TriAttic - News

2017-09-04T18:03:00.001-04:00

TriAttic offers the highest quality Coaching Services available for endurance sports athletes. Whether you are training to finish your first triathlon, wanting to qualify for Kona, or run a marathon, TriAttic has an approach for you. Choose from a variety of personal coaching packages. Our mission is to provide you with the tools and skills to achieve your goals.

Let us help you achieve your goals!

Personal Coaching Services

TriAttic's Personal Coaching Services are delivered through various types of training plans that are based on individual physiology and created according to your experience, needs, goals and lifestyle requirements. Coaching is managed through Training Peaks Professional Software and allows us to actively communicate on your progress and analyze your training development. There is no limit to the amount of advice or guidance specific to your plan. We provide weekly review and adjustments to your training plans based on your feedback. Additionally, we offer one on one sessions to work on technique, motivation, drills, and more. Contact us for assistance in selecting a plan that fits your needs.

Triathlon Coaching
Triathlon Coaching plans focus on all disciplines of triathlon: swimming, biking, running, and transition. Our approach strives for improvement in all disciplines; we will work on keeping and enhancing your personal strengths and improving on your weaknesses. Triathlon Coaching plans start at $200/month.

Single Sport Coaching
Personalized Single Sport training plans are isolated to a specific discipline, swimming, biking, or running. Personal improvement is focused on a specific discipline, and training plans can be coupled with one on one sessions to enhance the results. Single Sport plans start at $150/month.

Race-Event Training
Our Race-Event specific plans are built on our experience of what it takes to achieve success in all of the disciplines of endurance racing. These plans are pre-built and delivered through Training Peaks. We also will customize event training plans to personal abilities and goals. Prices vary in length of the training plan and event type. Race-Event Plans start at $100.

Head Coach - Sandy Holt

Sandy has been competing in triathlons for over twelve years. She has completed 100+ triathlons ranging from Sprint to Ironman events, off-road Xterra to long distance Adventure races, and 5K road races to Marathons. Sandy is a USA Triathlon Certified Coach and a top Age Group athlete. Sandy has been a competitive athlete since the age of 8. She was a gymnast for 8 years, a springboard diver for 4 years and started competing in Triathlon in 2005. Throughout her time as a triathlete, Sandy has gained significant advances in her athletic abilities and has a developed a true passion and drive for living a multi-sport lifestyle.

Sandy's focus is to help others achieve their own personal and athletic goals by applying her experience, training, knowledge, and dedication she has learned along the way.

2016 IRONMAN CHATTANOOGA RACE RECAP – CHARLIE JOHNSON

2016-10-03T21:49:00.000-04:00

This was Ironman #8 spanning the years of 2010 - 2016. I’ve raced IMFL twice, IMTX twice, IMCDA twice and IM St. George once. Chattanooga would be my eighth go at a full Ironman distance. Intensity and training load this season was similar to years past with the exception that this was the first one I’d trained for a race in early fall. The others had been in late fall, late spring or early summer. So the heat I trained through for this one was the most brutal. And my data showed it. My speed was noticeably slower in both the bike and the run (swim not really a factor being first sport and in cooler water). But you can’t ask for “better” conditions to train in than north Florida in the summer if heat acclimation is needed. Additionally, Tallahassee and Leon County’s topography have a lot of similarities to what the Chattanooga course offers up.

RACE LEADUP & TRAINING SEASON
Earlier in the year I’d competed in a marathon in February, and I’d raced the IMChoo 70.3 back in May. So I had kept my run strong and had a preview of most of the course in a race format. I felt like I’d prepared quite well for this race both physically and (more importantly) mentally. In years past, I’d hoped to have the magical day where I qualified for Kona. But since my last Ironman in Texas in 2015, I’d become a bit more realistic. My training for IMTX felt to be pin point accurate and as dedicated as I could manage. I felt fully prepared and in the best shape of my life. But on that day, I was broken by the heat and humidity. Over the next year, I realized that I really wasn’t going to be heartbroken if I qualified or not, because I came to see how much I truly enjoy just getting out there to race with others and take on the challenge that is presented by a race of this distance.

In prep for IMChoo, I tallied around 8 rides over 75 miles (4 over 100) and 7 runs over 15 miles (2 over 20). This was lower than I’d done in the past, but it seemed they were beating me down more than normal. Heaviest weeks carried up to around 15 hours of workouts including 3 hours swimming, 8.5 hours biking and 3.5 hours running. It would be great to get more, but life is too busy.

I’ve always kept a somewhat healthy diet, but my wife Sandy has really helped to keep me on the straight and narrow. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that beer and ice cream are part of our diet. But as with anything, we try to enjoy these in some form of moderation. So getting in the right nutrition played a big part. And me being a South Georgia boy, let me tell you, I cannot wait to eat some fried chicken now that the race is over! But in the final month or two leading up to the race, I really cleaned up my diet with no ice cream and very little alcohol. That can be as much a mental boost as physical.

FINAL PRE RACE DAYS

Sandy set us up with a hotel within a block of the Ironman village, which was massively important in making life easy on us. There was no driving required to check in, to get to transition or to visit the downtown of beautiful Chattanooga. It was all walkable as any well designed city should be. And we took our boy (dog) Hitch with us.

We got in town on Thursday. Ate pizza at Lupi’s which was really good. We slept in until at least 7:30 am which we never do. Friday I did a 30 minute easy run to loosen the legs and see parts of the course I knew would be rough on the body. I also drove the run course twice to visualize what I would do on race day. Otherwise, I hung around in the hotel and did nothing much. Again, we slept in until 7:00 am or later. As they say, the sleep you get two nights before your race is most important, so this was key. Saturday, I took the bike out for a 10 min spin to check the gears and make sure all parts were working smoothly. I also did a 10 minute run with some pickups to break a sweat. Then the team met up at 9 am on the other side of the river and we swam for about 10 minutes. The first half was upriver and second half downriver. There was a solid current pushing downriver which was great news.

Everyone dispersed and I hurried back to the hotel to get my bike and race day bags checked in by noon. Then I sat down to watch my Georgia Bulldogs get annihilated by Ole Miss. That was rough, but at least the pain was over quickly and there was no time to stress. It helped having Robby, Brad, Morgan and Sandy there to small talk with and pass the time. That night, Sandy made a wonderful dinner of fettuccini pasta with broccoli and real cooked meatballs. That was really, really good and a perfect pre-race dinner. We were in bed by 9:30 pm.

RACE DAY
I got up at 3:00 am. We had coffee (I drink a lot of it) and walked Hitch. I was in line for transition setup by 4:20 am which opened up at 4:30 on the dot. I placed my Garmin 910 quick release onto my bike, turned it on and calibrated it for power. The plan was to do the swim and bike wearing the wristband and then place the quick release back on for the run. I pumped my tires to 105 psi assuming the heat of the day would take them up towards the normal 115 – 120 psi I like. For nutrition, I had three scoops of Accelerade in my aerobottle and three more in my bottle in my cage for 700 calories. I put in a few ice cubes to keep the taste from getting too rank in the heat. In my bento box, I cut 6 Shot Blok packages (1,200 calories) in half and placed them with cut side facing up. I got in and out of transition within 15 to 20 minutes and went back to the hotel to use the bathroom and get in the truck with Sandy who drove me up to the swim start 2.4 miles upriver. She had made oatmeal for me with strawberries, granola and milk. I’ve found this is the best breakfast for me before a race. I ate as we drove to the race so that I’d finished it by about 5:30 am. That is about 2 hours before race start, so I ate a package of Shot Bloks (200 cal) at 7 am. Otherwise, I was drinking coffee and Gatorade while waiting. It is a rolling start, so it is first come, first serve. I got there early enough to be in the first 500 or so people in line.

RACE START – SWIM (2.4 MILES DOWNRIVER): 51:18, 1:19/100m

The pro men started at 7:20 am. Age groupers started about 5 minutes afterwards. I think I hit the water maybe 4 or 5 minutes after the gun went off. The water temp that morning was 83 degrees, so it wasn’t close to wetsuit legal. I wore my speed suit on top of my tri shorts with no shirt. It was fun walking down to the start and feeling the excitement build. I had studied the course and seen the river had a big bend in it. The course required everyone to keep the buoys on their left. The river bent to the left and then curved back to the right. So as soon as I hit the water, I sighted and kept a direct line forward to where the buoys were very far to my left and I kept a straight line as best I could. It seemed a lot of swimmers stuck to the buoys which I thought added a lot of distance and was busier water. I had mostly clear water and was able to maneuver around lots of people without banging. As I reached the first bridge, my left foot totally cramped up and I had to point my toes to work it out as I kicked. I started kicking with my right foot only and eventually it cramped up, too. I swam for a time with no kicking and then the cr
amps subsided and returned as I went. I just kicked as I could and worked hard with my arms. It wasn’t too concerning knowing the river was pushing me in the right direction already. Soon enough, I reached the red turn buoy and it was up to the steps. When to the transition bags, I got a volunteer to zip down my speed suit back.

TRANSITION 1: SWIM TO BIKE: 04:55

Inside the transition tent, I opened my bag. Two young kids maybe 15 years old were there to help. Before I knew it, they’d pulled everything out of my bag without asking me. It was a comical scene. First, I look up and they’d pulled the socks out of my bike shoes where I’d carefully placed them. The other one has my bike helmet in his hands trying to jam it on my head! I said, “Wait guys! Slow down.” I was laughing out loud at the situation knowing they were trying to help but had no clue what to do. Then one grabs my bike shirt not realizing I’d carefully packed it with nutrition, salt and sunglasses and they all go spilling to the floor. The other one grabs my transition towel and starts trying to dry my head off. At this point, I got them to drop everything and asked if they’d just open my Gatorade bottle for me. I got everything on, ate a Shot Blok package (200 cal) and chugged about 10 ounces of Gatorade before I took off. I ran probably a football field length or more in my bike shoes and was surprised at how fast I was able to move. I grabbed my bike, ran across the mount line, clicked the start button on my quick release, clipped in and off I went.

BIKE (116 MILES WITH +4,000 FEET ELEVATION GAIN): 5:29:29, 21.1 mph
CLICK HERE for bike file
The bike route is somewhat of a lollipop, where you do the loop twice and then return. The forecasted temperatures were expected to peak at 94 degrees later in the day. They actually topped out at 96. So knowing that, I made sure to hold back quite a bit from what I had originally planned. The course is a mix of rollers throughout. There really aren’t any hills that are brutal. There are some that are hard and a bit long, but all are manageable with the easy gears. This course is one of using momentum to your advantage, so in some spans it was worthy to push a bit out of the comfort zone to get up over the next hill and carry down the backside with speed. Within about 30 miles, I was riding by myself for the most part. I had a fast enough swim that I passed a few people but mostly got passed by a lot of uber cyclists. It was great to be riding solo and not at a similar speed to anyone so that I could zone in on my plan.

The first aid station was a solid 15 miles out, so I timed finishing my first aero bottle of Accelerade by then. Just before the station, I poured my other bottle of Accelerade into the aerobottle and drank down the rest out of the bottle before tossing it at the first station. I grabbed a Gatorade, chugged some, and stuck it into the cage made empty by tossing my original bottle. I also grabbed a water bottle and sprayed myself before tossing it. I never stop my bike at the aid stations. Throughout the bike, I took half a shot blok packet (100 cal) every 30 minutes. With the heat, the bloks were soft and easy to chew. The course has some magnificent views of the countryside. Traffic was well controlled and I had no incidents. The town of Chickamauga was a big lift, too, with all of the community out and cheering the competitors. My goal power was around 200 to 220 watts and heart rate aiming for around 140 BPM. On the uphills, I tried not to let power go over 300 watts when possible. On the downhills, I tried to keep it from dropping under 175 watts. This worked well to my advantage in that I never went too hard or too easy. HR only once fluctuated all the way up to middle 150s, but held in the mid to upper 130s for the most part. Overall, I could have pushed the bike a good bit harder, but that would not have left much in the tank for the run.

Over the day, the heat continued to rise and by the second loop, it was out in full force and baking. I’ve had a problem with hot spots in my bike shoes all season (and for years). In training, it typically kicked in around 60 to 70 miles into my rides. This time, I was lucky enough that it didn’t start until after 80 miles. By the 95 mile mark, it was hitting the very bothersome point. Over the remaining 20 miles, it got worse to where it was borderline unbearable. As I made it through the City and down towards the dismount line, it was probably the greatest moment of the race when I took my feet out of my bike shoes for the flying dismount. By the time I finished the bike, I’d taken in 2,000+ calories for around 360 cal/hr. This was made up of 700 calories from Accelerade, 1,000 calories from shot bloks, and the remainder from Gatorade I picked up along the course. I felt quite good coming off the bike, but hesitant to expect a strong run with the heat.

TRANSITION 2: BIKE TO RUN: 05:00
I handed off my bike to a volunteer after dismount, ran down grabbing my bag and headed to the change tent. Once in the tent, I changed from my bike shirt into my tri top, drank 10 oz of Gatorade, put on my headband/sunglasses/race belt and headed out. I made sure to get sun block from volunteers when leaving the tent. It was nice that they had spray on vs the rub on lotion.

RUN (26.2 MILES WITH +/-1,300 FEET ELEVATION GAIN): 3:32:12, 8:05/mi
CLICK HERE for run file

Immediately out of transition we were taken up a long ascent. Holding back was the key. By this time, it was just after 2 pm and the temperature was well into the 90s. There were already people walking up that first hill, so I could tell who had pushed the bike too hard. Every mile or so, there were well stocked aid stations. As one ran through, they had ice, ice water, Gatorade, pretzels, gus, fruit, coke, Gatorade, ice water, ice and ice sponges generally in that order. The volunteers were nothing short of amazing, and I cannot say enough how helpful they were. I stopped at every single aid station and dumped about three cups of ice into my shirt and shorts, dumped ice water on my head, drank ice water and drank some Gatorade. Doing this throughout is what saved me in the long run. It was so hot that I saw the pros doing the same thing. By the time I was on the run course, the lead pros were going by on their second loop. I ran with the pro Matt Hanson for about 2 or 3 miles. I could tell how tough the day was with the fact I could hang on with him for so long. Eventually, he dropped me like a bad habit! Going up the highway was totally exposed for the first 4 miles or so. Then coming back on the Riverwalk provided shade and some general downhill which was nice. Then there is a short, steep hill that was quite brutal. Soon after, we were spit out onto the bridge that took us across the river to the torture otherwise known as Barton Avenue. Running up that was brutal. Once over, you have a nice downhill and wind back into a beautiful neighborhood and come back out to Barton Avenue. At this point, the previous downhill is a nasty uphill. But once over that, we carried down to the river and crossed over the wooden pedestrian bridge. That is probably the coolest part of the course with the feel of the wood underfoot and the views across the river basin.

At the end of this pedestrian bridge, the second loop starts (it is also where one turns home to the finish line after their second loop). I still felt pretty good, but my quads were starting to pulse a bit. Heading back up the highway, I caught and passed first place in my age group. It was pretty funny actually. When I passed, I was walking and dumping ice into my shirt while he was standing still doing the same. It was like a race in slow motion, very slow motion. I think both of us were more concerned about keeping ourselves cooled than what the exact place was at that point. I kept on and when I hit the 19 mile mark, my body started with the classic Ironman fade. I could feel my systems wanting to shut down and sleep. I made it up that nasty short hill and back onto the bridge to cross the river. Sandy was there and said I was in first place but it seemed like some guys were right behind me. After telling her I was fading, she said, “Just run hard.” That lit the fire and I started pushing harder. I made it over Barton Avenue and back barely holding it together. Once I crested over Barton for the final 1.5 mile stretch home, both my calves locked up with Charley horses. I literally ran through them which was pretty excruciating but bearable. I skipped the final aid station and just kept pushing. I saw Brad and Robby on the pedestrian bridge cheering, but I had no energy to even smile at that point. Finally turning down the last hill to the finish line, I felt a wave of relief for the first time of the day. I made it down the finish chute and crossed in a final time of 10:02:54. I had to go to the medic tent afterwards to be observed and given water, coke and chicken broth. They took good care of me. It was one of the tougher days I’ve faced, but in the end, holding back was the key to success.

