Stack’s Inspiration – A Reason to Tri – TriCoachGeorgia

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Introduction

We at www.TriCoachGeorgia.com (TCGa) are very proud to have the Stack aka Craig Stachewicz on the team. Stack has Ironman Eagleman 70.3 and Ironman Maryland (IMMD) on his race calendar this year. Not only does he face the specter of being deployed back to the Middle East for the Army, he is a close friend of Crisp McDonald, Race Director for Go Race Productions, a heck of a family man, and a great athlete. But more than anything else, he is a great guy. We wanted to write a feature blog on him and the wonderful gesture he makes during his races for his dear friend Stacey. But first let’s give you some background on Stack.

Interest Grows

Stack started off during the 80’s and early 90’s watching events on TV like the Ironman coverage with the likes of Scott and Allen, the Le Tour De France with Greg LeMond. He was amazed that people could do these things. As a kid, Stack rode his bike for his paper route and imagined being in the Le Tour De France, attacking, chasing, and really just trying to get home sooner. He also really loved the idea of triathlons but he hated running and couldn’t swim worth a damn (quit swimming lessons every year because the pools in Buffalo, NY are cold, imagine that?!?).

He entered high school and college, played sports and was in Army ROTC but still hated running, did not swim, and stopped riding. It wasn’t until 2003 after he returned from the war in Iraq that he bought a new bike and started to ride. Stack fell back in love with riding again, found some other guys to ride and did some century rides. In 2004 he left the military and went back to college. He was determined to complete a triathlon and chose to attend University North Carolina at Wilmington because it was on the beach, tuition was great, and they had a triathlon club. This is when he met Crisp.

Mission Accomplished

Crisp was the president of the Tri Club at UNCW and he taught Stack how to swim, bike better, and enjoy running more. The Tri Club was a close group; they trained, had fun, and even completed Ironman Florida in 2006 together. After Stack completed IMFL, he stopped training and drank beer, entered the military again, and had to travel a bunch.

Stacey Joins the Battle and Becomes Inspiration

In the military, Stack met his buddy’s wife, Stacey. She was impressed that he completed IMFL and was curious what other events or challenges he had planned. So Stack told her about the Marine Corps Marathon and she got hooked. Stacey blames him for getting her obsessed / addicted to things (running, tris, MyFitnessPal, etc). Whenever Stack would bring up and event or show her something she would adopt it and give it 100% determined to finish. She didn’t play to compete, but to win. She is a bit competitive…just a bit.

So they signed up and completed the Marine Corps Marathon. She did not meet her goal of under 4 hours (Bucket List item “BLI”). She was determined to meet her goals and also win. She was determined to win her age groups (and beat the boys) at various distances. She set her goal to Boston Marathon Qualify (BLI). It took several attempts but she BQ’d and finished the Boston Marathon in 2014, but she did not have her personal record (PR) at Boston, so she was determined to go back. In 2015, she BQ’d again and will run in 2017 for a PR (BLI).

Ironman Becomes the Next Goal

Another BLI for Stacey is completing an Ironman. Stacey wants to be an Ironperson. Anyway, this BLI is very important to her. Maybe more than some of the others that she checks off annually (and still adds some too). They have completed multiple events together (Stacey, Stack and their spouses). Stack says that “Stacey is more determined, disciplined, and successful than me at these events. I mean she is a beast at 5’3 or something, she crushes me”. So 2016 is the time for Ironman to come off the bucket list. Stack agreed to do IMMD with her so she can complete it (likely crush it) and she can call herself an Ironperson.

Story Behind the Story

So why is Stacey Stack’s inspiration? She has had very severe Osteoarthritis since the age of 11. She was a competitive gymnast through college. Her arthritis started to negatively impact her and she had a stroke due to medication in the early 2000s, causing weakness and progressing memory issues. Some people have told her to not train or race and just accept that she is disabled. Stacey refuses, she will not quit (#NoQuit). She has to receive bone marrow injections for the arthritis. She is a Colon cancer survivor from 2013. Moreover, she lives life everyday determined to complete her Bucket List with her friends and family.

Stacey makes other people better. She is Stack’s big sister and family. Part of her story and picture is here: http://ucrtoday.ucr.edu/21831.

Conclusion

Stack has several reasons why he raced in the past and committed to endurance sports. Now he has an even bigger purpose. Joining forces with a spiritually strong team and close knit team like TCGa, which has supported #WeFinishTogether and #TeamTagg full force, despite his potential deployment and his location in the Northeast seemed a natural and he has had no regrets.

The biggest reason for training for Eagleman 70.3 and IMMD is a woman and exceptional person named Stacey Grady. Please stand behind him in this noble effort and her in her fight against debilitating health issues.

2015 Year in Review – TriCoachGeorgia

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TriCoachGeorgia enjoyed another successful year in 2015 with multiple first time race finishers, personal records abundant at all triathlon and running distances, as well as some outstanding elite types of performances. The team continues to grow with many new athletes joining in 2015 and the addition of 4 new coaches. Plans for even more coaching additions have been hashed out for 2016 and the roster grows daily.

The team has expanded since the origination in February of 2012 of a two man operation to a team of 7 coaches and 50 plus triathletes. Augusta 70.3 camp has grown from 30 attendees the first year to 220+. The growth seems to be unstoppable. They also support several key philanthropic causes like #WeFinishTogether, the fight against Cancer, and #TeamTagg.

The team age range is huge from 5 years old to nearly 70 and there are several 60 year old athletes spoken for. The youth arm of the team, TriKidsGeorgia, has continued to grow as well. Staying true to their mission, they have developed happier, healthier, and faster age group triathletes. The kids have grown close and look up the adults and vice versa.

The coaching systems employed by the coaches of TCGA have proven results. Rarely will you hear an athlete complain about being unprepared. If anything some of their critics are worried about the team’s athletes being over trained.

The TCGA culture has grown to be a tight knit one that supports all levels of triathletes and single sport athletes. They fight demons together and stand side by side through thick and thin. Their motto is #NoQuit. Once on the team, athletes are Reapers for life. The team is also well thought of throughout the United States and abroad for their dedication, commitment, hard work, and humor.

Not just a team for elite triathletes, but in 2015 there were two 2016 Kona Ironman World Championship qualifiers, and several 2016 Ironman 70.3 World Championship qualifiers. The team saw several compete in 2015 world championships from Maui for Xterra, to Kona for the World Ironman Championship, and to Austria for Ironman 70.3.  In the USA Triathlon NCC Challenge (#USATNCC), the team is also a top 10 overall team and the defending 2015 USAT Division IV national champions and possess a big lead already for the 2016 title.

