2008-04 Triathlete

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55 TOP TRIATHLON BIKES GEAR >> TRAINING >>

THE LAT EST BUZ ZA B R A C E S C E N E > > L I F E S T YOLUET

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“WHEN YOU GET HURT AND ALL YOUR SACRIFICE ADDS UP TO NOTHING… ARE YOU WILLING TO PUT IT ALL ON THE LINE AGAIN?” -CONRAD STOLTZ

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MASTERS OF VISION VISIONARIES>CONRAD STOLTZ - TRIATHLON

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CONTENTS No. 288

APRIL 2008

TRAINING LAB RABBIT | 215 B Y M AT T F I T Z G E R A L D

LANE LINES | 220

BY ABBY RUBY

THE BIG RING | 222 B Y L A N C E WAT S O N AND ALISTER RUSSELL

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ON THE RUN | 224 B Y M AT T F I T Z G E R A L D

SPEED LAB | 228

BY TIM MICKLEBOROUGH

TECH SUPPORT | 230

BY IAN BUCHANAN

NUTRITION | 241 B Y P I P TAY L O R

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DEAR COACH | 244 B Y R O C H F R E Y & PA U L H U D D L E

TRAINING FEATURE | 251

BY MARK ALLEN

DEPARTMENTS FIRST WAVE “ATTENTION TO DETAIL”

| 18 | 20

STARTING LINES | 22 B Y M I T C H T H R OW E R

EDITOR’S NOTE | 24

BY BRAD CULP

MAIL CALL | 26 CHECKING IN | 30 News analysis; IndusTri; Medically speaking; Training tip; Reality check; 70.3 series; Review; Selection; Beijing countdown; Gatorade athlete; Industry profile; Cadence Kona Challenge; NA Sports; College scene; Travel talk; Looking back

AT THE RACES | 268 6

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XTERRA ZONE | 256 B Y K A H U N A D AV E N I C H O L A S

TRIATHLETE’S GARAGE | 258

BY THE EDITORS

CUTTING EDGE | 262 B Y T. J . M U R P H Y

GEAR BAG | 266

BY BRAD CULP

RACE CALENDAR | 276 TINLEY TALKS | 288

BY SCOTT TINLEY COVER: CHRIS LIETO PHOTO BY JOHN SEGESTA

B Y D U S T I N B R A DY

“TESTING, TESTING...”

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COLUMNS

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Equinox TTX 9.9 SSL K_\ ]Xjk\jk Y`b\ fe k_\ Z`iZl`k aljk ^fk c`^_k\i# e\Xicp *''^ c`^_k\i#! k_Xebj kf X n`ee`e^ ZfdY`eXk`fe f] Ki\bËj \oZclj`m\ F:CM I\[ :XiYfe Xe[ ]iXd\ Ôkk`e^j k_Xk _Xm\ Y\\e [i`cc\[$flk Xe[ ki`dd\[$[fne kf jXm\ n\`^_k% K_\ ifZb\k j_`g f] Z_f`Z\ ]fi K\Xd 8jkXeX# <hl`efoËj jkXYc\ Xe[ YXcXeZ\[ ki`$jg\Z`ÔZ ^\fd\kip c\kj i`[\ij c`b\ C\m` C\`g_\`d\i j\kkc\ `e Xe[ _`k k_\ k_iljk\ij n`k_ ZfeÔ[\eZ\% ?Xe[dX[\ fe\ Xk X k`d\ `e k_\ LJ8% 8mX`cXYc\ efn Xk pfli cfZXc Ki\b [\Xc\i%

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THE NEW LOOK OF VICTORY.

READY FOR TAKE OFF

TEAM: ASTANA RIDER: LEVI LEIPHEIMER BIKE: EQUINOX TTX 9.9 SSL TREKBIKES.COM | © 2008 TREK BICYCLE CORPORATION

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photo: wahoomedia.com/segesta

2007 Ford Ironman World Champion Chris McCormack

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Since our first product introduction in 1988 our focus has been to develop components that help athletes do more with a slice of time than they ever thought possible.

Does that add up to better performance? Just ask world champion Chris McCormack. Or ask the hundreds of athletes who made Profile Design the most clutched aerobars in the 2007 Ironman World Triathlon Championships in Kona, Hawaii.

YOU ARE THE SUM OF YOUR PARTS.

Sonic CSX Aerobar – 352g One-piece carbon fiber armrest and extension. Low, aggressive hand position.

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The Sonic CSX / Cobra wing / Cobra stem / QSC brakes, carbon build.

Comfortable, stiff and one of the lightest aerobar setups available at 783 grams complete. Sometimes the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts.

Cobra S Stem – 130g Carbon fiber wrapped, forged 7075-T6 aluminum construction.

Quick-Stop Carbon Brakes – 110g Carbon fiber, ergonomic design.

Internal cable exit.

World-class components since 1988. www.profile-design.com

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速

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CONTENTS No. 288

APRIL 2008

FEATURES

2008 BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE | 60 We round up all the data on the top rides to help you navigate the tri-bike landscape

BY THE EDITORS

10 QUESTIONS WITH LISBETH KENYON | 162 The world’s fastest age-group Ironwoman has raised the bar

BY REBECCA ROOZEN

USE AS DIRECTED | 166

Triathlete’s 2008 guide to the top nutritional supplements for triathletes

SPRING TRAINING | 180 Our round up of what you’ll have on your feet in the coming months

ON THE COVER 5 SPEED SESSIONS FOR THE BIKE | 251

55 TOP TRI BIKES FOR 2008 | 60 3 SWIM WORKOUTS TO PERFECT YOUR RACE STARTS | 220 CAN YOU GET MORE FROM YOUR HIGH-TECH GO-FAST TOYS? | 224 CHRONIC FATIGUE: THE DARK SIDE OF THE SPORT | 228 THE LATEST BUZZ ABOUT CAFFEINE | 241

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FIRST WAVE

Attention to detail

By Dustin Brady At Shimanoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wheel-building factory in Pekan Nanas, Malaysia, a worker catalogues the spoke tension of a Dura Ace wheel. Every nuance of the finished product is recorded, so any wheel can be traced back to its date of assembly, batch of materials and even every worker who laid a hand on it.

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FIRST WAVE

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Testing, testing . . .

Ever wondered what goes into industry-leading aero bikes? The finest engineers in cycling from Cannondale, Specialized, Felt, Cervelo and Trek provide us a look at the depth of the behind-thescenes sketchwork, wind-tunnel testing protocol and fluid-dynamic computer-program prototyping it takes to create truly aero triathlon bikes. The testing helps determine not only how wind moves around the bike but also how the body interacts with wind flow on the frame. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all in the interest of getting you to T2 that little bit faster.

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STARTING LINES No.288 • April 2008

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

Publisher John Duke Associate Publisher Heather Gordon VP, Sales & Marketing Sean Watkins

The sandbagger

You know who you are. You’re training at midnight when no one can see you go on your long runs. You tell people you’re at a meeting when you’re actually out on your bike, and you hope you don’t get in a crash, not because you don’t want to get injured but because you don’t want to get caught by your boss or significant other. You’re a triathlete from top to bottom, but you know your time commitment to training might make other people think you are nuts. There is no way non-triathletes could understand the energy and confidence you gain from this sport.

Now, you might expect me to confess to being a sandbagger. As I approach another birthday, one of my long-time friends called me up and asked me in a conspiratorial whisper, “Mitch, we’ve been wondering for a long time. How do you go back to Kona almost every year and crank out a solid finish—with no training? The rest of us train our brains out just to survive the lava fields.”

When I heard that, my first impulse was to spill the beans about my late-night runs, the runs around large airports, the rides I took on rented or borrowed bikes between planes, making sure there was a pool and a gym everywhere I traveled. To tell him not to worry—that if I was prevented from a scheduled triathlon workout I’d make up for it by dancing into the wee hours, helping a friend move, taking long hikes, windsurfing between business meetings or seeing how many pushups and sit-ups I could do while waiting out a download or a response to an IM. To tell my good friend that I actually do show up to races really well trained, but that no one thinks I’ve been training.

I remember the bike store that kept my bike from Ironman Hawaii in the box, until 10 months later I called them and said I needed my bike ready for Ironman Canada. They all thought me mad. Perhaps I was a bit mad to ratchet up training so quickly, but I knew I’d put my time in. So yes, there have been times when work, romance, writing and travel have stepped to the front of the line, and I’m okay with those breaks. Our priority lists are constantly changing, as they should be.

Then I thought about my friend’s question a little longer. Should I admit it? Say yes, I’m a sandbagger because I do train despite rumors that I don’t. I love to bike, run and swim. Staying fit will always be a priority in different chapters, in different calibers, of my life. And yes, I’ve even trained my heart out and spent entire summers devoted to training. Ironically enough, however, when I trained the entire summer for Ironman my time was almost the same as when Train Smart, I trained far less.

When friends ask you about your training, don’t tell them, don’t explain. There are far too few mysteries in life.

Mitch Thrower Just leave people to wonder. Sandbags work. mthrower@triathletemag.com 22

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Editor-in-Chief T.J. Murphy, tjmurphy@triathletemag.com Managing Editor/Interactive Brand Manager Cameron Elford, cam@triathletemag.com Senior Editor Jay Prasuhn, jay@triathletemag.com Assistant Managing Editor Rebecca Roozen, rebecca@triathletemag.com Photo Editor John Segesta, johns@triathletemag.com Associate & Interactive Editor Brad Culp, brad@triathletemag.com International Editor Shane Smith, shane@triathletemag.com Graphic Designer Oliver Baker, oliver@triathletemag.com Contributing Writers Matt Fitzgerald, Roch Frey, Paul Huddle, Tim Mickleborough, Scott Tinleyf Contributing Photographers Delly Carr Robert Murphy Medical Advisory Board Jordan Metzl, M.D., Krishna Polu, M.D., Jeff Sankoff, M.D. Production/Circulation Manager Heather Gordon, heather@triathletemag.com Customer Service Linda Marlowe Senior Account Executive Sean Watkins, Cycling & Events seanw@triathletemag.com Senior Account Executive Lisa Bilotti, Nutrition, Apparel, Footwear & Auto lisab@triathletemag.com Marketplace Sales Laura Agcaoili, laura@triathletemag.com Office Assistant Shannon Frank, shannon@triathletemag.com Accounting Vicky Trapp vicky@triathletemag.com A publication of the Competitor Group Chairman David Moross President & CEO Peter Englehart Triathlete Magazine Offices 328 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 100, Encinitas, CA 92024 Phone: (760) 634-4100; Fax: (760) 634-4110 www.triathletemag.com Attention Retailers: To carry Triathlete in your store, call Retail Vision: (800) 381-1288 SUBSCRIPTIONS: Your satisfaction is important to us. For questions regarding your subscription call (800) 441-1666 or (760) 291-1562. Or, write to: Triathlete, P.O. Box 469055, Escondido, CA 92046. Or, e-mail: subs@triathletemag.com.

Back Issues available for $8 each. Send a check to Triathlete Magazine Back Issues, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Ste. 100, Encinitas, CA 92024 and specify issues requested, or visit www.triathletemag.com.

Publication Mail Agreement #40683563. Canadian mail distribution information: Express Messenger International, P.O. Box 25058, London BRC, Ontario, Canada N6C 6A8 Submission of material must carry the authors’/ photographers’ guarantees that the material may be published without additional approval and that it does not infringe upon the rights of others. No responsibility is assumed for loss or damage to unsolicited manuscripts, art work or photographs. All editorial contributions should be accompanied by self-addressed, stamped envelopes. Printed in the USA.

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EDITOR’S NOTE LOOK FOR US SOON AT A RACE NEAR YOU!

TEAM ZOOT GU 2008 noun 1. The collaborative effort of two original, leading brands to support 300 age-group athletes across the country.

GU | g o o | noun 1. The original, and still the best performance sports energy gel.

ZOOT | z o o t | noun 1. The original, and still the #1 triathlon brand in the US.

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aerobars famous en route to winning the Tour de France and Dan Empfield created the first triathlon-specific bike.

In the 19 years since the first tri bike was unveiled, a wattsaving frenzy has swept through the multisport world, and the gear displayed on these pages is the result of countless hours in the tunnel and sleepless nights in front of the computer. Zipp decided a disc wheel wasn’t sleek enough, so they took it upon themselves to dimple every square millimeter of their wheels. They even went so far as to dimple the hubs of their wheels and the sidewalls of their tires. Blackwell Research guru John Cobb felt a cylindrical hub didn’t do an aero wheel justice, so he flattened the hub and saved athletes another pair of watts. Jamis didn’t like the way air flowed off of a front brake, so they shrouded the entire caliper with their fork. The use of a stem didn’t seem to make sense to engineers at Argon 18, so they got rid of it all together to reduce a bit of frontal drag. Bontrager realized that, while water bottles are necessary, they certainly don’t help aerodynamics, so they flattened out their bottle and, of course, gave it dimples too.

So take the time to flip through the pages of our Bike Buyer’s Guide and marvel at the aerodynamic advantages that you’ll just have to get your hands on.

Who knows, maybe 25 years down the road I’ll be penning a nostalgic editor’s note about how carbon fiber was once considered high-tech, but for now I think it’s pretty damn hot.

The watt-reducing revolution

By Brad Culp

I

In the following pages you’ll find our annual Bike Buyer’s Guide, which in my opinion is our sexiest issue of the year (yes, even more so than the Swimsuit Issue). Among the images of ultra-aero bikes and top-dollar components, you’ll find proof of our industry’s commitment to excellence. Perhaps only the aerospace industry spends more time in wind tunnels, with bike engineers fine-tuning their gear to give you the gift of precious minutes and seconds.

According to Wikipedia, the first commercially sold bikes hit the streets of Paris in 1818. Since, at the time, carbon fiber was still a century-and-a-half away, these bikes were made with wooden frames (very poor lateral rigidity) and actually didn’t have a drive train. Instead of pedaling, the rider kicked the bike down the side of the road with his feet. It was basically a really efficient mode of running.

Over the next two centuries, bike builders made considerable advances in technology, and equipment that was once considered high-tech, like steel frames, quickly became outdated with the introduction of lightweight alloys and carbon fiber. I was only 4 years old in 1989, but our more “experienced” editors assure me that was the year in which aerodynamics became the primary concern of the industry. It was then that Greg LeMond made 24

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John Segesta Photography

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THE LEADER IN POWER

FOR TRIATHLON Train optimally with best-in-class CycleOpsTM Power products featuring PowerTap Technology. Available in a full range of tri-specific solutions designed to help you achieve peak performance.

Zipp Disc with PowerTapTM SL 2.4 The world’s first ever disc wheels with integrated wireless power measurement.

PowerTapTM SL 2.4 The world’s leading power meter.

Wireless and available in multiple race wheel options.

PowerAgent 7.1 The power to turn training data into a competitive advantage. Now for Windows or Mac.

Training as therapy

I felt inspired to write in response to Steve Heritage’s essay regarding overcoming obstacles on the way to becoming a triathlete (Checking In, February 2008).

I, too, have suffered from depression and have often felt like I was trying to claw my way out of a deep well. One thing that has always gotten me through the tough times has been training for triathlons. Even when I am in the throes of the disease, I know that going for a run, swim or bike will lift my spirits enough to get me through the day. In many ways training is my therapy. I have been through traditional counseling and drug therapy to combat depression and finally feel like I am on the road toward long-term peace. But I wouldn’t be where I am today without the constant reassurance that training and racing has given me. I feel strong when I am working out, and that strength, coupled with the endorphins flying through my system, is a gift I am lucky to have been given.

Sincerely, Juliet Oliver Pittsburgh, Penn.

Dare we say . . . more on the M-Dot

Visit CycleOps.com to find a CycleOpsTM Power retailer near you.

I am writing in response to the various letters printed in the magazine regarding the M-Dot tattoo and the concept of a true Ironman.

What I find ironic is that all triathletes I interact with agree that the sport, while growing rapidly in participation, lacks the mainstream popularity and thus the financial draw of major sports such as 26

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football, baseball, etc. What do these two topics have in common? Financial draw into the sport of triathlon will require a much broader fan base. Why would those involved in triathlon not support anyone wearing a triathlon event Tshirt or hat, or even sporting an M-Dot tattoo? Imagine if football fans were maligned for wearing a T-shirt with the logo of their favorite team or sporting a tattoo of their favorite baseball team if they did not play for the team? What if fans were disrespected for wearing a Super Bowl sweatshirt unless they played in one?

Why is there an argument about the Kona Ironman versus the non-Kona Ironman?

With a broader fan base the sport will draw major sponsorship, which will lead to large financial rewards to top athletes, major television spots and allow the sport to pursue the designation as one of the major fan sports in the world. This can benefit all of us who compete at any distance and any level. We don’t need to argue about earning a tattoo; we gain much more from competing in this sport than can be defined by tattoos.

Jeff Drake Via e-mail

Inspired super-mom

I just wanted to say a quick thank you to the staff for Rina Hill’s article on the super-mom in January’s issue. After leaving my 60hour-per-week job as an executive chef when finding out I was pregnant with boy No. 3 I have a new respect for tri-moms. I have traded in my chef jacket to be a fitness instructor. It is quite the challenge to fit in anything resembling a training plan with three kids, but I try. Creativity is the key. So when you see me in the gym in an old maternity tank top (because that is what was clean) or chasing my son on the bike for speed work, don’t think less of me. We may not have the newest gear, we may not be Kona hopefuls or know our VO2 max, but we work 24-7 and that long run with the jogging stroller makes us just a little bit stronger. So please make room for us at the finish line and have a little understanding that we may have to work a little harder in a different way just to get there.

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Jen Baron Via e-mail

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

MAIL CALL

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CHECKING IN

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SUB HEADING

NEWS ANALYSIS | INDUSTRI | MEDICALLY SPEAKING | REALITY CHECK | TRAINING TIP REVIEW | 70.3 SERIES | SELECTION | BEIJING COUNTDOWN | CADENCE CYCLING INDUSTRY PROFILE | GATORADE ATHLETE | COLLEGE SCENE | NA SPORTS | TRAVEL TALK | LOOKING BACK 30

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John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

CHECKING IN

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CHECKING IN

An upward trajectory

70.3 series requires skillful management to avoid growing pains

By Cameron Elford In November 2006, Canada’s Sam McGlone and Australia’s Craig Alexander won the first Ironman World Championship 70.3 event, in Clearwater, Fla., a city of 100,000 just west of Tampa that had, until the arrival of Ironman, been perhaps best known as the global headquarters for the Church of Scientology. When the Florida-based World Triathlon Corporation, the company that owns the Ironman brand, announced the creation of the 70.3 series in a joint press conference with the City of Clearwater and the St. Petersburg/ Clearwater Area Convention & Visitors Bureau in March of 2006, the first-year series numbered 17 events, and the majority of these events were pre-existing, well-established races, such as the longrunning Eagleman, Timberman and Vineman triathlons.

At the time, many openly questioned the wisdom of the WTC’s announcement on several fronts. With myriad discrete race series in the country, did the sport need still further fragmentation in the form of another competing series? Why replace “halfIronman” with “70.3,” a term with, at the time, zero brand equity and which was not readily understood by the industry, let alone the non-endemic players, such as Ford, that the WTC was courting for sponsorship?

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NEWS ANALYSIS

But the WTC saw these concerns as opportunities rather than weaknesses, believing the term “half-Ironman” had become too generic and was being coopted and applied to any 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run race in much the same way that “Xerox,” for a time, became more widely used as a verb instead of a proper noun.

In response, the WTC, seeing a potentially underserved, or at least unorganized, market for half-Ironman-distance races, wanted to begin with a clean slate and developed the 70.3 brand—that is, half of the 140.6 Ironman distance—to launch a global force that, in just two seasons, has grown to 30 events worldwide, with races in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania—plus the world championship in Clearwater.

But is this growth sustainable, particularly for a premium brand that charges premium entry fees and caters to an exacting demographic? Specifically, does the WTC risk devaluing the Ironman brand and, worse still, turning off its customers by partnering with or establishing new events that could fail to deliver on the Ironman experience, an experience defined by first-class events in spectacular locations, from Hawaii to Monaco to the Caribbean and Australia?

It’s possible, but the World Triathlon Corporation, under the stewardship of president Ben Fertic, remains acutely aware of the dangers of brand dilution, and restraint is key. “I can’t count the number of [event] proposals we get in a week,” says Fertic. “We turn down infinitely more proposals that we accept. We

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could grow this thing even faster . . . but we always ask, ‘Is this a marquee event? Is this a place athletes will enjoy and get the experience they want?’”

“Triathlon has always been a lifestyle sport, and the [70.3] distance is a reflection of where triathletes are today,” says Ironman 70.3 events director Steve Meckfessel, noting the growth of the 70.3 series has been accompanied by concomitant growth of the sport as a whole.

Additionally, Fertic is quick to emphasize that, despite the event and venue standards the WTC sets for any race that represents the Ironman brand, individual races offer strikingly different athlete experiences. “Clearwater has a much different feel from St. Croix,” says Fertic. “We don’t evaluate every event [such that] they have to look like Clearwater. [Instead], we ask, ‘Is this the type of experience our athletes want to have?’ It’s not a cookie-cutter approach.”

As evidence, Fertic points to the Ironman series, which now includes 22 events. But since 2004, Louisville has been the series’ only addition. “We go after the best venues in the world,” says Fertic. “We make sure that when you show up to an event you know what you’re getting, but it will also have its own individual feel. That is critically important for us.”

Still, despite years of careful planning in advance of the 70.3 series’ 2006 launch, even Fertic has been surprised by the growth and global buzz it has created.

“We didn’t predict how quickly people would want to race an event in the series.

[The growth] caught a lot of people by surprise. We had a roll-out schedule and thought it would take seven years to get where we are.”

Looking ahead, it’s unlikely we’ll see any additional 70.3 races rolled out for the 2008 season; however, Fertic says the goal will be to add a race or two to the calendar each year, beginning in 2009. “There are definitely things on our radar, but you’re not going to see us going to 40 [events].

We’d like to add an event or two each year for some period of time—but we will stay the same if nothing catches our fancy.”

“It’s always tough to accurately peer into the future,” says Meckfessel, “but I think you’ll see continued growth. The quantity of races won’t be maintained at this pace. I don’t think that’s logical, but you’ll see us moving into city-center markets like Boise and Austin; more larger markets in the future as the series matures. We may even develop a points series for pros and top age groupers.”

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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CHECKING IN Aflac, Iron Girl announce three-year title-sponsorship agreement At a Jan. 24 event in New York City, the World Triathlon Corporation, the Florida-based company that owns the Ironman, Ironman 70.3 and Iron Girl brands, announced a three-year Iron Girl title-sponsorship agreement with Aflac. Known for its popular duck-centric advertising campaign, Aflac is the nation’s largest provider of supplemental health and life insurance.

Launched as a clothing line in 1999, Iron Girl in 2004 expanded into a women’s-only event series and now boasts 10 races for women throughout the U.S., including four triathlons, one duathlon and five running events with distances ranging from 5K to 10 miles— distances designed to cast a broad net by allowing and encouraging women of all abilities, from first-timer to professional, to participate. All 10 Iron Girl races in 2008 will come under the Aflac banner, and the series’ official name will be the Aflac Iron Girl Event Series.

Although Iron Girl events attract professional athletes, including 1997 Ironman world champion Heather Fuhr, the series is primarily focused on inclusivity and on drawing women of all abilities into running and multisport events and providing a platform for them to lead healthy lifestyles.

“We wanted to ensure women have a place to start out,” says Iron Girl’s Judy Molnar, noting that many athletic events can seem intimidating for first-timers.

“We started [in 2004] with two 5Ks to get Iron Girl known as an event [as opposed to just a triathlon] series.”

“People who do an Iron Girl event,” continues Molnar, “often then branch out [into other triathlon and running races], embracing a healthier lifestyle. That’s the most exciting thing.”

Aflac’s move into triathlon marks a substantial shift in the organization’s marketing strategy. According to Aflac president and CEO Paul Amos, the Iron Girl agreement marks “a major turn from where we’ve been, but an exciting one.”

The Georgia-based insurer has been involved in college football, NASCAR and Major League Baseball but has not had a substantial presence in more participatory sports such as running and triathlon.

Aflac’s support for Iron Girl is, however, part of a larger relatively recent trend that has seen other non-endemic companies, 34

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such as Ironman title sponsor Ford, throwing their support behind triathlon.

“We wanted to connect with women on a personal level to talk about health and wellness,” explains Amos of his company’s desire to partner with the series, “and we see this as an opportunity for women to do something special for themselves.”

Following an Atlanta, Ga., Iron Girl event last year, notes WTC president Ben Fertic, the WTC began sponsorship discussions with Aflac, discussions that ultimately escalated into a title-sponsorship agreement.

Looking ahead, with tremendous growth over the past several years both Molnar and Fertic are bullish about the series’ ongoing expansion. “We’ve seen phenomenal growth,” says Molnar. “We have doubled in terms of participation . . . largely due to good word of mouth.”

Additionally, Molnar notes that an adventure race could be a part of the 2009 Iron Girl series, as could overseas events.

For more about Iron Girl, go to irongirl.com. For more about Aflac, go to aflac.com.

the men and women’s professional fields are Greg and Laura Bennett, Matt Reed, Craig Alexander, Samantha McGlone and Mirinda Carfrae.

“This is an important and exciting year for us,” said Philip LaHaye, event director.

“We are thrilled to continue to draw such high-caliber competition to St. Anthony’s Triathlon. Having these elite athletes participate in the event attests to the level of competition and the world-class reputation of St. Anthony’s Triathlon.”

For more information, please go to satriathlon.com.

Her Sports + Fitness magazine introduces elite tri team

St. Anthony’s celebrates 25th year The 2008 St. Anthony’s Triathlon commemorates a major milestone as it celebrates its 25th anniversary as one of the largest Olympic-distance triathlons in the United States. The race, sponsored and produced by St. Anthony’s Health Care, takes place Sunday, April 27.

“From its humble beginnings in 1984 with only 600 athletes, St. Anthony’s Triathlon has become an integral part of our community, bringing in thousands of spectators, participants and volunteers for a weekend focused on fitness and fun,” said St. Anthony’s Health Care president, William Ulbricht. “Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, St. Anthony’s Triathlon has a reputation as one of the premier multisport events in the world.”

Known for its scenic course along the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, St. Anthony’s Triathlon attracts more than 4,000 individuals and 100 relay teams from more than 45 states and 17 countries. In its 25-year history, St. Anthony’s Triathlon has hosted some of the top champions from around the world, including Simon Lessing, Michelle Jones, Andy Potts, Tim DeBoom and Spencer Smith.

Some of the athletes who will headline the 2008 St. Anthony’s Triathlon in

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Courtesy Her Sports + Fitness

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Her Sports + Fitness magazine has officially announced its 2008 Elite Triathlon Team members. The team is comprised of 40 amateur female triathletes across the states of Florida and California. The athletes were chosen based on their performance in triathlon; each member is a regular top finisher.

The team has been successful in recent years; in 2007 alone it had more than 150 podium finishes and completed over 200 races. Team manager Kristin Mayer says, “The team consists of women from different walks of life and of all different ages.

But the one constant is that each woman is dedicated to the sport and will not accept anything less than her personal best. Seeing these women receiving awards at every single race they compete in makes me proud to be a part of such a great team.”

2008 team members include the following women from California: Vickie Alexander, Colleen Barnett, Christine Brown, Polly Crawford, Susanne Davis, Julie Dunkle, Darcy Eaton, Debbie

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CHECKING IN Fritzer, Caroline Gregory, Cherie Gruenfeld, Christine Gould, Tara Kulikov, Terry Martin, Michele Mash, Kristin Mayer, Marisa Rastetter, Marisa Rastetter, Lori Travis, Angela Van Dyke, Michelle Wallace and Misako Win. Team members from Florida include: Cristy Bartolo, Sharon Beldenrio, Melissa Dipple, Lisa Dorfman, Macall Dyer, Celia Dubey, Kristin Harrison, Jennifer Hutchison, Lisa Kaschak, Amy Keener, Lynne Kruger, Christina Noordstar, Angie Orr, Holly Petrak, Megan Quinty, Lisa Sandusky, Dawna Stone, Dione Swanson, Brandi Szen and Jackie Yost.

Fine wine at the finish line Finish Line Wine offers personalized California fine wine with the name and date of the race, your name and finish time. Peter Gower, an avid marathoner and runner, founded the company. As a previous wine executive and marathoner, he wanted to offer another way for athletes to remember their accomplishment besides a shirt, medal or photo.

Order online at finishlinewine.com, and the wine will be sent to your home or

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business address. Standard delivery time takes about three to four weeks.

Gower says, “I hope to be able to prove that you can drink wine as part of not only an active lifestyle but that it can also complement and help an athlete’s endurance training. I love beer, but wine is healthier.”

TriChic offers women-only training camps TriChic will be hosting two camps in 2008: one from March 6-9, in Clearwater, Fla., and another from April 24-27, in Calistoga, Calif. The professionally coached, women-only training camps are limited to 35 participants. The company provides thoughtfully planned and coached workouts, gourmet box lunches and a group dinner, welcome packages and enjoyable locations like California’s wine country and sunny Florida.

Long-time coach, speaker, author and former professional triathlete Terri Schneider developed the camps’ in-depth swim, bike, run and transitions training, and seminars on nutrition, racing strategies and sports psychology. For more information, visit trichic.com.

Redfish Lake Triathlon for Racing for Recovery The first annual Redfish Lake Racing for Recovery Triathlon will be held June 21, 2008, at Redfish Lake, Idaho. Racing for Recovery has found that hosting events such as this is a great way to spread the message and generate income for the organization at the same time. Individual entries are $60; for those 17 and under and “ageless athletes,” entries are $50; and for relay teams, it’s $90. For more information, send an email to bart@racingforrecovery.com.

Andrew Johns and Lisbeth Kristensen welcome new baby Andrew Johns and Lisbeth Kristensen celebrate the birth of their daughter Astrid Johns. Astrid was born in Leysin, Switzerland, on Dec. 17, 2007. It is the first child for both, and she will be raised in both Switzerland and Coolum, Australia.

Johns most recently placed third at the 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Championship, and Kristensen was on a tear in 2006 with two Ironman wins. She is looking forward to making a comeback, and Johns is ready to work toward his third Olympics.

MEDICALLY SPEAKING

Breathe right

Jordan D. Metzl, MD Jason is a 35-year-old triathlete who came into the office in March complaining of difficulty catching his breath during speed work and interval training. “Doc, when I go hard, I start to sputter. I feel myself coughing and I am having trouble catching my breath.”

What Jason is describing is exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB), a common entity that affects roughly 20 percent of the population. Patients with asthma, a chronic condition that is usually diagnosed in adolescence, are known to have episodes of shortness of breath with exertion, commonly referred to as asthma attacks. These are generally treated with medicine, both preventive medicine to reduce asthma attacks and inhalers to stop the symptoms once they start.

But interestingly, EIB occurs in people who do not have asthma. The characteristics of EIB are

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exactly as Jason describes: shortness of breath and coughing during and immediately after periods of intense activity. Studies on EIB show that, in most athletes, symptoms are reduced by increased fitness, as well by breathing warm air. As such, triathletes who suffer EIB symptoms in the spring can find them absent as they increase their fitness and the ambient air temperature rises.

If that isn’t the case, medications such as inhalers can be used to deal with symptoms. The general doctor is the best place to start, and specialists such as allergists can help if more expertise is needed.

Jason was diagnosed with mild EIB, and as he trained and the air temperature warmed, he was symptom-free.

Jordan D. Metzl, MD, is a nationally recognized sports-medicine specialist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. In addition, Dr. Metzl is a 25-time marathon runner and five-time Ironman finisher.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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Sleep for speed?

By Troy Jacobson

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REALITY CHECK research shows sleep is also important for improving athletic performance among endurance athletes.

In a University of Chicago Medical School study, designed to determine the impact of sleep deprivation on metabolic and endocrine function, involving 11 healthy young men ages 18-27, the subjects were forced to sleep eight hours per night for the first six days; four hours per night the next four days and then for 12 hours per night the last seven days of the study.

The results showed the sleepdeprived period of four hours each night caused a decrease in glucose metabolism and a rise in the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. The bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s impaired ability to metabolize glucose reduces muscle-glycogen storage, and the elevated levels of cortisol may interfere with tissue repair and growth, both of which are critical for recovery after hard training.

We all know how important sleep is when it comes to having a high level of alertness and being able to focus on various tasks throughout the day. Recent

T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

Troy Jacobson is a former pro triathlete and creator of the Spinervals Cycling Series.

Visit his Web site at coachtroy.com.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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TRAINING TIP

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

Courtesy Marc Lauzon

REVIEW

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Understanding gear inches

TriBike Transport

By Troy Jacobson

By Brad Culp

If you’ve ever traveled to an Ironman event you know one of the biggest hassles is getting your bike packed, on the plane and then unpacked once you get there. You spend most of the flight worrying about what’s happening to your expensive carbon frame and wheels while baggage handlers toss your bike box around like a shot put.

TriBike Transport offers a hassle-free way to get your bike and gear to your next Ironman event so you can spend your time worrying about more important things, like the race. I gave them a try at Ironman Florida, and it was as easy as Ironman travel can be. Simply drop off your bike and gear bag at one of their participating shops (they work with dozens of major bike shops in just about every state) about a week before the event, and then pick up your bike at the race expo when you get to town. The only things you need to remove from your bike are the pedals, which they’ll put back on for you. After you recover from the race, just drag your bike back over to their station and it’ll be back at your hometown shop in a few days. The whole service costs $225, which is only slightly more than the airlines charge for a round-trip flight.

For more information, log on to tribiketransport.com, where you’ll also find a list of races and participating shops.

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The bicycle is a wonderful humanpowered machine. It enables us to propel our bodies forward and travel with a relatively low amount of effort and force on the flats and up and down the hills. This is a result of bicycle gearing and something known as a gear inch.

The bigger the gear inch, the harder the bike is to pedal and the further the distance it moves with each pedal revolution. Try to put your chain on your big ring on the front and the 12-tooth cog on the back and then attempt to ride your bike from a complete stop. It's not easy.

The opposite holds true if you use a small gear inch, such as the small chain ring on the front and the large cog on the back.

Now try that same drill and you'll see the bike rolls very easily while not traveling very far per crank-arm revolution.

The front of the drive train on most road bikes contains a big ring and one or two smaller rings. The manufacturer typically stamps a number on the inside of each ring indicating the number of teeth the ring has. Most stock bikes have a 53/39 (or a 53-tooth big front ring and a 39-tooth small front ring).

The rear sprocket cluster, or cassette, typically has eight to 10 cogs. Each cog also has a certain number of teeth and, again, the manufacturer stamps the number on the inside of each cog. Most mod-

T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

ern road bikes come with 10 cogs starting with a 12-tooth small cog and working up to a 25-tooth large cog in various jumps such as 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23 and 25 (although this can vary).

To determine gear inches when riding, perform this simple mathematical equation: gear inch value = number of teeth on the front ring/number of teeth on the rear cog x diameter of the wheels.

Most road bikes have a 27-inch diameter wheels, while most mountain bikes (and some smaller road bikes) have 26inch diameter wheels.

Big-ring examples for a standard 27inch-wheeled road bike: • 53 (front ring) divided by 15 (rear cog) x 27 = 95 (gear inches) • 53 (front ring) divided by 12 (rear cog) x 27 = 119 (gear inches) • 53 (front ring) divided by 21 (rear cog) x 27 = 68 (gear inches)

Small-ring examples for a standard 27inch-wheeled road bike: • 39 (front ring) divided by 15 (rear cog) x 27 = 70 (gear inches) • 39 (front ring) divided by 21 (rear cog) x 27 = 50 (gear inches)

The smaller the gear inch, the easier the bike is to pedal. This is why in most instances you climb a hill in the small ring and push the flats in the big ring.

Keep in mind that a 53 x 15 for one person may be entirely different than a 53 x 15 for someone else due to trainer resistance, tire pressure and other factors.

Good luck and train smart!

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We became believers when our trial unit, when tested against other brands, came up with the same numbers.

Triathlete Magazine Bottom line?

For the money, and the innovative way it calculates power, I remain thoroughly impressed.

Velonews Magazine

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70.3 SERIES locals still haven’t completely forgiven their neighboring state.

As for the race? The 1.2-mile swim will take place off of Bloomington Beach at Clinton Lake. The lake is one of the cleanest in the Midwest and actually supplies Lawrence with its drinking water. Over 400 campsites are available around the lake, with prices less than $20 per night.

The bike course will cover the southwestern roads of Douglas County. It is a bike route known to locals as the Iron Cross (due to the intersection of two of Douglas County’s major highways). The course offers athletes a mix of winding, flat stretches and short, steep climbs.

Wind may be a factor, so it’s best to check the expected gusts before race day and then decide on the proper set of wheels.

The course is flat enough to run a disc as your rear wheel, but if the wind is gusting around 20mph, you may want to reconsider. According to Ziebart, you can expect a headwind going out and a tailwind coming back.

The run will take athletes around Clinton Lake (just to the west of Lawrence) and through the town of Clinton. There’s a mix of paved asphalt and packed trails throughout the rolling run course. The final mile is downhill as athletes head back toward the lake for the finish. Expect the low temperatures in the morning to be around 62 degrees, with afternoon highs reaching the low 80s.

Ironman 70.3 Kansas

70.3 calls all sorts of cities home, including Lawrence

By Brad Culp Singapore, Pucon, Brazil, Monaco, South Africa. If you take a look at the list of Ironman 70.3 events you’ll notice some pretty exotic locations. Lawrence, Kan., definitely isn’t one of them, but it’s a perfect town for triathlon, and on June 15 Lawrence will host the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Kansas.