Seeing all of my friends out there played a massive part in keeping my mind positive. My wife Sandy was the reason I was so well prepared, and she has been the biggest supporter of me from day one through the finish chute. She is my rock and always will be. I am so proud of all of the friends and athletes who headed up to Chattanooga to take on this wonderful race on a very tough day. Whether you crossed the finish line or didn’t, you are a champion in my book for toeing the line at this great race. Chattanooga, a city Walter Kronkite once called “the dirtiest city in America”, has rebuilt itself into a destination city that knows how to “put on the dog” so-to-say. I will definitely be back to this community to enjoy what it has to offer.

TRIATTICs take on IRONMAN Choo

2016-09-24T13:03:00.000-04:00

RACE day is tomorrow!!! As they say, the hay is in the barn. The race is simply a culmination of all the work put in the prior months. We have 10 athletes/coaches competing in IRONMAN Chattanooga and Coach Stephanie taking on IRONMAN Augusta 70.3. Each and everyone has earned their spot on the starting line. The conditions are forecast to be hot; however, we are ready! All those months of training through the Florida summer heat has prepared everyone well!

IRONMAN Chattanooga

Becky Cahill - 914

Robin Bennett - 904

Michelle Harrison - 1651

Charlie Boyle - 1118

Wayne Thumm - 230

Alison Glass Thumm - 150

Melanie Rhodes - 1603

Jo Curry - 1027

Charlie Johnson -526

IRONMAN Augusta 70.3

Stephanie Liles-Weyant - 1295

For those who are racing, when you are on course, reflect back to all the days you were out on the roads earning it. Think about the sacrifices you made to make it to the starting line. Remind yourself of the support that family and friends gave you through months of training. Best of luck to our athletes and everyone else on race day!

Live tracking will be available during the event at: http://www.ironman.com/

GUEST BLOG: DisneyBride (DB) and DisneyGroom (DG)

2016-04-19T19:31:00.000-04:00

Recap: 2016 Ironman 70.3 Florida Relay
Written by: Monica and Walter Clemence

I've heard it said that every athlete will get a DNF at some point. It is just a matter of when. Well, this is the story of mine.

Most of our readers are runners, not triathletes, so this recap will go into some detail describing the process and also things unique to this event. I am telling this from a Back of the Pack perspective. You know those people that are the last ones to cross the finish line? That's my tribe. If you are a triathlete reading this, I apologize in advance for the over-explanations. This was also our first time at a long distance triathlon event so everything was a new experience.

Our plan was this: DisneyGroom would swim 1.2 miles, DisneyBride would bike 56 miles, DisneyGroom would run 13.1 miles to equal the 70.3, a half Ironman distance. Since this event was a team effort, the recap is written by both of us, DisneyBride's sections are red, DisneyGroom's sections are in blue.

Expo, Packet Pickup
We arrived late Friday night for a Sunday race. Our hotel was about 8 miles from the race location. The race itself is held at the beautiful Lake Eva Community Park in Haines City, Florida.

Saturday morning we headed to the park. Ironman Village was an outdoor expo. There was a stage, a handful of vendor booths, and a few larger sprawling vendor tents for specialty cycling, running, and tri apparel and gear. If you forgot bike shoes, nutrition, shorts, bras, socks, even if you forgot your bike - whatever... you could get it there. The Ironman branded merchandise tent was absolutely MASSIVE. They even had changing rooms.

There was a booth to rent racing tires, which I thought was interesting. Also there was a large pen for pick up and drop off of bike transport. It was a private company that coordinates bike shipping internationally and domestically for those athletes that fly in or otherwise cannot bring their bike themselves.

Packet pickup went smoothly. Relay teams had their own table for checking in and picking up our bibs, swim caps, and getting our athlete wristbands put on. I had a minor freak out the day before when I realized I did not have my USAT card with me for check in. (Every athlete participating in a triathlon event must have one.) But thankfully someone told me about the member card app, I downloaded it and viola! I had a digital version. But as it turned out, no one ever asked for it.

There was another table to pick up your timing chip (the tracking anklet), another table for shirts and race bags, and a final one where a volunteer stuffed our race bags with sponsor swag: Red Bull, Clif Bars, Lava magazines, cold therapy packs, Old Spice items, and one nice touch from name sponsor, UCF: gold Schwings for our race shoes. Everything moved VERY quickly and we didn't have to wait in any lines.

My coach had instructed us to do several walk-thrus of the transition area, and several other people in our tri club whom have done this event in previous years also stressed the importance of doing this on various occasions. Apparently this transition area is trickier than others. And so it was.

We started from the beach where you exit the lake, then found the Relay tent where we and all the other relays teams would hand off our timing chip.

Then we looked for Swim Out, which is the entrance to the Bike transition. The racks were numbered. I found our team number and was dismayed to see that the relays racks were the furthest from the Bike Out. Also Bike Out and Bike In were one and the same. This means to start my bike leg, I had to put on my helmet and bike shoes and run through transition with my bike past all the other bikes to head Out to the bike mount area, and then get on my bike to begin the course. Then when I came back after completing the 56 miles, I would have to dismount, and then walk my bike all the way back through the transition to rack it. I envied those people near the exit and the top level, because they only had to run a very short distance with their bikes. I'm a klutz, and it is not easy to run in cycling shoes, much less while rolling your bike along. What also made this transition a little tricky is that it was an outdoor parking lot with two levels, and you had to wind around from the bottom to the top level to get out.

Practice Swim
Athletes wanting to 'test out the waters' so to speak, were given the opportunity to swim in the lake the day before the race. Lake Eva is closed to swimmers all year long. It is only open for swimming to triathletes registered for this race and only during the race weekend. So unlike the run or bike course which we can access any time we are in the area, this is the only chance we have to get into the water before race day. The buoys were already up for the course the next morning. There were kayaks, jet skis, and plenty of personnel and volunteers patrolling the water and the shores for safety.

We put on our timing chips and crossed under the arch just like we would on race day. The timing chip also allowed race staff to track which athletes went in and came back out. We had from 11am - 2pm to go in and out of the water as much as we liked.

I'm glad I took advantage of the open water swim time. The course is an "M" shape and the turns can be tricky. The opportunity to swim out to the turns and see them from the water was definitely helpful on race day.

Athlete Briefing
After his swim, we went to the stage for the athlete briefing to receive any additional race instructions. I'm glad we did not miss this, because they announced a lot of important info not in the athlete guide, including course cut offs.

I knew the swim cut off was 1 hour, 10 minutes after your wave start, and I knew the bike cut off was 5 hours, 30 minutes after swim start, and the run cut off was 8 hours, 30 minutes after swim start. I also knew that Ironman race cut offs are very strictly enforced - ruthlessly so.

But they announced that the aid stations would have cut offs as well. WHAT THE WHAT???

I had actually emailed Ironman with this question a few weeks ago, and received the response that they do not and would not have aid station cut offs. So this was news to me. The second aid station on the bike course at Mile 33 would have a cut off of 11:45 am. The third aid station on bike course at Mile 43 would have a cut off of 12:30. When I heard this, my heart sank, because while I felt okay about making the first cut off at aid station 2, with the worst of the hills between those two stops, it would be a struggle. I went up for questions at the end of the talk and asked him to confirm the times for me. The race director said "yes, these are the aid station cut off times, but really it is just for athletes that cannot continue." Words that would come back to haunt me.

A runner friend of ours, Bill (blogger at RillaRuns) lives nearby and he popped over to hang out with us for a bit. Then at 2 pm, bike check in opened. I went and got my bike from the car and brought it over to transition. I showed my event wristband and was admitted to the bike area. All the racks were arranged in numerical order according to bib numbers, and a very nice touch, on the rack itself - stickers with the individual bib numbers had been placed on there and were spaced neatly apart with plenty of room. This would make it easier to find your bike, and also prevent anyone from moving your bike to squeeze their bike into your rack (can happen at other races).

I found my number, racked my bike, and let some of the air out of the tires. My coach had put this instruction in my race plan and I was glad she did. Apparently with the heat, the tubes might pop if left out for so long. Then I left my bike there.

Doesn't my bike look lonely?

Sounds crazy but I had a very bittersweet moment leaving her overnight. I joked that I now know what parents feel like when they drop their kids off at summer camp. My bike and I have gotten really close these past several months. I have to depend on my bike for training and race day, so I try to take good care of her, and don't even keep her in the garage. Some of you might relate to this, but most of you just probably think that sounds nuts. I'm okay with that. Suffice to say leaving her in the care of strangers was weird.

Then that was it. We went off to find food, because by now we were starving. There were a few food trucks and vendors there, but surprisingly for an event full of ridiculously fit people, it was mostly carnival style junk food. There was one vendor with smoothies and fruit, but it was mid afternoon and we needed a substantial meal. We ended up going to Sweet Tomatoes in Kissimmee. We actually eat at this location before about half of our runDisney races. It's a buffet with plenty of vegan options, so we were all set.

A quick stop at Target for some provisions, then we went back to our hotel for the earliest bedtime I have had since I was a toddler.

I got Tritats (temporary tattoos with your bib number) for Disney Groom and we put then on, since his arms and legs would be uncovered during the race. I would be covered in cooling sleeves and compression socks.

Race Day

Four a.m. wake up. We got dressed, grabbed our transition bags and my bike pump and headed to the start. Street parking may have been plentiful earlier, but we missed out. We paid $10 to park on the grass by a church a few blocks from the park. It was pitch black out, the neighborhood is not well-lit, and I was relieved I was not trying to navigate my bike through strange streets in the darkness.

I briefly stopped at Body Marking, to get my bib number put on my arms, and the R on my left calf designating Relay. If I were not doing a relay, my age would be placed prominently on my left calf instead. There is no room for vanity regarding your age in triathlon. It's right there for the whole world to see.

I got to my bike and DG pumped the tires for me. I filled up my Speedfil (hydration system) with ice and coconut water, loaded my pockets with a few wet wipes in a ziploc baggie (3 words: Race Day Portapotties) and I put my nutrition (Hammer nutrition bars that I pre-cut into cubes) into my bento box. For my coach reading this: yes, I did bring along extra packets of Skratch powder to mix up my hydration drink at aid stations.

Don't we look great? (She says sarcastically.) Still trying to wake up here. It felt chilly and we put on all the clothes we had with us to try and stay warm. Our friend Bill came by to hang out with us again for part of the morning. After DG left for the swim, I was very glad to have someone to chat with to distract me and keep me from getting too anxious.

The relay start
The race starts in waves, like corrals in road races. But unlike road races, where you are seeded according to your pace - in triathlon it is according to age groups. Each wave is provided a different color of swim cap to identify themselves. Some triathlons may also have designated waves for Elites, PC (physically challenged) athletes, Relays, Athenas (women weighing over 165 pounds), and Clydesdales (men weighing over 220 pounds). To compete as an Athena or Clydesdale, you have a weigh in the day before the race to prove what you weigh. This event had some of these classes, but not all of these. As you can see from the guide below, we were assigned the last wave at this event. That is not always the case for relays. But what it does mean is that each course for the swim, bike, and run will be closing right behind our wave. So slow relay athletes (raises hand) are more likely to get swept off the course than slow athletes in earlier waves.

To put it in runDisney terms, imagine you are in the last corral for the marathon, and even though you trained very hard for 9 months, your pace is exactly a 16:00 min/mile. You have no margin for error - no potty breaks, no character stops, no photos, not even stopping to tie your shoes, or catch your breath at a water stop. If you stop, you will get swept. Well, that's what we were up against.

Swim

The first wave started before sunrise. That must have been interesting swimming out into a dark lake. With a 8:05 swim start, at 7:30 I headed down to the beach to line up.

I will say this about the swim- there is no training to prepare you for getting kicked in the face! After getting kicked, I did manage to get into a pretty nice groove. I don't feel like I swam too far off course at any point, and I probably should have pushed myself a little harder.

One note on doing this particular course. Make sure to swim all the way to the shore on your exit.

I stood up about 15 feet from the water's edge and took two steps before falling into a hole that was deeper than me. Apparently, someone had told me about this (I think it was DisneyBrides's coach's husband actually), but I had forgotten by race day.

I did manage to swim the course within about 2 minutes of my goal.

Transition (T1)

I was already dressed in cycling gear, gloves, bike shoes, and ready to go when DisneyGroom arrived from his swim. As soon as I saw him running up the ramp, I fastened my bike helmet.

DG ran up to the tent and as he handed me his goggles and swim cap, I handed him his glasses. Then he removed his timing chip and placed it on my left ankle (left side so as not to bump against bike gearing). A quick good luck kiss and I was off.

I ran into the transition area and grabbed my bike off the rack. Since relay was the final wave, most of the lot was empty of bikes and athletes, so I wasn't fighting any bottlenecks on my way out.

Felt like it took forever maneuvering my bike through there. No one was running though, or really appeared to be hurrying. I had been to a Transition Clinic the week before put on by my local tri club, Gulf Winds Triathletes. and I picked up several timesaving tips.

At last, I went under the arch and crossed the Bike Mount line and got on my bike to start my race. You start on an uphill. It's a little steep (for Florida) actually. I could hear my coach's voice: Always always always start in an easy gear, especially on an uphill.

WOO HOO! It was happening at last!

Bike
My legs started pedaling, and my feet instinctively clipped into the pedals like they had a mind of their own.

I had my Garmin 910xt mounted on the handlebars already. So I started it up and went to Virtual Racer. I had preloaded the bike course, set it to 4:15 (my goal pace) and planned to 'race' against it to help keep me on track. You know the rule about nothing new on race day? Yeah - I broke it. I had watched a youtube video and thought I knew how it worked. NOPE. It was showing a 4 hour pace and I could not figure out what any of the data fields were... Ooops! I would have to ride naked and blind for 4.5 hours! I shut it down and restarted it, but still had the same 4 hour pace and screens that didn't make any sense to me showing.. well crap... now what?

But wait, I had my Garmin Vivoactive on my wrist. This would save the day! It was already synced to my speed and cadence sensor on my bike, so those started right up, but it was not synced to my recently replaced heart rate monitor, so I would later find that no HR data was captured.

I put my Vivoactive on the handle bars but I didn't have time to tighten it down. All this is happening while I am riding the first 1 1/2 miles of the course, rollers (back to back hills) through a suburban neighborhood. To say I am not the most elegant of riders is an understatement, so rather than risk my continuing to wobble and possibly crash, I just left it loosely wrapped on the bars. This was okay for most of the ride, but if the asphalt was uneven or cracked, occasionally it would knock loose and spin around face down, or the right button would get bumped against the bike stem and the timer would pause. I would notice it a minute or two later, and I had to restart the timer. Probably happened about 5 times. So my recorded data is not perfect. C'est la vie!

So many thoughts and emotions running through me those first few miles.
Scared... of crashing
Worried... that I will get a leg cramp or a flat tire...
Nervous... that my stomach might decide to stage a mutiny many miles away from any facilities,
Fear... of getting attacked by a pack of wild boars (more on that later),
Disbelief... that this is really happening at last,
Joy... that I got to be outside on a gorgeous Florida day,
Awe... over the adaptive and challenged athletes I saw competing out here this morning,
Wondering... just how far can I go today?

But most of all - gratitude.

Gratitude for the absolutely perfect weather conditions,
Gratitude for my wonderful Triattic triathlon coach whom prepared me for this day,
Gratitude for my amazingly supportive husband and relay partner,
Gratitude to our friends that showed up to cheer for us today,
Gratitude to my bike shop, Higher Ground, in Tallahassee, for the bike fittings, gear, and advice to help me become a capable cyclist,
Gratitude for everyone involved in the race- athletes, cops, volunteers, race officials, spectators, and
Gratitude that I am blessed with good health and strong legs that are able to transport me 56 miles.

