If there is such thing as an “earthly angel”, my good friend and loyal client, Kathy Fleckenstein (aka “Flecky”) embodies it. I have always said that it takes a certain kind of very special person to do what Kathy does. As a pediatric emergency room nurse on the south side of Chicago, I can only imagine the horror that Kathy encounters at work. She also takes regular medical mission trips to far flung, poverty stricken places on the globe, and she acts as a sponsor to a poor little girl in Africa. In between all the good work that she does, she finds time to train and participate in the sport that we all love. Please enjoy the below article that was recently written about my good friend with a soft smile and a manner that exudes caring, competence, compassion and composure…my good friend, Flecky, who I’m so very proud to know and call my friend.

Click here to read the article about Kathy.

– June 16 – Central Park Lisle

Where can we find more speed on the bike? Does it boil down to using a new aero wheelset or upgrading all components to carbon? Does it come from having better bike handling skills? Does it happen after a long winter season of indoor trainer riding? Does a more cycling-specific strength training regime give us the solution? Is there a specific pedal-stroke that can give us more speed?

In a short answer – Yes!

“I loved this clinic! The results showed right away. Great job, Coach Sarah. You have a unique and valuable clinic here.”

Each of these solutions has been proven to help cyclists find more speed, some more noticeably than others. Yet, our full potential can be lost in translation if our bodies and muscles don’t truly connect with our bikes. If our bike handling isn’t felt with total conviction, or if the purpose behind each part of the pedal stroke isn’t fully understood, our efficiency suffers.

So while each of these solutions provides a piece to the puzzle, solidifying our efficiency ends up being the most critical ingredient to helping us find—and maintain—our speed for the long haul.

This class will help athletes learn proper pedal stroke mechanics and bike handling skills, tying these directly into the specific muscle groups responsible for powering the pedals and core stabilization on the bike. Time will be spent both on and off the bike. Time on the bike will focus on pedal stroke efficiency through muscle mechanics and proper bike form. Time off the bike will address cycling-specific strength training exercises and recovery stretches.

“Thanks, Sarah, for all of your efforts and the time you put into this class! It was really helpful to me. I feel like I have a much better understanding of how I’m supposed to be using my muscles on the bike and how to strengthen and stretch off the bike to prevent injury and to stay strong for the bike leg of triathlons. Great job, I really appreciate your insight!”

A newly added feature of the class will be the hot topic of hill climbing. Our lack of significant hills in the local area doesn’t have to hold us back from knowing how to ride them effectively, efficiently, and confidently!

This clinic will be led by Sarah Farsalas, USAC Level III Cycling Coach. Sarah’s background in clinical massage therapy gives her a unique understanding of muscle mechanics on the bike, and how to specifically address those muscles off the bike. She also has a true appreciation (and enjoyment!) of hills, as her own cycling career began in the hilly terrain of the Appalachian foothills.

Experience a new approach to getting faster on the bike in this skill & technique oriented cycling clinic, and unleash your full potential!

Date: June 16, 2012

Time: 1:00 –3:30 p.m.

Location: LifeStart Central Park, Lisle

Class size: Limited to 6 athletes

Clinic Requirements: Bike trainer, bike

About a week out from Boston, my friend wrote to say that it was going to be about 80 degrees on race Monday. As the week progressed, that forecast high increased until, the Saturday before, the race committee decided to offer deferments to anyone who was not in top shape or prepared for the heat. I considered this, but only for a couple of minutes. We were already in Boston…

Race day dawned sunny and hot. The Boston Marathon starts in Hopkinton, Mass. and when we arrived at Hopkinton Jr. High, it was already more than 70 degrees. In four previous Bostons, I have ALWAYS needed warm up clothing (and typically more than that). We were hot with just our shorts and singlets. We opted for shade and tried to take it easy for the hour and a half we were waiting. Drink, Drink, Drink!!