Why Kansas? Why not Costa Rica, Thailand or New Zealand? We asked race director Tom Ziebart (also RD of 42

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Ironman 70.3 Florida, Steelhead and the Firecracker Tri) why in the world he picked Lawrence. “Lawrence is a pretty unique town. It’s often called the Boulder [Colorado] or San Francisco of the Midwest,” Ziebart said. “It has an aura of hippiness that people don’t expect when visiting Kansas.”

The laidback lifestyle likely comes from Lawrence being a true college town.

The University of Kansas runs the show in this relatively small town, and college basketball is king when it comes to sports. Be sure to visit the Free State Brewery and ask the locals how they feel about Missouri. Seriously. According to Ziebart, the two states have a “Fun but serious rivalry.” Missourians burned down Lawrence during the Civil War and

T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

Courtesy the Lawrence Visitors Bureau

2/14/08

Courtesy the Lawrence Visitors Bureau

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SELECTION

The next generation of Flintstones

Hammer Premium Insurance Caps $30 (30 servings)

From one of the most trusted names in the endurance sports world comes a vitamin you can trust to do the job. What makes Insurance Caps unique is the Digestive Enzyme Formula. All animal-based enzymes have been removed, helping your body absorb all the necessary vitamins and minerals. It also has unique forms of B12, Zinc and Boron, which your body can assimilate easily. hammernutrition.com

High-tech vitamins for serious athletes

By Brad Culp Sure Flintstones vitamins taste great, but if you’re training for a tri your body needs a little more than an edible Fred, Dino or Pebbles. Nowadays, many top nutrition companies are producing sportspecific vitamins to help fuel your energy systems and keep you healthy. Vitamins are like oil for your body; you can run for a while without it, but sooner or later things are going to start breaking down.

First Endurance Multi-V $50 (30 servings)

Among the list of ingredients in Multi-V are all those things your doctor tells you to take everyday: iron, green tea, ginkgo biloba and omega-3 fatty acids. If you tried taking all these supplements separately you’d be swallowing over 20 pills each day. First Endurance also fortifies each pill with an unmatched blend of antioxidants, including grape-seed extract, bioflavanoids and turmeric extract. It’s the choice of short-course stars Greg and Laura Bennett—a couple that knows a thing or two about staying healthy and racing fast. firstendurance.com

Sport Formula $47 (30 servings)

$40 (30 servings)

It’s the most comprehensive multi-v on the market. MHP is serious about helping you get everything you can from your workouts, and Activite does just that. Along with a complete blend of essential vitamins and minerals, there is Aminogen to increase amino acid levels, Carbogen to maximize the amount of carbs derived from food and Lipolase, which increases fattyacid metabolism and utilization.

Basically, Activite helps turn your food into energy. maxperformance.com

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Damage Control Master Formula $129 (60 servings)

One of the quirks of our sport is that if you train right you actually end up doing some damage to your body. Damage Control is designed to minimize the negative effects of hard training and help you bounce back.

On top of a complete high-potency blend of vitamins and minerals, each serving contains proven performance nutrients like LCarnitine, CoQ10, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Resveratrol. masterformula.com

Courtesy the manufacturers

MHP Activite Sport

Each convenient packet is designed to provide your body with everything that is missing from the food you eat. The unprocessed formula is made with live enzymes, vitamins, minerals and amino acids, which your body can easily absorb. The packets can be mixed with water or taken directly in your mouth. sportformula.com

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Stacking up the international field Which men to look for on the podium in Beijing

By Brad Culp When it comes to the Olympic Games, the United States is at the top of the food chain.

The red, white and blue routinely sits on top of the medal-count list, but if the recent play of USA basketball is any indication, times are changing.

Triathlon is one sport where America definitely isn’t top dog. We expect Laura Bennett to bring home some shade of metal at this summer’s Games, but if she doesn’t manage to do so, it’s conceivable the U.S. could go medal-less at the Olympic triathlon. The American men will have their work cut out for them, too, if they want to bring home some hardware. Javier Gomez (SPN) is the clear-cut favorite to take gold, but a number of other international athletes will look to keep the Star-Spangled Banner from flying at the medal ceremony.

Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS): He is an all-or-nothing athlete, which makes him a serious threat for a medal. The fleetfooted Aussie would rather blow up going for the win than finish fourth. Kahlefeldt had four DNFs in 2007 but also picked up two wins on his home turf at Geelong and Mooloolaba. If he can hang on when Gomez pours on his inevitable run surge, he’ll have a shot at the win.

Daniel Unger (GER): In just one race last year, Unger went from a secondtier ITU athlete to a bona fide worldbeater. His performance at the Hamburg World Championship was one of the most stunning triathlon performances we saw last year, on par with that of Chrissie Wellington in Kona. His final kick is one of the best in the business, and if the others want to keep him off the podium, they better break him before the final quarter mile.

Delly Carr

Spomedis

Simon Whitfield (CAN): The former gold medalist was the only person who was able to keep pace with Gomez in the World Cup standings last year and showed he still has the legs to pull off a blazing finishing sprint. The Canadian came on strong at the end of 2007, picking up wins in Vancouver, Kitzbuhel and Cancun.

Bevan Docherty (NZL): The Kiwi is on the short list of favorites at every race he enters. He’s solid across all three disciplines, and his third-place finish at the Beijing World Cup last year demonstrated he’s comfortable with the course. We expect him to be in the lead pack off the bike and he’ll look to make an early break on the run.

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Rasmus Henning (DEN): A true dark horse the rest of the field will certainly have their eyes on. Henning started five World Cup races in 2007, and his place varied from first to 42nd. If he’s on his game in Beijing, he can run with the best of them. What makes him most dangerous is he loves tough conditions. In Des Moines last summer he cruised through the 10km run while the rest of the men dropped like flies under the searing sun.

Delly Carr

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Spomedis

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The laws of physics were meant to be broken.

08 xenith t2 An industry first front brake caliper system that allows the front brake to be encased within the fork, shielding it from leading-edge airflow (patent pending). The rear brake is similarly tucked and shielded under the chainstay.

A dual-position aero carbon seat post offers an extraordinary range of saddle positioning: full forward as favored by triathletes, or set back as favored by time trialists.

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CHECKING IN Our Cadence Kona Challenge winners shake off the winter rust After a few more weeks of base training, each of our six Cadence Kona Challenge finalists is reaching new levels of fitness and is ready to jump into the first races of 2008. This month, the athletes explain what they’ve done to cope with the wintertime blues and one of their coaches, Chad Butts, has chimed in with a little advice on training the right energy systems.

Elizabeth Wittmaack: Cadence, cadence, cadence—that’s the name of the game. The faster you can push a big gear, the faster you will ride. Sounds easy, right? If it were easy we'd all ride like Normann Stadler. I can spin a little gear at a super-high cadence, or a big fat gear in a very slow churn. Where I’ve found real success is when I combine these two and boost my muscular endurance. For the past few weeks this has been my favorite trainer workout: I start by doing steady intervals at about 105rpm, and each session I try to maintain that cadence with a harder gear. I’ve gotten to the point where I can hold over 20 one-minute intervals at this cadence with about a minute of rest between each interval. I’ve found the change in pace really helps break up the workout and a two-hour indoor ride flies by.

James Pearson: Unfortunately the winter weather has forced me to dust off my trainer for some of the longer endurance bike rides. I have taken to setting up my trainer in the kitchen as it won't fit in the living room, but we have a little portable TV in the kitchen. I find that watching trash TV helps take my mind of the tedium of indoor riding and I know more about C-list celebs now than ever before.

Britney’s little sister is pregnant, in case you haven’t heard.

My coach also has me doing yoga, which I must admit has been a complete revelation for me. I have always neglected my flexibility, and watching the women on my yoga DVD bending in ways that I can only dream of has inspired me. I never thought of yoga as a particularly masculine pursuit, but I am rapidly changing my tune.

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Mary Lou Hoffman: Cadence is something I’ve been learning a lot about.

I first realized its importance on a hilly ride with my cycling club. I was consistently getting dropped on every little hill and then working like crazy to catch up. I think eventually the guys I ride with got tired of hearing me panting at the back of the pack and one of them clued me in on how to improve my climbing: cadence. I used to constantly grind up hills until he told me to simply drop a gear and pick up my leg speed. It was a simple tip that I’ve kept in mind ever since, and it has definitely improved my climbing. Fast pedaling in a low gear while maintaining good form on the bike can help strengthen your core, and gradually increasing your average cadence in higher gears will make you a stronger, faster rider. So now cadence is king.

change will be to up my run volume to 3540 miles per week. More of my bike hours will be at lactate threshold. My extra time in the pool will focus on technique training. Will this be enough to get me to Kona?

We’ll see. I have a lot of work to do for sure.

Randy Christofferson: At the end of 2007 I looked over my training logs and took stock of the year. Here is my annual report: Training hours: 934 (18/week) Swim yards: 471,900 (9100/week) Bike miles: 8574 (165/week) Run miles: 1510 (29/week) As I look ahead, my 2008 plan is to try again—harder. My plan is to target 21-22 hours per week of total training. The major

Kate Conklin: I find that early season is a great time to work on swimming, since it’s hard to get motivated to do the other sports. My training highlight this month was a set of four 600-meter repeats with 100 meters easy between each interval. The goal is to race each repeat like a time trial and hold a steady pace throughout. I found it really worked both my aerobic and anaerobic systems. My arms felt like Jell-O when I was finished.

Scott Sharp: The weather is not cooperating with my training, which means I am doing a lot of runs on the treadmill and my bike rides on the trainer. My energy levels seem to be increasing as I become more fit and my weight has seemed to level off at 175 pounds. The highlight of my training last month was a bike, run, bike, run brick workout. This put my legs to the test. A training session in New York with Coach Dianna has improved my swim stroke enough to drop my 25-meter splits from 30 seconds to 25 seconds.

Tip of the month from coach Chad Butts Fitness is characterized by two physiological systems, the cardiovascular and metabolic systems. Both must be trained specifically in order to attain peak performance.

The cardiovascular system is composed of three components: the heart, blood vessels and the blood. Enhancing any one of these components and the ability to transport oxygen through it will improve the cardiovascular system. Adaptations from aerobic training that occur within the muscles are part of the metabolic system. The metabolic system uses oxygen supplied by the cardiovascular system to convert carbohydrates and fats into energy for work.

Mitochondria size and number, oxidative enzymes and myoglobin concentration are a few of the areas aerobic training improves. The more trained this system is, the higher its lactate threshold and the more work you can perform without producing the metabolic byproducts associated with fatigue.

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Exercise will stimulate both systems, but to maximally adapt each of these systems, training intensity and duration must be adequate. These factors change depending on your goals and experience.

For the beginner cyclist, who is typically limited by cardiovascular fitness, building a solid base of endurance miles with a focus on technique is necessary before moving on to intensity levels at lactate threshold (LT) and above.

A moderate-level cyclist who has reaped the benefits of some training in the past is more likely to be limited by their metabolic system. These athletes must also continue to focus on endurance and technique but will progress to more advanced exercises at lactate-threshold levels and above.

Periodic testing of these systems, every two to three months, can determine if your workouts are resulting in the desired adaptations to meet your training and racing goals.

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

White and Vroomen analyze wind flow off a frame prototype during one of their many tunnel tests last year.

Winds of change

Cervelo’s Vroomen, White still finding advantage in the tunnel

By Jay Prasuhn In 1997, Phil White and Gerard Vroomen piled a van with 15 bikes and made a trip south from Toronto—home base of Cervelo bicycles—to beautiful College Station, Texas. What would be the first wind-tunnel test for the neophyte triathlon bike brand—a company that would become a juggernaut in cycling industry—was nearly derailed by . . . the border patrol.

“It was January of 1997, and we loaded the van with a bunch of stuff—the Barrachi, the Eyre Tri, an Altus and the P2 and a bunch of forks, for one of our first tunnel tests,” recalls Vroomen. “At the border we had to explain why we were bringing these bikes and their value. To avoid a tax, we told them they were worth just a couple hundred bucks. Of course, 50

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the last guy in our group tells the officer, have spent a substantial amount of time “Yeah, this one is worth $2,500. He wasn’t in our wind tunnel working to make the most popular guy after that.” their products even better,” said San More than a decade later, Cervelo con- Diego Low Speed Wind Tunnel engineer tinues to make repeated jaunts to the tun- Dave Sanford. nel to test and test and test some more. In The fact is, you can count on just one fact, White and Vroomen are among the hand the bike and bike-accessory brands most frequent visitors to the tunnel. It’s that spend upwards of a week in the tunnot exactly the most attractive way to spend a week in sunny San Diego, the equivalent of voluntary solitary confinement in a box with no light from the outside world. Vroomen remarks sarcastically, “You mean they have beaches here?” But when you’re spending $1,000 an hour to blow wind on bikes, you tend to want to maximize your time.

Bike companies are increasingly realizing the benefits to product advancement in the growing wind-tunnel, bike-testWhite (left) and Vroomen (back to camera) work with ing industry. “Over the past John Cobb (far right) with the Barrachi during one of year, the engineers at Cervelo Cervelo’s first wind-tunnel tests at Texas A&M in 1987.

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Jay Prasuhn

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INDUSTRY PROFILE

already have an industry standard in the P3 Carbon and had the highest count of bikes on the pier at the Ford Ironman World Championship in October. “The CFD (computational fluid design) shows that with the P3 there’s not a lot of areas for improvement,” White says. “We knew it was good, but it was neat to see how good it was.”

Vroomen concurs, “For two years, everyone has seen the P3 Carbon. Many have tried to beat it, but as we test all the

newest stuff, nobody has yet. When you have a good example, it’s hard enough to follow it, let alone beat it. But we’re here trying anyway. We have to keep trying.”

So they do. And the sheer volume— four weeks for a total of about 30 days of wind-tunnel time in 2007—speaks volumes. “It’s very hard to predict how things might go in the tunnel. The more you go, the more you learn and can predict what may or may not work. By being here so much we learn so much and become more efficient. We have everyone—our top eight engineers—all there in the same space, designing, testing and not being interrupted by phone calls. It’s rare to have a group that big working at the same time.”

Cervelo’s engineering modus operandi spurred the development of several technology groups or teams within competing brands to keep up. Conversely, for Cervelo’s product partners, their sheer volume of tunnel experience makes them a turn-to authority. During our time there, several brands of forks lay ready for testing, and Vittoria president Rudy Campagne was present to test tires in concert with Cervelo’s bikes. For all involved, it’s a win-win situation. “For us, it’s good, because people follow us; it shows we know what we’re doing,” Vroomen says. “But you can never be a leader if you follow people.”

lose the extra pounds gained during law school, he took up distance running. Cycling was always a weak sport for Kent, and his

lack of confidence in the water created the need for a coach. Gradually, Kent went from the challenge of just racing to seeing if he could place well in or win his age group. In 1998, he finished his second Ironman and finished fourth in his age group.

These days, Kent looks forward to returning to his roots and participating in oldschool triathlons. “I love the heart and soul of races in the ’80s. I want to go back to the races originating in California and Florida with only 50 people. I want to be around newbies where you lean your bike against a fence and bring your own aid.”

With many notable results to his athletic career, including several USAT national championships, Kent’s ultimate goal was to win two world championships in one year. After competing in countless XTERRA races to improve his cycling skills, Kent’s strict workout routine landed him an age-group win at the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship followed by a win at XTERRA worlds two weeks later.

“This was it,” he says. “Unless I cross the finish line at the age of 90, as an inspiration for others, I feel this year was the best year ever.”

Vroomen (left), White (third left) and Cervelo engineers chat with Vittoria’s Rudy Campagne.

nel, doing truly in-depth work, and Cervelo is one of them. The running joke at the tunnel is that the engineers could make a little side money by renting space downstairs for those who spent nearly week-long stints in the cool dungeon of the control room. White and Vroomen would be at the top of the rental list.

Triathlete visited the Cervelo crew last fall during their fourth trip to the San Diego Low Speed Wind Tunnel. Our first question was why were they there? They

GATORADE ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

Kent Robison RENO, NEV.

By Marni Rakes

At the age of 60, retirement and relaxing vacations sounds pretty appealing. Not for Kent Robison. In addition to going to work every day as a trial lawyer, Kent spends his time with his wife and 12-year-old twins, and racing triathlons. “Work is competitive and meaningful, just like a triathlon. [But] I try to keep my two passions separate,” he says.

As a recreational athlete and a motorcycle-racing enthusiast, Kent has always enjoyed pursing a challenge. In an effort to 52

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Courtesy Aaron Kamnetz

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Collegiate nationals heads south again

By Aaron Kamnetz

The largest USAT collegiate nationals to date will once again take place in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on April 19. For the second year in a row almost 100,000 Crimson Tide football fanatics will get a chance to see a different side of the sports spectrum.

As in 2007, this year’s edition of the race coincides with the University of Alabama’s annual spring football game, which literally doubles the population of Tuscaloosa for a weekend.

According to Alex Lechner, a sophomore at University of Florida, “Having the football game on the same day as the race made for one of the best finishes ever, as the chute was in the middle of the tailgate mayhem.”

But the cheering squads along the course and at the finish line are not the 54

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only things that make the race in Tuscaloosa an ideal event destination.

“Collegiate nationals opened up my eyes to all of the camaraderie of the collegiate division of triathlon that not many people know about. With thousands of collegiate athletes all in one city for one purpose, it was a great experience and definitely very motivating,” said Lechner.

The city itself was very accommodating of all these triathletes as well.

Brooks Cowan of Miami University (Ohio) recalls how upon walking into a local eatery he was greeted with a yell and, “Y’all folks want some crawfish?” A few minutes later he and his team were being taught the proper technique for eating the local fair.

This is a far cry from past collegiate national championships, such as the one held in Reno, Nev., where few in the community seemed to notice there was a race going on. Not to mention that event was turned into a duathlon at the last minute due to near-freezing weather.

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Alabama, on the other hand, sports a fair race on good, clean roads. While the course is by no means flat, it’s not particularly punishing either. One would best describe the course as rolling or undulating.

As John Meyer, president of the Iowa State Triathlon Team notes, “The highlight of the run course is the winding jaunt up Queen City Avenue. This short, yet steep, stretch of road will have your legs thanking you for the relatively flat roads of the rest of the run course.” This was the one hill on the course that managed to break up the lead pack last year, so if you’re headed to the race, it’s best to include some hill training.

While the run up Queen City Avenue may slow you down a bit, the swim is primed to set you up for a PR. The opening leg takes place in the Black Warrior River, with a great deal of the swim being directly downstream. Last year the lead pack was in to T1 in well under 18 minutes.

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Pearl Izumi® Peak XC trail racer with Seamless Race Upper & SKYDEX® forefoot cushioning and protection. 9.0 oz / 255 grams. RunLikeAnAnimal.com

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Adopt an Athlete Program

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NA SPORTS

The North America Sports, Inc. Adopt an Athlete Program was initiated at the 2006 Ford Ironman Arizona to instill the importance of health and fitness into the lives of youth across the country.

NA Sports is primarily focusing on local schools, through school visits by Ironman athletes, in the communities where their full Ironman events are held.

Research has shown that living an active lifestyle leads to improved mental, social and physical wellbeing. Young people can develop discipline, integrity, courage and respect for themselves as well as their peers through participation in sports. These ideals are part of the foundation of NA Sports and the lifestyle we promote to our athletes as well.

The Adopt an Athlete participating athletes are encouraged to make four or five classroom visits: three or four of these visits before the local Ford Ironman event in their community and a follow-up visit after the event. NA Sports will give the athletes a program

outline with material that they can cover in their classroom visits. Also included in the kit is an “Essence of Ironman” DVD, as well as gifts from sponsors.

Participating athletes will also receive an Adopt an Athlete Exercise Log to present to each of the students in the classrooms they visit. This log allows the students to keep track of their physical activity and learn how to make it a part of their everyday lives. The Exercise Log will assist the students in understanding that active living can be accomplished in many ways—not only through participation in competitive sports.

The Adopt an Athlete program will be targeted toward kids between the ages of 6 and 13, and the local area students will be encouraged to participate in the Kids Fun Run at the Ford Ironman Village during race week and then watch their Adopted Athlete on race day.

For more information on NA Sports’ Adopt an Athlete program, please be sure to check out nasports.com.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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TRAVEL TALK

Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Date: Aug. 30, 2008 Distance: Iron distance, half-Iron, duathlon distances including sprints and kids events Company: Somersault Promotions Web site: somersault.ca All races enjoy traffic-free courses and are spectator-friendly. The day culminates with post-race meals and celebrations on site, where the stories and videos of the day are relived. The Iron 226 Awards Breakfast follows the next day.

DiabloMan

A Tri in the Buff

Location: Evangola State Park, Irving, N.Y. Date: July 6, 2008 Distance: Olympic, sprint, relay and duathlon Company: Score-This!!!

Web site: setupevents.com and score-this.com.

This event is for the thrill seeker! Camping is a must at the Evangola State Park along Lake Erie. You have an array of events to choose from if you are experienced or a first timer. Niagara Falls is not too far away, making this a great destination event.

Locations: Danville, Calif.

Date: March 16, 2008 Distance: Quarter-mile swim, 9.25-mile bike, 2.25-mile run Company: Tri-Freak Web site: trifreak.com This is a unique event, with a pool swim to start, and bike and run with more than 3,300 feet of climbing, as the finish line is at the top of Mount Diablo. Because of 12-person waves starting the swim every 15 minutes, the race is limited to 300 participants.

LOOKING BACK

ultimately transcended the dimensions of 1989 and the sport altogether. Graham’s words appear below: Lance Armstrong Age: 17 Now residing: Plano, Texas 1988 highlights: 1st President’s; 1st Waco; 3rd Wilkes-Barre; 3rd USTS Houston; 10th Bermuda

Flashback: May 1989

A “most likely to succeed candidate” In the May issue of 1989, Triathlete magazine ran a feature entitled “Most Likely to Succeed,” in which Richard 58

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Graham, an associate editor at the time, wrote “What follows is our list of triathletes likely to succeed in 1989. Some names you’ll already be familiar with, others you may not, but we’re confident that by the end of the season, you’ll know them all very well.”

The first listing would be a name that

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Named 1988’s Triathlete magazine Rookie of the Year, “Junior” Armstrong is at times brash and cocky, thoughtful and disarming. He has the potential to be a world-beater but may cut back on his triathlon participation in an attempt to try to qualify for the Junior World Cycling Championships in Moscow in July. Even if he doesn’t make the team, he figures he’ll be in great shape for the first major race of the year.

“I’ll be at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from March 20th to April 20th, and then I’ll head straight to St. Croix for America’s Paradise. I want to do well there, and I think I can; I’ll have been training a lot. I don’t want to finish out of the top-five in ’89.”

—T.J. Murphy

Courtesy U.S. Multi-Sport Publications

Iron 226 Canada Triathlon & Duathlon

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UPGRADE

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2008 BIKE BUYER’S GUIDE We round up all the data on the top bikes to help you navigate the tri-bike landscape

Wading into the market for a new bike can be an overwhelming experience. Without question, consumers are the big winners, with more choices and better products than ever before. But with so many brands and models of bikes—an ever-increasing number of which are designed specifically for triathletes—it can be challenging to get a big-picture view of the offerings available in your price range. In the following pages, we present our largest-ever bike-buyer’s guide with not only information on bike and bike products but also the latest tech and bike-fit facts to help you get the most from your bike, whether you are planning to upgrade this season or stick with your existing ride.

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By the editors

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BRAIN POWER: Assembled in Kona, from left: Morgan Nicol (Oval Concepts engineer), Tyler Pilger (Trek product manager), Mark Andrews (Trek ACG engineer), Mark Vandermolen (Profile Design head designer), Scott Nielson (Trek ACG engineer), Chris D’Aluiso (Specialized engineer).

ENGINEERS’ ROUNDTABLE The sport’s top tech minds tackle the past and future of three-sport innovation

By Jay Prasuhn Ever wondered what it would be like to get together some of the best engineers in triathlon and be a fly on the wall as they chat about technology advancements in the sport? We did too. So Triathlete assembled a collection of the brightest minds in triathlon for a coffee klatch at Starbucks on Palani Drive in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Joining us were Mark Andrews, Scott Nielson and Tyler Pilger of Trek Bicycles; Mark Vandermolen of Profile Design; Chris D’Alusio of Specialized Bicycles; and Morgan Nicol of Oval Concepts aerobars. Also joining us was Cervelo’s Gerard Vroomen, via Skype from his base in Switzerland.

Triathlete: Triathlon has long been the ugly duckling of the bike industry, with tri bikes shoved to the back of booths at Interbike. But when you visit Interbike now every booth has triathlon bikes front and center, and engineers have become key players in making bikes worthy of the demands of athletes seeking extra seconds on the race course.

Gerard Vroomen: For us, of course, [triathlon’s] always been front and center. The triathlon market has grown, and as it grows more and more companies get into it. Some like Profile Design have been in it for about 20 years. When the market grows by 20 percent, the number of companies trying to be active in that market grows by 200 percent.

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Ten or 15 years ago when Quintana Roo tried to make the switch from triathlon to road racing it was a disaster; roadies wouldn’t go there. But if you come with the right product and attitude, triathletes will go the other way, are more open to influences from the road industry.

Mark Andrews: You look at road racing in Europe and it’s very conservative, resistant to change, whereas you look at the triathlon market, and it’s . . . dramatic, the changes you see each year. It’s very fashion-driven and people are quick to jump on something. For manufacturers, you’re almost living a year-to-year planning. When sbends [aerobar extensions] came out, everyone had to have them. If you ask the industry what they see five years from now in triathlon, most can only tell you what they have planned for the next two or three years.

Vroomen: I don’t know if it’s fashion as much as trends that develop quickly. It is a small sport. When an s-bend appears in an obscure time trial on a U.S. Postal guy’s bike, within three days every triathlete on the planet knows about it, but among roadies, it takes longer to accept. It’s such a small, tight community; trends spread fast.

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Tyler Pilger: If you look at USA Cycling membership versus USA Triathlon membership, the growth is in triathlon. Especially for women, it’s much less intimidating than starting with 40 to 100 people in a group road race. [Triathlon] is much more individual-achievement and health driven. That’s why there’s massive growth here and zero growth in road racing. With 30- to 40-percent participation by women in triathlon, it’s the new marathon.

Scott Nielson: Back to your question, there’re brands at Interbike now with tri bikes prominent in their booths that never thought about triathlon five years ago, wouldn’t have known what a tri bike was or how to design it.

Morgan Nicol: There’s something about the aero technology that . . . really turned the corner when credibility passed over to the road.

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Vroomen: This is the paradox of the bike Nielson: There’re a lot of bikes and wheels and aeroindustry; it’s a bit of caricature but true, that bars that take great pictures, but they’re not aero. But roadies are quite negative toward triathletes they look fast, and people are drawn in by that. But but triathletes are quite positive toward road there’s gotta be a balance with what the form is and its racing. Ten or 15 years ago when Quintana Roo tried to function. Ultimately, all this equipment has to be ridden. make the switch from triathlon to road racing it was a disaster; roadies wouldn’t go there. But if you come with the Triathlete: In triathlon, you have well educated consumers, right product and attitude, triathletes will go the other more so than in most other segments of the bike industry. Is it way, are more open to influences from the road industry. easier to present to and reach triathletes, given they are open How many roadies five years ago thought anything steep- to receiving info? er than 73 degrees for their seat tube would work?

Vroomen: Like the guys are saying, there’s a specNicol: Yeah, it’s the work Bjarne [Riis, 1996 Tour de trum. You have the 100-percent functional bike, you have France winner and manager of pro-cycling’s Team CSC, the 100-percent form bike, and everyone slots somewhich Cervelo began supplying in 2003; the partnership where on that range. The triathlon customer also slots was a watershed moment in the industry as a small somewhere on that range. We made a decision to be on triathlon-focused company made dramatic inroads into the one end of the range, but that’s no more valid than being highest levels of the conservative road-cycling market] on the other end of the range. In the end, all these bikes and Lance’s team have done that have dragged road guys get people to the finish eventually. If someone’s very to make a change. And they still resist it—outside the top happy every time they walk into their garage and they two or three teams that are kicking everybody’s ass. see a beautifully shaped bike that may not be that aero, Nielson: One thing that has made a huge difference is . mission accomplished as well. There’s nothing wrong . . access to wind tunnels, software to analyze different with that per se. shapes. Once more companies get involved in wind-tunnel Pilger: I think it’s extra-challenging in triathlon. In testing and computational fluid dynamics, all things avail- road and mountain, the bike is their focus, where in able to the recreational industry today, you’ll see every- triathlon you may have someone from a run or swim body converge on what is aero and what works. We have background and cycling’s not been their focus, and they found that using CFD saves us money. We can weed out a take advice from friends, coaches and magazines. That’s bunch of ideas, then go to the wind tunnel with our top five where it can be trend-driven by what they see people on. ideas. Instead of spending weeks, we’re spending days.

Nicol: Look at Boone Lennon creating the aerobar. It Mark Vandermolen: There’s a catch-22; most multi- was Greg LeMond that kicked it into a reality. Look at sport companies are smaller, so to be small and able to what Lance [Armstrong] did, really coming from react quickly, it’s hard to have the budget to do the testing. triathlon, making a huge impact. Road and tri, now they Nicol: Testing is only the first step. Then you have to feed off each other. build it, market it and get it out there. Then do it again Vroomen: Maybe a bigger effect on the consumer is next year. that the ProTour development [adoption of aero and triChris D’Alusio: As engineers, we have to watch the related technology by pro cycling] will have an effect on path we choose. Marketing is gonna take it and run with it. the bike shops. I think Mark [Vandermolen] will rememAndrews: Yeah, one of the things prevalent in this ber from the early days, for a shop to really understand sport is fashion over function. As engineers, we are by triathlon was so, so difficult. Those shops had roadies or the numbers; however, the reality is if it doesn’t look mountain bikers in them but not triathletes. To have the part . . . [triathlon and triathlon-specific products] validated by Vroomen: I’ve always found that good function ends ProTour use has helped get retailers to understand it as up looking pretty nice as well. Like, when I look at a P3 they sell it.

Carbon, I like that look. When we first rolled it out, a lot Vandermolen: You’re right. Five, six, seven years ago, of people thought it was ugly. Do you really find there is there were so few shops like Mission Bay, Nytro, Inside a conflict between those two?

Out, that were specific to multisport. Now, there’re so Andrews: Absolutely. There’s a balance between the many more. Both the consumer and retailer are educated, function and the aesthetics. You have the industrial- and triathletes are being treated much better. design guys who are seeing things like the lines for appearance, and you have the engineers who are looking Triathlete: How is it to have competing brands push each other at sections and the way things flow together from the to develop the fastest equipment?

Andrews: Look at drag on a bike. The faster you go, aerodynamic end.

Vroomen: If you design only by looking at aerody- the more aerodynamics are made important. Then you namics, things end up looking pretty plain. Less is look at your product and ways to increase performance, more, right? I think the result of that plainness, the nice be it aerodynamics, ride quality.

Nielson: In aerodynamthing about it is there’s ics, everyone’s converging nothing to it, only what you There are changes that will happen that on a mathematical solution, need. Obviously, there’s a large class of consumers aren’t gonna be seen. Bars, wheels, integra- and the difference between that like the fashionable tion of components, looking at how these bikes is getting very miniside, and people that are things are gonna work together. But all mal.

Vroomen: It’s true, but at quite successful selling that said, nobody races in the wind tunnel; the same time it’s the oppobikes that are pretty lousy all these pieces have to be ridden, comfort- site. If you look at some aero aerodynamically.

ably, for [up to] 112 miles.

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Linsey Corbin - Winner of the 2007 Vancouver Half Ironman & 2007 Baja 70.3.

5th at 2007 Ironman Lake Placid, 2nd at 2007 Victoria Half Ironman.

photo © Segesta 2007

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bikes and the difference between aero down tubes and head tubes and stay shapes, the overall range of bikes has gotten bigger than it was 10 years ago. I think there’s a lot of room.

Maybe when we went from the P2 to P3 we were trying to find that extra 20 percent. When we evolve the P3, we hope to do that as well. At this point, it’s probably still possible. Ten, 15 years ago, we thought, “1,200 grams for a frame? That’s crazy.” Now we’re at 700-something. It’s incredible to consider we’ve dropped 40 percent of the weight off a frame. But I think there’s good room left there.

Vandermolen: There are changes that will happen that aren’t gonna be seen. Bars, wheels, integration of components, looking at how these things are gonna work together. But all that said, nobody races in the wind tunnel; all these pieces have to be ridden, comfortably.

Nielson: You talk about integration, to make it more of a vehicle. Right now you have stuff bolted all over the bike, cables everywhere.

Triathlete: How much further can you really push it?

D’Alusio: Oh, we’ve got a long way to go. Remember when Mavic came out with electric shifting?

Vandermolen: A bike is chain-driven and cable-actuated. It’s pretty primitive for what it actually is, and we’re applying space-age technology to a primitive tool.

Maybe UCI [pro cycling’s international governing body] places limiters, but at Profile we’re catering to a customer who doesn’t worry about UCI regulations. I think all the companies here, because we’re in multisport, we’re all doing those things. If we weren’t we’d be wed-

We’re catering to a customer who doesn’t worry about UCI regulations. I think all the companies here, because we’re in multisport, we’re all doing those things. If we weren’t we’d be wedded to that conservative dogma of road and mountain, that you can only see it a certain way. You don’t get into multisport without thinking outside the box.

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ded to that conservative dogma of road and mountain, that you can only see it a certain way. You don’t get into multisport without thinking outside the box.

Pilger: If you look at road racing, mountain biking, cyclo-cross technologically, none of that is as big as triathlon. From a television standpoint, the ProTour has it, but in technology, and in participation, triathlon has it.

Nicol: I want to challenge one other aspect: Everyone looks at aerodynamics as minimizing frontal area and minimizing airflow around surfaces, but I think there’s another aspect of that. Moving air from high-turbulence, high-drag areas to low-turbulence, laminarflow areas to reduce the drag effects of a bike or rider is an area to be addressed. And surface effects, like Zipp does with dimpling its wheels to break down surface tension. That’s an area we’re working on and it’s really, really complicated.

Nielson: There’s that, and the fact the bike doesn’t ride itself, that there’s an integration between the bike and how it interacts with the rider.

Triathlete: How much fun is it to work in this industry creating these products?

Andrews: Oh, it’s a blast. I think I’m safe to say we all have a passion for the product, and those that have a passion are going to drive it.

Nielson: Yeah, Mark has done Kona seven times, about 19 Ironman races total. He has a love for the sport, has been a true driver. And that translates.

Vroomen: Yeah, I think we’re all lucky. It’s something we love to do.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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Lisa Bentley Residence Caledon, Ontario, Canada 2007 Hawaii Ironman finish 15th place, 9:51:40 Bike split 5:22:35, average speed 20.8 mph Bike Cervelo P3C, 48cm Wheelset Zipp ZedTech 404s Aerobar Vision TriMax Carbon Integrated with R-bend, Vision Aero brake levers Groupset Shimano Dura-Ace, 10-speed, 11-23 cassette Crankset Full Speed Ahead SL-K with ceramic bottom bracket, 172.5mm crankarms, 53 x 42 chainrings Brakeset Zero Gravity 0G-Ti Saddle Fiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;zi:k Arione Tri Tires Continental Competition tubulars,19mm front, 22mm rear Pedals Time RXS Carbon Why Lisa loves her P3C It fits me perfectly Race-day fuel while riding Chocolate PowerBars Hydration Beaker Concepts Hydrotail, Zipp Carbon Cages Favorite race I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t pick just one, so . . .

Ironman Hawaii, Pucon 70.3 and Ironman Canada Proudest accomplishment Getting to the start and finish lines of 2007 Ironman Canada Web site lisabentley.com

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HAWAII’S HEAVY HITTERS

By Jay Prasuhn Photography by John Segesta

The day after the 2007 Hawaii Ironman, six of the previous day’s players—Tim DeBoom, Lisa Bentley, Craig Alexander, Torbjørn Sindballe, Leanda Cave and Chris Lieto—allowed us to take a look at their rides.

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Tim DeBoom Residence Boulder, Colo.

2007 Hawaii Ironman finish Fourth place, 8:22:33 Bike split 4:38:20, average speed 24.1 mph

Bike Felt DA, 54cm, custom Red Bull paintjob Wheelset Zipp ZedTech 404 front, 808 rear, custom decals Aerobar Zipp Vuka Aero with integrated shift bosses Saddle Fi:zi’k Arione Tri 2 Tires Zipp Tangente tubulars, 700 x 21mm Groupset Shimano Dura-Ace 10-speed, 11-23 cassette Crankset Shimano Dura-Ace, 175mm crankarms, 53 x 39 chainrings Brakeset Shimano Dura-Ace

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Pedals Shimano Dura-Ace Race-day fuel I love peanut-butter PowerBars and green-apple PowerGels. My favorite treat is a can of Red Bull in my run specialneeds bag; pop the top and it’s just like my transition runs back home Hydration Zipp Carbon Cage What the two-time Ironman world champ likes about his DA Fit and weight is better than any bike I’ve had Favorite race Kona, and Springfield IronHorse back in the day Proudest accomplishments Winning back-to-back titles in Kona, fighting through all the adversities I’ve had over the years and being married to Nicole for 11 years and running Web site timdeboom.com

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Craig Alexander Residence Cronulla, Sydney, Australia/Boulder, Colo.