I had never seen it during the morning like this, but I began to recognize the bike course from previous visits. Last September, we were in Orlando and we came down and drove the bike course all the way through. During Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, I brought my bike and rode the first half of the course to become more familiar with it. Then again in March, we came down and I rode the second half. I don't like surprises, so I wanted to know what the road conditions were like, where the tricky turns are, what kind of hills I will have to climb, etc. I knew which landmarks to look for, I knew which hills would challenge me the most, and I knew which roads were in DESPERATE need of repaving (Lake Marion, Jim Edwards cough cough). Also I had seen wild boars during each of these trips, the first time we drove here we saw a whole pack (even got it on film here) and I was hoping and praying I would not see any on race day. I reached down and pulled out the safety whistle I was wearing around my neck, under my jersey. The shrill noise might not frighten off boars that may charge at me, but it made me feel better having the whistle, if only to alert others.

The bike course loops through mostly farmland with a few neighborhood clusters along the way. There are lake views during some portions, but the most striking thing are the citrus groves. On previous rides here, I found myself suddenly surrounded with a very familiar smell. In Walt Disney World, EPCOT's popular ride, Soarin' has a moment where you are flying over orange groves. The scent of oranges fills the air - powerful, sweet, tart... then quickly it is gone. Imagine riding on a bike past miles and miles of citrus trees; you are surrounded on both sides of the road. It is absolutely heavenly. On race day, I knew I would encounter citrus groves at various spots along the course and I was eager to get to them. It literally took my breath away, and I sniffed the air like a dog hanging his head out of a car window. (You can see the oranges look ready to be picked.)

During these first few miles, I was passed by several other athletes. I don't really know how many, but at least 30, perhaps more. As they came up behind me, many shouted encouraging words. So I did the same. "Looking strong! Keep that pace going! stuff like that. There were maybe 5 or so athletes that snuck up and whizzed past without so much as an 'on your left' to warn me. I shouted 'Have a great race!" to those riders too.

By Mile 5, I began to have ... umm... discomfort in the lady bits area. This happens sometimes. I had put on TriSlide at 4 am, and it was now 9:30am. It's supposed to last through a full day, but maybe it was wearing off? I looked at the clock and groaned... how the heck can I endure this for another 51 miles? I moved my butt further back on the seat and that took the pressure off. Miraculously, it didn't bother me the rest of the ride.

Because the bike course is just one big long 56 mile loop, there are very few spectators. Well maybe they were there for the previous waves, but there was not much excitement happening at the end of the pack, so if they were out earlier, they were gone by now. When I did see a spectator, I shouted Thank You! Every single cop I saw on the entire course, I shouted Thank You! Every volunteer who caught my eye, Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

I am slow. I was anticipating being out on the course for over 4 hours. You may not ride side by side with other athletes, when passing you have 25 seconds to put a distance of six bike lengths between you, or you risk a drafting penalty. Race conditions are not conducive to carrying on a conversation with anyone. I've run for four hours before, and always had other runners nearby to talk to. I've been on group rides where I can chat with other cyclists. But here I was, my first long distance race on a bike, I found myself faced with only my own thoughts for company. There was nothing else to do, so I smiled, waved, and said thank you to everyone I saw. It was the only human interaction available to me. But the more I did this, the more cheerful I became. Yep, my small grinch heart grew three sizes that day.

I reached the first aid station, about Mile 17, and my coach will cringe when she reads this... (sorry Jo) but I didn't stop to refill my Speedfil bottle. I had plenty of fluids left to get me to the next aid station at Mile 33, so I grabbed a water bottle a volunteer was holding out, took a quick swig, then dumped it all over my arms, neck, and back. The temps had started climbing and this cooled me down and felt great.

I was invigorated by the cool water and picked up my pace. Then I settled in to enjoy the mostly flat road, because I knew that would come to an end soon enough.

At almost exactly the mid point of the race, the real hills begin. Now, this is nothing if you live in Colorado. But for a Florida resident... these are Hills with a capital H. Long gradual climbs over a mile long.... ugh - the worst. Shorter steep ones... also not fun - for a chubby girl. I must have been having one heck of a great day, because I made it up all those hills, butt-in-the-saddle, slow and steady. My friend Ashley told me later, she saw some athletes walking their bikes up the hills. For all the months grumbling about training on hills, and for all my stubbornness in learning my bike gears, it all came together.

I got to the second aid station, Mile 33 at 11:29, 16 minutes ahead of the cut off! Yes!!! I really wanted to keep going. But this time I knew I had to stop. I yelled out to the volunteers, I'm going to pull over and I need water. There was a row of tables bunched together pretty close together and there were many volunteers standing in front of the tables. I rode past the first table with water, the second table with Gatorade, the third table with GUs, the fourth table - had chocolate chip cookies, and finally there was a break where I could get off the road. I unclipped and discovered my legs forgot how to stand upright. ha ha. I carefully dismounted and I am standing there --- no water nearby. A volunteer approaches.
Me: May I please have some water?
Volunteer: ummm... There's umm... no water over here. Hang on... (turns back and shouts) Do you have any water left?
I hear: water? .. no... these are my bottles, I am drinking them..
He looks back at me, I am too stunned to say a word, but I must look pretty pathetic, because he says, I'll find you a water and runs off towards a table far away from us. Before I can ask him to bring me two bottles, he is gone.
He comes back after what seems like AGES later and hands me a bottle. We fill up my Speedfil to the top and the bottle is empty. It is now really hot and I wanted to dump a bottle on myself. I tell him, I'm sorry - I need more water. Off he goes again, running towards that faraway table. The only table apparently that still has water. He comes back and I take a few swigs, then dump the water over my arms, back, and down the front of my jersey. I hand him the empty bottle and get back on my bike.

I am now nervous about being on the clock. I don't know how many minutes this was, but I told myself, I was slightly above pace for the first half, so once I get past these hills, I will make up the lost time when the course gets flatter again.

As I am leaving, I notice a car with a Bike Tech sign parked at the far end of the aid station.

Similar to road races, there are designated spots after the aid stations where you can toss your cups on the ground (in this case - bottles) and volunteers will pick them up. In triathlon, if you are caught tossing trash outside of these designated zones, you could get a penalty for littering. I had heard of this, but this was my first experience with them.

Well either a lot of athletes got penalties or the referees missed this section because the following mile of road was an absolute landmine of bottles and gel wrappers. It was a quick down hill and then up hill, and here is where the real trouble started.

I am very slow climbing up hills. A turtle wearing a blindfold could beat me. I go so slow that I am sometimes in danger of toppling over because I am not moving forward fast enough. It only happened once... okay twice... during training sessions months ago. I've worked on my gearing for many weeks to get better and I have improved. But I wasn't prepared for the obstacle course of race trash. I changed gears too quickly without enough momentum, and boom... my chain dropped. I tried to spin out of it, but no... man down. man down.... MEDIC!!!

I had no choice. I unclipped, dismounted, and moved my bike into the grass. I was thankful that I had learned how to put my chain back on. So I get the chain back on, sighing over my now filthy grease covered hands, and get back on to ride.

This is where I remember the last rider of the day passing me. A woman with long brown hair and a red and white kit. I had seen several athletes with flats or bike trouble further back. I know some got moving again and passed me but not all of them did.

I advance maybe 5 feet. Loud scraping, chain catches hard, my bike jerks and I almost fall over. I dismount again.

I didn't know anything about bikes several months ago. I didn't even have a road bike until last September when I began to train for this event. So I had to learn bike lingo and basic repairs quickly. Well this had happened to me before. I knew what to look for and sure enough there it was.

Behind the front derailleur and chain there is a small flat aluminum plate that is mounted to the bike frame. Not all bikes have it, but carbon bikes will often have one to protect the frame from this: a dropped chain taking little bites or making gouges. That little chain guard was bent. And it was bent A LOT. The dropped chain caught on it and pulled it partially away from the frame. It was now sticking out far enough that it scraped the chain and did not allow it move freely. My bike shop has fixed this before for me, but I didn't have shop tools at my disposal. I did have a tiny little folding multi-tool kit in my saddle bag. I pulled out one of the Allen keys and set to work trying to push in the skid plate and flatten it back down, at least enough that the chain would clear.

I also noticed that the Bike Tech vehicle I saw earlier was headed towards me. I did the best I could, and by then bike tech arrived. I thought about saying - No, I'm good and then trying to keep going - scraping and all. But I had an expert there, so I had him look at it. He checked it out closely, ran it through all the gears, asked me about the clicking noise, said he didn't notice any scraping, then he made a slight adjustment to the derailleur. There was actually still some mild scraping, and I knew I would need to get to my bike shop back home and have this repaired. But it was good enough to finish the race.

I said Thank you and he said he would be out here if I needed him. I asked is there another bike tech further up the road, he said - no, it's just me - until the end of the course. I got back on my bike... uphill starts..ugh.. and kept going. I glanced at my Garmin... it was 11:48. That was it. I knew at that point I was done. Unless I suddenly sprouted wings, I won't make the next cut off. It was the hilliest stretch of the course, and I had nearly ten miles to go in 40 minutes. Easy peasy for many, sure. But even with a few downhills, I knew my pace would end up averaging 10 and 11 mph until I got back on the flats. My one consolation was that I had already made it up these hills last month without having to get off and walk my bike, so I knew I already knew I could do this course.

Well, as much as it sucked, I would do like I did at Princess Half Marathon in 2013, when I knew I was behind pace and sweeping could happen at any moment. I would just keep going until a race official told me I had to stop. And not a moment sooner.

I had not gone more than 1/2 a mile when a motorcycle cop rides up next to me: Hey Monica!!!
(I am thinking: How do you know my name? It's not on the bib, and I'm not wearing a bib anyway.) Instead I say... "Was I speeding, Officer?" I am not sure he heard me, but he smiles then says - your friend is waiting for you at the top of the hill. Holding a sign and everything! So don't go thinking about giving up. You keep going!

Wow.
It was like a Fairy Godfather appearing out of nowhere with a message of hope. That was exactly what I needed to hear at a low point like this.

I wasn't sure if the 'friend' was our friend Bill from earlier, or if it was another friend, Ashley. She lives in Lakeland, about an hour away, and I know her from the Athena Triathletes facebook group. In fact, she rode the back half of this course with me last month as a training ride. She was not racing today, but said she would come out to cheer. Athletes are prohibited from having ANY communication devices on the course at any time during the race: no ipods, no radios, no mobile phones (gasp! I KNOW!), not even cameras (including Go Pros). It's an immediate DQ (disqualification, not Dairy Queen). Without my phone this morning, I had no way of knowing if she ever came, where she was, or anything.

It had to be her. I really hoped it was her. Ashley is pretty awesome and has the coolest job, as an operations director for some major endurance events. She is living the dream.

I kept going. Hill after hill, after hill. After hill. The motorcycle cop came by again. "Your friend is wondering where you are. Keep going! You are doing great. I'll ride up ahead to say you are almost there." He caught me right when I was out of breath, so I didn't get to ask who it was, I just nodded and kind of smiled pathetically.

Around Mile 39, I see this crazy woman wearing donut leggings and holding a neon green Go Monica! sign. Unmistakably Ashley. I start waving. I yell out Thank you! Without stopping I ride by and I ask her to send a FB message to Bill that I had bike issues and am behind pace, but I am still going. I thought at the time Bill might still be with my husband and he could pass along the message. She says okay, and I continue on.

More hills..

At Mile 41, I hear a car behind me. I've had several cars behind me all day, but they have all gone around as soon as the oncoming lane was clear. This one didn't. Other cars pass, but I can hear the same engine - close behind me. I flash back to 2013 Princess again, the line of sweeper vans snaking right behind me. I remember wishing I hadn't looked back and seen them. This time, I didn't look back. I didn't want to look back. I kept my eyes ahead and kept moving. I saw the turn I needed to take and the 3rd aid station right in front. It is now 12:35. A man walks out into the road and stretches out both arms. The universal symbol for 'I'm blocking your path'. He says very simply, "you need to get off your bike." So I do. Then I see other athletes and bikes being loaded into vans. I don't know how many. I saw at least four, there were more already in the other vans. I'm standing off to the side awaiting further instruction, and a volunteer walks over to me and whispers.. "just go!" I say, huh? He says, "if you are fine, and your bike is fine... then just go. It's a public road - they can't stop you!" I ponder this for a moment. And am sooo very tempted. The course cut off is 1:35, so really I have one full hour remaining on the clock to get just 13 measly little miles. The worst of the hills are behind me, it is mostly flats. I feel good, I could totally do this. The volunteer says to the man in charge, the guy who stopped me -- " hey, why not just let her finish?" One word response: NO. He looks at me and says.. "well that sucks." I know, dude. I know. I see Ashley drive past. She says she messaged Bill, but he had already left Ironman Village and wasn't with my husband anymore. My husband didn't know what was happening... I had no way to reach him, and all I wanted to do was get to him.

Loading bike into SAG wagon
I had about 5 minutes of standing around in the chaos of people and SAG wagons, and packing up water tables, where I could have made a break for it. But I didn't. Maybe they wouldn't notice me for a while. .. hmm.. They had cars and could catch me before I had gone even a mile. I accepted that my race was truly over. Some might have pitched a fit about unfairness, and in some ways I don't think it was fair that I had to stop, when I was able to continue. But I looked around at all those people there. They all have a job to do, and most are giving up their Sunday morning for no pay. I really didn't want to be THAT person, the one that causes problems. I fully intend to do other Ironman events, and I don't want to get banned or labeled a troublemaker at my first one. No, I will be good. This time.

I got in the van; there was another athlete there with his bike. We waited what seemed like a very long while. I tried a few times to converse, but he had not been having a good day, so I was mostly quiet after that. The SAG wagon driver got a call, and gave the other person our bib numbers. Then he asked us to turn in our timing chips. I asked him to ask the person on the phone to please notify my husband in the relay tent what was happening. The driver was a volunteer and this was his first experience with a tri. He had a lot of questions about the bikes, how the race works, etc.

He then tells us about a woman they picked up earlier that morning with a punctured tire. He describes with some horror, the massive meltdown she had, crying, screaming, tears, uncontrollable sobbing, the works. Then how she wanted to call around and put another tire on her bike to continue her race. Newbie that I am, even I knew that was against the rules. The volunteers had been talking about it all morning and some were really shaken up by it, because how do you handle someone completely freaking out like that? Okay, now I am really glad I didn't cause a scene, or even put up any kind of protest.

Having someone that was chatty kept my mind occupied. I was okay, but was not looking forward to seeing my husband's face and telling him that he wouldn't get to run. I love him so much and I know he worked really hard with swim training all these many months. How he put up with a messy house, and me spending a lot of money and time on this new hobby obsession. How could I disappoint him like this?

The van dropped us off and I saw that they had taken both my tires off to fit bike in the van. The back tire is tricky, with the chain assembly, but after a few minutes, I got them back on, good enough to stay on, but not secure enough to ride. Then I asked "what's next?" I was told - "just head back to transition". So I started walking my bike that way. As I got closer I saw DisneyGroom waiting in the relay tent with one other person. He got excited and waved. Then he looked confused, probably because I was walking my bike. From this far away, I realized he did not get the message that I was swept. By this point, there was still 35 minutes before the bike course would cut off, and bikes continued to stream in. He thought I had finished the course and was coming to do the hand off.

I was about 50 yards away when I stopped and slowly shook my head. He stared at me for a moment, then he turned and left the tent. It was the only time that day that I wanted to cry...

But I didn't cry. Not on race day. I never went into transition. I had turned in my chip. If there was some other step that we needed to do, then I missed it. We had our race shirts, a couple of items I got at the expo, and our race bags. But this is the first time we came home from a race with no medals.

Watching DisneyBride walk up to Bike In and not riding her bike was scary. I couldn't tell what the problem was. When I finally got to her I was just so relieved she wasn't hurt. I didn't care about the bike or anything else. But, it did alert me to a something other relay teams may want to think about. Without communication devices and no quick way to get to her, I was left thinking the worst. A simple predetermined hand signal could have alleviated the issue. Guess it's time to review the divers signals handbook. It should work pretty well, even if you are seeing each other from far away.

