughest hour in cycling”
• “the NASCAR of bike racing"
• “requires the finesse of a ballet dancer, the speed of a motorcycler and the grit of a hockey player”

Cyclocross is a fall/winter, on-road/off-road cycling discipline held on a looped circuit of approximately 1-2 miles.

Cyclocross racers navigate mud, sand, pavement, grass, gravel, pasture, and mulch. When the terrain is too steep to ride or they are confronted by a standard set of wooden barriers, riders dismount, shoulder their bikes and run. Regulations suggest a lap be comprised of 90% riding and 10% running.

Each race is a timed event lasting anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour depending on the racer's category. The race leader at the completion of the last lap is declared the winner. The sport originated in Europe after the second World War where road cyclists began riding in pastures and muddy fields to maintain their fitness. The first World Championship was held in Paris in 1950.

A cyclocross bike splits the difference between a road bike and a mountain bike, equipped with knobby skinny tires, drop handlebars and a lightweight frame.

Cyclocross enjoys a colossal following in continental Europe and is currently the fastest growing cycling discipline in the United States. The UCI has targeted the US as a key market for the expansion and continued growth of the sport.

In 2007 US athletes made history - winning 3 Silver Medals at the World Championships for the first time since the US began competing on the international stage.

Cyclocross is a great sport for viewing by spectators as the racers complete laps every 6-7 minutes, so there is always plenty of action happening right before your eyes. Clanging cowbells are a staple accessory used in cheering on the competitors at most every cyclocross event."

This is a great way to change it up and enjoy another way to train in the off season. If not just come out and support the riders. Cyclocross, Mercer County Park

Nike Amp+ and Nano maybe the iPhone

Well this is pretty cool looking, Nike could have made a bit more fashionable watch but at least the made the watch. The Nike Amp+ Sport Remote Control is a watch and a remote for the Nike+ experience. Hear instant voice feedback of your time, distance, calories and pace when you add the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit and Nike+ Ready shoes or the Shoe Pouch.
Now I am not a fan of the crazy new look but for the individuals that are wearing this at the gym or to do their daily run, Nike has hit the spot. Not being able to use a iPod or MP3 player while in a race, training with one becomes a crutch.
They built the controls right into the front of the watch along with a speaker so if you don't have the headphones you can still hear your results, smart since you don't want your headphones in while running on a crowded street or at night.
Nike and Apple are pushing technology further than most and other companies are just following at this point. The Polar is still the leader in high fitness, but with the middle market still needing a cool watch Nike + Apple are it. If they wanted to take this to the next level (which I am sure they have thought of) is the iPhone, let me have one device to do it all.
Check it out.
Nike Amp+

300 workout, improve your strength

The 300 workout seems to be one of the best overall body workouts. Keeping your core fit is important and better than just doing a boring gym routine. Developing real strength that can be used outside of the gym and to tackle "real" world task is important. From chopping wood to doing a Triathlon, ones body must be prepared to fit off injury. This is not for the weak, so most triathletes should not have a problem, and since this is the off season it is the best time to redefine your core body.

The 300 Workout
The workout gets its name from the total number of repetitions.

25 pull-ups
50 deadlifts at 135 pounds
50 push-ups
50 box jumps with a 24-inch box
50 "floor wipers" (a core and shoulders exercise at 135 pounds)
50 "clean and press" at 36 pounds (a weight-lifting exercise)
25 more pull-ups -- for a total of 300 reps
There's no rest between movements

Beginners, start slow and work up to the 300.
Fortunately, this can all easily be adapted. Appropriate exercises can be subbed in: Drop down to 150 total reps, or 4-6 exercises of 15-25 reps each. For example, you might try this workout, great for a guy with moderate fitness:

15 bodyweight rows
25 bodyweight squats
15 pushups
50 jumping jacks
20 mountain climbers
10 close grip pushups
15 bodyweight rows

Now build the strength to carry you through next season.

Bike Crashes, Road ID

OK here is my public service announcement, be careful and over cautious. Now a lot of people who do the sport of triathlons have fallen down or been hit by a car while biking.
So here are some things to remember and DO:

1. You must carry ID on you, it is against the law not to have ID.
2. Get a Road ID
3. Never, Ever think that someone (a car) sees you, be on the offense at all time. This stinks for serious training but we are smaller and lighter than a 5,000 pound car.
   
4. If you carry a phone, and you should have I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency) plugged into your contacts or favorites so if unconscious, the police have a number to call.
   
5. Helmet, but this one is not for us.
   
6. Insurance, both for your bike and yourself.

Having this happen is scary and there are really only two outcome, scraps bruises and broken bones or morgue.

Be safe and careful, I like having people around reading Thinktri

Off Season

Well here we go, for some of us on the east coast we are heading into the off season. Yes of course we will still get out and ride and do an occasional race but for the most part we are inside. So what to do, work on your "bad" events, or find a triathlon in some warm spot, and use it for training. If your swim is your weak event, go out hard and see how the rest of the race plays out, this will give you some idea of how hard you can push and where you start to fall off. Nutrition can play a big role in your training, work on getting fluids into your system doing the run or bike. See what does not agree with your system.
There are many things that you can do, find your weak event and exploit it, attack it and make it your strong part of the triathlon, best of all enjoy the down time, the season will be back soon.
Fun warm triathlons
Caribbean
Think, Tri, Train!

Power Meter Training

I guess the more that you do one thing the more you learn. Triathlons have been growing in numbers the last couple years and this year has seen one of the biggest jumps, so how do you gt better. First start with a heart rate monitor and make sure you are staying within your threshold. As you progress, a cadence, and power meter for biking are going to be one of your biggest investments, besides a bike!
Training Peaks has a great article on training with a power meter.
"Training with power means that you are utilizing the latest tool in the cycling industry today in order to maximize your athletic potential. A power meter is a measuring device that is on your bicycle to determine the amount of wattage that you can produce while pedaling the bicycle. These power meters can measure the watts in the hub of the bicycle wheel, the 'spider' of the crank arm, the axle of the bottom bracket or even measure the tension of the bicycle chain. A power meter looks just like a larger more complex bicycle speed-o-meter and it records every few seconds while the cyclists rides. It records many different metrics from the rider including: watts, heart rate, speed, cadence, torque, and distance that the rider has traveled. This record of the cyclists ride is then available for download to a PC computer and can be analyzed post-ride to determine optimal training or racing performance." more..

Kids, running and making you faster!

If you ever get the oportunity to go for a run with your child or with a high school cross country team you will be amazed at how fast these kids really are! Some where as we get older we have forgotten how to run, watch these kids and they are fast and most have proper running technique, without ever being taught. Take a look at this animation to see a good representation of how one should run.
Running on a Cross Country team in K-8 was one of the best experiences, you are against all types and the best part was that everyone ran all out, there was no pacing yourself, gun goes off and everyone ran until the race was over.
Being young and not knowing was a great place to start, so get back if you get a chance.
Cheers