All told, this team is on fire. They do their jobs and reap what they sow. Inquire about how to be a coached athlete or team member and you, too, may be able to find out where your potential is.

Find Your Zone and 3 Ways to Do It by Coach Spartacus – Brian Patterson – TriCoachGeorgia

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In my last blog I listed four thoughts to off season training. Today, I explain how you determine your heart rate training zones using a lab, a field test or just a little basic arithmetic.

PLEASE NOTE! DO NOT ATTEMPT MAXIMUM HEART RATE TESTING OR ANAEROBIC THRESHOLD TESTING WITHOUT BEING CLEARED BY YOUR MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL! THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT HOW TESTING IS DONE AND HOW TRAINING ZONES ARE DETERMINED. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK AND YOU DO SO VOLUNTARILY. THIS IS NOT AN ARTICLE INSTRUCTING ONE TO PROCEED WITHOUT PROPER MEDICAL SUPERVISION AND GUIDANCE.

You may be finding this article at the end of your triathlon season having trained all year without knowing your zones, you may know your zones or you may be brand new to zone based training. This article and the articles to follow apply to each of you as we are in the time of year that a large portion of your training should be focused on training in zone 2. I will explain why in my next article. For now, let’s find your zone!

Before I get into ways to find your training zones, some terminology needs to be reviewed so we are all in agreement.

VO2 max – VO2 is an abbreviation for volume of oxygen. What it means to a physiologist, to you and to me (a coach) is it’s the volume or amount of oxygen a person/athlete can use during a minute of activity/work. Endurance athletes produce energy using oxygen, and as intensity increases, the need for oxygen increases. There is an end point, a maximum, and this where energy production stops despite higher intensities because oxygen use is limited by the heart’s blood pumping ability. When your max heart rate is reached you also are at your highest level of oxygen consumption. To keep it simple for training zone determination let’s agree that VO2 max means maximum heart rate. The VO2 max is largely a fixed number based on genetics and cannot be increased very much through training.

Lactate Threshold – You may see this abbreviated as LT, AT, AnT or VT. This is also called anaerobic threshold or ventilatory threshold. When the body is making energy aerobically (using oxygen)during endurance training/racing the lactic acid produced inside the cell is converted to carbon dioxide and is removed through exhalation. This “threshold” is the point where the heart can’t pump enough blood to the lungs so the athlete can’t blow off the accumulating acid, carbon dioxide. This is the red line of endurance training and racing because aerobic energy production is switched to anaerobic energy production. Anaerobic energy production is less efficient and produces a lot of waste that is hard to metabolize so we want to be just below this threshold because going over it increases fatigue very rapidly. Unlike VO2 max, Anaerobic/ventilatory threshold can be increased with proper training.

Aerobic Threshold – If VO2 max is the pedal to the metal all out efforts and LT is slightly harder than a moderate effort, then the aerobic threshold, AeT, is a relatively low intensity level of training. This is zone 2 and the garage where BIG aerobic engines are built! Technically, this is the point where lactic acid is beginning to accumulate and you notice your breathing becomes a little deeper and maybe just two or three breaths more per minute. You will also notice an increase in body temperature and maybe a light sweat on your skin. When you notice this, hold that effort and stay there for the prescribed time. This is also the zone where metabolic efficiency training begins and that discussion is for another time.

 

Lab based testing for determining heart rate zones

 

Lab testing to determine your VO2 max, aerobic and anaerobic thresholds is done with a metabolic cart and can be done for running and cycling. This involves wearing a very tight fitting mask connected to a device that measures the volume of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your breaths and your heart rate through either a chest strap or electrodes. A computer program displays graphs of heart rate and ratios of oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) which represents metabolic activity. Heart rate is matched to changes in the ratios of O2 and CO2 and this is how your aerobic and anaerobic threshold zones are determined. Your VO2 max is determined at the point one reaches exhaustion. Once the heart rate thresholds and VO2 max are determined, these can be further distributed into zones 1 ‐ 5 or more depending on the different method of calculations such as the Friel method, the Coggan method or the Karvonen method etc.

Some labs measure blood lactate by analyzing drops of blood taken at intervals during the testing session. The blood lactate values are charted and compared to heart rates to establish the thresholds. Blood lactate measurement can be done conjunction with the metabolic cart or using a handheld device that analyzes the blood without the metabolic cart. Both provide nearly the same result.

 

Field based testing for determining heart rate zones

 

As mentioned above, there are handheld blood lactate analyzers that can be used outside of a lab to measure blood lactate to determine the anaerobic threshold. The aerobic threshold can also be closely approximated using the results and comparing the perceived exertion and ventilatory rate of the athlete. Once again the VO2 max , this time max heart rate, is determined at the point one reaches exhaustion.

An even simpler way to get an approximate anaerobic threshold is to do a 30 minute time trial.

This can be done for either cycling or running and can be done indoors or outdoors. If done outdoors, it is important to pick a route that is easily repeated and free from obstacles that could inhibit a nonstop 30 minute effort. All that is needed to perform this test is a heart rate monitor and stopwatch. To obtain threshold paces, one will need to use a gps enabled device for timing. Perform the test as follows:

Warm up 10‐15 minutes to get the heart above resting and the feeling of a light sweat then recover until the breathing returns to normal. Press start on the timing device and begin the test by running or cycling at as hard an effort as one can sustain for 30 minutes. Do not start out so fast that the effort cannot be maintained for 30 minutes. At the 10 minute mark, press the lap button and continue to run or ride until 30 minutes is reached. At 30 minutes, press the stop button. Review the data file and analyze the “lap” you created at the 10 minute mark. Take your average heart rate for that 20 min effort and that is roughly your anaerobic threshold. If this was a running test, look at the whole 30 minute data file and determine your average pace for the 30 min. This average pace is the threshold pace and one can set training zones using pace just like heart rate. These thresholds will become more accurate as one performs subsequent tests and learns pacing.

This same field test can also be used to determined one’s cycling functional threshold power if a power meter is used during the test.

A swim test to determine your anaerobic threshold is also possible. Because most heart rate monitors do not work in the water, the swim test is a fixed distance time trial to determine your average 100 yard/meter pace. I will use yards and meters interchangeably in the article. There are several tests one can use determine threshold swim pace or Tpace. Here are two that are frequently used:

Warm up with 10 minutes of swimming to include drills, kicking and a few short, hard 25’s or 50’s. Cool down so your breathing returns to normal.