Here I am, two days later, and I admit to having some regrets that I didn't make a break for it at the 3rd aid station. The race director's words at the athlete briefing came back to haunt me "the aid station cut offs are really just for athletes that cannot continue". That wasn't me.

I did my best. Could I have done any better? I don't think so. My hydration and nutrition was on point. I trained for headwinds and hills and got through those just fine. The delays I had with the water at the aid station, with the chain guard - maybe they could have been avoided. Maybe not. This was not my day.

My bike splits here, broken into every five miles tell the story. I am doing better than average (for me) splits early on, because I know the back half of the course will be a lot slower. Why? Several reasons: 1) Will be around 12 noon, hottest part of the day. 2) Fatigue kicks in. 3) Surrounded by mostly miles and miles of farmland and without any buildings or tall trees nearby to block the wind, the headwinds can be strong enough to knock you off your bike. But 4) The biggest reason of all: because the hills really start to kick in right around the midpoint of the course.

In order to finish within the cut off, I needed a 12.4 mile/per hour pace. Easy right? For me, that is doable... on flats. But on hills, that's where I struggle.

Gravity. Big girl. Up hill climbs a mile or more long. Not exactly a winning combination.

And on the hill climbing is where my pace will drop to 10 mph. And there are a fair number of climbs on this course. It's not Utah or Colorado kind of hills of course, but definitely more than you would expect in Florida.

Oh and we did meet up later with my friend and super awesome cheerleader Ashley. Aren't those tights the best thing ever?

My DOs and DON'Ts

So you think you might want to try a tri or a tri relay? Well besides the obvious, being able to swim, bike, and run - these are some of the things I've found unique to this sport that were a big help to me.

DOs

1) Know the rules. And there are A LOT of rules. There are sanctioning bodies that govern triathlon events. In the US, that is USAT. Before doing any tri event, be familiar with the rules. Penalties could be issued if you are caught breaking the rules, and there are even penalty boxes where you have to sit out of the race and serve your time (like hockey). Repeat offenses or serious offenses can be an automatic DQ (disqualification). Often the DQ comes after the event, but if you are caught in the act, this means you might even be kicked out mid-race, depending on what it is you did. Race directors of individual events may add more rules unique to that race, so always read the athlete guide.

2) Find a coach. I am not someone that needs a lot of hand-holding. Until I do. And then I really need it. Last summer, when I signed up for this 70.3, I reached out to a few local triathletes I trusted and asked for recommendations. Am grateful to Robin for sharing her coach with me. I love my coach. Jo has the patience of an angel and I trusted her immediately, a rare thing for me. She has been there every step of the way, through all my triumphs and setbacks in training. For race day, she had a detailed plan written for me, and I tried to follow it to the letter. She has done this course before, and it helped a lot having something to refer to.

3) A triathlon team. If you don't have a coach, or even if you do, training with a team will help you improve. I'm the slowest swimmer, cyclist, and runner on my teams (Triattic and Gulf Winds Triathletes) but I have learned a lot from group rides, brick sessions, team swims, and other events.

4) Fuel. Meticulously plan and train with your nutrition and hydration. Eat something about 30 minutes to one hour before your race. If you are doing a relay, this is tricky, because you have to estimate when your team mate will be coming in to hand off to you. Find out what your race will offer and try to train with that. I can't tolerate Gatorade or Powerade, which is what most road races and triathlons offer on the course. For all my long rides and runs, I've been using Skratch Labs Exercise Hydration Mix. The pineapple flavor is my favorite. I also prefer real food over GUs and gels. So I brought my own nutrition too.

5) Special gear. Besides the usual bike, tri kit (adult onesie), cycling kit, shoes, etc, we got some special items. DG is a strong swimmer, but he also can't see without his glasses. Corrective goggles (Speedo Vanquisher Optical) because it will be much safer for himself and for the other swimmers if he can actually see where he is going. In a pool, this isn't that big of a deal, but in open water, sighting (spotting markers to swim to) is vital. He also got prescription sunglasses to protect his eyes while running in the sun. My special gear: Speedfil hydration system, a 40 oz bottle with a tube assembly - because I am so clumsy if I mess with bottles while moving at race pace I will most likely fall and Gatorskins - tires that are not designed for racing, but are thick and durable for long distance riding, with a reputation of being flat-proof. While nothing is 100% flatproof, they came recommended by my bike shop and a few other cyclists I spoke to. Most triathletes will not touch these, because they want the lightest weight possible for everything on the bike. I'll take security over saving a few seconds of speed.

6) Do Believe in Yourself. One more time.

Believe. In. Yourself.

DON'Ts

1) Nothing new on race day... I decided to test out Virtual Racer on my Garmin for the first time that morning. Such a bad move, it was almost comical. My backup Garmin came through. Most people don't carry two watches, but this tri geek tried to be prepared. (See what I did there...)

2) Gear: Don't go overboard and get more than you need. There are thousands of tri-specific items on the market and the only limit is your budget. Get the basics, learn from other triathletes in your community, then figure out if you need anything special (like corrective goggles).

3) Don't disregard the rules. There are penalties on the course if you do. And the tri community is small, so we will all hear about it.

4) Don't freak out. Okay, this may be unavoidable. But if you do freak out, don't do it on race day. I had my freak out 3 weeks before my race. I had come down to Haines City to ride the course, and it was really hot, and I was really slow. And when I looked at my Garmin data, I had a meltdown and decided I couldn't do it. I even talked to a woman I just met (a good cyclist though) about taking my place on the bike relay, and then I would be the runner. I'm glad I talked myself out of that craziness. I worked really hard for this. I received a great piece of advice. "Do your best and remember you are there to have fun." Sounds so simple, doesn't it? And on race day - it actually was.

5) Don't make yourself crazy trying to control what you cannot actually control.

The weather. Unless you were born to a virgin in a manger, am pretty sure you have no say in how windy, how humid, or how hot it is. Be prepared for a monsoon or a scorcher.
Course conditions. Wildlife encounters. Crappy roads. After the race, write a letter to the race director or the Mayor of the town you are racing in. Let them know. But on race day, you gotta roll with it.
Aid stations. Provisions and set up. Yep, I was frustrated with the accessibility or lack thereof of water at the second aid station. I don't know if there was water at every table earlier and they just ran out? or if there was only water at the first table all along. Which logistically doesn't make sense because if an athlete needs to pull over, and many do, the only place to do that is after you pass all the tables. There was nothing I could do though. And having an adult temper tantrum would have solved nothing.
Other athletes. The other guy in the SAG wagon with me had crashed. Two other athletes had zoomed past him and sharply cut him off. He flipped his bike and was pretty shaken up. You can hope most other athletes won't act like this - but nothing you can really do, except hope they get busted by an official.
6) The final Don't should really go without saying. DON'T GIVE UP. We saw a blind triathlete with his guide, an amputee, and a paraplegic athlete. Seriously! Those guys were amaze-balls! They were out there crushing their race. If they can train and race while adapting to the challenges they have, so can you.

So as I said starting out, everyone will get a DNF some day. I have mine out of the way, and now I can focus on the business at hand: more training, more races, and more adventures for Team To Infinity and Beyond. This was our second tri relay (but it was the first long course distance) we have done as a team, and it won't be the last.

If you have read this far, then YOU deserve a medal.

Run Happy!

CLICK HERE for original post from DB.

Create goals for next season

2015-11-10T18:59:00.003-05:00

"Don't show up to prove. Show up to improve."

We all have heard sayings like this, and it is very easy to agree with the philosophy. Putting it into practice is entirely different. Finding and setting personal goals can be hard, and it is even more difficult to make them attainable.

Regardless of the level of competitiveness among different athletes, the commitment required to achieve success is very high for the sport of triathlon.

Goal setting is one way of staying committed to the sport. Their are three different goal sets to develop; Long-term goals, Daily training goals, and Competition goals.

Long-term Goals:
When setting the long-term goal, it is important to remind yourself why you enjoy this sport. Long-term goal setting needs to have both intrinsic and extrinsic elements, but long-term goals without the intrinsic components makes goals hard to achieve.

Example questions to ask yourselves:

- What do you enjoy about the sport?
- What is your dream goal, what do you want to achieve?
- What do you need to do in order to achieve your dream goal?
- Which athletic abilities do you need to improve in order to achieve this goal?
- How committed are you to this goal?
- What is your overall goal for the season?

Daily training goals:
After the long-term goal is set, focus on setting daily training goals that will lead to achieving your dream or end of season goal.

When setting daily training goals, be SMART about it.

S – Is it Specific?
M – Is it Measurable?
A – Is it Agreeable?
R – Is it Realistic?
T – Is it Time Limited?

When you set SMART daily training goals, they help guide your behavior and attention, and it helps foster confidence.

Competition goals: Just like training goals, each competition needs goals. Setting different goals for competition can include outcome goals, performance goals, and process goals.

Outcome goals (winning the race, finishing top 3) are great for your long term motivation but can cause pre-performance distractions and anxiety.
Performance goals (running a sub-30 minute 5K) help to achieve proper focus in competition.
Process goals (maintaining form on the run) can be set for each discipline and help to keep your mind from wondering to distractions.

What are your goals for 2016 race season?

GUEST BLOG: Alison Thumm

2015-09-30T17:51:00.001-04:00

Ironman Chattanooga – Race Report

Written by: Alison Thumm

And so it goes, I figure I better write this down before I forget.

It’s 2 days post race and I am still trying to figure out how I even made it to the starting line of this race. I’m pretty sure I signed up on a dare, from Wayne – with a strong feeling of FOMO- fear of missing out…

Then, after racing last year I ended up sidelined with a torn TFL/ ITB and was out for a good bit. And when I say out, I mean out. No swim, No Bike, No Run.

Luckily, I had a coach and friend who believed in me and ignored my efforts to throw in the towel before I even started.

My training slowly built back up after I convinced myself that I was OK and raced on a tough day in June in Raleigh. I think I came away with that race feeling pretty strong, but still unsure what I had truly gotten myself into.

The summer, as I am sure anyone reading this report can relate to, was brutal. Like swerving off Hadley Fairy/ CR 12, wanting to call an ambulance, nauseated, wondering what the hell I am doing brutal. I had a few days here and there that inspired me to keep going– but mostly days of why????

Somehow I got to taper still in one piece and was kept busy or tired enough not to even realize I was resting and found myself packing for the race.

Pre- race/ Travel:

I am a bit superstitious, so while 2000 athletes booked their hotel rooms in Chattanooga months ago, I waited until August. Wayne was able to get a room at the Doubletree and then 2 weeks before the race I cancelled that and found a room at The Residence Inn about 2 minutes from transition. Priced like the Plaza on NYE and designed more like a Holiday Inn, it was close to everything and worth the balance in my opinion. Had I had planned better I could have taken advantage of the kitchen in the suite- but none the less, they did have free breakfast with a waffle machine and an awesome lady willing to make me as many yogurt parfaits as I wanted!

The days before the race Thursday- Saturday went by fast. It rained non stop, which I feel kept most people in their hotel rooms. Check in was a breeze- 10 minutes door to door on Friday morning- and the rain was a great excuse to get off the feet and hit the movie theatre 1 block away. A couple of good meals, a bit of race recon, pre- race dinner with inspiring friends and it was lights out.

I slept not a wink.

Race morning came and I was already awake- showering before an Ironman seems ridiculous, but I wasn’t sure what else to do. No sleep and days and days on Nuun on top on Nuun on top of Nuun had definitely left its mark as I looked in the mirror, all I could do was hope. Hope for the best, but be ready for the worst.

Ironman Chattanooga is a first come, first serve start. I could not bring myself to get out there earlier than I had to. So I ate my breakfast, and walked the block to transition at about 5 am. There was no line at bike support, apparently everyone who booked their hotel a year ago also brought their own pump…. And their power meter. It took me about 30 minutes and a lot of walking around- eventually out to “bike out” before I could get my Garmin to calibrate with my bike.. tooo many power meters…

Finally I re-racked my bike and made my way to the bus for swim start. Once again, no lines. no waiting. Odd. Turns out, most people were already at the swim start. the line there was long…. and winding. Greeted by a friend volunteering and yelling “go to the light”, I suddenly wanted to go home. Ok, well no chance of that. To the end of the line I went. By the time I got through the portolet line and back it was 7:00 and time to put on the skin suit. Wet suit optional and I had already opted to suffer every bit as much as I could- so away I was sans wetsuit/

Swim:

That line moved fast. there was no hesitation, no time to back out- it was walk the plank jump in and go. Even for being far back in line the clock read 7:40, 10 past the start when I went under the swim start sign. Unless you are trying to win, I think sleep beats out a 10 minute head start into T1.

I did not grow up a swimmer- This swim was fast. Even without a wetsuit I averaged faster than my TT pace for 2000 in a pool. I knew that the difference time wise for my “hard” swim and my “easy” swim was not likely to be more than 10 or so minutes, so I counted my strokes– 1,2,3,10- damn, I mean 1,2,3,4 start over and tried really hard to concentrate on form. I basically swam alone. Probably not the most direct route, but out wide and by the island, where my trusty husband said the current would be fastest.

The buoys were lined up really nicely to my left- easy to see- 10 yellow ones, 9 big orange ones, small orange ones in between and a red one to finish. Wayne had raced this last year and told me to sight off “the” white boat.. and that I should be close to the shore, away from the island side as I started going under the first or second of the 3 bridges. I aimed that way and before I knew it I was caught in a mass-looking for the stairs.

Bike:

I trained for hills. I spent months riding CR12 and TS Greene and Monticello. I knew what my body was capable of, I knew the power I could hold alone on those hills and the speed it would produce in Tallahassee. I had a plan, and I knew a lot of people would be passing me. But hey, I am used to that. And as super Ironman mentor Sandy said, let them go – you know you will see them on the run.

So all day long I rode within myself. There were 10 or so miles out-of-town which were crowded and bumpy- a lot of loose bottles – similar to watching kids ski — all I could think was “yard sale”. There were a few train tracks and basically annoying roads. I had mentally marked the second Dollar General as a landmark- this was the point where it became more of a ride than an obstacle course.

Next up was 2 loops around this lollipop, the first side hilly the back side fast. I was continuously passed. For what its worth, I feel like I ride differently than 80% of the people out there. I don’t push the hills- I sit up and try to keep the power as low as possible and then pedal through the crest and down hill. My power meter failed me at 4.5 hours, so I am not sure exactly where I leveled out at, but I rode a the same speed that I rode my “hilly” training rides at all summer. I feel like this bike may be a bit deceptively fast- and that perhaps a bit of a push here may show itself exponentially on the marathon. I only say this based on the number of people I heard talking about their bike splits on the run?

The ride kept me busy. There wasn’t time to get distracted or sloppy and when I did I paid- as evidenced by dropped chain x’s a few. The uphills were punchy, but the down hills, especially the one after Chickamuagua was worth every second.

At mile 80, I knew that only had a Olympic distance left and at a MUCH easier effort and I felt strong still. Before I knew it I was back at T2 and looking forward to handing my bike off- that could be the best part of ironman.

My nutrition on the bike was insane- 4 stinger waffles, 1.5 packs of shot blocks, 2 bottles of base rocket fuel ( 270 kcal/ piece) , 2 bottles of Gatorade endurance and water as needed. 1780 kcal- or 273 kcal/ hr…perhaps too much- but if nothing else I have a strong gut.

Run:

I love running. This summer coach Charlie taught me that slow was indeed the new fast. I blew up on more than a couple of long runs, but eventually I think I finally learned what running easy really feel like- something that has always evaded me- If “if it doesn’t hurt you must not be trying” is a mindset I have embraced much of my life.

I set out to run 30 minute 5 ks. Something I felt I should be able to do on an easy day. When my heart rate monitor failed, I knew it didn’t matter- my legs always limit me before my heart. So one 5 k at a time I clicked them off. I made walking the uphills part of my strategy- I realized in Raleigh that my uphill power walking pace wasn’t much slower than my uphill running pace- and I was able to accelerate down the hills and on the flats. The one thing I wish I would have done during training was to run faster down more hills… As fast as I can down hill run training. My quads might not feel so bad right now.