The race begins about .75 miles from the school and the downhill walk usually turns into a warm up jog. We were already warmed up and did not want to increase our body temperatures any more than necessary. We found some shade near the start area, but it probably did not help much as there were about 5 people per square foot of shade to help keep us warm.

I heard someone say the temperature was 78 degrees when I passed over the start line. It wasn’t too bad and the first mile is sharply downhill. I was running easily with my friend who is a much better marathoner than me. His plan was still to average less than eight-minute miles. I changed my goal from 3:30 to finish in one piece. After our 8:12 first mile, my buddy was ready to pick it up and I was ready to slow way down. We went our separate ways.

By 5K, I knew survival was the key and began walking the water stops. I was drinking pretty much only Gatorade even though Laurie and I had talked about alternating Gatorade and water at each stop. I figured with the heat I needed the Gatorade. That was a mistake as by 12 miles or so, I was very tired of Gatorade.

By 10 miles, it was walk 45 seconds, run 1:15 and after the halfway point, it was almost entirely walk. I called Pat and told her it was going to be a long day! Even the Wellesley girls at mile 12 could not cool me off or make me go faster.

At 18.5 miles, I had to stop and sit down for a minute. I called Pat again and she told me that the defending champion had been taken away by ambulance at 18 miles. I responded by stating, “Well at least I kicked his a—!” then got up and walked on. At least 10 minutes had gone by.

Just after cresting Heartbreak Hill, I stopped again and called Pat to update her on my “progress.” That’s when she told me everyone was keeping track of my “progress” and was pulling hard for me. I felt much better for awhile and actually ran a couple of steps before the heat took over again. I tried to use the energy from the Boston College students, but that was not working.

At 35K, I visited an aid station, asking for “a cold towel or something.” The doctor made me sit down and took my blood pressure: 92/50. He said something about a bus to take me to the finish line, I told him I have low BP anyway and felt OK, I was just hot. As I was getting ready to argue, this doctor was called away on the “go team” and a replacement came over. He gave me a cold bottle of water and a bag of ice. I asked him if there was a set amount of time he had to keep me. He asked me how I felt.

Me: “I feel OK.”

Doc: “Do you know where you are?”

Me: “35K, about 22 miles.”

Doc: “Do you know what day it is?”

Me: “Patriot’s Day. How long do you have to keep me here?”

Doc: “You can go whenever you’re ready, just sign this.”

Me: “Great! Thanks!”

Then I was on my way once more.

I felt much better after that but still not well enough to run more than 10 steps at a time and those came about once a mile. Through Cleveland Circle, down Commonwealth Avenue, past Fenway and the Citgo sign into Kenmore Square. Under Mass Ave., right on Hereford and left on Boylston. Once on Boylston, I couldn’t let all those people see me walk to the finish line so I ran most of the way down Boylston to the finish. The time did not matter, just making it without passing out was the best thing.

My day wasn’t over. After talking with Pat and Coach Joe on the phone, my phone rang and it was my friend’s mother, who is like a second mom to me. My friend finished in 3:45 (yeah, he’s still fast) but his mom had not heard from him and she asked me to find him. Pat and I made some inquiries and then we received a call from him. He was in the medical tent where he spent four hours and was given three bags of IV fluid. WHEW!! I called his mom and she uttered the words I never thought I’d hear,

“You were the smart one!!”

I’m not sure how smart any of us were out there that day, but even though it was disappointing to not do better, it was satisfying to be able to get through it mostly unscathed. Besides, as I have always said about the marathon, “Getting the medal is the only thing that really matters!”

Join us for this special hill running clinic and workout presented by Dave Walters on May 31 at 6:00 pm. This 90 minute session will include an opening discussion, warmup stretching, a two mile run in the flats, 4 to 8 hill repeats depending on runner ability, two mile tempo run and cool down.  The clinic and workout will benefit runners, duathletes, and triathletes of all ability levels who are looking to maximize their running potential.