Nickname Crowie 2007 Hawaii Ironman finish Second place, 8:19:04 Bike split 4:38:11, average speed 24.2 mph Bike Orbea Ordu, 51cm Wheelset Zipp 606 Zedtech tubular Aerobar Profile Designs Carbon X 1.5 with classic Carbon X extensions Saddle Fiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;zi:k Arione Tri Carbon Tires Continental Grand Prix tubular, 19mm front, 22mm rear Groupset Shimano Dura-Ace, 10-speed, 11-23 cassette

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Crankset Shimano Dura-Ace, 172.5mm, 53 x 42 chainrings Brakeset Shimano Dura-Ace Pedals Speedplay Zero, titanium spindles Power Meter SRM Average Race-day watts 284 Race-day bike fuel Power Bar Endurance and Red Bull Hydration Beaker Concepts Hydrotail, Zipp Carbon Cages Favorite race Ironman 70.3 St. Croix and Kona What Craig enjoys most about his Ordu Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very comfortable, light and aerodynamic

Proudest accomplishment Getting married and becoming a dad Web site craigalexander.net

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Torbjørn Sindballe Residence Hørsholm, Denmark Nickname Thunderbear 2007 Hawaii Ironman finish Third place, 8:21:30 Bike split 4:25:26, average speed 25.3 mph Bike Argon 18 Element 114, size large (58cm) Wheelset FFWD T-50 Aerobar Argon 18 E-114 Saddle Fi’zi:k Arione Tires Vittoria Crono Evo CS Groupset Shimano Dura-Ace, 10-speed, 11-23 cassette Crankset Ergomo carbon crankset, 175mm crankarms, 54 x 39 chainrings Brakeset Tektro R725

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Pedals Speedplay Zero, titanium spindles Power meter Ergomo Pro Average race-day watts 308 Race-day bike fuel High 5 Energy Source with super carbs and extra salts and minerals Hydration XLAB Mini Wing, XLAB Carbon Cage Favorite race Hmmm . . . Kona comes close Why Torbjørn loves his E-114 It’s damn fast Proudest accomplishment This year’s third place is probably my proudest moment in the sport so far. It took me five Ironmans where I hit the wall between miles 10-12 before I nailed the heat thing and all my skills—whether physically [or] mentally—came right Web site sindballe.dk

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GO DEEP. COMING SOON YOU’VE DECIDED YOU’RE GOING TO SET A NEW BEST TIME, OR MAKE UP THAT DEFICIT IN THE BIKE SEGMENT. YOU DIG DEEPER. AND THEN A LITTLE DEEPER. YOU GO SO DEEP THAT THE PAIN IS LIKE A DEAFENING WHITE NOISE, AND IT KEEPS GETTING LOUDER, BUT THIS TIME, YOU WON’T LISTEN. AND YOU KNOW THAT YOUR EQUIPMENT ISN’T HOLDING YOU BACK; IT’S LETTING YOU SQUEEZE EVERY LAST OUNCE FROM YOUR EFFORT. Blackwell Research was the first to offer a commercially available 100mm carbon wheelset – the “Hundo.” Our engineers have spent as much (or more!) time in wind tunnels than you have training.

We’ve studied and tested every aspect of wheel performance – airflow relationships with different sidewall shapes, the effect of different spoke counts, textured surfaces, etc, etc. We’ve experimented with different carbon layups for the right combination of vertical compliance and lateral stiffness.

The “inner nose” of our rims was designed to perform better in cross-winds, including improved steering. And our famous “angel hair” finish was another Blackwell Research first.

Need components that can go as deep as you can? visit BLACKWELLRESEARCH.COM or call us at

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Leanda Cave Residence Swansea, Wales, Great Britain/Mill Valley, Calif.

2007 Hawaii Ironman finish Eighth place, 9:36:10 Bike split 5:13:46, average speed 21.4 mph

Bike Elite Razor, custom sizing (54cm) Wheelset Elite Aero Aerobar Easton Attack TT, Blackwell Carbon brake levers Saddle Selle Italia SLK Tires Contintental Competition tubulars, 700 x 22mm Groupset Shimano Dura-Ace, 10-speed, 12-23 cassette

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Crankset Shimano Dura-Ace, 172.5mm crankarms, 39 x 53 chainrings Brakeset Shimano Dura-Ace Pedals Look Keo, titanium spindles Hydration Beaker Concepts Hydrotail, Elite Ciussi Cages What people might not know about Leanda I studied fashion design, physical education and geography teaching. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m also a supporter and ambassador for the Blazeman Foundation (waronals.com) Favorite race Kona; Schliersee, Germany, for an Olympic drafting race; Escape from Alcatraz for non-drafting; and Eagleman 70.3 Proudest accomplishment Finishing my first Ironman in Kona last year Web site leandacave.com

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Chris Lieto Residence Danville, Calif.

2007 Hawaii Ironman finish Sixth place, 8:25:49 Bike split 4:28:18, average speed 25.0 mph

Bike Equinox TTX 9.9 SSL, size medium Wheelset Bontrager Aeolus 6.5 carbon tubular Aerobar Bontrager Race XXX Lite Carbon, Bontrager XXX Lite Aero brake levers

Saddle Fi’zi:k Arione Tires Bontrager Race X Lite Pro Tubular Groupset SRAM Red, 11-23 cassette Crankset Bontrager Race X Lite GXP, 175mm crankarms, 53 x 39 chainrings

Brakeset Zero Gravity 0G-Ti Pedals Time RXS Carbon Power meter PowerTap SSL wireless What Chris loves about his TTX 9.9 SSL How fast it is. It’s comfortable and responsive, the best bike I’ve ever ridden Race-day fuel while riding PowerBar Gel, PowerBar Endurance drink with Base Performance’s Base Amino drink added for protein and increased performance Hydration Bontrager Speed bottles (plus custom stem bracket), Bontrager Race Lite (behind saddle) cage Favorite race Kona and Ironman Canada

Proudest accomplishment My son right now is the best

thing in my life. He’s 4 and is a blast Web site chrislieto.com

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John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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THE GOODNESS OF FIT

SPEED FOR SALE

Spend your dollars and time where they matter most

By Kraig Willett

Most folks like to go fast on two wheels. And the manufacturing community is more than happy to develop new products to help you reach new limits in the speed department. In the past, many manufacturers placed light weight above all else. More recently, the focus has shifted toward improved aerodynamics. While it’s relatively easy to compare the weights of your new and old frame, it’s not as easy to measure whether your new frame is aerodynamically superior to your old frame. What follows will help you identify which categories of products provide the best value in terms of improving your speed on the bike.

Cycling speed is determined by the interaction between two key facets: 1.How much power a rider can generate 2.Equipment-related factors such as mass, aerodynamics, tire rolling resistance and drive-train efficiency Different magnitudes of benefit can be achieved in each of these areas for different time and dollar investments. Technophobes might say the best way to go faster on the bike is to train 82

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At 30kph over a course with zero net elevation gain, roughly 75 percent of the forces you must overcome are related to air friction/aerodynamic drag, with the rider accounting for the overwhelming majority of drag (60 percent) and the bike accounting for the remaining 15 percent. There are a number of different approaches to finding the fastest, most aerodynamic position for triathlon. From a theoretical perspective, the fastest position balances power output and aerodynamics: Not everyone can fold themselves into an aero wedge and still crank the pedals over like they need to. Some variables to explore when searching for the fastest position include: • Reach (distance from saddle tip to end of aerobar extensions) • Drop (vertical distance from top of saddle to elbow pads) • Elbow width • Forearm angle • Head position

more. Yes, if one is untrained, any training will help. Training smart helps even more. Some products/services that might help boost your training include: • Individualized coaching ($1000-$3000 per year) • HR monitor ($50$400) • Training log (software or journal based, $5-$150) • Power meter ($800$3500) • Bike computer ($30$100) • Positioning ($200$1000) Now, each of the above can help improve your performance and/or allow you to achieve a similar level of performance with less (although more efficient and focused) training. But, as suggested, there is another way to boost your performance without making any changes to the training side of the equation. Below, we walk you through the relative merits of various equipment upgrades for your bike.

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SPENDING FOR SPEED Evaluating the differences between pieces of equipment is a little more empirical than the art of finding the perfect bike fit.

Below are some notes regarding many of the products available for your bike in your quest for speed.

Aero helmet ($130-$200): Aero helmets can perform differently on different individuals, but they almost always provide a better aero profile as compared to a standard vented road helmet. When choosing a helmet, pick the smallest size you can comfortably get on your head. Longer-tailed helmets aren’t necessarily any better, and typically fewer vents will improve aerodynamics.

Wheels ($1000-$3000 per pair): Aero wheels have probably been the most wind-tunnel-tested product category over the past 10 years. Generally, wheels exhibit improved aerodynamics as the rim depth increases, spoke count decreases and spoke/hub shape is refined. Improved speed from wheels can also be impacted by lower mass, but this plays a much smaller role.

When upgrading, consider aerodynamics first and overall mass second. The ratings in the chart below are based on a set of 32spoked, 20mm-deep rimmed wheels.

Frame/fork ($2000-$3500) and fork alone ($300-$500):

There’s nothing like a new frame and fork to bump up the motivation to ride. Quantifying the aerodynamic benefits of a frame is a bit tricky, though. There are several approaches to testing frames in a wind tunnel. One way is to test the frame/bike without a rider. This approach reduces variability introduced by humans pedaling but does not introduce any rider-bike interaction effects that might take place. Some manufacturers use static dummies to sit in the saddle while developing frames in the wind tunnel. This approach is a step in the right direction; however, it still misses out on the pedaling motion and introduces other setup challenges.

Several years ago it was noted that a good predictor of aerodynamic performance involved measuring the width and depth of the fork legs. The more streamlined the fork legs, the better the fork performed. Frames may globally follow this rule, but due to the multiple elements in a frame it isn’t this simple. Furthermore, some frames perform better than others depending on wind conditions. The ratings in the chart below are all estimated relative to a round-tubed frame and nonaero fork.

Tires ($50-$100): One of the better values in terms of improved speed comes from tires. They give you a double whammy, since the right tire can simultaneously improve wheel aerodynamics and reduce rolling resistance. Often, tires put on expensive wheels can wipe out the majority of the aerodynamic gains. The ratings below are all estimated relative to a midranged OEM tire.

Clothing ($80-150): Performance value can even be found in the right attire. Avoid baggy jerseys that flap in the wind.

The ratings below are estimated relative to a classical-fitting road jersey.

Aerobars ($200-$500): Aerobars allow a rider to assume a more aerodynamic position by reducing frontal area. Frontal area is a good proxy for estimating how well aerobars will perform in the tunnel, but it should be noted that frontal area only tells half the story. The shape of your bar set-up, in particular your base bar, also plays a role in aerodynamics. Thus, it’s probably best to make your aerobar selection based on how well they will adjust to where you’d like to ride. The ratings below are estimated relative to a round-tubed cowhorn base bar and a set of clip-ons.

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Ceramic bearings ($150): There’s been a bit of noise about ceramic bearings in hubs, bottom brackets and derailleur pulleys of late. While it’s true there are potential efficiency losses in these components, the magnitude of these losses is buried within 2-3 percent of overall drivetrain/bearing losses. And the specifications to which the mating hub components have been machined and the installation process can have a more significant impact on efficiency. The ratings below are estimated relative to standard cartridge-bearing assemblies.

UPGRADES: A COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS By comparing the typical speed improvements with the typical upgrade costs associated with each equipment category outlined above, it is possible to measure—and assign a score to—the relative performance benefits, as a function of cost, associated with particular equipment upgrades. These scores, scaled from 1 to 100 (with 100 representing the best value in terms of time saved per dollar spent), can help you determine where you’ll get the most performance bang for your upgrade buck. Note that this metric differs from simply measuring the raw performance gains that can result from improved training or equipment upgrades. If price were no object, then bigger-ticket items, such as wheels, helmets, aero frames and components, coaching services and power meters, would likely lead to the greatest performance gains.

PRODUCT

VALUE RATING

Clothing

100

Tires

80

Aero helmet

46

Training tools (HR monitor, coaching, power meter, etc.)

18

Positioning

16

Fork

14

Aerobars

9

Wheels (front and rear)

7

Frame and fork

7

Frame

6

Ceramic bearings

5

It should be noted that the table above is for comparative purposes only and has been scaled to help with visualization.

In addition, individual riding preferences and strengths and weaknesses will impact the relative benefits of any equipment upgrades.

It’s possible to buy speed. It’s also possible to train more effectively, and folks are continually searching for that competitive edge to achieve a personal best at a given event. Good luck!

Kraig Willett is a triathlete, product-development engineer in the golf industry and former category 1 cyclist. He has worked on the positioning of 100-plus athletes in San Diego’s Low Speed Wind Tunnel.

He also runs biketechreview.com, which provides laboratory-based bicycle-product tests and reviews for consumers and manufacturers.

Kraig can be reached via e-mail at kraig@biketechreview.com.

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STACK AND REACH BIKE FIT’S NEW COORDINATES

On a bike where traditional bike sizing increasingly doesn’t apply, Quintana Roo founder Dan Empfield creates a system to size bikes in a uniform manner

By Jay Prasuhn Now that your tax-refund check is (hopefully) in the mail, is a new tri bike on your radar screen?

If so, paying for it may not be the hardest part: Choosing from among the myriad available options is a task for which you must steel yourself if choosing wisely, and not emotionally, is a consideration. We’re drawn to a bike’s cosmetics and lines. Is the bike aerodynamic? Does it at least look like it is? Does the bike have that curvaceous seat tube? Is the seat post bladed, and does it seamlessly transform from post to tube?

Be careful. The eye can deceive. Furthermore, the eye has a way of conflating style and appearance with function. Yes, a Look 496 and a Felt DA share a superficial similarity, as do Cervelo’s P3C and Orbea’s Ordu. But, in fact, the Felt and the Cervelo are really much more alike, and the Orbea and the Look are cut from the same geometric cloth.

By comparison, road bikes are fairly straightforward in their geometry. You can pretty much rely on the fact that a bike with a 55-centimeter top tube has a cockpit similar to another road bike with the same top-tube length. A 54- or 57-centimeter road bike will be about as tall as the same size bike from another manufacturer.

Not so in triathlon. Let’s say two tri bikes have top-tube lengths of 55 centimeters (as do Orbea’s Ordu, in its 54-centimeter size, and Kuota’s new Kween K, in its size Large): These

bikes ought to have similar cockpit lengths, right? Well, no, they don’t, because the Ordu’s frame is built with a 74-degree seat angle, while the Kueen K has a 78.5-degree angle. Let’s say you move the Ordu’s saddle forward on the rails while moving the Kuota’s saddle back so that each enjoys the same normalized seat angle. Doing so can improve certain aspects of a bike’s fit, but by sliding the saddle forward or backward on the rails you shorten or lengthen the bike’s cockpit length. In the case of these two bikes with identical top tubes, if you normalize each to a 77-degree seat angle, you’ve shortened the Orbea’s cockpit by roughly 2 centimeters and you’ve lengthened the Kuota’s by roughly 1.5 centimeters.

How different are these bikes from one another? In terms of length, this 3.5-centimeter spread is equal to the gap between the Kween K’s size small and large. It’s the difference between sizes 48cm and 54cm or between 51cm and 57cm for the Ordu. The take-away from this exercise is that superficial similarities in appearance, and apparent similarities in geometry, betray huge differences in how tri bikes may fit.

A NEW APPROACH TO MEASUREMENT That said, there is a way to compare bike fit across models, but it takes some rethinking as to how bikes are sized. In this new sizing paradigm, seat-tube length, the traditional measT R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

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urement of bike size, no longer holds meaning.

The bottom bracket is the starting point for creating a system with greater applicability to tri bikes. Look at your bike as if you were looking at a graph. The graph has X and Y coordinates that correspond to the graph’s horizontal and vertical axes. The bottom bracket’s coordinates are 0, 0.

Remember when we were thinking about top-tube lengths?

Where does that top tube terminate? At the head tube. This point of intersection—where the top tube meets the head tube—is of great importance. The further out in front of the bottom bracket this intersection is, the longer the bike is. The higher this point is relative to the bottom bracket, the taller the bike is.

The problem with these intersections is they represent the center points of these tubes. That’s useful to frame builders but less so to end users, since tube shapes and diameters vary so much from one bike to another. Instead, when it comes to the bike’s height, what we need to know is how high the headtube termination is above the bottom bracket. This point, the head-tube top—located midway between the front and back of the head tube—is the point we’re looking for; its relationship to the bottom bracket is key, and it tells us everything we need to know about how a bike is going to fit. Remembering that the bottom bracket is 0, 0 on our graph, you can then calculate the X, Y coordinates (as measured in centimeters) of the head-tube top. To the degree bike makers answer this question, you can compare different bikes one to another with precision.

Now, you may ask, “Are bike makers calculating this stat for their customers?” You bet. As of this issue’s publication, Trek, Felt, Cervelo, Quintana Roo, Specialized, Kestrel, Kuota, Scott, Elite, Calfee, Giant, Cannondale, Blue, Jamis and Wilier all have done so. Indeed, Cervelo has been putting this measure on its geometry charts for several years. You’ll find it listed under the terms “stack” and “reach,” which correspond to the Y and X coordinates respectively. Specialized does this as well, though with the more cumbersome “BB to top of Head-Tube, Horizontal” and “BB to top of Head-Tube, Vertical.”

Another way to look at this is to draw vertical lines through the BB and the head-tube top. The distance between these lines is reach. Draw horizontal lines through the BB and the headtube top, and the distance between the lines is stack. These terms were coined by Quintana Roo founder Dan Empfield, who devised this new fit system as part of his ongoing tri bike-fit narrative. Although stack and reach are most closely associated with his F.I.S.T. fit system, Empfield has not trademarked them and considers them open source for the bike community. A stackand-reach archive housing the data for virtually all tri bikes in all sizes resides and is kept up to date at slowtwitch.com.

It’s important to note that stack and reach can tell you how a bike will fit but not how it will handle. A bike’s chain-stay length, bottom-bracket drop, head angle, fork offset, front/center and stem length will all play a role in how the bike handles. That said, an ill-fitting bike is less likely to handle well, and these X- and Y-coordinate sizing schemes are worth getting familiar with.

Stack

Reach

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DE DE G R I E S BAUE R

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WOMEN ONLY

This gear has more than just softer colors. Each product is designed with a women’s physiology in mind to keep you comfortable and fast.

QUINTANA ROO DULCE $2,500 The women’s counterpart to the popular QR Seduza, the Dulce offers a fully aero frame and comes complete with a compact crank set, wider range of gears and a narrow base bar to keep you comfortable and aero. With a Dura Ace group and FSA crank, it’s hard to find a better deal at this price. rooworld.com

TREK EQUINOX 7 WSD $1,870 Trek has been building women’s-specific bikes longer than anyone in the business, and the Equinox 7 WSD is the latest in their very successful line. As with all their bikes, Trek specs it with top-notch Bontrager accessories, like Select Aero wheels and a Race Lite TT fork. It’s topped off with a Shimano 105. trekbikes.com

SCOTT CONTESSA PLASMA $4,600

Images courtesy the manufacturers

The Contessa Plasma is available in sizes as small as XS. Scott equips the Contessa nicely, with an Ultegra group, Mavic Cosmic Elite wheels and Profile T2 Cobra aerobars. scottusa.com

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LOUIS GARNEAU WOMEN’S STING RAY SUIT $200 This suit is for the serious competitor. It’s comfortable enough for all three sports and provides slight compression to keep your muscles firing efficiently. louisgarneau.com

LOOK KEO ELLE PEDAL $100 All the same characteristics as the Look KeO Classic but with sky-blue lettering and a white/black finish to complement many of the women’s frames available. lookcycle-usa.com

Images courtesy the manufacturers

SCOTT PRO LADY SHOES $130 Designed with a narrower platform, the Pro Lady will keep your feet comfy when a men’s shoe just won’t do the job. It also features a low-profile outsole to maximize power transfer. scottusa.com

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To learn more or to order online visit www.t3recovery.com 30-day money back guarantee. See website for complete details. ©2007 T3 Athletic Recovery Products. Energia is a trademark of Foamex L.P. All rights reserved. IRONMAN, IRONMAN TRIATHLON and M-DOT are registered trademarks of World Triathlon Corporation. This is an official product of Ironman. T3, T3 Athletic Recovery Products, T3 Athletic Recovery Mattress and Complete the Cycle are trademarks of Sunrise Mattress Company, Inc.

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COMPLETE BIKES

$1,499 & UNDER

Spending less than $1,500 on a tri bike used to mean you’d get nothing more than a cheap road bike with clipon aerobars. Nowadays, you can get a tri-specific rocket to get you started on the road to multisport greatness.

JAMIS COMET $1,250 If there was a way to measure aerodynamic advantage per dollar spent, this gem would be at the top of the list. At a quarter of the cost of top-end rides, the Comet delivers all the essentials for a newbie, like an aero-butted aluminum frame, aero downtube and airfoil seat tube. Couple that with an Ultegra groupset and FSA drivetrain and you’ve got one of the fastest starter bikes on the planet. jamisbikes.com

VALDORA AC-TRI $1,399 No bike demonstrates Valdora’s commitment to giving you a great deal better than the AC-Tri. While there are plenty of starter bikes in this price range, few offer the same top-end parts of the AC-Tri. This ride is race ready out of the box with Profile aerobars, Easton wheels and a 10speed Ultegra/105/FSA mixed drivetrain. valdoracycles.com

One of the lightest and most responsive aluminum frames on the market. Felt uses Superlite custom-butted aluminum with an aero seat tube, machined bottom bracket and forged dropouts to keep the weight down and the ride stiff. They top it off with an Airfoil carbon fork, Ultegra/105 mix kit, Profile aerobars and Shimano wheelset. feltbicycles.com

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Images courtesy the manufacturers

FELT S32 $1,450

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FUJI ALOHA $1,300 More proof you don’t need to spend big bucks to get super aero. The Aloha’s seat tube pushes you all the way to 78 degrees and the Altair 2 tubing keeps airflow smooth over the entire frame. You also get a raceready Alex wheelset, Profile aerobars and a DA/105/Tiagra custom kit. fujibikes.com

XLAB MACH 3 $1,495

$1,500-$2,499

Perfect for those who want high-quality aluminum or carbon fiber but don’t have the budget to drop five grand on a bike.

JAMIS TRILOGY $2,000 The tri-specific geometry, sound aerodynamics and double-butted aluminum combine for a great ride. For only two grand you get a complete bike with Dura-Ace shifters, Ultegra derailleurs, FSA crankset and deep Easton wheels. jamisbikes.com

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Images courtesy the manufacturers

XLAB’s Craig Turner is dedicated to making you aero, without making you poor. The entry-level rocket will have you flying with a 78-degree seat angle, rear-wheel cutout, FSA crankset, Profile Stryke aerobars and Bontrager Select wheelset. xlab-usa.com

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ARGON 18 MERCURY $2,499 Who says you can’t build an elite-caliber bike for under $2,500? Powered by Sam McGlone, this frame won the inaugural Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2006 and finished second in Kona last year. As with all their bikes, Argon 18 keeps the tubes deep and weight low. The Mercury comes spec’d with a 105/Ultegra mix kit, Truvativ Elita crank and Mavic Aksium wheelset. argon18.com

QUINTANA ROO SEDUZA $2,499 The beautifully woven 12k carbon makes the Seduza look like it belongs in a higher price category, as do the ride characteristics. It is light, stiff and responsive and spec’d with Vision bars, a DA/Ultegra mix kit and an Alex wheelset. rooworld.com

VAN DESSEL ALL SYSTEMS GO $2,499

Images courtesy the manufacturers

One of the more unique names you’ll find slapped on a top tube, but nonetheless it’s a solid bike at a steal of a price. The triple-butted aero frame comes stocked with an Ultegra 10-speed group, FSA wheelset and fully adjustable seat post. vandesselsports.com

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$2,500-$3,999

In this price category, you’ll find the best bang for your buck. Pick up one of these rigs in 2008 and you’ll be riding with the big boys, while still saving a little coin.

KESTREL TALON $2,500 One of the most versatile tri bikes on the market today. The dual-position seatpost and comfortable geometry makes it perfect for both time trialing and road racing. For only $2,500 you’ll get a full-carbon frame stocked with Profile aerobars, Mavic Aksium wheelset and FSA crank. kestrel-usa.com

FELT B12 $2,700 You’re not reading the price wrong. New for 2008 is the B12—a bike that’s easy on your wallet and hard on your competition. The complete bike tips the scale at less than 19 pounds and comes spec’d with an Ultegra SL group, Profile T2 aerobars and a Felt Exclusive TTR3 40mm wheelset. feltbicycles.com

SPECIALIZED TRANSITION COMP $3,000

Images courtesy the manufacturers

If you want to get super-aero, but you don’t want to take out another mortgage, the Transition Comp is the way to go. You get the proven design of the Transition frame, without all the bling of the S-Works model. The Comp comes stocked with an Ultegra/105 mix group and Mavic Aksium wheelset. specialized.com

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ARGON 18 E-112 $3,650 Argon’s mid-level ride looks anything but midlevel. For this price you’ll be rolling on a set of Mavic Aksium wheels, Ultegra/DA mix group and FSA Energy crank. While it certainly has plenty of bells and whistles, we were most excited about the integrated fork, which the wind tunnel proved is a worthy investment. argon18.com

XLAB AVENGER TT $2,999 You’d be hard-pressed to find a better deal on a full-carbon aero rocket. You get the smoothest shifting in the world, thanks to XLAB’s unique method of routing the rear derailleur cable (smaller bend radius), an asymmetrical aero fork and incredible power transfer, because of the oversized chainstays, in addition to a DA/Ultegra mix group, Profile T2 Cobra aerobars and Bontrager Select wheelset. xlab-usa.com

CERVELO P2C $3,000

Images courtesy the manufacturers

By now it’s no secret: If you want to be aero you have to get steep. Really steep. The P2C may be the best way to get super-steep, as the forward seat position will have you riding at a 78-degree seat angle. The Ultegra kit will save you $500, but for this price Cervelo specs the bike with all DA components, an FSA crank, Vision aerobars and Shimano R-550 wheels. It may be Cervelo’s second-best bike, but this is the ride that won the women’s title in Kona last year. cervelo.com

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TITANFLEX VETERAN $3000 This is the most surefire way to get noticed on race day.

Yes, it does look a little, well, radical, but once you hop on the Veteran you’ll know why it’s built like this. Using a titanium boom, the Veteran transfers almost no road vibrations to your body. It’s ideal for long-course athletes, and the new monocoque carbon frame is very aero too. titanflexbikes.com

TREK EQUINOX TTX 9.0 $3,080 You’d be hard-pressed to find a company that spends as much time in the wind tunnel as Trek. The TTX 9.0 is the result of endless hours of engineering, and between its sleek lines and mammoth tubing the bike just screams “fast.” Trek specs it with Shimano 105 components and a Bontrager fork, wheelset and crank. trekbikes.com

KESTREL AIRFOIL PRO $3,500 There’s a good reason the design of the Airfoil hasn’t changed much over the past five years: It’s one of the most aerodynamic frames in the world. Now the price has come down to the point where you can win your age group and still afford to celebrate afterward. The seat tube-less frame comes loaded with Profile aerobars, a Bontrager Select wheelset, FSA cranks and a Profile Razor seatpost. kestrel-usa.com

While the price tag on the Slice Ultimate may be a bit intimidating, the $3,500 Slice 5 is very inviting, even if you’re relatively new to the sport. The Slice 5 may be Cannondale’s entry-level ride, but the aerodynamic features are the same as you’ll find on the Ultimate. With a Speed Shadow seat tube, 78degree seat angle and super-narrow profile, it’s one of the cheapest ways to set a new bike PR. Cannondale specs the Slice 5 with a Shimano 105 group, Profile T2 aerobars and Shimano WH-RS-10 wheelset. cannondale.com

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Images courtesy the manufacturers

CANNONDALE SLICE 5 $3,500

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>D E S I G N >IN N OVATION >P E R F O R M A N C E AEROBAR

DROPBAR

STEM

SEATPOST

FORK

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Via Papa Giovanni XXIII, 1 24040 Madone (BG) - Italy Telefono +39.035.499.3911 info@thenew3t.com

WWW.THENEW3T.COM

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$4,000-$6,999

It’s not the cheapest way to fly, but when you want top-notch aerodynamics and comfort, sometimes you have to spend a little more.

ORBEA ORA $4,550 We were shocked when we saw the price tag for this rocket. The Ora is one of the sleekest frames on the market but has a price that trumps most other bikes in its class. The highlight of the Ora is the extremely aero seat tube, which has been proven in the wind tunnel. For this price you get a full Dura-Ace group, with a number of other build options available. orbea-usa.com

VALDORA PHX LIMITED $5,500 Apparently Valdora knows a thing or two about working with carbon. They’ve cut the weight of the PHX Limited frame down to a slender 2.6 pounds, while still earning the highest-possible fatigue certification in the bike industry. The 76degree, semi-compact frame comes spec’d with a Dura-Ace group, Valdora Sting Ray aerobar and your choice of HED Tri-spoke or Valdora deep-carbon tubulars. valdoracycles.com

GRIFFEN KOMPRESSER VULCAN $6,150

Images courtesy the manufacturers

If you thought building bikes out of carbon fiber was difficult, try using boron carbide. It’s an extremely complex metal and Griffen is the only company to use it. What makes boron carbide unique is the metal starts off as a powder and when it’s extruded microscopic pores are left in the metal, which eat up road vibration like nothing else. The Kompresser delivers this road-dampening material with solid aerodynamics and a Dura-Ace group. griffenbike.com

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Germany, Continental production plant, Korbach, bicycle tires heating mould section. The new GP Triathlon with

technology.

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Wolf vorm Walde Continental DEVELOPMENT.

Sigrid Sander Continental bicycle tires PRODUCTION.

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T1 + T2 = Victory.

Distributed Exclusively By

877-395-8088 www.highwaytwo.com

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LITESPEED SABER $5,300 Litespeed is king of the ti world, and if you’re a true ti-addict the Saber is the way to go. It’s as aero a frame as you can build with titanium and it will last you a lifetime. The frameset retails for $3,000, but for a bit more you’ll get a 60mm-deep wheelset and Dura-Ace group. litespeed.com

JAMIS XENITH T2 $6,300 Jamis finally entered the realm of ultra high-end bikes with the introduction of the Xenith T2. The super-aero carbon frame is highlighted by its clever fork design, which completely shrouds the front brake from the wind. Jamis stocks the Xenith T2 with a Zipp 808 wheelset, Dura-Ace groupset and FSA Hollow Carbon crankset. jamisbikes.com

QUINTANA ROO LUCERO TI $5,300

Images courtesy the manufacturers

QR’s new all-ti rocket is perhaps the most aero titanium frame we’ve ever come across.

The tubing is sculpted to a 3:1 ratio (three times longer than it is wide), proving ti can be aero. QR specs the Lucero Ti with a DuraAce group and provides options like Vision bars and Zipp wheels. rooworld.com

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QUINTANA ROO LUCERO LITE $6,999 Apparently Quintana Roo hasn’t heard the old adage “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” We didn’t think there was anything wrong with the super-sleek Lucero in 2007, but that didn’t stop QR from shaving more than a few grams off the frame. They spared no expense and used only the finest carbon available to build a ridiculously light (1099g) frame. For this price you’ll be rolling on a pair of Zipp 606’s and Dura-Ace kit. rooworld.com

CERVELO P3C $4,500 There’s not a lot you can say about this bike that hasn’t already been said. If the P3C were its own brand, it would win the annual Kona bike count all by itself. Triathletes love it because of its wind tunnel-proven aerodynamics, comfortable geometry and the incredibly smooth ride. You get a P3C with a Dura-Ace group, Vision aerobars, FSA crank and Shimano R-550 wheelset. cervelo.com

SCOTT CR1 PLASMA PRO $4,600

Images courtesy the manufacturers

For a mid-level bike the Plasma Pro looks anything but mid-level. It weighs in at about three pounds heavier than the Plasma LTD but has all the same aero features of its big brother. Scott caps the bike off with an Ultegra group, Mavic Cosmic Elite wheelset and Profile T2+ aerobar. Available in six sizes (XS–XXL). scottusa.com

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Mens 5/3 mm Sprint John MSRP: $139.99

Womens 5/3 mm Sprint Jane MSRP: $139.99

Mens 5/3 mm Short John MSRP: $119.99

Mens 5/3 mm Sprint FullSuit MSRP: $189.99

“Rock solid construction... that offers everything you need at a pretty untouchable price” Triathlete Magazine

INTRODUCING THE ALL NEW LINE OF

TRIATHLON WETSUITS

For more information or to find an authorized NeoSport® dealer visit:

www.neosportusa.com/tri

1.800.927.2840

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FELT B2 PRO $6,000 It seems ridiculous to call this Felt’s second-best bike, but with the DA as its bigger brother, that’s what it is. It’s a worthy subordinate though. Like the DA, the B2 Pro uses Felt’s UHM (Ultra High Modulus) carbon to build this monocoque-carbon masterpiece. You’ll also get a pair of Zipp 606 wheels, Vision aerobars and Dura-Ace group. feltbicycles.com

$7,000 & UP

When you’re really obsessed with this sport, sometimes a top-flight ride is worth a second mortgage.

GURU CRONO $7,300 It’s not cheap, but for a fully custom ride it’s a relative steal. Guru develops some of the most unique frames in the world, twisting the downtube near the bottom bracket, which creates an incredibly stiff ride. For this price, Guru stocks the rig with Profile T2 Cobra aerobars, Fi’zi:k saddle, Reynolds Assault wheelset and a full Dura-Ace group. gurubikes.com

ORBEA ORDU $7,725

Images courtesy the manufacturers

It’s not like there was anything wrong with the 2007 Ordu, but the engineers at Orbea examined every last detail and the end result is a frame with a seven-percent aerodynamic advantage over its predecessor. For this price, Orbea will have you flying in style, with a SRAM Red group, Zipp 999 wheelset and Vuka aerobar. orbea-usa.com

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$7..'6 9+6* ;174 0#/' 10 +6

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ELITE JOULE PRO AERO CARBON $7,875 What makes this bike unique isn’t that it’s built with carbon but rather where the carbon is placed. The carbon top and downtubes help eliminate road vibrations, while the Easton Ultralite Alloy rear end and seat tube ensure you don’t lose any power. For this price, the custom-built rocket will be stocked with a complete Dura-Ace 10-speed group and a Zipp wheelset and cranks. elitebicycles.com

ARGON 18 E-114 $7,850 Argon 18 engineer Gervais Rioux literally spent years bringing this bike to life, and the end result is well worth his investment.

The E-114 was designed to create the perfect balance of ergonomics and aerodynamics by utilizing the first integrated and stemless aerobar/fork combination.

Argon has plenty of build options, but for this price they’ll throw in a pair of Zipp 909 wheels and FSA SLK crankset. argon18.com

DEVINCI LEO TT 3 $8,000

Images courtesy the manufacturers

Devinci, a relative unknown in triathlon circles, has a line of three new tri bikes for 2008. They pulled out all the stops for the Leo TT 3, their top-flight ship, as it offers a super-steep 78degree seat post (76 degrees in the aft position) and a fully aero frame. For this price, they spec the bike nicely, with a full SRAM Force group, Zipp 808 wheelset and Vision aerobar. devinci.com

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TREK EQUINOX TTX 9.9 SSL $8,250 We just wonder how fast Lance could have gone if he had the TTX 9.9 SSL underneath him. Trek spends more time engineering its frames than just about anyone on the planet, and this is the result. Trek equips this rocket with a Bontrager Race XXX Lite TT fork, Aelous wheelset (5.0 front, 6.5 rear) and a SRAM Red 10speed group. trekbikes.com

SPECIALIZED S-WORKS TRANSITION $8,500 Specialized didn’t skimp on anything when it put together this beast. For this price you’ll get one of the most aero bikes in the world, equipped with a Zipp 404 wheelset and Vuka aerobars, SRAM Red 10-speed group, Specialized Tritip saddle and S-Works Fact carbon crankset. It’s the bike that carried Chris McCormack to an Ironman world championship last year, and it can carry you to a new bike PR this year. specialized.com

Scott has taken their top-flight ship to a new level for 2008. At only 15.3 pounds, the Plasma LTD is one of the lightest fullaero rides on the market. The integrated seat tube is a nice touch, as is the top-shelf component package. Scott specs the bike with a full Dura-Ace group, Zipp wheelset and Profile carbon aerobars. Available in six sizes (XS–XXL). scottusa.com

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SCOTT CR1 PLASMA LTD $7,600

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FELT DA $9,500 The choice of Michellie Jones and Andy Potts.

With a Zipp Zed Tech Z99 wheelset the DA tips the scales at less than 17 pounds. Felt doesn’t just stock the bike with top-shelf wheels though; it comes complete with a Zipp Vuka aerobar and full Dura-Ace group. It may take a chunk out of your savings account, but it will also take some big chunks out of your PR. feltbicycles.com

CANNONDALE SLICE ULTIMATE $10,600 You get what you pay for. You don’t need a wind tunnel to see how aero this bike is—just look at it head-on and the bike seemingly disappears.

As for the bells and whistles, Cannondale spared no expense. For this price you get a SRAM Red 10-speed group, Zipp Zed Tech 6 wheelset and USE Tula aerobars. All that tips the scales at a mere 14.4 pounds. cannondale.com

No, that price is not a misprint. You are looking at the single most expensive triathlon bike in the world. For about as much as a brandnew hybrid SUV you get a custom-built ride, designed by Mr. Wind Tunnel himself, John Cobb. The package includes a three-day firstclass stay in San Diego, where Cobb will perform measurements in the wind tunnel to attain the perfect fit. You’ll also receive a Blackwell 100mm wheelset and an extra disc wheel. For $7,200, you can get the Riserva without the wind-tunnel fit. javbike.com

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JAVELIN RISERVA JOHN COBB EDITION $28,000

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FRAMESETS

If custom isn’t custom enough for you, then buy a frameset and build it up exactly how you’d like. All prices quoted below are for frameset only.