Option 1 ‐ 1000 time trial ‐ Have someone time you and keep up with your distance so you can focus on swimming as hard as possible and not try to remember your lap counts or waste time looking at your lap counter on your wrist or finger. When the person timing you tells you to begin, swim as hard as you can for the entire 1000. Don’t start out too fast so that you have to slow or stop to recover mid test. The person timing you will stop you at the 1000 mark when they stop the timer. To determine your Tpace, take the total time for the 1000 and divide by 100. This will give you your average pace per 100.

Option 2 ‐ 3 x 300 on :30 rest interval time trial or 3 x 100 on :20 rest interval time trial ‐ These can be used if a 1000 straight swim is not yet possible due to a lack of swim fitness. Warm up as above then swim the intervals as fast as possible keeping in mind not go out so fast that the distance cannot be completed. It is best if all three intervals are within five seconds of one another and this may require adding a fourth interval. Sometimes the first interval is considerable faster than the subsequent intervals. Adding a fourth will allow dropping the first faster interval with leaving three intervals to average. Tpace is determined by averaging three intervals times. if using the 100 distance, average the three times to determine Tpace. If using the 300 distance, average the three intervals times and divide that time by three to get your 100 Tpace.

 

Arithmetic calculation for determining zones

 

There are many methods to mathematically calculate heart rate training zones. The focus of this series of articles is off season training and base or zone 2 training so I will explain one simple way to calculate your zone 2 that may be very close to your lab determined zone 2. This mathematical calculation was developed by Phil Maffetone and it is simply subtracting your age from 180 and further subtracting or adding five or ten points based on illnesses or fitness.

Since this article is most likely reaching folks with a bit of athleticism and fitness, let’s simplify the calculation by subtracting one’s age from 180 then further subtracting 5 to give a low end and adding five to give a high end. This will give a range of heart rates for the calculated zone 2.

Using a 35 year old as an example , the zone would be 180‐35=145. Subtract another 5, 145‐5= 140 and add another 5, 145+5=150 so the calculated zone 2 range is 140‐150. To learn more about the Maffetone method, visit here. To help guide your zone calculations, here is a chart for plotting your zones. Keep in mind cycling heart rate can be ten beats less than running due to the decreased physical effort cycling demands.

Heart Rate Zones for running and cycling

Running Zones

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

Your Zones

less than_____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
greater than_____

Cycling Zones

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

Your Zones

less than_____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
greater than_____

Power Zones for Cycling

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

Your Zones

less than_____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
_____ ‐ _____
greater than_____


 
 

Swim zones use Tpace plus or minus seconds of time. Tpace can also be thought of as race pace so your training sessions may be built around Tpace plus 5, 10 or even 15 seconds which is a slower effort or Tpace minus 5 or 10 seconds which would be fast sprint sets.

To summarize, there are many ways to determine heart rate training zones from the gold standard, elaborate lab tests to simple mathematical calculations. If you know your zones, great! Get to training in zone 2. If you don’t know your zones, you now have the means to get started identifying them. First and foremost, determine zone 2 and get training in it. My next article will discuss the advantages of zone 2 training.

 

4 Thoughts for Off Season Training by Coach Spartacus – Brian Patterson – TriCoachGeorgia

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Most of us are in the off season. There may be a 5k, 10k, MTB, cross race or the like out there but the triathlon race season is essentially over until 2016 which makes this a great time to focus on enlarging the aerobic engine through base (zone 2) training and muscular strength development. The coaches, athletes and team members of Tri Coach Georgia will also be competing in the USAT National Challenge Competition to defend our Division IV title and also as a means to focus our base training to ready us for 2016! Consider joining an NCC team to build your base!!

This post will be the first in a series of thoughts about how to approach your off season.  Below is an outline of what’s to come.

The next post is very specific to base training. You don’t want to miss finding your zone.

4 Thoughts for Off Season Training

 

  1. Find your zone

    • Lab test
    • Field test
    • Mathematical calculation

  2. Train in zone 2 at a minimum of twice a week

    • Boring training, reality check
    • Huge aerobic benefit
    • Train for the correct length of time

  3. Strength train to improve weaknesses and imbalances

    • Shoulder girdle
    • Pelvic girdle
    • Core

  4. NCC – commit a month to swim, a month to bike and a month to run

    • NCC swim – December
    • NCC bike – January
    • NCC run – February

Bike Marshal Observations That Can Save Your Race by Coach TaxSlayer – TriCoachGeorgia

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On Saturday November 7th, I attended Ironman Florida to cheer and support several team members racing. I have attended two full Ironman races in the past, but this race introduced me to a new way to watch the bike portion of the race as a course marshal. On Friday, I attended a meeting discussing the rules of racing and how to enforce them during the race. Each course marshal rides on the back of a motorcycle and does his/her best to keep the race fair and everyone safe while on the course. Each marshal was given a book to write down penalties of athletes that were trying to gain an unfair advantage or were not being safe. The book contained a yellow card for minor penalties and a blue card for major penalties. The major penalties include drafting and littering. I wanted to write this blog to tell everyone what I saw on the course.

Top 8 Ironman Bike Race Tips that Can Save Your Race

  1. Drafting is problem.

    Do your best to keep your distance and pass in the allotted time or you risk receiving a penalty if you are viewed doing one of these things. The majority of the penalties given out during the race were for drafting.

  2. Do not block other racers around you.

    Sometimes you feel as though you are riding faster than the rider ahead of you and start to make a pass and realize you are not faster. Other riders behind you may be trying to pass you and it can create an unsafe situation if you stay outside and block the people behind you.

  3. Be careful when throwing water bottles and other trash in aid stations.

    I noticed several volunteers get hit by water bottles thrown at them. I understand that no one did this on purpose, but be careful.

  4. Learn how to take a water bottle from someone standing still before race day.

    It is dangerous to you and others around you if you drop the bottle. The more practice you before the race the more likely you are to have success grabbing it during the race.

  5. Do not take outside assistance.

    I knew people took outside assistance on the run, but I did not realize how many people took outside assistance on the bike. All racers know, or should know, that outside assistance is an automatic disqualification. Plan your day accordingly and you will not need the help.