Coach Dave is a 7 time Duathlon All American, 4 time Duathlon National Champion, and 2 time Gold Medalist at the Duathlon World Championships.  He also runs marathons, and always finishes in the top 3 in his age group at Boston, Chicago, and NYC (2:47 at Chicago last year).  Dave was an All American in college in Cross Country in 1977 and competed at the US Olympic Marathon Trials in 1988.  

This clinic is exclusively offered to ET coached athletes, and there is no charge.  RSVP is required via the form below. 

Please note that our normal Thursday night Masters swimming at Central Park will not be held this day due to the clinic.

Date: May 31, 2012

Time: 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Location: Blackwell Forest Preserve at the base of Mount Hoy

For questions or further information contact Coach Joe

Well, the moment I’ve been waiting for.  The post-race write-up.  Does this mean I finished?  You’ll have to read on for that.  Does this mean I survived?  Yes!

I’m going to draft this in a few parts.  For those of you looking to read the high level summary, you can stop after this.  I finished!  For those of you looking for my race summary, read on.  I won’t be offended with any of the options.

Race morning

T-Town opened at 5 am, and much the same as my Olympic in Naples, we picked the hotel farthest from the start.  Situated at the base of the BEAST (more to come), we drove miles 8 – 20 to the race start.  Ok, not exactly the race start (yes, more on this as well).  At 4:15 am it’s dark, and at 4:15 am in St. Croix during rainy season, it’s, well, raining.  Today was to be no exception because Ironman 70.3 St. Croix needed just one additional challenge to solidify its position as the hardest half iron in the world!  For many years, St. Croix and Ironman Hawaii were the two major events in the sport.  On the 24^th anniversary (25 years, but Hugo led to the only cancellation several years back), it marked the return of Lance Armstrong.  St. Croix is also the only location in the world without a Starbucks.  Fortunately the several days on the island prior to the race provided the necessary time to go through detox.

Racking the bike

No matter how carefully you plan, racking your bike and laying out your gear is riddled with challenges.  The first, of course, was the darkness.  The second was the rain.  And the third were the folks that show up late after you’re all set and push your bike and your towel with gear every which way to fit their bike into the spot on either side of you.  When all else fails in a triathlon, this one holds true every time.  The final step in preparation is to grease up the inside of your wet suit, squeeze your way in, and allow others to quietly comment on every single wrinkle in the rubber exterior.  Those, of course, representing every percentage of body fat us amateurs have over the 6% that everyone in this race seemed to be sporting.  In fact, I was one of only a few in a wetsuit!

The appetizer

St. Croix is special for many reasons.  The first of which is the pre-swim swim.  Yes, that’s correct.  The race starts on an island off of the island, so all 600 racers get to swim to the race start about ¼ of a mile out into the ocean.  I believe they do this to weed out the folks that forgot swimming was the first leg of a tri, giving them the opportunity to call it a day before the day begins.  It’s also the opportunity for the race director to remind you that with a wet suit, you will not be eligible for one of the two Hawaii qualifier slots for each age group.  It was my opportunity to remind him that my time will certainly rule that out.  The opening swim to the swim was a chance for me to turn the first ¼ of a mile (that does not count towards the 1.2 mile ocean swim by the way) into about ½ of a mile with my unique approach to zigzagging in the water.

The swim

Official Cutoff – 60 minutes

There is a saying that every journey begins with the first step.  In triathlon this isn’t exactly true.  Triathlon, of course, starts with a swim.  In this case, a 1.2 mile ocean swim.  Like many races, we huddle by the start with different colored swim caps distributed by age group.  Mine, of course, was hot pink.  Lance wore the traditional Livestrong yellow.  The pros start in wave one (men) and wave 2 (women).  Then the male age groupers followed by the female age groupers.  The athletes gathered to watch the men start, with cheers of “Go, Lance,” “Get ‘em, [Andy] Potts,” and “Where’s the bathroom?#*!”  Ok, the last one was my battle cry.

