2010-1201 Lava Magazine

THE 2010 HAWAII IRONMAN COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE TM

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2011 : ISSUE 03

SERIOUS TRIATHLON

TM

DECEMBER/JANUARY 2011 $5.95

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

FYI, Mirinda did her awesome run in a pair of K-Ruuz.

AWES mE Mirinda and her K-Swiss teammates dominated the 2010 Ironman World Championship. She won it, and set a run-course record of 2:53:32.

kswiss.com

Eat, drink, fly.

The more efficiently you hydrate and refuel, the more energy you’ll have to finish the race. Bontrager triathlon components are engineered accordingly—they do their job right, so you can concentrate on yours.

Race Lite Rear Bottle Cage Holder + won’t eject bottles

Aero Race Pack + insulated aerobar bottle

doesn’t spill vital liquid

Speed Bottle

Speed Box

+ improves bike aerodynamics

+ top tube pack that stays

Visit bontrager.com for more information.

where you want it

CHECK MATE “IT’S MAKING THE MOVE AT THE RIGHT TIME THAT WINS RACES. I’VE SAID IT MANY TIMES, AND I’LL SAY IT AGAIN—TO WIN HERE, YOU’VE GOT TO BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE A CHANCE.” HEAR MORE ABOUT MY IRONMANWINNING TACTICS AND THE STEALTH MOVES OF THE S-WORKS SHIV AT I-AM-SPECIALIZED.CO ... CHEERS MATE!

006 : LINEUP

LAVA publisher JOHN DUKE heathergordon@ironman.com

johnduke@ironman.com

:

:

associate publisher HEATHER GORDON

editor BRAD CULP

bradculp@ironman.com

:

features editor

SUSAN GRANT-LEGACKI susanlegacki@ironman.com : senior editor JAY PRASUHN jayprasuhn@ironman.com art director ERICA KRYSTEK ericakrystek@ironman.com : senior photographer DONALD MIRALLE donald@donaldmiralle.com : photo editor SAMMY TILLERY sammytillery@ironman.com : online editor JENNIFER WARD BARBER jenniferward@ironman.com : account executive SEAN WATKINS seanwatkins@ironman.com : account executive KIRK BAUSCH kirkbausch@ironman.com account executive LAURA AGCAOILI lauraagcaoili@ironman.com Phone 858.366.4444 : Fax 858.504.7062 : Subscriptions & Customer Service 800.839.4537; lavamag@pcspublink.com Circulation Inquiries heathergordon@ironman.com : Editorial Inquiries bradculp@ironman.com : Web Site www.lavamagazine.com

LAVA: (ISSN 2155-1081), 514 Via de la Valle, Suite 300, Solana Beach, CA 92075, is published Dec/Jan, Feb/Mar, Apr/May, Jun/July, Aug/Sept and Oct/Nov. The entire contents of LAVA are copywrited and may not be reproduced, either in whole or in part, without written consent. LAVA™ and Serious Triathlon™ are trademarks of World Triathlon Corporation. Basic subscription rate is $19.95, Canadian remit $30.45 in US funds (includes GST); other international mail $47.95 in US funds only. Standard Postage paid at Beaver Dam, WI and additional offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to LAVA, PO Box 469023, Escondido, CA 92046. Printed in the U.S.A. SUBSCrIBE, rENEW, GIVE A GIFT, rEPOrT MISSING ISSUES, PAy yOUr BILL AND ChANGE yOUr ADDrESS AT LAVAMAGAzINE.COM lavamagazine.com

HOW TO USE PRODUCTS

(3 lb tub) (16 oz / 480 mL bottle)

(100 capsules)

(2 lb bag)

MetaSalt

CARBO-PRO

CarboPro 1200 Aminos

“Energize”

“Every drop is loaded!”

100% pure complex carbs, non-sweet. (1 scoop = 25 grams = 100 calories). For at least 200 calories per hour = 2 scoops mixed in at least 16 oz of water. Easy to carry, digest, absorb and assimilate.

In orange or berry flavor, has 1,200 calories in a 16 oz bottle. Has 4 different forms of efficient carbs (RIBOSE, TREHALOSE, DEXTROSE, CARBO-PRO, GLUTAMINE & ARGININE). Which means the higher activation rate of transport mechanisms by the 4 different types of carbs, increase energy release and improve hydration: great for performance! Why not fructose? Because fructose is not an efficient fuel. It increases Triglycerides which may not be good for everyone.

Also, there are issues of malabsorption and intolerance.

THE ULTIMATE ENERGY SOURCE FOR ENDURANCE

FACT: Glucose is the brain’s primary fuel; your neurons depend on the bloodstream to deliver a constant supply. The brain gets 20% of your oxygen; and 25% of your glucose. Your brain is always at work, and is pushed to its extreme when you train and race hard. It has a high demand for energy; it needs a lot of glucose, so feed the brain and the body, and keep that tank full, ALWAYS! USAGE: for TRAINING - 2 hour session = at least 400

calories (4 scoops) mixed with water. Keep sipping it throughout the training session. You can take up to 300 calories per hour to keep the MUSCLE GLYCOGEN TANK FULL with FUEL at all times.

CARBO-PRO can be consumed anytime in any fluid. Add it in your post-activity RECOVERY shake, to enhance the recovery process.

CARBOLOADING for energy and hydration: Load carbs for 4 days leading to the event. Take 2 SCOOPS in the morning and 2 SCOOPS in the evening, in a glass of water.

DURING THE RACE: @ 200 to 300 calories per hour, you need approx. 1,000 to 1,500 calories for a 70.3. And 2,000 to 3,000 calories for an IRONMAN. You may carry it in several bottles or flasks (fuel belt) and sip it. Or carry it concentrated like a GEL in 1 or 2 bottles, sip it and wash it with the required amount of water.

THERMOLYTE

SODIUM / ELECTROLYTES / ANTIOXIDANT COMPLEX VITAMIN D3 / HYDRATE & PREVENT CRAMPS

PURE ENERGY FOR A RACE

ELECTROLYTES: A 16 oz bottle provides 900 mg of Sodium and 600 mg of Potassium = 150 of Sodium and 100 mg Potassium per serving AMINOS: all BCAAs, & GLUTAMINE, ARGININE, to deliver Powerful Muscle Energy.

USAGE: @ 200 to 300 calories per hour, you have 4 to 6

hours of pure calories in a bottle of CarboPro 1200. When diluted it in a CAMELBAK, or HYDRAPAK, it tastes like flavored water, but carries a TORRENT of energy.

“Cool the Core” The one and only Sodium supplement which provides Sodium in 3 different forms: Sodium Chloride, Trisodium Phosphate and Sodium R-Lipoate, which work together to maintain the optimal metabolism of sodium to prevent dehydration. It also provides the other electrolytes (Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium) as organic Krebs Cycle Intermediates, which help in converting carbs, fats, and proteins into chemical energy.

FACT: It also an ANTIOXIDANT complex with Selenium, Alpha Lipoic acid and Zinc Methionine which convert free radicals into harmless residues.

USAGE: Take 2 caps per hour of training or racing. If it is hot and humid and you sweat a lot, you may take up to 6 caps of MetaSalt per hour.

TIP: Use with CARBO-PRO for any endurance activity under

the sun.

TIP: You may use the CARBO-PRO in a gel form, or use CarboPro 1200 to last for 4 to 6 hours of racing.

TIP: The osmolality of CARBO-PRO even at 15% concentration is lower than body fluid osmolality - and it makes it relatively easier to be absorbed. With each gulp of the CARBO-PRO concentrate - drink a few oz. of water. Try it before the RACE.

“I had two good races in 2010: IM Canada, and then after six weeks IM Hawaii, and from a nutritional point of view, everything was perfect ...MetaSalt, Motivator, VO2 Max, Recovery and CARBO-PRO. Products kept my energy high and my health optimized for these back to back races.”

Scott Curry Pro Triathlete

THE FACTS THE 3 CRUCIAL ELEMENTS FOR ENDURANCE:

(1) WATER (hydration) (2) CALORIES (fuel) & (3) ELECTROLYTES (sodium) “With VO2 Max I’ve been able to train and race harder, for longer. I don’t fatigue as quickly as I normally would, nor do I pull up as sore.

There’s a lot of research and science behind this product and it works.”

Kelly Jarrett

Pro Triathlete 70.3 World Champion

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED PER HOUR OF ACTIVITY: WATER: at least 20 oz. / 600 mL – adjust according to weather and solids consumed.

CALORIES: at least 2 calories per pound of bodyweight. Use watersoluble complex carbs, and eat solids only if necessary.

SODIUM: at least 300 mg, and up to 1,500 mg (1.5 grams) of sodium if the conditions are hot and humid.

With the right combination of our products and optimal amount of water, you can reach peak levels of performance to enjoy any ENDURANCE ACTIVITY UNDER THE SUN.

“All SPORTQUEST products are absolutely reliable. I have been using them for over four years now. They work!”

David Goggins

Ultra-Endurance Athlete

FOR TRAINING & RACING

(150 capsules)

VO2 Max Endurance PREVENT DELAYED ONSET OF MUSCLE SORENESS

“Beat the Burn” FACT: Muscles fatigue (you feel the burn)

when repeated resistance is applied. Ammonia and other metabolic wastes build up in the muscles.

Rest becomes a must until the metabolic wastes are cleared or chemically reconverted before the activity can continue with efficacy. VO2 Max Endurance BEATS the BURN with an advanced formulation of major neutralizers and ammonia cleansers such as phosphates, bicarbonate, L-Carnosine, BetaAlanine, Citrulline Malate, OKG, Arginine KIC, as well as a synergistic combination of lactate and energy metabolizers.

Increases time to exhaustion by 20%. During anaerobic trials, maximal power output increased by 17%. During aerobic/endurance trials, time for 40 km time trial on the ergometer bicycle was reduced by 3.5 minutes.

USAGE: Take 4 caps before a workout or

training session. ◆ LOADING: For 5 days BEFORE an event, take 5 caps every day in the morning after breakfast. ◆ RACE DAY: 30 to 45 minutes before the start of the Race take 4 caps; then take 3 caps for every HOUR of the RACE. During a 70.3 or IM Distance, definitely take 4 caps at T1 and T2, to keep your legs strong throughout the Race.

TIP:

VO2 Max Endurance supports normal fat mobilization and beta-oxidation thereby preserving glycogen usage during prolonged exercise resulting in 50% increase in endurance and resistance to fatigue. This is perfect for long events such as 70.3, IM distance, Marathons, and any other endurance events.

“61 + hours to win the McNaughton Park 200 Mile Trail Run, in Vermont 2009. The number one thing that kept me going was the awesome products from CarboPro.com”

Ryan Dexter

dexterthepunisher. blogspot.com

(60 capsules)

(2.6 lb. / 1.2 kg) Powder

(300 capsules)

Motivator

RECOVERY Amino Power

“Enduring Energy”

“Repair. Rebuild. Recover”

It can enhance mental and physical performance, with energizing herbs, co-factors, and neurotransmitter precursors. Caffeine from Guarana seed extract to provide 80 mg of caffeine per capsule, released slowly – so the energy boost that is experienced continues for hours. Other ingredients: Gingko Biloba; L-Tyrosine; L-Taurine; DMAE (precursor to Choline a B Vitamin); Vitamin C; Inositol; & Glucoronolactone.

Instantized; 100% Pure, Crystalline, Free-Form, Pharma Grade Amino Acid Complex with all Essential Amino Acids (EAAs), including BCAAs, and an advanced delivery system for the Essential Amino Acids consisting of OKG, & Glutamine alpha-Ketoglutarate, Arginine alpha-Ketoglutarate, Arginine-Ketoisocaproate. PLUS AstraGin™ to increase absorption of amino acids, carbs, and vitamins by 50%.

FACT: Increases mental power by enabling a glucose-rich and oxygen-rich brain environment; increases alertness, MOTIVATION, enhancing muscular coordination; and cognitive and physical performance. Replaces the need for COKE, REDBULL or any Energy drink.

FACT: Provides 3X the quantity of EAAs and BCAAs in other products, plus the compounds which form the Advanced Delivery System. It’s the best, the most effective and most efficient product for QUICK RECOVERY & REGENERATION.

All EAAs (BCAA)s w/ AstraGin™

MENTAL ENERGY FORMULA

USAGE: Take 2 caps for 4 hours of training

or racing. ◆ A large part of training is MENTAL, and it is about Brain energy and Motivation.

TIP: MOTIVATOR has been successfully used by triathletes, runners, and adventure racers.

It can also be used for any prolonged activity for sustained mental energy and focus.

5 CAPS + 2 CAPS = ROCKET of MOTIVATOR of VO2 Max FUEL

USAGE: 3 caps before training; 3 caps immediately after training; and 3 caps immediately before going to bed at night. ◆ Amino load before a Race: for at least 3 days leading up to the race take 9 capsules a day as above.

◆ RACE DAY: 30 to 45 minutes before the start of the Race take 4 caps; then take 3 caps for every HOUR of the RACE. During a 70.3 or IM Distance, definitely take 4 caps at T1 and T2.

“RECOVER AS YOU RACE” - David Goggins “MUSCLE TISSUE CANDY” - Peter Reid

INTERPHASE Hypertrophy Matrix

PREMIUM PROTEIN POWDER to REPAIR, REBUILD and REGENERATE

“Premium Protein Powder” 34g of sustained release protein matrix per serving: with whey protein isolates, concentrates, peptides, micellar casein, calcium caseinate, egg protein isolates, and free-form amino acids for hyperactivating your body’s recovery and regeneration potential to a hyper-level. Enables LEAN TISSUE HYPERTROPHY & RECOVERY to occur quickly and simultaneously, after each and every performance.

USAGE: It can be used as a powerized “energy shake” before exercise, or as a “recovery shake” immediately after exercise. It can also be taken immediately before going to bed at night to help increase the anabolic drive. It can be taken between meals or to complement a light meal. USE ANYTIME!

CarboPro 1200 and MetaSalt a perfect combo, and Recovery Amino Power to quicken recovery time, to train hard the very next session.

Gary Robbins

HURT Hawaii 100 Mile Endurance Run Course Record Holder

POWER. STRENGTH. ENDURANCE. “My recovery has been exceptional and for sure I credit that to the RECOVERY, VO2 Max and INTERPHASE. CarboPro 1200 is the race nutrition of choice.”

Sergio Borges

www.sbxtraining.com

DIRECT.COM

1.888.3 0 0 .16 0 0

NutritionForEndurance.com

016 : LAVA FLOW

DECEMBER : JANUARY, 2011

ISSUE 03 THE KONA ISSUE

features

TRAINING T

018 : editoR’s note

066 : Chasing down a ghost

104 : tRaining seCtion oPeneR

020 : ContRiButoRs

Mirinda Cafrae discovered 30 minutes before the start of the race that she was suddently the top-contender— and she didn’t disappoint

welcome

022 : the BuZZ

By Susan Grant-Legacki

106 : the Full sPeCtRuM Functional strength: why you need it; how and when to incorporate it

By Matt Dixon, MSc

024 : seen & heaRd

080 : island studies

026 : itRi

after being written off as a contender, Chris McCormack proved that there’s no better preparation than years of suffering on the Big island

triathlete, Ceo of Fuse entertainment and creator of tV’s Burn Notice, Mikkel Bondesen

By Brad Culp

118 : CoaCh’s Counsel a smooth transition: early season race preparation

By Troy Jacobson

122 : sidelined

By Don Norcross

a pain in the butt: hidden causes and prevention of unilateral saddle sores

GEAR G

By Wolfgang Oswald, P.T., O.C.S

130 : the hYPe

028 : geaR seCtion oPeneR

the pain cave: in appreciation of a good hurt fest

030 : on disPlaY

By Jim Gourley

Kestrel 4000 and trek speed Concept 9.9

136 : the hYPe

By Jay Prasuhn

the healthy athlete: how to keep your immune system strong no matter how hard you train

034 : 2011 geaR PReView the best and brightest from eurobike and interbike

By Erik Seedhouse, Ph.d

144 : to YouR health

038 : Kona BiKe Count

have your cake (just one slice) and eat it too: navigating off-season nutrition

Crunching the numbers at the 2010 Kona bike check

By Marni Rakes, M.S., CISSN

040 : PRo File

150 : CoMPetitiVe edge

world champions Chris McCormack and Mirinda Carfrae show off their winning rides

Breaking the mold: incorporate cross- training into your off-season for mental and physical strength

By Ben Greenfield

044 : ReViewed the oakley split Jacket

RACING R

By Jay Prasuhn

046 : woRKBenCh

158 : RaCing seCtion oPeneR

not your parent’s recovery: pressure, pulses and performance

160 : in FoCus

By Mark Deterline

By Jay Prasuhn

062 : RaPP RePoRt Power play: Power meters take the guessing game out of your training

By Jordan Rapp

lavamagazine.com

donald MiRalle

054 : all aCCess no deadlines=no limits: laVa tours the giro factory in italia

ironman wisconsin; ironman louisville; nautica Malibu triathlon; san Francisco triathlon at alcatraz

176 : BoaRding Pass sunny in seattle: ironman 70.3 lake stevens

on the CoVeRs: Chris McCormack and Mirinda Carfrae cross the finish line at the 2010 Hawaii Ironman. PHOTO DONALD MIRALLE

By Jay Prasuhn

192 : the last woRd Craig alexander vs. Mirinda Carfrae

macca. first.

Chris McCormack. 2010 Ironman World Champion.

018 : EDITOR’S NOTE

BETTER THAN TV

I

love the photo on our cover. It’s so good we had to show If you think seeing the fittest triathletes on the planet it twice. I know it’s a moment I’ll never feel as an athlete. racing until they’re just about dead will get your blood It’s the pinnacle of the sport—the stamp that you’re the pumping, then come to come to Kona on the second Satfittest human on the planet. Damn, that has to feel good. urday in October. I’m not suggesting that you subsist on Ask the top 20 athletes from this year’s race in Kona eggs and beans between now and then to afford the trip, how they first got involved in the sport and at least a dozen but think of all the other ways you could cut back: Buy a of them will tell you that it was watching the Hawaii Ironcheaper aero helmet; make your own gels; tell your kids man on NBC each winter. The race has an energy that no they don’t have to go to the tutor this year. Save any way other triathlon, and few other possible and then head to Kaisporting events, can match. It lua-Kona next fall to experience has a unique way of drawing the Super Bowl of triathlon. people into the sport, much like For a real kick in the motithe Tour de France is responvational ass between now and sible for recruiting thousands of then, be sure to tune into NBC’s new cyclists each year. broadcast of the Hawaii Ironman Last year I had a roommate on Saturday, Dec. 18, from 4–6 from South Africa who was p.m. (EST). That’s right, they gave obsessed with rugby—not obit a full two hours this year. Over sessed like he followed the the course of almost three descores online, but obsessed like cades, the annual broadcast has he played every weekend, and won 14 Emmy Awards and motiif you told him any team other vated countless couch potatoes The Ford Ironman World Championships will air than South Africa was the best to at least start using the elliptiSaturday, December 18, from 4–6 p.m. (EST) on NBC. in the world, you’d abruptly becal trainer. Don’t miss it. come a tackling dummy. For the Paper can’t do the Hawaii nine months I lived with him, he survived on a diet of Ironman justice, but we damn sure tried. We hope the eggs and beans, pinching every penny so that he could 25 pages of this issue that we’ve devoted to this year’s afford to go to next year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zearace will help you look toward next season with anticiland. When I asked why he was willing to live as though pation. Starting on Page 64, you’ll find photography from he were back in college to be able to go, he said: “Bethe finest shooters in the business, and an up-close look cause it’s the big one. It’s the best players and no one at how the race was won. Have a good read, enjoy the holds back until they’re just about dead. There’s no better show on Dec. 18 and hopefully we’ll see you on the Big way to get pumped up.”

Island next year.

Aloha,

Brad Culp Our intern needs something to do. Please e-mail your comments to bradculp@ironman.com so that I can give him something to read.

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

NEW

exclusive distributor in US for

7SYSTEMS® now available through

Portland, Oregon’s premier triathlon store find out why top triathletes use it: www.athleteslounge.com

“I spend less time worrying about my supplements and more time doing what I love: I’ve found the perfect supplement for my busy life”

Simon Whitfield

Multiple Olympic Medalist: Triathlon

7SYSTEMS® has taken the guesswork and confusion out of what daily supplements to take by creating the best blend of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants available for under $100.

MORE COMPLETE

:

Over 60 ingredients help with Basic Body Health plus Critical System Support.

MORE CAPABLE

:

Pharmaceutical grade, cold-pressed pills maximize absorption.

MORE CONVENIENT :

Pre-packaged pouches contain everything your body needs to train and do more.

ATHLETE’S LOUNGE 2600 NW Vaughn St. Portland, OR 97210

503-477-5906

www.athleteslounge.com

020 : CONTRIBUTORS

Marni rakes (Have your cake (one slice!) and eat it too, Page 146) holds a Master of Science in exercise physiology, is a certified sports nutritionist (CISSN) and is certified by the American Dietetic Association in adult weight management. Rakes is a Level 1 USAT Coach and recently qualified for the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship at Ironman Wisconsin. She has also contributed to Irongirl.com.

MARNI RAKES

TROY JACOBSON

JIM GOURLEY

ERIK SEEDHOUSE

A former U.S. Army Intelligence Officer and avid triathlete, JiM Gourley (The Pain Cave, Page 128) is no stranger to physical suffering. However, as a journalist for Triathlete Magazine, Inside Triathlon, 220 Triathlon and Bicycle Times, he discovered a new appreciation for it. “Pain presents a fantastic realm for self-discovery. In that regard, pain is a terrible thing that brings about many wonderful things, and that’s why I like it.”

lavamagazine.com

A triathlete since 1988, coach Troy Jacobson (A smooth transition: early season race prep, Page 112) has established himself as one of the leading authorities of the sport. A former pro triathlete, tri store owner and longtime coach to elites and age groupers alike, Troy is the creator of the Spinervals cycling workout series, the head multisport coach for Life Time Fitness and the official coach of Ironman.

erik seedhouse (The healthy athlete, Page 136) knows a thing or two about his article’s subject matter. He is a former professional triathlete (and winner of the Ultraman Hawaii), skydiver, pilot, aerospace scientist, author and was nominated as one of GQ’s “Fittest Men in the World” in 1997. Seedhouse’s seventh book, Space Medicine Beyond Earth Orbit, comes out in March 2011.

OFFICIAL TRAINING RESTAURANT OF

Fuel your healthy, active lifestyle with the delicious sandwiches from the SUBWAY FRESH FIT® Menu, like the low fat SUBWAY CLUB.® subwayfreshbuzz.com ©2010 Doctor’s Associates Inc. SUBWAY® is a registered trademark of Doctor’s Associates Inc. Ironman M-Dot and 70.3 are registered trademarks of World Triathlon Corporation.

SUBWAY FRESH FIT® is not a diet program. Low Fat SUBWAY CLUB® refers to sub on 6-inch white or 9-grain wheat bread prepared to our recipe - visit store for nutrition details.

022 : THE BUZZ

I

wanted to write in regarding a recent comment in “The Buzz” (October/November 2010), in which a reader mentioned the profanity on the wall of my training shed (which was pictured in “Draft Zone” August/September 2010). I wanted to clarify that the comment written on the wall was for me alone and it wasn’t an attempt to sneak profanity into LAVA. I was actually surprised it wasn’t edited out!

I’ve been a professional triathlete for a long time and sometimes I struggle to get motivated to push through a workout. I wrote that on the wall one day as a reminder that sometimes I just need to do my [blank] job. I apologize if anyone was offended, it was certainly never my intention.

—Simon Whitfield Victoria, B.C., Canada.

I

wanted to say thank you for sending me LAVA magazine. It was the second time I opened my mailbox and cried. It reminded me that I ran the Ironman, that I’m going to run the Ironman again next year and more importantly, why. Three years ago I walked into a cancer center as a recently diagnosed patient. In chemotherapy I met an angelic looking patient, Erica, who looked strong and vibrant even with an IV in her arm. I asked her about her secret and she told me about her triathlon team. I went for my first run that weekend, learned to swim and bought a bike. There are no instruction manuals for life in survivorship. However,

there is LAVA magazine and turning page after page I am reminded that I continue to get stronger and healthier.

My life has become more than it was.

Your pictures and articles show me that my spirit and training are meaningful for me and for my family. I look forward to my starting line and opening my mailbox to find my next issue of LAVA. Thank you!

—David Dorfman, Esq. Honored Teammate, Team In Training Leukemia & Lymphoma Society New York City Chapter

I

received your second edition of the magazine today and I must say that it is difficult to put down. However, one aspect of the magazine that I feel is lacking is more nutritional content.

I agree with the one comment in “The Buzz” (October/November 2010) that we don’t need another glossy overview of a pro’s race day nutrition but in the spirit of the magazine for serious triathletes, more content on nutrition would be appreciated. As the sport continues to grow in participation, nutrition has seemed to be at the forefront of debate and it is often discussed whether a triathlete “can just eat whatever they want.” I am in the camp that the better triathletes also encompass the same dedication in their nutrition as they do in their training. Therefore, I would welcome updated nutritional information. More

specifically, I would like to see two to three recipes that may offer some diversity in my diet instead of the same menu week after week. Thank you.

—John Goldfinch Orchard Park, N.Y.

Editor’s note: We appreciate your comments about the need for more nutritional information in LAVA, and we are planning much more nutritional content for the 2011 year. In addition, we have many recipes and nutritional articles online at Lavamagazine.com.

I

want to thank everyone working at LAVA for the most amazing magazine ever. After subscribing to Triathlete Magazine for two years I decided not to renew because I felt like 95 percent of the magazine was stuff I already knew and/or did not care about.

With your magazine I learn valuable information on everything from recovery to fueling properly. I am a die-hard triathlete who trains every day and I have already altered my training to add blue days after my hard workouts. Typically I train for 2.5 hrs a day except when I am taking a day off. I typically swim 1.5 miles, bike 100 miles and run 22 miles each week. I live in New York City and simply cannot afford a triathlon coach, so your magazine is my coach. Thanks for everything. I am already eagerly anticipating my next issue!

Please give us your thoughts on our magazine by emailing the editor at bradculp@ironman.com.

lavamagazine.com

—Michael Coveney New York, N.Y.