LEADER 735TT $399 Yes, that’s the actual price. It may not be the most high-tech bike on the market, but for less than $400, it’s hard to find any faults with it. The frame is constructed of ultra-lightweight alloy and includes many features of top-end ships, like horizontal dropouts and a deep rear-wheel cutout. leaderbikestore.com

LOOK 496 TRI $3999 It’s the choice of Aussie superstar Luke Bell and for a good reason: The 496 delivers an exceptional balance of aerodynamics and comfort. The unique headset design provides a wide range of fit options, and the super-deep seat-tube cutout keeps your rear wheel tucked away from the wind. lookcycle.com

PINARELLO MONTELLO FM1 $7,000

Images courtesy of the manufacturers

Pinarello continues to show they’re serious about triathlon with the newest wind-cheater. The FM1 isn’t a completely new bike but rather a revamped version of the Montello. The super-sleek ride uses a higher grade of carbon than did its predecessor, allowing Pinarello to use less material while enhancing the structural integrity of the frame. In the forward position, the seat angle runs up to 76.5 degrees to help get you low and aero. pinarello.com

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SPECIALIZED S-WORKS TRANSITION $3,500 For this price you get a little more than with the average frameset-only purchase. The S-Works comes stocked with frame, fork, seatpost, stem, brakes and crankset. Throw on the groupset, wheels and aerobars of your choice and you’re ready to fly. specialized.com

BPSTEALTH STEALTH MODEL $1499 This ride doesn’t need any fancy graphics to catch your eye. It’s perhaps the most exotic looking frame on the market, but it’s not made for looks—it’s made for speed.

However, the Stealth is more than just an aerodynamic rocket. The unorthodox setup gives the rider a lower center of gravity while riding, which makes the bike handle extremely well. bpstealth.com

GRIFFEN KOMPRESSER VULCAN $3,675 The best boron carbide ride in the world is also available as a frameset only. The Kompresser has all the road-dampening characteristics that have built Griffen’s reputation, along with super-deep tubing providing optimal aerodynamics. griffenbike.com

If you want to build a bike yourself, the P3C is a great base. You get a frame with a super-aero head tube, Constant Cross-section seat tube and Integrated Accessory Attachment seat post.

Perhaps best of all are the internal cable stops, which take a ton of stress out of building your own bike. cervelo.com

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CERVELO P3C $3,300

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LOUIS GARNEAU TT 8.8 CARBON $2,000 The choice of Aussie star Chris Legh and the Jittery Joe’s Pro Cycling Team. Garneau is able to target stresses toward the bottom-bracket area, creating an incredibly stiff ride. It’s a relative featherweight as well, with the frame weighing in at 1350g (51cm). louisgarneau.com

DOLAN ARIA II $2,450 All you need to know is that Bradley Wiggins, one of the best time trialists in the world, was consulted to help design this ultra-aero machine. While the aerodynamics are top-notch, we were most impressed with the bottom bracket, which provides incredible power transfer and a super-stiff ride. dpmsports.com

BLUE T16 $1,500 Think deep—really deep. Blue’s Halo system carbon post allows the effective seat angle of this super-aero frame to reach 80 degrees. Carbon stays and an aero carbon fork, bringing the weight down and providing a smooth ride, enhance the aluminum body of the frame. The frameset, which comes in six sizes, tips the scales at 1615 grams. rideblue.com

All frames are custom built for each rider. Once your frame is built you can spec it how you’d like, with factory-direct prices available on components. A unique feature on Roark bikes is the coupler option, which allows you to fly with your bike at no additional cost. Bike shown is the full-aero coupler, which fits easily in Roark’s 26” x 26” x 10” travel case. roarkcycles.com

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ROARK CUSTOM TITANIUM $2,675 & UP

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Distributed in U.S.A. by DPM Sports www.dpmsports.com â&#x20AC;˘ (201) 871-1558

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EVERTI EAGLE $2,400 Everti, a true boutique bike brand out of British Columbia, is obsessed with titanium and has a complete line of ti bikes, including road and mountain frames. The Eagle is its flagship tri model, and the frameset displays impressive aerodynamic characteristics. A full range of sizes is available, or for a little extra coin you can go with a completely custom frame. evertibikes.com

ELITE RAZOR CARBON $3,600 The fully custom frame is built with both Easton UltraLite alloy and Edge Composites carbon to deliver the perfect mix of comfort and rigidity.

Elite keeps the custom theme going, giving athletes their choice of any two-color paint scheme. elitebicycles.com

CEEPO VENOM $3,400

Images courtesy of the manufacturers

What was once a boutique company is now one of the fastest-growing brands in the industry. Ceepo didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t skimp on anything when creating its new TT frameset, and the result is a ride that looks as fast as it is.

Every detail of the Venom is designed to maximize aerodynamicsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from the sleek front end to the super-deep seat-tube cutout. ceepo-usa.com

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WHEELS

It doesn’t get much sexier than a set of carbon race wheels. Here, we run through a few of the gofast toys you’ll find on the roads this spring.

BONTRAGER AEOLUS 5.0 ACC $1,699/PAIR Wheel design by Bontrager, aerodynamics by HED, the Aeolus is made affordable on the first aluminum-rim, deep-carbon clincher from Bontrager. The 16-hole, paired-spoke wheel uses a 50mmtall rim. Bontrager valve extenders are included. bontrager.com

ZIPP DISC WITH POWERTAP 2.4 WIRELESS $3,100-$3,500 This is the first disc with PowerTap’s renowned strain gauges built in to measure power and spit out real-time wattage data. The disc feeds this data wirelessly to the head unit, relaying power, speed, cadence, heart rate and other metrics, with all information downloadable to your Mac or PC. Available discs include the Zipp 900 tubular or clincher and the new Sub 9. saris.com

FLASHPOINT 80S $1,400/PAIR New for ’08, the FP80 allows you to go deep without going broke.

Using Zipp’s patented rim shape on an 82mm-deep rim, cost is brought down by using Japanese bearings, bladed Sapim spokes and an aluminum braking surface. Yet it’s still hand-made in the USA. flash-pointracing.com

HED3 $745 FRONT, $845 REAR Images courtesy the manufacturers

One of the fastest wheels on the market, the Hed3 carbon tri-spoke is available in nearly every configuration (700c or 650c, tubular or alloy-rim clincher) at the same price, regardless of option. hedcycling.com

GRAY 9.5 $1,399/PAIR A proprietary 95mm-deep rim is complemented by a silky smooth new signature hubset and laced together with Sapim spokes, nipples hidden aerodynamically out of the wind. The result is a fast wheelset that also represents a fantastic value. synergysport.com 126

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ROLF PRIMA CARBON TT $1,999/PAIR The TT (with the lowest spoke count in the world with 10 front, 12 rear) is Michael Lovato’s pick against the wind, up a hill (at just 1,295 grams per set) and against the clock, with internal nipples that yield exceptional stiffness. rolfprima.com

BLACKWELL RESEARCH 100 $1,910/PAIR The first rim to reach 100mm depth, following John Cobb’s research and testing. The rim features a shaped apex for optimized handling in windy conditions and wears a unidirectional angel-hair carbon finish. blackwellresearch.com

XLAB CERAMIC SATURN 5 AERO ($1,495/PAIR) AND XLAB DISC CERAMIC ($1,145) The new Saturn 5 represents an astounding value, especially considering the low-friction, spin-forever, last-forever solid ceramic bearings that lie within the hub bodies on titanium bearing races. The wheels are built up with Sapim Aero spokes on 50mm carbon rims and tip scales at under 1,350g. Includes brake pads and quick releases. xlab-usa.com

ZIPP SUB-9 DISC ($1,875) AND 1080 ($1,100 FRONT, $1,350 REAR) Zipp’s ultimate go-fast combo has heaps of tunnel testing behind it; the Sub-9 was the first disc to present negative drag thanks to the torodial bulge (which also adds ride comfort as it acts like a leaf spring).

Then add the 1080, the deepest non-disc front wheel wearing Zipp’s proprietary rim shape through the rim’s 108mm depth. zipp.com

EASTON EC90 TT CARBON $1,600/PAIR A clever aerodynamic advantage comes in the new R4 hub, featuring an airfoil axle shape. It’s built onto an ultra-strong 56mm rim, with front-wheel bladed-spoke spacing matching that of the rear for a claimed 50-percent cut in frontal exposure. eastonbike.com

SHIMANO WH7850-C50 DURA-ACE CARBON TUBULAR $2,299/PAIR

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Strength, reliability and speed are the hallmarks of anything Dura-Ace, and the C50 mirrors that with a strong 50mm rim built on a new titanium freehub body, with angular contact bearings and oversized alloy axles. shimano.com |

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ELITE AERO ($1,849/PAIR) AND AERO 2.4 WIRELESS REAR ($1,999) Elite marries a non-dimpled Zipp 404 rim with ultra-reliable (and ultra-sexy) Chris King hubs. The Aero 2.4 Wireless incorporates PowerTap’s 2.4 Wireless power meter into the matrix, allowing you to receive power data on race day. elitebicycles.com

FULL SPEED AHEAD RD-400 $1,099/PAIR Aerodynamics and value aside, the craftsmanship in the RD-400 is in the spokes, with nipples hidden beneath the rim on bladed Wheelsmith spokes. Each spoke treated with spoke prep to keep your wheels true through the season. fullspeedahead.com

SPECIALIZED ROVAL RAPIDE STAR TUBULAR $2,600/PAIR Given that narrow is aero, Specialized significantly reduced the spoke stance of the hub flange while lengthening the flange’s reach, effectively cutting frontal drag by 50 percent.

Adding to the slipperiness are self-aligning hidden spoke nipples on a 48mm-deep rim.

Carbon brake pads are included. specialized.com

AMERICAN CLASSIC 38MM CARBONS $1,499/PAIR

Images courtesy the manufacturers

American Classic’s offering presents a 38mm-deep carbon cross-section that’s shallow enough to make crosswind handling much easier (a blessing for lighter riders), but cuts the weight significantly (to 1175g), making it a brilliant choice for hilly races like Escape from Alcatraz or Wildflower. Comes with titanium quick releases, with rims set on an American Classics hubset.

Ceramic bearing upgrades run $199/pair. amclassic.com

PRO CARBON DISC TUBULAR REAR WHEEL $1,499 Shimano’s ProTour choice for several squads, including Rabobank in time trials, the disc includes a light (1090g) skin set on a Shimano Ultegra hub with angular contact bearings. pro-bikegear.com

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Train stronger, recover sooner and race faster with the Master Formula or your money back Mark Sisson, 54, former 2:18 marathon, 4th IMH, coach, Master Formula designer

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y now you know that endurance training causes damage. That’s what it’s supposed to do. In fact, it’s only by recovering fully that your training allows you to become fitter and faster. Without the proper recovery components, all your hard efforts could just be a waste of time, resulting in a weakened immune system (increased colds and flu), low energy, soft-tissue inflammation, muscle breakdown and slower race times. All the recent research confirms this. Unfortunately, most vitamins, aminos, protein powders, electrolyte drinks, bars and gels can’t possibly supply all the critical micronutrients required for your recovery at the cellular level. Even the best diet can’t. Studies show that to accelerate and maximize recovery, you need additional very specific cellular recovery nutrients - like those found in the Damage Control Master Formula.

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Try my Damage Control Master Formula for 30 days. If you don’t experience a noticeable improvement in your training and/or racing results, I’ll refund your purchase price - no questions asked. Call or go online to order today. FREE BONUS! Sign up for 30-day autoship and I’ll also include a free 30-day supply of my high-potency Omega3 Fish Oil supplement with every Master Formula order you receive (and I’ll even pay for the shipping). Not available in ordinary stores.

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Call or go to www.masterformula.com See results of our test at www.masterformula.com. The Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated these statements. This product is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any disease.

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AEROBARS

An aerobar is one of the most effective time-saving investments you can make for your bike. Here are 13 of the best for triathletes.

VALDORA STINGRAY $750 Valdora’s first foray into the aerobar market has been an impressive one. The Stingray has all the technical must-haves, like internal cable routing, and functional must-haves, like lots of adjustability with ergonomic armrests that feature horizontal adjustment. It’s all set aboard a deep aero base bar. valdoracycles.com

EASTON AEROFORCE CNT $300 The Aeroforce is not only light (410g) and comfortable (the carbon base for the armrest pads have a cantilever effect for comfort) but it’s also tough; that CNT stands for carbon nanotubes, which means nanotubes have been infused into the resin for added toughness. Available in three length options. eastonbike.com

PROFILE DESIGN SONIC CSX $199 The perfect mate to any base bar, the CSX clip-on has a one-piece carbon-fiber armrest/extension. Adjustable width to accommodate narrow positioning. Comes in three extension-length options. profile-design.com

The new Ventus Team has drawn instant interest for its unbelievably thin frontal profile, including exceptionally thin integrated brake levers. The armrests and extensions adjust up and down in unison, leaving the rider’s hand position unaffected, and the extensions are fore and aft adjustable. All parts are carbon, save for aluminum armrests and extensions. velimpex.com

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3T VENTUS TEAM $900

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WHIT E HO T.

White is the new black, and now you can find it in the Speedplay Zero pedal. When combined with the Zeroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unmatched cornering clearance, phenomenal light weight, dual-sided entry, ease of adjustment and the lowest stack height available, no other pedal comes close to the performance or striking looks of the Zero Pedal System. See for yourself at speedplay.com.

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Step up.

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OVAL CONCEPTS A921 JETSTREAM $950 With Venturi-slots in a new flat carbon fiber base bar, the A921 offers exceptional adjustability and alloy s-bend extensions—all of which fix to an R700 RBT stem (not included) with an aero nose cone. ovalconcepts.com

BONTRAGER RACE X LITE AERO CLIP-ON HANDLEBAR $179 Bontrager’s first clip-on is a winner, with a sculpted carbon shape and internal cable routing, plus shift-cable porting at the back of the extension. To boot, it’s covered under Bontrager’s carbonfiber crash-replacement policy. bontrager.com

HED VANTAGE 8 $695 One of our best-of-show products from 2007 Interbike, the new Vantage 8 improves on the already impressive Hed aerobar with a thinner base bar, a low pad placement and an unreal light weight, at 480 grams. hedcycling.com

BLACKWELL RESEARCH CONCORD $1,199 The John Cobb-designed Concord marries race-day comfort (as seen in the Wrist Relief extensions), with speed (evident after Cobb’s tunnel tests with the Concord), which can be confirmed by looking at the bar head-on, where it fairly disappears. blackwellresearch.com

Proven in the pro-cycling ranks, the road-borne Missile is a light (475g) bar with a drop base bar, as shown, or new flat base bar option. pro-bikegear.com

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PRO MISSILE CARBON TT AEROBAR STRAIGHT $749

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VISION TRIMAX CARBON INTEGRATED $589 Still one of the most aero cockpits in the industry, the TriMax is completed with cut-to-fit R-bend extensions. Also available with standard-rise extensions. visiontechusa.com

SAMPSON STRATICS TT $699 The new Stratics is a light (700g) one-piece with extension adjustability and a comfortable ergonomic grip. Armrest pads are fully adjustable in all planes. sampsonsports.com

SYNTACE C3 CLIP ($193) AND STRATOS CX BASEBAR ($245) Raced by 2007 Ironman Germany winner Timo Bracht, this one-two pair centers around a unique double-helix extension shape that fits intuitively in the hand. At 165g, the base bar is a lightweight as well. syntace.com

ZIPP VUKA BULL AND VUKA CLIP $580

Images courtesy the manufacturers

The Eppler-designed base bar features not only one of the fastest airfoil shapes but it’s also one of the lightest bars around, at 195 grams. Paired with the Vuka Clip, it’s fully-adjustable for optimized ride comfort. zipp.com

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HELMETS

If you have a $20 head, then get a . . . you know the expression. Still, for 2008 you can find a wide range of helmet prices and styles to suit your budget and taste.

SPECIALIZED S-WORKS $210 You have to hold the S-Works in your hand to appreciate how light it is. At 225g, it’s one of the lightest helmets in the world, thanks to dual-density EPS foam and a new chin strap that won’t absorb water as you sweat . . . and tons of vents. It’s also one of the most dependable to protect you, with a Kevlar-reinforced inner matrix. specialized.com

GIRO ADVANTAGE 2 $150 Debuted by Germany’s Normann Stadler during his Hawaii Ironman win in 2006 and worn by pros including Rutger Beke and Linda Gallo, the Advantage II has five vents as well as internal channeling to keep you cool while keeping up your speed. giro.com

RUDY PROJECT ZUMA $90 A compact, streamlined design with true value, the Zuma has 21 vents, a visor-lock interface, custom micro-porous padding and a 360-degree comfort head ring for total adjustability. rudyproject.com

LOUIS GARNEAU ROCKET AIR $179

SPIUK KRONOS $229 Used by pros ranging from Bjorn Andersson and Chris Lieto to Ivan Rana and Simon Whitfield, the Kronos’ calling card is a long teardrop tail with a mesh vent at the rear to help dissipate heat. dpmsports.com

GIRO IONOS $225 The Ionos, which Aussie Craig Alexander wore to a runner-up finish in Kona, is sculpted around 21 massive vents. Combined with internal channels and a generally minimalist shape, the Ionos is barely there on hot summer days. The inner pads are silver-infused to ward off sweat odor. giro.com 138

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Long the industry standard for many pros and age groupers, the Rocket Air adds comfort with two frontal vents and three aft vents, with tests showing the addition didn’t adversely affect aerodynamics. louisgarneau.com

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SADDLES

Saddle preference is as personal as it gets, with some athletes preferring maximum comfort while others opt for a minimalist approach. This selection should offer something for everyone.

FI’ZI:K ARIONE TRI2 CARBON $290 Ask Tim DeBoom his saddle of choice and the Tri 2 is it, thanks to a long nose (with just enough thickness), a flat transition from front to back and long carbon rails that make it exceptionally adjustable. The braided carbon rails cut the weight to 189 grams. fizik.it

SELLE SAN MARCO ZONCOLAN TRIATHGEL $220 Selle San Marco’s new Zoncolan Triathgel features saddle-nose thickness ranging from 4 to 8 millimeters for as much comfort as you need, where you need it. Yet it stays exceptionally light at 208 grams. velimpex.com

PROFILE DESIGN TRI-STRYKE ELITE $89 The Tri-Stryke has a minimalist design with titanium rails and strategically placed padding throughout the nose. It’s set on titanium rails for a light (250g) saddle with long-ride comfort. profile-design.com

SELLE ITALIA NT1 GEL $63 One of the most exciting values in the saddle category, the NT1 Gel helps keep the price reasonable by using alloy rails, but the saddle still has the striking shape and comfy padded gel nose that will make this a hot pick. pronetcycling.com

BLACKWELL RESEARCH FLOW $119

VISION TECH TRIGEL ELITE $39 A synthetic leather cover keeps moisture from infiltrating the saddle, while a thick, wide, gel-infused nose makes it comfortable for a long ride. It’s set off with hollow titanium rails. visiontechusa.com

TIME CARBON AIR FLOW $349 This race saddle weighs in at just 120g thanks to a carbon shell and carbon rails, topped by a Lorica upper with a pressure-relief cutout. time-sport.com

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Created and designed while testing elite female triathletes, the Flow works for girls or guys; the narrow aft was designed to eliminate hamstring pressure points at the bottom of the pedal stroke, while the Form Sensor cutout minimizes pressure on sensitive areas. blackwellresearch.com

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VALDORA TRI GEL SADDLE $69 With a long, wide gel nose and hollow titanium matrix rails, comfort on the new Tri Gel has been made a priority. The cover is a breathable, water-resistant microfiber. valdoracycles.com

APOLLO TRI 1 $80 The Tri 1 has a short but well-padded nose, with a center cutout in the shell underside for comfort. apollocomponents.com

ISM ADAMO $180 Used and endorsed by Laura Bennett and Hillary Biscay, the Adamo’s unique design takes rider weight off the soft tissue and places it on the supportive sit bones. blackwellresearch.com

SAMPSON TT $299 We tried the 110g TT and were very impressed; despite all the exposed carbon on the shell, set atop full-carbon rails, the Velcro-on pads make it comfortable enough to ride all day. The high-density closed-cell foam pads can be replaced for $20, and the saddle has a 175-pound rider weight limit. sampsonsports.com

PRO CONDOR CARBON $99 The two-tone synthetic cover keeps moisture absorption at bay on this 190g saddle. It’s set with hollow Vanox rails. pro-bikegear.com

SPECIALIZED TRITIP $145

BONTRAGER RACE LITE TT $89 With plenty of padding through the nose, the Race Lite TT has the requisite comfort for a day in the aerobars. And like all Bontrager saddles, it comes with Bontrager’s Unconditional Comfort Guarantee. bontrager.com

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One of the first saddles with a width option, the TriTip is shaped to optimally distribute weight through a wide, padded nose. The Body Geometry cutout has been moved slightly forward, allowing athletes to take advantage of its relief. The saddle also has hollow titanium rails to cut weight and stabilizing hooks on the aft for transition racking. Also available with hollow cromoly rails at $105. specialized.com

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GROUPSETS Keep your rig shifting smoothly with these high-end groupsets

SHIMANO ULTEGRA SL $1,055 (APPROX. WITHOUT PEDALS) Shimano’s Ultegra SL (consisting of STI shifters, brake calipers, crankset, bottom bracket, rear and front derailleur) offers a clean revamp of the ultra-reliable Ultegra group, with a new ice-grey color.

But the big news with SL, the new second-in-hierarchy group below Dura-Ace, is lighter weight as the group carves grams throughout the collection to bring a total weight savings of 99 grams over the standard Ultegra. shimano.com

SRAM RED $2,142 The racing world was already wowed with SRAM’s Force and Rival, and now the Chicago-based company has launched a new top-level groupset in Red. The 1,928-gram group (including shift/brake levers, brake calipers, crankset, bottom bracket, rear and front derailleurs, cassette and chain) makes improvements over Force (including a weight loss of 168g) with the use of more exotic materials and ceramic bearings in the bottom bracket. Further, the Red’s shift-lever reach is adjustable, and the PowerDome cassette consists of a forged then CNC’d unit instead of individual rings. sram.com

Eric Sampson rolls out his first complete groupset, which will include shift/brake levers, brake calipers, crankset, bottom bracket, rear and front derailleurs. And unlike other brands, the group also includes pedals and a seat post. The shift action on the Stratics group offers a new take: A small paddle picks up gears, while a longer shift lever drops them. sampsonsports.com

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SAMPSON STRATICS $1,300

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PEDALS

Pedals are one of the three contact points (in addition to saddle and bars) athletes have with their bikes, and a poor set-up can make for a painful day. Here’s a killer line-up for 2008 SPEEDPLAY ZERO TITANIUM PRO WHITE $305 The Zero is a favorite for its dual-sided entry, its light weight (164g per pair on titanium spindles) and its exceptional cornering clearance. Now it’s got a new white-hot look. Also available with a stainless-steel axle at $185. speedplay.com

SHIMANO PD-7810 DURA-ACE $259 Revamped a year ago to add wider power distribution, the Dura-Ace pedal flares at the axle and adds a stainless-steel cleat interface for better wear.

Wide bearing distribution helps dissipate load stresses as well, keeping the pedal spinning smoothly without resistance under load. shimano.com

LOOK KEO CARBON $239 The Keo Carbon offers it all: a large platform for well-distributed power transfer and low stack on a deceivingly compact carbon-fiber body, pivoting on a cromoly axle. lookcycle-usa.com

SAMPSON S3 TI $219

TIME RXS ULTEAM TITAN CARBON $399 Using a hollow ti axle to help take it to 180g per pair, the RXS Titan Carbon offers lateral Q-factor adjustment, 15 degrees of flotation and easy release and entry. time-sport.com

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There’s a reason reigning Ironman 70.3 world champ Mirinda Carfrae and fellow Aussie Chris Legh pick this pedal: It’s light at 116g, has a large platform on a magnesium body and up to 15 degrees of float rotation. sampsonsports.com

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ROLL WITH IT Top tires for 2008

By Brad Culp

Your tires are the only part of your bike that are in contact with the ground—unless you’re unfortunate enough to have a run-in with the pavement. Keep your wheels turning fast and flat-free with a new pair of top-shelf tires in 2008. Price listed is for one tire

SCHWALBE KOJAK CLINCHER $32 A true bargain for super-slick, race-ready tires. The Kojak is made for speed, but it also provides incredible road grip on soggy days, should race-day conditions be less than perfect. schwalbetires.com

BONTRAGER RACE X LITE TT CLINCHER $60 Without question the most supple clincher on the market. Bontrager’s top -of-the-line tire offers excellent puncture protection, while the unique aero wing design improves airflow over the tire-rim surface. bontrager.com

CONTINENTAL GP TRIATHLON CLINCHER $50 The GP Triathlon is similar to Conti’s very popular GP4000, but with a slicker tread to keep rolling resistance to a minimum. While the tire rolls very well, what separates it from the pack is the Vectran breaker, which allows you to worry about things other than flats on race day. conti-online.com

MAXIIS RE-FUSE CLINCHER $31 If you really enjoy fixing flats then this is not the tire for you. It’s a true training tire, with the emphasis on puncture protection. Maxxis uses a Kevlar belt and silkworm cap to make flats a thing of the past. maxis.com

VITTORIA TRIATHLON EVO CS TUBULAR $108 A lot of tires claim to be tri-specific, but the Triathlon EVO CS is one of the only tires truly built for multisport. The butyl inner tube retains air pressure extremely well, which can make a big difference while your bike is sitting in transition or if you’ll be on the road for 112 miles. vittoria.com

SPECIALIZED ROUBAIX ARMADILLO ELITE CLINCHER $47

ZIPP TANGENTE TUBULAR $90 You kind of have to worry about the guys at Zipp: They’re obsessed with aerodynamics. Instead of just building any old tubular, they went to the wind tunnel to develop theirs, and the result is a tire designed to save you between one and three watts of power. Each tire even comes with a pressure chart to help minimize rolling resistance based on rider weight and front or rear use. zipp.com 148

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Specialized uses its Dual Radius Tread technology to create a clincher that rolls fast but stays supple to smooth out the ride. We also liked the Aramid bead, which is extremely tough but doesn’t add any excess weight. specialized.com

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BEST FOOT FORWARD

By Brad Culp

You’re committing an injustice if you drop five grand on the bike of your dreams and then power it with a pair of plastic-soled, hand-me-down shoes. Your shoes are where your leg power translates into speed on the road, so take a look at 2008’s top tri shoes and get a pair that’ll keep your feet happy and your times fast.

SIDI T2.6 $330 We think the all-white color is reason enough to get a pair, but if you’re not into bling, the shoe has enough tech built into it to get you excited. The full-carbon ultra-stiff sole uses a thinner lay-up of carbon at the toe to help maintain blood circulation when you’re pounding for the long haul. The T2.6’s weigh 568 grams per pair. sidiusa.com

SPECIALIZED TRIVENT $165 Our pick in the best-bang-for-your-buck category. The fullcarbon outsole is stiffer than many models with twice the price tag, and the tri-specific design means you’ll be in and out of transition in no time. specialized.com

SPIUK CASTA $140

Images courtesy the manufacturers

Spiuk continues to expand its line with the Casta triathlon shoe.

Featuring a lightweight and stiff glass-fiber and polyamide sole, the shoe transfers power as well as many top-of-the-line carbon shoes. dpmsports.com

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SCOTT TRI CARBON $160

Images courtesy the manufacturers

Get in and out of T1 quickly and in style. The Tri Carbon features a carbon-nylon outsole to keep the power on the pedals, as well as an elastic mesh upper to keep your feet dry. scottusa.com

PEARL IZUMI TRI-FLY $180 With a full-mesh upper your feet won’t even have a chance to sweat.

The TRI-FLY also features a carbon I-Beam sole for power transfer, and it’s fully lined inside for barefoot comfort. pearlizumi.com

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LOUIS GARNEAU TRI AIR COMPO $170

AVI-Bolt

An extremely durable shoe made with a single strap for easy entry. The high-density carbon outsole will keep your power going where you want it, while the multi-vent system is sure to keep your feet dry. louisgarneau.com

AVI-Trail

AVI-Lite II

TIME RX TRI CARBON $190

San Francisco’s Complete Source for the AVIA Wildflower Training Collection DANVILLE 432 Hartz Avenue Danville, CA 94526 925.820.9966 WALNUT CREEK 1352 Locust Street Walnut Creek, CA 94526 925.979.9966

www.forwardmotion.com

DIADORA INFINITY CARBON $300 The definition of a high-tech shoe. The Infinity is built to minimize rotational weight and stack height, which boosts the amount of power transferred to the pedals. Another nice feature is the anti-bacterial liner, which makes the shoe perfect for barefoot riding. cannondale.com

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New for 2008, the RX Tri Carbon is one of many new tri-specific products the French masterminds at Time have to offer. The two extra-large straps make mounting your bike with already-clipped-in shoes a breeze, and the mesh top will keep your feet dry, no matter how brutal race-day conditions prove to be. time-sport.com

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D2 CUSTOM $595 & UP Perfect for any athlete who has foot conditions like bunions, bone spurs or unusual toe shapes. The fit experts at D2 can build shoes to accommodate any rider’s needs and will do a personal evaluation to alleviate your foot discomfort.

Custom colors and designs are also available. d2shoe.com

1st SEAMLESS SUIT WORLDWIDE 100% WELDED NO SEAMS completely without scratching seams

SUPER SOFT YAMAMOTO No. 40

ROCKET7 TRIATHLON $469 No, it’s not cheap, but if you’ve already thrown down several grand for a custom bike, why not take it a step further with a custom triathlon shoe. Rocket7 has a certified podiatrist on hand and can custom build a full carbon-soled shoe to fit your foot and pedaling mechanics. rocket7.com

40% more elastic than Yamamoto No. 39

100% WATERPROOF

SHIMANO SH-TR50 $180

Images courtesy the manufacturers

Instead of investing time in coming up with a sexy name for its tri shoe, Shimano spent its time engineering it. What it lacks in a name it more than makes up for in features, like a seamless, quick-drying interior and a hollow-channel carbon sole for strength and rigidity. shimano.com

008 ring 2 m sp shops o r f e bl ds availa orting goo in sp

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Please find further information on www.camaro.at

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TOP ACCESSORIES

Half the fun of getting a new bike comes from pimping it out with the latest high-tech training accessories. Here, we present a few of the latest and greatest.

The Neuro 5.0 is more than a 2.4GHz digital wireless computer; it relays heaps of data, from the basics like speed and cadence to a full range of HR functions, including five user-defined training zones, real-time zone memory and an intuitive interval-training program. blackburndesign.com

ZIPP VUKASHIFT WITH INTEGRATED EXTENSION $250 One of two-time Hawaii Ironman champion Tim DeBoomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite features on his Kona bike in 2007 was this s-bend extension, which features an integrated carbon-fiber shift boss, thus eliminating the need for the 65gram boss, as the user can mount the shifter directly to the aerobar, which also reduces the reach to the shifter on the extension. zipp.com

Images courtesy the manufacturers

BLACKBURN NEURO 5.0 $175

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FULL SPEED AHEAD NEOPRO $749 All-aero, all the time, the NeoPro has deep aerofoil crankarms melding to a carbonshrouded spider for clean airflow over the arms. On the non-drive side, the crankarm at the spindle shrouds the included ceramic bottom-bracket cups for the cleanest aero effect in cranksets. fullspeedahead.com

GIRO HAVIK $140

PEARL IZUMI P.R.O. SLEEVELESS JERSEY ($80) AND P.R.O. SHORT ($150) Just in time for warmer weather comes this sleeveless jersey, with a Direct-Vent mesh back panel and underarm gusset to keep you cool. Pair it with the matching P.R.O. short, which uses Pearl Izumiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proprietary MicroSensor fabric for ergonomically fluid movement and exceptional moisture transfer. pearlizumi.com

The Havik is pure sport-performance eyewear for athletes. As used by Tour de France winner Alberto Contador and Ironman pro Rutger Beke, the Havikâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sculptural frame is engineered for optimal fit and comfort when worn with a helmet and is perfectly balanced by a lens that offers a full field of view and exceptionally clear vision for all types of riding. giro.com

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ZIPP VUMA QUAD $1,250 WITH CERAMIC BB The new Vuma Quad compact crankset not only comes out as one of the lightest (560g) and strongest (surpassing CEN fatigue tests) cranksets the world over, but it also has the narrowest Q-factor at 146mm. For the guy who has everything. zipp.com

CHROME METROPOLIS $135 For those days where a ride to work is quicker than navigating the freeway parking lot, the Metropolis courier bag has enough room for your laptop and a change of clothes (and a package or two if you need to make deliveries along the way), with a secret stash pocket and front utility buckles for external rain-gear storage. A quick-release seatbelt buckle is Chromeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s calling card for easy on/off. chromebags.com

SPORTMASK PERFORMANCE $160 2007 Hawaii Ironman winner Chris McCormackâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s optic of choice in Kona, the Sportmask incorporates a proprietary brow interface in soft Megol rubber, allowing air circulation and preventing sweat from reaching the lens. An ergonomic lens configuration makes for an unobstructed optical wrap. rudyproject.com

CANNONDALE AIRPORT PLUS $40

PROFILE DESIGN RM SYSTEM 1 ($45) AND AQUACELL ($30) The saddle rail-mounted System 1 (above left) offers a new rear-mounted hydration system with bottle-angle adjustability. Comes complete with two Profile Design Kages. Prefer your fluids in sight? The AquaCell offers two chambers of separate fluids (27oz in the main chamber, 17oz in the secondary) in one aerobar-mounted unit. profile-design.com

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Constructed with an alloy barrel, a steel base with rubber grips and soft-touch ergonomic handle, this pump can deliver to 160 pounds of pressure. It features a locking head and an elevated, easy-to-read gauge. cannondale.com

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SPECIALIZED MIURA $140 Specialized created the Miura with a unique roadformula lens to enhance reds on the NXT (or optional Adaptalite photochromic) shatterproof shield lens. Fully adjustable ear pieces complete this custom-fit optic. specialized.com

DESCENTE C6 CARBON ($90) AND OPTIMA SHORT ($180) Descente’s C6 Carbon is a full-zip (for those hot days) with carbon-infused polyester for warmth, moisture regulation and odor management. Pair it with the Optima short, Descente’s new top-end short using its premium AeroX fabric, flat-seam construction and compressive side panels—and a rear pocket for that last gel. descenteathletic.com

LOUIS GARNEAU TRI PACK EVOLUTION $84 Ready for race-day service, the Evolution has an adjustable outer flap with buckles and helmet holder, an inner pocket organizer, a removable mesh pocket for wetsuit and towel—even a foldable a chair. It’s ergonomically completed with a cushioned back and sternum strap. louisgarneau.com

KNOG LOVE/HATE GLOVES $49

BEAKER CONCEPTS HYDROTAIL .5 AND .5C $50 The new version of the HydroTail .5 takes the two-time Kona-proven design and adds color and value. In addition, the .5C will be available exclusively for the Cervelo P2C and P3C. Both available in multiple colors and weigh in at less than 80 grams. Comes with mounting straps for your spare. beakerconcepts.com 158

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It beats tattooing them on your skin and still shows you’re tough enough to hang on during the gnarliest climbs . . . all while protecting and padding your palms during a long day in the saddle. knog.com.au

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“To be the best, you’ve got to pay the price. We achieve excellence through discipline and continuous improvement.”

-Jamie Maguire Jr., President & CEO

what does your boss do for fun?

Join the Challenge at PHLY.com.

WIN an Entry into any PHLY Sponsored Event.

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APOLLO TITANIUM SKEWERS $149 For those obsessed with weight, these ti skewers (with a ti lever to complete the package) are featherweight must-haves, barely touching our scale at 1.9 ounces. Available in four colors. apollocomponents.com

XLAB SUPER WING ($75) AND CARBON WING ($120) The alloy Super Wing has 12 different mounting locations and will be offered in white, red, black and silver. It will also be available in a special CV model for mounting directly onto Cervelo seatposts. Those preferring carbon can check out the Carbon Wing. With accessories, both carriers can hold tires, CO2 cylinders, inflator, tools, cell phone and keys. xlab-usa.com

EASTON EC90 CNT CARBON CRANK Easton’s new EC90 crankset (not yet priced), which drew heaps of praise at the Interbike industry trade show in Las Vegas last year, combines light weight (565g with hollow duo-core crankarms) with strength, thanks to an oversized 24mm cromoly steel spindle. eastonbike.com

SPECIALIZED VIRTUE AERO BOTTLE AND CAGE $68 Designed to mate seamlessly with the Specialized Transition (but it’ll work smoothly with any other bike as well), the Virtue’s narrow profile helps smooth air off the frame, thereby increasing the aero effect of your bike. specialized.com 160

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To fight bottle ejection, XLAB created the 38g Gorilla, with over twice the gripping force of conventional carbon cages thanks to six highshouldered fingers and thicker carbon for a tight bite on bottles, making them perfect for rear hydration systems. For stem-mounted nutrition, the ClearView 1210 has a clear waterproof top, allowing you to see your fuel before lifting the lid. It’s capable of holding 11 gels. Also available is the smaller ClearView 660, with capacity for six gels. xlab-usa.com

Images courtesy the manufacturers

XLAB GORILLA CAGE ($40) AND CLEARVIEW 1210 ($19)

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10

questions with Lisbeth Kenyon The world’s fastest age-group Ironwoman has raised the bar

By Rebecca Roozen

Top age-group triathlete Lisbeth Kenyon was born in Norway, where she gained an early an appreciation for fish, chocolate and sport. As a kid, Kenyon played soccer, cross-country skied and swam but says she didn’t enjoy competing in those sports. Sixteen years ago Kenyon entered a local sprint triathlon in Boca Raton, Fla., with her now-husband, Todd. Today, at 42, Kenyon, a mother of three, lives in Barrington, R.I., and, thanks to her remarkable performance at Ironman Florida, earned the distinction as the world’s top Ironwoman in 2007.

With a 9:41:38 at Ironman Florida last year, you had the fastest Ironman-distance time of all age-group women in the world. Was this on your agenda for ’07?

Definitely not! No race had better conditions in 2007 than Ironman Florida, plus it’s pancake flat. But still, I didn’t dream of getting under 10 hours by that margin, if at all. I have been itching to do another Ironman since my one-andonly [Hawaii] in 1996, where I finished with hyponatremia. I took a seven-year break after Hawaii to have kids, and then I did sprints and Olympic distances until the Patriot Half last summer. So it had been 11 years since a long race.