The ocean swim was a triangle, with the first leg being the longest and into the waves and current.  The first leg is also the best time to get kicked, have your goggles smacked off your face, and stray significantly off course when you train to breath left (for my first sprint in Chicago where the wall to mark off of was on the left).  With many people passing me along the way, including a one or two 60+ women that started about 20 minutes behind me in the last wave, I got kicked a lot, smacked a few times, heckled by one or two people, and waved to by one of the underwater scuba divers they provide for safety.  I’m proud to say that I did not lose my goggles, nor did I stray too far off the course!

With “I’ve been working on the railroad” looping through my head (why, I have no clue), I peacefully swam through the 1.2 miles in around 49 minutes, waving to my wife as I swam along the pier towards the finish.  I accomplished goal number one, which was to beat the 1 hour cutoff!

Transition 1

T-Town continues to amaze me.  You get all types of athletes in this small community fenced off to the public.  I can’t describe many of them, of course, as they were all well into their bike ride when I entered.  I did spot a few laggards, and as I dumped water over my head to wash off the salt water, I asked the obligatory question of “Are we in first?”  Unlike Naples, St. Croix was intense.  There were not a lot of smiles or laughter on the course.  I did my best to engage in both for the entire race, which tired out my mouth almost as much as my legs given the time the race took me.  As I left transition one, I remembered my timing chip (forgot it in Naples after peeling off my skinny jeans of a wetsuit) but of course forgot my iPod.  Riding 56 miles alone without music is painful.

The bike

Official Cutoff – 5:30 from the race start

On the hills in Barrington IL, I’ve done 56 miles in 3 hours.  In the mountains of St. Croix in pouring rain, humidity and heat, I was just a bit off this time.  The course starts with a nice 8 mile loop of hills and huge puddles.  The people of St. Croix, who are some of the nicest around, love the triathlon because it is the one time of year where the corrupt government (their words, not mine) pave the road.  OK, so they don’t exactly pave.  They fill pot holes on just the left side of the road, which is where you bike and also drive (now they tell me!).  The pavement was nice and oily from fresh pavement, and the rain was intense at some points.  When I returned from the first 8 miles, I realized it was as hard as the 56 miles in Barrington.  Onward to the next 48 miles.  St. Croix’s course reminds me of a long escalator that goes up into the clouds, and at the end you’re magically at the bottom where you started.  There were hills upon hills, and they all seemed to go up at steeper and steeper inclines. To make it more interesting, when there was an occasional downhill, it was incredibly twisty with a 90 degree turn at the bottom so that you couldn’t build any momentum.

Mile 19.5 is where the Disney characters sing and dance (in my head) as they always do on your ride through the log flume right before going down the big hill.  In this case it marked the entrance to the world famous BEAST.  The beast is a 0.7 mile bike up a winding black diamond skill hill with inclines getting up to 25%.  Earlier in the week on fresh legs I biked up it.  At mile 20 after a 1.2 mile swim (ok, 1.4 mile swim if you include the appetizer) and 20 miles of hills, I joined the other folks that were walking up in our soaking wet socks.  This was one of only a few spots where I saw other riders – I didn’t get passed by very many, but I didn’t pass very many either.  The 13 minute climb was exactly what the devil on my right shoulder called for after putting the angel on my left into a sleeper hold.  It was intense.

Reaching the top of the BEAST is an amazing journey, and one you cannot enjoy too much as the clock is ticking and there are 35 miles of hills to go.  Yes, the course after the BEAST is significantly harder than the course leading up to it.  At this point the rain let up a bit, however the damage to the course was done.  I was soaked, adding unnecessary weight to the balance of my ride and there were puddles the size of small lakes in various spots along the course.  It was after mile 21 where I saw many folks on the side of the road with blown tires, bloody shoulders from their falls, and a few on stretchers.  I assume they hit the puddles that went up to our pedals and went sailing.