  6. Carry tubes, co2, patching kits etc.

    I noticed several people that did not have the tools necessary to fix a flat.

  7. Practice changing a flat.

    The more times you practice the easier it will be on race day. You may not flat, but being able to change a flat quickly will benefit you during your race.

  8. Be careful.

    I noticed several racers who were not being safe with the way they were riding. No reason to be in such a hurry to be unsafe. These are a few of my thoughts from my day on the back of a motorcycle. It was very satisfying knowing that the course marshals made a difference in helping to keep the race safe and fair. I look forward to volunteering in this capacity again in the future.

Not the Offseason Essentials by Coach LongMan – TriCoachGeorgia

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Going To The Dogs

November and December of each year is my traditional off season from any sort of regular, planned, and fretted-over athletic events or training. Being in the northern hemisphere, this fits the annual cycle of cooler weather, family requirements, less daylight, year-end work deadlines, and many holidays.

2015 is unique because I have already spent the five weeks since Ironman 70.3 Augusta rehabbing injuries suffered in the last part of the triathlon season. My rehabilitation from lower leg and deltoid muscle strains has forced me to abandon basically all physical activity except easy yoga and walking the dogs. There are definitely lessons to be learned before the 2016 season; and I am exploring them now.

So what is my exact November checklist?

Rest and recovery while staying active: As mentioned above, this is time to stop stressing and start healing. Lots of folks like to cross train with mountain biking, hiking, basketball, whatever. I like to walk Ellie at the park; she likes it too.

Pay attention to others: Endurance athletics is a deeply personal and selfish endeavor. Now is the time to NOT BE THAT GUY. My wife and kids really like this time of year. So does Brook.

Plan your 2016 season: Most of us are goal oriented and are helped along this process by signing up for races. Time to get that done. Sit down with the support team (aka family and coach) and figure out what are the athletic priorities for your upcoming season. Break out the credit card and sign up for one or two “A” races. Now you can brag to your family around the Thanksgiving table about how you are going to qualify for Kona at IM Texas. Sir Syrus (or uncle Bob) will question your sanity.

Get professional help: Every one of us can benefit from the expertise and opinions of others. Besides spending a lot of time with my chiropractor, massage therapist, and PT this fall, I also plan to get a bike fitting from Micah at Georgia CycleSport (it has been two years), join a master’s swimming class (thank you for insisting, Coach BigBad), and have a running stride analysis from Jimbo Woods at Horizon Physical Therapy. Merry Christmas to me, and, hopefully, a happier New Year.

Upgrade equipment and techniques: How many folks go to their A race, buy a hot new pair of running shoes at the expo, and suffer mightily the following day? Now is the time of year to plan, buy, or try new stuff like nutrition protocols, gear, transition set up, et cetera. Blueberry (and your feet) will thank you.

Coaching: Whether you have a coach or you coach yourself, this is the time of year to be coached. Review everything about 2015: equipment, training, races, results, travel, injuries… all of it. What have you learned? What will you do more of or less of? What are your strengths and weaknesses? How can you improve? Do you need help and from who? How will you achieve the goals you have set for 2016 while remaining sane, staying gainfully employed, and, most importantly, loved by your family?

This is a great time of year and I hope you make full use of it. Cheers! And feel free to scratch Galileo on your way out.

So You Want to Kona Qualify?: Slayer’s Top Ten Tips – Ironman World Championship – TriCoachGeorgia

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Introduction

In case you haven’t been on social media in the last couple weeks and perchance missed it, a hard working, regular guy nicknamed the Illustrious Coach Slayer aka me or Harvey Gayer qualified for the 2016 Ironman World Championship at Kona, Hawaii. I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of congratulations, privately and publicly. Getting the slot is described as “insanely difficult” and this article shows how “each year, more than 80,000 athletes vie for slots to the IRONMAN World Championship at the (limited number of world-wide) qualifying IRONMAN events worldwide—while only approximately 2,000 make it to the starting line on race day.”

I was going to write up a race report from my 2015 Ironman Maryland, but there isn’t much to it. It was the race that all who do Ironman dream about. Everything simply went right on that cold and windy day, so there isn’t much to really say about it.

I have decided to write up the top 10 factors that I think put me in a position to finally reap the benefits of all the hours I had sown. I’ve been in disbelief as this was a dream that I thought would never be realized, especially after my bad armadillo-caused bike wreck in April 2015 and subsequent time off for DVT’s in my leg. Now that the goal has been achieved, I have been trying to figure out how I did it, in hopes it helps someone else.

Here is my list:

Top 10 Ways Slayer Qualified for Kona Ironman Championship

  • 1. A Super Support Network

    – From immediate and extended family, to friends and training partners, to my coach and team and to subsets of the team (i.e., the lardasses weight management group), the shops like Georgia Cycle Sports (GCS), All3Sports.com, and Fleet Feet Athens, the affiliates like Generation Ucan, my support system was crucial. Without that, everything else would have failed. Cultivating these relationships, building and maintaining them, was very important to my success.

  • 2. Make Time to Train and Race

    – A recent blog by Alan Couzens suggested one needed to train 18-24 hours per week to qualify in most cases. Moreover, he concludes one must love to train not just tolerate it. I had to shorten my work week which was with my wife’s permission to 3.5 days so that I could get in an additional big training day weekly when my body could handle it. These extra hours not at work allowed me to get more miles and yards in and that helped me to be ready for the demands of the day.

  • 3a. Experience/Confidence/Wisdom

    – Couzens also saw this as a multi year process. For me it was the culmination of about eight years in the sport. I had my share of good races but I learned more from the bad ones. Each bad race informed me about what mistakes not to make the next time. I thought about each big mistake on the way to, and during, my big day at IMMD. I made adjustments in the lead up and all day long to avoid those from recurring. Also, I learned a lot from my fellow coaches and athletes at TriCoachGeorgia.com who are pretty knowledgeable and experienced in their own right.

  • 3b. Knowledge

    – So much information flows on social media, popular media, and the books in the field. Everyone has ideas, some better than others, about what makes a successful race. This makes me think back to the phrase, “check the source.” You really have to learn to sift through all the information and take on board the tips that will help you the most. For me, Seebohar’s caffeine protocol and Metabolic Efficiency Training, Generation Ucan fueling strategies, bike power training seminars and discussions with my fellow power mavens, and higher volume and lower intensity run build methods, were key. I also took a lot out of my time in the A2 wind tunnel with my Master bike fitter from GCS, Micah Morlock, and my former coach and current coaching consultant Andrew Shanks.