My agenda was to do my homework on nutrition and risk it by hammering the bike (my strength) and see if I could still run. I had picked Vinu’s [Vinu Malik,

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founder and president of FuelBelt] brain for all his successes, failures and wisdom from his 24 IM finishes and read up on nutrition. Vinu is my sponsor and training partner and a great runner; he made sure I always ran harder in training than I had planned.

Norwegian au pairs during my working years, but when I got pregnant with No. 3 it was time to throw in the towel and be a full-time mom for the first time. Our youngest started kindergarten this year, which gives us more time to train again.

Tell me a little about your career path—Vinu says you’re a genius—and where family and triathlon come into play?

Who got into the sport first, you or your husband? How does triathlon affect your relationship?

Vinu says so many things! I was school smart but that doesn’t mean you can build a rocket. I worked as a biomedical engineer out of college in Miami for a company that designed electrophysiological monitoring equipment and then moved on to the . . . software industry where my role was to license code to OEMs [Original Equipment Manufacturers]. I worked for a company that was acquired by Lotus and later became an IBM employee. IBM was too big for me, so I moved on to a start-up that later was acquired by Documentum. We had

We made a joint decision to start together. Todd was in great shape, but I was mainly studying and partying. I have never done triathlons without Todd, so I couldn’t imagine training and racing without him right there. He is the one on top of technical and mechanical aspects, equipment, bike fit, plus he is a perfect training partner in that we are compatible runners and swimmers and I have to work my butt off to keep close on the bike. He also comes up with our workouts. He builds our bikes and maintains them. Life is pretty interesting as Todd is

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a man of a million hobbies: He has a Ph.D. in Marine Biology, runs an investment-management business, is an advisor for vestopia.com and runs an online triathlon business, TTBikefit.com. He surfs, windsurfs, builds remote-control airplanes and plays lead guitar in a band.

Triathlon is important, but there are so many other things that take up our time.

What’s a typical day like for you, including your family, work and training?

Courtesy Lisbeth Kenyon

Todd gets the early-morning workout shift. We have three kids at three different schools. I get Ingrid up at 6:45 and drive her to school for early Spanish. I kick Lars out the door at 8:15 to walk to the bus stop, and I drive Tor Anders to kindergarten at 8:30. I train for one or two hours depending on the season and make sure our dog gets her short run, which she lives for. Then it’s off to work (work is flexible as I do the bookkeeping for Todd’s businesses). At 1:30, I pick up Tor Anders and take him to the YMCA Sports Mania and I sneak in a 30-minute weight-lifting session. We get home in time for Ingrid to arrive. Lars comes home at four, and it’s time for food and homework. Then swim practice for Ingrid and basketball for Lars. Home at six to finish homework or play the Wii and get dinner ready. We try to have a sit-down family dinner as often as possible to talk about our day and to see if an epiphany happens and the kids all of a sudden like vegetables. Kids go to bed at 8:30, and we are pretty much shot at 10.

What keeps you centered?

The fact that life is busy and the kids are the priority helps keep a centered perspective on life. There is no time to worry about insignificant details. I definitely became more appreciative and aware of our health and ability to go out there and do what we love after my sister died from cancer. Rather than being nervous before a race I know that Venka would have loved to be out there doing what we get to do. She was an All-American swimmer for the University of Iowa, recruited from Norway, and quite the athlete.

I always tell people to do what I say, not what I do. I don’t follow a special plan other than eliminating fried and creamy foods and empty calories such as fruit juices and sugary soft drinks (beer is excluded from this rule of course). I try to avoid bad fats, but I am not super-strict.

I include fresh vegetables and fruits. I try to eat a good ratio of protein to carbs, but in reality I eat too many carbs. I could live on bread and Nutella. I eat way too much chocolate. As far as training, I go by feel and what time permits but try to follow the periodization and HR zones per [triathlon coach] Joel Friel. When I was two months from Ironman Florida I started following a specific training plan and relied more on friends to do child pick-up and play dates.

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Courtesy Lisbeth Kenyon

Are you strict with your training/nutrition plan?

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What’s your favorite workout? The hardest workout you’ve ever done?

During Ironman preparation I loved our long bike ride in rolling terrain that included non-drafting, 20-minute halfIronman-pace intervals followed by a short but fast run.

In preparation for the ’96 Ironman Hawaii I did a 120-mile tough bike ride with the roadies followed by a 12-mile run in Kentucky heat. I ate an entire ice-cream cake when I finished.

Tell me about your Norwegian roots. Do you still feel connected to them?

I grew up in Norway and both my parents are Northern Norwegians, which means my ancestors were fishermen. I was brainwashed on fish. I attribute my love for chocolate to the fact that we were only allowed to eat it on Saturdays and I was deprived.

Who in triathlon do you look up to?

Courtesy Lisbeth Kenyon

I admire Susan Cox, a dear friend of mine, who is still racing strong at the age of 70 and giving so much back through her involvement with Team in Training. Karen Smyers has been my idol since the beginning. I was thrilled when she once stopped and talked with me at a race in the early ’90s. She was an inspiration to me because she was so approachable by us age groupers while being a total machine on a pro level.

What are your ’08 triathlon goals? oals for the sport, in general?

To beat Vinu of course! My main goal is to improve my running and to stop spending the bike ride dreading the run. And to have the best race I can in Kona.

Kona is a beast from what I remember.

My ultimate goal is to still participate in triathlons when I am 70. In addition, I would like to become more involved with getting children introduced to the sport, and I’d also like to work with adults, [many of whom] could never imagine becoming athletes.

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Under construction Sports supplements to help you thrive and survive in your spring build phase

By T.J. Murphy Triathletes are gas-guzzlers. If you factor how a one-hour run on its own is going to burn something in the realm of 900 calories, and then add in the calories burned while swimming, biking, weight training and simply living life in general, you get big numbers. If you crank the intensity up on

the occasional training session, you’ll get an additional spike.

But calories aren’t the only concern. Training breaks down muscle tissue, and the right volume of nutrients is required to fuel repairs. It’s common sense of course, but all of this duress requires a triathlete to replenish the body with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, unprocessed foods, lean proteins and smart fats.

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Two key issues come up for triathletes when it comes to nutrition. Convenience is one: The typical triathlete doesn’t have time to cook up three or more wonderful meals a day.

And the other is insurance: What can one do to seal the various cracks and make sure all the best and most powerful nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants are in the system on a daily basis?

This is where sports nutritional supplements ride to the rescue. Within this guide is a sampling of what’s available for the endurance athlete. In almost all cases, a variety of packaging and flavor options are available.

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First Endurance Ultragen. Recovery drink.

Formulated ratio of high-glycemic carbohydrates to low molecular weight proteins. Supplies vitamins, minerals, glutamine and branched-chain amino acids. firstendurance.com Genr8 Vitargo S2. Muscle recovery and fuel. New in the market this year is Genr8. The key ingredient of the Vitargo S2 recovery drink mix is a patented super-soluble carbohydrate that provides exceptionally fast glycogen restoration. genr8speed.com

Astavita AstaREAL Astaxanthin. Antioxidant sup-

plement. Designed as a natural and safe method to counter cell damage, reduce inflammation and suppress lactic-acid buildup. astavita.com

Clif Bar Builder’s Bars. High-protein energy bars that offer 23 vitamins and 20 grams of protein. clifbar.com

Nutrition. Customizable drink. Go to the Infinit nutrition Web site to see how you can formulate your own recovery drink. infinitnutrition.us

Infinit

First Endurance MultiV. The

Baker’s Cookies. Recovery snack. The athlete’s cookie: Five

grams of fiber per cookie, protein from egg whites and complex carbohydrates. bbcookies.com

Images courtesy the manufacturers

First Endurance version of a multivitamin.

Highlights: Anti-oxidants, omega-3 fatty enzymes, iron and enzymes including Carbogen, a patented enzyme blend designed to improve carbohydrate utilization. firstendurance.com

Succeed Recovery Pack. Recovery and general health supplement. Amino acids to promote hormone release, anti-oxidants and chrome for insulin production. succeedscaps.com FRS. Anti-oxidant health drink. FRS is available in ready-to-drink or concentrated forms. One serving contains the same amount of flavonoid anti-oxidants as three servings of blueberries, eight servings of green onions or 10 servings of raspberries. frs.com

Amino-Vital Pro. Recovery shake. 17 grams of carbohydrate and 3600mg of amino acids per serving. amino-vital.com T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

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Accelerade. Sports drink with protein enhancements. Accelerade is the first protein-enhanced sports drink with a patented 4:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio.

Proposed benefits include increased endurance performance, enhanced rehydration, attenuations in markers of muscle damage and improvements in subsequent muscle function. accelerade.com

BSN Syntha-6. High-protein recovery drink mix.

Designed to absorb instantly but feed into fatigued muscle cells for hours. Includes BCAAs, glutamine peptides, MCTs and fiber. bsnonline.net

Champion Nutrition Metabolol II. Recovery and meal-replacement drink mix. A longtime favorite of ultra-endurance athletes. Low in fat but high in vitamins, carbohydrates and protein. champion-nutrition.com

Bonk Breaker Energy Bars. Post-workout recovery food. Two flavors: Peanut butter and jelly and dark chocolate chip. A big 250-calorie blast of calories that is dairy- and wheat-free, with a balanced mix of fat, carbohydrate and protein. bonkbreaker.com

Eat to recover Six simple principles to enhance your recovery with the right foods

By T.J. Murphy As famed distance-running coach Dr. Joe Vigil says, becoming a great athlete is not just about hard training, it’s about absorbing the hard training. In the cycle of stressing your body and coming back stronger, one of the single most important tasks you can do is pay strict attention to what you consume after your longest, hardest workouts. After restocking your glycogen stores, you are helping to maximize the second half of the training/recovery cycle that ultimately will improve your performance.

Don’t let your body starve after hard training.

If you fail to replenish the fluids and energy you burn on a training day or on consecutive training days, you begin to risk a soft-tissue injury because of the malnourished state of your muscles.

Replace fluids. For every pound of weight you lose during a workout, drink 2 to 3 cups of fluid.

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The recovery window. After a long bike ride, a long run or long swimming workout (or a brick workout), resist the urge to swan dive onto the couch and crack open a cold beer. Immediately following your long training session strive to take advantage of the first 30 minutes by consuming around 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. Drink or eat your way to this goal, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is getting it down. If you’re the type who does not have an appetite after such big workouts, this is the time to avoid listening to your body (in fact, intense exercise generally kills an appetite. The same applies to hot weather). Plan in advance to have something right in your face. A good idea is to have a bottle or blender of recovery beverage waiting for you upon finishing your workout. Regular sports drinks will make a dent in this, but because their carbohydrate content is more geared toward being able to drink while exercising, they have a lower carb content than you optimally need for recovery: Consider having a more robust recovery drink or food (see the recovery products guide above for some ideas).

Within two hours, sit down and have a healthy, well-balanced meal. The key here is to avoid crap.

No doubt you’ve heard someone say, “I like triathlon because I can eat whatever I want.” A bag of potato chips or quart of ice cream certainly has calories and sodium, but this isn’t what your body is starving for.

Continue the stream of nutrients. For the next 24 hours after a hard training session, continue to focus on feeding your body a steady stream of nutritious foods and supplements.

Extras. In addition to eating right, add recovery activities to the time frame following your 100-mile bike ride or 20-mile run. Massage, light stretching and saunas are all helpful. Not to mention a good night’s sleep.

Images courtesy the manufacturers

BNRG Proto Whey. Protein recovery drink.

Molecularly engineered for high absorption, Proto Whey includes hydrolyzed whey protein, MCTs and glutamine. bnrg.com

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Maxmuscle XTR Extreme Recovery. Recovery supplement that includes amino acids formulated to enhance recovery. Can be used both before and after a workout. maxmuscle.com

Cytosport Muscle Milk.

Nutritional shake. 28 grams of protein, easy to digest and easy to find in a variety of retail stores, including GNC. cytosport.com

SportQuest Recover. Recovery supplement.

Protein/nitrogen utilization for improved recovery. Essential amino acids designed for efficient delivery. Recover is intended to improve and increase strength and stamina; maintain muscle growth; enhance time-to-recovery; increase energy levels; and support a healthy immune system. carbopro.com

Recovox. Recovery and anti-stress supplement. Designed to counter the

effects of hard training by not only promoting speedy physical recovery but also by bolstering the immune system and improving sleep. recovox.net

EAS Myoplex Ready-to-Drink. High-protein nutrition drink. 40-plus grams of protein, vitamins, minerals and easy to throw in a swim bag. eas.com

nutritional supplement.

Designed to fill any nutrient gaps left on a day-to-day basis by either insufficiencies in diet or training.Also helps to improve digestion and sustain energy throughout the day. hammernutrition.com

Hi-5 Recovery drink.

Glycogen-replacement drink mix.

Carbohydrates and phosphates to restore energy to the muscle tissues and reduce any posttraining soreness. Hi5drink.com

Images courtesy the manufacturers

Hammer Nutrition Insurance Caps. Overall

Hammer Recoverite.

Post-workout recovery drink.

Recoverite supplies your body with a 3:1 ratio of complex carbohydrates to high-quality whey protein isolate, with three grams of L-glutamine per serving plus electrolytes. Glycogen restoration, tissue repair and overall recovery are the targets. hammernutrition.com 170

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PowerBar Recovery shake. Ready-to-drink post-workout shake. PowerBar has several recovery products, including their ready-todrink shake, a recovery sports bar and a recovery drink mix. Protein, electrolytes, carbs in an assortment of flavors specifically designed to take advantage of the 30-minute recovery window following intense exercise. powerbar.com

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Speed eating Nutrition tips for spring training

By Rebecca Marks Rudy, MS Spring has arrived. Gone are the days of luxurious, long endurance sets: relishing in stroke-lengthening drills, chatting with your training partner along scenic roads and zoning out on the run while tuning in to your iPod. Now is the sea-

son to ramp up the intensity and focus on speed work. The next eight or so weeks are dedicated to developing speed, explosive power and anaerobic capacity through sessions from intervals to bricks. To optimize your transition from base to speed training, apply the same precision of periodization to your nutrition.

Successful nutrition hinges on forethought and preplanning, which, for most busy triathletes, is easier said than done. So it was for Jim, a client who recently sought feedback on his diet.

His concern was the constant fatigue he battled during workouts, as well as lethargy and hunger throughout the day, all topped off by uncontrolled appetite in the evenings. The analysis of his intake and patterns revealed the whole story: Jim would 172

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rise at 5 a.m. and crank out a 90-minute high-intensity session, then head to work powered by a single banana. At his desk, he’d inhale a bagel with a bit of light cream cheese. For lunch, hours later, a famished (and tad cranky) Jim usually selected a chicken Caesar salad, spurning the carbohydrate-laden side roll. Later, he might grab mixed nuts from the vending machine and consume all 2.5 servings. Finally, by 7:30 p.m. a famished Jim would return home and dig into two helpings of lasagna or chicken stir-fry. Not satisfied, at 8:45 p.m. he’d munch on almonds, justifying the nourishment for the following morning’s hill repeats.

He’d retire at night feeling very full.

Sound familiar? Don’t despair. The solution involves a redistribution of food intake to fuel performance, manage hunger and support recovery. The key is to shift your intake toward the most active portion of your day to provide appropriate nutrients to working and recovering muscles. Especially for morning

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Sip, don’t chew during interval training: Whereas you can chew solid foods and chase with fluids during more moderate training, during interval sets, in which your heart rate and breathing are increased, you’ll have to be more efficient.

Especially for sessions lasting longer than 60 to 90 minutes, you should be able to consume 100 to 200 calories per hour of training without ever having to chew.

Eat for post-workout recovery: Directly following your workout you should consume a recovery drink or snack along with fluids—something Jim sorely missed. Current research suggests that a combination of carbohydrate and protein, in the ratio of 3:1 or 4:1, may best promote recovery.

Furthermore, your muscles are most responsive to glycogen repletion within 30 minutes of your completed workout.

Additionally, some products boast mineral and vitamin supplementation—particularly antioxidant support from vitamins A, C and E—touted for recovery enhancement. However, data are equivocal regarding the power of antioxidants for muscle recovery. Beyond the simple does-it-or-doesn’t-it-help quandary, dosage is also questionable. Mega-dose supplementation for any nutrient (several hundred times the daily recommended amounts) is not encouraged. Most reputable sports products, fortified with 25 to 100 percent of the daily value of vitamin E, should not be detrimental to overall health and could potentially support performance and recovery.

training sessions, the first goal is to provide necessary fuel to working muscles—without causing upset to your gastrointestinal (GI) system. Back in the winter days of long endurance sets your GI system could better handle intake. Now that you are training at higher intensities, however, you have to consider stomach sensitivity. Here are a few key tips to set the nutrition ground rules as you head into your spring training.

Consider your sources of pre-workout energy: As you achieve efforts near 85 percent of your VO2 max, blood flow to your stomach is compromised, maximizing flow to working muscles. To fuel your muscles without overloading your GI system, choose liquid or semi-liquid energy via sports drinks or gels. Both are formulated for easy absorption from the gut thanks to simple sugars and added electrolytes. Additionally, these sources of carbohydrate—more so than products laden with fat and protein—are delivered most efficiently to performing muscles.

Stick to fluids for early sessions: Early rising is not conducive to eating much food, so at the very least drink 8 to 16 ounces of sports drink in the 30 to 60 minutes before beginning your workout. A sports drink with a glucose concentration of six to eight percent is typically well tolerated. To promote uptake of energy from a more concentrated gel source, consume 8 ounces of water per 100 calories.

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Chocolate Milk*

Yogurt**

Non-Dairy Smoothie***

Calories

225

140

240

Carbohydrate (g)

42

27

46

Protein (g)

13

7

14

Fat (g)

0

0

0-2

Sodium (mg)

173

105

90

Potassium (mg)

573

368

479

*12 ounces non-fat milk with 2 tablespoons Hershey’s syrup **6 ounces Horizon Organic Fat Free Yogurt, fruit on the bottom ***Medium banana, 6 ounces light/nonfat soymilk, 1 scoop protein powder and ice (optional)

Fuel up for your next session: Following your immediate recovery solution you will need to consider the second component of recovery: balanced intake of nutrients to support recovery and prepare your body for the next training session. Perhaps like Jim you struggle to consume enough recovery fuel early in the day, or maybe in an effort to lose weight you intentionally limit calorie intake. Post-training fuel can actually promote adherence to a controlled calorie plan by warding off the excessive hunger that drives overcompensation later in the day.

Key to striking satiety is balancing food groups at meals. In other words, avoid shunning all carbohydrate at lunch.

Particularly in the several hours following high-intensity training sessions, seek sufficient carbohydrate while transitioning to solid food and substantial meals. After all, your recommended daily carbohydrate intake is at least three grams per pound of body weight. For the 150-pound athlete, this suggests 450 grams per day. At 1800 calories from carbohydrate alone, this energy source

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Nutritional breakdown of everyday recovery foods

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comprises the bulk of the diet, or 60 percent of your energy intake (up from about 50 percent during your base training).

While carbohydrate is the foundation, complementing complex starches, fruits and vegetables with proteins and fats will make your meals and snacks more nutritionally dense. Jim could have opted for a bagel with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter and banana slices, all followed by a glass of skim milk. Another easy meal for even the busiest athlete is a cup of oatmeal made with milk or a half scoop of whey protein powder and topped with fresh or dried fruit and a tablespoon of chopped nuts.

Include protein: High-intensity training places additional stress on muscles, and adequate protein intake rebuilds the fibers. Considerations for choosing protein are twofold: type and quantity. Jim was wise to select chicken for lunch, as lean protein delivers necessary amino acids for muscle repair while not significantly contributing to overall or saturated-fat intake. Include a variety of protein sources from egg whites, wild fish, poultry, low-fat cheeses, legumes, tofu and very lean red meats.

In the speed period of your training cycle you may require from 0.45 to 0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight, depending on training volume. An athlete weighing 150 pounds requires a protein intake spanning 68 to 113 grams per day. Training sessions longer than two to three hours a day call for the higher range. But most athletes are amazed to learn they can obtain sufficient protein by including just six to 10 ounces of protein sources (e.g., meat, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu) per day.

Remaining protein needs are met through dairy, legumes, nuts and whole grains.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget the fat: Finally, the last of your calories come from fatâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the most energydense macronutrient and thus needed in the smallest volume. During your speed-training period, approximately 20 to 25 percent of your total energy intake is derived from fat, with the focus on mono- and polyunsaturated fats (think plant and vegetable sources). If you consume 60 to 80 grams of fat daily, portion them out consistently over the course of the day. With just several servings of heart-healthy fats you can easily achieve your daily fat-intake requirements. A single tablespoon of olive oil delivers about 15 grams, as does a half of a medium avocado or one ounce of walnuts. That is to say a little bit goes a long way. The Caesar dressing alone could have provided Jim with 50 to 75 percent of his fat requirements, and the 2.5 servings of nuts (just a couple of handfuls for most people) certainly pushed him beyond his needs.

To modify fat intake, be sure to measure dressings and sauces: Use teaspoons or tablespoons for spreads, and portion out nuts and trail mixes rather than consuming straight from the package. With mixed-nutrient entrees, such as Jimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lasagna selection, swap in reduced and non-fat cheeses and use low-calorie, nutritiondense fillers such as spinach and shredded carrots. After all, watching the fat in your diet will 176

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help maintain any weight loss achieved during base training; in turn, feeling light makes speed training all the more enjoyable.

And here you thought calculating figures and percentages was confined to RPMs, watts and beats per minute. Nutrition for training is equally complex and difficult to manage. Take the time now to specify your nutrition strategy as you have done with your training plan. After all, your speed is only as effective as your nutrition will sustain.

Trismarter.com sports nutritionist Rebecca Marks Rudy, MS, has worked with athletes of all abilities in their personal quests to improve performance and overall health. Check out trismarter.com or e-mail info@trismarter.com for more information on such innovative services as Training Fuel Strategies and Menu Planning Solutions.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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Spring breakaway

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A selection of new and updated road trainers for 2008 provides triathletes with a broad range of choices to meet their running needs

By T.J. Murphy

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Avia Avi-Lite II $100 In the past two years, Avia has worked with great intent to invigorate its line of running shoes with high-performance trainers not aimed for the mass market but instead at serious competitive runners and triathletes.

If you havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tried Avia in the past year or so, check them out. The updated Avi-Lites are streamlined, top to bottom, with lightweight materials and responsive, compression-molded EVA foam. The shoe retains the cantilever rearfoot for additional shock absorption and control at the footstrike. Excellent for tempo running, intervals and racing. avia.com

K-Swiss Ultra Natural Run K-Swiss made a big splash at the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona last October when Chris Lieto, sponsored by K-Swiss, burst into the front of the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s race during the bike in the first few miles. Although Lieto faded from the lead and eventually finished in sixth place, the gutsy race was considered a breakthrough for the American. Lieto has been a part of the K-Swiss development team and will be releasing at least three triathlon shoes this year. The Ultra Natural Run is pictured here. k-swiss.com

Images courtesy the manufacturers

Newton Gravity $175 The company that brought you simulated barefoot running offers, in the Newton Gravity, a shoe supporting neutral and high-arched foot types. At the heart of the Gravity is the blend of Newton technologies that encourage a milder impact on the road and, by virtue of accentuating a natural footstrike, less chance of injury and more efficiency in your running.

Our testers love the shoe but advise taking some time to adjust to the design. newtonrunning.com

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Think of the Zoot Ultra Tempo as a triathlon shoe with several technical enhancements to increase support. Designed for drainage (Zoot thought about how much liquid is spilled over your head at aid stations) and to be worn barefoot, Zoot has also inserted a carbonfiber plate to reduce the twisting forces of mild pronation. A very fast shoe in terms of transitioning, the lace system is super quick and the tongue and upper around the heel provide a built-in shoe horn. zootsports.com

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Images courtesy the manufacturers

Zoot Ultra Tempo $120

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Saucony Fastwitch $85 Weighing in at 7.3 ounces in the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and 6.2 ounces in the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s version, the Fastwitch was built with the competitive athlete in mind. A dual-density midsole and medial post add several degrees of support, but this shoe is mostly about speed and responsiveness. saucony.com

Pearl Izumi Streak $110 Razored down to fewer than nine ounces, the silky fitting Streak provides a surprising amount of cushioning. A second surprise is how well the cushioning holds up given the lightweight nature of the shoe. Pearl has achieved this by adding a secondary cushioning material to the forefoot (called SKYDEX), a material more resistant to breakdown than typical EVA foam. Ideal for tempo and speed training as well as racing. pearlizumi.com

Diadora Mythos Star $100

Images courtesy the manufacturers

This beefy road trainer is comprised of a firm but thorough layer of EVA cushioning bolstered by Double Action II inserts in the fore and rearfoot. Built on a slightly curved last, the Mythos Star is braced with a midfoot shank for torsional rigidity. A solid workhorse for the bulk of your overdistance training. diadoraamerica.com

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New Balance 1011 $120 Certain shoes in this review are destined for the track, fartlek training or quick-paced tempo work. The 1011 is meant for the daily grind of base mileage and long runs. Built on a straight, wide last, the 1011 is heavily built up from the midfoot, along the arch to the rearfoot, helping the floppy-footed runner maintain control.

But it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a brick: The shoe retains a flexible, cushioned ride and the upper has been crafted to snug up nicely. newbalance.com

Brooks Switch $80 A great buy at $80, the Switch is a substantial shoe in terms of cushioning and durability. Hopped up with ample EVA foam and bonus Hydroflow cushioning inserts, the Switch is a premium base-training shoe that will fit medium to wide foot types. brooksrunning.com

adidas Supernova Cushion 7 $90

Images courtesy the manufacturers

A longtime favorite in the running community, the Supernova Cushion 7 offers a cushioned, smooth ride for all types of road training. Consider this a high-performance running shoe with a balanced mix of protection and cushioned snappiness. The updated last is wider through the arch, a revision that adidas believes will open up the shoe for use by a larger spectrum of runners and triathletes (in fact, adidas is now offering the Supernova in widths). adidasus.com

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RACING AROUND THE GLOBE International editor’s note International editor Shane Smith writes about triathlon’s business end of the season Down Under | 192

News Down Under Triathlete magazine takes a look at all the news from Down Under in Australia and New Zealand | 194

Miss Happy First off the Bike catches up with Australia’s Belinda Granger to talk about training, racing and babies | 197

At the Races A roundup of the Aussie and Kiwi race scene | 204

Training Down Under Aussie swim star Luke McKenzie takes us through his favorite swim workout | 208

Off the Back

Delly Carr

Aussie age-group athlete Steve White joins the team and shares his views on getting to Kona | 210

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The business end of the season

By Shane Smith As athletes, we are creatures of habit. Each morning we rise at a certain time, get out of bed and hit the pavement or the pool, go to work, then often train again, eat dinner, go to bed and do it all again the next day. And each year around March, just before Ironman Australia, training squads begin to come alive with anticipation and excitement in the belief that all their dedication and hard work will pay off now that we’ve reached the business end of the season.

All the miles, the healthy food and early nights are aimed at achieving the satisfaction that comes from pushing your body to produce the best it can.

Every year since 1992 I, along with many others, have made the trip to Ironman Australia on the NSW coast in the month April. For me it began as a spectator watching the great Pauli Kiuru dominate the event, then as an athlete racing against the likes of Jürgen Zäck, Thomas Hellriegel and Peter Reid, and now as a consultant for the event. Even though I am no longer racing, I still feel the buzz of excitement about the event as athletes start preparing to face their toughest day.

Any Ironman requires an extensive build-up. And after all the long miles are ticked off in the training log, the training

sessions start to intensify early in the year before the tapers begin for our key lateseason races. Preparing to travel and race-week lead-up activities are thrilling for the athletes and their families. But it’s always a strange combination of tense anticipation and anxious excitement— particularly in the days before an Ironman. All the sport’s superstars are in town, and the environment is a melting pot of nerves, stress and exhilaration.

Race day is, of course, massive for athletes, supporters, spectators and event staff. So much planning goes into the event from all aspects, and everyone hopes to achieve their goals. If you’re racing an Ironman, the day after race day is also big, with the roll-down ceremony and awards.

And then it is over. If you’ve ever stayed on for a few days following a big triathlon, after the tents and finishing chute have been dismantled, you’ll notice the eeriness that surrounds the town. So many dreams have been realized or shattered, and now it’s all over.

And so the circle of triathlon goes round. The athletes and spectators will all be back next year with fresh enthusiasm and new ambitions. New champions will be crowned and heroes discovered, and more personal goals will become reality. And then the early mornings, early nights and long training sessions will all start again.

We are creatures of habit aren’t we?

Train hard, Shane

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ITU worlds documentary Triathlon Australia, along with Bill Davoren, head of the high-performance program, has commissioned a documentary depicting the Australian Olympic team’s lead-up campaign to the ITU world championships in Hamburg, Germany, in 2007.

The 60-minute production contains sensitive material including team meetings, training sessions and preparations. Footage includes the trials and tribulations of preparing for such an event and the sometimes explosive and emotional occurrences that accompany the preparations for a world championship.

Olympic-team tips There is much debate about who will be selected for the Australian Olympic triathlon team, and, as past years have demonstrated, there is often controversy once the team is officially announced. With Brad Kahlefeldt and Courtney Atkinson already gaining the first two positions in the men’s team, and Emma Snowsill the only female already selected, tipsters are hedging their bets as to who will fill the remaining spots. Below are some predictions from prominent Australian commentators.

Amanda Lulham, Daily Telegraph Male: *Greg Bennett Females: Erin Densham, Felicity Abram

Shane Smith, International Editor, Triathlete magazine Male: David Dellow Females: Erin Densham, Felicity Abram Lisa Pringle, Media Manager, USM Events Male: *Greg Bennett Female: Erin Densham, Felicity Abram *If he nominates

Kate Allen returns home for Olympic bid 2004 Olympic gold medalist Kate Allen was back in Australia for the first four months of 2008 to train and work on her weakest leg: the swim. Swimming has become Allen’s primary focus as she struggles to re-establish herself over the Olympic distance.

She is spending three months working intensively in the pool with Geelong club coach John Beckworth.

Allen, who grew up in rural Teesdale in Victoria and is a qualified nurse, ended up in Austria after meeting Marcel Diechtler, an elite triathlete, as a young backpacker in Europe. They married and settled in his country, where he encouraged her, at 26, to take up the sport. She became an Austrian citizen in 2002 and went on to win the gold medal as an Austrian in 2004.

Allen has yet to qualify for the Austrian team and is facing strong competition. She is the third-ranked Austrian (46th) on the Olympic-qualifying list. However, she will probably skip the opening World Cup round at Mooloolaba in Queensland on March 30 in favor of a softer entry at New Plymouth in New Zealand a week later.

Courtesy Feliicity Abram

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Eyes Wide Open

Courtesy BRW Event Fox Sports Team

Kids top record entries When we think of big events in Australia, thoughts turn to the Noosa Triathlon, the Mooloolaba Triathlon and Ironman Australia. These events attract big numbers, but there are two other events on the Australian calendar that also attract triathletes in droves.

The Sanitarium Weet-Bix Kids TRY-athlon is a fun and challenging national series designed to encourage kids to live healthy, active lifestyles. More than 60,000 Aussie kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;ages 715â&#x20AC;&#x201D;have participated in the event since it started 10 years ago.

In 2008 the Australian series takes in nine locations across capital cities and major regional areas. Weet-Bix TRY-athlon national ambassador Jessicah Schipper, a world-champion and Commonwealth Games swimming gold medalist, said the goal is for more than 40,000 children in Australia and New Zealand to take part in the 2008 series.

No placings or times are recorded, and everyone gets a medal, T-shirt and goody bag.

BP Ultimate/BRW Corporate Triathlon National Series 2008 The corporate triathlon format commenced in Australia in 1988 with a single event held in Sydney. In 1990 SuperSprint took over the management of the series and extended it into five states. Approximately 15,000 participants will compete in the 2008 series held in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast. The popularity of the series has grown to the extent where all fields (with the exception of Adelaide) fill well in advance, with Melbourne capacity reached within six hours of race-entry opening.

Corporate giants like Telstra, National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank, KPMG, Price Waterhouse, Australia Post, BHP Billiton and National Foods bring the largest and most competitive squads from the boardroom to the playing field.

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Catching up with Belinda Granger The spirited, talented Aussie star chats about her coach, going long and racing Kona Belinda Granger is one of Australia’s most effervescent, passionate and consistent Ironman athletes. In 2007 alone, she had great results at Lake Placid, the Quelle Challenge Roth and

a storming performance at Singapore’s 70.3. Below, Granger takes a look back at her 2007 season and ahead at her 2008 goals.

For more athlete interviews and info for tri-junkies, please check out firstoffthebike.com.

Triathlete: You’ve again made a really consistent effort this year across the board. How hard is it to stay focused and motivated throughout the year?

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Belinda Granger: I don’t even find it an issue, because I honestly love the sport so much that it comes naturally. It sounds cliché and ridiculous but it is the truth. I love every aspect. I love the travel and going to new countries and trying new races, so for me it’s not a chore. I have no trouble getting out of bed in the morning. I’ve got a great training squad and we really motivate each other, so it is a lot of fun and every day is different. Sutto [coach Brett Sutton] keeps it so interesting we don’t follow a regular program like I used to.

Monday is not always Monday, if you know what I mean.

Why Does Heather Gollnick Rely on First Endurance?

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Five-Time Ironman Champion Heather Gollnick is busy. She raced in four Ironmans and four half Ironmans in 2007. She won two of the Ironman races, one of the half Ironmans, had numerous podium finishes and set an Ironman personal record along the way. She also has three young children and manages the IronEdge training camps. How does she do it all without burying herself? For one thing, she relies on First Endurance to help her go harder and recover faster day after day. See for yourself how the award-winning, critically acclaimed First Endurance system can help take your training and racing to a new level.

firstendurance.com • 866.347.7811

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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It was Sutto playing tricks with my head telling me I was not going to be doing a race and then two weeks before saying, “Okay, I’ve decided you need to do a race.” I said, “No problem, what one?” I knew it had to be a North American race and he said that Lake Placid would really suit me, and of course I’m not going to question him. He watches us like a hawk when we’re training and he knows when our bodies are ready to race, so I’m not going to question that it was a great decision and a wonderful race.

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“The Fastlane training makes my swim WAY TOO FAST! I used to come out of the water in tri’s deep in the pack, just happy I did not drown. In yesterdays race (my first for the season), I came out of the water in 17th place.Those guys up front are fast on the bike and run… now I need to bike more and run more.”

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John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

You kept up your consistent performances last year.

Was winning Ironman Lake Placid the highlight for you?

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It sounds like you’re a triathlon S.W.A.T Team where you can go on two weeks notice just like the Thunderbirds.

Exactly! I think he does it so we don’t have to think.

He says the less an athlete thinks the better. I used to disagree, but the more I’m with Brett, the more I agree. Too much thinking can be a bad thing. I just trust his instincts and it’s worked for me. But if you give it too long, you start to stress about your taper and your training, and then you have to get there early and get over the travel and Brett tells me not to think about all that. Just go and do the race and forget about anything else.

Taking a look at athletes who train specifically for events, is this a strategy you would think of adopting to go better in Hawaii?

I think for Hawaii that approach can work, and you can see that in my results. I’ve done well in Hawaii over the last five years. [Granger has finished in the top 10 in all of her last five attempts.] But I’ve certainly not cracked that race and it’s probably because of my love of racing and that I am not willing to save it all for one race. I’ve spoken to Dave Scott and Mark Allen many times and they’ve told me that if I really want to excel

in this race [Hawaii] and if I want to get onto the podium, then my whole year has to be based on that one race. I agree with that. I’m going to sit down with Brett and I’ll tell him I want to have a really good hit out at Hawaii, so I think you’ll be seeing me race a lot less in 2008. I think you can get away with it in other Ironman races because you don’t have that depth of competition. So if there’s a race in Lake Placid that only has about 15 professional women racing, I can get away with not seeing the course and I can get away with going in just being confident that I’m the best athlete there on the day. But in Hawaii that’s not enough.

You’re 36 Belinda, how long can you keep racing?

Well, I am contracted to do the Quelle Challenge Roth [in Germany] until 2009 so I’ve definitely got two more years left in me. And I’m going to get to that point in 2009 and if I am still enjoying it I’ll keep on going. I’m lucky I get to train and compete with my husband and he enjoys it just as much as I do, so we get to travel together. Of course, my poor old mum is crying in agony that there are no grandchildren [laughs], but apart from that I genuinely love the sport. I love the places I get to travel, the people I get to hang out with and the thrill of competition . . . I haven’t gotten sick of it yet!

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“It has taken me four or five years of hard training and racing to build up the strength where I can really hammer hard on the bike but be able to run well off it,” Doe said.

“This win means a lot to me. I am definitely more confident after I won at Ironman Canada with the same tactics.”

Doe heaped praise to his coach, training partner and current Ironman world champion Chris McCormack.

“He has been an incredible influence, and I have learned so much from him. He knows how to make the best of every situation, and training with him has made all the difference.”

Doe was in the lead group behind Gisborne’s Stephen Sheldrake out of the 2km swim, but by the 20km marker on the bike Doe had already jumped out to a 34-second advantage over Sheldrake, with record-holder Nathan Richmond in third. Doe continued to build on his lead with his 2:08:13 bike.

Brown immediately made an impact on the two-lap, 21km run to push past Sheldrake and Richmond and began his attack, which would whittle nearly six minutes from Doe’s advantage before ultimately falling short. Doe was home in 3:56:41, with Brown second in 3:58:33 and Richmond third in 4:00:04.

Christchurch’s Gina Ferguson led the women out of the swim but was quickly swallowed up by pre-race favorites Jo Lawn and Ironman Australia champion Rebekah Keat. Keat punctured shortly after, however, and was forced out, leaving Lawn on her own. “I felt quite strong on the first long lap, but I was not able to extend it on the two shorter laps when there were a lot more riders on the course,” Lawn said.

