EverymanTri.com

Zen and the Art of Triathlon Podcast: Brett goes all raw

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:41:11 -0700

Hey there, triathlon studs and studettes! Join in for a great show about going big and eating raw.

I take you along with me on a huge training week of over 20 hours. We also chat a lot about raw foods and how to make them happen on your menu. We even have an audio clip from a raw food rap video.

We also have an interview with a new triathlete, Brandon, and how he's cleaning up his diet and enjoying more energy.

"Performance of the Week" goes to Jeremy for his awesome swimming workouts. He scored a sampler from our sponsor, Action Wipes!

You can see from the picture above the benefits of better nutrition and the workouts that follow. So what are you waiting for? Drop in and check it out!

Triathlete Magazine appoints new Editor-in-Chief

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:15:05 -0700

As you may recall from THIS story, the former publisher of Triathlete Magazine is now working with Ironman/WTC as the new publisher of Lava magazine.

So who's the new main man at Triathlete Magazine? Her name is Julia Beeson Polloreno.

See today's press release below:

San Diego, CA – March 11, 2010 – The Competitor Group (CGI) today announced that Julia Beeson Polloreno has been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Triathlete, the world’s leading multisport magazine.

“Julia is an extraordinarily talented editor and writer and brings a real passion for the sport and triathlon lifestyle to the pages of Triathlete,” said Andrew R. Hersam, EVP of Media at CGI. “As an accomplished triathlete, she has a deep understanding of our audience. This, paired with her experience delivering engaging, ambitious service and narrative edit, makes her a perfect match. She and Editorial Director T.J. Murphy will form a remarkably dynamic team to lead the title to new levels of success.”

Previously senior editor of San Diego Magazine, Julia has an impressive and award-winning track record in publishing. The San Diego Press Club has recognized her with multiple first-place feature writing awards, and she has also received top honors from the Society of Professional Journalists.

“The opportunity to help guide Triathlete into a new, innovative era and make it the ultimate resource—and gathering place—for a growing community of triathletes is incredibly exciting,” said Polloreno, an Ironman finisher and competitive triathlete since 2000. “Considering both my magazine background and personal passion for the sport and lifestyle, it’s truly a dream fit.”

A Stanford University graduate, Polloreno takes up her new role effective immediately. She will oversee the monthly magazine’s content and production, while reporting to T.J. Murphy.

“Participation in multisport continues to rise at a dramatic pace,” noted Murphy, also Editorial Director of CGI’s Inside Triathlon. “The most vital mission of Triathlete is to connect with and serve our readers, and by doing so inspire the sport’s continued growth. The team is excited to work with an editor of Julia’s leadership ability and experience to realize this mission.”

Founded in 1983, Triathlete magazine is the world's largest multisport publication with a monthly circulation of more than 60,000. It also engages its active audience every day at triathlon.competitor.com.

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Google maps now also includes riding directions for cyclist in 150 cities

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:06:49 -0700

Let's say that you wanted to get somewhere new and you love Google Maps as a way to pick your route.

If you were walking, driving, or taking public transportation...no problem, but if you wanted to ride your bike you were out of luck.

That is until now. Google has recently announced that it will no provide Google maps for cyclist.

"We knew that when we added the feature, we wanted to do it right," product manager Shannon Guymon wrote on Google's official bog recently.

"We wanted to include as much bike trail data as possible, provide efficient routes, allow riders to customize their trip, make use of bike lanes, calculate rider-friendly routes that avoid big hills and customize the look of the map for cycling to encourage folks to hop on their bikes," Guymon added.

According to the Mercury News:

"Google worked with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, which advocates for the creation of biking and walking paths throughout the United States, to gather trail-map data.

"The demand for trail maps and information has never been higher, especially as more people recognize biking as a viable, inexpensive and healthy alternative to driving," Rails-to-Trails President Keith Laughlin said in a statement.

Google is highlighting bike paths, bike lanes and other recommended routes in shades of green — including popular routes in Silicon Valley such as the Los Gatos Creek and Stevens Creek trails.

The company's Seattle-based directions team has data on 12,000 miles of trails nationwide, plus information on bike routes in 150 cities."

Want to give it a try?

Bike directions can be found at http://maps.google.com/biking.

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High School chemistry teacher favored at Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas Half Marathon

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:46:33 -0700

Dallas, TX – March 10, 2010 - An elite field of Texas athletes will lead approximately 13,000 registered runners at the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas Half Marathon, benefiting Susan G. Komen for the Cure, on Sunday, March 14. The new event, managed by the Competitor Group in partnership with the Dallas White Rock Marathon, will debut as part of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series and has drawn entrants from 47 states and 10 countries.