The aid stations were every mile and they were awesome. I survived off Gatorade, water, coke and redbull- Thanks to my BUFFET style eating on the bike. I loved the marching band and the fact they they played “hang on sloopy” it was almost like my dad was there.

The last 2 miles were rough and I was starting to slow down- duh! But, as I crossed the bridge and had some random guy yell Go TirARTICA, I had to laugh- he was definitely going to remember this less than I was.

I rounded the corner to the finish and Charlie told me pace didn’t matter-he said to take it all in- so I did my best to look around and see the moment for what it was.

Looking at the big picture always provides a much better view.

Alison Thumm is a registered nurse anesthetist by day, mother of two round the clock, and an age group triathlete always striving to be her best self.

TRIATTIC heads to IRONMAN

2015-09-21T18:03:00.000-04:00

RACE Week is upon us!!! As they say, the hay is in the barn. The race is simply a culmination of all your efforts. We have 10 athletes heading to either Chattanooga or Augusta this weekend. Each and everyone has earned their spot on the starting line. We are proud of your dedication and your efforts. Enjoy the day for it is yours!

IRONMAN Chattanooga

Alison Glass Thumm - 1210

Lonnie Draper - 2776

Michael Stribling - 609

Tracy Richardson - 1926

IRONMAN Augusta 70.3

Charlie Boyle - 795

Julie C - 2443

Natalie Radford - 1417

Robby Turner - 2896

Robin Bennett - 2425

Tim Bennett - 466

Throughout the race, reflect back to all the days you were out on the roads earning it. Think about the sacrifices you made to make it to the starting line. Remind yourself of the support that family and friends gave you through months of training. Best of luck to our athletes and everyone else on race day!

Live tracking will be available during the event at: http://www.ironman.com/

2015 Ironman Texas Post Race Report

2015-06-06T16:27:00.001-04:00

Coach Charlie Johnson raced Ironman Texas on Saturday, May 16, 2015 in The Woodlands, TX. This was his "A" race and he was primed and ready. Enjoy a peak inside his brain and how the race went.

"Alas, it was not the day I'd hoped for, but it makes me want to get out there and try again." - Charlie Johnson

Written by Coach Charlie Johnson -

2015 IMTX Report:

Well, you win some and you lose some. I have to put this in the loss column. But I know I will be back and aiming to put a mark under the win column in the future. Races can knock one down, but they can't keep one down.

My training block leading up to this race was the best I've ever had. I woke up on average around 4:15 am every week day to get in workouts before work. I even did a run where I started at 3:30 am! I had at least 4 runs of over 20 miles with one reaching 23. On that run, I held under a 6:50/mi pace and finished it very strong. I got in 8 or 9 century rides and did my "Big Day" along the way. My bike work was as heavy as ever. Due to bad weather, I did three trainer rides with a fly wheel that were over 5 hours, which was horrible. That, if anything, will teach you patience, endurance and dedication. My swim stayed solid and was where it needed to be. In January, I got cortisone shots in both shoulders due to the sharp pains that interrupted even sleep. It worked like a charm and I trained pain free all the way up to the race. Nutrition had finally been figured out, too. My diet was the cleanest ever in my life (ONLY because of my savior Sandy). I tapered just as I had hoped and felt rested both physically, and more importantly, mentally. I had taken moments throughout the training block to lie still and visualize myself on the course. I'd see a tree I remembered or a turn in the road. I knew what I was going to do before I did it.

To sum up my typical load in the heavier weeks, I probably swam around 10,000 yds, biked 175-200 miles, and ran 35-40 miles per week.

Three Days before Race: Drove out to Houston with Sandy's brother Mike.

Two Days before Race: Drove full course. Hydrated with Gatorade and water. Dinner was a huge steak (Del Monico my favorite), corn on the cobb, asparagus, huge glass of milk, water.

Day before Race: Turned in bike, did pre race swim and brick which all felt great. Hydrated with Gatorade and water. Stayed off feet pretty good.

Pre Race Meal: Baked chicken soaked in Dales/wooster sauce/garlic, broccoli, sweet potato, huge glass of milk, water, water, water)

Race Day: Woke up 3:00 am. Ate 1/3-1/2 lb of yogurt with honey, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, walnuts, granola around 3:45-4:00 am. Drank three or four cups of coffee.
Got to race site, checked transition and got all nutrition set up. I put 7, yes, 7 Stinger waffles in my bento box. It looks pretty funny. Each is 160 calories, so that equals 1,120 calories. Gatorade, which I love, was in my aero bottle and extra water bottle. Base salt was in my bento box, too.

Walked the one mile to race start. No possibility of swim warm up, so did a jog. Used port-o-potties and felt ready. Never got nervous. Felt a total calm before the race. Ate half a banana and a waffle 20-30 min before race start.

Swim: Non wetsuit. Wore speed suit. Prayed not to eat duck poop. Staged myself about 10 people deep from the start line of the rolling start they have. I was right behind a guy doing is 120th Ironman. Freak.....rich freak. Got out quickly when race started. Went straight for buoy line and established a spot after some banging. For about 5-10 min, it was crowded with other swimmers as fast as me, then we thinned out. From there, I had pretty good breathing and form felt decent. A group of about three of us formed and we stayed within 10 feet or so. Sometimes drafting, other times not. After half way, I lost them and swam on my own most of the rest of the way. Hamstrings got really tight at about 2/3 into swim. I kicked more and that seemed to help. Came into the canal and it was quite choppy due to water bouncing off walls. But I actually sped up in last span and caught some people.

Swim Time: 1:02:29 (1:37/100m, 1:29/100yd)

T1: Came out of swim feeling decent, got bag and changed methodically. No rush. Speed suit off, chugged Gatorade, helmet/sunglasses on, shoes on, and went. It had rained like crazy for days straight until this day. It ended up being sunny. But the transition field was soaked and was a mud fest like Woodstock. When I grabbed my bike off the rack, I literally carried it over my shoulder through all of transition. At the exit, they had five or so baby pools. I just stepped full on into them and soaked my shoes to get the caked mud off. It was pretty funny in a way. Bikes and people covered in mud from ankles down. The smart people had carried their shoes and bike beyond the mud and were putting them on there. Sheesh.

T1 Time: 4:15

Bike: Mounted carefully and took off. Very much eased into the bike. It was a wind from the south, so it was a tailwind on the way out. I was easily pushing 22-23 mph and getting passed a lot. Rented a disc wheel for the race. I am not sure how much it helped or hurt me. I was able to click my lap button every 10 miles or very close to it, and my avg mph/HR were as follows: 22.35/146, 23.52/143, 23.48/144, 22.15/142, 21.96/144, 20.75/143, 21.53/145, 19.92/145, 20.08/144, 20.79/143, 20.90/141.

At some point in the Sam Houston National Forest, my speed sensor came loose and was rattling around. I had to hop off my bike and jam it back on carefully. That was only maybe 2 min lost, but sucked to see 5-10 people pass me that I'd worked to pass.

The wind was howling out on the bike course. Boy, heading back south was downhill overall, but with a nasty head and side wind. I'll take uphill with a tailwind over downhill with a headwind any day.

Over the final 5 miles or so, I let effort down just slightly and got my mind ready for the run. Took in a final good chunk of nutrition. The sun was out and blazing pretty good. I was mentally in a good place and had seen the race occur as it was occurring.

I ate one waffle every 40 min on the dot. Drank Gatorade throughout. So I estimate I got in 1,600-2,000 calories on the bike, i.e. 300-400 cal/hr. Took Base salt via thumb lick multiple times throughout the bike.

Bike Time: 5:09:11 (21.73 mph)

T2: Flying dismount and volunteer grabbed bike. Ran all the way, grabbed bag and into tent. Again, very methodical. Helmet off, head band on, shoes on, grab race belt and go. (In 2011, I sat on the chair contemplating if I was having a stroke.)

T2 Time: 4:01

Run: Heading out, I FORCED myself to go slow. And slow felt agonizingly slow. My legs felt weird as usual and the quads and hammies were acting funky trying to flex. I stayed easy and let HR steady itself. The heat and sun was in full effect. The course is three loops each of around 8.4 miles or so. I took two cups of ice, 1-2 cups of water and sometimes a Gatorade at pretty much every mile stop. On the first loop, I ran through every water stop. I felt so good that I was confident I could negative split the marathon. Around 7.5 miles into each loop, there is a point you curve around a building where the wind funnels down the canal. The wind was so strong, I could literally lean forward around 10-15 degrees and it would blow me back up. Strongest wind I've ever felt in a race. Finished first loop feeling strong. First 8 mile splits I clicked at about each mile were 7:12, 7:23, 7:33, 7:37, 7:34, 7:32, 7:36, 7:35.

Into second loop, I reached the 10 mile point and had to labor a bit to hold pace, so I backed it off a bit. Miles 9-13 were 7:55, 7:50, 8:01, 8:52, 8:29. By the mid point, I realized the wheels were beginning to come off. I continued intake of salt, water and gatorade. Ate maybe three or four gus over the full run, but just felt a bit shaky in the stomach.

The following miles 14 to 17 were 9:28, 9:13, 10:12 and 10:40 to complete the second loop. It was rough. They were doing construction and had us go down two flights of stairs. I had to hold onto the rail to walk down and a fan said, "Hang in there buddy." That is when I knew it was real bad.

The last loop was a survival march. My mind was running through what was going wrong and racing to think of how to fix it. In the end, I did the best with what I had left in the tank. My last miles of 18 to 26 were 11:11, 9:21, 9:44, 9:52, 9:49, 10:21, 9:58, 9:42, 9:33.

Run Time: 3:51:30 (8:50/mi)
Total Time: 10:11:26

It was a disappointing day to finish with a rough run. But one can always look back and learn from every race. It makes me want to try that much more to solve the puzzle of the Ironman distance. I've had the perfect day on most shorter distances. But I still have yet to hit that elusive perfect day in a full distance triathlon. It is out there waiting.....and it will happen.

A look back at triathlon season opener.

2015-05-26T09:29:00.000-04:00

Red Hills Triathlon

April 4, 2015

Tallahassee, FL

Complete Results: CLICK HERE

Mix up your trainer rides

2015-02-25T17:14:00.000-05:00

Below are two of Coach Stephanie's favorite bike workouts. These workouts are best done on a trainer, however, a flat route can be used instead. Coach Stephanie also explains why these two workouts are her favorite and some of the benefits you can get from doing them.

Bike Workout #1

Warm Up:

10-15 minutes easy spinning.

Single Leg Drill: 2 x (45 seconds Left Leg, 15 seconds both legs, 45 seconds Right Leg, 15 seconds both legs).

Spin Up Drills: 3 x (30 seconds of 90-110 RPM* with 60 seconds Recovery). Each set starts 10 RPM higher than the previous.

Main Set:

Low RPM = harder gears
High RPM = easier gears

3 x (3 minutes 60 RPM, 2 minutes 55 RPM, 1 minute standing 50 RPM, 4 minutes High Cadence 110+ RPM, 5 minutes Recovery).

Cool Down:

10-15 minutes easy spinning.

"What I like about this workout is that it incorporates strength with low cadence, then switches to high cadence and gets your heart rate up. It is more challenging than it looks!"

Bike Workout #2
High Cadence Workout
Flat route or bike trainer.

Warm Up:

15 minutes easy spinning.

Main Set:

6 x (3 minutes at 105+ RPM, 2 minutes recovery at 90 RPM).

Cool Down:

Easy spinning till you reach 60 minutes.

"This is a fabulous workout to get your heart rate up and work hard. Practicing high cadence really helps with your race – if ride at a higher cadence, and also you will be able to run at a higher cadence. High cadence workouts help develop a smooth, efficient pedal stroke. If you do not have a cadence sensor with your bike computer, you can count the number of complete revolutions of one foot for 10 seconds, then multiply by 6. That is your rpm."

*RPM - revolutions per minute

Stephanie Liles-Weyant is a Certified Level 1 USA Triathlon Coach, Certified Youth and Junior Coach, Certified Race Director, and Certified Official. Along with her husband Mike, she is Co-Director of the Tallahassee Youth Triathlon Series. Stephanie has been a competitive triathlete for 10 years and runner for 16 years. In addition to triathlon, Stephanie works for the Department of Health as a Certified Public Manager, and she is a proud mother of 3 beautiful children (Luke 19, Josh 15, and Juliet 14).

Off Season is Busy at Triattic

2015-01-07T20:20:00.000-05:00

The first Saturday of each month Triattic continues to have clinics based on skills needed for Triathletes. This past weekend Coach Sandy and Charlie held a Trainer Bike Drills Clinic. They explained the importance of a proper bike fit and the purpose of drills on a bike trainer.

During the clinic the athletes were shown proper form while doing Isolated Leg Drills. The purpose of this type drill is to eliminate dead spots at the top of the pedal stroke.

Another common drill that was demonstrated was Spin Ups/High Cadence. While doing spin ups it is important to focus on keeping a controlled cadence in order to smooth the bottom end of pedal stroke.

Other drills that were covered during the clinic focused on mind activation, focusing on a certain part of the pedal stroke during normal riding. Some of these drills include; top only, toe touch, 9 to 3 and 3 to 9.

During the off season a trainer is a great way to focus on bike drills. Using a trainer gives you immediate feedback on your pedal stroke just by listening to the sound. If you hear a consistent whirling sound, that is good. But if you hear clunking than you know you need to work on your form.

In December Coach Stephanie and Jo put on a Bike Handling Skills Clinic. Jo demonstrated many bike handling drills that you can practice each week even on recovery rides. Some examples are hold a straight line, touch your toes, and follow the leader. Spend a few minutes on them each week and this can help improve your bike handling skills.

Stephanie showed us ways to improve transition by being more efficient with our time. We learned what it takes to be considered a minimalist, how to keep your bike shoes on your pedals when mounting and dismounting and to include practicing transitions into your weekly.

2014 in Review from Coach Jo

2015-01-01T01:14:00.001-05:00

2014 was a great year and marks the second year I have been coaching with Triattic. In January I added Youth and Junior Certified to my coaching to be able to work with kids again. I have been given the privilege to coach some amazing people this past year and look forward to 2015. I wanted to highlight the athletes I have worked with over the past year and thank them for giving me the opportunity to help them accomplish their goals for the season.

John Thompson

John had a great first triathlon season in 2013. He decided to accept the challenge of doing a Full Ironman this year in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He knew that it would be difficult fitting in many hours of training along with his wife’s training for her first full ironman too. Having a toddler at home made for some creative weekend “tag team” bike rides for John and Melissa, but they some how got the training in and were ready for the big race. The conditions on race day were beyond crazy especially for it being anyone’s 1^st Full Ironman. I’ll never forget John’s eyes as we were walking up to get into the water… they were huge with fear and excitement all at the same time. He was very nervous with the wind howling at our backs and the cold sand covering our feet. I remember telling him to trust his training and know that he can do this. Once he took off he may have swallowed lots of water, bumped into people, and dealt with the massive swells in the lake, but through all that he had a great swim. The bike course was challenging with a total gain of 5,760 feet, but on this particular day there were sustained winds from 20-25 mph making it just that much harder. It was inevitable that you would be pedaling on the rolling hills, but even the descents you had to keep your feet moving. But again, John pushed through the tough conditions and survived the bike. He was very thankful to be off the bike and start the run. The run was parallel to the shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene for two loops, with one steep climb at the southern turnaround point. Being on a course that repeats, I was able to see John on the run. He was running every time I passed him! He would always ask me, “Coach, am I gonna make it? “ I assured him every time that he was doing great and that he had plenty of time to finish. I was so proud to see him the last time around and knew he would be crossing the finish line soon. John finished the race, his first full Ironman race, in 15 hours and 31 minutes. I could not have been more proud to be John’s coach. They say it is the journey to becoming an Ironman that is most important and to have been part of John’s journey was truly an awesome experience for me as his coach and friend.