  • 4. Motivation/Commitment

    – You have to be closely in tune with what makes you tick. For some it is to improve, others to impress, and some to compete, which I lean on the most. Some are combination of all these in varying degrees. I’ve written before about how some view competitiveness as bad; however, I see it as very healthy and motivating provided you use it in a positive way to drive you and your rival(s) to higher heights.

  • 5. Race Selection

    – Although the course in Maryland isn’t ideal for me (in that it is ranked a hard swim), it was wetsuit legal, which helped my buoyancy, and the late placement in the year allowed for some possibility of swim alteration. It allowed for cold and wind, which suited a bigger guy like me. Moreover, in my case, while the swim wasn’t cancelled, it was shortened to around 3100 yards from 4224 yards. This was nice because at last year’s IMMD I swam 2.7 miles when it was supposed to be 2.4 miles. Maybe it sort of equaled out.

  • 6. A Bit of Luck

    – You need to be blessed with no serious obstacles on the way to the big day and during the race itself. Some race builds I am plagued with high work stress, family demands, and/or lots of work interruptions. Some races I have dealt with mechanical issues, poor decisions in gear, flat tires, and the like. In this one, the build and the race went pretty smooth overall. In fact, the wreck actually served to my advantage in that I was given time to rest after a huge Winter build for the USAT’s NCC Challenge. I was able to rest up for the massive ramp up for the race. Then the postponement offered me extra time to taper and freshen up into form. All of this was probably a bit of good luck.

  • 7. Good Health

    – This pretty much is self-explanatory and goes for the build and the race day.

  • 8. Positive Mental Attitude (PMA)

    – More so than any prior build or race, I just got on with things. If a bad session happened in that I bonked, went too hard or went too easy, I just got over it. When the race postponed, I called it a bad day and moved on. I went back to work for several days as if it would be rescheduled. If something didn’t feel right, I listened to my body, not my training schedule and took a day off. I just went with the flow and that continued to race day itself when they shortened then lengthened the swim while we awaited the start.

  • 9. Willingness to Sell My Body Out on Race Day

    – More than any other endurance race in my life, I just gave up any thoughts of preserving my body. I wanted to get to the finish line giving it all I had with no quit whatsoever. There was to be NO MAMBY PAMBY on this day. When I tired, I berated myself to keep going. I took more caffeine than I ever had and ate more pain than I ever had. I refused to give into the doubts and the mentally challenging  aspects. And I was duly rewarded at the end.

  • 10. Sufficient Income

    – Ironman is a pricey endeavor. From the race registration, to the travel, to the lodging, to the gear, etc. Not to mention, when the race was over, I had to plunk down the better part of 900$ for the race registration for Kona. You have to make it to spend it. I am very fortunate to be able to play this game in the manner it demands. I do not take that for granted.

So there you have it. These are my 10 factors in no particular order that seemed to propel me further and better than I have ever done. I am interested on your thoughts on these and if you think I am leaving anything out. Thanks again for reading and holler if you have something you want me to write about as I chase this dream to its conclusion!

Finishing Up the First Tri Kids Georgia Race Season – TriCoachGeorgia

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Our last weekend of the youth triathlon season kept us very busy with two races back to back. Saturday, October 10 was the Five Star Triathlon Championship. Many of our athletes qualified at various races through the season. They did add an open division as well which allowed some of our newer athletes to compete on this day as well. The race was held in Clarkesville, GA in an indoor pool with challenging bike and run on the hills of Northeast Georgia. We are proud of all our racers – Simon Casey, Jenna Champer, Carter Fowler, Caiden Fowler, Freeman Chamblee and Jack Chamblee.

Some of our TriKids were also competing in the GA Milesplit Cross Country 3K Challenge at Athens Christian on October 10th. Caroline Duncan and Ellie Gayer brought home impressive finishes on a rainy, muddy course helping their team, Malcom Bridge Middle School, to a 2nd place finish.

The rescheduled Senior Division race of the Atlanta Kids Triathlon took place on Sunday, October 11th. Even with the date change, we had a great group of athletes ready to compete. It is much different racing in October instead of August, but these kids did not let a little chill stop them. The XClass division raced first with Caroline Duncan, Addie Hayes, Jack Hayes Jenna Champer and Keaton Tsepas Buccier. The age group race followed with Emma Champer, Lindley Hawks and Carter Fowler. As always, the Atlanta Kids Tri brings tough competition from around Atlanta and the Southeast and our TriKids brought home great results.

Many of our kids are well rounded competing in football, soccer, horseback riding and dance when they are racing in triathlons. We are looking forward to some great off season training filling in our racing gaps with local 5K races and year round swim meets.

Happy Floaty Racing at Augusta 70.3 2015: How to Not Stress and Truly Enjoy Your Race

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Many of our athletes at TriCoachGeorgia.com are multi-year athletes. They are not “one and done.” They take a longer view to training and racing and realize that endurance is more of a slow cooker than a microwave. They also get a lot out of our sub-culture and community. Most importantly, they have perspective about what this all means in the context of their lives, which include demanding jobs and lovely and challenging family demands to juggle.

Taylor Lewis is a prime example of the aforementioned. She has been with Coach Slayer going on three years now. She manages her job in Nursing, her husband Duane and their lovely three children. She trains with the team but uses mostly the online aspects as she is many hours away from her teammates. Nonetheless, she keeps rising to the challenges she sets for herself, of which there are many and these are all pretty BIG, as in dangerous and long or hard, events.

More importantly, she “gets it.” Here in her Augusta 70.3 race report we see someone who takes on the challenge of racing her half ironman without pressuring herself or seeing her results as dictating her self-worth. She soaks up the community, the event, and the sport she loves most. We thought her race report might help someone who puts too much pressure on herself to perform or PR and let them see how it can be way more enjoyable. Well done Happy Floaty Taylor #HFT! Thanks for the share.