The last 10 miles of the bike has some of the longest winding up-hills of the course.  Unbelievable!  With tired legs, upset tummy from the Gu and other nutrition I brought to snack on, and so much dirt and grime that my gears had trouble shifting, it was time to plow through the last leg of the bike.  It was also at this time where I found myself looking for the two or three gears lower than what my bike actually had.  Brutal, but I accomplished goal number two, which was to beat the 5:30 from the start of the race!  I came in at around 4 hours, leaving my elapsed time at around 5 hours due to my lengthy T1.

Transition 2

Transition 2 was hard to digest.  The winners were not only finished, but showered and on their planes back home.  OK, they weren’t on their planes, but they were long finished.  I watched Lance Armstrong and his entourage exit T-Town with a very disgusted look on his face.  I would later find out that he led the race after the bike and first 6.5 miles of the run, and then bonked and finished 3^rd.  Not only were the pros done, but quite a few age groupers were as well, and I was just getting ready to start my first half marathon run.  It had been 5 weeks since I last ran (aside from on the elliptical) due to a stress reaction in my right shin bone.  I had gotten up to 11.5 miles prior to the injury, and that was on fresh legs and a lot of sleep.  As I left T-Town with my headphones on, Jenn reminded me that I wasn’t wearing my compression sock.  Back to my gear, I found it and was off to the races.

The run

Official Cutoff – 6:30 from the race start to hit the 6.5 mile turn around

Running is hard.  Period.  I’m not a runner, though to my credit, triathlon keeps many fantastic runners and bikers out of the sport due to the swim.  Given my amazing times so far, I was fortunate to run in the hottest part of the day.  I was very lucky however that today was overcast and cloudy, which proved to be the only break I seemed to be getting.  Actually that’s not true.  I was blessed not to drown, dehydrate, wreck my bike, etc.  As well, I felt great at the run start.  I truly did.  I couldn’t believe it!

The run, of course, is hilly as well.  Why not, right?  It goes 2 miles up to a resort hotel, 2.5 miles around the hotel grounds, and then two miles back to do it all over again on this double loop.  I ran more of the first 6.5 than I walked, which I felt very proud of.  There were hydration stops with bananas and oranges every ½ mile or so.  Well, on my first loop anyway.  My impressive elapsed time entering the second loop was slow enough to merit some of the aid stations being closed.  I walked the up-hills on the run, and ran much of the rest on the first loop.  Then came loop two.  My legs seemed to detach and wave goodbye as I rounded the checkpoint.  Luckily my amazing wife was there to jump in and run with me for the last 6.5 miles.  OK, walk for most of it, and run slower than she was walking for the other parts.  We talked a lot, which I’m really proud of.  This meant that I was in good enough shape to have gone almost 7 hours at that point and could still walk, talk, and yes, chew Gatorade gum!

Though many folks were done as I began mile 7 of the half marathon finish, I did see a few of my friends that I met during my time on the island, and I did cross my buddy Jim (I was entering mile 7 or so while he was on mile 12) who finished long before me with a fantastic time!  At mile 8 I noticed that the aid stations were fewer and fewer, but I honestly was feeling pretty good other than my legs starting to give out.  By mile 10 my left knee was beginning to buckle, but I had it in me to finish.  That was never in doubt.  By mile 11 I realized that the 8 hour cutoff was closer than I thought, and I had to pick up the run / walk pace a bit.

The last ½ mile is very interesting.  As you approach the finish line, you have to detour by turning left up a road that stretches about 4 blocks.  Un-F-ing believable.  They do this so that the triathletes can take one final stroll through town so that spectators can cheer.  They don’t consider the novice, first time half Ironman athletes like myself.  As I entered the final loop through town, there were very few spectators, and the only cheers came from a few of the triathletes that had long finished, showered, and were drinking the mandatory large quantities of beer that are consumed upon finishing any endurance sport.  Oh well, this race was very personal and the only person I was out to impress was myself.