“It's going to be a fast course and very scenic,” said Kari Logan, Event Director. “The route provides a good foot tour of the city and we’re looking forward to hosting some of the fastest athletes in Texas and we should see a fantastic race.”

The half-marathon will feature a $12,000 prize purse split evenly between the men and women. The elite race will feature a rematch of November’s thrilling half-marathon in San Antonio where Westly Keating edged out Shadrack Songok in a photo finish. Both runners made their half-marathon debuts with identical times of 1 hour, 5 minutes, 24 seconds after racing the entire 13.1-mile distance stride-for-stride.

Currently a high school Chemistry teacher, Keating, 27, was a five-time collegiate all-American at Texas Pan-American. He followed up his San Antonio victory by taking first place in January’s 3M Half Marathon in Austin with a winning time of 1:03:22. Born in Kenya, Songok graduated from Texas A&M Corpus Christi where he became the school's first NCAA Champion when he claimed the 2007 10,000-meter title in 28:55. The pair had faced each other before in college, as both runners are veterans on the track, each having run sub-28:25 over 10,000 meters.

Keating and Songok will be challenged by three Kenyans out of Texas: Stephen Ariga, Patrick Mutai and James Kirwa. Ariga owns a half marathon PR of 1:02:06 and recently ran 30:44 at the All-American 10k in Edinburg. Mutai is currently studying at the University of Texas El Paso and owns PR’s of 28:38 over 10,000m and 13:41 for 5,000m. Kirwa, who is training in El Paso, has a PR of 1:02:54 set in Turkey in 2008. Rounding out the favorites in the men’s race is Brandon Laan of Honolulu, HI. Laan finished sixth and was the top American in his marathon debut at the 2009 Honolulu Marathon in 2:25:41.

Leading the women’s field is local runner Melisa Christian, who qualified for the 2008 U.S. Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials in Boston. Christian owns a personal best of 2:42:07 from in her ninth place finish at the 2007 ING New York City Marathon. She recently finished second at the 2009 Rock ‘n’ Roll San Antonio Half Marathon, after winning the Dallas Running Club Half Marathon on November 1st with a time of 1:18:11.

Christian will be joined by fellow Texan Debbie Arzola-James of Allen, who won January’s Miracle Match Marathon in Waco. Hoping to hit the Olympic qualifying B standard is Abbi Antablin of New York, who ran 1:17:21 at Houston earlier this year. Six-time NCAA Division III All-American Melissa Todd of Kansas City rounds out the women’s favorites. A Carthage College Graduate, Todd set her personal best of 1:16:02 at the Bill Seymour Half Marathon last year.

Event weekend kicks off with a two-day Health and Fitness Expo at the Dallas Convention Center on Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13. The Expo is free and open to the public as all race participants pick up their race number, t-shirt and timing tag, while browsing over 100 exhibitors featuring free samples, the latest in running gear and sports apparel, as well as series of interactive clinics. Race registration is available at the expo.

“We have some fantastic give-a-ways for anyone who registers at the Expo on Friday and Saturday,” added Logan. “And for those who want to join the fun without the run, you can also still volunteer to be a part of Dallas’ first Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon.”

The 13.1-mile race begins Sunday morning at the intersection of Young Street and Griffin Street, adjacent to City Hall and the Dallas Convention Center. The event will start at 8:00 am to the cheers of the iconic Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The scenic course runs though many of the city’s urban and residential neighborhoods, featuring the American Airlines Center, Highland Park and Swiss Avenue, with the finish line in Fair Park. Over 20 live bands will perform on 14 stages, playing a variety of music to entertain runners and spectators.

The music continues at the post race festival including the University of Texas Longhorn Pep Marching Band performing for participants as they cross the finish line. The finish line festival takes place at Fair Park immediately following the race and includes live music, interactive displays, refreshments and the infamous Rock ‘n’ Roll beer garden. As participants and spectators converge onto the festivities, Better Than Ezra will kick the party into high gear with a free post race concert at noon.

In addition to the entertainment aspects of the race, the event will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure, as the national charity of the inaugural Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas ½ Marathon. Through the Marathon for the Cure® program over 400 runners and walkers will join the fight against breast cancer through the Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas Half Marathon. Other race partners include Nutrilite, MGD 64, GMC as the official automobile and Brooks as the event’s official shoe and apparel sponsor.

The top ten most enduring triathlon myths of all time (part 1)

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:07:16 -0700

So you want to be a triathlete but you are slow, out of shape, can't swim or run, and almost broke.

So what?

10) Myth: You need to know how to swim to complete a triathlon

False. Actually to complete a triathlon swim you really need to know one thing:

How to pick the right race for your complete lack of swimming ability. Now-a-days many sprint triathlons take place in an indoor pool.