But Aussie Bevilaqua showed her fighting qualities and came back on the run to win by a mere 10 seconds in 4:18:04. “I was really surprised. Last year I finished fourth in every major race and 24th at the world championships in Hawaii,” Bevilaqua said. “I’m glad the jinx was broken.

I didn’t know what to expect as I am halfway through a training block for Ironman New Zealand and just wanted to see where I am at.”

Ferguson settled for third, the same as last year, nearly 12 minutes behind the leader, with Auckland’s Fleur Bromley fourth and fellow Aucklander Carmel Hanly fifth.

Port of Tauranga Half

Kieran, Bevilaqua win Tauranga Half

By Ian Hepenstall Bold front-running tactics paid dividends for the dreadlocked Kieran Doe, who took out the prestigious Port of Tauranga Half Ironman triathlon in Tauranga, New Zealand, on Jan. 5. The 26-year-old Aucklander outlasted eight-time Tauranga winner Cameron Brown by just less than two minutes.

It proved to be a tough day all-round for defending champions, as Australian Kate Bevilaqua beat out Joanna Lawn by a mere 10 seconds on the women’s side.

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WOMEN 1. Kate Bevilaqua (AUS) 2. Joanna Lawn (NZL) 3. Gina Ferguson (NZL) 4. Fleur Bromley (NZL) 5. Carmel Hanly (NZL) MEN 1. Kieran Doe (NZL) 2. Cameron Brown (NZL) 3. Nathan Richmond (NZL) 4. Shane Reed (AUS) 5. Stephen Sheldrake (NZL)

Smile Click

Tauranga, New Zealand Jan. 5, 2008 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile bike

4:17:54 4:18:04 4:29:39 4:34:40 4:38:00 3:56:41 3:58:33 4:00:04 4:01:29 4:03:46

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DIGITAL EDITION NOW AVAILABLE Our digital edition is an exact replica of the print edition of Triathlete magazine, delivered to your computer by e-mail. It looks just like the print edition and contains the identical training information, gear reviews, race reporting, news and nutrition tips as the mailed copy. But the digital edition offers several advantages that print doesn’t: • Links to all of the Web sites (URLs) and E-mail addresses • Download: Save a local version directly to your computer for off-line viewing • Tools that allow you to zoom, print or e-mail pages to a friend • Find anything in the magazine by typing a search phrase • View all available archived issues for this magazine • Environmental friendly: No trees are cut and no fuel is wasted to deliver this edition

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Olympic hopeful Dellow wins Canberra Half Ironman The 2008 Canberra City Half Ironman saw Olympic hopeful and Australian world championship team member David Dellow score his second half-Ironman-distance win.

Dellow last won a half-Ironman event as a teenager at the Yeppoon Half Ironman in 2000. Since then, Dellow has focused on Olympic-distance racing in a bid to represent Australia at the ITU world championships and Olympic Games.

“There are five or six guys all vying for the last spot on the Olympic team, and I am definitely focusing on making that team. I am currently in good form and plan to give them a real shake-up,” said Dellow after he crossed the line. “I’m surprised at the race today. I’ve been injury-free for a couple months and have been training hard, but I came to Canberra this weekend to catch up with mates, as I used to live here, so this is a bonus.

It’s been a while between drinks.”

Age-group athlete Christian Kemp placed second on adjusted time, with pro Klayten Smith placing third.

In a big upset in the women’s race, Michelle Wu was awarded the overall victory after starting the race as an agegroup athlete in the 18-24 group.

“I had a great swim today, which is normally my weakest leg,” said an excited Wu at the finish line. “I tried to ride strongly but in control, concentrating on keeping my nutrition up as this was my first half-Ironman . . . so I had heaps of gels and sports drinks. The course was hilly just as I like it on the bike, and once I was on to the run I tried to maintain my pace,” said Wu. Wu’s controlled effort was rewarded with the fastest time of the day, including an exceptional 1:23 run split, while Amelia Pearson took the honours in the professional race, winning her second half-Ironman event. “I got the lead 4km into the run,” said Pearson, “but I felt I was struggling on the run so I was surprised when I took the lead.”

Lisa Marangon, who recently raced at Ironman Western Australia, led off the bike, but the current leader of the Snap Australian Half Ironman Series faded to fourth place on the run. Age-group athlete Emma Major took out third place with the second-fastest run of 1:31.

Canberra Half Ironman

Canberra, Australia Dec. 16, 2007 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile bike WOMEN 1. Michelle Wu (AUS) 2. Amelia Pearson (AUS) 3. Emma Major (AUS) 4. Lisa Marangon (AUS) 5. Tara Prowse (AUS) MEN 1. David Dellow (AUS) 2. Christian Kemp (AUS) 3. Klayten Smith (AUS) 4. John Cornish (AUS) 5. Boyd Conrick (AUS)

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on a 45-second base pace. That is, I leave on 45 seconds for my 50s and 1 minute 30 seconds for my 100s and so on.

The length of the set doesn’t vary from week to week.

Instead, the main goal is to work on dropping the times you can hold for each repeat over the entire session. So if you begin swimming at 45 seconds per 50 meters for the set, try and steadily drop that time and maybe aim for 44 seconds per 50 meters the next time you swim, then 43 and 42 and so on.

8 x 50m on 45 seconds, holding 34 seconds per 50 4 x 100m on 1 minutes 30 seconds, holding 1:08 per 100 2 x 200m on 3 minutes, holding 2:16 per 200 1 x 400m on 6 minutes, holding 4:32 per 400 2 x 200m on 3 minutes, holding 2:16 per 200 4 x 100m on 1 minute 30

Boost your fitness with Luke’s favorite swim set

By Luke McKenzie

This is a pyramid session I use to build up my swimming fitness. I usually begin incorporating it into my weekly or fortnightly training program to see how my fitness is progressing.

If done in its entirety, the set, which includes intervals ranging from 50 to 400 meters (see below for specific distances and number of intervals) is 2800 meters.

The purpose of the set is to increase my lactate threshold from week to week. When I first begin swimming this set I feel like I have a piano on my back for the last few hundred meters.

As the weeks pass though, I notice I am able to hold a faster pace as well as increase that point in the session where the lactic acid in my muscles begins to take its toll.

This is not a session I recommend using in the week or two prior to a key race; instead, incorporate it as more of a test session during the harder phases of training leading into your goal event.

The key in this session is to try and hold the same pace throughout. For example, the pace at which you swim your 50 meters should be the same pace at which you swim the 100s, 200s and 400s. As a frame of reference, in the first few weeks I try and hold around 38 seconds per 50 meters. Usually, when I hit my peak fitness, I am able to hold around 34 seconds per 50 meters.

Also, note that the rest intervals will be different for each person, based on their swimming ability. I aim to start each repeat 208

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seconds, holding 1:08 per 100 8 x 50m on 45 seconds, holding 34 seconds per 50 Obviously you will have to adjust the distances, rest intervals and times to suit your own swimming ability and goals. And be sure to warm up with a good 1000 to 1500 meters first, incorporating some swim, kick and drills. It is also very important to cool down after the set with 500 to 1000 meters as you will have a lot of lactic acid built up in your shoulders. And make sure you have a good stretch before and after the session to aid in recovery.

Tim Moxey

The perfect pyramid

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

Sample main set when Luke’s in peak fitness

Luke McKenzie is one of Australia’s most promising Ironman and Ironman 70.3 athletes. Based on the Gold Coast, McKenzie is renowned for his swimming ability, which he demonstrated by exiting the water in third place at last year’s Hawaii Ironman. For more information on McKenzie visit lukemckenzie.com.

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What keeps me going? The thought that each stroke, each spin, each stride takes me a little bit closer to my goal. The knowledge that every breath — inhale, exhale — is a part of something bigger. Being a triathlete is my way of living in the moment.

I don’t know if I was born for this, but I definitely live for it.

The Life Time Fitness Triathlon — This is my race.

Register at ltftriathlon.com Race day – July 12, 2008 Minneapolis

Cathy Yndestad 2006 & 2007 Life Time Fitness Triathlon, Elite amateur women’s champion

Qualifying event of

©2008 LIFE TIME FITNESS, INC. All rights reserved.

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Dream the impossible dream

By Steve White

Qualifying for the Ford Ironman World Championship is a goal for many athletes, and many people believe it is the quintessential impossible dream. But I believe that if you set a goal and add a dose of determination and tenacity, you can achieve almost anything. Here is some simple advice, coupled with some detailed analysis, to help you shoot for the Big Show.

In my opinion, race selection is a key factor. If money were no issue, athletes would simply select the qualifying race that best suits their strengths. For example, do you swim better in fresh water, such as Lake Taupo at Ironman New Zealand, or in the sea? Are cool-water/wetsuit swims your strength? Do you prefer drafting from a big swim pack or do you get freaked out and prefer smaller wave starts? (In 2006 Ironman Malaysia had 260 entrants, whereas Wisconsin has 2,400.)

If your swim is average but the bike leg is where you can make the biggest difference, then analyze each course to suit your strengths. A good climber will do better on hilly courses.

Heavier athletes should stick to the flatlands. Lanzarote is notoriously difficult due to the strong winds and massive climbs (over 2600 meters of vertical). Port Macquarie is a good mix of hills and flats. Some of the hills suit a grinder (low-cadence rider), and some suit a spinner (high-cadence rider). If you are a heavier athlete, you may want to avoid the hills and head straight for Busselton or Florida, both of which have fast, flat courses.

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If you are a strong runner then you might want to choose a course where you can dominate this leg of the race. Ironman UK has a massive 773 meters of hills on the run, as opposed to Ironman Switzerland, which has none. If you struggle in the heat, you should avoid Malaysia, which has an average high temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius; if you like the cold, then maybe New Zealand will be kind to you, with an average top temperature of only 16 degrees Celsius.

The reality is that most of us have limited budgets, limited annual leave and many family commitments. This means you may not be able to fly to the Canary Islands or plan to spend a month acclimatizing to the conditions in Malaysia. And you may be looking for a race location that offers attractions for your spouse and children.

The financial barriers of travel are what determine most Australian and New Zealand athletesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; race selections and confines them to Taupo, Busselton or Port Macquarie. But these three races offer a variety of courses to suit most athletes.

Now for some detailed analysis. Avid triathlete and Kona hopeful Neil Hammond has developed an intricate spreadsheet and come up with a qualify factor, which he calls the Hammond qualification factor (neilhammond.com/ironman). Hammond has established the average finishing time of the top five men and compared that with the last qualification slot available. He developed a qualification factor for each Ironman. In essence, this factor determines how difficult it is to get a Kona slot at each race.

He also analyzed the roll-down factor and the number of slots on offer. Slots are allocated as a percentage of entries in each age group, and it may be harder to qualify at a race with more slots than at one with fewer. This largely depends on the location, difficultly and timing of the race. The typical acceptance rate for Kona slots is between 60 and 70 percent, ranging from a high in Florida of 94 percent and a low at Austria of 36 percent (based on data up to and including 2006).

Predictions like these from a spreadsheet are by no means an exact science; the storm-crossed Ironman New Zealand in 2006 is a prime example, as are the tough winds experienced at Busselton in 2005. The only three things that can get you to Hawaii are to swim, bike and run very well.

But we all need to dream big.

Steve White is an age-group triathlete who continually strives for mediocrity. In between his training and writing he dabbles in nuclear medicine (seriously). Steve has competed in triathlons at all distances and hopes to one day find an event with a very long open-water swim, a fast downhill bike leg and a very short run.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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“You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can’t know what’s coming.”

[Frank Shorter]

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ON THE RUN

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LAB RABBIT

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t run amok this season Weeks 5-8 of your 12-week run-focus phase

By Matt F itzgerald

TRAINING

T

To help you boost your running in time for the 2008 spring races, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve developed a 12-week run-focus phase. In looking over the first four-week workout schedule I presented in part one of this series, in the March 2008 issue (visit triathletemag.com to order a back issue), you might have noticed an absence of threshold runs.

If not, then you probably would have noticed the absence of threshold runs in the next four weeks of training presented below.

Not until the last four weeks of this three-month run-focused training program will I prescribe any threshold runs.

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It’s not that I have anything against threshold runs (that is, blocks of sustained running at 10K to half-marathon race pace).

I believe in their effectiveness as much as any coach does. But I also believe that threshold runs, like every other type of running workout, have their place, and their place is not in the basebuilding period of training. Threshold runs are an advanced and race-specific type of workout because they integrate speed and endurance demands. In other words, they don’t just challenge you to run fast or far; they challenge you to run fast and (relatively) far. Therefore, to get the most out of threshold runs, you should first focus on doing workouts that administer independent speed and endurance challenges and then introduce threshold runs in the build period of training, after you have established a foundation of speed and endurance.

KEY WORKOUTS: WEEKS 5-8

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

In the next four weeks—weeks 5-8—of your run-focused training period, you will build speed and endurance mainly through four types of training stimuli: steep hill sprints, ladder intervals, hill intervals and long progression runs.

STEEP HILL SPRINTS: I believe the most neglected training stimulus among distance runners and triathletes is maximumintensity sprinting. Every triathlete should regularly perform a small amount of all-out running throughout the training process. The point of doing so is not to become a faster sprinter but to increase your maximal stride power, which, in combination with the rest of your training, will increase your stride power at race intensity. For example, the typical trained athlete can sustain roughly 60 percent of his or her maximal stride power in a 10K race. If, by doing steep hill sprints, you are able to increase your maximum stride power by 5 percent, then your 10K race pace—still 60 percent of your maximum—will be several seconds faster per mile.

LADDER INTERVALS: Ladder intervals are workouts featuring a series of intervals arranged in order of ascending distance and decreasing pace, or descending distance and increasing pace, or both. Ladder intervals represent an effective way to integrate speed training with specific endurance training. Ladder-interval workouts emphasizing longer intervals are best used in the build and peak periods of training.

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Shorter, faster ladder workouts are a good choice in the latter part of the base period of training, as they administer a challenging speed stimulus yet also begin the process of challenging you to sustain a fast running speed, a process that will become a major focus of your training in the build period. For example, run intervals of 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, 1 minute, 2 minutes and 3 minutes, at 1,500m to 5K pace, with active recoveries of equal duration following each interval. Run the shortest intervals fastest and the longest intervals slowest.

HILL REPETITIONS: Hill repetitions are essentially speed work with an added hill component. They put less strain on the legs than traditional speed work while matching its neuromuscular and metabolic demands. Hill repetitions help to build a fitness bridge between strength and speed. It’s a good idea to do a few hill repetition workouts before you begin doing challenging interval workouts on the track in the build period of training.

LONG PROGRESSION RUNS: In the typical progression run, a short- to intermediate-length segment of moderately hard or hard but controlled running is added onto the end of an otherwise easy run. These workouts generally serve to add a little extra aerobic challenge to a run without overly fatiguing you. Progression runs are most useful in the base period of training, when your fitness level is still low to modest and you’re not yet ready to tackle threshold workouts. Progression runs performed during this period will prepare you to benefit from the tougher threshold workouts to come in the weeks and months ahead. To begin your long progression runs, start with 10 minutes of moderately hard running at the end of a 9to 12-mile easy run and go from there. If possible, do these progressions on an incline, or over hilly terrain, because hills build strength and it’s good to build strength during the base period. Below are your weekly run workouts for weeks 5-8 of your run-focused training phase.

Run-focus workouts for weeks 5-8 SESSION 1

SESSION 2

SESSION 3

Week

Base Run + Hill Sprint • 7 miles easy • 5 x 8-second hill sprints with full recovery

Ladder Intervals • 1-2 miles easy • 1 min., 2 min., 3 min., 2 min., 1 min., 2 min., 3 min. @ 5K-1,500m pace with equal duration active recoveries • 1-2 miles easy

Long Progression Run • 10 miles easy • 2 miles moderate* (uphill if possible)

Week

Base Run + Hill Sprints • 8 miles easy • 6 x 8-second hill sprints with full recovery

Hill Repetitions • 2 miles easy • 12 x 30 seconds uphill @ 1,500m effort with jog-back recoveries • 2 miles easy

Long Progression Run • 10 miles easy • 1 mile moderate* • 1 mile hard** (uphill if possible)

Week

Base Run + Hill Sprints • 8 miles easy • 7 x 8-second hill sprints with full recovery

Ladder Intervals • 1-2 miles easy • 6 min., 5 min., 4 min., 3 min., 2 min., 1 min. @ 10K1,500m pace with 1-min. jog recoveries • 1-2 miles easy

Long Progression Run • 10 miles easy • 2 miles hard** (uphill if possible)

Week

Base Run + Hill Sprints • 6 miles easy • 6 x 8-second hill sprints with full recovery

Hill Repetitions • 1-2 miles easy • 8 x 1 minutes uphill @ 3K effort with jog-back recoveries • 1-2 miles easy

Long Progression Run • 8 miles easy • 1 mile moderate* (uphill if possible)

5 6 7 8

*Moderate = 40-50 seconds per mile faster than your natural running pace ** Hard = 60-75 seconds per mile faster than your natural running pace 218

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LANE LINES You dial in every other part of your race-day preparation, from the arrangement of your transition towel to the timing of your calorie consumption, so why not practice your power swimming as well? Achieving a PR in the swim leg of your next triathlon, which is a great step toward a PR for the whole event, can hinge on your performance in the very beginning of the swim. Your goal is to position yourself with faster swimmers as the groups start to separate. Doing so requires that you swim powerfully right from the gun and then settle into a rhythm once you’ve found your optimal position in the pack.

Incorporate the following workouts into the final three weeks of your training leading up to the start of your race season to develop the physical and mental skills for the first critical moments of race day. And don’t just go through the motions; instead, use visualization to put yourself in a real race situation as you perform each effort. By doing so, you’ll find the start of your next triathlon less intimidating, and you’ll have the power to get out faster and push yourself toward your fastest swim leg ever.

A method to the madness Three swim workouts for perfect race starts

By Abby Ruby, CTS Senior Coach

A

After months of swimming in the luxurious width of a pool lane, the arrival of race season brings with it the necessity of facing the controlled frenzy of a mass-start open-water swim. Swimming in close quarters can be intimidating to many triathletes, who often struggle to get through the first few minutes so they can settle down and just swim. With a little preparation, however, you can make those first few minutes work to your advantage.

HOT-START DRILL: Do the warm-up you would do on race day: no fins, no buoys, just a few pick-ups and an easy 500- to 800-meter swim to warm up those muscles on a cold race morning. Then, rest outside of the pool for 2-3 minutes (imagine a race director shouting incomprehensibly into a bull horn) before hopping back in and completing: • 200 meters all out. Imagine those feet and arms of other swimmers pummeling you as you fight for a good position in the pack

Field Tested By Greg Bennett

1st New York 1st Los Angeles 1st Chicago 1st Minneapolis 1st Dallas

Triathlon Triathlon Triathlon Triathlon Triathlon

“First Endurance allows me to be at my best on race day.”

– Greg Bennett

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First Endurance triathlete Greg Bennett rewrote the record books several times in 2007 by winning an unprecedented five Olympic Distance races in a single year. Greg understands what it takes to win in the most challenging triathlon events in the world. That’s why he relies on the First Endurance system to help him train harder and recover faster than ever before. Shouldn’t you?

firstendurance.com • 866.347.7811

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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LANE LINES • 15-second rest (just enough to catch your breath, as if you found the perfect feet to draft) • 12 x 100 meters (or 6 x 200 meters) at race pace on 5-10 seconds rest • Finish with a 100-meter kick hard to start blood flowing to the legs and get them ready for the bike and simulate the sprint up the beach

EARN-YOUR-KEEP WORKOUT: Start with your race-day warm-up of 500-800 meters with some pick-ups and/or accelerations. Then, go right into: • 20 x 50 meters on a send-off time that allows for 15-20 seconds rest. For example, if you are swimming 40-second 50s with 20 seconds rest, the send-off is on 1 minute even; however, if your 50s drop to 43 seconds then you only get 17 seconds rest. The goal here is to maintain consistent times (you have to work to earn your rest).

BUOY-BULLY WORKOUT: Grab two or three of your best friends (well, at least your buddies who swim) and hit the pool for this race-simulation session.

• Warm-up: Swim on your buddies’ feet. Practice drafting in a pace line, switching the leader every 50 meters. Continue in this manner for 800-1000 meters.

• Turn-buoy set: After the warm-up, set a turn buoy or marker six to eight feet from the wall. Start together at the opposite wall and race to be the first one to and around the buoy and back to the wall. Each effort will be about 50

TRAINING

meters, and 6 x 50 should provide ample time to elbow each other, work on your acceleration in the water and practice buoy turns while you’re at it. While it is a race simulation, try not to give your buddies black eyes, as they will be less likely to practice with you in the future.

• Finish up with 2 x 600 fartlek, alternating 50 meters at endurance pace and 50 meters fast.

Start the season off right with a swim PR by incorporating these swim sets into your preparation for an optimal performance on race day. Not only will you be physically prepared but you will also be mentally focused, practiced and sharp come that first cold dip into open water.

Abby Ruby is a Senior Coach at Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. who’s currently coaching triathletes who range in age from 22 to 83. To find out what CTS can do for you, visit trainright.com.

Take-home message Swimming in close quarters can be intimidating to many triathletes, who often struggle to get through the first few minutes so they can settle down and just swim.

The road to a PR in the swim leg of your next triathlon, which is a great step toward a PR for the whole event, can hinge on your performance in the very beginning of the swim.

Your goal is to be with faster swimmers as the groups start to separate, but that means you have to swim powerfully right from the gun and then settle into a rhythm once you’ve found your optimal position in the pack.

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BIG RING THE BENEFITS OF TRAINER TRAINING The obvious benefit of doing workouts on the trainer is that you are forced to keep constant pressure on the pedals for the entire time you are in the saddle. There is no coasting, decelerating for corners, descending hills at low power output, riding with a tailwind, drafting in a group ride, negotiating traffic, etc. If you regularly spend time on the trainer, you can learn to transfer the skill of applying consistent pressure to the pedals to outdoor riding and, especially, racing, where you don’t have to stop for lights and are prohibited from drafting. Thus, one hour on the trainer is great preparation for one hour of racing.

The trainer can also be a useful tool for regulating effort during intervals to ensure you target the desired energy systems and for working at set cadences to build strength and refine pedal-stroke technique. Spinning with one leg only at a high cadence for 1-5 minutes, or at a maximum cadence for 15-60 seconds, is easier and safer on the trainer and is a great way to develop pedalling efficiency (see below for a pedalling-skills trainer workout).

• Warm-up: 15-30 minutes. Include 5-10 x 10 seconds at maximum cadence (120-plus rpm). Try not to bounce in the saddle. Spin for 50 seconds after each 10-second work interval.

• Main set: 10 x 1-2 minutes @ 105-120 rpm. Heart rate can rise to 0-10 beats below lactate threshold. Recovery is at 90 rpm in an easier gear. Follow each work interval with 1 minute of easy spinning.

• Cool-down: 15-30 minutes of spinning Note: Over a six-week timeframe, gradually increase the duration and number of high-cadence intervals, as well as your target heart rate.

Transition time Spring is the time to head outside, but don’t give up on your trainer

By Lance Watson and Alister Russell

A

After a few months of trainer hibernation, triathletes want fresh air and to spend more time in the saddle. However, before we rush outside to take advantage of the first hint of sun, it’s important to remember that indoor-trainer workouts can be highly effective at building fitness, regardless of whether the roads and weather are conducive to outdoor riding.

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By lifting your front wheel 4-8 inches higher than your rear, you can shift your center of gravity, thereby adjusting muscle-fibre recruitment. This simulates hill riding at low cadence (50-75 rpm). Better yet, you can do long climbs with short rest, rather than having to turn around and descend the whole hill. Even those of us who have hills available will have a hard time finding a climb with an even grade for a long distance (see page 223 for an example of a strength/hill trainer workout).

WHEN YOU GET ON THE ROAD Once you get onto the road consistently in the spring, apply the same discipline to your road rides as you did to your trainer sessions. For example, have a goal in mind for each ride and a workout designed to meet this goal. While it’s great to either rumble along for the sake of riding (because you can) or get

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

Effective pedalling skills trainer workout

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Strength/hill trainer workout • Warm-up: 15-30 minutes aerobic at 90 rpm • Main set: 5 x 5-10 minutes @ 55-65 rpm.

Heart rate is aerobic, at 10-15 beats below lactate threshold. Raise your front wheel 48 inches above horizontal to simulate a hill-climbing position. Recovery is at 90 rpm in an easier gear. Follow each work interval with 5 minutes of easy spinning.

• Cool-down: 15-30 minutes of spinning Note: Over a six-week timeframe, gradually increase the duration of low-cadence work and decrease cadence.

caught up the in hammer fest that is the Tuesday Night World Championship, be aware that doing so might not be the best use of your training time. Instead, break up your ride into sections and work on specific skills or limiters in each section: Targeting strength and aerobic efficiency via focus on cadence and specific heart-rate zones brings added meaning to your early-season rides (see below for targeted long-ride workouts).

Targeted long rides Long ride 1: Strength focus • Ride a total of 1.5 to 4 hours, depending on your race-distance goals, on a relentlessly hilly or undulating route. Over-gear the climbs by riding one to two gears harder than you would normally ride for the middle 50 percent of that ride. Heart rate remains aerobic at 15-30 beats below lactate threshold for the entire ride.

Long ride 2: Aerobic efficiency • Ride a total of 1.5 to 4 hours, depending on your race-distance goals, on a flat to rolling course. Include 2-5 x 20 minutes at a higher aerobic effort, 15-20 beats below lactate threshold, or at goal Ironman pace minus one mph. Spin for 20 minutes between work intervals. Recovery heart rate is aerobic, at 25-40 beats below lactate threshold. Keep your cadence at 90plus rpm for the entire ride.

Note: Over a six-week timeframe, gradually increase the duration of the ride and the duration and number of the work intervals.

LifeSport head coach Lance Watson has coached Ironman, Olympic and age-group champions. He enjoys coaching athletes of all abilities who are passionate about sport and personal excellence. For the last 20 years, Alister Russell has been coaching endurance athletes and was as a national-team coach for Scotland. Visit lifesport.ca or e-mail coach@lifesport.ca for coaching enquiries.

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Take-home message Before we rush outside to take advantage of the first hint of spring, it’s important to remember that indoor-trainer workouts can be highly effective at building fitness, regardless of whether the roads and weather are conducive to outdoor riding.

Once you get onto the road consistently in the spring, apply the same discipline to your

road rides as you did to your trainer sessions. For example, have a goal in mind for each ride and a workout designed to meet this goal.

While it’s great to either rumble along for the sake of riding (because you can) or get caught up the in hammer fest that is the Tuesday Night World Championship, be aware that this might not be the best use of your training time.

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ON THE RUN

Are you up to speed?

Get more from your high-tech toys

By Matt F itzgerald

MONITOR: An effective training program must include a variety of workout types, including recovery runs, endurance runs, threshold runs and interval runs. The workout types vary by their duration, by their structure and by the pace level or levels that are targeted. Running at each pace level contributes to building fitness in its own way. Naturally, the absolute pace that is most appropriate for any single type of workout depends on your running ability and current fitness level.

More than 30 years ago, the legendary coach and exercise physiologist Jack Daniels developed a system that runners can use to determine the appropriate pace target for each type of workout based on their performance level. A score known as a VDOT score is associated with each performance level.

Runners use recent race performances, time trials or experience-based estimates to determine their VDOT score and then look up the target pace levels for each workout type associated with this score on a table. In 2004, I teamed up with Peaksware to create a modified version of the VDOT system called the Pace Zone Index that makes this approach to setting workout pace targets more compatible with the use of a speed-and-distance device.

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The latest speed-and-distance devices, such as the Garmin Forerunner 305 and the Timex Bodylink, allow runners and triathletes to practice pacebased workouts and training plans in ways that were never before possible. There is, however, a sizable gap between the practices that the new speedand-distance devices make possible and what the majority of athletes who own these devices actually do with them. The typical triathlete uses his or her speed-and-distance device in more or less the same way drivers use their speedometer and odometer: as a source of basic information that is used in real time to stay within certain vaguely defined parameters.

Only a fraction of athletes ever download the workout (and race) data from their speed-and-distance devices to their computers. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unfortunate, because the real power of the technology begins with this action. The computer software bundled with every model of speed-and-distance device or sold aftermarket enables athletes to manage their running performance more easily and effectively than ever before. Performance management is a systematic approach to making the pursuit of improved running performance more controllable and predictable.

There are three steps in the performance-management process: monitor, analyze and plan (MAP).

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Sample Pace Zone Chart Zone

1

Zone name

Description

Anything between Gray Zone standing still and 1 a very slow jog

Workouts

Sample pace for a 40-minute 10K runner (PZI 26)

—

59:59-9:32 per mile

9:31-8:21 per mile

2

Low Aerobic

An easy jog

Appropriate for warming up, cooling down, recovery runs, and floats between hard intervals

3

Moderate Aerobic

A comfortable, natural pace

Appropriate for base-building runs and most long runs

8:20-7:31 per mile

4

High Aerobic

Corresponds roughly to marathon race pace for those who are more than capable of “merely” finishing a marathon

Appropriate for tougher basebuilding runs and long runs

7:30-7:02 per mile

5

Too fast for proGray Zone longed running, 2 too slow for tempo runs

—

7:01-6:45 per mile

6

60-minute maximum pace for highly fit athThreshold letes; 30-minute maximum pace for less fit athletes

7

Too fast for Gray Zone tempo runs, too 3 slow for intervals

8

VO2 max

Corresponds to the fastest running pace you can maintain for 6 to 8 minutes

9

Too fast for either of the abovementioned interGray Zone val formats, too 4 slow for shortinterval/long-rest workouts

10

Speed

Any pace between onemile race pace and a full sprint; precise pace depends on workout format

Tempo/threshol 6:44-6:32 d runs per mile

—

6:31-6:10 per mile

Appropriate for short-interval/short-rest workouts and long-interval/long-rest workouts

6:09-6:02 per mile

—

6:01-5:42 per mile

Appropriate for short-interval/long-rest workouts

5:41 per mile-full sprint

The PZI carves up the runningpace continuum into 10 zones, six of which are target pace zones used in different types of workouts, four of which are so-called “gray zones” that are not targeted. Recent or estimated running-race times may be used to establish an initial PZI score; subsequent workout performances are then

used to adjust your score as your fitness improves. The following table presents a breakdown of the zones, the workouts in which they are used and example pace zones for a 40-minute 10K runner (PZI score 26). To access the complete PZI table and additional information on how to use it, visit trainingpeaks.com/cuttingedge.

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There are other good target-pace systems. Among them is Greg McMillan’s running calculator, which you can find at mcmillanrunning.com. Use one of these runningworkout target-pace systems with your speed-and-distance device to ensure you do each workout at the appropriate intensity level.

ANALYZE: With a speed-and-distance device you can also analyze your workout and race performance in more sophisticated ways than you can without one. The information and insights you draw from such analyses may then be used to shore up weaknesses and avoid repeating mistakes.

One way to identify weaknesses is to compare your performance in different types of workouts. For example, when you train using the Pace Zone Index, most of your key workouts are performed in pace zones 4, 6, 8, and 10. Using the software that comes with your device, or an aftermarket product, look at your average pace in workouts targeting each of these four pace zones. If you tend to run toward the top end (that is, the slow end) of one of these four target zones while running toward the bottom end (that is, the fast end) of the others, then you are probably weak at that one particular intensity level and should consider increasing your training at that intensity level to address the relative weakness.

PLAN: As I mentioned above, the Pace Zone Index features six target training pace zones. The appropriate distribution of your weekly training among the six target pace zones depends on your goal race distance and how far along you are in the training process. Using the Pace Zone Index and the proven principles and methods of training for races of various distances, you can design training plans in which your pace-zone distribution is planned and varied optimally from the very first week of training to the very last. Here’s an example of how to plan your running pace-zone distribution for various phases of an Olympic-distance-focused triathlon-training program: Pace Zone

Early Base Phase

Late Base Phase

Early Build Phase

Late Build Phase

Early Peak Phase

Late Peak Phase

2

5%

5%

10%

12%

8%

5%

3

75%

60%

63%

60%

62%

59%

4

10%

15%

10%

10%

12%

15%

6

5%

5%

7%

10%

12%

15%

8

2%

5%

7%

5%

3%

3%

10

3%

5%

3%

3%

3%

3%

Among the cool features of some of the performance-management software programs for runners is one that shows you how much time you have spent running in each pace zone over the last week, or four weeks or other time period. This feature enables you to determine whether your actual training-pace distribution matches what you had planned. If there is a discrepancy that might explain a weakness in your running fitness, you can then make adjustments to correct it.

Speed-and-distance devices allow you to do for yourself many of the things a good coach does for his or her athletes. The main job of a coach is to manage the athlete’s performance. A speed-and-device makes effective performance management easy to do without a coach. Indeed, using such a device is like having your own digital coach that you can stuff in a drawer between workouts and analysis sessions.

Take-home message Only a fraction of athletes ever download the workout (and race) data from their speed-and-distance devices to their computers. That’s unfortunate, because the real power of the technology begins with this action.

There are three steps in the performance-management process: monitor, analyze, and plan.

Some of the performance-management software programs show you how much time you have spent running in each pace zone. This feature enables you to determine whether your actual training-pace distribution matches what you had planned.

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Overdoing it Drugs & chronic fatigue can derail an athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best-laid plans

By Dr. Tim Mickleborough DEAR SPEED LAB, I have been competing in triathlons for about 10 years now and mostly race half-Iron and full-Ironman races. I was feeling really lethargic, run down and tired all the time. Finally I went to see my physician; he did some blood tests and diagnosed me with chronic fatigue syndrome and has told me to rest completely. I realize that perhaps over the last two to three years I may have trained and raced too much, but how on earth did it get this bad? Is it true that a complete break from any physical activity is the only cure?

Thanks, Brett Williamsburg, Va.

DEAR BRETT,

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by fatigue that is disproportionate to the intensity of the effort undertaken, has persisted for six months or longer and has no obvious cause. Unless there has been a long period of athlete- (patient) or physician-imposed inactivity, objective data may show little reduction in muscle strength or peak aerobic power, but the affected individual typically avoids heavy exercise.

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The condition shows some similarities to overtraining and is a well recognized problem among high-performance athletes. CSF can and does develop in non-athletic individuals; however, there seem to be some points of difference from the syndrome as observed in athletes.

Postulated causes and/or precipitants of CFS include the following: primary or secondary disorder of personality; primary or secondary disorder of affect (anxiety and depression); nervoussystem dysfunction; hormonal disturbances; nutritional deficits; immunosupression and infection; and external factors (physical or emotional stress, overtraining, trauma, injury and high-altitude training).

In an athletic population it is often quite difficult to distinguish between a normal level of fatigue, overtraining (an inability to perform at a previously demonstrated optimum level despite a continuation of intensive training), fatigue that indicates the onset of some specific medical problem and CFS. The apparent prevalence of the disorder and its characteristics depend largely on the criteria that are adopted for diagnosis and the specialization of the examining physician. For example, if an athlete with CFS is examined by a sports physician, it is likely that some evidence of overtraining will be reported.

In the general population, there is substantial overlap between CFS and unexplained chronic fatigue. Other potentially overlapping conditions include fibromyalgia, SjĂśgrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disease (an immunological disease) and depression.

The treatment of any form of CFS requires a holistic approach. Rest and regeneration strategies are central to recovery. Athletes will not rest, but fortunately their drive to exercise can be channelled to help speed their recovery. Given that many of the manifestations of CFS are associated with a cessation of training and resultant deconditioning, it seems logical to encourage the implementation of a carefully graded program of conditioning as a central component of treatment once any precipitant, such as infection or injury, has been resolved.

A moderate and progressive increase over current levels of exercise may help give the chronically fatigued athlete a sense of control over the condition. On the other hand, a sudden return to an excessive level of physical activity can exacerbate symptoms. Management is thus based on the principle of avoiding setbacks in recovery by appropriate control of the level of exertion. A careful recording of the frequency and intensity of physical activity and its correlation with self-reports of symptoms is sometimes helpful in setting an appropriate exercise prescription. Repetition of the activity should be avoided if the resting heart rate increases by more than 20 beats per minute.

Despite some progress over the past five years, many major issues remain to be resolved with regard to CFS. Is it one disease or many? In the case of the high-performance athlete, is there a clear linkage to overtraining, resulting immunosupression and development of reactivation of infection? Most recent articles recommend a progressive exercise regimen as part of treatment, but there is still a need to define the optimal pattern of reconditioning. For example, it has been suggested that athletes with CFS should exercise aerobically, while sustaining a pulse rate of

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

TRAINING

120 to 140 beats per minute (such that they can easily conduct a conversation while exercising) for a few minutes (five to 10) each day, ideally in divided sessions, and slowly building up from there over many weeks.

At present, it appears that CFS must be categorized as a syndrome rather than a clear-cut disease, defined by a symptom-complex rather than clear physiological and biochemical manifestations. In the absence of a clear pathology, treatment remains unsatisfactory. In athletes in whom the condition has become established, the best advice seems to be to break the vicious cycle of effort avoidance (resulting in a decline in physical condition and a deterioration of morale) by a combination of encouragement and a carefully monitored progressive return to training.

SUGGESTED READING: McCully, K K., Sisto, S A. and Natelson, B H. (1996). “Use of exercise for treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.” Sports Medicine, 21: 35-48.

DEAR SPEED LAB, I recently read that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be responsible for causing hyponatremia. I know that water intoxication is a problem in endurance events, and I know that many athletes take these drugs as part of their training and racing. Are triathletes who take these drugs at a greater risk for developing hyponatremia?

Sincerely, Dan San Antonio, Texas

DEAR DAN,

Thanks for the question. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, Nuprin), Ketoprofen (Actron, Orudis KT) and Naproxen Sodium (Aleve) may cause water retention in marathoners, but research on healthy subjects shows little cause for concern.