The elite women roll past the Hungarian Parliment Building, the largest parliment building in Europe, during the ITU World Championship Grand Final in Budapest on September 11.

024 : SEEN

lavamagazine.com

HEARD : 025

phytophthora infestans: The strain of water mold that causes potato blight and was the cause of Ireland’s Great Famine in 1845 and 1849, which wiped out 25 percent of the country’s population due to starvation, disease or emigration. One of the Irish cities hit hardest by this famine, Galway, has long since rebounded into one of the country’s cultural and tourism epicenters, and will host its inaugural Ironman 70.3 event on Sept. 4, 2011. Registration for the event opened on Oct. 11.

Sources: Ironman.com and Historylearningsite.co.uk

3.7 million

number of custom bottles produced by specialized per year at their morgan hill, calif., offices. in 2011, specialized will debut its new bpafree purist bottle with an internal silicon dioxide coating that won’t hold previous drink flavors when cleaned.

42: The number of nations represented at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore on Aug. 14, 2010, which included both an individual race and team relay triathlon.

Japan’s Yuka Sato and New Zealand’s Aaron Barclay took home the women’s and men’s titles, respectively, while Europe took home gold in the mixed team relay event. The next Youth Olympic Games will take place in Nanjing, China in 2014.

Source: Singapore2010.sg

Source: Specialized.com

250,000 AtHlEtES

The number of participants who compete annually in USM EVENTS, one of the leading event organizers for sport and cultural events in Australia, which recently announced a partnership with Active.com. Source: Activenetwork.com

400

The number of steps in the infamous sand ladder, located at approximately mile four of the San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz, which celebrated its inaugural event on Aug. 28.

Source: Ironman.com

“With two Aussies winning, we’re in for making it a big night and putting it in the big chain ring. Giddy up, it’s going to be huge. I apologize for my behavior now, because it’s going to get ugly.” —2010 Ironman world champion Chris McCormack during his awards speech at King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel.

15

2,800

seconds.

The time it takes to “brew” Starbucks VIA Ready Brew instant coffee. Beginning in 2011, Starbucks VIA Ready Brew packets will be available in bike shops around the U.S. as part of a distribution deal with Fuel Belt, Inc. Source: Fuelbelt.com

The number of age-group athletes who competed in the Dextro Energy ITU World Championship sprint and Olympic-distance races in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 12 and 13. The 2010 ITU World Championship men’s and women’s titles were won by Spain’s Javier Gomez and Australia’s Emma Moffatt.

Source: Triathlon.org lavamagazine.com

026 : iTRI

MIKKEL BONDESEN

Age: 38 | Born: Copenhagen, Denmark | Resides: Los Angeles | Profession: CEO of Fuse Entertainment Personal: Married (Sabine) with two boys—Silas, 7, and Elliot, 5 | Accomplishments: First triathlon was the 2008 Ironman 70.3 Florida. He raced as a 6-foot-4, 225-pound Clydesdale (Bondesen now weighs 180).

He finished in 5 hours, 23 minutes. Racing résumé now includes seven 70.3s (PR: 4:47 at Austria). research and development. Just like an Ironman race, some of those work blocks are bigger than others. I looked at my work schedule as if it were a weekly training session. Like the bike, I applied the biggest block to what was most important: generating new business. Existing business required the least time, so that was equivalent to the swim. And like the run, the balance went to research and development.

My wife did a half marathon three years ago. I was at the finish line waiting for her and there was such an electric atmosphere. At that time I was doing no exercise.

None. Nothing. Unless you count walking up one flight of stairs at my office. So that night we’re lying in bed and I ask her, “Do you think I can do a half Ironman?” She said, “Yes.” I got up, walked to the computer and signed up for the Florida 70.3 (which was six months later.)

Two thoughts crossed my mind coming toward the end of that first race. First, “I will never do a full Ironman.” You know how you’re supposed to mentally talk positive to yourself the last 20 minutes of the run? The only conversation I had with myself was “This is the most miserable experience of my life. No way I’ll do an Ironman. Why would I torture myself?” The second thought was, “I can do this faster.”

The single biggest difference in my improvement was about 18 months ago hiring my current coach, Marilyn McDonald. Training for me is not about the athletic performance. Training for me is all about the lessons I learn, about lavamagazine.com

COURTESy MIkkEL BOnDESEn

I needed to take on a challenge where every aspect of my behavior had to change to achieve that result.

(Bondesen had run a marathon when he was 25.) When I set the 70.3 goal, I couldn’t swim 25 yards without running out of breath. I didn’t own a bike. I had to change my diet. Work had become priority.

making me a better husband, better father and better businessman.

I told Marilyn this holistic experience is how I have to train. Turns out it’s Marilyn’s exact philosophy.

We agreed that every day I would e-mail her a diary that would list my sleep, diet, weight-training sessions, and recovery. How I’m doing with relationships and family, productivity, inspiration and any major changes that faced me.

If my coach didn’t know what I

was dealing with in my life, she couldn’t change my training to take care of that.

There was a period when I was struggling at work. I’d have spurts of inspiration, activity and excitement.

Then it was like I lost my mojo.

The key to correcting things was to look at my work like my sport. I have three main areas of focus at work: maintaining existing business; generating new business; and creativity. Call it

At Challenge Copenhagen, it was as if the organizers looked me up and literally said let’s make sure we hit every one of his family members. On the bike, we went by my mom’s house, four cousins’ houses, past my mother-inlaw’s house, my late dad’s apartment. They kept showing up at cafes, drinking beer. I crossed the finish line holding my son Silas’ hand. (Bondesen is friends with pro Chris McDonald, who suggested to Bondesen that he seek out his wife, Marilyn, for coaching.) Chris put the medal around my neck and I just broke out crying.

As to what drives me, it ties completely into the reason I’m in the United States. To me, life is one long adventure. Honestly, I don’t care about the destination, but man do I love the journey. Let’s play with this thing called life.

There are so many things to do, so let’s have fun with it.

LAVA

— Don Norcross

OCTOBER 9, 2010 > CHRIS McCORMACK MOVES TOWARD HIS SECOND IRONMAN® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

There is no app for wisdom.

It develops over decades filled with life experiences. Early on there are more stumbles than successes because youth acts on pure whim and suffers the consequences. But for the fortunate few, wisdom displaces whim. And wisdom inspires actions based on carefully calculated risk.

Chris McCormack, now 37, is one of the few. On and off the racecourse, Chris is a wise man. Around the world, he is a fierce competitor. He has youthful brawn and remarkable determination, like so many triathletes. What sets Chris McCormack apart is his ability to calculate the risks that accompany every opportunity.

In June, just months before his bid for a second Ironman® World Championship, we asked that he consider switching his original CLIF SHOT® Energy Gel for the newest formula. Chris sized up the risks – and the opportunities. He made the switch. And he won his second Ironman® World Championship in Kona.

LA NEW FORMULA

NEW RESULT NE

New CLIF SHOT® Energy Gel formula carried four world class athletes to four World Championship titles in 2010 – CHRIS McCORMACK, SHONNY VANLANDINGHAM, CONRAD STOLTZ and CATHERINE PENDREL

CLIFBAR.COM Distributed by Clif Bar & Company, Emeryville, CA 94608 U.S.A. ©2010 Clif Bar & Company • CLIF, CLIF SHOT and LITTER LEASH are registered trademarks of Clif Bar & Company.

Ironman is a registered trademark of World Triathlon Corporation.

SAMMY TILLERY

029 : GEAR : G 028

lavamagazine.com

GEAR G

G : GEAR : 029

030

on display 034

2011 gear preview 038

kona bike count 040

pro file 044

reviewed 046

workbench 054

all access 062

rapp report

“Sophisticated recovery practices are increasingly crucial to our success as athletes. It’s all about facilitating, as well as accelerating, our bodies’ inherent ability to adapt, both during and between exercise.”

—Mark Deterline (Not

Your Parent’s Recovery, Page 46) lavamagazine.com

030 : ON DISPLAY : G

KeStreL 4000

$6,480 with SRAM Red and Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheelset Kestrelbicycles.com

By Jay Prasuhn

sammy tIllery

B

efore we get into the new Kestrel 4000, let’s reminisce on the “old” Kestrel 4000 of the mid-80s, the snow-white beauty that represented the world’s first full-carbon monocoque production bike. This ride set in motion what we now have today: designs that only the wonderful malleability of carbon fiber can make possible.

Since then, the tri-bike market has become saturated, but Kestrel has weathered it to remain a forerunner. The result of rapid prototyping and wind tunnel testing at the A2 Wind Tunnel in North Carolina to prove its mettle, the relaunch of the 4000 in its 21stcentury incarnation is impressive both on its face and in its ride.

And it’s certainly a feast for the eyes. Most striking is a seat post set nearly adrift from the main frame, which gives a nod to the existing Airfoil Pro parallelogram. The 4000 adds a very slightly curved seat tube and a fork crown that mates seamlessly with the frame’s down tube. The non-drive side chain stay has a slight “torque,” an aero design that takes advantage of an airflow area beside the spinning crank that Kestrel found during tunnel testing. For travel convenience, Kestrel moved from a seat mast design to a carbon fiber variableheight seat post.

The seat post’s clamp head has variance from 74 to 79 degrees. The frontally aero scissor front brake’s inline fixtures limit bar drop slightly, but with an average head tube height, 99 percent of prospective buyers won’t take issue with it.

While the bike’s position options presented a fast ride with zero nervousness, it quite noticeably retained the Airfoil Pro’s most prominent feature: vertical compliance. A four-hour ride was more enjoyable than it would have been on many bikes we’ve ridden recently, mostly due to the bike’s isolated seat post, curved stays and gentle transition from top tube to seat stay.

Considering these bikes are meant to be ridden for up to seven hours, it’s a significant feature. “The way they designed it was to keep some of the vertical compliance the Airfoil has been known for,” said Team Trakkers pro Michael Lovato. “They’ve accomplished that with the 4000. It’s a nice ride for a TT bike, definitely not a beat-you-up ride.”

lavamagazine.com

SizeS: 48, 51, 54, 57 cm componentS aS teSted: SRAM Red groupset, 11–23 cassette; Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheelset; Fi’zi:k Arione Tri2 colorS: Nude carbon/white/red (2011: Nude carbon/white/blue)

✓ Roll it: If all-day comfort and predictable handling are your priority.

✗ RAcK it: If you want total race-wheel option: the narrow stays, while aero, may rein in your choices amid a growing market of wheel covers and wide-rim race wheels.

PEAK PERFORMANCE

EVERY DAY Compex will stimulate your muscles and take you to the next level.

Discover how

Compex is the premium Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) device chosen by professional and amateur athletes worldwide. Athletes use Compex to gain a safe, effective and legal competitive advantage.

The advanced technology of Compex is clinically proven1 to exercise more muscle fibers and clear lactic acid in less time using high-intensity electrical impulses. The result is a more efficient workout with less risk of injury.

Train, Race and Recover like a Pro.

“My Compex Sport Elite enables me to recover quicker and I can do it on my own time in the comfort of my home. It’s a superb tool which has become an integral part of my daily routine. ” — Fraser Cartmell

Fraser Cartmell

FDA Cleared

“3 for 3” in the UK this season 2010 Ironman UK Champion in 8:40:18 Winner at TriGrandPrix UK (Kent) UK Ironman 70.3 (Wimbleball) 12x Ironman 70.3 Champion First Year Compex Athlete

ShopCompex.com 1.866.772.8859 1

Data on file.

032 : ON DISPLAY :

TREK SPEED CONCEPT 9.9

$8,920 with SRAM Red : Trekbikes.com

✓ ROLL IT: If you prize stiffness, fit variability, functional

integration and American-made ingenuity. There’s so much to love in this bike.

✗ RACK IT: If you feel your tri bike has to be a “core” brand; Trek wasn’t born in multisport—though it resides now with growing authority.

By Jay Prasuhn

SIZES: S, M, L, XL COMPONENTS AS TESTED: SRAM Red groupset, 11–23 cassette; Bontrager Aeolus 6.5 carbon clinchers; Fi’zi:k Arione Tri2 COLORS: White/Ghost G ray (Project One paint designs optional)

SAMMY TILLERY

M

adison, Wis.-based Trek Bicycles has come a long way in a short time. In the ’99 Tour de France, Lance Armstrong had to ride a rebranded Litespeed in the time trial; now, just over 10 years later, Trek not only has its own TT bikes and successful tri team, it also has an innovative and renowned design in the Speed Concept 9.9.

Despite sponsoring the RadioShack road squad, Trek’s Advanced Concepts Group engineering team (several of whom are triathletes) created a bike with features aimed squarely at triathletes, with multisport-only storage items (the cleverly designed Draft Box and AeroBox) and adjustability to fit a wide range of consumers.

Yet early versions revealed a highly integrated front end, without a traditional stem. How could a consumer adjust that? Production revealed that the narrow plate on which the aerobar mounts vertically is indeed a de facto stem, offered in various lengths and rises.

Functionally, stopping power on the hidden brakes (including a center-pull front brake built into the fork blades) was surprising, with

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

zero sponginess or concerns on descents.

For all its innovative integration, adjustment—for both fit and breakdown/buildup for travel—was astounding. A 78-degree seat angle (with option for a steeper setup on a replaceable post head) is paired with a very relaxed 72.5-degree head angle, resulting in a highly stable ride.

The Speed Concept’s design centerpiece is Kamm Virtual Foil, a truncated trailing tube set section that Trek says is more aero than a standard aero teardrop trailing edge, especially at varying yaw angles. Whether it makes for a faster bike aerodynamically was hard to quantify; what we could quantify was how it affects the frame’s torsional stiffness: squaring off the tube set brought frame stiffness on par with its predecessor, the TTX. Out of the saddle on punchy climbs or on dead flats, the Speed Concept rips.

What impresses most is the bike’s consumer accessibility, Trek offers the 7 Series (the same carbon frame and KVF design with a slightly heavier carbon fiber) complete at the value price of $2,519.

LAVA

034 : 2011 GEAR PREVIEW : 035

SHOWSTOPPERS

The fall Interbike and Eurobike industry trade shows tipped us to hot new goods we’ll find in shops in ‘11.

Giro Prolight $350; Giro.com This three-strap flagship atop Giro’s debut footwear line has tri-worthy utility; Giro’s SuperNatural Fit Kit footbed, an ultra-stiff Easton EC90 SLX carbon sole and titanium fixtures give it a killer power-to-weight ratio.

Shimano Dura-Ace PD-7900 carbon fiber pedals $350; Shimano.com Two years of testing preceeded this 248-gram featherweight version of its popular pedal, which retains its reliable (and replaceable) stainless steel pressure plate.

TYR Torque Elite $250; Tyr.com TYR’s newest (and Kona-legal) speedsuit is not only the company’s lightest at under 100 grams, but the papery fabric and smooth bonded seams of the Torque Elite make for a suit with a water absorption rate of less than half a percent.

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

PowerBar High Intensity Beta Alanine Supplement $40/bottle; Powerbar.com The sustained release of beta alanine in these NSF-certified tablets raises muscle carnosine levels, helping buffer lactic acid and fight fatigue.

: 2011 GEAR PREVIEW : 035

Pearl Izumi Transition $115; Pearlizumi.com Feedback from two-time Kona champ Tim Deboom was crucial in the design of Pearl’s first race flat. The kicks feature a seamless upper, sole drainage and a low-profile sole with minimal forefoot/rearfoot variance.

Timex Ironman GPS Global Trainer $300; Timex.com Timex’s first independent GPS wrist computer delivers speed, distance and power (from any ANT+ compatible powermeter) to a customizable display. Mac or PC-compatible, with free TrainingPeaks software included.

Zoot Ovwa $120; Zootsports.com The Ovwa (as in au revoir, get it?) is meant to put the field behind you with its quick-lace system, drained sole and sockless BareFit interior, all in a low-profile racer with just a touch of stability.

Sidi T2 $260; Sidiusa.com The T2 maintains its quick, openmouthed design, stiff carbon composite sole and Sidi’s renowned fit, but adds serpentine style with a Python skin synthetic upper for 2011.

Lazer Tardiz $175; lazerhelmets.com Designed with the help of aerodynamics expert Simon Smart, the Tardiz, with its AquaVent cooling port on top, improved for ‘11 with an integrated windscreen, a new magnetic buckle and two new Konainspired paintjobs.

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

036 : 2011 GEAR PREVIEW :

Profile Design Altair Carbon Clincher 80; $2,200 Profile-design.com Profile enters the wheel market with a unique twist: Engineers used Computer Fluid Dynamics to create a rim optimized not for ProTour riders’ speeds, but instead for a typical age-group pace. With 80mm of rim depth, we think both groups will find the Altairs plenty fast.

Rolf Prima TT85 Tubulars $2,200; Rolfprima.com The TT85 features a new 85mm-deep rim, yet maintains Rolf’s patented 10-spoke front wheel (yes, just 10) and 12-spoke rear rim. Less spokes on a deep rim equals less spoke turbulence and more speed for you.

Ridley Dean RS $2,999; Ridley.com The tunnel-designed Dean gets affordable, going with a standard carbon aero post (with a two-position 74/76 or a 78-degree clamp) while retaining its signature queues, namely the slotted R-Flow fork foils.

Louis Garneau Vorttice; $225 Louisgarneau.com Designed in wind tunnels in Colorado and Ottawa, the Vorticce features a row of “blades” to improve laminar flow and an evacuation channel to draw air through the aft port.

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

038 : KONA BIKE COUNT :

CERVELO STILL TOP DOG While many industry insiders speculated that Cervelo would lose some of its market share this year, the Toronto-based bike builder showed business hasn’t slowed down one bit, and once again took top honors at the Official Kona Bike Count at the 2010 Hawaii Ironman.

By Brad Culp

I

t seems there’s no stopping Cervelo. After dominating the Kona Bike Count for half a decade, it appeared this would be the year that Cervelo would demonstrate a little humility. With flashy new debuts from its biggest competitors (Specialized, Trek and Scott), 2010 should have marked the start of the changing of the guard. Surely the Specialized Transition or Scott Plasma would be the next Cervelo P3, taking the transition area by storm, right?

Wrong. Evidently Cervelo’s P3 still represents the sport’s standard bearer, as over 200 rolled up the pier in Kailua this year. Throw in a few dozen P2s and P4s and a handful of other Cervelo models, and the king of the tri bike realm had a total of 468 steeds in the race—up 54 from last season. But the big story of the day was the rise of Specialized, which showed signs that it might be poised to take over the bike count within the next five years. After finishing eighth with just 66 bikes on the pier in 2009, the Morgan Hill, Calif.-based manufacturer netted 113 bikes this year to finish second. Specialized is still a long way off from matching Cervelo, but it’s moving in the right direction and moving fast.

Here are the leading brands from this year’s count, which included frames, wheels, saddles, components, pedals, aerobars, aero helmets, running shoes,

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

speedsuits, apparel and compression wear. The number in parentheses represents the brand’s total from last year. Please note that hydration systems, power meters, tires, and speedsuits were not counted in 2009.

TOP 25 FRAMES 1.

Cervelo – 468 (414) 2.

Specialized – 113 (66)* 3.

Trek – 108 (103) 4.

Scott – 98 (103) 5.

Felt – 96 (89) 6.

Orbea – 82 (56) 7.

Kuota – 77 (117) 8.

Cannondale – 72 (68) 9.

Quintana Roo – 62 (79) 10.

Argon 18 – 58 (43) 11.

Giant – 52 (51) 12.

LOOK – 48 (48) 13.

Kestrel – 46 (35) 14.

Guru – 40 (27) 15.

Ceepo – 28 (24) T-16. Pinarello – 18 (19) T-16. Isaac – 18 (26) 18.

Stevens – 17 (15) 19.

Ridley – 16 (12) 20.

Litespeed – 14 (18) 21.

Colnago – 11 (12) T-22. Storck – 11 (10) T-22. Planet X – 11 (13) 24.

Fuji – 10 (6) 25.

Blue – 9 (8) TOP 10 WHEELS (INDIVIDUAL AERO WHEELS) 1.

Zipp – 1,910 (1,766) 2.

HED – 255 (258) 3.

Mavic – 164 (158) 4.

Xentis – 149 (197) 5.

Bontrager – 118 (84) 6.

Reynolds – 86 (42) 7.

Shimano – 81 (48) 8.

Easton – 81 (34) 9.

SRAM – 45 (5)* 10.

Rolf – 33 (17) TOP 5 AERO HELMETS 1.

Louis Garneau – 223 (217)

2.

3.

4.

5.

Giro – 221 (330) Rudy Project – 114 (114) Specialized – 62 (14)* Lazer – 57 (18)

TOP 5 SADDLES 1.

Fi’zi:k – 508 (458) 2.

Selle Italia – 347 (398) 3.

ISM – 201 (78)* 4.

Specialized – 62 (146) 5.

Selle San Marco – 87 (136) TOP 5 AEROBARS 1.

Profile Design – 591 (603) 2.

Vision – 446 (363) 3.

Zipp – 136 (113) 4.

Bontrager – 99 (50)* 5.

Easton – 88 (106) TOP 5 TIRES (INDIVIDUAL) 1.

Continental – 704 2.

Vittoria – 193 3.

Schwalbe – 164 4.

Michelin – 144 5.

Zipp – 108 TOP 5 HYDRATION SYSTEMS 1.

Profile Design – 955 2.

X-Lab – 475 3.

Hydrotail – 94 4.

Speedfil – 86 5.

Jetstream – 48 TOP 3 COMPONENT GROUPS 1.

Shimano – 1,307 (1,462) 2.

SRAM – 391 (144)* 3.

Campagnolo – 85 (110) TOP 3 POWER METERS 1.

SRM – 163 2.

CycleOps PowerTap – 153 3.

Quarq – 51 TOP 15 SHOES (PAIRS) 1.

Asics – 464 (528) 2.

Newton – 204 (107) 3.

Saucony – 198 (143) 4.

K-Swiss – 167 (25)* 5.

Brooks – 162 (130) 6.

Nike – 115 (171) 7.

Mizuno – 99 (111) 8.

Zoot – 84 (93)

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Adidas – 77 (69) New Balance – 56 (77) Avia – 29 (18) Scott – 14 (8) Pearl Izumi – 10 (7) Puma – 7 (16) Diadora – 5 (7)

TOP 5 COMPRESSION SOCKS 1.

CEP – 115 (131) 2.

2XU – 16 (15) 3.

SLS-3 – 17 (42) 4.

Zoot – 15 (29) 5.

Herzog – 8 (2)* TOP 5 COMPRESSION CALF SLEEVES 1.

CompresSport – 63 (40) 2.

2XU – 58 (45) 3.

CEP – 22 (5)* 4.

Booster – 15 (5) 5.

Zoot – 10 (17) TOP 5 RACE SUITS 1.

Custom – 100 (101) 2.

Skinfit – 34 (18)* 3.

2XU – 30 (37) 4.

Zoot – 20 (32) 5.

Orca – 16 (13) TOP 5 RACE TOPS 1.

Custom – 297 (395) 2.

2XU – 125 (122) 3.

Zoot – 98 (101) 4.

Skinfit – 72 (79) 5.

K-Swiss – 45 (9)* TOP 5 RACE BOTTOMS 1.

Custom – 223 (186) 2.

2XU – 130 (139) 3.

Zoot – 102 (126) 4.

Skinfit – 93 (112) 5.

K-Swiss – 44 (7)* TOP 5 SPEEDSUITS 1.

TYR – 356 2.

BlueSeventy – 231 3.

XTERRA – 48 4.

Sailfish – 29 5.

Speedo - 20 LAVA

*highest market-share growth

3” 4 COLOR

60.40.40.100

®

®

" % & &&

# ! !

! " "

" " %

"

" %

!

!

! #

"

%

! % !

! % & !

" %

% # # " # %

" ! $

%

% " % #

& &&

040 : PRO FILE : G

saddle: Specialized roMin, 155MM width

naMe: chris Mccormack

WHeelseT: zipp 808 zedtech firecreSt tubularS (ceraMic bearingS)

BiRtHDate: 4/4/74 age: 36 HeigHt: 6’0 WeigHt: 175 lbs.

ResiDence: sydney, australia & Los angeles, calif.

Weapon: specialized shiv, size large Last seen: 8:10:37, 2010 Hawaii ironman (4:31:51 bike split)

CasseTTe: SraM red, 11-23

GrOUPseT: SraM red with SraM r2c ShifterS

CranKseT: SraM red bb30, 172.5MM with SraM powerglide tt chainringS, 54-39t

Weapon Logistics: Macca’s shiv (the second model he took to a world title after riding the transition lavamagazine.com

G : PRO FILE : 041

HydraTIOn: profile deSign Karbon Kage (downtube and between aerobar extenSionS)

COCKPIT: Specialized integrated baSebar, towerS and extenSionS, SraM tt900 ShifterS

Pedals: Speedplay zero, titaniuM Spindle

TIres: zipp tangente, 19MM front and rear

to the win in ‘07) features custom Zipp decals with a topo map detailing Hawaii’s Kohala coastline. lavamagazine.com

042 : PRO FILE : G

saddle: fi’Zi:k ARione tRi 2 Cassette: SRAM Red, 11-25

Wheelset: Zipp 404 Zedtech (650c, ceRAMic BeARingS) hydration: pRofile deSign AeRodRink/pRofile deSign RMc ReAR hydRAtion with pRofile deSign kAgeS

Groupset: SRAM Red with SRAM R2c ShifteRS

pedals: ShiMAno duRA-Ace pd-7810 Crankset: SRAM Red BB30, 170MM with SpeciAliteS t.A. chAinRingS, 58-39t

Weapon Logistics: the 650c wheels on Mirinda carfrae’s cannondale slice put her in ranks with natascha Badmann, lavamagazine.com

G : PRO FILE : 043

CoCkpit: pRofile deSign VolnA, pRofile deSign coBRA S SteM, 90MM, SRAM R2c ShifteRS

aeroBars: pRofile deSign VolnA 42cM c/c

naMe: Mirinda carfrae BiRtHDate: 3/27/81 age: 29 HeigHt: 5’3 WeigHt: 116 lbs.