To complete one of these race (without actually being able to swim) just make sure the pool doesn't have a deep end and preferably the swim is done in a snake fashion. In other words, the swimmers (and of course you) start at one end of the pool and snake though all of the lanes to the other end.

This type of crowded snake swim in a shallow pool will always insure that you, and the rest of the "swimmers", will safely, and of course slowly, walk the entire swim.

Bonus myth: And to be completely honest, as long as the pool is shallow and you are seeded at the end of the swim you'll also be able to walk most of a more traditional lane swim...as long as you make a effort to pretend to swim. Just bend over at the waste and swim with your arms and not your legs.

9) Myth: You need lots of expensive gear to race a triathlon

False. Actually to race a triathlon all you need is the entry fee, some sort of all in one swim/bike/run attire, any bike with two non-flat tires and preferably a couple of working gears, and of course working brakes. Plus you'll also need your dad's twenty year old bike helmet and any ratty towel.

But that's all.

You don't need:

- goggles: you can swim without them

- swimsuit: anything that can get wet and doesn't cling too tightly to your private parts will really do.

- earplugs: and nose plugs, flippers, underwater MP3 player, pull buoy, and all of the other well know swim toys

- wetsuit: especially in a pool or anywhere the water is warm or even cold if you are hardy enough

- bike shoes: you can pedal in bare feet or if you like your running shoes

- water bottle: they'll have them on the course and in your race packet

- power bars: they'll have them on the course and in your race packet

- sunglasses: do as nature intended and squint a lot

- bike gloves: really? You think you need gloves with no fingers to handle a bike.

- race belt: you'll get the old, but reliable, safety pins in your race packet

- running shoes: haven't you heard about the benefits of barefoot running?

- socks: they just slow you down and besides we're not sure about the benefits of sockfoot running yet?

- hat: hair or sunscreen will do

- heart rate monitor: It's called your ears and when you can hear your heartbeat in then you're probably about to blow up.

- watch: you can get your race time when you cross the finish line

8) Myth: You need to be able to bike and run to finish a triathlon

False! Actually all you need to finish a triathlon is the ability to walk.

You don't need to know how to swim (see myth 10) and you don't even need to how to ride a bike.

Admittedly it would take you a longtime to walk your bike (say 10-miles) but you could do it. Most small races don't really have time cutoffs. Just pretend that you have a flat and a lot of determination. Or better yet, start right out with a flat tire and just walk.

In fact you don't even need to know how to run. You can push your bike and walk the run. It will make for a long race, but given enough grit you can finish.

7) Myth: You need to be super fit to finish a triathlon

False. You can be a chain smoking, hamburger eatin', Biggest Loser watching couch potato, and still finish a triathlon.

We wouldn't recommend that you start with the iron distance race, but if you want to be a triathlete and finisher just pick a local sprint distance race and take your time. In a couple hours of leisurely swimming, biking, and walking you'll be able to grab a post race beer and burger, and hang that finisher medal proudly around your neck.

Please believe us when we say that the local race directors will love your attitude and business.

6) Myth: You need to be super thin to be a triathlete

False. For the most part fuel is fuel...at least from the view point of your body. Sure, some foods are better and some foods are healthier, but when you are racing a PB&J can be just as useful to your body as power bar.

Of course that doesn't mean that body weight is not the enemy of endurance: it is, but so what?

If your goal is to be a triathlete don't get all tied up in knots about your weight. Of course you would certainly be faster if you had the BMI of Chrissie Wellington, but than again you probably won't be racing Chrissy Wellington...and your daytime job title is not "professional triathlete".

So what if you are a few pounds (or more) above your ideal race weight.

A day spent racing is always better than a day spent...well...not racing.

6) Myth: You need to train all the time to be a triathlete

False. Actually you need to train a lot to be a fast triathlete, but just like with everything in life with triathlon training you quickly get to a point of diminishing returns.

It really just depends on how much you like to suffer. You can be a triathlete without training much you'll just suffer a bit more when you race.

Of course suffering when you race doesn't sound like a lot of fun, but if your goal is to finish a race, as opposed to win a race, perhaps suffering comes with the territory.

Let's face it most triathletes have jobs and a family and spending between 10 to 15 hours a week swimming, biking, and running is not going to happen without losing that job or family.

So don't.

If you want to be a triathlete don't use the excuse that you can't train to not compete. Train as much as you can. You'll suffer a bit more at your next race, but once again a day spent racing is always better than a day spent...well...not racing.

Next Time: The top ten most enduring triathlon myths of all time (part 2)

Roman Mica is a amateur Clydesdale triathlete who lives and races in Boulder, Colorado. His most recent book is entitled No, Seriously My Training Begins Tomorrow: The Everyman's Guide to IRONFIT Swimming, Cycling & Running, and is available on Amazon.com.