Ironman Augusta 70.3 Race Report

Race Day

I got up at 4am and made a UCan smoothie in the blender bottle. It ended up being one of the weirder smoothies I’d ever made, but was okay. I got myself organized and spent a few quiet moments visualizing my race. When I left the hotel the temp was cool and there was a misty rain happening. I did run back up to the room to get a bag to put my running shoes in. The hotel I was staying in was just a little over a block from the swim start, so I walked to the shuttle stop there and caught a ride to transition. Once I had everything set up, I rode a shuttle back to swim start and walked back to the hotel. I actually had time to crawl back into bed and rest for an hour before going back for my swim wave! I was able to get my wetsuit on up to my waist at the hotel and grab only what I needed to take with me. I got back to the swim start shortly after 7. While chatting with friends at the race start I ate a banana and drank a bottle of Ucan, I also took 200mg of caffeine at 7:30. I exchanged good luck wishes with everyone and it was time to drop my morning clothes bag and get ready to go. My swim wave started at 7:58 which was super early. In years past I have started closer to 9. I really liked starting earlier! I got my wetsuit on and lined up with the other light blue swim caps in wave 8. Finally the nervous excitement of a race was in full effect, and I loved it! The misty rain stuff was still happening and the sun was nowhere to be found, but none the less it was a beautiful day. As we were filing down towards the swim start we passed Dave Ragsdale and he chatted with the group. I know that officially Mike Reilly is the “voice of IM”. But to me, the voice of IM is Dave Ragsdale. He has been at all 5 HIMs that I’ve done and he was at IMFL, so to me his voice is what I expect to hear at these events! The time had finally come and the ladies in my wave filed down onto the dock. There was 4 minutes between waves, and of course these 4 minutes felt like they lasted for 5 years. Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ was blasting and that felt kinda perfect! I got into the water and was hanging onto the dock when the horn sounded to indicate the swim start.

Swim

The race started and so did the mass of women in my wave. Why I thought starting at the end of the dock towards the middle of the river and in the river was a good idea I’ll never know. I was hit and kicked and swam over. Too many bodies. I did not enjoy this race start and wished I had waited just a couple of seconds to let the mass start before I started swimming. Too late for that now. I was hit in the goggles, but they were not knocked off. I just kept swimming and trying to calm down. Both the shock of the chilly water and the adrenaline from the race start and all the people really had me on edge and a little freaked out. It took several minutes and swim strokes for me to calm down. After the crowd had spaced out some I was fine and the remainder of the swim was uneventful. Swim time: 29:36

T1

I felt good coming out of the water and ran to the wetsuit strippers. They did their job very efficiently and in no time I was running to my bike. And I was wet and cold. Still no sunshine and misty drizzle. I got on my bike shoes, sunglasses, and helmet and headed out. T1 time: 4:47

Bike

There were a lot of prayers sent up during this ride. I do the majority of my riding on the trainer and I haven’t replaced my rear tire since last summer (2014). I had not bothered with race wheels for this one and I just rode my training wheels. My rear tire is very worn from the trainer and I knew it was slippery. I was very concerned about the possibility of going down on the tire on slick roads. The misty rain fell for most of the bike. Only once or twice did it actually rain, but it was damp for the entire bike. I warmed up quickly, except for my head. The wet hair and the vents in my helmet make for a cold head until my hair dries. I’ve experienced this before, but never seem to get used to it. While it may seem odd to wear sunglasses in the rain, I hate the feeling of the wind in my eyes. It dries my contacts out and just is really annoying. I would periodically have to take the sunglasses off and try to wipe the rain drops off them. The bike was good and I never did push the speed or effort at all. At some point, someone rode past me and told me to make Harvey proud! I was very comfortable on the ‘hills’ and thought about Harvey’s instruction to play the climbs easier than usual. I did stop for the bathroom at the first aid station and that added a little bit of time. I started with only 1 bottle of water and grabbed a fresh bottle at each aid station. I took caffeine at 9:30 and again at 11:30 (every 2 hours). I took at Hammer gel at about 1:45 on the bike, this is a little sooner than I had planned, but I felt like I needed it. The temp was cooler than what I had been training in and I spaced out my electrolytes to every 45’ instead of every 30’ and that worked fine. After the final aid station, I made an effort to keep things under control and not push. Last year, I blew through the last 10 miles on the bike and paid for it on the run. At mile 49 I came upon a crash that had just happened. There were 2 bikes and riders on the ground. Everyone was slowing down and riding around them. I stopped and identified myself as a nurse and checked on both people. They both had some road rash and were clearly shaken up, but both assured me that they were okay. The woman showed me that she had a flat front tire and I offered her my spare tire tube. She said she had one but she didn’t know how to change the tire. I had some pretty rude thoughts run through my mind about her lack of preparation and why didn’t she know how to do that?!?! A police officer pulled up at time and asked if they needed medical assistance. Both people said they were okay, but the lady with the flat did ask for SAG to help her change the tire. I rode off at this point and for the next 10 miles I beat myself up for being a jerk and not doing it for her. I still feel bad about that. My prayers were answered in that I didn’t crash and I had a good ride. Bike time: 3:14:06 – 17.3avg speed. Lost time at bathroom stop and checking on crash, but not a bad ride at all.

T2

Coming into T2 I was tired, but I was really looking forward to running. I got my bike racked and helmet off and changed shoes. Another little prefect touch was that Dave Matthews ‘Jimi Thing’ was playing (‘what I want is what I’ve not got, but what I need is all around me’) – not sure what I want that I don’t have, but what I need was definitely all around me! I took a bottle of Ucan with me to start the run, quick trip into the porto-potty and I was off and running. T2 time: 8:02 (okay, I really need to work on that).

Run

The Augusta run is my favorite run that I’ve ever done in any race. There is so much crowd support that it is an amazing feeling. I had one of the best runs in any race ever. It looks slow to someone who doesn’t know me. But my pace was consistent, my splits even, and I did exactly what I had trained for. I felt good and strong the entire run and really had a blast! I continued with my electrolytes during the run. I had my other Hammer gel around mile 9. I grabbed water at every aid station and added in Coke at the station at mile 5 and had coke and water at aid stations after that. At that mile 5 aid station I was reaching out to grab a cup of water when I could hear someone coming yelling ‘water, water!’ this person zoomed through and cut me off to grab water and sped away. It was Taz!! I have NEVER seen someone run that fast or blast through an aid station like that and I was in awe. My run is typically surround by people running various paces, but as a middle to back of the packer, I don’t see the really fast people and I just couldn’t get over how fast he was moving! Around mile 7 my old right foot pain friend arrived. I noticed that my lower legs were pretty achy near 10 miles, but I was having a good run. I lost track of how many times someone commented about Harvey or Slayer or told me to Do My Job. It was like having little Harvey-spies everywhere! I LOVED running past the TCGA and Tri Augusta tents! Kevin Cheek was one of the most supportive people on the course and I’ve never even met him! I saw Gina at the tent and thought she must have had a spectacular race to already be finished and changed. Later I learned that she had been sick and didn’t race. I finished my race feeling really really good and loved the entire experience! Run time: 2:27:02

Overall Race Time: 6:23:33

This is my slowest time at Augusta, but one of my best races! I had an awesome solid great run that I am proud of! I did new things and met new people and to think that I came very close to not even going. I loved this weekend.