ResiDence: Logan city, Queensland, australia Weapon: cannondale slice, 47cm Last seen: 8:58:36, 2010 Hawaii ironman (5:04:59 bike split)

tires: continentAl coMpetition, 19MM fRont, 22MM ReAR

Lori Bowden, and (on 24” wheels) paula newby-Fraser, who rode appropriately small wheels to their Kona crowns. lavamagazine.com

044 : REVIEWED :

OAKLEY SPLIT JACKET

By Jay Prasuhn

I

f any brand in any segment of our sport has achieved a blend of drama and mystique, it’s Oakley. It all started with Oakley Eyeshades and Razor Blades, but went off the charts in the ’90s with Sub Zeros. Their stuff is part tech, part cult and all badass.

In 2009 Oakley did it again when they debuted the Jawbone at the Tour de France, pairing full-framed style with lens-swap functionality. The Switchlock, a lateral hinge locked in by a pivoting nosepiece, swings open to allow for an easy change of lenses—a feature previously reserved only for frameless designs. Add a custom color option, blend in ostentatious Oakley styling and you’ve got a recipe for a killer pair of shades.

The downside? The Jawbone seemed geared toward men, specifically guys with

large faces who could fill out the bold design. It left many women (and guys with smaller faces) in the cold. Even those athletes who could get away with them on the bike found them too bulky for the run. Who wants a pair of glasses they can only use for one discipline? We’re triathletes; we need one pair of sunnies for the bike and the run.

Enter the Split Jacket, a shrunk-down version of the Jawbone. The Split Jacket has all the key features of the Jawbone, as well as the key features of any Oakley sport optic: specifically, a proprietary distortion-free Plutonite HDO lens with ANSI’s Z87.1 impact standard protection and hydrophobic coating (meaning water peels off the lenses beautifully when you’re cruising along at 20 mph). The smaller lens surfaces mean

Oakley can deliver a wider range of prescription options than with the Jawbone.

It’s this (plus the styling) that puts Oakley in the “premium” category. At $200 (or $260 with photochromic Transition lenses) with a spare set of lenses and a travel case, you truly get what you pay for.

Is the Split Jacket optimal for triathlon?

We think so. No, it doesn’t have the greater peripheral vision range that a frameless optic has. But for sheer versatility—that is, something you can wear cycling and running (or even off the course), it’s a better choice than most Oakley glasses. When moving from bike helmet to run visor, it’s happily not as obtrusive as some of Oakley’s larger models, but it still wears that signature Oakley attitude.

LAVA

The Oakley Split Jacket is priced at $200 or $260 with Transitions lenses.

Oakley.com

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

R LT U A K

Z-BOUND

Lighter, stronger and tuned to your running.

Everything plastic isn’t.

BAREFIT

The best fit and internal environment your foot could ask for.

ASYMMETRICAL LACING A better fit for your asymmetrical feet.

I AN

CARBONSPAN+

AL

Top-loaded cushioning that’s plush along the whole length of your foot.

REDEFINING THE

WITH ALL THE

RUN , FEATURES

THAT HELPED US

REDEFINE

TRIATHLON. UPGRADE TO

ULTRAFIT Dynamically adjusts to the unique shape of your foot with every stride.

www.zootsports.com

046 : WORKBENCH : G

NOt yOuR paRENt’s RECOvERy: pREssuRE, pulsEs aNd pERfORmaNCE

Recovery isn’t something that simply happens between workouts—it’s a component of your training that requires knowledge, discipline and technology.

michael raUscheNDOrFer

By Mark Deterline

t

hinking about recovery in terms of recuperation is somewhat misguided: we don’t want to get back to where we were before a workout or training cycle, we want to be stronger. Think of recovery as part of the performance formula, playing a key role in adaptation. We are genetically engineered for survival; it is our ability to adapt that allows us to transcend the rigors of whatever life—or a good coach—throws our way.

Sophisticated recovery practices are increasingly crucial to our success as athletes. It’s all about facilitating, as well as accelerating, our bodies’ inherent ability to adapt, both during and between exercise. SKINS, one of the companies we spoke with, has even trademarked the term BioAcceleration to drive home this concept.

The following gear and methodologies may seem extravagant, not only regarding cost but in terms of implementation. In triathlon, how-

lavamagazine.com

ever, where the sport, its culture and its personalities have never shied away from pushing the envelopes of technology, expense and public spectacle, you have free rein to get on board— budget permitting—and join the revolution.

GRaduatinG to compRession.

Compression socks, calf sleeves and tights have become so commonplace both on and off race courses that their presence is no longer a novelty.

Although the general idea of compression has been popularized, the level of sophistication offered by manufacturers may not be fully appreciated. Just ask companies like Zoot, CEP, SKINS and 2XU why all compression is not created equal, why sizing and graduated pressure matter, and what to look for in compression garments.

Zoot is a company that tirelessly emphasizes the science behind the squeeze, reflected in

their product name, CompressRX. Chris Bohannon, former category manager at Zoot Sports, says. “Zoot researched compression and how it was being utilized in the medical field, then conducted its own tests with athletes. We looked at lactic acid, perceived exertion, performance gains and recovery times, which we determined could be cut by 40 percent. That’s when Zoot decided to launch its line.”

So what are the specific benefits and how does this type of sophisticated clothing work?

Zoot provides the following summary: 3 Improved circulation via graduated compression, ensuring that blood flows back to the heart as quickly as possible from extremities for reoxygenation. Most manufacturers agree you want max compression the farther a limb is from the heart, with pressure steadily decreasing as blood flows toward this most important of organs.

048 : WORKBENCH : G 3 Minimization of muscle damage resulting from exercise, one of the primary culprits of fatigue. Damage is largely caused by vibrations that result from all types of activity, both lower and higher impact. Keeping the muscle close to the body means it is subjected to less trauma.

3 “Keeping it close” is likewise intended to improve performance by positioning muscles tight against the body, where they work most efficiently and effectively with the rest of the human machine.

3 Reduction in the occurrence of muscle tearing that results from exercise. Ideally, an athlete would use garments that feature varied compression, providing more pressure and therefore support to vulnerable areas, such as knees.

SKINS also underscores the importance of varied compression. SKINS apparel features strategically placed compression panels designed to provide customized support to each area of the body. Steve Ozmai, channel development manager at SKINS USA, explains that

a good compression garment “not only facilitates movement, it encourages it.” Hence the concept of wrapping an individual in a second, compression-enhanced skin. Ozmai and colleagues likewise assert that improved circulation inhibits the buildup of lactic acid and metabolic wastes with the promise that an athlete can go harder, longer.

The measurement units commonly used to classify compression or specific functional panels of a garment are millimeters of mercury, abbreviated mmHg. Zoot’s CompressRx features products ranging from 18 to 30 mmHg of compression, although the use of “Rx” in its naming convention is not without irony since compression greater than 40 mmHg is generally considered medical grade and is often prescribed by a doctor. But the company makes its point.

dynamic compression.

Taking this science to the next, more involved and more costly level, companies like NormaTec have developed pneumatic compression boots or

“pumps” that apply successive wave pulses up an athlete’s leg via multi-segment pressure cells.

Motor-driven products like NormaTec’s MVP provide computer-controlled, adjustable and precisely calibrated pneumatic compression.

Dynamic compression is designed to “wring” blood from the legs toward the heart for oxygenation, and edemic fluids—which are forced from tissues and cells during exercise—back into the lymph system, all while flushing toxins.

Advocates of dynamic compression assert that it accelerates the body’s own slower, natural recovery and rehabilitation cycles doing what the body would normally require a longer period of time to accomplish. Like compression garment manufacturers, these proponents claim that effective compression can help reduce the likelihood of injury by promoting better and more complete recovery before the body is subjected to the next round of abuse.

does it go to eleven?

Moving from muscle stabilization and pressure to muscle stimulation may seem like a leap, but compa-

// EMMA SNOWSILL

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST

Using the same building blocks as standard 2XU Compression garments, 2XU Thermal Compression delivers performance compression with a softer and warmer feel.

I

L/S THERMAL TOP

DIS DISTRIBUTED BY

lavamagazine.com

I

3/4 THERMAL TIGHTS

I

THERMAL TIGHTS

DEALER INQUIRIES INFO@SPORTSMULTIPLIED.COM

I

WEB WWW.2XU.COM

050 : WORKBENCH : nies like Compex claim to provide some of the same benefits as compression garment and pump manufacturers, and then some. Let’s consider first what muscle electrostimulation is intended to do: ✓ Tune and tone muscles via self-administered electro-pulse therapy. You may remember the scene from the movie Dragon, about Bruce Lee, that features Lee working at his desk while a then-cutting-edge stimulator causes his muscles to flex and bulge, indicating that the device is certainly precipitating reactions. “Three minutes—it’s like doing 200 push-ups,” he says. ✓ Recovery and rehabilitation. Electrostimulation is utilized for muscle health and recovery by targeting specific muscles as well as encouraging blood flow and improved circulation. ✓ Electro-pulse devices offer the additional promise of reduced swelling and dissipated pain by serving as the “electronic equivalent of both ice and heat therapy.” Furthermore, electric impulses can confound pain

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

signals to the brain. It is even claimed that they can prevent atrophy, reeducate muscles and reduce muscle spasms. ✓ The latest consumer devices are equipped with programs intended to facilitate muscle tone and recovery, but also preparation before exercise. For example, a warm-up protocol stimulates a muscle to the point of contraction, but not to the point of exertion, priming a muscle or group of muscles for action without causing it to work.

Devices like the Compex consist of a handheld controller that generates electric pulses and sends them along plastic-coated wires to adhesive electrode patches you apply to your skin. The electrodes are applied to targeted areas in order to “excite” specific motor nerves into electrically induced contraction. Muscles then react commensurate with the intensity level and frequency the user determines via the handheld controller.

To a muscle, the resulting electrical signals look identical to those sent from the brain along the nerve fibers—in other words they

are just like the brain signals we normally send to muscles causing them to contract. That is why electrostimulation, although it can seem exotic and even invasive, is legitimately referred to as a natural treatment protocol.

WHATEVER YOU USE, MAKE IT COUNT. Each of the above technologies arguably can help you recover, adapt and perform better. Whichever you choose will be as effective as you allow through proper use based on the evolving tenets of optimal recovery. As with any piece of fitness equipment, any cool product can lose luster in the eye of its owner if underused.

Why bother? Even subtle improvements in muscle health and your ability to adapt to training workloads can make you more competitive. After all, many of the world’s best triathletes assert that there is precious little difference in the raw fitness of triathlon’s top guns. Some suggest that effective recovery may be the biggest factor separating the sport’s best from all the rest.

LAVA

Matthew Reed | US National Team professional triathlete

your lungs.

your tires.

your legs.

TRIATHLON EVO | 320 TPI Cotton . Tri-specific Racing Tubular . Butyl inner tube for overnight air retention . Fast, Comfortable and Light

DIAMANTE PRO LIGHT | 220 TPI Nylon . Racing and Training Clincher . Light (170 g) and Fast . Enhanced puncture protection

RUbINO PRO SLICk | 150 TPI Nylon . Training Clincher . Optimum performance (215 g) . Excellent mileage and reliability

The Triathlete delivers speed, strength and control.

At Vittoria, we think your tires should too.

Triathlon EVO CS, Diamante Pro Light and Rubino Pro Slick: Made for tri, commited to you!

Vittoria. YOUR tires.

Comfort Low Weight Speed Traction 800.223.3207 | req@usa.vittoria.com | www.VittoriaIndustries.com

052 : WORKBENCH :

THE SQUEEZE ON RECOVERY

Recovery no longer means just getting a good night’s sleep. Here’s several tools to make recovery count.

By Jay Prasuhn

NormaTec MVP $4,900; Normatecmvp.com Used by athletes from Crowie to Shaq, these inflatable leg sleeves provide dynamic peristaltic air compression to help flush from the legs toxins while recirculating blood to the heart for oxygenation.

Trigger Point Performance Grid foam roller $40; Tptherapy.com Different distrodensity zones present a variable massage experience when loosening tight leg and back with this travel-size roller.

CEP compression socks $60; Cepcompression.com One of the first on the tri scene, these medical-grade and study-tested socks help increase veinous return of blood to the heart, minimize muscle vibration while running and make a valuable travel partner on flights.

CompresSport for Quad $115; Compressport.com The benefits of reduced microtrauma to the leg moves into the quadriceps with the Quad sleeve. We’ve found it’s a great “wrap” to help keep groin pulls at bay as well.

Zoot CompressRx Recovery + Travel Tight $150; Zootsports.com The knitted construction allows for distinct degrees of compression, moving blood back to the heart while reducing recovery time.

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

Compex Sport Elite $999; Compex.us Several warm-up, recovery and massage programs on this travelready muscle stimulator help invigorate low blood flow areas, relax tight muscles and clear lactic acid.

sportswear designed for athletes

Craig Alexander

Slim Fit Performance Polo These breathable polos feature a true athletic slim fit with permanent moisture management. Narrow in the shoulders and chest, they offer 4 way stretch, a shorter body length and sleeves that hit mid bicep. Anti-microbial properties provide excellent odor control. A two-piece self collar and narrow three button placket offer a clean and understated look.

Enter LAVA25 in the comments/special instructions box to receive 25% off of your order at www.dunningsportswear.com.

054 : ALL ACCESS : G

NO DEADLINES = NO LIMITS What goes into a world-class aero helmet? Lots of heads-up thinking and a deadline-free approach by Giro’s Advanced Concept Group. LAVA toured Giro’s headquarters and got a peek into the making of the new made-for-Lance, soon ready-for-us aero helmet.

By Jay Prasuhn

E

very company has its “flash” guy—the one who is always out representing the brand and looking after the key accounts.

While there’s always a strong building and backing needed for any effort, this is the guy who gets to rub elbows with the big names. Giro helmets has such a guy and his name is Chuck Platt. A Google search of that name brings up a lavamagazine.com

guy by that name who was bassist with the ’90s Santa Cruz punk band Good Riddance. Yes, that rocker is your flash guy at Giro.

That was his previous life; today Chuck does the hand delivery of Giro’s special helmets to its key athletes. It’s a big job and with it will often come a story about how after a team of nerdy engineers finally got around to making the one-off

helmet, he hand-carried it on his lap across the Atlantic, got lost in his French rental car, ate some bad cheese and high-tailed it to the RadioShack team hotel to get it to some dude named Lance for some bike race the next morning.

Back home in Scotts Valley, Calif., Chris Bullock sits back in his chair, breathes a big sigh of relief and starts in again on the timeless

056 : ALL ACCESS : G

Aerodynamic Clay: While much of Giro’s design come from sketches and CAD programs, old-school clay handmolding is used to create a 3D model.

process of building aero helmets that will slice through the air with wanton impunity, content with the fact that while he’s not the flash, he brings the noise. For every Barack Obama, you have a Robert Gibbs. For every Batman, a Robin. And the head of this team of nerds is back at it, creating a new aero helmet worth 40 or 50 seconds over 40K. Bullock is the Advanced Concept manager at Easton-Bell Sports, the parent company for Giro.

The engineers there are responsible for everything from the airy Atmos to the aerodynamic Advantage 2, the Roc Loc rear retention system, and in addition, designing bike (and hockey, baseball and snowboarding) helmets for both lavamagazine.com

their own brand and sister brand Bell Helmets.

There’s a lot going on here, with over 11 million helmets sold last year in all categories, but cycling is the head-and-shoulders majority among them. Amid a staff of dedicated cyclists, it is the brand’s lifeblood.

Giro’s Scotts Valley offices reflect the brand’s dedication to cycling culture. A candy land for bike fans, the foyer takes you past a pair of larger-than-life-size posters of Lance Armstrong and Cadel Evans, and race-used versions of their respective Giro and Bell helmets. In every cubicle are helmets, mostly for biking. Some are being tested, some are ready to send to pro athletes, others are going to the

staff for real-world testing on the area’s bountiful trails and roads.

Last year, Bullock assembled Giro’s best and brightest to create the Advanced Concept Group, and issued a unique edict: These employees no longer had deadlines. Cause to celebrate, right? They did have projects and goals, but sales and marketing-related deadlines were off the program. For the ACG, it is about making the product the best it can be, regardless of time. The group’s first test came with Platt’s delivery of Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France TT helmet.

And it wasn’t just an engineer on a CAD program. Giro’s ACG crew used a 360-degree

20 grams of protein to help you recover from Chrissie worthy workouts.

Chrissie Wellington, 3x Ironman® Champion

CytoSport™ products complement a healthful eating and hydration plan that, when combined with a balanced exercise program, may contribute to healthy weight management and recovery from exercise. ©2011 CytoSport, Inc. Benicia, CA 94510 USA musclemilk.com

058 : ALL ACCESS : G

Miniature Armor: Bullock holds a laser-cut model, built in smaller scale and used to help create true scale mold measurements for production.

digital scan of Lance’s head and shoulders, lots of clay, some fluid dynamic testing in a tank, wind tunnel testing in four different tunnels and course-specific wind condition plotting. In the end, the only time constraint was getting the sucker into Platt’s hands to do the Superman delivery to Lance in time for the race. “The model generator was done in L.A. by the same guys who did scans for Terminator and Avatar,” Bullock said. “It took like 17 seconds. We told Lance we were done and he didn’t need to go to the tunnel for helmet testing and he shook his head and said ‘Really? I don’t need to go to wind tunnels anymore?’” It’s been perfect. We’ve done over 100 versions of the helmet and obviously he wouldn’t be available to test them all—but his torso was.”

After travel, tooling and prototyping, making that one helmet cost Giro $40 million. The cost of tooling alone was estimated at $10 to $15 million. “Man, wind tunnels ain’t cheap,” Bullock said flatly.

FOLLOW US ON

Thor_World_Champion_media_horiz_LAVA_traz.indd 1

lavamagazine.com

27/10/10 12:15

G : ALL ACCESS : 059 That is not your typical aero helmet design process.

“With Chris’ group, there are no hard, fast deadlines,” said Greg Shapleigh, senior vice president of marketing and product development with Easton-Bell Sports. “We just throw stuff at him and say ‘we’d like to solve this.’ We want true R&D, not constrained by deadlines, thinking outside the box.”

Bullock said the lack of an arbitrary sales deadline frees designers to make something the best it can be, not just “good enough” for deadline. “ACG is a new group, but not a new concept,” Bullock said. “It’s the roots of when Jim Gentes founded Giro; back then he spent time doing weird stuff. Now it has a more formal structure.”

“Formula One body designers can’t start a season without a car, but they still have a deadline. I imagine when they get the car, there’s still stuff they want to keep working on,” Bullock continued. “It’s been the same in the helmet industry as well, but when we started ACG in

Lance Armstrong’s 2010 Tour-used G284 (left), the first product of Giro’s Advanced Concepts Group, sits alongside a one-off Rev 5 helmet co-developed with Giro by John Cobb and used by Armstrong in the‘03 Tour.

Heather Wurtele on her way to becoming an Ironman Champion x2 at Ironman St. George.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

2011 If you want to be the best, learn from the best.

SKILL DEVELOPMENT CAMP with Guest Coaches HEATHER + TREVOR WURTELE June 11th-16th, 2011 • Boise, ID Application Deadline: Feb. 15th, 2010 Limited Scholarships Available

HALF DAY YOUTH CLINICS WILL BE HELD IN: Eugene, OR (June 5th) • Honolulu, HI (May 15th) Coeur d’Alene, ID (Date TBD) • Helena, MT (Date TBD) Seattle, WA (Date TBD) For more information on our camps and clinics, please visit:

Our Blog: http://bit.ly/USATPNW or E-mail: alexander.endo@usatriathlon.org

lavamagazine.com

060 : ALL ACCESS : G

Exam Day: Helmets sit awaiting analysis after undergoing impact testing at Giro’s Scotts Valley headquarters.

January, we wanted our goals to be long-term.

There are targets and goals and milestones to reach. If we have 20 projects, maybe three end up being good ideas. We’re allowed to fail, and some things don’t work out. But if you have one shot to do it and it has to be successful, you’re going to be a lot more conservative. The Tour stuff was simply something to get it kick-started and get some immediate results.”

And it was immediate. Lance had a solid opening TT in a helmet designed for one man, for one event. In fact, it was designed for that specific TT: the shape was optimized for the wind angles that ACG team members predicted for that July 24 TT in Bordeaux, France, postulating that while just eight percent of the time on course would be spent facing wind angles between zero and 7.5 degrees, the majority—52 percent—would be in wind coming from an angle of 15 to 20 degrees.

They’d even banked on 17 percent of his ride facing wind at a 20 to 25 percent yaw. Armstrong and Alberto Contador rode the new helmet design in the final TT (though Contador’s was

THE LEMOND REVOLUTION WITH DIRECT DRIVE

™

Technology that makes roller-based trainers obsolete.

lemondrevolution.com

The official bike trainer of Team Garmin-Transitions ©TDWsport.com

10.14.10 - JOB#: LEM003-Revolution Print Ad | Client: LeMond Fitness | Lava half-page horizontal, full color, no bleed | Issue: Ironman | TRIM SIZE: 7.583” x 4.854” HAMMERQUIST STUDIOS: sydney@hammerquistnebeker.com, 425.285.3363

lavamagazine.com

: ALL ACCESS : 061 shaped slightly differently). Now, it’s the baseline for a consumer version.

“The stuff we did for Lance and Alberto, while it’s for them, is based around the shape the G284 is going to be,” Bullock said, using the internal code for the consumer version of the as-yet-unnamed helmet (Giro’s 284th iteration). “At the end of the day, we tested these crazy shapes, and it validates for us that the 284 is really, really fast. Both Lance and Alberto said it was faster than the Advantage 2, and that was our goal: to be sure it was better than the American or European version of the Advantage 2. Otherwise, why bother? We had to be able to go back to them and say ‘yeah, we’re damn sure of our numbers.’”

What didn’t we know about the helmet heading in for our first hands-on look at what we’ll see in the near future? “The brow line is cut on a bias because when you’re in the aero position, you want the helmet to be horizontal to the ground without inhibiting your ability to look up the road,” Bullock said. “Once we

had the scan, we could do a lot in CAD, and knowing where the eyes are, we could develop advances around that. And for our upcoming consumer line, there will be a true trickledown effect from this.”

Aside from refining fit, comfort and breathability, there are improvements to come, taking further grams of drag off the body’s leading point against the wind. All thanks to the yeoman’s work on that one solitary helmet.

“Shields are definitely better than [no shields], but they have to be put onto the helmet right,” Bullock said. “If you have big gaps, glasses may be just as good. A smooth shield is good, but getting the shape for a number of wind conditions—You’ll never be right into the wind, but we have a lot more knowledge now about balancing for different wind angles.”

It’s this investment in design that helps Giro not only maintain a market edge, but put its athletes on the podium. “What’s great about ACG is that in the past we were looking for new technologies, but with deadlines, there

IF WE HAVE 20 PROJECTS, MAYBE THREE END UP BEING GOOD IDEAS. WE’RE ALLOWED TO FAIL AND SOME THINGS DON’T WORK OUT.

wasn’t a lot of time for engineers to think outside the box. A decade ago, engineers were doing this for Michael Schumacher in F1, but no one had done it in bikes. Now we have huge resources and momentum to pull it all together and do some amazing things. And not for just our top athletes. This is stuff triathletes are going to find advantageous. If we can get 20 or 30 grams out of a shape, that’s good. But to take out 100 grams, like we’re doing—that’s huge.”

LAVA

PROVEN IN THE LAVA FIELDS.

Visit your local Kestrel Dealer to test ride the all new Kestrel 4000 Limited Edition.

kestrelbicycles.com | 800.631.8474

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

062 : RAPP REPORT : G

POWER PLAY Power meters take the guessing game out of your training.

By Jordan Rapp

gary geiger

SRM’s power meter is imbedded in the crank arms, using strain gauges to measure the load applied to the pedals.

lavamagazine.com

O

ne of the maddening parts about timed racing is that speed—the very component that truly defines success—is largely incidental. Whether it’s swimming, biking or running, speed is overwhelmingly influenced by terrain, weather, equipment and a host of other factors. Did you just shave 10 seconds off your PR in the pool because of hard training, or was it because of that new full-body rubberized suit? Was that 5K PR due to smarter pacing, or was it a tailwind pushing you along? Nowhere are these questions more prevalent than when you’re on the bike, where wind speed, road surface, tire choice, equipment aerodynamics, topography and even air density play a role in speed. How fast you go is all that gets recorded in the official results, but it doesn’t even come close to telling the whole story of what it took to get there.

From a physiological perspective, the key metric is power. Power is the amount of useful work done, defined as a force acting over a distance, over a given period of time. If you help your friend carry a couch up four flights of stairs to his new apartment, the work is the same whether it takes you five minutes or 50.

But the faster you do that work, the more power is required. With cycling, power is defined as the product of torque—the force you apply to the pedals multiplied by the length of your crank arm—and angular velocity, commonly known as cadence. This doesn’t mean that longer crank arms will give you “free” power. An increase in crank length is accompanied by a decrease in cadence. The easiest way to think about this often confusing subject is to realize that longer cranks move your foot in a bigger circle, and so even though you may have a longer lever, you have to push it for longer. More often than not, decreasing crank length actually results in a boost in power.

The power your body can generate for a given period of time is pretty much fixed by the training you’ve done and the parents you have.

064 : RAPP REPORT :

GARY GEIGER

SRM, like most high-end power meter manufacturers, includes software, enabling you to pinpoint areas of weakness and chart progress throughout the season.

Want to make more power? Train more or pick new parents. Want to go faster for the same amount of power? Buy a more aero frame, an aero helmet, a disc wheel, and some new tires.

But if you want to know how much power you

can put out for your chosen distance, you need a power meter.

How often have you heard someone lament after a race about how he or she “blew up on the run.” Falling apart on the run is of-

ten caused by riding too hard. On a windless day, on a perfectly flat road, your power and your speed would match up very well. Now let’s stop for a moment and think about how many races even remotely resemble that scenario. Unlike heart rate, and your own sense of “effort,” called RPE (rate of perceived exertion) in the world of physiology, power is not influenced by weather or nerves or that brand new deep-dish wheelset. Power only cares about the work it takes to get from A to B, and how quickly you want to do it.

Power meters used to be exclusive to the wellsupported pro or the well-heeled amateur. But that is all changing, and the pace of that change has accelerated rapidly in the past few years.

Along with SRM, leading the charge in the power meter business is CycleOps, a division of Saris and maker of the hub-based PowerTap, and Quarq, maker of the crank-spider-based CinQo power meter.

Jim Meyer, founder of Quarq, said his longterm goal is to make power meters so simple that you worry “more about lubing your chain

for your protection...