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Video: Team Radio Shack rolls out the pre TdF Lance Armstrong publicity

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:53:55 -0700

We have to be honest and admit that this Versus video is a bit of a commercial for Team Radio Shack.

But at the same time it does provide an interesting glimpse into the team dynamics of Lance Armstrong, Johan Bruynee and the rest of the newly formed team.

Is this a winning partnership that will crush Alberto Contador at the 2010 Tour de France?

Hard to tell from a two minute video, but never-the-less it is interesting that team Radio Shack seems to be focused on Contador as their main TdF rival.

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American ITU triathletes Shoemaker and Groff sign with Saucony

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:10:51 -0700

LEXINGTON, MA (March 10, 2010) – Saucony, Inc, a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear and apparel, today announced the signing of Olympic triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker, ranked 10th in the world and top American in 2009, and Sarah Groff, a member of the USA Triathlon National Team, to multi-year endorsement contracts. Shoemaker is the winner of the 2009 Hamburg World Championship Series Race and the ITU Duathlon World Championships, while Groff, who competed in her first World Cup race in 2005, vaulted to the #4 World Cup ranking and top American in 2008.

"Saucony has such a rich history in the sport of triathlon, and I’m thrilled to have a partner with the experience, knowledge and products to compete at the highest levels,” said Jarrod Shoemaker. “The brand’s focus on innovation is really apparent in their training and racing gear. Their AMP PRO2 training and recovery apparel is allowing me to train harder and recover faster. I look forward to proudly representing Saucony as I continue in my quest for the 2012 Olympics.”

Shoemaker qualified for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team by finishing as the top American 11th overall at the 2007 ITU Beijing World Cup. He earned his first world cup podium finish with second at Edmonton in 2006 and in 2004 he was the Under 23 National Champion and the 2005 Under 23 World Champion. In 2009 Shoemaker was named USAT Elite Triathlete of the year. Shoemaker is a graduate of Dartmouth College.

"I’m honored to represent a brand that is both motivating and authentic,” said Sarah Groff. “Saucony truly appreciates the technical needs of the triathlete and they really work hard to provide every advantage possible when designing footwear and apparel. I’m thrilled that Saucony is now part of my Olympic focus.”

Groff’s other accomplishments include winning the 2007 ITU Aquathlon World Championships, finishing 2nd at ITU World Team Championships, finishing 4th at Edmonton World Cup in 2007 and earning All-NESCAC and All-American honors as a freestyle swimmer at Middlebury College.

“Jarrod and Sarah are an exciting addition to our Saucony triathlon roster,” said Richie Woodworth, president of Saucony. “Both embody the competitive spirit of the brand and their passion for winning is an inspiration to the whole Saucony team. We look forward to their input as we continue to develop the finest performance footwear and apparel for runners and triathletes everywhere.”

Both Shoemaker’s and Groff’s race schedules for 2010 include:

ITU World Championship Series - Sydney, Australia
Hy-Vee ITU Elite Cup - Des Moines, Iowa
ITU World Championship Series - Hamburg, Germany
ITU World Championship Series - London, England
ITU World Championship Series - Kitzbuehl, Austria
ITU World Championship Finale - Budapest, Hungry

Shoemaker and Groff join other Saucony triathletes, including: Ironman World Champion Kate Major; 11-time Ironman champion Lisa Bentley; 2-time Ironman champions Dede Griesbauer and Michael Lovato; Longhorn 70.3 champion Richie Cunningham; and top U.S. triathlete Linsey Corbin, among others.

Shoemaker lives and trains in Maynard, MA and Groff in Hanover, NH.

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Inaugural Abu Dhabi Triathlon may end Faris Al- Sultan's triathlon fashion faux pas

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:06:27 -0700

With the inaugural Abu Dhabi Triathlon less than a week away, the question on everyone's lips is......

Will Faris be wearing his Speedos?

(Editor's Note: So we're not sure this is a burning question in North America, but our European reporter tells us it is a topic of serious discussion across the pond ;-)

Faris Al- Sultan, the 2005 Ironman World Champion and founder of Team Abu Dhabi, is known for his old school style of Speedos and bandana, but recently all the pictures we have seen of him show him wearing shorts!

Inspired after seeing fellow German Triathlete Thomas Hellreigel win Kona wearing the iconic swim briefs, Faris entered Ironman Lanzarote in 1997, aged just 19, before going on to compete in Hawaii in 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004 before finally winning there in 2005.

His most recent Ironman win came in Malaysia 2008. During this time he was the undisputed king in a sport where you can wear a crop top and Speedos and still be revered by virtue of your athletic prowess.