I got my gear bag pretty quickly to get my phone and check on everyone else racing in Augusta and Choo and touch base with my people. I talked to Duane, my mom and sis, Harvey, and Pat. My tribe! And really appreciated hearing from everyone and knowing that they were tracking me. I walked over to the TCGA tent to cheer on everyone else and met a lot more TCGA people. Taz was there and immediately apologized for cutting me off at the aid station. At this time I had no clue that he had finished 4th overall and just commented on how impressed I was with how fast he was! He said he saw I was a team member and figured I would understand being cut-off, which of course I did! He was so humble and kind asking me about my race and how it went, never mentioning how well he had done, Gina told me about his race! I checked and made sure she was okay and she got a little teary-eyed about the DNS. I tried to offer words of comfort but knew that nothing I could say would make it okay. I started following friends on the tracker and was able to cheer for them as they ran by! Holly came by and I trotted a long with her for a few minutes and told her I’d see her at the finish line! I got to see Kim, Darsh, and Bill run by. I met Ryan and Kim at the tent and Gina and Troy were there and overall I just had an amazing time! I made it back to the finish line in time to see Holly cross and I was so extremely proud of her! I made my way to her and teared up (where did this emotion come from??? That was totally unexpected!). I was by far more excited for her than for myself!

I am writing this on Tuesday following the Sunday race. I have to go back to work tomorrow and will be busy and it was write it now or never. I learned so many things at this race and had such a phenomenal weekend.

Top 10 Takeaways from the Ironman Augusta 70.3

  • 1) Sometimes amazing things happen when you least expect it (this entire weekend).
  • 2) Good things happen outside of my comfort zone.
  • 3) Never ever pass up an opportunity to help someone. I wasn’t racing, I was participating in this event and there is no good reason for me not to have changed that lady’s tire. If it was a training ride I wouldn’t have had a second thought about stopping and changing her tire. I wasn’t in a hurry, I was a jerk and I’ve worried about her since then.
  • 4) Motivation and excitement can be found in the most unplanned ways. Coming off of this weekend I feel an excitement towards training and racing that I haven’t felt in a while.
  • 5) Watching someone else fulfill a dream is as good if not better than doing it yourself.
  • 6) Solid nutrition plan during this race, but need to tweak and plan for upcoming ultras.
  • 7) It was fun to ham it up for the race photographers!
  • 8) I looked forward to the timing mats on the run because it meant that I was letting someone know how my race was going.
  • 9) I am a member of the greatest team. I love this crazy group of TCGa misfits.
  • 10) I love the people who support me and appreciate everything thing that everyone who is reading this does or has done to support me, it doesn’t go unnoticed and I thank you.

    • What I’ve Learned and Applied from Coach Slayer – TriCoachGeorgia

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    A Triathlon Coach Amongst Triathlon Coaches

    At TriCoachGeorgia.com, we are very honored to be the coach of coaches and great athletes. One of them is Coach Cube aka Fred Mehrer of TriCoachFlorida.com. Coach Cube is one of Coach Slayer’s star athletes and he wanted to explain why a coach needs a coach and what he learned from his coaches over the years. He has a great track record coaching his athletes too. Read below:

    Coaches and Coaching 

    I first met Coach Slayer at a race when I was still living and racing in Georgia. Friends said, “you’ve got to meet this guy, he’s nuts”! First, he was killing everyone in the heavy man’s Clydesdale division, and second, his podium antics were something to see. He would smash a water bottle and scare everyone around with a roar!

    Honestly, I didn’t know how to take him at first. I mean, he was a hell of an athlete and a great transformation success story. Finding the motivation to do what he has done in his athletic career is amazing. But, from a distance, he’s a little unorthodox and somewhat intimidating.  He’s big, he’s loud and he’s FAST!

    However, once we talked, we found we had a common thread. We’re both from the Philly area and both have an unstoppable internal drive.

    What Happened Next 

    I remember one of the first races we did together (Mistletoe Sprint Triathlon), we shared a room the night before. I was trying to be the perfect athlete, eating good and going to sleep early. He ate a sandwich from Arby’s, drank 4-5 Budweiser Light Limes, and talked til midnight! That was not on my race plan.

    On the run the next day, I could hear him coming up on me yelling, “Don’t get Slayed, Cube!”. He took me out in the last mile and finished about 1:30 ahead of me, all while out weighing me by a good 50 lbs!. What this told me was that maybe not everything you read is the best way to go about things. I have learned to appreciate the nuances and unorthodox nature of training and racing that have helped him to excel as well as helping me in my own right as an athlete and coach.

    Time for a Change

    Over the years Coach Slayer and I have become closer friends and when it was time for a coaching change in 2013, he was at the top of my list of coaches to interview. I saw his athletes’ positive results piling in and he kept improving. There was a culture of communication and social support developing and he was in the forefront.

    I wanted something totally different from my last coach. I wanted a coach with kids and someone who was more “hands on” and who is a good communicator. It was important for me to feel I was getting good value for the money I was paying. More than plans, I wanted a personal touch, I wanted a connection. I am not too needy but I like to feel recognized and valued. I understand how athletes’ minds operate.

    How it Impacted Me

    Right from starting with “Slay”, things took off. He renewed my passion for the sport, while at the same time, teaching me there is more to life then Triathlon and that family is a huge priority and should be highly valued. I was recently re-married and had moved to Palm Beach, started commuting to Atlanta for work and now had step kids. My single days (all about me) were over and at times I found, and still find, it hard to juggle everything on my plate.

    Coach Slayer knew how to make training fun again without the stress my previous plans put on me about completing a workout or taking time off for family. In return my results soared. I finished 2013 with four podiums and a PR at Ironman Miami 70.3 going 4:51.

    I went on to be a Coach

    Most coaches wouldn’t want you taking their secrets or methods and competing against them. In late 2013, Coach Slayer actually did the opposite. He encouraged me to become a coach and start TriCoachFlorida.com. This is a stand alone firm and I am growing my brand carefully and using the principles he has shared with me in terms of not just training but also managing time and prioritizing. I work hard to put my family first now. It’s not easy, but it’s right.