As I came up to the finish line, my wife and Jim’s wife cheered like crazy.  This meant a lot to me, as I was dead tired and these were the only two spectators on the island that I wanted to see along the course and at the finish.  As I crossed the finish and heard my name called, it brought tears to my eyes.  There at the finish was a volunteer to put my finisher medal around my neck, and my buddy Jim to give me a big man hug.  In just under 8 hours, I accomplished every single goal I had set when I received the email congratulating me on entering the race the morning after sharing a few bottles of wine with Jim and Jenn to celebrate finishing the Chicago sprint triathlon.

1. I had fun.  I truly did enjoy the entire race.  When you race at your pace only to impress yourself, the pressure is nonexistent and you can truly enjoy the sport.
2. I didn’t drown in spite of the long ocean swim.
3. I beat every cut off time along the way, including the most important final cutoff of 8 hours.
4. I got to share this experience with each of you, who supported me through 7 day-a-week long workouts for many, many months.

The summary

If you have read this far, you’ve endured something of a journey as well.  I can’t possibly thank everyone by name, but I want to mention just a few who made this possible.  My amazing wife, who understands endurance sports and the passion and drive that goes into training for them.  We juggled her Boston marathon training with my half Ironman training for many months, and we both accomplished our goals of finishing. She believed in me from day one, and never once doubted that I was and will continue to be capable of anything I put my heart into.  Coach Judie of Experience Triathlon for teaching me to swim, planning out my weekly training, and in spite of recognizing that it is incredibly challenging to go from a sprint to a half iron in just 8 months, came up with a plan that got me there, and in great shape to boot.  Bill Jensen, my personal trainer for the past 5 years.  Bill has been amazingly supportive of my athletic career from the Hustle up the Hancock to my journey into triathlon.  I’m in the best shape of my life, and Bill ensures that I continue to improve upon it each and every day through his encouragement and intense weekly workouts. Sports medicine doctor Josh Akin, MD, who took time out of his busy life working on the Cubs and Bears to keep me fine-tuned for months leading up to the race.  My buddy Jim Nelles who dared me to sign up and dragged me out on long weekend bike rides through the hills of Barrington.  Jim now enters the next step of conquering a full Ironman 140.6!  Finally my great friend Laura, who gave me a very special good luck buckeye to bring with me to St. Croix.  It worked!

It has taken me a long time to admit it, but I’m an athlete!

10 months ago I sat in a doctor’s office and heard the results of a series of tests.  I was diagnosed with a rare heart condition that caused my blood vessels to constrict rather than open when my heart rate rose.  (This is not a woe is me story.)  Immediately my doctor told me no more training or races, he even withstood my debating skills as I tried different tactics to get him to allow me to do something.  With some alterations to my diet, some medication and tons of determination I was shortly released back to the sport that started it all – running!

Very excited, I immediately signed up for the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  Slowly I added mileage as I kept my pace slow and took walking breaks every 3 minutes to ensure my heart rate remained low.  After 4 months of training in the snow and cold with a dedicated group of ladies, I crossed the finish line. I had a huge smile on my face while tears of joy went running down my cheeks as I had reached my goal – I finished a half marathon!

Still on a runner’s high, I signed up for another half marathon thanks to my persuasive friend.   Suddenly it dawned on me, now what?  I had made it across the finish line as a princess but that wasn’t enough.  I wanted to push myself but was fearful that my competitive side would overcome and I would push my heart past its limits.  That’s when I reached out to Experience Triathlon.  Coach Suzy was the perfect Yin to my Yang.  She knew how to push my buttons to motivate me but figured out how to rein me in when I went too far.  Her advice took my running to a place I didn’t know how to get to.