Speaking recently to GulfNews.com on the idea behind Team Abu Dhabi Triathlon Faris said

“We wanted to build an instantly recognizable pro triathlon team with a clear corporate identity. In the past, athletes ran for themselves, wore yellow hats and black shoes, nothing matched and they had about 30 shirt sponsors. The idea of the team is to allow the athlete to focus on their sport not the business side of things. It's not a new idea, but we've implemented our own concept to this team”

So, this can mean only one of two things......Either the whole team will be racing in Speedos or he'll have to leave the Speedos behind... instead of on his behind.

This story was written our European correspondent Danny Ward (England's Ironman Chef) of (TriSport Epping).

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Chris McCormack set to defend Ironman China title this weekend

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:05:59 -0700

March 9th 2010, Haikou, China---All eyes are on the temperature as race week approaches and the North corner of Hainan Island settles into tropical triathlon fever in preparation for Ironman China on Sunday, 14th March. Though the climate is unseasonably chilly at a low 11 degrees (52 F) today, the temperature is forecast to increase by almost 20 degrees (88 F) by the weekend.

Now in its third year, Ironman China is established as one of the toughest Ironman races on the events calendar, and has attracted many of the world's finest, and perhaps most ambitious, Ironman triathletes to Haikou.

In 2009, former Ford Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack took the title at Ironman 70.3 China, in a race he said was the hardest he's ever done. This year Macca returns to Haikou for his first Ironman distance race since his 4th place at Kona last October. Can he defeat the competition hungry to put a dent in his legendary status?

Amongst the hungry is German Lothar Leder, winner of more than 13 Ironman events, and the first person in the history of Ironman to record a sub-8 hour Ironman distance. In 2003, Leder beat McCormack in a sprint finish at Roth, Germany and there is confidence amongst the ranks that he can still put on a show. Three time Ironman champion Luke McKenzie is ready for a win at Ironman China, the Australian is looking for redemption following a disappointing race in Malaysia last month. McKenzie pulled out of the race with stomach problems.

Chris McDonald is hoping for a solid performance and “top 3 at the very least”. McDonald suffered two flats on the bike at Ironman China 2008, and though he is returning from injury, the past 12 months have been good to him with an Ironman and two half Ironman distance titles, and a new personal best of 8.17. Hungarian Joszef Major also returns to China for the second time. Beset bike worries in 2009, as his bike was lost in transit, Joszef raced on a bike imported at the eleventh hour from the regional factory. The new bike was set up just minutes before the transition area closed and he still managed to take home some prize money as third pro athlete.

Somewhat under the radar is Mike Schifferle, who is racing pro for the first time at Ironman China. As a stealthy age grouper Schifferle came from nowhere on the bike in 2009 to take the second fastest bike time in 2009, and finish third overall. Another wildcard to watch out for is young Aussie Tim Beardall. Tim was the first age grouper to cross the line at Ironman China in 2008, as a 22 year old first time Ironman. He's since knocked 90 minutes off his debut time and has raced Kona twice. Beardall raves about Ironman China, though he says he's not yet ready to race as a pro: “I'm still doing the hard yards, building up, and I want to be an amateur who earns their pro license. I met Chris McCormack in Hawaii, and he joked about me dropping him one day. I think I should have a go at it, I'm really looking for a result this year in China.”

In the women's race, there is perhaps no one who wants to win Ironman China more than self titled 'Asian triathlon superstar', Jocelyn Wong. The Chinese-American is another Ironman China returnee, and is under some serious pressure from her grandpa and other family members in China. “This is my Kona,” says Jocelyn. “I want to win Ironman China.” Her new bike has been prophetically called 'White Tiger', after the Chinese Year of the Tiger which began last month.

Japan's much loved Maki Nishiuchi returns to Ironman China; in 2008 Maki was first out of the water but withdrew from the race following a bike crash. Ironman Wisconsin winner, Amy Marsh has recently moved to train in Asia, and her teammates at TeamTBB are expecting to see her on the podium. Multiple Ironman winners Nicole Leder of Germany (4x Ironman Champion) and American Heather Gollnick (5x Ironman Champion) are still keeping up the pace, and trophy collection, and will be looking to add to their mantelpieces in China.

Ironman 70.3 China will leap into action on the same day as the full race, and despite being billed as an age-grouper only race, the race continues to attract professional athletes. Ironman China 2008 queen, and multiple Ironman champion, Belinda Granger is stepping into the ring with Ironman 70.3 China 2009 champ Amanda Balding. Though they frequently train together and hang out in the same neighbourhood on the sunshine coast in Australia it's battle, come race day: 'Belinda is not pinching my crown', says Balding.