Aqua Therapy Chlorine Out Hair & Skin Care

z&6 2oz, 8o s size

FOR THE

TRISWIM CLEAN HOLIDAYS retail & online locations :: free samples :: www.tri-swim.com :: 800.620.4094 LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

Anti-Fog Cleaning Towelette

crystal clear vision

IDEA GREAT IDAY OL FOR H S! GIFT 4oz

{keeping the wipe airtight will yield 5-6 uses!}

:: retail & online locations :: free samples :: www.tri-swim.com ::

: RAPP REPORT : 065 than about your power meter.” This goal has been aided by the industry-wide shift to wireless technology, and it will only benefit from the recent decision by Garmin to open-source their nearly ubiquitous ANT+ protocol, which power meters such as the CinQo use to communicate with popular bike computers. Nowadays you can even link your power meter to your iPhone or Android phone. Taken together, all these developments have made power meters a consumer-friendly device, as opposed to a scientific instrument, which is how the original mobile power meter—the SRM—was marketed. But as much as Meyer speaks in terms of simplicity, the Americanmade CinQo is anything but. Using finite element analysis in CAD software to break down the stresses in the spider, Meyer arranged 10 strain gauges into 20 grids in order to measure as precisely as possible the stresses in the spider as power is transferred from the pedal to the chain.

At the other end of the drivetrain sits the PowerTap hub. Unlike the CinQo, which replac-

TAKEN TOGETHER, ALL THESE DEVELOPMENTS HAVE MADE POWER METERS A CONSUMERFRIENDLY DEVICE, AS OPPOSED TO A SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT.

advantage for triathletes, many of whom split training time between a road bike and tri bike.

Ease of use, and ease on the wallet, are core concerns for CycleOps. The company’s cheapest offering, the wired PowerTap COMP, carries an MSRP of only $599.

If you haven’t yet seen how important power can be to your training, now is a great time to invest. And if you are already a power user, then you can look forward to more and more developments in what is certainly one of the most rapidly developing fields in bicycle technology.

LAVA

es a crankset spider, the PowerTap uses a device called a torque-tube to measure the stress in the rear hub’s axle caused by the chain driving a cog. Though this means it’s influenced by the cleanliness and efficiency of one’s drivetrain (a PowerTap hub typically reads about 1 to 5 percent lower than a crank-based power meter), it also means that the unit never needs to be calibrated to different length crank-arms or chainrings. It’s also a very easy unit to swap between bikes. This flexibility can be a huge

Jordan Rapp received his BSE in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University in 2002. As a professional triathlete, he is able to work as a true field engineer for the product development teams at Specialized Bicycle Components and Zipp Speed Weaponry. When not riding his bike, he can be found behind his laptop fulfilling his duties as the Chief Technology Officer for Slowtwitch.com.

CONQUER YOUR MOUNTAIN

.

U O Y E K I L T S U J S ’ E .

H R E T S A F Y L N O ...

LIKE HIM .

E ID R L TIL triathlete ssional U CAN S

bUT YO

fe ther, pro

band, fa

ed: Hus Matt Re

www.fujibikes.com

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

066 : FEATURES 067

W

hen you think about it, our sport narrowly escaped disaster. At 5 a.m. on October 9, when most athletes competing in the Hawaii Ironman were forcing down toast and trying to practice Zen breathing, the sport’s reigning legend was throwing in the towel. Chrissie Wellington’s decision to scratch due to unexpected illness sent shock waves across the Big Island so large a tsunami alert should have been issued.

Having the sport’s reigning queen bow out didn’t extinguish her presence one bit.When Tiger Woods’ premiere “I’m sorry I slept with everyone but my wife” TV interview cut into last spring’s PGA Transitions Tournament, it completely obliterated any coverage of the winner (it was Jim Furyk if you’re wondering). It appeared the Hawaii Ironman was careening

ghost

chasing down a

By Susan Grant Legacki

lavamagazine.com

❘

Photography by Donald Miralle

FEATURES : 067

lavamagazine.com

068 : FEATURES 069

dangerously toward the same fate, if not for the indisputably jawdropping racing from third-place finisher Julie Dibens, runner-up Caroline Steffen and, above all, Ironman champion Mirinda Carfrae, who managed to chase down not just her competition, but also the intangible ghost of Wellington.

The haunting began for Carfrae when she was sat down and told the news outside of the transition area in the wee hours of race morning. “She looked like she had seen a ghost,” says Tim O’Donnell, Carfrae’s longtime boyfriend and fellow professional triathlete. Carfrae’s manager and O’Donnell tried to keep her calm as she sat on the curb, but the look on her face said it all.

Not having Wellington in the race created a mixed bag of emotions for the Australian, who came second to Wellington in 2009 in her de-

lavamagazine.com

but Ironman. “I felt really nervous, and then suddenly I felt even more pressure to win,” Carfrae remembers. “Chrissie had a year to prepare for being the favorite going into this race, and I had 30 minutes.”

Carfrae had been determined to push herself harder than in 2009, and while being thrust into the position of the race favorite was stressful, she knew she had to let it go and race her own race. “It’s still a world championship race whether or not Chrissie is there, so I knew I was going against the best of the best regardless,” she says.

Dibens is adamant that having Wellington absent wasn’t a factor for her once the race began. “I just kind of blocked it out,” she says.

“Who knows if it would have changed how I raced having her there, but we’ll just never know.”

FEATURES : 069

By the time the cannon went off at 6:30 a.m. it was clear that while the pro women weren’t going to have the day they had expected, they had a golden opportunity. What they had was a real race.

They also had the open road. This year the race format featured a 30-minute gap between the professional and age-group starts, which was convenient for the pro men but game-changing for the women.

This time there would be no elbowing past speedy age-group men or getting caught in a spider web of males with delicate egos who would rather chew nails than get chicked. “It just made for a really clean race,” explains Carfrae. “Last year when the men got up there it kind of slowed us down because you have to be mindful of staying far enough away from everyone and this year there were literally minutes in between all of us, which was the way it should be.”

With the roomy 30-minute head start, former Louisiana State University swimmer Julie Dibens and fellow Brit Rachel Joyce stayed up with the pro men for much of the swim. Despite momentarily getting caught with a group of pro men who were slightly off course, Dibens exited the water in second place, close behind Joyce, before beginning her all-out assault on the Queen K. Five places behind Dibens, much to her own surprise, came Carfrae in 55:53, more than two minutes faster than her 2009 swim split. “I’m pretty sure I was the only girl getting out of the water with a smile on her face,” says Carfrae. “I never swim with girls like Leanda [Cave]; usually I’m about two minutes behind her but I got out with her and it was amazing.”

With the weather still hovering in the low 80s, Dibens quickly passed Joyce on the bike and by mile 20 was beginning to catch

lavamagazine.com

070 : FEATURES

As expected, Dibens was brilliant on the bike, powering to a 4:55:27 split and an advantage of over six minutes at the start of the run.

up to the pro men. “I was conscious about not going out too hard, so I tried to hold back a little bit,” says Dibens. Her goal was to come in well under five hours, and it was clear before she even made it out past the Kona airport that she was going to make that goal as long as she stayed within herself.

Roughly three minutes behind Dibens pedaled one of the dark horses of the day, teamTBB’s Caroline Steffen of Switzerland. Steffen, nicknamed “Xena” (as in the warrior princess) by her teammates, raced Kona in 2006 as an age grouper, and was hot off a stellar 2010 racing season where she made the podium in 11 of her 12 races, and took the title on several hot-weather courses including the ITU Long Distance World Series in Weihai, China. Steffen exited the water in 10th place but had moved up to second by mile 25, and continued to hold her position despite Dibens pulling away from the women’s field.

While the heat was not a major factor in this year’s race, Madame Pele did bring some winds, namely large gusts up at the course turnaround in Hawi. While athletes are normally met by strong headwinds coming through Waikoloa on their way back into T2, this year there was a slight tailwind. “Every time I rode this course before the race we had this huge headwind heading back into town,” says Dibens. “It just wasn’t there that day, and I think had it been it would have worked to my advantage.” lavamagazine.com

While the pro women werenÕ t going to have the day they expected, they had a golden opportunity. What they had was a real race.

Carfrae moved up to third position by the halfway mark, and held steady until mile 83, when teamTBB’s Amy Marsh muscled past her. “I was a little surprised when she went by, but it was late enough in the bike that I knew she wasn’t going to put a whole lot of miles into me as long as I minimized the damage.”

Despite the girls’ insistence that Wellington’s absence wasn’t a factor in their race, Wellington’s ghost was all over the lava fields. In fact, Dibens was on its tail. In 2009, Wellington had pulled away from the other girls and ridden up with the pro men early on, much like Dibens, posting a torpedo-fast 4:52:06—nine minutes faster than any other pro woman on the course.

CAROLINE STEFFEN 2ND PLACE 2010 IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PARTICIPANTS

#1 IN AERO HELMETS AT THE 2010 IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OFFICIAL HELMET COUNT.

LEARN FROM YESTERDAY, LIVE FOR TODAY, NEVER GIVE UP.

072 : FEATURES

Jay Prasuhn

After getting off her bike in second place, Steffen started to reel in Dibens, but couldn’t hold off the charge from Carfrae.

The Aussie passed Steffen at mile eight, and the Swiss newcomer went on earn her first world championship podium, finishing second.

This year, Dibens pushed across the course mostly on her own, her silhouette coming into view along the horizon like a lone horseman.

Standing at any mile marker, you would have to wait five minutes before Steffen, Carfrae and Marsh would even begin to come into view. The rest of the spectators were thinking of Wellington, even if Dibens wasn’t, and the race-day gossip—however speculative—was largely in agreement that had the two Brits been out there together, Wellington would have had a real duel on her hands coming into T2.

Dibens flew into T2 after 4:55:27 of riding, five minutes ahead of Steffen and roughly 11 minutes before Carfrae. “I would have liked to have lavamagazine.com

had more time on Rinny,” says Dibens. “I was just really intimidated about running that marathon since I’d never run one before.”

Despite this being only the second time Carfrae ever ran 26.2 miles, all eyes were on her from the minute she got off the bike—and she didn’t disappoint. Fleeing T2 like a woman on fire, Carfrae pushed a six-minuteper-mile pace, and had already gained two minutes on Dibens within the first two miles. “I always feel like I just have to get those first two miles done as fast as possible before I can find a rhythm,” Carfrae says. “I’m sure a real runner would say that’s not a good idea but it works for me. I just don’t have my run legs going until after the first two miles.”

074 : FEATURES

Jay Prasuhn

A T2 deficit of over 11 minutes would have taken just about anyone else out of the race, but it did not phase Carfrae, who passed Dibens for the lead after 16 miles. The Aussie’s marathon time of 2:53:32 was more than three minutes better than her record-setting run from last year and faster than all but 11 of the professional men.

Just a few miles up the road, Dibens was finding—and subsequently losing—her marathon running legs. For the first 10 miles of her run, Dibens says she felt strong, but things began to fall to pieces quickly. In the end, it was her own high sweat rate that did her in. “I starting having such bad cramping in my legs that at one point they literally buckled underneath me and I had to stop, stretch and walk,” she says. “There were some points early on in the marathon where I thought I wasn’t going to finish.”

Not finishing the race wasn’t even a possibility for Carfrae; her goal wasn’t just to win, but to win with the fastest marathon possible. Heading up the hill at Palani she looked stronger and faster than the crowds of pro men she made mincemeat of. By mile 6, Carfrae had Steffen in lavamagazine.com

Not finishing the race wasn’t even a possibility for Carfrae; her goal wasn’t just to win, but to win with the fastest marathon time possible.

076 : FEATURES

Carfrae’s winning time of 8:58:36 was the fourth-fastest time ever recorded in Kona. The only women to go faster are Paula Newby-Fraser (‘92 & ‘93) and Chrissie Wellington (‘09).

her sights and by mile 8 she had moved into a comfortable second place.

Out on the Queen K, just before making the turn into the Energy Lab, Dibens was visibly hurting when she felt a familiar hand on her back. “I remember Rinny passing me and taking a moment to say a few words to me,” Dibens says. “I tried to say something but I don’t think any words actually came out. It made me smile though. Every time I saw her I had a smile on my face just knowing she was having a great race.” lavamagazine.com

Carfrae says she told Dibens to hold on because the podium was hers if she kept going. After those few moments of exchange between the two good friends, Carfrae pressed on, confident that she was going to be a world champion.

Heading down Ali’i, Carfrae grabbed her homeland flag, and pushed the pace even harder. She would complete the marathon course in 2 hours and 53 minutes—a faster time than half of the top-20 pro men—and fast enough to break her own previous course record of 2:56:51 set last year.

THE ULTIMATE ExpErIEncE In nATUrAL rUnnIng

VerY liGht LESS FATIgUE

leSS imPAct FASTEr rEcOVErY

GreAter eNerGY retUrN SpEED

science in motion.

tm

Sock-like comfort nO cHAFIng

eNGAGe the GroUND MOrE EFFIcIEnT

leVel PlAtform SOFTEr LAnDIng

Better leVerAGe FOrWArD prOpULSIOn

boulder, colorado

078 : FEATURES

Dibens and Carfrae have been friends and training partners all year long in Boulder, Colo., but for nine hours, they were forced to be rivals. Dibens 9:10:04 finish was the fastest third-place time in history by more than two minutes.

Carfrae took the win in 8:58:36, the fourth-fastest women’s time in course history; an impressive end to a day that began with her sitting on a curb holding the gigantic bomb that had been dropped on her.

“My goal was to race my own race, and I did that,” Carfrae says. “I knew people would ask about Chrissie, but I really know that I raced my best on my best day and I just wanted the focus to be on that.”

Eight minutes after the tiny Aussie crossed the line, Steffen would run a PR for second place. And, despite never having run a marathon before and suffering through debilitating leg cramps, Dibens held strong for a third-place finish, collapsing into the arms of her good friend Carfrae.

As the pro women crossed the finish line one by one, Wellington’s ghost seemed to evaporate—at least until next year. This was a day of impressive racing by fast women, including four women riding under five lavamagazine.com

hours and one of them, Switzerland’s Karin Thürig, breaking the women’s bike course record with a 4:48:22, a record that had been set 17 years ago by Paula Newby-Fraser. On the run, we saw impressive times by not just Carfrae, but also eighth-place finisher Caitlin Snow, who ran a 2:56:04.

While the last of the professional women crossed the line, Wellington’s manager, Ben Mansford, sat in the grandstands and furiously texted on his phone. “It’s a disappointing day,” he admitted, adding that Wellington was sick in bed and heartbroken about not racing. “However I’m sure that what doesn’t kill her will make her stronger.”

Carfrae, who received a kind note from Wellington after the race congratulating her, is certain that next year she will face Wellington again in Kona. “I’m sure she’ll be even hungrier to win,” she says.

No doubt the other women she haunted this year feel the same way.

LAVA

TM

with Co mp u Tr a i n e r

Kudos to Rinny, and the other

CompuTrainer athletes.

“It was her bike split today that ensured her second world championship."

Ironman.com Oct., 2010

Eight 'Kona Top 10' Triathletes use CompuTrainer. Simply unprecedented, and instructive. Because the combination of accurate Power Training, exclusive SpinScan real time biomechanical feedback, and Interactive Real Course Videos dramatically improves your bike performance. Truth is, train with CompuTrainer, like these 8 great athletes, and you will get faster. At least 10%, guaranteed. That's about a 30-minute improvement in an Ironman bike split. Incredible.

“I definitely would not be the athlete I am today without this amazing training tool!”

Mirinda Carfrae Champion 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship

Speed Up.

Julie Dibens

Virginia Berasategui

Rachel Joyce

Caitlin Snow

3rd Place

4th Place

5th Place

8th Place

®

Leanda Cave

Raynard Tissink

Eneko Llanos

10th Place

5th Place, Overall

7th Place, Overall see what’s Up at:

Ironman, M-Dot and 70.3 are registered trademarks of World Triathlon Corporation.

w w w. r a c er mateinc.com

080 : FEATURES

islandstudies island studies

By Brad Culp

Photos by Donald Miralle

After being completely written off as a contender, Chris McCormack proves that in a wide-open race, experience matters most.

i

t wasn’t the Ironwar of 1989. It wasn’t Chris Legh’s body completely turning off 50 meters from the finish in 1997. Nobody crawled. This year’s duel between Chris McCormack and Andreas Raelert was simply one of the finest head-to-head races in Kona’s history, leaving the result in doubt until mile 25.2 of the marathon.

Never before have two men run side by side at the front so late in the run. Never before has the leader been caught so late in the race, fought off the inevitable pass, and gone on to win. Never before have the two leaders shaken hands with little more than a mile to go. After two years of watching Craig Alexander methodically pick off his

lavamagazine.com

competition one by one, we were due for a race to the finish and that’s exactly what we got.

McCormack and Raelert have a history, although you don’t have to go back very far to find it. McCormack, or “Macca,” as he’s known to his friends and fans, has spent a fair bit of time training in Germany throughout his career, and returned to Frankfurt in July to race the Ironman European Championship for the third straight time. Over the past few seasons Ironman Frankfurt has become the most competitive Ironman event in the world outside of the Big Island, serving as a midsummer litmus test of who to watch for in Kona. After this year’s race

FEATURES : 081

lavamagazine.com

082 : FEATURES 083

in Germany, the result of the test was crystal clear: Watch out for Raelert in October. In Macca’s own words, the German “made us all look stupid in Frankfurt.” Raelert was nothing short of dominant in Germany, topping McCormack by nine minutes after making fools out of the entire field on the bike.

If Macca had anyone to blame for being embarrassed by Raelert in July it was himself. A few days before the race in Frankfurt, Macca sat down for a chat with Raelert and his younger brother, Michael, the 2009 Ironman 70.3 world champion. This wasn’t really a meeting of old friends, but rather a question and answer session in which the Raelert brothers, both relatively new to long-distance

lavamagazine.com

racing, prodded the wise veteran for advice on having a long career and winning big races.

Eventually the topic of Macca’s 2009 race in Frankfurt came up, in which he held a 2:35 marathon pace for most of the run before blowing up in the final mile and finishing third. When a friend of the Raelerts, who had joined in the conversation, remarked that Macca’s performance at that race was reckless, the Aussie spilled into a tirade about what it means to race for the win and how champions take big risks at big races.

Raelert sat and absorbed everything the veteran had to say about offensive racing and clearly made a few mental notes. A few

FEATURES : 083

lavamagazine.com

084 : FEATURES 085

To STAy AwAy FRom AlExAndER FoR 26 milES onE woUld nEEd To gET To ThE SEcond TRAnSiTion AT lEAST FivE minUTES AhEAd oF ThE REigning chAmp And ThEn bE pREpAREd To RUn UndER 2:45.

days later, on the bike course in Frankfurt, Raelert put Macca’s teachings into practice, pushing himself to a 4:20 bike split and a lead of over 11 minutes at the start of the run. The 34-year-old German went on to make winning one of the most competitive events in the world look like a training session, and finished the day as the unanimous frontrunner to dethrone Alexander in Hawaii come October.

“What have you done!” Macca asked himself on his blog a few days after finishing third in Frankfurt. “You’ve created a monster and now you have to race it. Well done Chris.” lavamagazine.com

While Raelert headed to Kona in October with bull’s-eyes covering his back, McCormack landed on the Big Island without making much of a stir. Since winning Kona in 2007, Macca’s fame has been overshadowed by that of fellow Aussie Alexander, whose reserved and collected demeanor stands in stark contrast to McCormack’s brash and outspoken modus operandi. After two years of watching Alexander fly through the field on the run, it appeared there were only two ways to beat him: Either ride so far away from him that he runs out of room to catch you on the marathon, or outrun him.

FEATURES : 085

Since the latter option is considered by most to be impossible, Chris Lieto opted for riding away from Alexander last year, and it almost worked.

Lieto held off the fleet-footed Aussie until mile 21 of the run, where Alexander made a swift pass to claim his second title in a row. While Lieto’s bid to topple Alexander was unsuccessful, it did reveal a chink in the champion’s armor: If someone could ride a few minutes into Alexander and then lose only a handful of minutes on the run, maybe he could be beat.

It wouldn’t be easy to do. To stay away from Alexander for 26 miles one would need to get to the second transition at least five minutes

ahead of the reigning champ and then be prepared to run under 2:45.

Given the criteria, it’s surprising that Macca wasn’t given better odds before the race. While he is primarily thought of as a runner, his riding credentials on the Big Island put him near the top of a pretty elite class.

While most of the sport’s standout runners ride in the 4:35–4:40 range, McCormack has shown that he can ride five minutes faster. In 2006 he even broke the 4:30 mark on his way to finishing in 8:13:10, the secondfastest runner-up time in Ironman history (prior to Raelert’s 8:12:17 this year). If he could somehow put together his 4:32 ride from 2009 with lavamagazine.com

086 : FEATURES

delly carr

Lieto was again impressive on the bike, powering to a 4:23:17 split—his fastest ride ever in Kona by two minutes. Lieto started the run with an advantage of almost eight minutes on McCormack, but Macca took over the lead 12 miles into the run. Lieto went on to finish 11th, 15 minutes back of McCormack.

his 2:42 marathon from his winning day in 2007, Alexander would be in big trouble.

Unfortunately for McCormack, he had more to deal with than just finishing in front of Alexander in Kona. He had to figure out how to beat the monster he had helped create three months earlier in Frankfurt.

Like Macca, Raelert’s primary concern before the race was figuring out how to throw a wrench into the planned and precise attack from Alexander. Even though Raelert was competing in the sport’s biggest test for only the second time, he also knew that his best chance to take down lavamagazine.com

the reigning champ would be to steal a few minutes on the bike. The fact that Raelert would have a few minutes on Alexander by the second transition seemed more or less certain before the race, based on the German’s extraordinary 4:20 ride in Frankfurt. It also seemed sure that Raelert would have a T2 advantage on McCormack, who rode 13 minutes slower at their meeting in July.

After finishing the swim of this year’s race surrounded by the big names, McCormack, Raelert and Alexander rode the first 45 miles of the Queen K alongside the rest of the top contenders, while a few of the

ELIMINATES WIND, MOISTURE AND EXCUSES NOT TO RIDE.

P.R.O. SERIES

P.R.O. BARRIER LONG SLEEVE BASELAYER P.R.O. Transfer Fabric with Minerale™ technology provides optimal moisture transfer and odor absorbance. A windproof front panel provides a barrier to the wind for riding comfort.

P.R.O. TRANSFER LONG SLEEVE BASELAYER The Transfer Long Sleeve Baselayer provides full coverage and comfort making it an essential layering piece. P.R.O. Transfer Fabric with Minerale™ technology dries 50% faster than performance polyester and provides outstanding moisture transfer and odor control.

P.R.O. BARRIER LONG SLEEVE BASELAYER

* Minerale™ Fabric technology delivers 8 times more surface area vs performance polyester for ultra-fast drying performance.

© 2010 Pearl Izumi

pearlizumi.com

088 : FEATURES

HE didn’T pUT HiS body THRoUgH AnoTHER yEAR oF HEll FoR To RAcE FoR A Top-FivE FiniSH. WiTH 60 milES STill lEFT To RidE, mccoRmAck HiT THE gAS.

usual suspects built an early lead. As the race started the gradual and windswept climb up to Hawi, two-time champion Normann Stadler shot off the front of the main group to chase Lieto, Maik Twelsiek and Andreas Böcherer, who were just over a minute up the road. Raelert seized the opportunity to pace off a guy who twice won Kona because of his bike split, as did Timo Bracht, Faris Al-Sultan and Belgian Marino Vanhoenacker.

There were some big names at the front, and with the exception of Lieto and Vanhoenacker, all of them were German.

“I felt like I was back racing in Germany—there were Germans everylavamagazine.com

where up there,” McCormack said. “Those boys can really ride bikes.”

To the men in the first chase pack at mile 50, it was clear that of the seven men up the road, Raelert posed the greatest threat. He almost won the race on the run last year, and now he was getting away on the bike. Something had to be done. At least one of the proven sub-2:45 marathoners needed to close the gap to Raelert or the race would be over before the run.

It should come as no surprise that the man to make the move was the one with nothing to lose. Macca had raced with the pressures of

generated at BeQRious.com

090 : FEATURES

delly carr

McCormack finished the ride in 4:31:50, over five minutes better than the bike split from his winning effort in 2007. He started the run with a head start of almost eight minutes on Alexander.

defending a title in 2008, when a snapped derailleur cable took him out of the race on the bike. Now he was old news, a former champion who would probably never win again; the second-best Aussie. Either he could chase down Raelert, have the run of his life, and win his second world title; or he could sit comfortably in the group, run another decent marathon, and hope for a top-five finish.

For Macca it was a no-brainer. He didn’t put his body through another year of hell to race for the top five. With 60 miles still left to ride, McCormack hit the gas. Within a couple of miles, he was out of Alexander’s sight and he could see Raelert up the road. By the time Macca hit the turnaround he was just over a minute back of the Germans and the gap was closing.

McCormack continued toward the men ahead on the furious descent from Hawi back down to the harbor at Kawaihae. As the first 10 men started the last section along the Queen K back into town, Lieto was getting away from the group, but more importantly, McCormack had caught Raelert and was itching to get away from the man he knew would be the lavamagazine.com

biggest threat on the run.

As he approached the airport, knowing he was less than half an hour from starting the run, Macca was back on the accelerator, eager to hit T2 with a little leeway on Raelert, and a little more leeway on Alexander.

Joined by South African Raynard Tissink, Macca flew through the final 15 miles of the ride to enter transition just ahead of Raelert. “[Raynard and I] got a little clear of the group we were riding with and I just thought, ‘let’s go now.’ There were some seriously fit runners behind us and I knew our only chance was to get away from them. You really don’t want to get off the bike with Craig Alexander. It’s simple. You don’t want to get into a running war with him.”

McCormack’s closing move on the bike earned him a precious 40 seconds on Raelert, but perhaps more importantly, it all but put the final nail in Alexander’s coffin. The defending champion would start the run seven minutes after Raelert and almost eight minutes behind McCormack. Alexander would need both of them to run modest marathons—

092 : FEATURES

Alexander closed with a 2:41:59 marathon to pull into fourth place. While it wasn’t enough for this third title, it was his fastest run in Hawaii by over three minutes and the second-best run of the day behind countryman Pete Jacobs (2:41:05).