Andrea Stephens and I have been friends for a long time. We met many years ago training for our very first marathon in 2006. I was thrilled when she asked me to be her coach for triathlons in 2013. Her goal was to get back into shape and had a list of races to motivate her to do it. Andrea is the most resourceful and determined athlete I know. She will travel an extra 30 minutes to get to a pool or a track to get in a workout no matter what obstacle stands in her way. She came back this season improving each time she raced. Her last race was at Freedom Springs, where she took home 3^rdplace in her age group! This was a fantastic way for her to finish the season and year!

I was so happy when Deann Garcia became an “Official Triattic.” We all know how supportive and encouraging she has been to our team and her husband Morgan. This year she took the leap to becoming a triathlete. Last year Morgan bought her a bike for Christmas and she started running on her own. By March of 2014 she was ready to take on some races. Her challenges for the year included a 5K, 10K, a Sprint Triathlon and a Half Marathon.

Deann is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and to be able to coach an athlete like her is such a treat for me. The first time she ever did a time trial I was surprised Morgan didn’t call 911 because she pushed so hard that her heart rate was off the charts! From that I knew just how much of a pleasure it would be to coach such an over achiever. She continues to amaze me on each workout pushing herself to new limits. One by one Deann checked off each challenge throughout the season accomplishing her goals and improving from race to race. Watching Deann grow from her first 5K all the way up to the Half Marathon has been a wonderful experience. She worked very hard this year to accomplish her goals and I am so proud to be her coach. Deann loved to use NUUN while training this year and now has been chosen to be a NUUN Ambassador for 2015!

Charlie Boyle joined Triattic in April of 2014 after completing his very first triathlon at Red Hills. His goals for the season were to lead a healthier life style and to complete a 15k by the end of the year. This has been a transforming year for Charlie. His dedication and determination to improve is evident when he shows up to track workouts in freezing cold weather and never complains. When Charlie attempted his first time trial and wasn’t physically able to complete it he asked for a Mulligan. This just encouraged him to do more and get better at running. Charlie worked very hard this season accomplishing so much more than he had planned. He went on to race many triathlons this year and exceeded his goal of a 15k with completing a half marathon in an impressive time of 1:59:15. Amazing things happen to people that put forth such an awesome effort! I am thrilled to coach such a hard working athlete and friend. I look forward to seeing what the year 2015 has in store for him!

Claire Phillips joined the Triattic team in August of this year. She finished Georgia Veterans Triathlon with Deann and decided she wanted a coach. I was the fortunate coach she decided to choose. Her goals for the season were to improve her time from her previous Sprint and to build her endurance in running. She went on to finish Beach Blast in August taking home 3^rd in her age group and finishing a 5k with an impressive time. Claire has huge goals for 2015 and I look forward to helping her achieve every one.

Wade Eastman

I began coaching Wade in August. He competed in his first triathlon when he was 10 years old and hopes to one day be like his parents and become an Ironman. He swims for his school’s competitive swim team year round and enjoys riding his bike in his free time. Wade is one of the most positive athletes on the course and is always encouraging to his fellow competitors. He competed in 3 Sprints this year finishing second in his age group in 2 of them. Wade is a very motivated athlete that enjoys being challenged. He was ranked 16^th Nationally and plans to compete in his first Draft Legal Youth F1 race in March. I am excited to see what happens next year for Wade. He continues to grow stronger and smarter each day and works so hard to improve. I am very proud to be his coach and know that 2015 will be an awesome year for him.

Max Eastman

I have been coaching Max since August of this year. This was his 2^nd year competing in triathlon and began at the age of 13. He runs Cross Country and swims on his school’s competitive swim team year round. He raced in 3 Sprint Triathlons taking 1^st place in his age group in 2 of them and 2^nd place in his age group in the last race. Max is a very disciplined athlete that works very hard to improve in the sport. He is very encouraging to his fellow athletes just like his younger brother. He was ranked 12^th Nationally and plans to compete in his first Draft Legal Youth F1 race in March. Max is a dedicated athlete that loves competition. I am proud to be Max’s coach and know this year will have many good things in store for him.

Thumm vs Thumm: An Epic Rivalry

2014-11-21T06:23:00.000-05:00

It is no mystery that the Thumm family is one fit and fast family. Over the years, the epic battles of Thumm vs Thumm have been compared to the likes of the Iron Bowl (Auburn vs Alabama), Fight of the Century (Ali vs Frazier) and, yes, even Coke vs Pepsi. However, those comparisons have nothing on actually getting to watch the Thumm battle live! This article will share the achievements of both Alison and Wayne over this past year through their continued rivalry. So sit back, grab some popcorn and Coke or Pepsi (actually, get some kind of serious sports drink and energy bars and put on some of those windbreaker suits that make the 'swish, swish' sound), and enjoy the read.

Alison

In 2013, she finished the tri season off with her first 70.3 triathlon distance race. She raced to an amazing 5:29:21 at IM Augusta 70.3 which included a 1:49:30 run split. She followed that up at the end of December with a 1:43:49 half marathon in a downpour of rain and heavy lightning at the Jax Bank Half.

This year, she has smashed her PRs in 5K and 10K. Her Palace Saloon 5K in 2013 was a 22:26, so she returned in 2014 to produce a 21:43, good for a 7:00/mile pace. She improved her Red Hills time from 1:41:24 in 2013 to 1:26:33 this year. That is a 15 min drop! In the summer, she finished what was supposed to be her last tri of the season at Rocknrollman sprint where she was 1st in her AG and 4th OA female (missed top 3 by 16 seconds).

Based on how much success she had, she passed up running the NYC marathon to go after a 1/2 IM distance in the fall. At a tune up race, Beach Blast 2 Olympic, her time of 2:26:44 gave her 1st in her AG and 3 OA, which included a bike split of over a 20 mph pace. WOW. Finally, she finished off her season in Venice, FL at the Rev3 Florida 70.3 triathlon, only her second at this distance. Her 5:22:52 was good for 2nd in her AG and 9th OA. All three splits of her race were huge improvements. If it says anything of her drive to improve, she was not satisfied with her 1:46:56 run split, a drop of over 2 min off her run at Augusta.

Wayne

Alison's hubby Wayne, aka, The Man, has had his huge share of success, too. Like Alison, he had a very strong race in Augusta (2013) putting down a 5:16:17 which included a 26:22 swim split and sub 2:50:00 bike split. And in another epic Thumm vs Thumm race, he was able to produce a 1:36:11 half marathon in Jacksonville which is good for a 7:22/mi pace. Again, this race was in bad weather conditions.

At the Palace Saloon in 2013, he nailed the 5K at 21:00 on the nose. His goal had been to break 21. So he came back in 2014, and destroyed that barrier with a 20:33 which is a pace of 6:38/mile. Similarly, in the 2013 Springtime 10K, he ran a solid 45:22. However, he came back in 2014, and ran a 43:59, good for a pace of 7:05/mile. In his two Red Hills Triathlon races, he improved from 1:27:28 in 2013 to 1:21:46 this year. The bike split alone was upwards of a 3 min drop.

All of the early season was solid, but this was the year of the Ironman for Wayne. So as a build up race, he took on the Rocknrollman Half (70.3) distance. He'd raced it back in 2012 as his first 70.3 and dealt with some tough conditions. For all of us flatlanders in Florida, the Macon area has some big hills and temperatures typically spike into the 90s at this race. His time that year was a 6:29:20. It was quite tough conditions for a first 70.3. This year, he returned and triumphed. He dropped over 50 minutes to record a 5:38:33! His swim improved by 10 min, his bike improved by 10 min and his run improved by 30 min. He continued solid training through the hot summer months and completed his triathlon season in Chattanooga at the Ironman. It should be noted that he did much of his training solo, which is a very tough thing to do. His total time of 12:09:29 was shockingly fast for a first Ironman, not to mention that the bike course was a total of 116 miles - 4 more than a normal Ironman. Included in that race time was a swim split of 53:31, which comes out to 1:23/100m or 1:16/100y. And his bike pace held up for a solid 18.2 mph.

Now to quantify all of the above just mentioned about the Thumms, none of that came from simply being a gifted athlete. None of that was "given" to them. Yes, they are naturally good athletes, but that only got them a small portion of the way towards the goals they achieved. What really earned their way was their sheer dedication to the sport, their belief in themselves and their positive attitudes. I cannot speak enough to the hard work Alison and Wayne have invested. They have lead by example from the start, and I'm sure will continue to do so in years to come. This goes for not just multi-sport but, more importantly, in life. It has been a pleasure seeing them succeed, and they will surely continue to do so in years to come. Congratulations to the Thumms on a great year of racing, and here is to many more epic Thumm vs Thumm showdowns!

Ironman Florida - November 1, 2014

2014-10-28T20:56:00.001-04:00

Ironman Florida is just around the corner. This year Triattic has four first time Ironman athletes taking on the challenge of the 140.6 miles. Consisting of 2.4 miles swimming, 112 miles biking and 26.2 miles running.

Ron Harrison #2579

Ron Nieto #2651

Ashley Roman #1257

Michelle Dahnke #1220

2.4 mile swim: The swim course at Florida is in the Gulf of Mexico. It's a two loop course with a short beach run in between laps. The seas can be choppy and the current can be strong, in addition the sun is bright so pack those tinted goggles. Average water temperature for this time of year is the low 70's.

Transition: Athletes are greeted with a fresh water shower upon exiting the wetsuit strippers. Make sure to rinse the salt water and sand out of your shorts!! Gear bags are placed in the parking lot of the Boardwalk Beach Resort and the changing tents are located in the resort.

112 mile bike: Don't let the course description fool you. In comparison to other IM bike courses, yes it is flat but there are some descent hills on HWY 20 and the wind can be a bugger. This course is great for holding a steady consistent effort, which can help your legs on the marathon.

26.2 mile run: FLAT!!! Flat is fast but flat is hard. Be prepared to use the same muscles for 26.2 miles. That is the hardest part of the course. The crowd support is fantastic and the scenery is beautiful. The sun sets early in PBC and can cool off quick so be sure to pack a long sleeve shirt in your special needs bag.

We will have a tent set up near the Summit Hotel, family and friends feel free to bring a chair and a cooler and let's cheer on all those athletes!

Lots of racing this weekend

2014-08-07T09:30:00.003-04:00

This weekend is a BIG racing weekend for Triattic athletes. You will see Triattic in four different states and racing 3 different distances. We have two representing at the USA Triathlon Age Group Nationals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, across Lake Michigan in Benton Harbor we have four competing in Ironman 70.3 Steelhead, one will be racing in the Atlantic at Jacksonville Olympic Distance Triathlon, and two (one of whom is a first timer) in Cordele, GA at the Georgia Veterans Sprint Triathlon.

Bob Keller and Karen Munoz

Bob Keller and Karen Munoz will be representing at the USA Triathlon Age Group Nationals. CLICK HERE for race information.

The Eastradformans

Leisa Eastman and Robby Turner

Leisa and Ed Eastman, Natalie Radford and Robby Turner will be competing in a 70.3 mile race, consisting of a 1.2 mile swim, a 70.3 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run. Live race day tracking is available at IRONMAN LIVE COVERAGE on August 10 starting at 7:00 AM.

Steve Mnookin

Steve will be competing in his second Olympic Distance Race in Fernandina Beach on Saturday. Race information can be found HERE.

Andrea Stephens

Deann Garcia

Andrea Stephens and first timer Deann Garcia will be representing at Lake Blackshear in Cordele, GA.

Best of Luck to all Triattic athletes and friends racing this weekend!

Team Triattic at Ironman Coeur d'Alene

2014-06-28T22:49:00.000-04:00

IRONMAN Coeur d'Alene

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Age Group Start time: 6:40 a.m. (PST)

Team swim practice: Lake Coeur d'Alene

CLICK HERE for live tracking.

Left to Right - Top to Bottom
426 - Natalie Radford
156 - Sandy Holt
790 - Melissa Thompson (First timer)
1745 - John Thompson (First timer)
279 - Charlie Johnson
1853 - Morgan Garcia (First timer)
2528 - Robby Turner (First timer)
1743 - Brad Taylor (First timer)
342 - Ed Eastman
401 - Leisa Eastman
1014 - Jo Curry (First timer)
2341 - Al Curry (First timer)
1616 - Michael Holt (Not pictured)

We want to take this moment to speak to all of the Triattic athletes about to compete in the big race tomorrow. We could not be more proud of each and every one of you. You have worked so hard to reach this point. Think of all the long days when you dealt with the sun, the heat, the humidity, the bugs, the hills, the wind and much more. You fought through sore muscles, drank more sports drink than you ever thought possible. Felt stings on your body when showering that you never thought could exist at that intensity in that location. Woke at hours unthinkable to most people to put your body through exercises also thought unthinkable to most people.

And why? Because through all of it, you are aiming for a goal that while once thought unreachable is now at your fingertips. And because, even though we all ask ourselves what the hell are we doing at times, in the end you find so much enjoyment out of the successes AND failures you’ve had along the journey to this point. The whole journey to race day is a process. We experiment and try various approaches constantly honing the most efficient ways of crossing a finish line successfully.

You now consider it to be normal banter when someone asks, “What zones are you aiming for? You think you’ll hold the goal wattage coach has you aiming for? Oh, and you better load up on electrolytes and carbs so you don’t bonk after the 112 miles before you run the 26.2.” Most people not in triathlon would be looking at us with a blank stare at this point, but we are all full of responses to answer those questions.

You have taken on a lifestyle that is very abnormal. And that means abnormal in a very special way. We are so proud of all of you for the way you have prepared for one of the most memorable days of your lives tomorrow. And this will be memorable, because it will be 140.6 miles of celebration. It will be you seeing your friends along the race course and knowing you are all moving towards a moment individual to each of us but the same in so many ways, too.

Yes, there will be down moments. But that is simply what it is – a moment. It then passes and the good times start rolling again. So when a negative thought passes through your mind, let it do its thing and let it fade on away, because that thought means nothing compared to the grit and determination each and every one of you have.

In the moments as you lie falling asleep, let your mind visualize what you are about to do tomorrow. You can “see” exactly what you will do in the race. You can see yourself entering the water and feeling the shock of cold. You see yourself further into the swim, having swallowed some water and bumped with some people, but steadied out and into a nice groove. You are now already in the second loop feeling good. Now you sight and see the shore. You’ve glided up to T1, changed and now have your bike in your hands running towards the mount line. The legs feel good. HR a bit high, but you ease it back. Time to get the legs spinning and ready. You have made it through over thirty miles and are at the turnaround south of town. The wind was a bit in the face and the hills worked you slightly, but now it is time to soak in a solid tail wind and some downhill. Now, you are onto your second loop working up the steep hill you know you’ll see soon on the run. The following miles drift by and you feel stronger as you move deeper into the ride. Look, there is the dismount line and 112 miles are beyond you! T2 just happens effortlessly and you are out on the run course surrounded by a mass of screams and cheers. You remember that many people back home are anxiously watching the Ironman website looking for updates and on the edges of their seats cheering for you. Keep that pace in check! Next thing you know you’ve made it up the steep hill and are down at the turnaround marking one quarter complete. Back in town, you reach 13.1 miles of the run and the music is pumping, the Triattic tent is just beyond the turnaround at halfway and you are invigorated knowing you can smell the finish line. Again, you get to the turnaround of 19.65 miles and realize the energy you conserved has you set up to soak in this last 6.55 miles. Yes, you are hurting. That is totally normal and no one “feels great” at this point. But the feeling you have is one of excitement knowing every step you take will bring you closer to THE moment. You are seeing other Triattics and smiles are on their faces. Life is good. Right now is why you did all this training. You have put in the work and earned your place here. Now you’ve worked through the neighborhoods and broken out onto Sherman Avenue. You can see the finish line in the distance. It is simply you and destiny. It is your moment……

New Triattic Gear

2014-06-18T09:14:00.002-04:00

SMASHING SUCCESS!!!

Our new gear has people buzzing and we couldn't be happier with the quality and design. Design work by Triattics own Leisa Eastman and Jo Curry!! Way to go Ladies. This new gear is fun, highly visible and made with quality materials.