The men's race sets Hayato Kawahara, a familiar face at Ironman Japan, against Hong Kong based Frenchman Erich Felbabel, and Freddie Croneborg, a Shanghai based Swede. Both Felbabel and Croneborg are familiar with the course and conditions at Haikou having raced here in 2009 and 2008 respectively, and are racing pro for the first time at Ironman 70.3 China.

And the best Chuck Norris triathlon fact is...

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:30:32 -0700

Last month we put out a simple but fun challenge....come up with the best Chuck Norris triathlons facts/sayings similar to this one:

- When Chuck Norris finishes an Ironman, they don’t say, “Chuck Norris, you are an Ironman”. They say, “Chuck Norris, you are Chuck Norris”.

And boy did we get tons of great facts. You can check all of them out HERE.

So next we put together a distinguished panel of Chuck Norris scholars (read anyone who's seen at least a half a dozen of his movies) and we narrowed the list down to the Ten Best Chuck Norris Triathlon Facts (see below).

You voted and the winner is James who wrote this obviously true Chuck Norris triathlon fact:

"Chuck Norris tested his VO2max. We all suffocated"

We've got a small goodie box of fine Clif Bar products to send to James...so congrats James and thanks to everybody who came up with such great Chuck Norris triathlon facts!

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Sold: a $4000 pair of carbon fiber Oakley sunglasses

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:05:15 -0700

You've probably heard of hand built cars, but what about hand built sunglasses?

Oakley has a pair that you might like...especially if you fancy carbon fiber and the newest technology.

But of course hand built carbon fiber sunglasses and the newest technology don't come cheap.

That's why you better also have very deep pockets to afford the Oakley C SIX top of the line Oakley eye wear.

How much? $4000.00 USD to be exact.

But at least one Oakley customer thought that price to be fair.

A few months ago Melbourne, Australia resident Robert Lang became the first person to buy a pair and pick them up at Oakley headquarters in California.

"I am a collector of the Oakley pieces that I think are outside of the box and revolutionary. I prefer the more high end or different pieces than the standard typical offerings. I knew C SIX was something different, and something I felt like I hadn’t seen from Oakley in a few years.

Also, in my line of work I use similar processes in terms of manufacturing and machining, and I understand the work that goes into creating products like C SIX. I have a respect for it," said Lange.

So what do you get for $4000 besides some very expensive eye wear as well as a personal meeting with the president of the company and the designer of the sunglasses (see photo above)?

According to Oakley's web site you also get:

Computer Numeric Controlled machining with 0.002" precision
24 hours of continuous tooling
Hand assembly
Hexalobular bolts for improved impact protection
Oakley High Definition Optics
Iridium® lens coating for balanced light transmission

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Nine healthy ways endurance athletes can use the amazing coconut

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:54:33 -0700

1. Use coconut oil to help your immune system. Coconut oil is both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Some use the oil to rid candida.

2. Rev your metabolism. Coconut oil helps to nourish the thyroid, responsible for regulating metabolism.

3. Cook with coconut oil. When doing high temperature sauteing, coconut oil remains stable and does not oxidize.

4. Bake with coconut flour. Coconut flour is a healthy alternative that is high in fiber, protein, low in carbs and naturally gluten free. Plus has a subtle sweet taste and heavenly smell. (used in purely elizabeth mixes)
5. Beautify your skin and hair with coconut oil. The natural oils keep skin and hair radiant. (check out one of my fav moisturizers)

6. Try coconut milk as a way to go dairy-free. There are some fantastic ice creams out there using coconut milk that are giving Haagen-Dazs a run for their money (www.coconutbliss.com).

7. Use coconut oil for energy! Coconut oil is made up of medium chain fatty acids. Once consumed they are broken down and used as immediate energy rather than being stored as fat or converted into triglycerides.

8. Drink coconut water. Coconut water is nature's natural gatorade, loaded with electrolytes.

9. Sweeten with coconut sugar (also known as palm sugar). Palm sugar has a low glycemic level and considered one of the most sustainable sugars on the planet.

Interesting Fact...

In the 1940's, farmers tried to use coconut oil to fatten up their animals, only to have their plan backfire. They ended up with lean, active cattle with increased appetites!

Editor's Note:

This great recipe is brought to you by Liz Stein (our holistic nutrition partner). Liz is a Certified Holistic Health Counselor.

Please visit her web site www.appetiteforhelthyliving.com for some great nutritional programs for triathletes.

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World's largest spin class ever sets new Guinness world record in downtown Minneapolis

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:23:30 -0700

Editor's Note: Our friend Steve Stenzel (Steve in a Speedo)?! Gross) was one of the 1000 (no make that 1052) people who attended this crazy record breaking ride (no make that indoor spin class) and posted the video below to youtube.com

MINNEAPOLIS, Mar 07, 2010 -- Minneapolis' Target Center Arena was transformed into the world's largest cycling class today with the "Ride of a Lifetime." Hosted by Life Time Fitness , the event was officially certified as a new Guinness World Record(TM) by Guinness Official, Kimberly Partrick, who attended the event and made the live post-event proclamation.