DELLY CARR

BARRING CATASTRPOHE, IT WAS ALREADY CLEAR WITH 14 MILES LEFT TO RUN THAT ALEXANDER WOULD NOT BECOME THE FOURTH MAN TO WIN THIS RACE AT LEAST THREE TIMES.

well above the 2:45 mark—to stand a chance.

“You don’t let guys like that go—they go,” Alexander said. “I’m sure I could have ridden with Andreas, Chris and that group for a while, but who knows what that would’ve done to my run. That’s where the race was lost and I knew it at the time.”

After less than two minutes in transition, McCormack started the flat, 10-mile stretch along Ali’i with three men still ahead. Unlike Alexander a year ago, Macca was in a hurry to get to the front and wanted to take advantage of the fastest section of the course. Running sub-six-minute miles, it was only a matter of time before he passed the fading Lieto and took the lead in Hawaii for the third time in his career. In 2002, McCormack cracked on the second half of the run; in 2007, he ran down Lieto at mile 14 and never looked back. This year, it looked like the pass of Lieto would come sooner: After getting off the bike almost eight minutes back, the 37-year-old headed back out onto the Queen K Highway only 50 seconds shy of the lead with 16 miles left to run.

“I guess I was running a little scared for that first hour,” McCormack said. “It must have made me run faster because I was getting splits that LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

I was under 2:35 pace. Alexander can run. You never know how much time he’s going to be able to make up.”

But while McCormack was closest to taking over the lead as the marathon turned up Palani Road and back out onto the Queen K Highway, he was not the only one running at record pace. Raelert was ticking off six-minute miles with apparent ease, and headed out toward the Energy Lab three minutes back of McCormack. Alexander too was a big mover, but the real estate he had to close was ridiculous. The two-time defending champ’s sub-six-minute pace was impressive, yet he still found himself eight minutes back of his national rival as the run neared the halfway mark. Barring catastrophe, it was already clear with 14 miles left to run that Alexander would not become the fourth man to win this race at least three times.

As Lieto headed toward the Energy Lab with a narrow lead on McCormack, there wasn’t the same buzz about the American as there had been one year ago. There was no talk of, “do you think he can hang on this time?”

The win was still in doubt, but it was already certain that the American super cyclist in the lead would not contest it. He had run well through the

Photo: ŠJohn Segesta

MACCA TAKES KONA. AGAIN. Speedplay congratulates Chris McCormack on winning the 2010 Ironman Triathlon World Championship on Speedplay Zero pedals. Macca chooses Zeros for their numerous performance benefits, including lighter weight, superior aerodynamics, dual-sided entry, unbeatable cornering clearance, improved power transfer and a comfortable, stable platform. With all of these advantages, now is the time to step up. speedplay.com

Zero Titanium

delly carr

094 : FEATURES

first 10 miles of the run, but now his pace had slackened. Before they got to the halfway mark, where the race really starts, Macca would have the lead.

In 2009, after flying through the out and back section along Ali’i Drive and pulling up to second place, McCormack succumbed to cramps at mile 12. Two years before, he had found himself in the same position, but that time his stride had remained smooth and the result was his first world title.

“That’s where you win or lose the Hawaii Ironman.” Macca wrote on his blog after he finished fourth last year. “The section out to the Energy Lab and back.” Like every successful Kona veteran, McCormack knows that the race for the title almost always comes down to the final 16 miles of the run. For the past two years, he and training partner Terenzo Bozzone have run that final two-hour stretch of the race twice weekly during their pre-race camp on the Big Island.

McCormack did away with Lieto after 12 miles and started the section of the marathon that he knew better than anyone else. But as he took the lead, he became the hunted, and as if on cue, Raelert’s pace lavamagazine.com

increased to just a tick faster than the Australian’s.

As many variables as there are at a race like Hawaii, it’s hard not to do the math when trying to decide who is best poised to win in the final miles. In a numbers game, Raelert was the favorite. At the pace he was running as he headed toward the Lab, he would catch the leader with about six miles left to run. A perfectly timed catch for the German racing in Kona for only the second time. While there was no doubt that Raelert and McCormack would have a meeting sometime after they exited the Energy Lab, it was unexpected that the meeting would be just as cordial as the one in a Frankfurt hotel lobby three months before.

Raelert started the four-mile run through the Energy Lab in second, just 70 seconds back of McCormack. By now he was clear of Vanhoenacker, who was running strong in third, but was 20 meters behind the flying German and losing time. Most of the spotters, cameramen and fans camped out at the exit of the Lab expected to see Raelert come charging out mere seconds behind McCormack. But as the tall Australian ran up

THE 2011 B2... OBSESS MUCH ?

Seeing split times in your sleep? Counting every second gained? We totally get you. Your obsession leads to new PRs, ours leads to faster TT/Tri bikes. To build a faster B2, Felt engineers invented an entirely new way to engineer and construct carbon fiber. It was expensive. It took time. It was totally worth it.

For the complete story use your smartphone to scan this QR code or go to feltbicycles.com

MAGALI TISSEYRE, 70.3 CHAMPION IN THE HURRICANE CATEGORY 5 WETSUIT

ANDY POTTS, IRONMAN CHAMPION IN THE HURRICANE CATEGORY 5 WETSUIT

100% YAMAMOTO NANO SCS RUBBER, 360째 CORE STABILIZATION, SPEED WRAP PANELING, GRADED FORCE CATCH PANELS, A TON OF OTHER NEXT GEN TECHNOLOGIES AND AN INTENSELY COMPETITIVE ATTITUDE ABOUT BEING THE BEST WETSUIT IN THE WORLD.

SUPER-BUOYANT RUBBER EXTERIOR

FREE R.O.M. ZONES

GRADED FORCE CATCH PANELS

360째 CORE STABILIZATION SYSTEM

FORMFITTING WRIST CUFFS

QUICK-RELEASE ANKLE CUFFS

SPEED WRAP PANELING

TYR.COM

098 : FEATURES 099

McCormack found a second wind as soon as he was caught by Raelert after 21 miles. The two ran in almost perfect unison, with McCormack just slightly in front.

the small hill and back onto the Highway, Raelert was still a small dot in the distance. The catch that everyone, McCormack included, had waited to see at mile 20 was postponed.

“I was expecting Andreas to catch me as soon as we got out of the Energy Lab,” McCormack said. “I got to the point that I was waiting for him to catch me, so I was really surprised to get back to the highway and find out I still had 40 seconds.”

Both men were slowing, but while McCormack’s taper was a calculated move, Raelert’s decline was the first sign of bodily mutiny. This was where he had broken a year before. He was far from being a Kona veteran, but like McCormack, he was wise enough to take his time at the aid stations and save something for the final six miles. His legs and gut were giving him the first signs that something wasn’t right. It was time lavamagazine.com

to cut back, take inventory, and make sure he was still eating into McCormack’s lead by a few seconds each mile.

The Energy Lab, the desolate stretch of road between miles 16 and 20 that temporarily dips below sea level, was not particularly hot this year, although it was a few degrees warmer than the Queen K Highway and hot enough to damage the two men in front. Once clear of the Lab, Raelert’s pace came back down toward six minutes per mile, while a loose-looking McCormack jogged a few paces slower up the road. On paper, Macca was losing the race, but up close it was a different story as McCormack cleared 21 miles with Raelert only a handful of seconds behind.

“I got to the point that I accepted that he was going to catch me,” McCormack said. “So I said to myself, ‘all right, let’s stop running on fear and run on brains.’ I just had to keep everything under control.”

FEATURES : 099

Catching McCormack took everything Raelert had and left the German with painful side stitches as the two leaders neared the 24-mile mark.

When a catch happens, especially at the front of a race, the fading runner almost always matches the surging runner’s pace—sometimes for a few seconds, sometimes longer. But this time was different. As Raelert slowly edged up McCormack’s side as the race neared 22 miles, the German shortened his stride to match McCormack’s. The veteran had regained control of his body, and perhaps more importantly, he was controlling the race. It had taken Raelert almost a mile to close the final 100 meters, and he knew he didn’t have the energy for a race-ending pass just yet. It was once again time to hold back, and enjoy having another runner to steady his pace.

The pair of leaders were striding in perfect rhythm with McCormack remaining a few inches in front as they started the run up “Mark and Dave Hill,” where Mark Allen famously broke Dave Scott in the Ironwar

of ’89. It was a further sign that the veteran was the one doing the pace setting. Raelert, who had the experience of two Olympic Games but was still a Kona novice, was content to just keep an eye on the Aussie’s shoulder and hope for an Ali’i Drive sprint finish.

Two miles to go. Two more aid stations, but no one ever breaks at the final pit stop when he’s racing for the win. Mile 24 was the last chance to replenish for what was setting up to be Kona’s first sprint finish. At the start of the aid stop, Raelert slowed to a jog to grab everything in sight. Macca went shopping as well, but his visit was quick and his pace uninterrupted. McCormack left the aid station with a 10-meter gap on his rival, and for a fleeting moment it appeared the decisive move had been made. But McCormack wasn’t ready to go just yet, and Raelert slowly clawed his way back up to the expert’s shoulder. lavamagazine.com

michael rauschendorfer

100 : FEATURES

The Ali’i sprint was back on. The two men continued in unison toward Palani Road, where the street would finally turn downward, marking the beginning of the end.

As they neared the final mile, there was talk among the two leaders.

Bad boy reputation be damned, Macca was extending his hand toward his competitor, even though in less than 10 minutes, one of them would be world champion and the other would be filled with disappointment.

“No matter what happens here, you’re already a champion, mate,” McCormack said as Raelert ran at his left.

“May the best man win,” Raelert replied. After a quick handshake, both their heads turned up the road and not another word was said until after the finish.

The pair made a right at Palani and the road finally tipped down, although the steep grade offered pounding instead of reprieve. McCormack moved to the far right-hand side of the road to get out of the way lavamagazine.com

of the final aid station at mile 25, knowing that it was too late for any extra hydration or fuel. As Macca swung toward the shoulder of the road, Raelert yelled at the volunteers for cola and water. McCormack was stunned. Was he really stopping here?

Macca glanced over his shoulder. Raelert was ten meters back and still preoccupied with cups. Time to go. For the first time all day his second Hawaii title was palpable. He let his legs spin down the steep descent, ignoring the cries from his quads to stop the pounding. By the time McCormack turned left onto the Kuakini Highway and the road flattened out again, he was 40 meters clear of Raelert and could hear the crowd at the finish just around the block.

“I think Andreas may look back on this one as the one that got away,” McCormack said. “It was just inexperience. You don’t drink at that last aid station when you’re running for the title. You may never have a chance to run for the title again. I think he may regret that one.”

Chris Lieto Professional Triathlete

Don’t Train Longer, Train Smarter

Introducing the PowerBeam Pro® trainer from CycleOps®. Until now, only elite triathletes in a lab had access to the kind of precision information Joule 3.0 gives you. The ability to recreate a race course while training and 18 valuable metrics including power, heart rate, time, and TSS combined with closed loop resistance control, allows accurate targeting of your workout. And because it’s from CycleOps, it inte® grates PowerTap for precise power measurement. Bring the power of riding outside, inside and start measuring power like pro triathletes do. Visit the new cycleops.com TM

TM

Saris Cycling Group Madison, WI 800.783.7257

102 : FEATURES

Raelert once again begged his body to close the gap up to McCormack, but there would be no more accelerations. The advantage was already too great. He shouldn’t have stopped.

For the second time in his career McCormack made the final turn onto Ali’i Drive as the leader of the Ironman, and for the first time, he got to soak in the final 500 meters. In 2007 he rushed down the finishing chute, uncertain of how fast Alexander was closing. This time the reports from onlookers shouting from the sidewalks of Ali’i were good.

Raelert was finished. McCormack was gaining time even as he slowed to a jog to find an Australian flag in the crowd.

As McCormack strolled up the final few feet of the finishing chute he took time to pull the sponges out of his race suit and zip up his top, remembering his tainted finishing photos from 2007. Win number one had been somewhat expected: When he first came to Kona in 2002 it seemed inevitable that he would figure this race out and win one day. He was simply too talented and stubborn not to. But this win was far from expected. He was almost 38 years old—the second-oldest man to ever win on the Big Island after Mark Allen in 1995.

Raelert finished one spot better than a year ago, and after back-toback podiums in his first two appearances, it seems unlikely that anyone else will enter next year’s race as the favorite. His greatest threat lavamagazine.com

may be fellow 34-year-old Vanhoenacker, who finished in third, less than a minute behind Raelert. The Belgian’s time of 8:13:14 is the fastest third-place finish in history by more than four minutes.

When it comes to next year, the big question is whether or not McCormack and Alexander, both 37, will return to race. Both men have families to consider, and both have hall of fame-worthy resumes that make it possible to retire without regret. But both men are also fiercely competitive—it’s in their Australian blood—and retiring now would leave their career-long rivalry about as close to tied as you can get in this sport. McCormack and Alexander would go down as the cogreatest triathletes of their generation.

With his fourth-place finish this year, Alexander matched McCormack’s record at Kona. Each has two wins, one runner-up and one fourth-place showing. McCormack can claim an ITU world title (1997) and a World Cup Series title (1998). Alexander can say he won more or less every significant non-drafting event in existence before 2007. The score is almost too close to let it go down without one more winnertake-all showdown. If either man comes back to win next year he would become Kona’s oldest-ever champion and could stake his claim as the greatest all-around triathlete since Mark Allen. For now, it’s not a bad crown to share.

LAVA

Samantha McGlone

E-114 weight

rigidity

comfort

At first glance, an Argon 18 bicycle is a striking sight for its unique, distinctive look. But an Argon 18 is more than just another pretty bike; it’s also an exceptional example of current technologies, well-conceived and appropriately applied. These technological solutions are the end product of lengthy and involved thinking about the dynamic properties most desirable in a bike. We have names for our exclusive design concepts and manufacturing methods: AFS, HDS, S3, the 3D Headtube and ONEness Concept. Learning more about our technological innovations will give you a better understanding of why an Argon 18 offers a truly unique riding experience. Every Argon 18 model exhibits road manners found in no other bike and this, put simply, is the result of our ongoing quest for that elusive optimal balance.

optimal balance Tel.: (514) 271-2992 www.argon18bike.com

SAMMY TILLERY

104 : TRAINING : T

lavamagazine.com

TRAINING T

T : TRAINING : 105

106

the full spectrum 118

coach’s counsel 122

sidelined 130

the hype 144

to your health 150

competitive edge

“The elements of triathlon are each performed in effectively a single plane. However, when fatigue sets in, the first thing you will notice is the athlete’s inability to control slight lateral (outof-plane) movements.”

—Matt Dixon, (Functional

Strength, Page 106.)

lavamagazine.com

106 : THE FULL SPECTRUM : T

FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH Why you need it; how and when to incorporate it.

istockphoto.com

By Matt Dixon, MSc

W

henever the subject of strength or weight training is discussed in conjunction with endurance sports, it seems to evoke fanaticism, with people devoutly defending their “turf.” For many the term “strength training” elicits images of pumping iron in a sweaty, testosterone-filled gym. Believers tout its benefits of injury prevention and improved power and pace, while doubters claim that speed is gained by simply swimming, lavamagazine.com

Functional strength exercises, like push-ups on a BOSU ball, engage your central core in conjuction with large muscle groups for neuromuscular balancing.

biking or running. Both sides are wrong. In this article I will unravel much of the confusion that surrounds functional strength as a component of endurance performance, and I will help you understand how it can and should be integrated into your own training program.

Functional strength is one of my pillars of performance (see sidebar), and I incorporate it in training programs for all my athletes, from newbie to professional. Functional strength is

specific strength training in which the movements relate to the motions utilized in a given sport. Each exercise engages the central/ core muscle complex in conjunction with the muscle(s) of primary focus, and each includes an element of instability to force continual neuromuscular balancing.

The primary purpose of including functional strength as part of an overall triathlon training program is to make an athlete just that—an

108 : THE FULL SPECTRUM : T Author’s Note: The following (Figures 1–5) are a collection of movements that embrace all the components of functional strength, providing an excellent, balanced program. These exercises employ the TRX Suspension Trainer, as that is what I use with my Purplepatch athletes. They can be readily adapted to whatever system you choose to use.

Missing are sport-specific drills, which must be included to gain the complete benefits of any functional strength program. I leave it to you (and your coach) to select appropriate drills to complement your specific program.

FITNESS ANYWHERE

SAMPLE FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH PROGRAM FIguRE 1A & 1B: Oblique crunch.

athlete. Creating a platform of muscular balance, synchronized muscle firing and optimal ballistic output of the muscles can translate across all sports, and can certainly be applied to triathlon. This improved platform allows you to gain maximum benefit from your sport-specific training. When combined with work on biomechanics (drills) and speed work, it can have dramatic benefits on overall performance, with the added benefit of reduced risk of injury. lavamagazine.com

WHAT TO INCORPORATE. A proper functional strength program should consist of exercises that will facilitate improvements in neuromuscular recruitment, joint stability, transfer of power in sport-specific movements, and range of motion.

Neuromuscular programming: Much of functional strength training is related to teaching athletes how to control their movements and fire muscles in coordination. By isolating

specific components of movement and forcing the athlete to control their movement and actions, we are maximizing the utilization of muscle that is already there. It is tough to isolate those actions when actually participating in the sport, and too often I see triathletes who seem to have little real control over what their bodies are doing when swimming, biking or running. Instead of having the athlete distracted by all the motions involved in, say running,

110 : THE FULL SPECTRUM : T

FITNESS ANYWHERE

Figure 2A & 2B: Pike.

In the exploding sport of TRIATHLON, Multisport MINISTRIES helps Christian men stand strong and healthy for Christ.

Join with others across the USA and around the world.

“No man competes to lose. But competing without character guarantees losses even if you finish on the podium or set a PR. Multisport Ministries was founded to equip and encourage you, the Christian Triathlete, to “run in such a way that you will win.�... Join our team of Olympic, world class, and amateur competitive triathletes today. We know you’re racing, now it’s time to race with more purpose.�

!

Founder & President, Every Man Ministries Author of RISK, DREAM, FIGHT, and Every Man, God’s Man Multisport MINISTRIES Advisory Board Member

“For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.�

(1 Timothy 4:8)

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.

Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.� (Ephesians 3:19)

lavamagazine.com

Racing is competition and healthy competition builds character.

we can isolate specific movements or actions and allow them to focus on learning motor control. This always has positive benefits for their actual running over the long term.

Stabilization: The elements of triathlon are each performed in effectively a single plane.

However, when fatigue sets in, the first thing you will notice is the athlete’s inability to control slight lateral (out-of-plane) movements. Hips and shoulders rock from side to side, efficiency drops and the metabolic costs rise. Once this instability sets in, it is extremely hard to reverse.

To achieve your optimal performance in a race (and in training), much of the focus should be on being able to hold form (biomechanics) throughout the event. By working on the support crew of stabilizing muscles that can aid in maintaining optimal planar movement, you will be more able to maintain biomechanics for longer. Any slowing during a race should be due to fitness or pacing issues (much easier to get right), and not inability to hold form.

Photo: © John Segesta

“ I have found my Jamis Xenith SL to be the lightest and most responsive road bike I have ridden.

In our type of racing these two features go a long way in overall performance.”

Laura Bennett - 2010 USAT National Champion - 4th Beijing Olympic Games 2008 - 4 x World Championship Medalist

© Delly Carr - Sports Photography

2011 Jamis Xenith T2

The ”Race of Truth” it’s called: just you, the wind and the clock. We have the tools to stop the clock sooner than the competition. Whether it’s the wind tunnel developed and tested Jamis Xenith T-Series outfitted with its revolutionary Windshield® fork or the Xenith SL which has spent

2011 Jamis Xenith SL

years being honed to perfection in the pro peloton. Jamis designs bikes to help athletes of all levels and disciplines around the globe post their fastest times ever. Get fitted on a Xenith at your local authorized Jamis dealer today and you’ll see, you too can turn back the clock.

www.jamisbikes.com

112 : THE FULL SPECTRUM : T

FITNESS ANYWHERE

Figure 3A & 3B: Power Pull.

Power Production: Simply swimming, biking or running more will never allow you to fully maximize your potential to produce more power or speed. Although triathlon doesn’t demand maximum power or speed, a greater potential correlates well with a higher steady state. Including functional strength in your program can teach you how to generate power more effectively and efficiently. Focused exercises can teach your body to generate power from the support muscles as well as the prime movers. It is this effective movement that lays the platform for more efficient movement and biomechanics.

Mobility: Not all functional strength exercises will specifically aid mobility, but it must be a major focus. An improvement in mobility will allow you to get into positions that result in improved biomechanics and form, but it is close to impossible to improve mobility by simply doing the actual sport. The clearest example of this is running, in which the mobility of the hips is a barrier to many people’s

life without limits www.TriathlonGeek.com

Training Plans & Race Analytics lavamagazine.com

114 : THE FULL SPECTRUM : T

1 COMPRESSION #

FIguRE 4A & 4B: Single Leg Squat.

ANDY POTTS, IRONMAN 70.3 WORLD CHAMPION.

FITNESS ANYWHERE

SOCK IN KONA!

improvement. While speed work and hill running will have some beneficial effect, the surest method is to isolate the movements related to hip mobility and work on them specifically.

Over time mobility will improve, allowing natural improvements in form and biomechanics.

HOW TO INCORPORATE. With the performance benefits hopefully established, you should be ready, even anxious to include functional strength in your program, but the big question is how? What are the methods and components of progressing to big improvements?

The answer is simpler than you might think, as you can achieve nearly all benefits by following exercises using just your own body

weight (see the sidebar: “Key components of a functional strength program”). Endurance athletes seldom have optimal control of their own movement and therefore, you should have a program that allows progression. You should be able to master the full range of exercises using only your body weight. Then you can include an unstable environment (out-of-plane forces you must react to) and finally, consider including additional weight.

There is no single answer, or tool, to address every component of functional strength. The best tool I have found is the TRX Suspension Trainer. Not only is it highly portable, but it can be scaled to an individual’s fitness level, and therefore suits a range of athletes, from newbie

Pillars of Performance WIN FREE SOCKS rockcepsocks.com

As detailed in “Pillars of Performance” in the inaugural issue of LAVA (Page 76), when building your training program, you should place equal importance on all aspects of fitness, your so-called pillars of performance: 1. Cardiovascular fitness. The core component of all training programs—swimming, biking and running.

2. Recovery. Your body must be given time to absorb and adapt to the training you do, as well as to all the other stresses in your day-to-day life.

Find a store: cepcompression.com

lavamagazine.com

3. Nutrition and fueling. You must feed your body well if you expect it to perform optimally.

4. Functional strength and mobility. To gain the full benefit of your cardiovascular fitness, you must have a strong, injury-resistive “chassis.”

NACK rail weight 170gr.

TI SOLID rail weight 220gr.

Available with/without SLIDE CONTROL

P R O LO G O TO U C H . C O M

The new amphibian species ride Prologo: Terenzo Bozzone | Luke Mc Kenzie | Joe Gamble | Jenna Shoemaker

Dealer Inquires: prologo@sportsmultiplied.com

Distributed By:

NAGO EVO TRI40

116 : THE FULL SPECTRUM : T and double legs (strength, stability and neuromuscular recruitment).

Any exercises that you include are only beneficial if you remain healthy and injury free. I like to remind my athletes that they do not have to “break through barriers” or set PRs in their functional strength program; egos should be left at home. The key is patient and smart progression, as well as completely mastering any exercise before evolving to more complex movements. Progression is improvement, and that is all you are trying to do. If you avoid chasing bigger, heavier and stronger with that “no pain, no gain” mentality, then you have every right to assume you will not do any harm to yourself … and that you will see improvement.

FITNESS ANYWHERE

FIgURE 5A & 5B: Sprinter Start

to professional. This means the all-important progression of exercises can occur as you improve. Nearly every exercise with the TRX Suspension Trainer is functional, forces recruitment of the full chain of muscles, and will put you in an unstable environment to force additional neuromuscular recruitment. There are other options out there that provide similar en-

vironments (such as BOSU balls and balance tools), but none that allow you to focus on the full body. You can also achieve plenty with just yourself and a floor. I have all my athletes do a lot of movements on the floor, including lateral hops (to provide lateral stability), hopping and skipping in grids (neuromuscular foot speed), and a range of lunges and squats on single

KEY COMPONENTS OF A FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH PROGRAM An effective functional strength program should: 3 Force continual recruitment of the core/central muscle complex.

3 Include (or progress toward) unstable recruitment of muscles that simulates sportspecific motions.

3 Always translate into real movements made in sports.

3 Include exercises that, in combination, cover all planes of movement.

3 Include exercises that achieve an increase in mobility and/or range of movement, thus allowing advances in biomechanics.

3 Include (or progress to) ballistic movements that teach proper muscle firing and power production.

3 Progress patiently relative to the athlete’s ability, so as to avoid overload or injury, as well as to facilitate progression.

3 Be accompanied by a complete set of biomechanical “drills” or movements that apply to the actual sport (e.g., single-arm swim, single-leg cycling and high-knee running).

WHEN TO INCORPORATE. Traditionally strength is the focus of the off-season only, but this is the wrong approach. The off-season is a perfect time of year to begin your functional strength program because a greater emphasis and time commitment is possible, but it should be a part of your training year-round. Continual progression is key, and simply having two or three short sessions each week will keep providing gains. It is a marvelous tool in conjunction with drills and speed work, so there is nothing wrong with following a short functional strength session with a series of drills or speed work. You will be translating your strength training directly into your sport, and there is no better programming than that.

CONCLUSION. I often hear people claim the best way to get better at triathlon is to simply swim, bike and run more. While I appreciate the thought behind this philosophy and agree that swim, bike and run training are critical components to improved performance—they are, after all, the first pillar of performance—it is not quite so simple. The benefits of functional strength training have been clearly established, but it is even more effective when included as part of a comprehensive training program. Considered alone, it will not necessarily make you a better triathlete, but combined with sport-specific training, you cannot lose!

Functional strength is one of your pillars of performance—and one that you ignore at your own peril.

LAVA

lavamagazine.com

118 : COACH’S COUNSEL : T

A SMOOTH TRANSITION Early season race prep.

By Troy Jacobson

Q:

DEar COaCH trOy,

I just finished my “A” race for the season in November (Clearwater), and now I feel a little confused about where to go from here. I don’t have another race on the calendar until Ironman California 70.3 in April, but that’s an early season race so I don’t want to get too out of shape this winter.