Hyponatremia occurs when plasma sodium levels drop to dangerous levels, generally due to over-consumption of fluids, especially water or other fluids that do not contain adequate sodium, during an endurance event. Medical personnel at the 2000 Houston Marathon saw no link between NSAIDs and the 21 cases of hyponatremia that occurred during the race. A recent study did attempt to assess the incidence of hyponatremia in marathon finishers with NSAID use. However, the small number of subjects who presented with hyponatremia precluded the analysis of NSAID use as a likely contributing factor. In addition, a recent study that examined the prevalence of hyponatremia in the 2002 Boston Marathon found that NSAID use was not associated with hyponatremia. However, good reasons to avoid taking NSAIDs during a race include the risk of stomach irritation and bleeding. In addition, NSAIDs mask pain, which could potentially reflect serious injury.

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REFERENCE: 1. Hsieh, M., Roth, R., Davis. D. L., Larrabee, H. and Callaway, C. W. (2002). “Hyponatremia in runners requiring on-site medical treatment at a single marathon.” Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 34, 185-189.

2. Almond, C.S.D., Shin, A.Y., Fortescu, E.B., Mannix, R.C et al.

(2005). “Hyponatremia among runners in the Boston Marathon.”

New England Journal of Medicine, 352, 1550-1556.

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www.motortabs.com • 888.500.TABS(8227) Ask for MOTOR TABS at your favorite bike, multi-sport, running or sports nutrition retailer today!

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Carbon-fiber primer

aesthetics of the frame or component, while the modulus (Standard, Intermediate or High) of the fiber more directly relates to its stiffness.

Resin is the other component of prepreg. Like connective Part two of a three-part series on the esoteric world of carbon tissue, the resin holds the fiber skeletal system together.

By Ian Buchanan Resins are temperature-sensitive mixes made by combining specific ratios of liquids and solids in a heated mixer. From Part one of this three-part series, in the March issue, explained the instant a resin mix catalyzes it must be kept cold (below the common manufacturing processes used in carbon-fiber freezing) or it will cure prematurely. While resin is rarely component and frame fabrication. In part two, we will discuss referred to in consumer marketing, it is crucial that the resin the ingredients that go into carbon-fiber. used meets the requirements of the end product for which the The most common raw composite material used by the bike prepreg will be used. industry is so-called prepreg, strands of carbon fiber (or other Once blended, the resin is transferred onto a roll of release materials like glass or boron) that have been impregnated with a paper (think Fruit Roll-Ups) using a machine called a film castresin to create a unidirectional tape or woven fabric. While er. The resulting rolls of resin paper are installed on a prepreg woven fabrics of prepreg form the cosmetic patterns most peo- machine where a large loom-like apparatus organizes and feeds ple associate with carbon fiber, it is usually non-woven unidirec- up to a few hundred tow bundles of fiber onto the resin papers tional tape (often hidden under a woven layer) that form the in the specified arrangement. As the resin papers are loaded with main load-bearing structure of a carbon frame or component. tow, they are heated and compacted by rollers that help the Like yarn, raw carbon fiber comes in spools of intertwined warm resin penetrate into the fibers. The resulting sheets of carbon strands referred to as tow. Tow bundles come in a vari- prepreg are then chilled, rolled and ready to be used in producety of sizes, categorized by the number of fibers (between 1,000 tion. Throughout the process, strict adherence to quality-conand 50,000) in the bundle. Hence the common 3K (3,000 trol procedures and proper documentation makes sure the end strand) and 12K (12,000 strand) monikers attached to many result meets specification. carbon-fiber products. The higher the K, the bigger the physiPrepreg carbon-fiber sheets are produced in a large number cal size of the tow and (in the case of woven prepreg) the larg- of combinations, and every prepreg sheet is classified by a code er the cosmetic checker pattern of the weave. However, with the that includes everything from the name of the manufacturer, to exception of all but the thinnest prepregs, tow size (K) has little the type of fiber (modulus) used, to the fiber and resin content to no impact on the quality of the carbon. The fiber type is what of the prepreg. Fiber content is expressed in fiber-area weight, or matters, as it directly affects important mechanical properties Faw, which refers to the amount (in grams) of fiber in one like tensile strength (pull strength), modulus (how much a square meter of the prepreg. If a bike company markets its prodmaterial deflects under load) and strain rate (fiber elongation uct as, for example, 110, 120 or 150, it likely means that the before failure). Thus, references to K have more to do with the prepreg used in its construction has that Faw. The lower the Faw,

P

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the thinner and lighter the prepreg and the higher the modulus carbon fiber required for it to maintain stiffness. Rc is the resin content in one square meter of prepreg and is expressed in terms of a percentage. When a company refers to a 70/30 or 65/35 fiber-to-resin ratio, they are speaking of the percentage of fiber to its Rc. In addition to bundle size (3K, 12K . . .), Faw (110, 120 . . .) and Rc (70/30 . . .), some manufacturers refer to the grade of carbon they use by tension-load capacity. For example, 800ksi means the fiber can withstand 800,000 pounds per square inch of pressure before it bursts. Other companies use their own rating system that refers to how stiff and/or light the carbon fiber is on a relative scale. While some of these numbers are more telling than others, each individual number tells only a small part of the actual story, as unidirectional prepreg quality is a combination of fiber type (modulus), Faw and Rc. Many frames today are also difficult to quantify as they use multi-modulus lay-up schemes that combine many types of prepreg to suit the end goals of the product and design as best as possible.

A frame is only as strong as its weakest link, and the metal used in construction is an important element too. Metal is bonded into most carbon-fiber frames where bearings, threads and wheels contact (bottom bracket, headset, dropouts).

Aluminum is the most commonly used metal in carbon-frame fabrication as it is light and inexpensive. However, aluminum can galvanically corrode and requires that the builder wrap it in a material like fiberglass to minimize the likelihood of corrosion. On some of the very best quality carbon frames, titanium

is used because it is very durable, corrosion-proof, light and one of the purest metals to bond.

So, if the marketing info does not directly refer to the overall quality of the carbon in a frame or component, how can you determine where a product lies in the spectrum of options? As mentioned in part one, price is frequently one of the more accurate indicators. When it comes to materials, no one in the bike industry is able to buy materials at such a significantly lower price than everyone else that they can undercut the market by offering a much higher-grade product for a much lower price.

The higher the quality of the carbon and metal used, the higher the price of the bike but also the more handcrafted workmanship involved and the more tunable and durable the ride will be. In short, with carbon fiber you almost always get what you pay for.

In part three, we’ll explore the four different types of companies offering carbon-fiber products in the cycling industry and how they relate to fabrication methods and quality levels.

Enjoy the ride and train hard and smart!

Ian Ian Buchanan is co-owner of Fit Werx. Fit Werx has locations in Waitsfield, Vt., and Peabody, Mass., and offers cycling and triathlon products, specialty fitting and analysis services, consultation and technology research. Fit Werx can be reached in Vermont at 802-496-7570, in Massachusetts at 978-532-7348 or through the Web at fitwerx.com. Thank you to Mike Lopez, director of composite development and manufacturing for Serotta Cycles, for his contributions to this article.

Enjoy the rewards.

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For information about the rates, fees, and other costs and benefits associated with the use of this Rewards card, or to apply, call the toll free number above, or write to P.O. Box 15020, Wilmington, DE 19850. 쩡 Terms apply to program features and Credit Card account benefits. For more information about the program, visit bankofamerica.com/worldpoints. Details accompany new account materials.

This credit card program is issued and administered by FIA Card Services, N.A. The WorldPoints program is managed in part by independent third parties, including a travel agency registered to do business in California (Reg. No. 2036509-50); Ohio (Reg. No. 87890286); Washington (6011237430) and other states, as required. MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated, and is used by the issuer pursuant to license. The WorldPoints design is a trademark and WorldPoints and Platinum Plus are registered trademarks of FIA Card Services, N.A. Bank of America and the Bank of America logo are registered trademarks of Bank of America Corporation. All other company and product names and logos are the property of others and their use does not imply endorsement of, or an association with, the WorldPoints program. ©2007 Bank of America Corporation T-709149-092107 BAD-10-07-10543

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The buzz about caffeine Is the popular drug a legal means of performance enhancement?

And is it safe?

By Pip Taylor

W

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

When it comes to supplements and drugs in sports there seems to be a fairly general rule: If it works then it is probably banned, and if it is legal then the claims are more than likely just marketing hype. However, there are exceptions. Some permitted substances actually live up to their performance-enhancing claims, and caffeine is one of them. A naturally occurring stimulant found in the leaves, nuts and seeds of various plants, but banned (at high levels) under WADA rules until 2004, caffeine is widely accepted as producing a small but noticeable performance improvement in both endurance sports and skillsbased sports that require mental alertness and awareness.

Although precisely how caffeine affects performance is not clear, it is often claimed that caffeine may enhance endurance by promoting fat oxidation, thus sparing glycogen. However, this is unlikely as studies have found this effect to be very short-lived and restricted to certain individuals. Instead, researchers have more recently suggested that caffeine may promote increased recruitment of motor units (leading to better power generation) and diminish the sensation of pain or effort during intense exercise. Thus, an endurance athlete may feel as though he or she is putting in less effort to sustain a given pace during training or racing.

But do these purported benefits mean caffeine is safe for T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

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TRAINING athletes to use to improve performance? A study done in 2005 at the Ford Ironman World Championship (Desbrow, 2006) showed a surprising lack of knowledge regarding caffeine consumption.

Although 89 percent of those surveyed planned on consuming caffeine before or during their race, 52 percent admitted not knowing an ideal dosage, and the most popular sources of information were either self-experimentation or fellow athletes. While there is ample evidence to suggest the ergogenic effects of caffeine are real, there still needs to be some knowledge and caution about how to use caffeine safely and maximize its benefits.

WHO? Not everyone will benefit from caffeine intake. As noted above, there is a widespread belief based on results of early studies that caffeine aids endurance by sparing glucose through the mobilization and utilization of fat stores.

However, this effect may not be consistent in all individuals. The strongest evidence is that caffeine acts directly on the central nervous system. Response is individual, and regular use of caffeine builds up tolerance, so caffeine non-users can expect more of an effect (either positive or negative) at low doses.

HOW MUCH? Triathletes are not immune to the notion that if a little of something is good for you, then more of it must be even better. The very sport caters to those of us for whom doing one sport is just not enough. However, with caffeine more is definitely not better. To eliminate the potential detrimental effects of caffeine, such as GIT distress, jitters, increased HR, stimulated diuresis, anxiety, impaired coordination, disordered sleep and dependency, you want to consume the smallest possible amount while still reaping the benefits. Even as little as 0.5 to 1.5mg/pound (1 to 3 mg/kg) of body weight has been shown to benefit endurance performance (Cox, 2002). This translates to 70-210mg for a 155-pound athlete. (See table below.)

Wider front cap (44mm) and face plate bolt spacing

Common sources of caffeine

132g (110mm/31.8)

Coffee, brewed (6oz): 20-200mg Tea: 10-90mg Cola (16oz): 50mg Caffeine pills: 100 or 200mg Espresso (1oz): 30-50mg Dark chocolate (1oz): 20mg Milk chocolate (1oz): 5mg Sports gels: 25, 50 or 100mg

NUTRITION At higher levels (>9mg/kg) the negative side effects are more common, and at least one young athlete’s death has been linked to extreme consumption of as much as 1200mg.

WHEN? Once caffeine is ingested it takes about 45 minutes to one hour to reach peak blood concentrations, with ergogenic effects possibly lasting for up to six hours (Bell, 2002). Caffeine can be consumed pre-event or in small quantities throughout or toward the end of the race, as both protocols have shown improvements in performance. Don’t fall into a dependent habit, though. If you want to include caffeine in your training and racing, pick a key handful of sessions each month in which to supplement with the substance.

WHAT? Coffee, although the most common source of caffeine, may not be the best source for athletes: Concentrations are widely variable and there is evidence that other chemicals in coffee may act against the ergogenic effects of caffeine (McLellan, 2004). Caffeinated sports drinks/gels may provide a handy training/racing source at a known dosage.

(See table below.) But be sure to read labels as totals can add up quickly.

THE BOTTOM LINE The weight of evidence is in support of the effectiveness of caffeine as an ergogenic aid when used correctly.

However, it is still a drug regardless of the acceptance it has throughout both the athletic and non-athletic worlds, and it can have serious consequences and must be treated with both respect and caution. Just because everyone else is using something does not mean that it is right for you.

WORKS CITED 1. Bell, D. M. (2002). “Exercise Endurance 1, 3 and 6h After Caffeine Ingestion in Caffeine Users and Nonusers.” Journal of Applied Physiology, 93: 1227-1234.

2. Cox, G. D. (2002). “Effect of Different Protocols of Caffeine Intake on Metabolism and Endurance Performance.” Journal of Applied Physiology, 93: 990-999.

3. Desbrow, B. L. (2006). “Awareness and Use of Caffeine by Athletes Competing at the 2005 Ironman World Championships. Int. Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 16(5): 545-558.

4. McLellan, T. B. (2004). “The Impact of Prior Coffee Consumption on the Subsequent Ergogenic Effect of Anhydrous Caffeine.” Int. Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 14: 698-708.

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Finding the sweet spot

Striking a balance between training, racing and training to race

By Paul Huddle and Roch Frey 244

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F

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this column, let us explain something. We are triathletes. We love triathletes. We married triathletes. Just because we sometimes say what we’re really thinking doesn’t mean we are bitter, unfeeling old-schoolers.

The fact that we are addressing a given question confirms that we think it’s worth addressing, but we usually can’t help ourselves when it comes to the sarcasm that often accompanies our responses. Our readers sometimes mistake this as unprofessional, discourteous and downright callous behavior. This month we’ll try separate out the mockery from the actual response in the hope that

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everyone will understand this blend of reply and disdain. For some reason, we’re unable to provide one without the other, but this time you can choose to accept or reject either so we accommodate both the sensitive and cynical among us.

DEAR COACHES, Although a pretty seasoned athlete, I tend to over-train, so I’ve decided to use a training program from a book. My question: Is it okay to do a yoga class (not an intense class, just very simple Hatha or Vinyasa) on a given offday, or are these days meant to be completely free of anything?

Thanks, Bethany

BETHANY,

What part of “off-day” do you not understand? This day could also be referred to as the more common “day off.” Does that help?

No? We see how this could be misinterpreted to mean that, somehow, the day doesn’t happen, but we all know you can’t stop the sun from rising, so the translation must mean something about taking a day off from your normal day-to-day activities as they relate to training. Does that help? We know. You understand but, since you’re a triathlete, you’re poking around looking for someone to give you the answer you want to hear.

You’ve probably run this question by friends, family and other coaches but haven’t heard what you want to hear which is, “No, Bethany, an off-day really means you can and should go ahead and train for whatever duration and intensity you feel like with no regard for the consistency of your week-to-week training and/or the risk of (pick one): blowing the following day’s workout, getting sick, getting divorced, getting a stress fracture, losing your job, etc., because you’re special and don’t need any rest to keep you more balanced and reduce the risk of the aforementioned negative consequences.” If you’ve arrived at this sentence and are crying, we’re sorry. That was the sarcastic paragraph. Get a Kleenex and keep reading.

The coach who wrote your program probably intended for you have the opportunity one day each week to put aside all things triathlon in favor of not only recovery but of work, family, friends, and/or whatever other aspects of life that are important to you.

Sometimes it’s not so much that doing something short and/or easy will negatively impact your training/racing potential but that it’s nice to have a mental break from the pressure of scheduling around a workout (or three) every day of the week.

It’s counterintuitive to think that doing nothing specific toward swimming, cycling, and/or running could benefit your fitness, but that’s exactly what an off-day can do. Is it for everyone? No. There are certainly some individuals who feel better doing a very light, non-impact, low-intensity activity rather than taking a day off. For

some, the very act of moving, even if very slowly, is preferable for these folks to a completely sedentary day. You might be one of those people and, if so, a short, easy swim, ride, or even walk could do the trick. It could also be a yoga class.

So, yes, as long as you feel as though you get more recovery than fatigue

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TRAINING from the given yoga class, the purpose of the off-day is being served. You’ve mentioned a couple of varieties of yoga but, in our experience, any form of this wonderful practice can range from incredibly intense to soothingly light and relaxing.

Make sure you talk with the instructor prior to the class to determine whether the level will meet your needs.

One quick warning: Triathletes being triathletes sometimes think that every group activity is another competitive opportunity. There’s nothing funnier that witnessing a type-A tri-sporter complete with tan lines, heart-rate monitor and silky smooth shaved legs take on the skinny, bearded, pungent yoga guru with garlic breath. Remember, age-group rankings, power output and lactatethreshold heart rates have absolutely no bearing on your potential competence on a yoga mat. Try to leave your push harder attitude at the door and simply go through the asanas (postures) within your allowable range of movement so you don’t end up so sore and/or injured that you have to take the following days off—really off, that is.

Enjoy your off day, Roch and Paul

DEAR COACHES, Is it okay to race Wildflower long course prior to Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene?

Thanks, Troy

TROY,

You’re kidding, right? You’re asking us if it’s okay for you to do a race? You’re a grown man, right? You can drive a car, pay your bills, order a drink at a bar, register to vote, get married and start a family, have the option of owning guns, and yet you’re asking us if you can do a race?

Is that what you’re asking? This coaching thing is getting out of control. Whatever happened to spontaneous decisions made about training and racing based on simple, primal human motivation?

Where’s Scott Molina when you need him? By the way, if you don’t know that name, look it up. It’s a prerequisite to doing your first Ironman.

Okay, yes, this is a good question. It seems like we respond to an issue like this every year or two but feel it’s important enough to review the to-race-ornot-to-race-as-part-of-preparation-foranother-race question. Since we feel that the best possible form of training you 246

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DEAR COACH can do is racing, the real issue here is one of timing. When considering whether to do an Ironman 70.3/half-Ironman event prior to your goal Ironman, ask yourself when in your Ironman preparation does this event fall and what are the logistics surrounding participation in the given event.

Our general rule of thumb is that you should do an event of this distance no closer than three weeks prior to your goal Ironman if the event is within a sixhour drive of your home, and four weeks if it’s greater than a six-hour drive. There is no better way to experiment with nutrition, equipment and/or pacing strategies for an Ironman than in a half-Ironman-distance event, but travel and logistics matter. Provided that this event doesn’t negatively impact your key Ironman-specific training sessions and/or your ability to maintain your training schedule, by all means, do the race. Since Wildflower is traditionally on the first weekend in May and the Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene is on the third weekend in June, you have seven weeks between the two. This is plenty of time. We suggest you put Wildflower at the end of a recovery week and go for it.

You’ll have to modify the workouts on the two to four days prior to and immediately following the race to ensure you are recovered both before and after.

Treat it as a hard swim, bike and run workout, and modify your usual harder sessions in the days prior to and following accordingly.

The same thinking goes for doing an Olympic-distance race prior to a halfIronman or a sprint-distance event prior to an Olympic. Remember, racing isn’t only about the act of putting together your best possible combination of swimming, cycling and running but also includes all of the logistics that surround it. It’s nice to go through the registration process, preparation of equipment, etc. before your goal event. There’s a reason top professional endurance athletes talk about racing into shape. There’s nothing quite like the nerves, intensity and focus required for racing, and there’s no more specific preparation you can perform.

One of the great benefits of doing the Avia Wildflower Long Course in particular is that every race afterwards will feel easy by comparison. Just imagine if the Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene feels easy to you!

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Good luck, The Coaches

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TRAINING

Ramping up 5 key early-season speed sessions

By Mark Allen

training. There are many exercises you can do in the gym to gain leg strength. But the five most basic and important are the following: • Leg extensions • Leg curls • Squats • Leg press • Lunges These five simple exercises will give your legs the horsepower to generate watts, and that means speed. Have you done your weights? If so you are ready for your early-season speed training.

There comes a time in every season when the base work has been put in place and it’s time to switch gears and start upping the ante with speed work in all three sports. However, many struggle with the transition to speed work on the bike, especially since it’s often easier to just get out and ride than it is to adhere to a strict workout plan. But a strong cycling leg is essentially not only for its own sake but also for the fact that it can set up a good run. In a moment we will look at some key workouts you can do right now to build the kind of fitness and speed on the bike that will enable you to have both a fast bike and a fast run when it counts. But first let’s make sure you are ready for them.

Below follow my key workouts for the bike, and by incorporating them regularly into your early-season training cycle you can boost your cycling and reap the rewards of faster times when you head into your first races of the season.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN WITH SPEED

1. DON’T CHUCK THE TRAINER JUST YET

One of the most important foundations for developing speed includes a good base of aerobic training miles. Little base equals little capacity to absorb hard speed training. A big base equals a world-class ability to maximize your genetics with speed. If you have done the aerobic work, then it’s time for speed. If not, it could be wise to put in another month or so of steady miles before integrating weekly faster sessions into your training schedule.

The second key to maximizing the benefits of your speed work is muscular strength, also built during your base phase.

This comes from one and only one type of workout: strength

Using a stationary trainer for some of your speed sessions can be one of the most potent ways to help develop power. One reason for this is because every second you go hard can be devoted to focusing on your body, your pedal stroke, your cadence rate and your overall form. Initially, when athletes start into the speed phase they can tighten up with each effort: This happens especially in the upper body when you go hard. While there is a certain amount of leverage one can gain by pulling on the aerobars, it’s best to have your legs do the work and let the rest of your body come along for the ride.

TOP-FIVE SPEED WORKOUTS

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benefits once you get the hang of it. Also make sure to be in your aero position as much as possible when doing the drill.

• 2.5 minutes spin easy with both legs • 5-10 minutes spinning with right leg, as above • 2.5 minutes easy • 5 minutes in easy gear with 10 seconds at very high cadence (over 120) every 30 seconds • 5-minute recovery cool-down Take-away lesson for trainer sessions: This form of speed work enables you to develop the ability to keep relaxed at high output levels, which also helps you manage the perception of pain so it does not hold you back.

2. TIME TRIALS

A time trial is a speed session where you are not doing interval work but rather going at a pace that is anaerobic and sustained. You can either choose distance or time to determine workout duration, but most people find it best to pick a distance. This trains you to handle the mental aspect of going from one point to another and takes away any incentive to go easy.

The total length of your time trial should be roughly 10 miles.

You can split this up into two five-mile time trials or go the whole thing without a break. Initially, it can be good to start with two shorter time trials and then work up to the longer one.

There are going to be a few things to keep in mind as you do your time trial. The first is to progress your effort over the entire distance, getting faster and putting out more power as you go.

This patterns into your body the ability to get faster, something that will help you pass all those who go too hard toward the beginning of a race. Secondly, hold a solid cadence of 90-95 rpm the entire time. This can become difficult when you start getting tired near the end of the session and the tendency to push too big of a gear creeps in. But allowing your cadence to drop as you tire, even if you are still pushing a high output level, can spell disaster for the run in your race since a low cadence and a high power output saps the energy from your legs. Third, stay in the aero position for your time trial (unless there is climbing in the terrain you have chosen). The more time you spend aero, the more automatic it becomes for your muscles to generate power in that position.

Now for terrain choices. There are a couple of ways you can approach your time trial. One is to pick a terrain that accentuates the key features of a big race. If the course is mostly flat, pick a training time-trial course that is as flat as possible. If your big race will be rolling, pick rollers for your session that are a little steeper and longer than you will see in the race. If your racecourse has real climbs as a main attraction, pick a time trial that is uphill. If your area lacks big hills, you can fake hills by picking gears that are larger than you would use for a flat ride, and then sit up and use the climbing position to do your time trial.

Take-away lessson for time trials: This is real-world training, teaching you to push hard without any help—exactly what it takes to race fast in a triathlon.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

The best way to develop this dual dynamic of pushing hard with the legs while keeping the rest of your body relaxed is on a trainer, as it’s much easier to remain aware of when you tense up.

Oh, did I forget to tell you this is going to be uncomfortable? As you probably have experienced if you use one, your perceived effort on a trainer is going to be higher for any given heart rate.

But if you are simultaneously focused on both going hard and on staying relaxed, it then becomes a simple task to slide the focus point toward the relaxed element and away for the pain component. Have you ever noticed how top athletes can look relaxed even in the most grueling situations? They have an ability to focus on the relaxed element, which then enables them to push their limits without getting derailed by the pain part of performance.

Here is a deceptively simple one-hour bike-trainer session that will provide speed and power benefits: • Warm up 5-10 minutes, gradually moving up in cadence, gearing and heart rate, ending up just below your aerobic max heart rate • 15-25 minutes where you increase one gear every five minutes, ending in as big a gear as you can manage while still keeping your cadence at the optimal 90-95 rpm. Also make sure the first five minutes takes your heart rate into the anaerobic zones, and then strive to have your final five minutes take you to just a few beats below max heart rate.

• 5 minutes recovery spinning easy in the small chain ring • 5-10 minutes spinning with your left leg. Strive to have your heart rate go into the anaerobic zones in the final 1-2 minutes of the drill, if not before. This is extremely difficult to do using only one leg, but doing so will give huge

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triathletemag.com â&#x20AC;¢News â&#x20AC;¢Training Tips â&#x20AC;¢Race Events Triathlete Online will get you there faster.

Redesigned for speed and ease of use.

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TRAINING Take three to five buddies out for a session where you will each take turns at the front of the pace line for short periods of time, then pull off and let the next person pull into the wind.

Rotating pace lines allow you the ability to push at a very high output level for a short period of time, and then to recover while still maintaining a fairly high output level—something that will help you in a race, especially if you need a strong sustained effort for a relatively short period of time to pull away from someone. Surge and back off slightly, surge and back off slightly. In a race, the amount you back off may not even be perceived by your opponent. And if done on your terms, you get the recovery when you need it, which can leave your competitors struggling to hold on.

The length of the ride can be one to three hours, and the amount of time you actually pace line can be half of that. The one word of caution is to make sure everyone understands how to pace line. Here are some of the rules: • Make moves slowly. Don’t jump hard when it is your time at the front, otherwise it won’t be a pace line but rather an accordion rolling down the road.

• When you peel off the front and drift to the back of the pack, do so on the shoulder side of the line, not the traffic side. Motorists will be completely unaware that you are going to pull out. Use the protection of the pace line to drift back rather than being the sole individual dangling close to traffic.

• Never overlap wheels. Your front wheel should always be able to clear the back wheel of the rider in front of you. If wheels come in contact, the front wheel always loses.

Take-away lesson for pace lining: This is the best technique for teaching you how to recover at a high power output and cadence.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

3. PACE LINE

or tradittional speeed seessions: When done Take-away lesson fo correctly they will activate the anaerobic system, teach you to get faster as the session goes on and give you the chance to try to stay relaxed while generating power and speed.

4. TRADITIONAL SPEED WORK

5. RACE TO RACE

There is no escaping it. You will need to do some traditional speed-work sessions with interval sets. The variations on this theme are almost limitless, but the general guidelines will be the same regardless of the length of your intervals or the number of repeats you do.

A good session should have your total amount of interval time (not counting your recovery time) add up to about 15 to 20 minutes. How you divide this up is your decision. You could do 15 x 1 minute, 3 x 6 minutes, 2 x 4 minutes followed by 4 x 2 minutes. You could do hill repeats on any of these. You could choose a stretch of road that is rolling and go slightly downhill on one interval, then turn around and go slightly uphill on the next.

The rest between each interval can be as varied as your intervals themselves. Initially it is good to start with a rest that is about half the amount of time of your work interval, and the rest should consist of active spinning in an easy gear. As you progress through your sessions the rest interval can change, becoming relatively shorter or longer, which will teach your body to recover at a high heart rate (short rest) and to generate high amounts of power well above what you will need in your races (long rest).

The main facets to focus on are the same as in any hard bike session: • Up your power output and heart rate with each successive interval • Keep your cadence rate up • Do the intervals in the aero position

There is nothing that prepares you to race fast like racing fast. Thus, it is always a good idea to put a couple of races on the calendar that will be lead-up events to your eventual A-priority races of the season. This will build a type of fitness that can only be gained by racing and will give you a chance to see if there are any weaknesses in your preparation that require corrective action.

If the bike is your strength, use these prep races as a tool to see just how fast you can go on the bike but still have enough left over for a solid run. If you are relatively weaker on the bike, try using one race as a bike-focus event where you just go as hard and fast as you possibly can on the bike with no regard for how the run will go. This helps you to gain confidence (and fitness) so that in your most important triathlons you have the ability to push harder than you could previously and still run strong.

Take-away lessson for a race: There is nothing that replicates a race situation or gives you the fitness you can gain from actually racing. Low-priority events enable you to gain this fitness and experience so that when the big ones come you are prepared.

Best of luck!

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Mark Allen is a six-time winner of the Ironman World Championship. For information about Mark’s speaking availability, please call 800-994-5306. Visit markallenonline.com for more on Allen’s state-of-the-art triathlon-training program and energy drink or shamanism.com to learn about Allen’s Fit Body Fit Soul workshops.

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XTERRA ZONE Courtesy Team Unlimited

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Break out

Where will XTERRA find you this year?

By Kahuna Dave Nicholas

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XTERRA is now on every continent on earth. With the advent of our Xduro endurance trail-run series and the Xduro 21K on King George Island, Antarctica, in March, you could literally step on every continent with XTERRA. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re especially proud to announce our return to Australia on April 5. You can wrap this into a South Pacific tour by racing Oz and then heading east to New Zealand the next weekend for XTERRA Rotorua on April 12. If you truly want to buy a round-the-world ticket, keep racing and do XTERRA South Africa in Cape Town on April 19 for three weeks below the equator.

And there has never been a better time for XTERRA addicts to take a trip, especially for Europeans coming to the States, since the euro is strong. Europeans 256

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should come over for a couple weeks to do the Oak Mountain, Ala., course and follow it up with the legendary urban XTERRA in Richmond, Va. For anyone in the Northern Hemisphere, try Saipan, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa.

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all are great events with great people and warm weather.

The European schedule is also sensational, with the crystal waters of Sardinia, Italy; the mountains around Geneva, Switzerland; the green hills of Wales; a castle in the Czech Republic; the mountains in the south of France; the Jutland peninsula in Denmark; Carinthia in southern Austria; the Black Forest in Germany and the Lake District of England. All of these places are steeped in history.

We arranged many of these events so you can hit a couple races in one trip. Use XTERRA as your excuse to break out of the routine and see the world. Who will be the first to do the XTERRA Septuplet of Australia, Africa, Asia, South America, North America, Europe and Antarctica?

As our saying goes . . . Live more!

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2008 XTERRA GLOBAL TOUR SCHEDULE Date March 8 April 5 April 12 April 19 May 17-18 June 1 June 7-8 June 14-15 June 15 June 21 June 28 July 6 Aug. 15-16 Aug. 16 Aug. 23 Aug. 23 Aug. 30 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Oct. 4-5 Oct. 26

Race

Location

XTERRA Saipan Championship XTERRA Australia Championship XTERRA New Zealand Championship XTERRA South Africa Championship XTERRA West Championship* XTERRA Italy Championship+ XTERRA Southeast Championship* XTERRA East Championship* XTERRA Switzerland Championship+ XTERRA Wales Championship+ XTERRA Czech Championship+ XTERRA France Championship+ XTERRA Mountain Championship* XTERRA Denmark Championship+ XTERRA Austria Championship+ XTERRA Brazil Championship XTERRA Japan Championship XTERRA Germany Championship+ XTERRA England Championship+ XTERRA USA Championship* XTERRA World Championship

Saipan, CNMI Daylesford, Victoria Rotorua Grabouw, W. Cape Temecula, Calif.

Cala Ginepro, Sardinia Pelham, Ala. Richmond, Va. Geneva Neath Valley Hluboka nad Vltavou Auron Snowbasin/Ogden, Utah Arhus, Jutland Klopeinersee, Carinthia Ilhabela, Sao Paulo Marunuma Titisee, Schwarzwald Cumbria Incline Village, Lake Tahoe, Nev. Maui, Hawaii

* XTERRA America Tour events

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TRIATHLETE’S GARAGE

A Kueen K outfitted with a SRAM Force groupset and Fulcrum Racing 5 wheelset retails for $5800.

By Jay Prasuhn

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In an industry dominated by the major players wedded to UCI regulations, it’s a wonder a brand that cut its teeth and earned its creds in triathlon can make it. Thanks to 1996 Tour de France winner turned team manager Bjarne Riis, CSC brought aboard Cervelo—a triathlon brand—and never looked back. Slipstream is doing the same with Felt Racing. Now it appears as though French ProTour squad Agritubel is following suit.

How so? Agritubel brought aboard Kuota as a bike sponsor this year. Kuota, the brand born on the Queen K highway, will be doing their Tour de France time trials on . . . the Kueen K. I can sense Normann Stadler smiling.

Yes, a French squad, men steeled with old-world thinking, have come around and will be riding a time-trial bike with a 78.5-degree seat angle. Bye-bye old-school thinking, hello forward thinking—literally and figuratively.

At 1160 grams for the frame, it’s not trying to be a featherweight, and considering the Kueen K wasn’t wind-tunnel tested for aerodynamic-shape optimization during its design, they weren’t trying to find the very lowest drag coefficient for it either.

What Kuota was doing, however, was trying to develop a frame that offers zero-compromise fit and zero-compromise stiffness. Not ironically, it’s kinda what Normann Stadler put at the top of his wish list for a new bike anyway. If the frame came with an upset-stomach buffer, perhaps we’d have had more of a chance to see what it was capable of. I’m certain we’ll find out more later this year.

I chatted with Italian Kueen K engineer Mario Comalli about the Kueen K at Interbike last year, and while Kuota is excited to be making an appearance in the European peloton, he was dubi258

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ous about who they were making the Kueen K for. After all, the bike debuted in Kona, not at some road race. His points of pride were in its geometry. The Kueen K is definitive in its purpose.

With the 78.5-degree seat angle (paired with a 53cm top tube on a medium frame), there’s no question: It’s geometrically ideal for tri with no need for a saddle shoved forward on its rails, no need for a down-angle stem to counter a tall head tube, no funky balance or steering issues due to compromise adjustments.

So perhaps Joe Rookie needs to look at the K-Factor with its less aggro geometry before delving into such a serious race machine. But the athlete who is looking at going over 22mph in a flat aero tuck and likes putting power through the cranks? The Kueen K may be your dream ride.

The down side comes in a frame with lots of hard angles.

Perhaps the diamond-shaped down tube isn’t going to bring the best drag numbers, but Kuota counters this with the front brake tucked behind the fork crown and the rear brake tucked under the bottom bracket. In fact, the rear brake is shrouded by an extension of carbon below the actual BB shell.

But the big lure is the frame’s stiffness. We’ve long rated the Trek TTX Equinox as one of the stiffest tri bikes on the market.

The Kueen K joins it. Remember those hard angles, particularly in the down tube, along the top tube? They add a significant amount of stiffness to the frame, particularly torsionally, when out of the saddle on climbs or accelerating out of T1.

So really, strong riders with a penchant for saying their bikes are flexy will simply have to take a test ride on this beast. Not only is it built by triathletes for triathletes (and will add merit to our sport as another tri brand ridden by roadies) but it’s also an unyielding monster that can take everything you can give it.

For more on the Kueen K, visit kuota.it

Courtesy the manufacturer

Kuota Kueen K

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Courtesy the manufacturer

S Contecott ssa Plasm a

The fully equipped Contessa Plasma retails at $3,990.

By Rebecca Roozen

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

T

The Contessa Plasma made its debut for the 2007 season, and ever since it’s been the craze of all women in the industry. And the men. It’s the official ride of the ’08 Zoot ULTRA team and the envy of all the triathletes on my block (in San Diego, the triathlon mecca). The sleek snowwhite and fuchsia-accented frame is pretty eye candy, but that’s not why it’s been on all the ladies’ birthday, anniversary, Christmas and President’s Day wish lists.

Like the Contessa CR1 Pro and the Contessa Speedster, the 18.61-pound Plasma is designed specifically for women, with a smaller size range (XS 49cm, S 52cm, M 54cm, L 56cm) and women’s-specific components. The Contessa comes ready to race with a CR1 carbon fork, Shimano Ultegra group, TR-Aero integrated seatmast, SDS shock-damping system, Fi’zi:k women’s saddle and a Mavic Cosmic Elite wheelset.

The Plasma took us on an extremely smooth ride, at all speeds, and the light frame was ideal for climbing the hills in Camp Pendleton (the Ford Ironman California 70.3 bike course), and the slippery frame—with its internal cable routing to minimize airflow disruption—helped us get the most out of our descents and straight-aways. And yes, the Contessa may be a bit pricy, but so are those designer jeans. Sometimes you just have to go with the ride that fits just right.

For more on the Contessa Plasma, please go to scottusa.com.

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Courtesy the manufacturer

Cannondale SuperSix 1

At $5,500, the carbon-fiber SuperSix1 may not be the cheapest way to fly, but it might be the lightest.

By Brad Culp

I

You don’t need to throw down over $5,000 on your training rig, but after a test ride on Cannondale’s new carbon-fiber SuperSix, you may be ready to pull out the checkbook.

In Cannondale’s new line of SuperSix road bikes (there are five total), the SuperSix 1 ranks third in the hierarchy of new carbon rides (behind the Ultimate and Team), but to call it the third-best bike doesn’t do it justice. Our complete test rig tipped the scale at a mere 15.8 pounds (with Speedplay Zero pedals), putting it on the short list of sub-16-pound road bikes.

When we first climbed on the SuperSix, we felt we may be able to break it in two. The seat stays are the narrowest we’ve ever seen and look as though a hefty rider may be able to bend them in half. Once pedaling, we quickly realized there was a reason for the exiguous stays: They absolutely eat up the road.

Minor vibrations don’t have a chance to make their way past the rear triangle, and it all makes for a very smooth ride.

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As scant as the stays are, the bike has some beef where it needs it. The husky down tube and bottom bracket stiffen the frame nicely and make for extraordinary power transfer from the pedals. Providing you with even more power is the Hollowgram SL Crankset, which complements the frame well and makes eight-percent grades feel more like six-and-a-half.