The two-hour, high-energy Ride of a Lifetime was led by Life Time Fitness Chairman, President and CEO, Bahram Akradi, and top Life Time cycle instructors. Riders also were treated to music spun live by internationally renowned DJ, Roberto Costa. In total, 1,052 Life Time members and guests participated in the Ride and secured their place in history.

The event topped the previous record of 600 cyclists, which also was set by Life Time on January 9, 2010, in Houston, Texas. Prior to that, the record had been 450 cyclists, set on September 18, 2009, in Galway, Ireland.

Video: Mush and they're off and running the longest and coldest Alaskan endurance race

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:06:36 -0700

1,100-miles...that's the distance of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race which officially begins today.

The 38th running...that's how long the grueling endurance race of man/women/dog has been contested.

71...that's the number of teams competing this year.

Anchorage's Fourth Avenue...that's were the race starts.

Nome, Alaska...that's where the race ends.

16-dogs...that's the typical number of eager and barking dogs that make up a team.

Fourth consecutive win...that's what Lance Mackey is going for this year as the race favorite.

"I won't be disappointed if I come in third or 23rd, as long as my team looks happy and healthy doing it," Mackey said. "If I get to Nome and I question 'Well, what if I had done this, or what if I had done that,' then I'd be disappointed," he added

Drugs and Alcohol...that's what mushed will be randomly tested for this year for the first time ever somewhere on the course and finally...

Newton Marshall...that's the name of the ever first ever 26-year-old Jamaican to compete in the Iditarod.

According to the AP:

"The total purse this year is $590,000 — down from a high of $925,000 in 2008 — with $50,000 of this year's prize money donated by four-time champion Jeff King, who also is in the running. The winner's take is $50,000, compared with the $69,000 of past years."

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Check out the video below as the race get's under way:

Records fall at Ironman New Zealand as race veterans Brown and Lawn win

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:04:19 -0700

He's just one victory and one year short of a decade of complete IMNZ dominance.

Cameron Brown, 37, won the 2010 Bonita Ironman New Zealand on the run in a time of 8:21:5.

But what's really astounding is that he's now won IMNZ a record nine times. No other athlete in Ironman racing history has ever done at any Ironman race before.

On the bike, at least, it looked like the race belonged to event second place finisher Terenzo Bozzone who built up a significant lead over Brown.

Click HERE to see what Bozzone tweeted (maybe) as he raced IMNZ.

Click HERE for complete age-group results.

"I was getting pretty scared -- I thought the title was over, really. There was a lot of worry going through my head," Brown said after the race. "But as soon as that second lap, and the splits started coming down, it was reassuring. Terenzo was riding like a man possessed in those early stages," he added.

On the women's side of the race it was Joanna Lawn (pictured here winning last year's IMNZ) who once again dominated the race for a 7th time to easily capture the win in a record time of 9:14:35 over fellow Kiwi Gina Crawford.

"Today was hard, the bike was pretty rough. It was really windy, and there weren't many people. No-one, really - it was pretty much a solo ride," Lawn said. "I never thought I'd get close to the record, because last time I was pushed. But you just have to dig deep and you can break records," she added.

Click HERE to a recap of the race on New Zealand's TVNZ.

Top Ten Men at 2010 IMNZ

*Cameron BROWN 8:2:52,
* Terenzo BOZZONE (#2) at 8:30:00
* Kieran DOE (#3) at 8:34:16
* Keegan WILLIAMS (#18) at 8:40:11
* James BOWSTEAD (#4) at 9:02:46
* Andrew HOWSE (#535) at 9:06:40
* Hayden ARMSTRONG (#257) at 9:06:56
* Chris WATERHOUSE (#17) at 9:10:41
* Anthony RULE (#183) at 9:12:23
* Christoph SONNACK (#382) at 9:13:40

Top Ten Women at 2010 IMNZ

*Joanna LAWN (#7) 9:14:35.
* Gina CRAWFORD (#6) at 9:28:26
* Kim LOEFFLER (#9) at 9:30:57
* Sarah POLLETT (#23) at 9:45:44
* Britta MARTIN (#22) at 9:47:11
* Belinda HARPER (#657) at 9:48:55
* Nicole WARD (#26) at 9:51:05
* Sue MELLSOP (#1077) at 10:03:20
* Susan CASEY (#638) at 10:06:12
* Kate BEVILAQUA (#8) at 10:18:12

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Five rules easy rules for easy weight loss for endurance athletes

romanmica@gmail.com (Race Athlete Performance Network) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:00:50 -0700

It’s not only possible to lose weight as an endurance athlete at a low-volume training time, it’s actually the best possible time to do it.