How exactly would you plan an off-season for someone coming off a big race in late fall but competing in another one in early spring?

Should I take a month off in December or just minimize my mileage a little bit for a month or two before ramping it back up?

I should probably mention that toward the end of my training for Clearwater I started having some nagging knee pain. I went to the doctor and he didn’t think it was anything more than overtraining, but does this affect how I should plan my off-season at all?

—Off-Season Malaise Tampa, Fla.

A:

JAY PRASUHN

DEar Off-sEasOn MalaisE,

lavamagazine.com

2011’s Rohto Ironman 70.3 California is on April 2.

First of all, congratulations on qualifying and competing at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Clearwater! That’s a great way to end the season.

You have a great question that many other athletes have: how to transition from one season to the next in a short period of time. You need to recover and let your body and mind decompress after a tough season of training and racing, but you don’t want your form to decline too much as you start looking forward to your new season. It’s tricky, and there are many ways to approach this problem depending on the athlete, but I’ll narrow it down to one.

After a long season lasting six to 10 months of steady training and racing, most age-group athletes need to allow for a short recovery period of two to four weeks. Both your mind and your

596 Photo athlète : Thierry Sourbier

Mike Aigroz - Ironman Kona 2010

“No words can describe the experience. Only three digits.“

596 I-PACK: Aerodynamics, Power, and Versatility

The 596 was designed with all-around performance in mind, it utilizes the latest wind tunnel testing and aerodynamic modeling, carbon engineering, and LOOK patented integration. The 100% VHM Carbon fiber frame and fork offer exceptional lateral rigidity and ultra light weight, while the aerodynamically optimized tube shapes provide an unmatched aerodynamic advantage. The integration of the LOOK patented E-Post R32, specifically designed for triathlon seat angles, allows for ride quality adjustment through a unique elastomer system, and the ZED 2 Crankset* offers the best stiffness to weight ratio in the industry at a feathery 320grams, all while the 100% carbon indexing stem offers the largest variety of areobar positions of any bike available.

All these things combined make the 596 I-PACK the most advanced tri bike on the market today. *Delivered with Keo Blade Crmo pedals .

www.lookcycle.com

120 : COACH’S COUNSEL : body need a break. I call this taking “one step back to take two steps forward.” If you keep pushing and don’t allow for that short period of decompression, you’ll burn out, overtrain or get injured (like your nagging knee issue).

During this short recovery period, train each sport two to three days per week in order to maintain a good weight and keep the motor revving. However, put your rigid training schedule away and train randomly—when you “feel it.” Also, forget about doing hard intervals during this time: keep your training in lower intensity zones and just enjoy the bike, go out for jogs or do a few easy swims. Your body will be rested, your mind will be recharged and you’ll notice barely any decline in aerobic fitness. In other words, exercise but don’t train.

When this short period of messing around is over, it’s time to get your training mojo back.

As with any vacation, it might be hard at first to reimmerse yourself into dedicated training, but you’ll get it back before you know it as your new goal of California 70.3 starts drawing closer. I recommend that you start with a period of technique and aerobic base development focus for four to six weeks, gradually building

your weekly volume over that time period. An occasional workout that includes some pickups or “openers” will tap into your anaerobic fitness and neuromuscular coordination, keeping those components awake and ready to reengage when the time is right.

Next, after your aerobic base is reestablished, begin to build some interval training into your program for each sport, once or twice a week. I recommend short, high-intensity efforts of 20 seconds to two minutes to begin training and recruiting muscle fibers needed for speed and power. Add these intense sessions slowly, because even though your engine (cardiovascular system) might be ready for them, your chassis (joint connections, etc.) might not be conditioned to handle the intensity just yet and need some time to adapt. Also at this time, continue to build longer aerobic endurance training sessions for each sport into each week, and monitor yourself for signs of fatigue and the need for more recovery.

As you get within eight weeks of your April 70.3, you need to start incorporating race pace tempo workouts in to your schedule each week.

Furthermore, I highly recommend that you find

April 15-17

Learn from the best in Texas!

one to three lower-priority races to do, at sprint or international distances (or up to a half marathon distance running race if triathlons or duathlons are not convenient). Not only will these boost your race fitness dramatically, they also eliminate any “race rust” you may have gathered over the off-season. By this time, you should have good race form and be ready to taper a little and have a good result at Ironman California 70.3.

As I said, this is one of many ways to approach your goal. The bottom line is that you do need a short break from hard training in order to be stronger the next season, but you also need to maintain most of your hardearned fitness gains. Take one step back in order to move two steps forward. Let me know how it goes for you, and good luck.

The official coach of Ironman, Troy Jacobson is a former pro triathlete with sub nine-hour Ironman Hawaii credentials and was a top half-Ironman distance racer in the 1990s. The creator of the Spinervals Cycling Workout series, Jacobson has coached triathletes of all levels since 1992. Visit Coachtroy.com or email him at Troy@coachtroy.com.

The Woodlands, TX  Swim Lake Woodlands  Ride the bike course with Ironman pros

The perfect preparation for Ironman Texas or other long-course events

 Run key sections the marathon course  Aero-fit your bike for comfort and speed

www.IronmanCamp.com LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

Achieve more.

ROLF PRIMA PRO TRIATHLETES

TT85 CARBON NEW FOR 2011 85mm Deep Aero Rim 10 Spoke Front / 12 Spoke Rear

Gina Crawford Heather Wurtele Hunter Kemper Tyler Butterfield Angela Naeth Graham O’Grady Justin Daerr Scott Neyedli Trevor Wurtele Guy Crawford Jan Rehula

2010: 8 Wins 21 Podiums 30 Top 10’s

PR at your next race.

EVERY WHEEL BUILT BY HAND IN EUGENE, OREGON, USA 888.308.7700 | ROLFPRIMA.COM

122 : SIDELINED : T

A PAIN IN THE BUTT Hidden causes and prevention of unilateral saddle sores

By Wolfgang Oswald, P.T, O.C.S., Endurance Rehab

JAY PRASUHN

If you have unilateral saddle sores you may have a body alignment issue that no chamois cream is going to fix.

E

ver wonder why you get skin irritation or saddle sores only on one side? Or why you just can’t seem to find the sweet spot on any saddle? Ever heard the terms: perineal folliculitis and furuncles, boils, callosities, subcutaneous fibrosis or subcutaneous perineal cystic nodules?

Saddle sores, as they are commonly referred to in the cycling world, are similar to hot spots or blisters that occur in the nether region as a result of excessive pressure or friction. They typically start as just redness and tenderness lavamagazine.com

but can become very painful, resulting in not only time off the bike, but a trip to the doctor for a thorough shaving, cleaning and some antibiotics. When they occur unilaterally (on one side only) they should not be taken lightly or considered a rite of passage; instead they are a sign that your body is functioning asymmetrically and inefficiently.

An uncomfortAble but common problem. The topic of saddle sores is not something you tend to bring up with your train-

ing buddies or on your local group rides. If you are like most people who have experienced unilateral sores, you have probably tried different saddles, shorts, pads, creams or even resorted to turning the saddle to the left or right to find relief, without much success. This last option could have even resulted in more discomfort in the form of knee or back pain.

Unilateral sores are indicative of an underlying and possibly undiagnosed musculoskeletal or biomechanical issue that may also be affecting performance. Joint or muscle imbalances in

SIDIs just fit. Perfectly. Italian handbuilt uppers and incredibly thin, rigid soles give you every biomechanical advantage, with the engineered flex your foot needs to maintain circulation and comfort for a blazing bike split that won’t sap you for the run. Just ask any SIDI athlete, like Michellie Jones. SIDI is Italian for speed.

SIDIAMERICA.COM

124 : SIDELINED : T

The most common causes of unilateral saddle sores are leg-length discrepancies, pelvic rotation and pelvic shift.

the spine, pelvis or lower extremities could be contributing to asymmetrical weight-bearing on the ischial tuberosities (seat bones), resulting in saddle discomfort, pain/injury and a reduction in muscle force production. These issues can affect triathletes and cyclists from the novice athlete to the seasoned professional. Sometimes muscle imbalances occur even more frequently in the professional athlete due to the high volume of training. And while studies have shown pressure areas to be different in females versus males because of anatomical differences, the incidence of unilateral saddles sores appears to be just as high among males as females.

SymptomS and SolutionS.

If you can answer yes to one or more of the following questions then you may have a musculoskeletal dysfunction that may be a cause of saddle sore, injury or a decrease in performance.

3 Do I constantly move around on the saddle to find comfort or find myself sliding off one side of the saddle?

3 Do I have to take a rest day after riding because I have sensitive skin “down there� that occurs on one side and not the other?

3 Do I feel that one leg lacks power or becomes more fatigued or cramped while riding?

3 Do I find that one knee goes farther in or out, in relation to the bike top tube, than the other knee?

3 Have I tried different saddles without being able to get comfortable?

A few common dysfunctions/imbalances that are potential causes of unilateral saddle sore are:

JAY PRASUHN

1

lavamagazine.com

leg-length diScrepancy Possible causes: Structural (true leg-length

difference) or functional (caused by structural changes/imbalances in the spinal and pelvic regions). This may cause the shorter leg to have to reach farther for the pedal than the opposite leg, creating an abnormal rotation of the pelvis and asymmetrical sitting. Because the upper body is fixed in cycling and is therefore unable to compensate for leg-length discrepancies, these issues need to be addressed so that the seat bones can be symmetrical on the saddle.

Possible solutions: Have your bike fitted to the longer leg and adjust the cleat position of the shorter leg. Address a functional leg-length difference caused by issues with the pelvis or

126 : SIDELINED : T spine through appropriate exercises or medical intervention such as manual techniques to correct asymmetries.

courtesy endurance rehab

2

A skilled fitter will be able to feel right away if your pelvis is tilted while you ride.

lavamagazine.com

pelvic rotation to the left or right

Possible causes: Asymmetrical spinal rotation or bending in one or more directions, scoliosis (curvature of the spine), sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunctions (where the pelvic bones and spine connect there may be an asymmetrical rotation or shift, causing the seat bones to be asymmetrical), hip range of motion restriction, and, as mentioned above, leg-length discrepancy. An abnormally rotated pelvis may also result in poor hip, glute and thigh muscle recruitment, resulting in decreased power production and an increased chance of overuse injury.

Possible solutions: Spinal mobility exercises (with the goal of reaching symmetry), hip stretching, or medical intervention by a qualified practitioner using manual techniques to correct joint imbalances and tightness. Some bike fitters may try to turn the saddle to achieve

128 : SIDELINED : T

whatEvEr ExcESSIvE movEmENt thErE IS IN thE pELvIS traNSLatES INto powEr that IS Not bEINg traNSmIttED INto thE bIkE’S DrIvE traIN.

a “straight” pelvis. However, this should be avoided, as correcting the imbalances should allow for improved positioning (this is where fitting the person to the bike is as important as fitting the bike to the person).

3

excessive pelvic shifting while pedaling

Possible cause: Due to triathlon training and racing being primarily in the straight- forward (sagittal) plane of motion, most triathletes develop muscle imbalances with weakness in

lavamagazine.com

the side-to-side (frontal) plane and rotational (transverse) plane. In addition, limited hip flexion (knee-to-chest) flexibility can cause the pelvis to shift excessively to the opposite side at the top of the pedal stroke. A frequent cause of this is inappropriate saddle height, which causes the legs to reach for the pedals (saddle too high) or thrust up to the chest with each stroke (saddle too low).

Possible solutions: Hip flexibility exercises and hip and trunk lateral and rotational strengthening. Remember, whatever excessive movement there is in the pelvis translates into power that is not being transmitted into the bike’s drive train. You need these muscles to provide a stable foundation for the primary propulsion muscles (gluteus maximus and quads) to work effectively. Think of it like this: You can’t shoot a cannon off of a canoe. Additionally, the bike should have the appropriate saddle height and crank arm length.

small adjustments with big payoffs. After addressing saddle sores

with your doctor, begin the investigative process with an experienced fitter familiar with these possible imbalances. Again, bike fitting is a process where not only is the bike fitted to you, but where you are fitted to the bike.

Remember that sometimes small adjustments can make a large difference. Consider this: at 70–90 rpm for just one hour, there are 4,200 to 5,400 revolutions. If an improper bike fit or muscle imblance results in 1 cm of extra pelvic movement, this means the pelvis will potentially move 54 meters more than necessary over the course of an hour. Sound like a cause of excessive pressure or friction?

Identifying and correcting these imbalances will result in better seat bone symmetry.

With far less asymmetrical friction you should be able to eliminate frustrating unilateral saddle sores/irritation, improve riding comfort and reduce the likelihood of common cycling overuse injuries.

Some examples or spinal mobility and lateral/rotational hip strengthening exercises can be found at Endurancerehab.com.

LAVA

craig alexander: his career-defining MoMenT TM

SeriouS TriaThlon TriaT TriaThlon

augusT/sepTeMber augusT/sep T T/sep TeMber 2010 : issue 01

800.839.4537

E OFF THRICE P R E COV

*Additional shipping charges for Canada & foreign orders

SUBSCRIBE

800.839.4537

LAVA

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

Also visit LAVA ONLINE for the latest in gear, training, & racing— your digital home for all things SERIOUS TRIATHLON.™

80 0.8 39 .45 37

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

44%

800.839.4537

800.839.4537

SAVE

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

This new magazine brings you right inside the fiery, molten center of triathlon.

OM E.C ZIN GA MA VA LA

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

TM

Subscribe to LAVA MAGAZINE for only $19.95 for one year (six issues) and save 44% off the cover price!

800.839.4537

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM 800.839.4537

GET SERIOUS ... GET LAVA ... SERIOUS TRIATHLON™

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

130 : THE HYPE : T

THE Pain cavE Scientists only really understand the physiology of pain, but endurance athletes have a keen appreciation for the psychological and emotional benefits of a good hurt fest.

By Jim Gourley

jay prasuhn

“If one were to say what it is to do good, in a single word it would be to endure suffering. Not enduring is bad without exception.”

—Yamamoto Tsunetomo

E

veryone remembers their first Ironman. Most of us have an especially vivid memory of T2. The last six miles of the bike feel like they take longer than the first 106. Your neck and shoulders jack up as tight as piano wire. Your quads and calves scream.

You dismount just in time to see one of the elite 70.3 competitors cross the finish line. You try to envision yourself going down the chute, but the only mental picture that develops is of the

lavamagazine.com

26.2-mile gauntlet between you and that moment. The only thing that hurts more than the thought of going on is the thought of not finishing—so you get moving. You step forward knowing that what follows will be more than a long run. This is going to be the final plunge into a place we athletes call “the pain cave.”

Pain. It’s one of the most basic survival mechanisms common to every vertebrate life form.

Yet, as primordial as our ability to perceive pain

is, science understands only the fundamentals.

Pain-specific nerves called nociceptors detect the presence of a “noxious stimulus”—i.e., a cut or a threshold level of lactic acid. The nociceptors then carry a signal from the region where the pain occurs to the brain’s thalamus. The thalamus distributes the signal to multiple regions of the brain. Because of their presence throughout the entire body and their intermingling with other sensory nerves, there is no way

Photo: Eric Wynn

Chris McCormack rides the 808 Firecrest wheelset, Zipp Tangente Tubulars, and SRAM RED components

HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. We launched the new 808 Firecrest at Kona, and Chris McCormack took full advantage. Out on the Queen K, his 808s with Zipp Tangente tubulars were the fastest, most efficient, best handling wheels on the road. And in the marathon’s final mile, he had enough left in the tank to win one of the most dramatic duels in triathlon history. | Not only is Firecrest more aerodynamic than any other rim design, its distinctive wide profile also improves handling in crosswinds, wheel strength, and overall ride quality. It only took one shot for Macca to prove that it’s simply a better wheel in every way. | But that victory wasn’t the only one for Zipp this year.

Mirinda Carfrae won on ZEDTECH 4s and Karin Thuerig set a bike course record with a 303/404 setup. Zipp once again dominated the Kona Bike Count with nearly 60% of all aero wheels. Clearly, superior technology makes a difference for every athlete.

Firecrest 808 available in Tubular, Carbon Clincher, ZEDTECH ®.

Zipp Tangente Tires available in Tubular & Clincher 21mm & 23mm.

1.800.472.3972 | zipp.com

DONALD MIRALLE

132 : THE HYPE : T

BEcausE THE Brain ProcEssEs and rEacTs To Pain in disPErsEd rEgions, no ProcEdural or cHEmical “silvEr BullET” can TargET a magical Pain cEnTEr.

to isolate application of anesthetics to only the nociceptors. Because the individual pain pathways converge at the spinal cord, there is no way to cut the signal from one specific region without affecting others. Because the brain processes and reacts to pain in dispersed regions, no procedural or chemical “silver bullet” can target a magic pain center. Pain is everywhere and nowhere all at once. It runs counter to our competitive sensibilities. You can’t map it, confront it, or get to the end of it.

The pain cave is a confusing labyrinth for endurance athletes. However, there are indicalavamagazine.com

tions of the correct path. Richard Roll explores that path. A long-time triathlete and top-10 finisher in last year’s Ultraman World Championship, Roll’s concept of the pain cave is not unlike that of many world champions. “For me, it’s a totally spiritual thing,” he says. His accomplishments go beyond and even defy science.

But his spiritual relationship with pain shows the route, while science defines the cave itself.

We can only make sense of it once we put the two together.

PrePare to enter the Pain cave.

I assess the power of a will by how much resistance, pain, and torture it endures and knows how to turn to its advantage.

—Friedrich Nietzsche Even with the development of periodized training theories, some athletes refuse to abandon the belief that the onset of fatigue and muscle failure is the critical time to train hard. Research supports this idea. In a study conducted at Charles Sturt University in Australia in 2004, researchers found that subjects experienced a reduced perception of pain dur-

ing a series of three maximum effort trials on stationary bicycles.

This appears to hold true for every kind of pain. In one study, competitive swimmers who underwent a brief but highly intense period of anaerobic training demonstrated a heightened tolerance of ischemic (oxygen-deprivation) pain. Other tests show that runners who regularly train for longer distances have a reduced perception of both pain associated with muscular exertion and soreness induced by the constant pounding against pavement.

Roll remembers his own pain indoctrination. “I learned there’s an equation between pain in training and payoff in races as a swimmer in my youth,” he says. “I wasn’t the fastest kid on my team, but I resolved that if I could be the hardest working, then I could overcome the talent deficit.” That philosophy inspired Roll to push himself into a realm of pain that his coaches still talk about. “Ultimately, I know that the fitter I am, the longer I can withstand it,” Roll says. So the training methodology is equal parts self-fulfilling prophecy and vicious circle. The more pain he

Mirinda Carfrae en route to victory with ZEDTECH 4s and SRAM RED components

Photo: Nick Salazar

PERFORMANCE UNDER PRESSURE. Every detail matters at Kona, and every inefficiency is magnified. But Zipp wheels are designed to meet the challenge of the world’s greatest triathlon. That’s why Mirinda Carfrae chose the ZEDTECH 4 wheelset in a 650c size that’s perfect for smaller riders. | During the bike leg, exclusive ZEDTECH details like dimpled aero hubs and grade 2 silicon nitride ceramic bearings helped her conserve energy. Coming out of T2 with fresh legs, she set a run course record and scored a commanding victory. | Meanwhile, Karin Thuerig rode a Zipp 303 front wheel and 404 rear to break a bike course record that stood for almost twenty years. And that’s not to mention Chris McCormack’s electrifying win and Zipp’s perennial domination of the Kona Bike Count.

You might say Kona was good to us this year.

ZedTech available in 202, 303, 404, 808, 1080, 900, Sub-9, and Super-9.

1.800.472.3972 | zipp.com

134 : THE HYPE : T endures, the more he can take—which consequently requires him to take more pain if he wants to keep getting better.

There’s no cheating pain, either. Experiments show that the introduction of painkillers during endurance athletics not only decreases performance levels, but actually increases the perceived level of pain. Other medical professionals warn against the use of aspirin or ibuprofen during activity. Studies conducted on Ironman and ultra-distance athletes found no performance or pain-avoidance benefit in using these substances, and meanwhile, they can cause stomach upset, hyponatremia, and may be linked to increased levels of muscle damage during competition and training. Ultimately, you can’t go over, under or around it.

You must go into the pain cave.

jay prasuhn

Get in the cave. Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they’re wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It’s all in how you carry it.

That’s what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality.

lavamagazine.com

—Jim Morrison Richard Roll was inducted into the Men’s Fitness “25 fittest guys in the world” roster in 2009 and PETA’s 2010 list of “sexiest vegetarian celebrities.” But he’s more than humble about the tribute—he’s analytic. “All of this is just a consequence of pursuing performance goals. My fitness gives me greater confidence that I can achieve more. In endurance sport, mental attitude is paramount.”

This perspective represents a comprehensive approach to pain. Referring back to the study in which the ergo-cyclists experienced reduced pain perception, there was another unexpected trend the researchers observed—on average, the subjects increased their total distance traveled in each successive test by a kilometer. The researchers concluded that the subjects adjusted their gearing and cadence in order to better manage the pain. In effect, they inadvertently “dialed in” their performance as a consequence of trying to reduce pain.

Roll turns that principle into a formula for success. “I know that during a competition or workout that I have to take my body to a certain level. Pain is never the limiter, but at the same time you can’t focus solely on pushing through it, because it represents physi-

T : THE HYPE : 135 cal limits. I can blow the doors off the swim stage of a race, but it can cause me to flame out later on. Instead, I make sure I know my limits and stay within them. On the most difficult sections of a race course, I’m constantly checking my heart rate monitor and power meter, making sure that my body is operating right on the edge of the envelope without going over.”

the DePthS OF the cave—GettinG in tOUch With Pain. Many of us spend our whole lives running from feeling with the mistaken belief that you cannot bear the pain. But you have already borne the pain. What you have not done is feel all you are beyond the pain. —Saint Bartholomew During his bodybuilding days, Arnold Schwarzenegger was notorious for his psychological manipulation of his opponents. A favorite tactic was to express sympathy for competitors who pulled muscles or felt other injuries. By getting them to concentrate on their pain and weakness, he shattered their confidence. On the other hand, one of his most famous quotes in the documentary “Pumping Iron” compared the sensation he felt after a hard workout to sexual climax. So is pain the barrier we have to get through to achieve our goal, or is it the achievement itself? It may be both.

Studies indicate the competitive atmosphere itself puts people in a state of mind that is more tolerant of pain. No one starts an Ironman thinking it’s going to be painless. The anticipation of pain lends itself to the physiological and psychological preparation to manage pain. Given the very source of that anxiety, though, one would assume the easiest method of managing the pain would be not to do it. But we do it anyway because we believe it’s worth the pain.

Therein lies the essential paradigm shift required to get deep into the pain cave. For Richard Roll, it’s not about a goal that’s worth the pain—it’s reaching a level of pain that makes the goal worthy. “All the miles and hours of preparation builds me up physically and mentally to achieve what I set out to do with my body,” he says. “For me, by the time I step to the starting line, the race is over. I’m going to succeed. The race itself is a form of active meditation on everything I’ve done. It’s literally a celebration of the journey to get there.”

That’s pretty esoteric stuff, but it works.

Multiple studies demonstrate a trend among

athletes’ association of pain and success or failure. When an athlete feels like he or she is winning, then there is a reduced perception of pain, or at least a higher degree of confidence that it’s manageable. In less favorable circumstances, they begin to transition from pain to suffering. Performance decreases, and they feel even worse. If they can’t recover from the tailspin, then the combination of adversity and attitude can create a DNF situation.

Even Roll has experience with this phenomenon. On the second day of the Ultraman Championship in Hawaii last year, he crashed his bike. While his injuries weren’t debilitating, they were painful. The worst news was that he broke a pedal. Unable to immediately reach his support crew, he had to pedal a mile to get help. In that agonizing mile, Roll explains how even he can talk himself out of the cave. “It was a really bad situation. By the time I’d made it to the crew site I’d convinced myself that no one would be able to fix my bike and that no one would blame me for quitting. I was in a lot of pain from the ride and the wreck, so I’d already made the decision to bow out. Then someone actually came up with a replacement pedal, so I continued. But mentally, I’d already checked out.

It took me the rest of the day to get my mind back in the right place, and I didn’t perform as well as I think I could have.” Roll could choose to remain sour about that moment, but instead looks at his ability to get back in the race as a victory over an extremely difficult obstacle. For him, that’s what racing is all about.

From the quantitative attempts of science and the qualitative intonations of athletes like Richard Roll, we gain a better vision of the pain cave. We all feel pain, and for the most part we all feel it the same way. That which is mechanical and bioelectrical is common to all of us. What truly distinguishes our relative abilities to cope with pain lies in our intangible relationship with the pain cave. Those who refuse to enter the cave will fail. Those who step in and struggle will succeed. But those who simply let go, pitch forward, and allow themselves to enjoy the free fall will excel.

For those of us trying to discover the end of the cave, we’ll find it when we stop training and racing. As Richard Roll shows us, the true discovery is realizing that the cave is bottomless, and isn’t a journey to be completed, but a dwelling to be enjoyed.

Not Happy with your Swim?

We'll get you out of the water faster and with more energy for the rest of your race.

“Most race minutes saved per training dollar spent” Lew Kidder Int'l Triathlon Coach

“Hard work and determination plus HALO equals first out of the water at 08' Olympics” Shane Reed NZ Olympic Triathlete 5 ITU World Cup medals 31 ITU World Cup Top10's

Halo Swim Training System $399 Endorsed by the Feline Triathlon Club

www.HaloSwimTraining.com 800-443-8946

LAVA

lavamagazine.com

136 : THE HYPE : T

THE HEALTHY ATHLETE How to keep your immune system strong no matter how hard you train.

jay prasuhn

By Erik Seedhouse, Ph.D

lavamagazine.com

T : THE HYPE : 137

M

ost triathletes I know have an above average knowledge of exercise physiology. They’re more than comfortable discussing everything from maximal oxygen uptake and muscle glycogen to iliotibial band syndrome and ice baths. But when it comes to knowledge of the immune system, their knowledge tends to be less encyclopedic. Start talking about natural killer (NK) cells, cytokines and upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) and the room suddenly goes quiet. Let’s face it; most triathletes take the immune system for granted. In fact, most of us only really sit up and take notice when we’re suffering from a whopping cold, which is a shame when you consider how important the immune system is.

rEsEArcH HAs sHown THAT MosT of THE PosiTivE bEnEfiTs To THE iMMunE sYsTEM ArE AssociATEd wiTH ModErATE ExErcisE.