So I made it to race day.  It’s a balmy 54 degrees and pouring rain when we pull into our parking spot.  At this moment, I had nothing but fear – I had never attempted to run 13.1 in the rain.  How would my body react?  Would I get so blistered I wouldn’t be able to walk?  Would my bib disintegrate and my chip not register as I crossed the finish line?  My husband, noticing the fear, looked at me and said, “You’ve trained for this.  You can do it.”  At that moment, Suzy’s coaching kicked in.  You can only control yourself on race day and know that you have done everything to get there.  My fear subsided and so did the rain.  I kept those thoughts in my mind as I ran my race.  It must have worked (so did the training), as I PR’d by 20 minutes!  After hugging my husband at the finish line I immediately texted Suzy.  “The sun, the moon, the stars and everything else lined up!”

My take away from all of this is this.  We can’t control what is handed to us, whether it’s a health issue, the weather on race day or what flavor of gel you like the most.  But what you can do is use your inner determination to reach your goals and make sure that you ask for help along the way.

The tiara always shines brightest for those who earn it!

“We are very excited to enter this multi-year partnership with renowned Midwest multi-sport coach Joe LoPresto and his team of coaches and professionals at Experience Triathlon,” stated race director, Bill Burke. “This is really a perfect fit for the Naperville Sprint Triathlon and Experience Triathlon as our new coaching partner!” said Burke. “As more athletes get up and moving into the sport of triathlon, the team at Experience Triathlon can get them started on the right foot at our race.”

For decades, The Naperville Sprint Triathlon has provided the perfect venue for athletes of all ability levels to experience the sport of triathlon.  The race takes place at Centennial Beach in Naperville, located just 30 miles from downtown Chicago. The 400 meter swim will be held at Centennial Beach, and the bike and run course will take athletes through some of the most beautiful scenery in the Naperville area.

Naperville based Experience Triathlon is a leader in the endurance services industry.  Their tag line, “Where being a winner is as important as being the winner,” highlights their belief that training, racing and life are about the journey, not just the end results.  Experience Triathlon provides endurance coaching services, clubs, camps, race events, nutrition coaching, massage therapy and performance testing to athletes in the Chicago area and around the world.

“We are very excited to form this long term, strategic partnership with PEM and The Naperville Sprint Triathlon.  Our team of athletes and coaches have enjoyed racing and volunteering for this fantastic event over the last decade.  We look forward to helping all the athletes prepare for a successful race day,” said Joe LoPresto, Founder and Head Coach of Experience Triathlon.

For more information regarding the race and registration, visit: www.napervilletri.com

For more information regarding Experience Triathlon, visit: www.experiencetriathlon.com

It’s 4:30 in the morning when my alarm goes off.  Maybe it’s 6am on Saturday or Sunday.  Either way it’s an ungodly hour to be getting out of bed, but I do.  Sometimes I stagger to the kettle to make coffee for my drive, sometimes I head right for my running shoes–it’s time to train.  My inspiration to do this over and over again is my team.

Triathlon in the US started out and most of the time still is an individual sport.  USAT rules prohibit an athlete from receiving assistance on the course or in transition during a race.  The spirit of triathlon is the individual journey, the battle against one’s own will and body to achieve what used to feel out of reach or even impossible.  It’s an amazing journey.

As an athlete, my network obviously starts at home.  I have a spouse to be grateful to, some of you have also children, parents, understanding coworkers and bosses who help out with gifts of time or talent or sometimes just by looking the other way when you want to sneak out of the office to hit Centennial Beach for the 5pm open water swim.

Triathlon really starts to look like a team sport when it becomes worth dragging yourself out of bed to meet friends for ET Masters Swim at 6am, or skipping that after-work cocktail to hit the evening Masters or Computrainer sessions, go to ET Track, or meet up at Spokes for Wednesday night ET Tri Club rides.  You definitely feel part of the team at ET Run Club and Bike Club–it’s easier to sneak out of the house at dawn when you know you have friends and maybe a coffee social waiting for you.  And let’s face it–we all know that we train harder when we train with friends compared with when we’re on our own!