If you missed out on the first order and would like to represent a Tallahassee locally owned small business (along with our sponsors) now is the time to get in on a re-order!

Gear that is available:
-Triathlon Top (men and women)
-Triathlon Short (men and women)
-Cycling Jersey (men and women)
-Cycling Short (men and women)
-Cycling Bib Short (men and women)

-Tech Tee (men and women)
-Running Singlet (men and women)

-Cycling Gloves (unisex)

-Arm Warmers (unisex)
-Sport Bra

All gear is pro design (cut a little smaller than club and team gear)
SIZING CHART

Deadline to get in on re-order is July 13, 2014. Please email sandy@triattic.com for additional information or to place and order.

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors: Envlove, Inc., Yoga With Michelle, Higher Ground Bicycle Shop, Stretching Your Life.com, Wells Brothers Bar and Grill, Cornerstone Software Services, Citrine Spa and Body Shop, Quintana Roo, EC3D, TriBike Transport, and Xerra Wetsuits.

Heat Training

2014-05-20T16:16:00.000-04:00

Hot Weather Training

Now that the weather is starting to feel like our normal Florida summers, I thought it would be good to start thinking about how to train in hot weather. Matt Fitzgerald wrote it perfectly on the best way to train and handle the hot weather.

Listen to your body. Early signs and symptoms of heat illness include fatigue, discomfort, lightheadedness, cessation of sweating, disorientation and nausea. Stop exercising and find a cool environment as quickly as possible if you begin to notice any of these signs or symptoms while exercising in the heat.

Take baby steps. The fitter you are, the better your body can tolerate exercise in the heat, so try to build your fitness to a high level in the spring, before the first heat wave of the year. When the first really hot day comes, do a shorter- and slower-than-normal workout. On each subsequent hot day go a little farther and a little faster. It takes about 10 days for the body to full acclimatize to the heat. The body adapts by increasing its sweating capacity and reducing the electrolyte concentration of the sweat to boost your ability to maintain a safe core body temperature. After this process is complete you can train more or less normally through the summer.

Slow down. I said “more or less normally” above because it is never possible to train as hard in the heat as in temperate conditions. Research has shown that the brain protects the body during exertion in the heat by constantly monitoring the core body temperature and limiting muscle activity to prevent the core body temperature from rising to dangerous levels. (It’s actually the heat produced by the muscles, not environmental heat, that causes heat illness to occur. Environmental heat merely prevents body heat from dissipating.) So don’t expect or try to perform at the same level on hot days. Instead, maintain your normal level of exertion and understand that you will not go as fast at this level of exertion as on cooler days.

Run early-or late. If you take the time to acclimatize to the heat, and you adjust your pace properly on hot days, you can train safely in very high environmental temperatures. However, because you have to slow down, you can’t train as hard or get as fit in such temperatures as you can in cooler temperatures.

By the same rationale I recommend that you train early in the morning and late in the evening-and perhaps even indoors sometimes-to avoid the highest temperatures of the day. You’ll have better workouts and you’ll feel more comfortable, too.

Dress to sweat. Sweating is the body’s primary cooling mechanism. When you train in hot weather, be sure to dress in clothes that allow this mechanism to do its job. Avoid wearing everyday clothes such as cotton t-shirts, which trap sweat and heat against the body. Instead wear technical apparel that is designed for your sport and made from moisture-wicking fabrics such as CoolMax, which soak sweat from your skin and transfer it to the outer surface of the garment for evaporation. Light colors that reflect the sun are also preferable.

Stay hydrated. Drinking during hot-weather workouts will help your sweating system do its job better. By drinking throughout each training session you will keep your blood volume close to normal levels, which in turn keeps your sweat rate high. And since oxygen is delivered to the muscles through the blood, maintaining your blood volume through drinking also enables your heart to deliver more oxygen per contraction, so you perform better than you can if you allow your body to become too dehydrated.

Try pre-cooling. Research has shown that athletes perform better in hot environments when they cool their bodies beforehand. Pre-cooling doesn't make a huge difference, but if you want to gain a little bit of performance in important workouts that must be done in the heat, turn your air conditioning down low or spend time in a cool bath before you head out the door.

Also, for those of you doing long distance training (Ironman), I would route my rides and or runs around an ice cold spring (Wacissa) or even a lake. Midway on my ride or run, I'd stop to cool off my body. During our very warm summers in Florida, nothing felt better. I felt fresh to continue my workout.

Coach Jo Curry Experience at the National Training Center

2014-04-02T21:28:00.001-04:00

I attended an Athlete Skills Camp this past February in Clermont, FL at the National Training Center. The camp was put on by Tri Endurance Solutions. USAT Level III Coach Shelly Obrien. She is the head coach and presenter. Being a USAT Level 1 Coach I was able to assist and learn from her during this clinic.

Here is a snapshot of my 2 day training camp.

Day 1 Morning- Run Test and Video

1 hour run workout with evaluation of run mechanics. Strength training and conditioning exercises geared to triathletes

Swim Test and Video

2 hour workout in swimming pool with video-taping of stroke mechanics and evaluation.

Sports Psychology

During this discussion Shelly spoke about what Mental Skills Training consists of and the purpose of Mental Skills Training for Triathletes. We assessed our selves using the Psychological Performance Inventory (PPI) Mental Toughness for Sports, By Jim Loehr (see link below)

https://teacherweb.com/MA/HollistonHighSchool/MrBoles/-The-Psychological-Performance-Inventory.doc

Athletes need to have a good mental plan. This plan must contain the following components:

Personal Assessment- refer to the PPI, athletes should take this assessment to see which areas need special attention or has room for improvement.

Competition Goals & Targets- What do you want to accomplish? Are the goals valid? Is your motivation intrinsic (task oriented or performance related) extrinsic (Ego oriented or outcome related)

Imagery/Visualization Proper Environment, Clearing and Relaxation Drills, Effective Script, Ensure Success and Realism, Utilize all Senses, Repetition=Habit, Practice in real time, Remain inside your body, Experience race feel and Trust and enjoy the process.

Self Talk Awareness/Internal Dialogue -Focus on the now not the past or future. Look for something positive, focus on strengths, there will be uncontrollable factors and do not demand perfection of yourself. Have an internal script and mental map of race at hand.

Energy Management Finding the balance between your best and worst performances. Focusing on your Muscle Tension, Heart Rate, Breathing and Anxiety. Rate these from Low to High. When was it too high and how did I feel? When was it too low and how did I feel? What would feel just right & how would I bring that about?

Competition Strategies ABC’s A activating event, B belief about the event, C Consequences of that belief.

For example,
Hot and humid=I suck in the heat=Poor Performance Or
Hot and Humid= I have trained in the heat and can manage it=Good Performance

Assessment of Process Effectiveness During your best performance evaluate yourself and answer these questions: What did you do before and during it? How did you feel before and during it? What did your sense tell you? What was in your mind’s eye? What are you thinking?

Afternoon -Run Video Review

Reviewed video of all athletes and provided excellent evaluations for each person.

Run Specific Strength and Skill Work

2 hours of strength training and skill work. The exercises were demonstrated and then performed by the athletes.

Day 2 Nutritional Strategies

Main focus was on the importance of water. 75% of people in America are chronically dehydrated. Water should be preferably cold—it is absorbed into the system more quickly than warm water and some evidence suggests that drinking cold water actually helps burn calories. Here is a formula to know how much water you should be drinking daily.

Take you body weight, divide by 2 and that is the number of ounces of water you should drink daily (1once equals 2 tablespoons).

During exercise 4-6oz/20min with 400ml of sodium. Objectives covered during nutrition were: Metabolic Efficiency, Stabilize Blood Sugar, Minimize GI distress and to maximize windows of opportunity for nutrient and energy absorption. See Race Day Meal Guidelines below.

Swim Video Review

Reviewed video of all athletes and provided excellent evaluations for each person.

Swim Training

2 hours of swim drills. The drills used were focused on breathing and body position in the water.

Exercise Physiology

Karl Riecken USAT Level II Coach talked to us about exercise physiology and took us on a tour of the National Training Center.

Triathlon Specific Strength Training

2 hours of exercises for triathlon strength training. Some of the exercises we did were: Head rolls, Hip rotations, Leg swing and lateral, Calf stretch, and Runners lunge.

I truly enjoyed working with Shelly Obrien at this camp. She shared some valuable insights as a USAT Level III Coach. I would recommend this camp to anyone wanting to improve and be able to race at his or her true potential.

* Pre-Race Day Meal Guidelines*

Competition Challenges of the High Performance TriathletesMonique Ryan, MS, RD

Competition Nutrition for Sprint and Olympic Distance Triathlon

Sprint Distance

Taper and consume adequate carbohydrates 24 hours before the race
Hydrate continually 48 hours before the race
Consume a high carbohydrate pre-race meal 2 to 3 hours prior to start time
Consume fluids from a sports drink leading up to the race
Drink 20 to 32 ounces of fluid every hour on the bike
Keep up with fluid needs as much as possible during the run

Olympic Distance

Tape and consume adequate carbohydrates 48 hours prior to the race
Hydrate continually 48 hours prior to the race
Consume a high carbohydrate pre-race meal providing 1 gm of carbohydrate per pound of weight 2 to 3 hours before start time
Increase salt intake 48 hours prior to the race if it will take place in hot and humid conditions
Consume fluids such as a sports drink in the hours leading up to the race
Consume 20 to 32 ounces of fluid every hour on the bike and consume carbohydrate gels with water if desired
Stop at aid stations for water to maintain fluid intake and minimize fluid losses

Ironman Pre-Race Nutrition Strategies: The Week Before the Race

Timing Nutrition Strategies

2 to 7 days prior to competition * Consume your regular training diet or decrease portions slightly to compensate for training taper

* Maintain at least 3 gm carbohydrate per pound of weight

* Adequate intake of fluids

* Increase intake of salt and salty foods

48 hours prior to competition * Load with 4 to 5 gm of carbohydrates per pound of weight

* Emphasize low-fiber foods and carbohydrate containing

fluids

* Consume adequate amounts fluid and sodium

Night Before * Emphasize low fiber carbohydrates

* Consume easily digested protein as desired

* Avoid high fiber foods

* Consume an evening snack if desired

* Drink plenty of fluids

Morning of Race * 2-3 hours prior consume 1 gm carbohydrate per pound weight

* Have easily digested carbohydrates

* Consume carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage for carbohydrate and fluids

2014 Racing Season is Upon Us

2014-03-29T14:09:00.003-04:00

Triattic has been to a number of running races, a chilly sprint triathlon and one duathlon already this year but 2014 is about to launch!

The team season opener is at Red Hills Triathlon next Saturday, April 5th at Maclay Gardens State Park. Rumor has it Coach Charlie Johnson will be blazin (come see to find out what that means)!

Red Hills Triathlon Website
Race Information

Date:
April 5th, 2014 at 7:30am

Location:
Maclay Gardens State Park
3540 Thomasville Road
Tallahassee, FL 32309

Distance:

Swim 0.33mi

Bike 16 mi

Run 3.1 mi

Here are some key pointers to remember when heading into Red Hills for the first timers to the experienced athletes.

Planning for Red Hills

- Planning is the key to success in Triathlon

- The more you plan the less you need to do and figure out during the race

- Simplicity is crucial in planning transition for a sprint triathlon

- Make a list of equipment you need

- Mark all equipment with permanent marker

Equipment setup

- Plan the arrangement of your equipment in order of use

Equipment selection

Swim:

- Choose goggles designed for outdoor use

- Know whether or not swimming into morning sun, choose tinted goggles for those conditions, if it is overcast or dark water choose clear lenses

- Ensure to have a proper fitting wetsuit

- Use plastic bags to help get wetsuits on

- Lube around ankles, neck, and wrist - for long sleeve

- For rough swims or worry of loosing goggles – place goggles under cap

- Triathlon clothing should be worn for all three disciplines, choose something that is comfortable, non-chafing, and can be worn from start to finish without discomfort

- Safety pin ankle strap with timing chip to prevent from loosing in swim

Bike:

- Triathlon specific shoes are most helpful (one or two Velcro straps)

- Select a good fitting, approved helmet that can be buckled easily

- Buckle your helmet before touching the bike

- Keep helmet fastened during entire duration of bike until it is remounted in transition

- Make sure to have bike set in an easy gear (leaving the parking lot is uphill)

- Reset and have bike computer turned on

Run:

- Replace shoelaces with elastic laces or lace locks for quickness on slipping on

- Running hat or visor may be helpful

- Race belt

The Transition Spot

- Each race venue is different

- Know the different specifics of each race you plan to do in terms of transition

- After finding spot, become familiar with finish of swim, entrance to T1, bike-out, bike-in to T2, and run out. Do a pre-race walk through of T1 & T2

- If spots are not pre-assigned choose a spot that minimizes congestion and overall distance of travel within transition

- Take as little as space as possible for courtesy to others

- Use bright colored towel to help find spot

- Know location of mount and dismount line

- Athletes must mount after crossing the mount line

- Athletes must dismount before crossing the dismount like

Specific Tips

- Beginners Athletes: Have a fun, comfortable, and safe race. Don’t stress about speeding through transition. That may mean putting on a pair or socks or walking transition.

- Intermediate Athletes: Weigh the pros and cons between comfort and speed and luxury and necessity.

- Advances Athletes: Rid yourselves of all but the most essential and fast equipment

RACE DAY LIST

Pre-Race:

□ Bike pump

□ Warm-up clothes

□ Extra bottle fluid (water, Gatorade, etc…)

□ Light snack (banana, GU, etc…)

□ Sunscreen

□ Toilet paper

□ USAT membership card

□ ID

□ Flashlight/headlamp

□ Watch (make sure to have it charged)

Swim:

□ Swim suit or Tri gear

□ Goggles

□ Swim Cap (provided by race)

□ Extra goggles

□ Body Glide

□ Wetsuit (if needed)

□ Plastic bags (for getting wetsuit on)

□ Baby Shampoo (anti-fog for goggles)

□ Towel (for transition set up)

Bike:

□ Bike

□ Helmet

□ Bike shoes

□ Socks

□ Bike Bottles (water, Gatorade, etc)

□ Nutrition

□ Repair kit (spare tube, CO2, tire levers)

□ Sunglasses

Run:

□ Running shoes

□ Visor/hat

□ Race Belt

Post Race:

□ Change of clothes

□ Sandals

□ Recovery snack

□ Cash

□ Folding Chairs

□ Extra Towel

□ Cooler J

Just in Case (Extras):

□ Rain gear

□ Tools for bike

□ Band-Aids

□ Safety Pins

***Don’t try anything new (equipment/technique/nutrition) for the first time on race day!

Bike Drills

2014-02-28T22:45:00.000-05:00

There are many ways to get better on the bike. This can include putting in lots of time in the saddle, taking on really high intensity workouts and even investing time in the gym building muscular strength. But throughout all of this, working on drills is very important. This is also the case for swimming and running or any sport for that matter.

I always love to reference basketball as a sport where you truly get out of it what you put in. When we see an athlete such as Michael Jordan (the greatest athlete of all time in my humble opinion) flawlessly sink a game winning jump shot as the clock hits zero, there were countless solitary hours of drills in preparation for that pivotal moment. He stood at the free throw line taking shot after shot. Orienting the grooves of the basketball just right, snapping the wrist just right, releasing the ball at just the right moment, ensuring his follow through on every shot......and then doing it a thousand more times.

In the same way, bike drills are never complete. They are honed and honed to be as sharp as possible. These can include spin-ups, isolated leg drills (ILD), hill simulation through hard gears and standing, and many more. The three aforementioned drills will be briefly discussed in this article.