Now, you may be wondering what all the fuss is about because you’ve probably read that endurance exercise boosts the immune system.

Well, that’s true. People who exercise regularly get sick less often than couch potatoes. And it’s not just a commonly held belief; research backs it up. For example, in a recent year-long study of more than 500 men and women, those who were moderately active (which was defined as exercising approximately 2.5 hours a week) had a 20 percent reduction in risk for URTIs compared with inactive adults.

Now the bad news. Research has shown that most of the positive benefits to the immune system are associated with moderate exercise. Swimming 2.4 miles, cycling 112 miles and running a marathon—in the same day—may be character-building, but it’s a long way from moderate. Now, that’s not to say you should reduce your training. Triathletes who train hard but avoid overtraining are typically healthy. In fact, triathletes probably represent the healthiest sporting population on the planet. But training for Olympic distance, half Ironman and Ironman races does lower resistance to infection, especially to colds and other UR-

TIs. Any exercise physiologist will tell you that putting your body through the training for an Ironman is beyond what’s good for it.

After about 90 minutes of exercise, blood glucose levels begin to drop, triggering the release of stress hormones. These hormones, in turn, suppress many other parts of the immune system. For example, phagocytes (the white blood cells that protect the body by ingesting foreign particles) and NK cells become less efficient and levels of antibodies drop dramatically. These are just a couple of the stress hormone-induced changes to the immune system that exercise physiologists refer to as an “open window” of altered immunity. Fortunately, the window is temporary, usually lasting from three to 72 hours after an intense training session or race. Nevertheless, the window presents an ideal opportunity for viruses and infectious agents, especially those that enter the body via the respiratory system. What we as triathletes must do is close that window, and there are several ways we can do this. But, before discussing these countermeasures, it’s important to have at least a basic understanding of how the immune system works.

The immune system’s first line of defense against infection include physical barriers such as the skin and mucous membranes, and chemical barriers, such as stomach acids. If an infectious agent succeeds in bypassing these barriers, the phagocytes and the NK cells kill them. This first line of defense is referred to as the innate immune system. The next line of defense is the acquired immune system, comprising the T and B cells (lymphocytes). The T and B cells identify invaders and are prodded into action by elements of the innate immune system. Once activated, the T and B cells generate specific responses tailored to eliminate specific infectious agents. In fact, the lymphocytes can remember past infections, allowing the immune system to respond faster and more efficiently the next time the same invader comes along.

So, how do you protect your immune system? Well, as a first step you can keep your life stresses to a minimum, eat a well-balanced diet, get enough sleep, avoid sick people and large crowds (a bit difficult at your typical Ironman registration), and avoid overtraining, but even these countermeasures won’t completely protect you from illness.

Next, you can make sure you eat or drink something with carbohydrates during training and after training, because low glucose levels lavamagazine.com

138 : THE HYPE : T

istockphoto.com

Immune-boosting vitamin C can be found in a number of nutritional supplements and in large doses in rose hips, accerola cherries, broccoli, strawberries and oranges.

trigger the release of stress hormones, which suppress the immune system. A third step is to make sure you eat enough protein. So many triathletes think they have to pack in the carbohydrates at the expense of protein and fats, but research shows that even a slight protein deficiency can result in impaired immune function. Your immune cells need protein to build the necessary cells, antibodies and cytokines to fight infection. lavamagazine.com

You may ask: what about vitamins? After all, several vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, E and C, and the minerals zinc and iron are necessary for optimal immune function. Vitamins C and E, in particular, are also powerful antioxidants and it’s long been known that triathlon training and racing increases the levels of free radicals (molecules that cause damage to immune cells). Surely it would make sense to take extra amounts of

these supplements to counteract the damage done by the free radicals? Well, while many triathletes operate under the theory that more of a good thing is better, there is little evidence to support taking large doses, with the possible exception of vitamin C. While megadoses of antioxidants used to be de rigueur, exercise science has since shifted its focus to a new class of “advanced supplements,� most notably quercetin.

140 : THE HYPE : T

Blueberries rank highest among all common fruits for their ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), meaning they destroy more of those evil free radicals than any other fruit.

Quercetin, like Vitamins C and E, also has powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective properties. The richest food sources for this particular immune system booster include apples, blueberries, hot peppers, tea and broccoli, although you probably won’t want to eat those all in one meal. Of course, you can also buy it as a supplement.

To date, the research has been very positive.

Studies with athletes have shown quercetin to exert direct antiviral effects, and follow-up studies even showed significant increases in endurance performance, although this was in a study using untrained subjects.

iSTOCKPHOTO.COM

quErcETin Has PowErful anTioxidanT, anTi-inflammaTorY and cardioProTEcTivE ProPErTiEs. sTudiEs wiTH aTHlETEs HavE sHown iT To ExErT dirEcT anTiviral EffEcTs.

lavamagazine.com

Okay, so you’re making sure you’re eating carbohydrates and protein, you’re steering clear of people with runny noses, you’re eating lots of broccoli and blueberries. Is there anything else you can do to boost your immune defenses? Well, in Russia athletes have found a natural substance to help their bodies cope with the demands of training and racing.

Eleutherococcus senticosus (ES for short and formerly marketed in the U.S. as Siberian Ginseng even though it does not actually contain ginseng) is a plant root extract that has been scientifically shown (more than 1,000 research papers have been published on ES) to act in conjunction with the body’s normal physiological and biochemical processes to increase their efficiency. ES is classed as an adaptogen, which means it allows the body to adapt to all sorts of stress without any side effects.

As triathletes, we know that pushing the limits of physical endurance can provoke serious consequences to your health. To reach the peak of physical fitness necessary for optimal performance, an adequate diet and training program are essential, but even these can’t prevent the ever-present danger of a lowered immune defence and increased susceptibility

Congratulations to all of the Mark Allen Online athletes who competed in and finished the 32nd Anniversary of the Ironman World Championship. Your hard work and dedication paid off. We’re proud of you all. Ž

142 : THE HYPE : to illness. Whether you’re an age grouper or a professional, triathletes make huge sacrifices, spending week after week and month after month preparing themselves for a big event.

With so much on the line, why on Earth would you take the risk of being ill? With the knowledge we have now, suffering an illness is much more avoidable than it was even a few decades ago. You have a race strategy, so you should also have a strategy to keep your immune system robust. By paying close attention to your nutrition and supplementation program, your body’s ability to fight off infections will be greatly increased, and you will be better prepared race at an optimum level.

Eleutherococcus senticosus, better known as Siberian Ginseng, is part of a class of nutrients called Adaptogens, which may help your body deal with stress.

LAVA

JAY PRASUHN

Erik Seedhouse was a professional triathlete between 1995 and 1999. In addition to winning the World Double Ironman Championships, he also won the Decatriathlon, Ultraman and back-to-back World Endurance Triathlon Championship titles. He works as a professional triathlon coach and author.

NOW AVAILABLE ON THE iPAD™ craig alexander: his career-defining MoMenT TM

augusT/sepTeMber augusT/sep T T/sepTeMber 2010 : issue 01

SeriouS TriaThlon Tria TriaT Thlon

TM

SUBSCRIBE NOW AND DOWNLOAD LAVA MAGAZINE FROM THE APP STORE™

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

144 : TO YOUR HEALTH : T

HAVE YOUR CAKE (JUST ONE SLICE) AND EAT IT TOO Navigate your off-season nutrition plan by focusing on quality ingredients, portion control and reasonable snacking.

iSTOCKPHOTO.COM

Marni Rakes, M.S., CISSN

D

uring the off-season, many triathletes fall into the routine of maintaining a high-calorie, unrestricted diet during the first few months of unstructured training. As you approach your long-awaited off-season, it is recommended that you give yourself a muchdeserved eight- to 12-week break from high intensity, high volume training, and focus on consistent exercise and a balanced diet. With a periodized training plan and nutrient timing, you can expect gradual physiological adapta-

lavamagazine.com

tions and concurrent performance gains, even with a break from structured activity. Because the nutrients in your daily diet play a vital role in building a strong foundation for your upcoming race season, it’s imperative that you provide your body with the most advantageous nutrients well before the base phase of next season.

Triathlon training begins with a balanced, plant-based diet and making health a priority. If your daily diet is filled with foods that limit performance, such as simple sugars, processed

If YOUR DAILY DIET IS bALANCED, YOUR bLOOD SUgAR IS STAbLE AND YOU ARE gOINg TO fIND IT mUCH EASIER TO STAY CONSISTENT wITH YOUR TRAININg ROUTINE.

146 : TO YOUR HEALTH : T foods, calorie-dense, salty or fatty foods, you will find it challenging to meet weight-related goals and teach the body to be metabolically efficient during training.

INGREDIENTS TO KEEP STOCKED IN YOUR PANTRY ALL YEAR ROUND Milk: low fat dairy is a great choice for building and maintaining bone strength.

As an active athlete, constantly bearing weight on the body, 1 cup of skim milk will meet one-third of your daily calcium needs. Although soy milk, almond milk and skim milk are popular recovery drinks, be aware that not all milk products contain the same amount of tissuebuilding protein (almond milk contains 1g of protein per cup vs. 8 g in skim milk).

Whey protein: Although it is recommended that you reduce your intensity during the off-season, strength training and plyometrics are highly encouraged. one scoop—roughly 30 grams—of whey protein immediately after your workout (or in a snack-sized fruit smoothie) will help encourage an increase in lean muscle mass, minimize post-exercise fatigue and help

Holiday nutrition tips:

1

never go into a meal starving. If you

tend to overeat at meals, have a small fiber and/or protein-rich snack (around 80–100 calories) 15 to 30 minutes before meal time. Examples include 1/4 cup of low-fat cottage cheese with 1 tbsp. chopped walnuts or 3 ounces plain nonfat Greek yogurt with a small orange. plan for balanced snacks. Healthy snacks (around 200–400 calories) can help control caloric intake, minimize the symptoms of low blood sugar, allow you to better fuel and recover from workouts, and maintain energy. Skip the processed foods and go for the old favorite of an apple or banana and peanut butter.

2 3

limit added sugar and salt in tHe diet.

ey and sugar and make way for molas-

Men and women should have no more than 35 g and 25 g of added sugar a day, respectively, and around 1,500 to 2,000 mg of sodium. Low fat dairy, fruit and dark chocolate are excellent choices to curb sweet and salty cravings. cHoose wHolesome foods. Diet foods should not get a lot of attention in your balanced diet. Minimize processed foods, and prioritize a diet of foods with fewer than five ingredients. A plant-based diet will give you a variety of foods that do not require a detailed evaluation of ingredients.

ses. Unlike high-fructose corn syrup and

save 10 to 15 percent of your daily

support the immune system.

FlAxseeds: Flax is high in omega-3 essential fatty acids and is high in fiber, alphalinolenic acid and lignans. Adding ground flax seeds to your oatmeal, smoothie or cereal is a great way to improve the immune system, reduce inflammatory response and slow down digestion.

BlAckstrAp MolAsses: Move over hon-

white sugar, blackstrap molasses is a very good source of iron, potassium, magnesium and calcium. As an easy way to promote good health, this healthy sweetener is perfect in baked goods or with your morning oatmeal.

lavamagazine.com

To help fuel your triathlon lifestyle, a diet rich in fruits and veggies is strongly encouraged. With balance in mind, quality protein, low fat dairy, fiber-rich grains and healthy unsaturated fats should comprise the diet of a healthconscious athlete. There are no bad foods, but rather performance-limiting or performanceenhancing foods. Ultimately, if your daily diet is balanced, your blood sugar is stable and you are feeling satisfied with wholesome foods, you are going to find it much easier to stay consistent with your training routine and not feel guilty or obsessed when it comes to living the life of a healthy triathlete.

4 5

calories. If you are expecting a larger than normal meal, do not save all of your daily calories by skipping meals and snacks.

With balanced meals in mind, reduce calories during the day to allow for extra calories at your upcoming, larger-than-normal meal. For example, if you normally eat 2,000 calories on a daily basis, make a few healthy swaps to eliminate 200 to 300 calories throughout the

T : TO YOUR HEALTH : 147

istockphoto.coM

Add ground axseeds to oatmeal, smoothies or atop cereal for healthy omega-3 fatty acids. One tablespoon contains 50 calories, 3 grams of ďŹ ber and a solid dose of energy-producing magnesium.

day to give you a little wiggle room for your anticipated meal. plan for eXercise. As a health-conscious individual, you know that food is fuel. There is nothing wrong with occasionally burning extra calories on the days preceding and following a big holiday meal, but keep your exercise routine healthy and fun.

Excessive exercise does not justify eating an excessive number of calories.

6 7

Have a HealtHy relationsHip witH food. Restriction, obsession and guilt

should not be in your vocabulary, especially when it comes to food. A balanced diet

includes healthy fats, low fat protein, complex carbs and a plentiful amount of fruits and veggies. Allow yourself to enjoy a little something sweet and be sure to enjoy every bite of it. Although sweets may affect your blood sugar, recognize that eating a little bit of everything once in a while is a lot more reasonable than eating a lot of one thing all at once.

Marni Rakes holds a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology, is a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN) and holds a certification by the American Dietetic Association in adult weight management. lavamagazine.com

148 : TO YOUR HEALTH :

WE DON’T DO RABBIT FOOD

Healthy food doesn’t have to taste like cardboard. By choosing quality, nutritious whole foods your body will have the nutrients and energy needed to power you through that two-hour trainer ride or that awkward holiday meal with your in-laws. This granola recipe uses many of Marni Rakes’ recommended ingredients, and you can make a large batch ahead of time.

Recipe courtesy of Jennifer Ward at Freshcrackedpepper.com

HEALTHY WINTER GRANOLA

PREPARATION

Dry ingredients: –4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats –1/2 cup wheat germ –1/2 cup flax meal –1/2 cup pumpkin seeds –1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (if you don’t like coconut, use 1 cup pumpkin seeds) –2 tbsp. chia seeds –1 tsp. salt –1 tsp. cinnamon or nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the oats, wheat germ, flax meal, pumpkin seeds and coconut, and spread over two large cookie sheets.

Toast for 10 minutes, or until lightly fragrant. Remove, turn oven down to 325 degrees.

JENNIFER WARD

Wet ingredients: –1/4 cup molasses of your choice –1/4 cup pure maple syrup –1/4 cup agave syrup –1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

2. Pour toasted mixture into a large bowl and add chia seeds, salt, and spices.

3. Mix together the molasses, maple and agave syrups, and peanut butter, microwaving on low power for a few minutes if softening is needed. Stir into the dry mixture until well coated. Pour in the egg whites and water. Stir to incorporate.

4. Gently oil the baking sheets (unless you’re using nonstick) and disperse mixture evenly over the two sheets. Bake for 20 minutes, remove and stir gently with a spatula (especially if you want clumps, don’t disturb the granola too much), and return to the oven for 5–10 minutes, depending on how crunchy you want the final product. (Less time equals a softer chew, more time equals crunch). Place baking sheets on racks and cool.

150 : COMPETITIVE EDGE : T

BREAKING THE MOLD Incorporate cross-training into your off-season for mental and physical strength.

By Ben Greenfield

I

n some ways, triathletes are like hamsters on a wheel. We finish a season of training and racing, then realize that we don’t really know how to do much more than stare at the bottom of a pool, spend hours in a bike saddle, or pound the pavement in our running shoes.

We become accustomed and addicted to the wheels of swimming, cycling and running, and we rarely venture out to try other forms of physical activity, even when the weather gets too cold to do them outside.

And so, from November through March, many triathletes in cold climates spend the majority of their training time staring at underwater lane lines, hunching over the aerobars of an indoor training bike, and wearing away the surface of a treadmill belt. At the same time, triathletes in warm climates just keep on swimming, cycling and running outdoors. The result is often a feeling of being stuck in an exercise rut, and being mentally and physically burnt out when the next race season finally arrives.

In reality, there is a wide world of sports just outside your front door—and many of these sports are not only entertaining, they offer a mental break from triathlon training and a perfect way to address cardiovascular fitness deficiencies, train weak muscles, stimulate and grow the mind, and expand social circles.

This article will suggest a variety of off-season sports to choose from as an ideal cross-training strategy, and will give you tips for becoming involved in these sports—for both cold weather and warm weather triathletes.

istockphoto.com

Cross-Country skIIng or skate skIIng. Your first clue that these snow

lavamagazine.com

sports have an incredible cardiovascular effect should be the fact that cross-country skiers have a higher oxygen utilization capacity than any other athlete on the face of the planet.

If you’ve seen the winter Olympics, then you may have witnessed the incredible pumping

istockphoto.com

152 : COMPETITIVE EDGE : T

action required by both arms and legs during either sport. While cross-country skiing will strengthen hip flexors and hip extensors, the skate skiing motion shifts more force to the adductors and outer hip rotators, while requiring a high degree of single-leg balance.

Interestingly, all of these muscles and movements are chronically weak in many distance runners, and are also necessary for enhancing cycling power. Both activities require a push-off arm motion involving many of the same muscles used during the pull phase of the swim stroke.

Triathletes who want to reduce the risk of running injuries, improve tolerance to lactic acid and enhance cycling power will benefit from cross-country or skate skiing. If you begin these sports, expect to experience not just flats and hills (there are no chair lifts in this sport), but also faster downhill stretches. While ski equipment is certainly expensive, many bargains can be found at used sporting goods stores and ski swaps—you can easily start skiing with a $200 investment.

Cross-training benefit: Train weak running and shoulder muscles, and improve muscular endurance. lavamagazine.com

Downhill skiing / snowboarDing.

I’ve put the downhill sports in a different category because from a physiological standpoint, they are completely different beasts.

While cross-country and skate skiing fall into the category of muscular endurance, downhill skiing and snowboarding fall into the category of power endurance. Power endurance fitness requires the ability to move slowly for long periods of time, interspersed by brief efforts of high intensity exercise. While this may seem counter-productive to triathlon, research has shown that high-intensity interval training with hard work periods followed by long rest periods can produce a highly beneficial aerobic training effect. In addition, explosive efforts can stimulate a hormonal response that enhances testosterone production and lean muscle tissue formation.

In these higher-speed snow sports, the rotational hip power and the required ability of the core to respond to quick changes in direction results in torso stability and strength, which is perfect for both swimmers and runners.

If you begin either of these sports, plan on working hard for five to 10 minutes, and then getting a long rest on the chairlift after

each hard effort. If you do not plan on crosstraining with this sport frequently enough to justify an expensive season ticket, simply purchase a five-to 10-visit punch card at the beginning of the winter.

Cross-training benefit: Improve power, hip rotation and lower body lean muscle.

inDoor or outDoor soccer.

Like downhill skiing and snowboarding, soccer requires quick, explosive efforts, but each effort is followed by active recovery, rather than complete rest. As a result, muscular endurance and the ability to buffer lactic acid can be vastly improved by playing soccer. Although a similar muscular endurance effect can be achieved with cross-country or skate skiing, soccer has the advantage of being biomechanically identical to a specific triathlon skill—running. Therefore, the muscular endurance can be enhanced with better leg turnover and stride length.

In addition, triathletes are notoriously weak in side-to-side motion, resulting in a higher risk of injury of overtrained front-to-back motion muscles. The frequent changes of direction and lateral movements in soccer can address these weaknesses.

154 : COMPETITIVE EDGE : T Compared to triathlon, you’ll find some sports to be dirt cheap, and soccer is a perfect example, simply requiring a stable pair of shoes (cleats are optional), and a soccer ball. If you are in a cold climate, look for an indoor soccer league in your area. If you are in a warm climate, and have difficulty finding a soccer game to join, try an Ultimate Frisbee league instead.

Cross-training benefit: Improve muscular endurance, stride turnover and length, and lateral movement ability.

BasketBall. Similar to soccer, basketball improves muscular endurance with explosive efforts followed by active recovery, and can also improve stride turnover and length. However, the arm jostling and pushing, as well as shooting and passing in basketball are good upper body training, while the frequent jumping and landing uses lower body plyometrics, which have been shown to improve running economy in distance runners.

Like soccer, basketball requires minimal equipment: shoes and a basketball. You’ll

CHRISSIE WELLINGTON IN KONA

8 REAR NEW! SYSTEMS FROM $49 ∙ No aero drag ∙ Easy access ∙ Stores bottles, CO2s, spare, tools ∙ 2 Cervélo™ specific systems ∙ 3 Bag sizes ∙ Used by Craig Alexander

RED GORILLA CAGE NEW! ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙

Super grip Anti-Launch Also White and Natural Used by Chrissie Wellington

be able to find pickup games on the schedule of your local health club or gym. If you find yourself on a busy court, you may have to stand around between games as you wait your turn to play, which can be annoying for the type A triathlete. But by jumping rope, shooting, or jogging and dribbling between games, you can turn an hour of basketball into pure fitness.

Cross-training benefit: Improve muscular endurance, stride turnover and length, lateral movement ability and plyometric training.

tennis.

As an ex-collegiate tennis player, I can honestly say that the only sport during which I have ever thrown up due to extreme fatigue was tennis. With frequent start-stop and lateral motions, upper and lower body power requirements, and the long time spent on your feet, a vigorous game of tennis can be highly effective cardiovascular and muscular training.

Tennis offers many of the same training effects as soccer and basketball, but also requires a high degree of torso and shoulder

Golf. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. Surely the golf is far too sedentary relative to triathlon for any possible benefit? But the golf swing provide the same torso and core rotational power stimulation as tennis and even gives the shoulders and arms a decent workout. In addition, the amount of walking required to complete 18 holes of non-cart golf is perfect for an injured triathlete who has been forced into low-impact aerobic cardio due to knee or foot injuries.

For that injured athlete, golf can be a welcome break from simply hiking, going on a long walk, or staring at a TV on a treadmill. Don’t worry, there is no need to join an expensive country

MU LTI-WO RLD CHAM PIO N’S CHO ICE WHITE CARBON WING NEW! ∙ Lightest Rear Carrier ∙ Used by Chrissie Wellington and Craig Alexander

AERO COMPUTER MOUNT NEW! ∙ Eliminates Computer drag ∙ Drafts behind Torpedo System or any Front Aero Bottle

CRAIG ALEXANDER IN KONA

TORPEDO SYSTEM

NEW!

∙ 75% less drag than bottle with straw ∙ Takes 9 seconds NEW! to drink 4ozs RED CHIMP ∙ Custom fit CAGE ∙ Horizontal position ∙ Also White and Natural ∙ Use with Torpedo System or on frame NEW!

NEW!

CARBON RAIL ADAPTOR KIT

∙ Now fit XLAB Carbon Wing to Carbon railed saddles ∙ Fits FIZIK™ Carbon rail saddles

15 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

lavamagazine.com

rotation, stability and power, resulting in good cross-over strength for the core stability required for distance running and swimming.

A white polo and tennis skirt is completely optional. You simply need access to a public court, a tennis racket and a can of tennis balls.

Summary: Improve muscular endurance, stride turnover and length, lateral movement ability, upper-body strength and core stability.

SIDEKICK CAGE

∙ Offset side entry ∙ Easier access for small frames ∙ Natural, White

ENTER YOUR RACE DISTANCE FOR OUR ADVICE OR CALL 760-735-3215 93 • 94 • 96 • 98 • 99 • 00 • 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 08 • 09

There is no finish line You're on the run.

You're so close to the finish line.

But for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease) patients, there is no finish line. No cure.

Yet.

Hundreds of pros, amateurs and friends have joined the Blazeman Foundation for ALS to raise awareness and resources to help find a cure for this dreadful disease. See what inspired them at www.waronals.com.

Get involved “so others may live…“ and help us race for the finish.

www.waronals.com

156 : COMPETITIVE EDGE : club—most metropolitan areas have a range of public courses that offer hitting lessons, affordable golf and even club rentals.

Cross-training benefit: Maintain aerobic fitness during injury, upper body strength and core stability.

SAMPLE OFF-SEASON CROSS TRAINING PROGRAM MONDAY: 40–60 minute noon basketball followed by 20 minute tempo treadmill run TUESDAY: Swim skills and drills

FINAL TIPS. For many of the cold-climate ath-

WEDNESDAY: Tennis match (ride bike to match and back)

letes whom I coach who have an early season half-marathon, marathon or triathlon, we will use a half-day of winter sports such as skiing as a pre-fatigue activity for an early evening aerobic run. Soccer, basketball and tennis can also be turned into a long endurance run or brick training event by “sandwiching” a game between an aerobic run or bike ride to the sporting venue.

To the right, you’ll find a sample week for using sports in an off-season cross-training program, without completely neglecting triathlon skills (this is actually how my Ironman triathlon training program frequently looks during the winter).

I realize there are some sports that were not addressed in detail in this article, such

THURSDAY: Swim skills and drills FRIDAY: 40–60 minute noon basketball followed by 20 minute tempo treadmill run SATURDAY: Soccer game (warm weather athletes); Day of skiing (cold weather athletes) SUNDAY: Off

as volleyball, water polo, Frisbee golf, badminton, cricket, rugby and other sports that I’ve probably never heard of. But you now possess the knowledge to creatively analyze how a sport will help your triathlon skills, and the confidence to hop off your wheel and try some new activities without the fear

of losing your triathlon fitness.

When not drinking red wine and eating holiday cookies, author Ben Greenfield spends his off-season skate skiing, snowboarding, and playing tennis and in lunchtime basketball leagues.

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM For the latest in GEAR, TRAINING, & RACING

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

RACING R

158 : RACING : R

160

in focus 176

boarding pass 192

the last word

The elite men attack the swim start at the Huatulco ITU World Cup on October 10 in Southwestern Mexico. Spain’s Javier Gomez took top honors in the men’s race, RICH CRUSE

while Japan’s Ai Ueda

lavamagazine.com

won the women’s title for the second year in a row.