Cannondale builds its frames in the U.S. (a nice touch, not often seen in the bike industry) and specs the SuperSix with top-shelf accessories. For $5,500 you’ll be rolling on a pair of Mavic Ksyrium SL wheels, full Dura-Ace group, FSA K-Force carbon bars, Fi’zi:k saddle and Control Tech IPOST carbon seat post.

If you’re looking to upgrade your training rig in 2008, we suggest giving the SuperSix 1 a test ride. It makes hill repeats or long rides as enjoyable as they can be, and it may just unleash your inner roadie, forcing you to enter a local crit, or at least contest the town-line sprint.

For more on the SuperSix 1, visit cannondale.com

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Style and substance

K-Swiss returns to its high-performance roots with a surge into triathlon

By T.J. Murphy

Those present at the Hawaii Ironman this past year were witness to three companies presenting their intentions to market running shoes to triathletes.

Zoot, well known in multisport for its apparel and wetsuits, brought a new line of shoes specifically designed for triathletes. Avia, marking a reinvigoration of its company, came to the Big Island to shake hands with triathlon, indicating the desire to target shoe buyers interested in high-performance trainers and racers.

In fact, Avia has since become the flagship sponsor of the popular Wildflower triathlon.

The third company packed the most surprise: K-Swiss held a party early in the week at the Hard Rock CafĂŠ on Aliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;i Drive and received a tremendous amount of

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

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Elite Triathlete Kim Dunker wearing Envy™ Metallic Baby Blue

Slip Carbon with High Speed Red Fototec in cloudy conditions

after 3 secs…

6 secs…

9 secs…

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Slip Carbon with High Speed Red Fototec in sunny conditions

web: www.tifosioptics.com phone: 866.310.0996 (toll free) T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

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?

CUTTING EDGE

Foot GOT

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PAIN

WHAT THE &#@!

IS IT?

It’s probably Plantar Fasciitis, which is a very painful and often debilitating injury, felt mainly in the heel and arch.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

WHAT CAUSES IT? The problem is not in your foot, it’s in your leg. The posterior tibialis is a muscle in the lower leg that attaches in the arch. Along with the soleus and calf, this is where you get the power to push off while running and to pull through while cycling. When the muscles become chronically tight, they pull on insertion points in the bottom of your foot – hence the symptom: Plantar Fasciitis.

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attention when Chris Lieto, his race kit clearly announcing his K-Swiss sponsorship, spent a large part of race day leading the men’s race.

Where did K-Swiss come from? It was a recurring question posed by athletes on the island to the representatives of KSwiss, and, depending on the age group of the questioner, showed how different generations view K-Swiss.

Erik Vervloet, the director of sports marketing at K-Swiss, was in Kona fielding these questions. “It was interesting talking to different people about us in Kona,” Vervloet says. “Those who 264

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were under 35 think of K-Swiss and know us for our connection to fashion and lifestyle. But those over 35 know us for our roots in honest innovation and high standards in sports performance, for the reputation we carved out in tennis and sailing.”

A shift in K-Swiss’s direction took place in 1985, when then-Stride Rite president Steven Nichols tried to convince his company of the sales potential lurking within the independent K-Swiss brand. Stride Rite, however, didn’t buy into Nichols’ vision and refused to back a buy-out bid, so Nichols left Stride Rite

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and courted an investment group to fund the purchase of K-Swiss.

The strategic pivot initiated by Nichols is why the younger set today is more likely to think of K-Swiss not as a tennis or athletic shoe but as symbolic of rap-star fashion. In the 1990s, Nichols had shifted the marketing of the company from the sports world to the MTV airwaves, casting the blocky K-Swiss Classic into the urban rap culture. “The stock split four times,” Vervloet reports. In 2005, global sales blew past the $500-million mark.

The older crowd at the Hawaii Ironman reminded Vervloet of the previous image consumers held of K-Swiss. “I heard it over and over in Kona. ‘Hey, it’s great to see you guys back. Where have you been?’ They recall our roots.”

The roots of which Vervloet speaks go back to 1966, when the K-Swiss Classic, the first all-leather tennis shoe, made its debut at Wimbledon.

Most recently the company has been staking out a return to the original mission of creating high-quality performance shoes, Vervloet says, and triathlon— not running but triathlon specifically— matched up well with their ambitions.

David Bond, VP of product at K-Swiss

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and formerly with Nike, is a sub-10-hour Ironman triathlete. Vervloet is also an experienced triathlete and has worked seven consecutive years at an aid station in Kona. Deep into the development of their triathlon line, Vervloet brought American triathlon pro Chris Lieto into the fold in order to solicit feedback from a top triathlete.

“Chris is incredibly detail oriented,” Vervloet says. “His comments were anything but general.” After running in prototypes, Lieto reported on a variety of minutiae, pinpointing flaws in exact locations through the spectrum of the foot strike in regard to cushioning, stability and responsiveness. Lieto’s research sparked an entirely new phase of development in the line of triathlon shoes.

But K-Swiss will not only be working with elites. “We are coordinating an online ambassador program,” Vervloet says. “We want to team with 100 to 200 age-group triathletes to wear-test our shoes.”

K-Swiss launched the first shoe of its line earlier this year, the Ultra Natural, with the remainder of the triathlon line due out later in the season.

Go to k-swiss.com for more info.

¤

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GEAR BAG

Five new products to help you find just a little more speed

By Brad Culp If you’ve been at this sport awhile then you know mammoth jumps in fitness are hard to come by; so instead, we seek out what little advantages we can find. These five new products won’t make you drop 30 minutes at your next Olympic-distance race, but they can make training and racing a bit more comfortable and a little faster.

BSN Cellmass $60 (40 servings)

Don’t be turned off by the name.

Just because the word “mass” is there doesn’t mean it’ll bulk you up. Cellmass is a post-exercise and nighttime muscle rejuvenator proven to help repair your working muscles while you rest.

It contains a blend of creatine, glutamine, phosphates and electrolytes to help make the most out of every training session. At only 40 calories per serving it’s one of the lowest-calorie supplements to aid muscle recovery. bsnonline.net

TriSwim TriSlide $13.50/bottle

Who ever thought that skin lubricants could go high-tech?

TriSwim—makers of chlorinefighting shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotions— recently released TriSlide as the first skin lubricant available in a spray bottle. The silicone-based lubricant works well at preventing chaffing, but we liked it best under the arms and legs of our wetsuit.

It makes your wetsuit fly off better than cooking spray and it won’t dissolve any of the neoprene. tri-swim.com

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Fitness with Joe Easy Runner $60

You probably won’t pick up too many members of the opposite sex running down the street with this thing, but you’ll probably start running faster, so we think it’s a fair trade. The rubber bands connect from the back of your ankle to your waist to help prevent over-striding, which is a cause of injury among runners. After a few short training sessions you’ll notice a faster turnover and a more upright running posture. fitnesswithjoe.com

Kona Endurance Pro $60 (40 servings)

One of the biggest buzz products of 2007 has been revamped for 2008. Kona Endurance Pro has a similar formula to the original VO2 max-boosting supplement, but the newest edition has been reinforced with more adaptogens like rhodiola rosea and more amino acids like citrulline malate. Take it every day for a month with breakfast and see if it works for you. konaendurance.com

Speedo STR X Wetsuit $550 (full sleeve), $350 (sleeveless)

It seemed inevitable that the world’s leading swimsuit manufacturer would eventually dive into the wetsuit business. What took them so long? They wanted to do it right, and the STR X is proof they’ve done their research. Using 3mm Yamamoto SCS neoprene throughout the chest and back, the suit provides maximum flexibility where you need it most. The backs of the legs have been reinforced with 4mm Aero Mesh neoprene, lifting the butt and hips out of the water and minimizing drag.

Speedo has also released the STR PRO as its mid-level suit ($300 for the fullsuit and $250 for the sleeveless). speedousa.com

Images courtesy the manufacturers

Shift to a higher gear

2/19/08

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Lake Villaricca is framed by resorts and hotels that cater to adventure seekers from across the globe.

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AT THE RACES

Colucci dethrones Galindez, Gollnick squeezes out win in Pucon When it comes to the Cristal Ironman 70.3 Pucon, in Chile, Argentina’s Oscar Galindez is king. On January 20, the runnerup at last year’s 70.3 world championship was gunning for his fifth win in picturesque Pucon, but Brazilian Renaldo Colucci was too strong and won in 4:00:25. On the women’s side, it was a pair of Americans, Heather Gollnick and Linsey Corbin, who battled to the finish, with Gollnick narrowly edging out her countrywoman in 4:37:02.

At the start of the race, all eyes were on reigning Ironman world champion Chris McCormack, who was ready to attack his first race of 2008. After a tough twolap swim in crystal-clear Lake Villaricca, McCormack, Galindez and Colucci were all out of the water in just over 26 minutes.

And once onto the bike, things were looking up for Galindez, while the circumstances were

Brazil’s Renaldo Colucci shadowed Galindez on the bike before running to the win.

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Macca forced out with a flat tire

decidedly different for McCormack. Shortly into the 56-mile bike ride, Macca was on the side of the road with a flat and Galindez was flying to a day’s best 2:11:30 bike split.

Coming into transition just behind the Argentine was Colucci, who no doubt was relishing a chance to tackle the hilly run course, as he spends a fair amount of the year training in the French Alps.

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Tereza Macel, Heather Gollnick and Linsey Corbin celebrate their podium placings in Pucon.

The Brazilian galloped through the tough 13.1-mile run in 1:17:29, about three minutes better than Galindez and good enough to give Colucci his first Pucon win. Another Brazilian, Santiago Ascenco, also made up time on the run and pulled all the way into the final podium spot with the fastest halfmarathon split of the day in 1:16:49.

In the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s race, Wisconsinite turned Floridian Heather Gollnick was the center of attention, and she would not disappoint. Gollnick exited the water in third position, just behind Canadian, who races for the Czech Republic, Tereza Macel and Brazilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sandra Soldan.

As the women headed out of T1 and hammered through the

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AT THE RACES

bike leg, it became clear that it was a three-woman race. Macel pounded her way to a 2:30:12 split, which was enough to put her in front but not enough to open a convincing gap over Corbin, who was a few seconds faster on the bike, and Gollnick, who cruised rather nonchalantly into T2 in third position.

On the run, Gollnick attacked and destroyed the rest of the field with a 1:28:04 split, by far the best of the day and enough for an almost two-minute win. Corbin outpaced Macel on the run to finish second, and the Czech star was able to hang on for the last spot on the podium.

CRISTAL IRONMAN 70.3 PUCON Pucon, Chile

January 20, 2008 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run

Women 1. Heather Gollnick (USA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:37:02 2. Linsey Corbin (USA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:38:57 3. Tereza Macel (CZR). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:42:27 4. Barbara Buenahora (ARG) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:51:18 5. Paula Salazar (CHL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:12:04

Amateur women 1. Marina Brunero (ARG) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:08:59 Amateur men 1. David Rea (CHL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:21:46 270

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Men 1. Reinaldo Colucci (BRA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:00:25 2. Oscar Galindez (ARG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:03:25 3. Santiago Ascenco (BRA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:07:43 4. Eduardo Sturla (ARG). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:10:09 5. Guilherme Manocchio (BRA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:13:29

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AT THE RACES

SYNTHA-6

Rob Pollock

™

Fraser Cartmell, Raynard Tissink and Frederik Van Lierde topped the 70.3 field in South Africa.

Ficker, Tissink take inaugural Ironman 70.3 South Africa

By Brad Culp While American Desiree Ficker may have her sights set on the Olympic marathon trials, she clearly hasn’t forgotten her multisport roots. Ficker kicked off the 2008 season with a win at the Spec Savers Ironman 70.3 South Africa on Jan. 13. On the men’s side, Raynard Tissink used a blazing bike split 272

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to pick up the win and give his hometown crowd something to cheer about.

The men’s race kicked off with Scotland’s Fraser Cartmell leading the way out of the water in 18:33, followed closely by Belgium’s Frederik Van Lierde.

Tissink was almost a minute behind the lead pair entering T1, but the South

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African stormed out of transition and quickly began making up time on the bike.

By the bike turnaround it was clear no one was in the same league as Tissink, as his lead grew with every passing mile. He finished the 56-mile bike leg in 2:15:08—more than four minutes faster than Van Lierde and 12 minutes better than Cartmell.

Both Van Lierde and Cartmell ran well, but it wasn’t enough to catch Tissink, who cruised to the win in 4:03:02.

Van Lierde crossed the line more than a minute later, and Cartmell wrapped up the podium, finishing in 4:10:40.

Like Tissink, Ficker also had to play catch-up after the swim in the women’s contest. The Czech Republic’s Lucie Zelenkova blew the rest of the field out of the water, finishing the 1.2-mile swim in 20:28. Almost four minutes later, Ficker emerged in the back of a chase pack.

Ficker methodically picked off her competition on the bike and easily erased her swim deficit with a 2:42:34 bike split, by far the fastest among the women. Only South Africa’s Davera Magson was able to run faster than the fleet-footed American, but Ficker’s lead was too much to overcome. She won comfortably in 4:46:46, more than 12 minutes in front of Germany’s Heidi Jesberger. Super-swimmer Zelenkova rounded out the podium, in 5:01:59.

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Pro women 1. Desiree Ficker (USA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:46:46 2. Heidi Jesberger (GER) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:58:50 3. Lucie Zelenkova (CZE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:01:59 4. Davera Magson (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:04:15 5. Lisa Baumann (RSA). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:04:23

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Pro men 1. Raynard Tissink (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:03:02 2. Frederik Van Lierde (BEL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:04:25 3. Fraser Cartmell (GBR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:10:40 4. Konstantin Bachor (GER) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:13:37 5. Carl Storm (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:21:40 Amateur men 1. Stephen Courtney (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4:33:41 Amateur women 1. Jane Brewer (RSA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5:16:50 T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

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AT THE RACES

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American Hillary Biscay must be very tired of racing Kiwi Gina Ferguson.

At Ironman Wisconsin last year Biscay posted an impressive 10:01:30 but was bested by Ferguson by over 24 minutes. At the Ironman-distance Challenge Wanaka in New Zealand on January 19, Biscay again posted an impressive time of 10:11:17 on the tough course, but this time Ferguson topped the American by 37 minutes. But Ferguson’s wasn’t the only record-setting performance in Wanaka as Germany’s Marc Pschebizin took a narrow win over Aussie Chris McDonald in 8:47:49.

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In what is becoming typical form for Ferguson, she led start to finish, kicking off the day with a 50:01 swim (only seven seconds behind swim leader Stuart Fraser).

“It’s the second time I’ve led start to finish, and that’s the toughest position to be in,” Ferguson said after the race, “You have no idea what’s happening behind you. You don’t know if they’re catching or gaining.”

If Ferguson knew what was happening behind her, she would’ve had no worries during the race. Nobody was gaining on the Kiwi, especially on the 112-mile bike ride, which she crushed in 5:29:40, over 13 minutes faster than Biscay.

With the win all but sealed up heading into T2, Ferguson could have relaxed a bit on the run, but she never let off the gas. Her 3:09:46 marathon eclipsed the rest of the women’s field by over 20 minutes and Ferguson crossed the line with an enormous margin and a course record of 9:33:46.

T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

Simon Darby

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The men’s race had a record-setting performance as well, but unlike Ferguson, Pschebizin would not have the luxury, or burden, of leading from the start. After the 2.4-mile swim, the German was four minutes behind the lead group of Fraser, Canadian Luke Dragstra and Aussies Justin Granger and Chris McDonald.

Onto the bike leg, Pschebizin started to move through the field, but McDonald was moving faster and hit T2 with a small gap on the field.

Gina Ferguson posted a convincing McDonald was the only win at Wanaka. athlete able to break five hours on the difficult bike course (he rode 4:58:38), but Pschebizin was only three minutes slower on the bike.

“I really pushed it very hard to close the gap,” Pschebizin said. “I knew Chris was a pretty good runner. I just gave everything on the uphill section.”

Also making up time on the middle leg was first-year pro Keegan Williams from New Zealand, who posted the third-best split of the day (5:02:16).

McDonald tried to maintain his lead as he began the marathon, but he wasn’t able to hold off the fleet-footed German. Just past the halfway point Pschebizin stormed past McDonald and never looked back, crossing the line in 8:47:49.

His marathon split of 2:48:04 was by far the day’s best and good enough for an almost two-minute win over McDonald. Granger also made up huge chunks of time on the run with a 2:54:49 split, but it wasn’t enough to catch his McDonald and Granger settled for the final podium spot, another four minutes back.

CHALLENGE WANAKA Wanaka, New Zealand

January 19, 2008 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run

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Women 1. Gina Ferguson (NZL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:33:46 2. Hillary Biscay (USA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:11:17 3. Celia Kuch (GER) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:32:39 4. Merryn Greenwood (NZL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:36:21 5. Marilyn McDonald (CAN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10:42:55 Men 1. Marc Pschebizin (GER) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:47:49 2. Chris McDonald (AUS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:49:37 3. Justin Granger (AUS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:54:08 4. Luke Dragstra (CAN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8:58:42 5. Keegan Williams (NZL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:05:55 Amateur women 1. Lisa Flint (AUS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:48:01 Amateur men 1. Chris Bisley (NZL). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:31:2 T R I AT H L E T E M A G . C O M

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INTERNATIONAL TRIATHLON & DUATHLON RACE CALENDAR

XTERRA TV SCHEDULE (APRIL 2008) MARKET

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Albany, N.Y.

WTEN

3/29

3:30 p.m.

XTERRA World Championship

Anchorage, Alaska

KTVA

4/20

2:30 p.m.

XTERRA USA Championship

Anchorage, Alaska

KTVA

4/27

2:30 p.m.

XTERRA World Championship

Honolulu, Hawaii

KGMB

3/22

7 p.m.

XTERRA USA Championship

Honolulu, Hawaii

KGMB

3/22

8 p.m.

XTERRA World Championship

Rapid City, S.D.

KEVN

4/13

11 a.m.

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Noon

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KNSD

4/26

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Spokane, Wash.

KXLY

3/22

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Traverse City, Mich.

WGTU

3/23

4 p.m.

XTERRA World Championship

In 2008 the XTERRA USA and World Championships will each air in more than 80 markets across the U.S. reaching more than 4 million viewers. Check your local listings to see when the shows are on in your area or visit xterraplanet.com for an updated broadcast schedule for all the award-winning TEAM Unlimited TV productions.

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SOUTH ATLANTIC

04/13- Miami Beach, FL—Nautica South Beach Triathlon. .5-mile S, 18-mile B, 4-mile R. 04/20- Austin, TX—Cactus Challenge IV. 1.5K S, 40K B, 10K R. 500m S, 20K B, 5K R. 05/11- Orlando, FL—Danskin Women’s Triathlon Walt Disney World. 400yd S, 9mi B, 2mi R. 06/08- Austin, TX—Danskin Women’s Triathlon Austin. .75K S, 20K B, 5K R.

NORTH ATLANTIC

06/01- Poconos Mts., PA—Black Bear Triathlon.

CGI Racing. 750m S, 18-mile B, 3.1-mile run.

06/22- Salisbury, VT—Vermont Sun Triathlon.

Vermont Sun Triathlon Series. 600y S, 14mi B, 3.1mi R.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

Triathlete endeavors to present the most comprehensive calendar of tris and dus. However, because event dates are subject to change, please check with race directors to confirm event information before making plans.

See Multi-Event Contacts for contact information for promoters that have multiple listings. Listings printed in red indicate Triathlete-sponsored races. USA Triathlon-sanctioned races are designated with a #. Register at active.com for events designated with @.

RACE DIRECTORS: For online race listings, please go to triathletemag.com and post your races under our Calendar link. Allow one week for your events to become live.

For listing in our print calendar, e-mail your information to rebecca@triathletemag.com or fax it to (760) 634-4110.

Entries submitted before Jan. 31 have been included in the April issue. All entries that were submitted after that date will be in the May issue.

Please note that most XTERRA global tour events consist of approximately a 1.5K swim, 30K mountain bike and 10K trail run.

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CALENDAR

07/06- Philadelphia, PA—Philadelphia Women’s Triathlon. CGI Racing. 750m S, 17-mile B, 3.1mile R. 07/13- Salisbury, VT—Vermont Sun Triathlon.

Vermont Sun Triathlon Series. 600y S, 14mi B, 3.1mi R. 07/27- West Windsor, NJ—New Jersey State Triathlon. CGI Racing. 1.5K S, 40K B, 10K R; 500m S, 13.5-mile B, 5K R. 07/27- Webster, MA—Danskin Women’s Triathlon New England. .75K S, 20K B, 5K R. 08/02- Salisbury, VT—Lake Dunmore Triathlon.

Vermont Sun Triathlon Series. .9mi S, 28mi B, 6.2mi R. 08/17- North East, MD—North East Maryland Triathlon. CGI Racing. 1.5K S, 23.2-mile B, 10K R; 750m S, 15.5-mile B, 3.5-mile R. 08/23- Salisbury, VT—Half Vermont Journey.

Vermont Sun Triathlon Series. 1.2mi S, 56mi B, 13.1mi R. 09/14- Sandy Hook, NJ—Danskin Women’s Triathlon NY Metro. .75K S, 20K B, 5K R.

NORTH CENTRAL

06/07- Findlay, IL—Wolf Creek Sprint Triathlon.

MattoonMulti Sport. .25K S, 10mi B, 3mi R. 06/08- Batavia, IL—Batavia Sprint Distance Triathlon/Duathlon. 400m S, 14.7mi B, 4.1mi R; 2mi R, 14.7mi B, 4.1mi R. 07/13- Pleasant Prairie, WI—Danskin Women’s Triathlon Chicagoland. .75K S, 20K B, 5K R. 08/03- Neoga, IL—MattoonMan. MattoonMulti Sport. .9mi S, 24.8mi B, 6.2mi R; 3.1mi R, 24.8mi B, 6.2mi R.

MOUNTAIN PACIFIC

05/24- Rigby, ID—Triathlon at Rigby Lake. PERSONAL BEST Performance. Olympic and sprint.

06/07- Dexter, NM—Milkman Triathlon. .5K S, 20K B, 5K R. 06/08- Makena, HI—Kings Trail Triathlon. Maui Multi Sports Club. 1.5K S, 40K B, 10K R. 06/14- Midway, UT—Battle at Midway Triathlon.

Wasatch Area Race Productions. 1.5K S, 40K B, 10K R. 06/15- Los Angeles, CA—Danskin Women’s

Triathlon Southern California. .75K S, 20K B, 5K R. 06/29- Aurora, CO—Danskin Women’s Triathlon Denver. .75K S, 20K B, 5K R. 07/12- Idaho Falls, ID—Blacktail Triathlon. PERSONAL BEST Performance. Olympic and sprint.

07/20- Oxnard, CA—Strawberry Fields Triathlon.

Olympic, sprint and duathlon distances.

08/17- Seattle, WA—Danskin Women’s Triathlon Seattle. .75K S, 20K B, 5K R.

Reminder: If a race’s contact information is not listed with the event in the preceding section, refer to the Multi-Event Contacts listings below.

There,you will find a list of race organizers who put on either multiple races or series events.

For more events and online race registration, be sure to check out triathletemag.com and active.com. Both sites offer up-to-date racing and training information,as well as the most recent news and coverage of triathlon’s most popular events. To list your event in our online calendar, please go to triathletemag.com.

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MULTI-EVENT CONTACTS 3 Discliplines Racing: www.3disciplines.com; 866.820.6036 5430 Sports: Barry Siff, 1507 North St., Boulder, CO, barry@5430sports.com, www.5430sports.com; 303.442.0041.

AA Sports: 503.644.6822; www.racecenter.com; events@ racecenter.com.

Blue Sky Sports, LLC: 678.237.0308; director@ tribluesky.com; www.tribluesky.com.

Bradventures LLC. Producer of Auburn International Triathlon. www.auburntriathlon.com; 530-888-9911; info@bradventures.com.

By the Beach Productions: 5153 Soquel Dr., Soquel, CA, 831.465.6517; www.bythebeachproductions.com; info@ bythebeachproductions.com.

Capri Events: 773.404.2372; www.caprievents. com.

CFT Sommer Sports: 838 W. DeSoto St., P.O. Box 121236, Clermont, FL 34712; 352.394.1320 (p); 352.394.1702 (f); info@triflorida.com; http://greatfloridian.com.

CGI Racing: 856-308-7522; www.cgiracing.com.

Cutting Edge Events: 217.347.3739;

www.cutingedgeevents.net, beccakoester@yahoo.com, www.sign meup.com.

Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series: 800.452.9526, www.danskin.com, triathlon@ danskin.com.

Elite Endeavors: Jim & Joyce Donaldson, 8963 Stoneybrook Blvd., Sylvania, OH 43560; 419.829.2398, jdjp@sev.org.

Emerald Coast Events Commission: 850.784.9542; www.emeraldcoasstevents.com; jlynch@knology.net.

EndorFUN Sports: 603.293.8353, 512.535.5224; www.endorfunsports.com, keith@timbermantri.com.

Envirosports: P.O. Box 1040, Stinson Beach, CA 94970, 415.868.1829 (p), 415.868.2611 (f), info@envirosports. com, www.envirosports.com.

Event Power: 22 Jagger Ln., Southampton, NY 11968; 631.283.7400; eventpower@aol.com; www.swimpower. com.

Exclusive Sports Marketing & Nestle Sprintkids Series: 1060 Holland Dr., Ste. 3-L, Boca Raton, FL 33487; 561.241.3801; 888.ESMSPORTS (376-7767); tjcesarz@ exclusivesports. com; www.familyfitnessweekend.com.

Fat Rabbit Racing: Craig Thompson, 614.424.7990, 614.306.1996; craigthompson@fatrabbitracing.com;

www.fatrabbitracing.com.

Finish Line Productions: 475 Tinker’s Trail, Boulder Creek, CA. 831.419.0883; info@finishlineproduction.com; finishlineproduction.com.

FIRM Racing: 66 Bruce Rd., Marlboro, MA 01732; P: (508) 485-5855, F: (508) 229-8394; bill@firm-racing.com, www.firm-racing.com.

Firstwave Events: P.O. Box 321269, Los Gatos, CA 95032; P: 408.356.0518; F: 408.356.0534; www.firstwave-events.com..

Georgia Multisport Productions: Jim Rainey, 4180 Liberty Trace, Marietta, GA 30066; 770.926.6993, 770. 928. 9292 (F); jim@gamultisports.com, www.gamultisports.com.

Great Smokey Mountains Triathlon Club: www.gsmtc.com; tri2000@dnet.net.

Greater Knoxville Triathlon Club: Kevin Mahan, 205 Cross Creek Private Ln., Lenoir City, TN 37771, 865.675.BIKE (2453) (p), 865.988.9250 (f), www.knoxtri.org; kevinmahan@char tertn.net.

Green Brook Racing LLC: Joe Patanella, P.O. Box 825, Green Brook, NJ 08812-825, 732.841.2558; greenbrookracing@aol.com,

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www.greenbrookracing.com.

HFP Racing: P.O. Box 375, Thornville, OH 43076; shannon@hfpracing.com, 740.743.2418; scott@ hfpracing.com, 440.

350.1708; www.hfpracing.com Ironhead Race Productions: Jack Weiss, P.O. Box 1113, Euless, TX 76039-1113; 817.355.1279; ironjack@ironheadrp.com; www.ironheadrp.com.

HMA Promotions: 216.752.5151; www.hmapromotions.net Ironman North America: 4999 Pearl East Circle Suite 301, Boulder, CO, 80301; 518.523.2665; 518.523.7542; imanusa@capital. net.

J&A Productions: www.japroductions.com; info@japroduc tions.com.

JMS Racing Services: P.O. Box 582, Marion, IN 52302, 319.373.0741; www.pigmantri.com/ jmsracing.html;

jim@ pigmantri.com; john@pig mantri.com.

KOZ Enterprises: San Diego Triathlon Series. P.O. Box 421052, San Diego, CA 92142; 858.268.1250; www.kozenter prises.com; info@ kozenterprises.com.

Lake Geneva Extreme Sports: P.O. Box 1134, Lake Geneva, WI 53147, www.lakegenevasports.com; lgsports@lake genevasports.com; 262.275.3577.

Lakeshore Athletic Services: 847.673.4100, lakeshoreinfo@aol.com.

Mattoon Multi-sport: mattoonbeachtri.com; ltgarrett@hughes.net.

Maui Multi Sports Club: P.O. Box 1991, Kihei, Maui, HI 96753; trimaui.org.

MESP, Inc. Racing Series: 29395 Agoura Rd., Ste. 102, Agoura Hills, CA 91301; 818.707.8867 (p); 818.707.8868 (f); www. mesp.com.

Mountain Man Events: P.O. Box 255, Flagstaff, AZ 86002; www.mountainmanevents.com; admin@mountainmanevents.com.

New York Triathlon: P.O. Box 50, Saugerties, NY 124770050; 845.247.0271; www.nytc.org.

North Coast Multisports, Inc: P.O. Box 2512, Stow, Ohio 44224; 330-686-0993; NCMultisports@aol.com; www.NCMultisports.com.

John Segesta/wahoomedia.com

CALENDAR

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CALENDAR

On Your Mark Events: 209.795.7832; info@onyourmarkevents.com; www.onyourmark events.com.

Pacific Sports, LLC: 1500 S. Sunkist St., Ste. E, Anaheim, CA 92806; 714.978.1528 (p); 714.978.1505 (f); www.pacificsportsllc.com.

Palmetto Race & Event Production: P.O. Box 1634, Bluffton, SC 29910; 843.815.5267 (p); 843.785.2734 (f); andy5267@ aol.com; www.palmettorace.com.

Personal Best Performance: Michael Hays, 808 Saturn Ave., Idaho Falls, ID, 83402-2658. 208.521.2243; Michael@PB-Performance.com.

PCH Sports: www.pchsports.com; 2079 Cambridge Ave., Cardiff by the Sea, CA 92007; 760.944.7261.

Piranha Sports, LLC/ Greater Atlantic Multisport Series/Greater Atlantic Club Challenge/Escape from School Youth Triahtlon Series: Neil Semmel, P.O. Box 150, Kirkwood, DE 19708; nsemmel@piranha-sports.com; www.piranha-sports.com.

PR Racing, Inc., P.O. Box 56-1081, Miami, FL, 33256; 305.278.8668. trimiami.com, trimiami@gmail.com.

Premier Event Management: P.O. Box 8764, Metairie,

La. 70011. 504.454.6561. www.pem-usa.com.

Race Day Events: P.O. Box 31333, Knoxville, TN 37930; 865.250.5948; www.racedayevents.net; Kevin@racedayevents.net Score This!!!, Inc.: 15 Ranch Trail Ct., Orchard Park, NY 14127; 716.662.9379; www.score-this.com; info@score-this.com.

Set-Up, Inc.: P.O. Box 15144, Wilmington, NC 28408; 910.458.0299; set-upinc.com; billscott@set-upinc. com.

Shelburne Athletic Club: 802.985.2229; www.shelburneathletic.com.

TBF Racing: Bill Driskell, 5209 Blaze Ct., Rocklin, CA 95677; 916.202.3006; bill@totalbodyfitness.com; tbfracing.com.

Team Magic, Inc.: Therese Bynum, Faye Yates; 205.595.8633; www.team-magic.com; races@ team-magic.com.

Team Unlimited: XTERRA Series; 877.751.8880; www.xterraplanet.com; info@xterraplanet.com.

Time Out! Productions: Rich Havens, P.O. Box 543, Forestdale, MA 02644; 508.477.6311 (p); 508.477.6334 (f); timeout@ capecod.net; www.timeoutproductions.com.

SWEEPSTAKES RULES 1. No purchase necessary. To enter without ordering, send an index card to: Triathlete Alpe d’Huez Sweepstakes, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 100, Encinitas, CA 92024, with your name address and phone number.

2. This sweepstakes is sponsored by Triathlete, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 100, Encinitas, CA 92024.

3. All entries must be received by May 31st, 2008. Triathlete is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, damaged, illegible or postage-due mail.

4. Prize winners will be selected no later than June 13th, 2008 from among all entries received. Winner selection will take place under the supervision of Triathlete, whose decisions are final. Each entrant consents to the transfer of all information contained in the completed entry form to other companies.

5. The odds of winning are determined by the total number of eligible entries received.

Taxes, where applicable, are the sole responsibility of the winner.

6. Potential winners will be notified by mail, telephone or e-mail. Potential winners must follow the directions contained in any correspondence and return all forms correctly completed within 7 days of the date of correspondence. Non-compliance will result in disqualification and the naming of an alternate winner.

7. All entrants will be eligible to win round trip airfare and 7-night hotel stay at the 2008 Alpe d’Huez race taking place July 27th-31st 2008. There is no cash exchange for this prize.

8. Employees of Alpe d’Huez and Triathlete or anyone affiliated are not eligible.

Sweepstakes subject to all federal, state and local tax laws and void where prohibited by law.

9. For the name of the winner, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope and letter of request to: Triathlete Alpe d’Huez Sweepstakes, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 100, Encinitas, CA 92024.

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TriAthlantic Association: 410.593.9662; www.triath.com.

Triathlon Canada: 1185 Eglington Ave., East Suite 704, Toronto, Ontario M3C 3C6; www.triathloncanada.com; 416.426. 7430 Tri-California Events, Inc.Terry Davis, 1284 Adobe Ln., Pacific Grove, CA 93950; 831.373.0678, www.tricalifornia.com.

Tuxedo Brothers Event Management: Don Carr, 317.733.3300; tuxbro@indy.rr.com; www.tuxbro.com.

UltraFit/USA: P.O. Box 06358, Columbus OH 43206, 614.481.9077, www.ultrafit-usa.com.

Updog Sports LLC. www.updogsports.com, info@updogsports.com.

Vermont Sun Triathlon Series: 812 Exchange St., Middlebury, VT 05753; 802.388.6888; www.vermontsun.com/triathlon. html, vtsun@together.net.

YellowJacket Racing: 6 Regent St., Rochester, NY 14607; 585.244.5181; www.yellowjacketracing.com, yellowjacketracing@hotmail.com.

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The Possum Kingdom kid

By Scott Tinley

M

Mikey died yesterday. There were 25 people in the room when they turned the ventilator off. It was a cold Friday afternoon in Lexington. Lon, his best friend for 30 years, told me so. The news washed over me but didn’t soak in. I was wearing that cloak, you know, the one we all keep in the closet of our defenses.

I’d been grading final exams when the news came. It was late at night and the room smelled like lavender soap and spilt beer. I read the student responses to question No. 9: Is sport a religion? If so, why? They were just killing this one; there were no wrong answers. Some kids made the obvious comparisons: Sport and religion both have grand places of communal gathering and come out of the desire to be perfect; they both have iconic or heroic figures, detailed history and a set of rules that informs how followers are supposed to act. Sport and religion, the students wrote, have rituals and ceremonies and provide a source for personal meaning.

Some of the students went deeper: Sport is like a religion because the body can be used to gain some control over our surroundings; sport and religion are often used to distract us from more important issues.

I hadn’t asked the students if sport was spiritual. That would be impossible to answer with any empiricism. Volumes might be written in support of either side, and what you’d be left with is a wonderful discourse on a fascinating subject but no way to assign a grade.

The next morning, Mikey’s passing rolled down my brain like hot motor oil. There were little drops of dried salt on the brown pillowcase. Lon had said he’d never seen anyone fight for his life like Mike Caudill, our friend who lived on Possum Kingdom Road. I believed him.

The cancer had returned; that despicable and indiscriminant devil tunneled under his fortified walls. But Mike’s battle of biblical proportions is heralded in multiple bone-marrow transplants; weeks and months in quarantine with a squeaky stationary bike and a poster of Lance; months and years in remission when the faith returned on guarded wings one long day and one short prayer at a time; weeks of disbelief that the bitch had dared to come back after he’d beat it so convincingly; and days on that ventilator fighting like only an endurance athlete from the manmaking hollows of Kentucky could. And then those final minutes and seconds when you can go no further and your family is with you and maybe your faith or maybe something beyond naming says it’s okay to let this one go. Those left go on living, fighting their own fights.

One of the things about being an athlete for a very long time is you get to see other athletes come and go; their skills wax and wane and wax again. You bear witness to athletes born and athletes passed. You look in your old address book and stumble on names that now only exist in the stories you tell on long bike rides. You don’t erase them, but you can’t pick up the phone and ask how their swimming is progressing.

I can imagine how hard Mikey fought. He’d prepare for a round of chemo like he might for an Ironman, focusing on the details of the immediate task at hand as well as the grander issues inherent to the bigger picture. He was going to race again.

He was going to really live again.

I sat in the early-morning chill and stared into the darkness of my black coffee. For many of us, sport is like a religion because at its highest and deepest levels it can’t be like anything else. You could have semi-faith and semi-beliefs, but you’d be semi-tough. Sport won’t make you religious, and you wouldn’t want it to, but I think it can build the spirit in you such that it’s already there, waiting and willing. At best, you don’t want to conflate the two; they are the same, but they are different. Both give us a kind of will to win if not just survive, a will to believe in something greater than ourselves and a confused will to gain power over things the spirit may always and already control.

It’s fairly simple. Fight when you must, love when you can, roll over when it’s time. But it’s never easy.

No. It’s never easy.

—ST

Triathlete (ISSN08983410) is published monthly by Triathlon Group North America LLC, 328 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas, CA 92024; (760) 634-4100. Subscription rates: U.S., one year (12 issues) $29.95 (12 issues); two years (24 issues) $49.95. Canada $51.95 per year; all other countries $61.95 per year, U.S. currency only. Periodicals postage paid at Encinitas, CA, and additional mailing offices. Single copy price $3.99. Triathlete is copyright 2003 by Triathlon Group North America, LLC. All rights reserved.

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TINLEY TALKS

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