Besides fellow athletes, at some point you start collecting professionals for your team, too.  If you’re looking to make the most of your training, you add one or more teammates from the ET coaching team.  Recovery?  Add massage and nutritional help.  Unfortunate incident?  Add a sports doc and physical therapist.  Not comfortable on the bike?  Something off in your run?  Now add a great bike shop and a running store with knowledgeable people to tweak your fit, get you in a different shoe, and get you back to training.

Before you know it, your team grows from your at-home support staff to a crew of friends doing workouts and races with you and a host of professional support.  You’re no longer alone, no longer on a journey by yourself, you’re a part of something big and fun and you find yourself doing things you hadn’t ever thought you’d do and having a great time doing it.  Getting out of bed at obscene hours of the morning doesn’t sound so crazy anymore.

I’m grateful that my team includes so many great people, from my family to the ET athletes to the rest of the ET coaching staff, and those people who help patch me back up when things run amok.  I couldn’t do it all myself!  So for all of your help….thank you.  Happy training!!

Judie Refvik is a USA Certified Triathlon Coach with Experience Triathlon Coaching Services.   As leaders in the endurance coaching industry, Coach Judie and the Experience Triathlon coaching team help athletes of all ages and abilities achieve success in training, racing and life.  Learn more about Coach Judie and Experience Triathlon at www.experiencetriathlon.com and www.ET-Youth.com.

• 50% off your race registration for next year
• Awesome race crew dri-fit t-shirt
• Free beer at the finish line (after your volunteer stint, of course!)

Please complete and submit the following form to volunteer:

Testing procedures will use highly standardized testing and state-of-the-art medical grade testing equipment to help athletes and coaches get the information needed to optimize athlete performance in training and racing.  Additionally, ET Testing Services will help athletes improve their body composition, better balance their nutritional and performance needs, and improve their overall health and wellness profile.

“Experience Triathlon is very excited to form this long-term strategic partnership with Exercising Nutritionally.  We believe the combination of medical grade testing that is accurate and repeatable, coupled with coach developed training plans based on test outcomes, will help us improve the performance and wellness of all athletes,” said Joe LoPresto, Founder of Experience Triathlon.

Naperville based Experience Triathlon is a leader in the endurance services industry.  Their tag line, “Where being a winner is as important as being the winner,” highlights their belief that training, racing and life are about the journey, not just the end results.  Experience Triathlon provides endurance coaching services, clubs, camps, race events, nutrition coaching, massage therapy and performance testing to athletes in the Chicago area and around the world.

Exercising Nutritionally, LLC, a private consultancy focused on working with competitive athletes and community groups assists in the development of programs to enhance sports performance and healthy lifestyles.  Exercising Nutritionally’s core research focuses on health interventions for the treatment and prevention of obesity and cardiovascular disease as well as sports performance enhancement.  Exercising Nutritionally is the only Chicago area sports performance testing group where all testing is done by individuals with advanced degrees in exercise physiology, exercise biochemistry, or sports performance enhancement.  Their staff understands the importance of reliable and accurate testing in order to optimize athletic performance.

According to Dr. Broeder, the CEO of Exercising Nutritionally, “The partnership between Experience Triathlon and Exercising Nutritionally establishes a new standard in sports performance assessment, program development, and the monitoring of all aspiring athletes, from beginners to seasoned veterans.”  Throughout 30 years of research and sports performance testing, Dr. Broeder’s personal core philosophy about physiological testing is that every person, regardless of experience, deserves the same standard and quality testing that all Olympic and world-class athletes expect from their sports performance team physiologists.  As a result, Exercising Nutritionally, LLC, promises they will always strive to provide you with the most professional and scientifically sound testing designed to help you find the amazing athlete hiding inside of you!

For more information regarding ET Testing Services, visit: http://experiencetriathlon.com/et-testing-services

For more information regarding Exercising Nutritionally, LLC, visit: http://enllc.us