R : RACING : 159

lavamagazine.com

PHOTOS GARY GEIGER

160 : IN FOCUS : R 161

ForD

ironman WiSConSin

SEPTEMBER 12, 2010 : MADISON, WIS. 2.4 MI. SWIM : 112 MI. BIkE : 26.2 MI. RUN mEn’S ToP FiniSHErS 1. Joe Gambles : AUS : 8:38:32 2. Romain Guillaume : FRA : 8:49:42 3. Eric Bean : USA : 8:51:36

WomEn’S ToP FiniSHErS 1. Gina Crawford : NZL : 9:27:26 2. Kristin Moeller : GER : 9:39:43 3. Mirjam Weerd : NED : 9:52:25

Using the optimal racing temperatures and minimal winds to their advantage, Australian Joe Gambles and Kiwi Gina Crawford crushed course records on their way to the finish line in Madison.

Gambles grabbed the lead from Konstantin Bachor of Germany on the run, and continued to pull away from the field, finishing in 8:38:32. Crawford pulled ahead of Hillary Biscay out of T1, and had a 13-minute lead heading into T2. She coasted into first place in 9:27:26, breaking her own 2007 record by more than nine minutes. lavamagazine.com

R : IN FOCUS : 161

lavamagazine.com

PHOTOS GARY GEIGER

162 : IN FOCUS : R

FORD

IRONMAN LOUISVILLE

AUgUSt 29, 2010 : Louisville, Ky. 2.4 mI. SwIm : 112 mI. bIKe : 26.2 mI. rUN MEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Paul Ambrose : GBR : 8:29:59 2. Martin Jensen : DEN : 8:41:54 3. Max Longree : GER : 8:50:10

WOMEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Rebekah Keat : AUS : 9:33:15 2. Kim Loeffler : USA : 9:44:23 3. Bree Wee : USA : 9:50:35

lavamagazine.com

It was another year of hot Ironman racing in Kentucky, with temps rising into the low 90s by the afternoon.

In the men’s race, Great Britain’s Paul Ambrose pulled away in the bike course to take the title in 8:29:59.

In the women’s race, Aussie Rebekah Keat sealed her second Ironman title with the help of a 5:08:25 bike split, crossing the finish line in 9:33:15, more than 10 minutes ahead of second-place finisher Kim Loeffler of the U.S.

CORPORATE CHALLENGE, CELEBRITY, PRO DIVISIONS AND MORE!

A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 818-707-8867 OR VISIT www.nauticasobetri.com PRODUCED BY

164 : IN FOCUS : R

KAISER PERMANENTE

LOS ANGELES TRIATHLON OCTOBER 3, 2010 : LOS ANGELES, CALIF. 1.5K SwIm : 40K BIKE : 10K RUN

MEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Bevan Docherty : NZL : 1:50:21 2. Javier Gomez : ESP : 1:50:34 3. Andrew Starykowicz : USA : 1:51:06

WOMEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Lisa Norden : SWE : 1:59:40 2. Sara McLarty : USA : 2:05:41 3. Laura Bennett : USA : 2:07:14

The world’s top short-coursers took to the waters of Venice Beach for the penultimate event of the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series. Kiwi Bevan Docherty and Swede Lisa Norden, both known for their ITU exploits, were the first to finish the Olympic-distance tour of

PHOTOS LARRY ROSA

downtown LA. The series wrapped up

lavamagazine.com

the following weekend in Dallas, with Filip Osplay (CZE) and Sara McLarty (USA) taking top honors in the final points standings.

MIAMI INTERNATIONAL TRIATHLON

olimpic distance Sunday, March 13,

2011 BIKE SWIM 10K

4OK

RUN

1.5K

mitriathlon.com

www.

166 : IN FOCUS : R

NAUTIcA

MALIBU TRIATHLON

INTeRNATIONAL ANd cLAssIc dIsTANce SEPTEMBER 11-12, 2010 : MALIBU, CALIF. 1.5K SwIM, 40K BIKE, 10K RUN (INTERNATIONAL) .5MI. SwIM, 18 MI. BIKE, 4 MI. RUN (CLASSIC) MeN’s TOP FINIsHeRs (INT’L) 1. Matty Reed : USA : 1:50:29 2. Jordan Jones : USA : 1:54:20 3. Fraser Cartmell : GBR : 1:55:39

WOMeN’s TOP FINIsHeRs (INT’L) 1. Julie Dibens : GBR : 2:00:59 2. Rebeccah Wassner : USA : 2:02:36 3. Lesley Paterson : GBR : 2:06:13

MeN’s TOP FINIsHeRs (cLAssIc) 1. Chris Lieto : USA : 1:18:20 2. Daniel Pancotto : USA : 1:59:44

WOMeN’s TOP FINIsHeRs (cLAssIc) 1. Laurel Wassner : USA : 1:30:19 2. Renee Milton : USA : 1:36:01

Celebrities, Hollywood executives and endurance athletes swarmed the beaches of Malibu to enjoy a fun weekend of racing that helped raise more than $1 million for the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

American Matty Reed and Great Britain’s Julie Dibens took first place in Saturday’s International-distance race, while Americans Chris Lieto and Laurel Wassner easily won the sprint-distance

PHOTOS JAY PRASUHN

race on Sunday.

lavamagazine.com

PHOTOS LARRY ROSA

168 : IN FOCUS : R 169

TRI CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO TRIATHLON AT ALCATRAZ

AUGUST 29, 2010 : SAN FRANCISCO, CALIF. 1.2MI. SwIM : 25MI. bIke : 7MI. RUN

More than 1,200 athletes from all over the globe took the plunge off a ferry boat hovering near Alcatraz for the start of the inaugural San Francisco Triathlon at Alcatraz.

After leading the men’s swim,

MEN’S TOP FINISHERS

American Ben Collins pulled ahead on

1. Ben Collins : USA : 2:12:17 2. Kyle Leto : USA : 2:16:01 3. Steven Sexton : USA : 2:16:38

the bike and held it on the notoriously

WOMEN’S TOP FINISHERS

Hoogland battled it out with American

1. Tenille Hoogland : CAN : 2:32:38 2. Amanda Stevens : USA : 2:32:56 3. Melanie Mcquaid : CAN : 2:34:13 lavamagazine.com

hilly run for the win. Canadian Tenille Amanda Stevens, pushing ahead of her in the final yards of the run for the win.

R : IN FOCUS : 169

lavamagazine.com

PHOTOS ERIC WYNN

170 : IN FOCUS : R

XTERRA USA CHAMPIONSHIP Sept. 25, 2010 : SNOwbaSIN ReSORt, OgdeN, Utah 1 MI. SwIM : 19 MI. MtN. bIKe : 6 MI. tRaIL RUN MEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Conrad Stoltz : RSA : 2:24:03 2. Nicolas Lebrun : FRA : 2:29:02 3. Josiah Middaugh : USA : 2:29:38

WOMEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Melanie McQuaid : CAN : 2:49:57 2. Lesley Paterson : GBR : 2:51:39 3. Shonny Vanlandingham : USA : 2:53:29

lavamagazine.com

South Africa’s Conrad Stoltz tore through the relentless hills of Snowbasin Resort to effectively end the men’s race before the run started. His five-minute margin of victory is the largest ever in the XTERRA USA Championship.

After struggling through much of the U.S. Tour, Canadian Mel McQuaid showed she’s still unbeatable when she’s on. The three-time world champ managed to hold off a late charge from Scotland’s Lesley Paterson. .

PHOTOS RICCARDO GIARDINA

172 : IN FOCUS : R 173

XTERRA

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP MAY 30, 2010 : OrOSeI, SArdINIA, ItAlY 1 MI. SwIM : 20 MI. MtN. bIke : 6 MI. trAIl rUN MEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Franky Batelier : FRA : 2:24:09 2. Olivier Marceau : SUI : 2:24:24 3. Felix Schumann : GER : 2:25:29

WOMEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Melanie McQuaid : CAN : 2:45:09 2. Renata Bucher : SUI : 2:47:19 3. Sibylle Matter : SUI : 2:49:07

This year’s XTERRA European Championships headed to Orosei in Sardinia, off the southern coast of Italy. As is becoming routine at the event, Frenchman Franky Batelier put on a dominant bike performance to take the win ahead of fast-running Olivier Marceau of Switzerland. The women’s contest wasn’t nearly as close, as Canadian Mel McQuaid took a huge lead off the bike to hold off Switzerland’s Renata Bucher by over two minutes. The 2011 European Champs will take place in Zittau, Germany from August 19-21. lavamagazine.com

R : IN FOCUS : 173

lavamagazine.com

PHOTOS MIKE ADRIAN (2); ROCKY ARROYO (3)

174 : IN FOCUS : R 175

XTERRA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OCTOBER 24, 2010 : MAUI, HAWAII 1.5K SWIM : 40K MTN. BIKE : 10K TRAIl RUN

One day after his 37th birthday, South Africa’s Conrad Stoltz proved that he’s still the best off-road triathlete in the world. Stoltz became the first man ever to win four world titles after crushing the men’s field on the grueling Maui

MEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Conrad Stoltz (RSA) 2:31:07 2. Franky Batelier (FRA) 2:36:14 3. Michael Weiss (AUT) 2:36:45

WOMEN’S TOP FINISHERS 1. Shonny Vanlandingham (USA) 2:58:20 2. Julie Dibens (GBR) 2:59:32 3. Marion Lorblanchet (FRA) 3:06:11

lavamagazine.com

bike course. American Shonny Vanlandingham showed that age is just a number in the women’s contest, as the 41 year old topped defending champ Julie Dibens by five minutes en route to her first title.

R : IN FOCUS : 175

lavamagazine.com

176 : BOARDING PASS : R

Sunny in

jay prasuhn

Seattle? lavamagazine.com

It doesn’t rain all the time up in the Pacific Northwest. LAVA took a tour of the land of smoked salmon, coffee shops and Microsoft, where multisport is an integral part of the area’s outdoor-minded character. By Jay Prasuhn

178 : BOARDING PASS : R

jay prasuhn

Stock up market: Pike Place Market has been a staple of Seattle’s waterfront for over a century. Inside you’ll find the city’s best fresh fish, seafood and produce, as well as an array of crafts and antiques.

I

It was meant to be a fun, relaxed reunion visit to the Pacific Northwest to explore a little of the region’s multisport scene at Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens. I spent two years living in Seattle, enjoying the fresh air and the laid-back coffee culture. The day before the race, I rolled the first miles of the course with eventual race champ Joe Gambles, chatting along the way and enjoying the scenery on the backcountry roads.

But come race day, cool and breezy morphed into hot and hilly. The gentle rolling hills gave way to sharp pitches and descents throughout

lavamagazine.com

the two-lap bike ride. It was a punchy course, with hardly a moment to settle in.

At least the run was somewhat flat, but that was no big concession. With the mercury climbing over 90 degrees, the half marathon became an oven bake. As scenic as it was running along Lake Stevens, all I wanted to do was loll on the shoreline with the teenagers, who were making sport of blasting the athletes with water cannons.

Once I was done, I loaded up my bike and headed out to partake in the vice I’d been avoiding pre-race, in an area famous for it: coffee, that

IRONmAN 70.3 lAke SteveNS OuGht tO Be ON the hIt lISt Of eveRy tyPe A tRIAthlete. the SeAttle AReA hAS ONe Of the GReAteSt ActIve SPORt cOmmuNItIeS IN AmeRIcA.

0 11 2 S E I R E N S E • 10K RUN T R I AT H L O B IK • 40K 1 .5 K S W IM

0 Series 2011 5A1T5 IONAL INTERN

Series 2011 515A0TES

) (Miami, Fla. T UNITED S Miami International Triathlon etersburg, Fla.) P t. iathlon (S arch 13

June 5 June 12 July 9

M ’s Tr St. Anthony rleans, La.) ans (New O May 1 O iss.)

50 New rle 51 (T n unica, M May 15 May Triathlo in n, D.C.) to is ng ph hi em M iathlon (Was Tr . .C May 22 D n to Washing June 19 (Provo, Utah) ) 5150 Provo oulder, Colo. .)

25 June k Triathlon (B ea P ew York, N.Y (N a) n oulder B lo th ia Tr ity Moines, Iow C k es or (D July 10 Y autica New hampionship N C . .S U 7 50 t Augus Triathlon/51 a.)

4 Hy-Vee ainesville, G September ke Lanier (G La 50 rson, Nev.) 51 de 11 en r (H be as m s Veg Septe 5150 Lake La , Texas) water, Fla.) on (Galveston October 2 st ve al G 50 Finale (Clear 51 s ie er S 23 0 er 15 Octob ater/5 5150 Clearw November 12

ST E G R A L S LD‘ ANCE THE WOR T S I D L A TION INTERNA SERIES N O L H T TRIA

0.CO 5 1 5 .

W W W

M

rt, Germany) urt (Frankfu 5150 Frankf urt, Austria) nf ge urt (Kla 5150 Klagenf erland) (Zurich, Switz 5150 Zurich

jay prasuhn

180 : BOARDING PASS : R

The show’s in the throw: Part of the allure that comes with a visit to the Pikes Place Market is the opportunity to watch the fresh fish vendors toss whole salmon, steelhead and halibut behind the counter for filleting.

life-giving liquid gold. I was off to Seattle for a cup of joe at the original Starbucks coffee shop near Post Alley.

Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens ought to be on the hit list for any type A triathlete. You know, the ones who all too often are on the plane the very next day, headed back home to begin their recovery while plotting their attack for the next race? Why stick around the Pacific Northwest? Loitering post-race here really ain’t loitering per se, since all activities revolve around the outdoors. From Puget Sound lavamagazine.com

to snowcapped Mount Baker, there’s plenty to do and see that will keep you clear of strip malls, skyscrapers and chain restaurants.

To be perfectly clear, to say Lake Stevens is “in” Seattle is a bit unfair. It’s actually well north of America’s coffee capital, east of the Interstate 5 corridor city of Everett, which itself is well on its way to the Canadian border.

The town of Lake Stevens is so small, athletes largely stay in Everett. But after the race, your attention can take you south to Seattle, or even as far north as Vancouver.

The Seattle area has long been a haven for outdoor activity: flanked on the south by Mount Rainier and the north by Mount Baker, activities vary from mountaineering and hiking to North Shore mountain biking (near Vancouver) to kayaking in Puget Sound amid surfacing Orcas. Without a doubt, the Seattle area has one of the greatest active sport communities in America.

And quietly, it’s become a growing multisport mecca: the Danskin Women’s Tri Series, one of the country’s largest triathlons, and the Trek

182 : BOARDING PASS : R

Getting your fix: Coffee is synonymous with the Pacific Northwest, and Seattle’s Post Alley hosts modest but popular java establishments like The Good Coffee Company.

Women’s Triathlon Series each feature stops in Seattle. The area also is called home by many industry companies, including Vision Tech and Full Speed Ahead, Baker’s Breakfast Cookies, Mad Fiber and CompuTrainer, and it is home to REI, a company that has long been one of Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For.” “You just gotta love the outdoors here. It’s my favorite thing about living out here—it’s the top thing,” said Bryan Geschwill, a triathlete and co-owner of Baker’s Breakfast Cookies, based in Bellingham, Wash., just south of the border.

At mOSt ReStAuRANtS AlONG the wAteRfRONt, SeAfOOD IS the OBvIOuS chOIce, wIth BOuNtIeS cOmING fROm PuGet SOuND.

jay prasuhn

“I mountain bike on some of the best trails I’ve been on in my life, this summer I swam in a freshwater lake that is just paradise, and in the winter I snowboard at Mount Baker a ton. I get more ‘play’ days in here than I ever did on the East Coast. When I’m looking to vacation, I’m all about the outdoors, right here.”

lavamagazine.com

EAT: There are few areas in the country with as many dining options as the Pacific Northwest, and Seattle tends to be a magnet for it all by virtue of that iconic destination, Pike Place Market.

Park your car and pan to be down at this waterfront district for the day, with food being just part of the attraction. Pike Place Market hosts a beautiful fresh fruit and vegetable market, with vibrant colors spilling forth to draw customers in.

A hidden inner market hosts vendors including a magazine shop selling old issues of LIFE and Sports Illustrated from the ’60s and ’70s to magic shops, candlemakers and pretty much everything in between. A walk down narrow aisles full of flowers, arts and crafts is enough to overload the senses. Just enough to start making you hungry.

A quick lunch at Lowell’s (home to a scene from “Sleepless in Seattle”) with an elevated view of Elliot Bay, or a trip down to the waterfront restaurants, and you can be back at

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FEBRUARY / MARCH CAMPS 2011 Escape from winter, come to paradise and train at the official Ironman Cozumel route.

Visit trixperience.com or send and email: rodrigo@trixperience.com (subjet: LAVA) and get all the information and special rates.

184 : BOARDING PASS :

Rainbow harvest: The favorable weather (and yes, there’s plenty of sun) makes the Pacific Northwest a local grower’s delight.

it in the market, hitting up fresh fish counters for some packed-for-airplane-carry-on fresh salmon and Dungeness crab. Just watch out for the flying fish.

At most restaurants along the waterfront, seafood is the obvious choice, with bounties coming from Puget Sound. The Dungeness crab cakes, clam chowder and the aldersmoked salmon pulled from the area waters are among the world’s best. Or for the brave, there’s the geoduck (a ridiculously large and oddly shaped saltwater clam). While not the prettiest of bivalves, it is a delicacy in these parts.

VISIT: EMP. That is, the Experience Music Project. Located at the foot of Seattle’s iconic Space Needle, the interactive exhibitions play tribute to the role that rock and roll, jazz, soul,

swim.bike.run

JAY PRASUHN

GETTING THERE: The biggest area airport is Sea-Tac, which, appropriately, straddles Seattle to the north, and Tacoma to the south. The Ironman 70.3 venue in Lake Stevens is about an hour and a half drive north on Interstate 5.

Canadians can make a similar hour and a half jaunt across the border from Vancouver, B.C.

MAKE EVERY SECOND COUNT Tr i a t h l o n Tr a n s i t i o n M a t s T M AT P R O . C O M for merly LICKETY-SPLIT ® LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

You don’t need to test her mettle. We already know it’s iron.

She’s shown she has what it takes. Help her with the next step, and the thousands that follow. Iron Girl offers women—whether completely new to racing or previously experienced athletes—the inspiration, motivation, and training assistance to unite and achieve their fitness goals. Considering all she does, consider how you can encourage her to sign up for an Iron Girl event today and go the distance towards a healthy lifestyle. irongirl.com

186 : BOARDING PASS :

The late summer placement of Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens means you could get anything from fog to blazing hot temps on the tough, honest race course.

country, hip-hop and punk have played in the tapestry of American music. Appropriate, since the Pacific Northwest was where Jimi Hendrix was born. It’s also the city that Rolling Stone Magazine dubbed “new Liverpool” following the early ’90s grunge music explosion led by Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. The beautiful Frank O. Gehry-designed building houses tons of musical artifacts on display, with a guitar gallery full of vintage originals by Orville Gibson, Les Paul and Leo Fender that would make any Hard Rock Café jealous.

SUSAN MCMANUS

DRINK:

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

Microbrew beer. (You thought we were going to say coffee, didn’t you?) Yes, the little coffee shops are what give the Pacific Northwest much of its kitsch (you’d drink it by the gallon too, if your city averaged 158 days of precipitation), but the bounty is in Pacific Northwest microbrews, the area playing host to some of the best small-market beers in the country. Redhook Ale Brewery is one of the area’s largest, producing popular ales since the

IronKids National Triathlon Series

Swim • Bike • Run • For Youth Ages 6-15 To inspire and motivate youth through sport to lead an active, positive and healthy lifestyle.

To register and learn more about the IronKids National Triathlon Series, visit

www.ironkids.com IRONKIDS® AND K DOT® ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF WORLD TRIATHLON CORPORATION.

National Sponsors:

188 : BOARDING PASS : R

SuSan mcmanuS

With the finish gantry located just off its shores, Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens competitors have the nice option of a cooling post-race soak in Lake Stevens.

early ’80s. The company’s Woodinville brewery, located 20 miles northeast of Seattle, has an adjacent pub that serves up decent burgers and sandwiches.

RACE: The range of multisport options is perfect; you have everything from Ironman 70.3 Lake Stevens (ironmanlakestevens.com) and ChelanMan (chelanman.com) to the Trek Womens Triathlon Series (trekwomenstriathlonseries.com) Danskin Seattle (danskintriathlon.net) and plenty of sprint races in between. “The Danskin Triathlon Series stop in Seattle must have about 8,000 athletes strong, I think, making it as big as or bigger than the Chicago Triathlon for sheer numbers, and that’s huge,” Geschwill said. “Ironman Coeur d’Alene in Idaho just kills it, Lake Stevens is picking up every year, and even up in Vancouver, they’re having multisport races all the time.”

LAVA

lavamagazine.com

ON THE MARKET : 189

ube.

at pro

swe roof ::

waterp 1l ing :: f a . h . c . l ing, al orts blister p s t n s e v e 3 t :: pr contin

uou

of

ican

n lubr

y ski s spra

.com

lide

for

ons

cati

e lo stor

is w.tr : ww

800.620.4094

LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

190 : ON THE MARKET

TRUSTED BY TOP TRIATHLETES

Team Tri Spot Multi-Sports • Williamsville, NY • www.TriSpot.com

www.runnersremedy.com www.thesock.com www.trispot.com EPI LAVAII 8-10_Layout 1 6/23/10 2:35 PM Page 1

Need another reason to own an Endless Pool?

Introducing our Underwater Treadmill

Adam Alper, Endless Pools R&D engineer & sub-10 Kona guy

Call 800-233-0741ext 6718

www.endlesspools.com/treadmill

Work all the same muscle groups without taking a beating from the asphalt. Running on our variable speed treadmill in your Endless Pool is a great way to break up your swim. It’s perfect for muscle recovery, injury rehab and fitness development From short and easy runs to tempo or threshold workouts, we’ve got you covered. This is one treadmill that’s not going to serve as a drying rack!

TritonAdLavaMag3.75x2.25_0622.10.qxd:TritonAd3.75x2.25.qxd

TRITON WILL MAKE YOU FASTER

“The purpose of mixing Triton workouts into my schedule is to replace a Master’s pool workout. The result is that the Triton has made me faster! I’m more efficient at the front of my stroke and catching more water”.

- William Kelly ™

SWIM TRAINER LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

(Bill has achieved Age Group podium every triathlon race 2008/2009/2010).

Go to www.tritonfitness.com to see a demonstration For discounts inquire at info@tritonfitness.com

6/22/10

3:51 PM

Page 1

ON THE MARKET : 191

www.SportCount.com

SUPER SWIM PRO The Ultimate Water Workout!

For More Information Call

1-800-848-1222

or visit us at

www.superswimpro.com

Bellerive.indd 1

8/19/2010 6:33:30 PM

Not Happy with your Swim?

Improvement Guaranteed 800-443-8946 www.HaloSwimTraining.com

$399 LAVAMAGAZINE.COM

192 : THE LAST WORD : R

ALEXANDER vS. CARFRAE Craig Alexander and Mirinda Carfrae have had very similar experiences at the Hawaii Ironman. After winning the Ironman 70.3 world title, both athletes finished as the runners-up in their Big Island debuts before winning in their second attempts. The Aussies sat down after this year’s race in Kona to discuss what they learned from that first race that made it possible to win in their second go-around. first year too. At the same time I really didn’t want to become another casualty of this event. Of course I thought that if the win was there I was going to go for it, but I was really just trying to get through it. I spent a lot of time looking back on that race and I found a lot of things that I did wrong, which helped me win this year. That’s one of the great things about this race is that there’s always something you could’ve done differently.

Mirinda Carfrae: All right Crowie, what were the big lessons that you learned from your first race here in 2007?

lavamagazine.com

CA: I think we saw that with Macca this year. He’s watched this race for so long and raced here so many times that he made all the right moves at all the right times. When you’ve been in this race for as long as Macca has, you’ve seen all the scenarios play out.

There’s no substitute for experience here.

Each time you race you file something away for next time. It also helps talking to the people who know this race and know all the different ways it can unfold.

MC: That’s why I came to you for advice after my first time here. There were so many similarities in our first experience.

You had just gone through all the same things that I was going through. I remember having so many questions for you after last year’s race. I got so much good advice from you—that really changed the way I went after the race this year.

sammy tillery

Craig Alexander: You don’t know what to expect that first time in Kona. You can talk to all the people you want, but until you go through it, you really don’t know what this race is all about. I learned that you have to have respect for your competition and for the conditions here, but , more than anything, I learned that you can’t doubt yourself. That’s something I did a lot that first year. I was real conservative throughout that race. I really doubted my ability to mix it up with the guys who had been doing this distance for ten years. I remember finishing and thinking that I had too much in the tank. I didn’t know how to ration my energy.

MC: My first experience was really similar. I had no idea how to pace this thing, especially on the bike. I was also really blown away with how hard the swim was. I was expecting the swim to be pretty easy, but it was all out from the start. I paced off of other athletes because I didn’t know how to do my own race. It doesn’t do you a whole lot of good to key off of someone who’s having an off day. So I think the biggest thing I learned was that if you’re going to win here, you have to do your own race. You really can’t waste any energy worrying about what someone else is doing out there. I came into my first race knowing that it was going to be a learning experience though.

CA: It’s hard to enter a race like this and treat it as a learning experience and not like you’re going for the win. We’re athletes; we’re all competitive. I came here knowing the history of this race and how most athletes do in their debut. I came in here expecting the worst though, and I think that helped me. I had no idea what to expect, but I was prepared for anything. In 2007

I had a few chances to win the race, but I just couldn’t pull the trigger.

MC: It was hard for me to come here and not get caught up in going for the win in my

CA: Thanks for making me look good. I went to a lot of people for advice after that first race, but Dave Scott was the one I really sought out for help and he’s still the guy I go to when I need it. There aren’t many guys who know this race like Dave does. He’s seen it all. One of the great things about this sport is that the athletes are always eager to help each other out. There were a few other veterans I went to, like Michellie Jones and Greg Welch. I hate calling them veterans though, because it implies they’re old, but Welchy—he’s old.

LAVA

TYR 356

TORQUE DIDN’T JUST LEAD THE PACK. IT WAS THE PACK.

SOURCE: LAVA MAGAZINE WEBSITE. OCTOBER 9, 2010.

BLUESEVENTY 231

TORQUE WAS FIRST OUT OF THE WATER AT KONA. (OF COURSE, THE ODDS WERE IN OUR FAVOR, SINCE 356 OF THE 700 SWIMSKINS AT KONA WERE TORQUE.) XTERRA 48

TYR.COM

SAILFISH 29 SPEEDO 20

ORCA 16

ŠAmerican Sporting Goods Corporation 2010

avia.com