SPIN-UPS
High cadence is something many beginning cyclists have a hard time with. And what is considered "high cadence" is a conversation all on its own. From a triathlete's perspective, I've always heard a common goal of average cadence to be somewhere around 90 rpm. Many beginning cyclists and triathletes will often be around 60 to 70 rpm. Some of the top cyclists in the world can hold over 110 rpm on an average. In the world of triathlon, holding a higher cadence can often avoid burning out the legs and save them for the run. I saw what I consider a good explanation of how to reach proper cadence when an online article stated "if your lungs hurt, push bigger gears. If your legs hurt, spin faster. If they both hurt, you're doing it right." Many times, people pushing hard gears at a low cadence complain of not being able to raise their heart rate. Then some spin so fast that they raise their heart rate, but they don't generate the speed and power they'd hoped for and don't work their legs like they should.

All of that being said, working in spans of high spinning can really allow one to work on adjusting their legs to high cadence and create muscle memory in some sense. At the same time, when spinning high cadence, it can really expose sloppy form.

Typical spin up sets I like to use include 10 x (15 seconds at 120+ rpm then 45 seconds recovery at 90 rpm), then 1 minute easy, then 10 x (30 seconds at 110+ rpm then 30 seconds recovery at 90 rpm). Another approach can be to spin up as fast as you can until you start bouncing on your bike seat, then back it off just below that to where you stay steady on the bike seat.

If a cyclist consistently practices spin-up drills (2 times per week is great), their legs and body will become more and more accustomed to the high cadence and it will become subliminal. In other words, the cyclist won't think about holding 90 rpm, their body will simply know what that is and what it feels like, and the body will WANT to feel like that to be most comfortable.

ISOLATED LEG DRILLS (ILD)
Many times, we don't notice the inefficiencies in our pedal stroke, because we are using two legs and while one leg is slacking, the other takes up that slack so that we don't notice it. But when you make each leg work on its own, it quickly becomes apparent where the problems are. Clipped in pedals and shoes are necessary to get the most out of this drill. Bike cages can work, but nowhere nearly as good. These drills can be done on the road, but it is strongly suggested these be done on a trainer for safety purposes. One you don't have to worry about balance and, two, you don't have to worry about swerving in front of a vehicle.

Typical ILD sets I use include 10 x (30 seconds left leg, 30 seconds both legs, 30 seconds right leg, 30 seconds both legs). It also can be increased to 1 minute spans for each leg, but this can be tough for beginners. For starters, set it on a very easy gear so as not to feel impossible or possibly strain your leg muscles.

When having only one leg on the pedal, the other leg can rest on the side of the trainer to which the back wheel is connected. This is where the inefficiencies are truly exposed. If you hear a clanking noise, you will realize that your pedal stroke is not so smooth. You may not be lifting your knee enough or lifting it too much to where your stroke is more of a square shape than the goal of an oval shape. It also exposes if you are pointing your toes downward too much. Over time, it will become easier and easier to avoid the clanking until it is a smooth stroke throughout.

And as this becomes more and more mastered, it is worthy of attempting ILD with harder and harder gears.

HILL SIMULATION
This is the "fun" one. High cadence is not always an option. Many of us train on courses and compete in races which have plenty of hills. And when we start climbing against that wonderful element we call "gravity", our cadence naturally slows down and we start switching towards the easier gears. And when the hills hit a certain steepness, we start standing. That is the point in the race for triathletes where the goal pace on the upcoming run portion starts to be rethought.

So simulation of these hills on a trainer can go a long way in preparing us for these situations. Much opposite to what we do with our gears when climbing a steep hill, the trick is to flip to the harder gears on the trainer. I like to train with a 12 lb fly wheel attached to the trainer to make the tension higher and better simulate the resistance of uphill climbing.

So flip the gears to the hardest you can stand and attempt standing for spans of anywhere from 1 minute to 5. This is again something that the length of standing can increase as one gets better at it. There are some great Spinervals videos out there worthy of viewing. Two of my favorites are titled "7.0 The Uphill Grind" and "11.0 Big Gear Strength". They hurt.

A great way of combining high cadence and hill work is by flipping to the hardest gears and standing on a hill climb. Let's say you go three minutes climbing a hill while standing. Well, for pretty much every uphill, you are going to hit a backside with a downhill. So at the end of the 3 minutes standing, quickly flip your gears to very easy and hammer it as if you are descending a hill. The combination of these will force you to consider if you are keeping a smooth, controlled pedal stroke whether low or high cadence.

You can be the strongest person in the world, but if you are grinding the gears at unnecessary angles, you are simply wasting energy that doesn't need to be wasted. Pushing down or pulling up at the wrong time in your pedal stroke is like pushing against a concrete wall - it really isn't going to get you anywhere fast.

So consistently putting in the time on these drills and others week in and week out, month in and month out, year in and year out will pay big dividends when you take your cycling to the road and to the races. As is my favorite saying, "Consistency is everything."

So just like Michael Jordan nailing a game winning shot without even thinking about it, you can hammer the bike while holding flawless form without even thinking about it. The only thing you will be thinking about is how great it just felt to pass that other cyclist and how full of energy your legs are as you set off on your run.

Happy Training!

TT or Time Trial, what is it?

2014-02-24T12:33:00.002-05:00

If you have been in the endurance world long enough at some point you have heard of a Time Trial (TT).

What are they used for and why should you do them?

Time Trials are used to set zones for training purposes and are also used for judging progress.

Different types of Zones:

Heart Rate
Pace
Power

The most common Time Trail is a 30-min Time Trial for both the bike and run. In the pool, the most common is a 1000 yd/m TT.

Example 30-min Run Time Trial:

WU: 5-min walk, 10-min @ easy/mod pace, DWU, 4 x 20-sec strides and then build 5-min to 10K pace.
MS: Run for 30 min as hard as you can - don't go out too fast.
10-min into the run, hit your 'Lap' button so you record the average HR and distance over the last 20-min. Record the time and distance for the 20-min.
CD: 5-10 min run/walk.

Example 30-min Bike Time Trial:

WU: 20-30 mins building to moderate effort.
MS: Then ride a 30 minute time trial. Maximal effort. Use a flat course. 10 minutes into the time trial push the lap button on your device. Afterwards, record your average heart rate for the last 20 minutes. Also record distance covered or average speed.
CD: 30 mins easy spin @ 90rpm.

Okay now you have an example of a type of Time Trial you can do. What do you do with the numbers?

Ave HR for the last 20-min is a good estimate of Lactate Threshold Heart Rate.
For Pace and Power the total average over the entire 30-min is a good estimate for Functional Threshold Pace/Power.

Run HR Zones
Zone 1 Less than 85% of LTHR
Zone 2 85% to 89% of LTHR
Zone 3 90% to 94% of LTHR
Zone 4 95% to 99% of LTHR
Zone 5a 100% to 102% of LTHR
Zone 5b 103% to 106% of LTHR
Zone 5c More than 106% of LTHR

For an example: This is a link to my data file for a Run TT - CLICK HERE

From this data: 20-min Ave HR = 182 and 30-min Ave Pace = 8:04/mile

LTHR = 182 and FTP = 8:04

So for HR Zone 2 = 182 * .85 = 155, 182 *.89 = 162. My Zone 2 HR is the (155 - 162 HR).

Pace Zones

Zone 1 Slower than 129% of FTPa
Zone 2 114% to 129% of FTPa
Zone 3 106% to 113% of FTPa
Zone 4 99% to 105% of FTPa
Zone 5a 97% to 100% of FTPa
Zone 5b 90% to 96% of FTPa
Zone 5c Faster than 90% of FTPa

So for Pace Zone 3 we first need to convert 8:04 into a tenths of seconds.

4/60 = .07 so 8:04 = 8.07

Pace Zone 3 = 8.07 * 1.06 = 8.55, 8.07 * 1.13 = 9.12

We have to convert tenths back to seconds - .55*60 = 33, .12*60 = 7

My Zone 3 Pace is (8:33 - 9:07/mile).

Finding HR zones on the bike are calculated the same as the run but the percentages of HR are slightly different.

Bike HR Zones
Zone 1 Less than 81% of LTHR
Zone 2 81% to 89% of LTHR
Zone 3 90% to 93% of LTHR
Zone 4 94% to 99% of LTHR
Zone 5a 100% to 102% of LTHR
Zone 5b 103% to 106% of LTHR
Zone 5c More than 106% of LTHR

Bike Power Zones

Zone 1 Less than 55% of FTPw
Zone 2 55% to 74% of FTPw
Zone 3 75% to 89% of FTPw
Zone 4 90% to 104% of FTPw
Zone 5 105% to 120% of FTPw
Zone 6 More than 120% of FTPw

Things to consider before you do a TT, how and when to do a TT are very important.

Experienced and endurance athletes = every 6-12 weeks
Novice athletes = more frequently. This is because LTHR changes quite rapidly.
Should be done when recovered (during recovery week), testing when fatigued does not provide useful information.
Track is best for run
Road for bike with no stop signs, street lights and flat or slightly uphill.

Run and bike HR training zones and FTP are developed by Joe Friel.

Now that you have your numbers using them in a way to gain optimum performance is key.

Skills for Optimum Training and Racing Mindset

2014-02-08T16:32:00.000-05:00

Below are skills that are necessary in order to achieve the optimum training and racing mindset.

1. Consistency
2. Goal and target setting
3. Visualization
4. Internal Dialogue
5. Self confidence
6. Performing under pressure
7. Mental planning

Being consistent takes effort and a considerable amount of time, at first this may seem uncomfortable, hard and very challenging. In order to help succeed at being consistent reward yourself and make sure to have a support network.

Setting goals and target is normally done at the beginning of the season. Remind yourself of your goals throughout the season and work to reach targets that bring you closer and closer to your goals.

Visualization is one of the most power tools to helping gain confidence.

Internal dialogue can affect heart rate, effort, and other physiological process. It is important to understand the difference between action and thoughts. Maintaining a positive thought process can have beneficial effects on performance.

Self-confidence comes from a variety of ways. Progression in fitness, mastering skills, and improvements in performance are all examples, you don't have to win races in order to be confident.

Pressure can come from external forces such as friends and family being at races, race prizes and awards, or it can come from internal forces such as race goals and stress.

Mental planning is the key to racing well. Create competition goals and targets, know your visualizations and self-imagery - focusing on form is a great example. Keep your internal dialogue positive, stay focused, and manage your energy.

Having the optimum mental strategy takes time and patients. Charlie Johnson has reminded a lot of us that, "I have BY FAR learned the most from my worst & toughest races". So with that - remaining positive will take you a long way. If a workout or race doesn't go a planned, learn from your mistakes and let that help you become a stronger athlete.

How to save a GPS file to a Computrainer file in Training Peaks

2014-01-22T09:38:00.000-05:00

1. Log into your Training Peaks Account https://home.trainingpeaks.com/login
2. Open the workout with the GPS you wish to save *This example is Ironman CDA Bike File
3. Click on Map & Graphs

4. Select the single page view
5. Change view to Map

6. Select Options, Create route from this GPS file data
7. Name Route and save as bike
*This example: Ironman CDA Bike File
8. Route successfully created. You may find it in the "My Routes" library of the "Routes" section on the left side.
9. Close, then Save & Close the workout.

10. Select Routes
11. Select Library, My Routes
12. Select the route you created

13. Select More
14. Select Share & Export

15. Select Export route as:
16. Computrainer Course file (.cps)
or
Computrainer 3D file – BETA (.3dc)

Computrainer file created

* Elevation correction can help smooth out errors in GPS file

** Google elevation is not 100% accurate

What a year 2013 was for Triattic!

2013-12-16T16:19:00.000-05:00

Ironman Augusta 70.3

2013 was a special year for Triattic. First time triathletes, new PR's, first time Ironman athletes and much much more. We had the addition of three USAT Certified coaches, Charlie Johnson, Jo Curry and Stephanie Liles-Weyant. This allowed us to take on more athletes and help more people achieve dreams, goals and aspirations.

Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon:
The year started off with a bang at the Tallahassee Marathon and Half Marathon. Ron and Michelle Harrison finished their first marathon together in a time of 4:33:38 (ahead of goal time!!) and Alison Thumm set a new PR running 26.2 miles in 3:44:37. Laura Register, Natalie Radford, Robby Turner and Melissa Thompson ran the half marathon. Melissa set a new PR and went on to finish 3rd overall female with a time of 1:29:15.

Red Hills Triatlon:
This year Triattic got to host three first timers clinics for Red Hills Triathlon. Many of the coaches and team member were out on some chilly mornings helping more than 30 athletes to the finish line of their first triathlon. Thanks coaches and team for the support at this local event!

Triattic had a total of 29 athletes and coaches compete at Red Hills Triathlon. This is one of the teams largest races of the year. It is a great local event that also serves as a GWTC Grand Prix race. Coaches Charlie and Sandy both took 3rd overall in the perspective genders. We had top five AG finishes from Melissa Thompson, Keith Rowe, Marty Hufstetler, Hilary Joyner, Michelle Harrison, Monica McCullion, Windell Kjono and Bob Keller!

St. Anthony's Triathlon:

This was the 30th anniversary of St. Anthony's Triathlon. It is the USAT Florida Region Championship and HyVee 5150 qualifier. Triattic had 11 athletes, three who were competing in their first Olympic Triathlon. Way to go Ron and Michelle Harrison and Brad Taylor for finishing your first Olympic distance triathlon. Melissa Thompson went on to take 5th place in Female 25-29 with a time of 2:15:58 and qualified for both the USAT Age Group championship and HyVee 5150 Championship.

Over the summer and throughout the year members of the team were seen at Ironman 70.3 New Orleans, Ironman 70.3 Haines City, Ironman Texas, Jacksonvillle Triathlon Series, Beach Blast Triathlon, Ironman Coeur d'Alene, Georgia Veterans Triathlon, Fort Ruckers Triathlon, Chattahoochee Challenge, Tri the Rez, Beaches to Battleship and many more.

Ironman Louisville:

Triattic had two first timers and one coach competing in Ironman Lousiville. First time Ironman athletes were Marty Hufstetler and Tony Roelofs and coach Sandy was taking on her 11th Ironman. Congratulations to Tony and Marty who crossed the finish line together in a time of 12:59:19. Sandy finished in 11:50:53 making this her 7th Ironman finish in one year.

The next BIG "A"race for Triattic was Ironman 70.3 Augusta.

Ironman 70.3 Augusta:

Triattic had 17 athletes compete at Augusta this year, 8 returning athletes, 3 athletes new to the course and 6 first time Ironman 70.3 athletes. That is a total of 1,265.4 miles of racing from one team in one day. About the distance from Florida to New York. Way to go team!

8 returning athletes: Melissa Thompson (PR) - 4:55:11 (5:13:53 - 2012), Wayne Thumm (PR) - (5:26:05 - 2012), Marty Hufstetler (PR) - 5:29:46 (5:41:49 - 2012), Jo Curry (PR) - 5:44:08 (5:57:22 - 2012), Michael Holt - 5:32:24, Al Curry - 6:16:31, Leisa Eastman - 6:20:32, Natalie Radford (PR) - 6:36:42 (7:26:55 - 2012).

3 new to Augusta Course: Morgan Garcia (PR) - 5:05:56, Hilary Joyner (PR) - 5:35:39, Brad Monbarren - 6:56:50

6 First time 70.3 Athletes: Ron Harrison - 5:27:04, Alison Thumm - 5:29:21, John Thompson - 5:47:46, Adrienne Rosenbloom - 5:47:56, Michelle Harrison - 6:03:30, Heidi Baker - 6:57:56

Ironman Florida:
This year at Ironman Florida Triattic had 6 first time athletes toe the starting line and 6 athletes become Ironman!!! Brian Bazinet, Monica McCullion, Leisa Eastman, Hilary Joyner, Natalie Radford, and John Hunt "You are an Ironman"!

Way to go each and every one of you. Training for an Ironman takes commitment and passion and all of you did such a wonderful job during training and it paid off for you on November 2, 2013!

Other Notable achievements this year: Laura Register, Jo and Al Curry - Big Sur International Marathon finishers, Charlie Johnson - Ironman 70.3 World Championship finisher, Melissa Thompson - HyVee 5150 Championship Finisher, Brad Taylor - first time 70.3 finisher, Michelle Dahnke - first time 70.3 finisher, Kelly Garland - NYC Marathon finisher, Robby Turner - Palm Beach Marathon finisher.