FEATURES

Overcoming Fear of Triathlon...

Sunday, 24 March 2019 23:10

By Will Murray (mytimetotri.com)

You don’t have to be super-human to complete a triathlon. That is despite the popular notion. Many people could become triathletes if they could get past their fear of just giving triathlon a try. Let’s clear up the misconceptions and get you started.

I CAN’T (FILL IN THE BLANK: SWIM, BIKE, RUN). 

Truth: there are very few true three-sport athletes who are equally proficient at the swim, the bike and the run. Almost everyone has one discipline that isn’t their favorite, because it isn’t their strongest. So, during the race it evens out. Solid in one discipline, a little less in another. Most of us are in that situation. Some say, train to your weakness, but race to your strength. If you don’t yet know how to swim well, this is your chance to learn a new sport while keeping up with your cycling or running. Who knows? You might really learn to love it. Here’s a mental skill exercise for learning how to do that. And, there are other multisport events in addition to triathlon: duathlons have a run-bike-run format, and aquabikes a swim-bike format. ...

Did Gaby Deserve More?

Tuesday, 05 March 2019 23:10

A few days ago, USAT posted their 2018 Athletes of the Year. We were happy to see that Minnesota's GABY BUNTEN received an Open Honorable Mention. Very well deserved.

A great case, we believe, can be made for Gaby winning not only the Open AOY, but the overall AOY, as well. Before we talk about that, we'll mention that in the last two years, and in 2000, USAT decided to name a Master or a Grand Master as the overall Athlete of the Year. We understand and appreciate this....

Gaby Earns USAT AOY HM!

Monday, 04 March 2019 23:10

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — USA Triathlon today announced its roster of 2018 Age-Group Triathletes of the Year, as selected by USA Triathlon’s Age Group Committee. Headlining the talented group are Justin Lippert (Middletown, N.J.) and Missy LeStrange (Visalia, Calif.), who were named men’s and women’s Overall Age-Group Triathletes of the Year, respectively.

Lippert had a breakout 2018 season in which he became a three-time overall national champion. He swept the men’s sprint- and Olympic-distance titles at the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships in Cleveland, and three months later grabbed the overall USA Triathlon Long Course National Championships victory in Miami. Lippert also founded Full Send Triathlon, a team of like-minded young athletes from across the country, during the 2018 season — an accomplishment he counts as the highlight of his season.

Important Stuff About Fatigue...

Friday, 22 February 2019 23:10

By Benjamin A. Hassan usatriathlon.org)

“I train regularly for triathlon. Why am I so tired?”
 
Fatigue occurs in triathletes. Endurance athletes are often driven in many aspects of their lives, including their athletic training and competition. They expect to have more energy than others, not less. Fatigue is not welcome.
 
Every now and then, the energy is simply not there. “Fatigue” can appear in triathletes as a loss of vigor for training, a change in our heart rate with training and racing, the need for more sleep, loss of motivation for our sport or for other things in life, sleepiness, or simply feeling drained or down all day.
 
My medical approach for evaluation of fatigue in triathletes is similar to the medical approach to fatigue for I perform for any adult or child. I start by taking a good history that includes focused questions and listening to the specific responses. Often the responses provide clues to the etiology of the fatigue. Is there a sleep issue? Is the athlete feeling ill? Is there significant new home or work stress? Is there a new baby? Are there additional symptoms that indicate a medical illness? Is there blood loss or other suggestions of anemia? Physical examination and additional testing, such as blood work when indicated, provides further data to help determine the cause of fatigue....

Top 10 Newbie Fears...

Thursday, 14 February 2019 23:10

By David Mills (newtotri.com)

1.    What if I can barely even swim 2 laps?
     The swim is simply the bouncer that stands at the triathlon doors to keep the riff-raff out.  If it weren’t for the swim, there would probably be about a million more triathletes than there are today.  And that’s the whole point of a bouncer right?  To keep the party exclusive; to keep it respectable.  The truth is, swimming is coordination.  It’s like patting your head and rubbing your belly at the same time.  Anyone in the world can do it.  You just have to practice it a little.  With even a kindling of desire to become a triathlete, anyone can acquire the necessary coordination to kick, stroke, and breathe in a coordinated rhythm with a few trips to the local YMCA.  Don’t let the swim intimidate you.  But don’t expect it to come easily your first time in the pool.  Just stick with it and don’t get discouraged; before you know it, it will “click” and you’ll be swimming laps no problem....