    Conclusion

    I work everyday to apply the things I’ve learn from Coach Slayer, not only thru training, but in my coaching as well. I am a better man for working with him. I strive to do the same for my athletes.

    There’s nothing better then an open line of communication with your coach. You need a dynamic process that evolves daily or weekly if you have a challenging family and/or work life. No matter what level program you’ve signed up for. I know I can call Coach Slayer for any reason, triathlon related or not. These are the things I value as an athlete and provide to my athletes everyday.

    There are many great coaches out there. Find one that makes you a better athlete and person. Give me a call and let me discuss what I can offer you along these lines. Thanks Coach! Now let me go #FeelTheBurn!

    Five Tips for Thriving During Your Ironman or Ironman 70.3 Build‏ (Thanks Karl!) – TriCoachGeorgia

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    Introduction

    We have some stellar, well experienced, and consistent athletes who strive hard to improve their performance. They also go out of their way to help others.

    Some of our athletes go on to be good coaches in their own right. Karl Langenbach aka LongMan and soon to be known as Coach LongMan is a great example of someone that has been a student of the game for a long time. He has helped many friends to achieve their goals and always seems to show up healthy and race well. He was kind enough to write a blog for us about some of his secrets to success.

    How and When

    It’s that time of the year: your “A” race is looming! For me, Augusta 70.3 is 2+ weeks away with Ironman Louisville close on its heels. CoachBigBad has been loading my wagon and I am exhausted physically and mentally. What am I doing to manage the stress? Here are my top five tips for coping and recovery:

    5 Tips To Help You Crush Your Race

     

    • 1. Get more sleep.

      If you aren’t getting 7+ hours sleep each night; why not? Whenever possible, slip in a 20-30 minute nap; like on Saturday and Sunday afternoon between workouts and on weekdays if you happen to make it home for lunch. It is amazing how much more alert and refreshed, mentally & physically, I feel after a good night’s rest or a quick doze.

    • 2. Avoid sick people.

      Your immune system is taking a pounding and can’t cope with the normal assault of germs. Even a mild head cold can put a serious damper on your race. Wash your hands a lot. Stay out of your kid’s classroom. Shun your sneezing co-workers.

    • 3. Get a massage.

      Your body is likely a knotted mess; and you need to change that in order for it to work at peak performance levels on race day. Schedule hour-long massages ($45) three and one week out from your big race plus another one the week after. Also spend ten minutes each night foam-rolling your back, thighs, IT bands, and calves. This stretching helps me calm down for better rest and less aches in the morning.

    • 4. Drink more water and eat more veggies.

      Your body needs the best nutrition possible during this high stress period. Save the cake and beer for the after-race celebration.

    • 5. Practice active recovery.

      Nothing gets rid of lingering soreness and speeds healing like easy movement. After you have done your icing and hydration, get off the couch and take the kids to the park or walk the dog. Don’t tempt yourself to do another workout. You are just try to get the blood and lymphatic fluids moving. This is also a great time to relax mentally, and pay some attention to your support team (aka your family!).

    Try out these tips and let me know how they work for you. Good luck in your race.

    TriKidsGeorgia: Ironkids Alpharetta 2015 – TriCoachGeorgia

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    As many of TriCoachGeorgia Reapers enter their taper phase for their “A” Ironman races in Augusta, Chattanooga, Maryland, Louisville, Cozumel, and Florida, the focus turned to the successful and growing kids team, TriKidsGeorgia, as they headed to Ironkids Alpharetta.  With over 700 athletes racing, the coaches and parents were sure the TriKidsGeorgia were well trained for their turn on the big stage.

    TriKidsGeorgia sent 19 athletes to the race.  Racers for the team included Ben, Allison, Harry, Jack Hayes, Addie, Isaac, Callie, Jack Stansell, Luke, Keaton, Simon, Jenna, Carter, Caiden, Nicholas, Molly, David Andrew, Caroline and Sydney. Sadly, several were out of town and had to miss the event.

    The race had three divisions for participants. The first to race were the Senior racers.

    The team entered 5 kids in the Senior division. The race consisted of a 300 meter swim, 8 mile bike and 2 mile run.  The kids were lined up in numerical order and were ready to get in the pool to start his/her race.  Each athlete was well trained and sharpened in late Summer by swim instructor and Cal Poly Triathlete Cullen Goss, who was 13th overall at the 16-19 year old Sprint at the ITU Worlds in Chicago, Illinois. They completed the swim and headed into transition to get on their bikes.

    The bike consisted of 4 laps of a difficult course with hill climbs and descents.  The practice the athletes put in over the past year with Coach Slayer and his assistant, professional cyclist John Butler of Watkinsville, Georgia, showed as each of them had exceptional bike handling skills and splits.

    The run took them on an out and back course in the woods. All of the kids finished strong and had great races.

    Next up were the intermediate racers.  Their race consisted of a 150 meter swim, 4 mile bike and 1 mile run.  The course was the same as the senior division.  The kids worked hard during their race and all had smiles on their faces when crossing the finish line.

    Finally, the junior division raced. During this race, spectators often see a lot of first time triathletes. The TriKidsGeorgia had fun cheering on their teammates and other young children as they competed in the 50 meter swim, 2 mile bike and 500 yard swim. As the kids crossed the finished line, they had their names called just like at the adult Ironman races.

    At the awards ceremony, TriKidsGeorgia was very well represented. The team had 7 athletes podium in their respective age groups. More importantly, all the kids and parents of TKGa showed class and respect for their fellow competitors. All told, it was a great day in Alpharetta!

    Now the TriKidsGeorgia look to finish their competitive seasons at the Five Star Championships and the re-do of the Atlanta Kids Triathlon that was rained out earlier in the Summer. Let us know if your child want to join this free team that doesn’t quit!

    Final Note: TriKidsGeorgia is a non-profit and has many sponsors and affiliates including High Performing Systems, Inc., Adams Tile & Terrazzo, Georgia Cycle Sport, Athens Fleet Feet, Wells Fargo Advisors (Seth Waltman), and Positive Outcomes Psychological Services, P.C. Special thanks once again goes to All3Sports.com for their support of the youth team with a donation of gear to the team. Also, a note of gratitude to TriCoachGeorgia athlete, Taylor Lewis, who donated her winnings from the SlayborDay Challenge to the youth team!