After swearing I’d never have six-pack abs, I am tantalizingly close and incredibly faster on my runs with no additional training. Getting lean is not just part of becoming a healthier human being, it’s also a distinct competitive advantage.

Here are the very simple rules that I have followed…

Rule #1: Avoid White, Processed Carbs as well as Most Dairy

Cutting out these carbohydrates can have a significant impact on the quality of your daily diet: bread, pasta, rice, cereal, potatoes, etc. The only time I consider this type of food is either just before or just after a workout. By workout I mean exercise of 45 minutes or more in duration; with longer and/or harder efforts requiring more calories to for recovery, although not all of them should be from carbs.

Dropping dairy is a bit edgier, I know, but understanding that dairy has high calories per serving of nutrients has driven me to find similar consistent sources of vitamin D and calcium elsewhere. Milk might not have a high glycemic load, but I find it doesn’t satiate me. Dropping cheese wasn’t a problem, but I miss my yogurt. One of my “treats” is a cup of organic plain yogurt with a scoop of vanilla whey protein stirred in.

Rule #2: Eat Sensible Amounts of Good Food, aka Roughage Isn’t The Answer.

I like to eat a lot of food, and it’s predominantly a behavioral issue — I like to take lots of food and spend time eating it…frequently. Changing what you eat, and eating tons of low-calorie foods, taking supplements or even eating lots of “good” foods isn’t the answer. Ideally you will give your body what it needs so it doesn’t need lots of food. Identify good sources of lean protein and built them into effective, easy-for-you-to-prepare quality meals that are filling because of the content and not because you had three pounds of romaine lettuce.

Rule #3: Make Recovery Into A Meal.

Partly to save time and partly to get the protein my muscles need after a tough workout, I have been making a recovery shake (1 cup Almond Milk, 1 banana, 1 scoop Whey Protein). To make the impact of the shake greater, I add ice (6 cubes) and almost another cup of water. This gets my body what it needs after a tough workout, helps to hydrate me and fills me up pretty quickly. I am only doing one workout session a day right now in the OutSeason, so the rest of my day is spent eating as well as I can.

Rule #4: Define Eating Times & Develop Portion Control.

The concept of grazing has always been a challenge for me…I just like to eat and I have a sweet tooth. Nuff said. But the incredible results from making these two basic changes have really transformed how I approach eating.

The first part is as simple as it is tough: No Food After 7pm. I don’t watch TV, but I do spend a lot of time working at night. Snacking was part thinking crutch, part staying awake for these marathon sessions of work. Without thinking, I could easily plow through a ton of high calorie food and just before bed! Now I eat a really solid dinner and wrap up all eating by 7pm. If I am really hurting I might have a glass of wine or a diet coke, but that’s it. The first few days were tough but now it’s just what I do.

The second part, portion control, is also critical. Even good food can add up to have a high metabolic cost if you eat unlimited amounts of it. If you have a self-diagnosed portion problem (think: you like to eat ice cream out of the container, not a bowl), this should be your top priority. Put all snacks in small tupperware containers; serve dinner/full meals on a salad plate. Many times we want to keep eating when we don’t need to; our brain hasn’t gotten the “full” message from the stomach and sometimes just having some water and waiting a few minutes will do the trick.

Rule #5: Tricks, Tweaks and an Eating Holiday

I am no angel with what I do eat, consuming too much coffee and chewing enough gum to power a small generator. Here are the things that help me when my brain wants to eat but my body doesn’t need to.

Hunger Testing Protocol: Two glasses of water. If you think you might be hungry, try two 8-oz glasses of water and wait five minutes. If you are still hungry, then consider a small healthy snack.
Behavioral Hunger Issue / Oral Fixation? I use chewing gum and/or hard candy to keep my mouth busy when I am not eating. I am not starving myself, but I know very well when I do or don’t need to eat. These little treats get me my sweet fix without compromising my diet goals.
One Binge Meal A Week. On this day you can eat anything you want. Yes, anything. First it’s good for your body to have nutritional variety (even the bad kind), and mentally this makes “staying good” with your food that much easier. Besides, if you are anything like me, lean you will be excited to eat badly but will quickly tire of just pounding food. And you can’t do that much damage in a single meal (really).

Keep me posted on your journey!

Patrick McCrann is one of a handful of elite triathlon and endurance sport coaches based in the US.

Patrick has spent the last seven+ years building an unparalleled network of internet-based resources and real-world training opportunities, including Endurance Nation.

You'll find more of Pat's triathlon training tips on his daily blog HERE.

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