The Five Contact Points on the Bike
by Coach Sarah For the most solid and stable “platform” possible while riding a bike, it’s extremely helpful to literally “become one” with your bike. One of the most practical [...]
24 Jan
19 Jul
An Unlikely Breakthrough Performance at Muncie
by Coach Jim One of my heroes from history, Winston Churchill, had a quote during the Battle of Britain that I have always tried to emulate. That quote says, “Never, [...]
16 Apr
Forgiveness
by Coach Sarah “I will not be broken. You will not break me. I will not be broken. You will not break me.” I was this close to being 100% mentally [...]
06 Mar
The Push/Pull Continuum of Cycling
By Coach Sarah Sometimes I experience such a big “ah-ha” moment in the world of coaching, that it sticks in my mind permanently, and it imprints how I find myself [...]
06 Sep
Nutrition and Hydration for IM Wisconsin ET Cheer Crew
By Laurie Schubert, PhD RD LDN, Team Dietitian So, it’s the big day! Your friend or significant other is about to embark on 140.6 miles and you get to be [...]
31 Mar
Reality
By Coach Sarah I’m going to go out on a limb here, and suggest that most of us probably don’t like having flaws uncovered in the moment they are being [...]
29 Feb
LIMITERS – That which holds us back from taking it to the next level
by Coach Sarah. We’ve all had a point in training where we feel we unravel, and things come undone. Usually this presents itself when we are fatiguing during a difficult [...]
31 Oct
An Easy Way to Become a Stronger Athlete – Foam Roll
by Coach Sarah I’d like to propose two things about this dreaded wonderful pastime. Foam rolling 5-10 minutes a day will make you more relaxed in the water, more powerful on [...]
22 Oct
When Three’s a Crowd
by Coach Judie Remember that off-season article you just read? The one that said you should get into a master’s program over the winter to improve your swim? Yeah, that [...]
06 Oct
Ahhhhh, the offseason, time to…..
by Coach Judie It’s the beginning of October and tri season has wound to a close in the Midwest with the arrival of fall temperatures and shorter daylight hours. For [...]
23 Mar
It’s All About the Muscle
by Coach Cathy It is all about the muscle! I am referring to strength training. There are many benefits of strength training that we are aware of and some we [...]
08 Mar
The Big Comeback….One Day at a Time
by Coach Judie If your trips to the gym are colored with “I remember when I could…,” you aren’t alone. Many of us have had to take a big time-out. [...]
14 Feb
Goal Setting 201
by Coach Judie I’m sure you’ve heard it before (we are big fans of goal setting at Experience Triathlon), planning your goals for the upcoming race season is very important! [...]
01 Feb
Want to Run Faster?
by Coach Jim Levesque Running is arguably the most important discipline in triathlon. It is the last leg, takes place when the athlete is most tired, and on average has [...]
03 Dec
Maintaining Balance in Triathlon
by Coach Jim Levesque Triathlon is a sport that attracts driven and motivated people. We love the challenge, camaraderie, and the ability to test our limits as we look to [...]
24 Nov
Finding myself in Arizona
Beating the Demons - Chapter 8 by Coach Joe Life. It’s funny. Sometimes we can’t figure it out and sometimes we think we got it nailed. Most of us spend our [...]
23 Nov
28 Weeks to Turn Back Time
By Coach Vicky Do you want to improve your splits this off season? Consider doing a strength training program this winter. There's no better time to hit the weight room [...]
29 Jun
The Edge
Beating the Demons – Chapter 7 by Coach Joe Today I did not think I could run. I really didn't want to. Too tired, too stressed out, eight days to producing [...]
14 Jun
Running in Circles
by Coach Cathy Track workouts! When I say these words, some people cringe with negative emotions and others are happy with excitement. I will admit I am one of those [...]
03 Jun
Taking the Stress out of Race Day
by Coach Judie Summer is right around the corner and with it comes the start of the outdoor triathlon season. It’s like Christmas in… well… June! You’ve trained, you have [...]
30 May
Functional Strength Training for The Endurance Athlete
by Coach Vicky Being an endurance athlete requires a strong core. Here's the rub: swimming, biking and running do little to develop one. If you invest some time to improve [...]
16 May
The Marathon “Wall”: Myth or Reality?
by Coach Jim. Any of us that have done any long distance running have heard of “hitting the wall” from our teammates and friends. Those that have done marathons have [...]
29 Apr
Organized Rides and the Triathlete
by Coach Vicky Have you ever considered adding an organized ride into your race season? A well-timed ride can give added incentive to spend time on the bike. June 21st [...]
09 Apr
Kick Your Way to More Efficient Triathlon Swimming!
by Coach Sue As a swim coach at Experience Triathlon, I am constantly bombarded at our ET Masters Swim workouts by questions about why triathletes need to develop a good [...]
29 Mar
When Do I Shift?
by Coach Cathy One of the more common questions by new athletes is, “When do I shift?” This is not an easy question to answer since there isn’t really a [...]
04 Mar
The “I Just Want a Menu” Diet Plan
By Laurie Schubert, PhD RD LDN, Team Dietitian A significant percentage of the people I talk to want to lose weight. Some want to achieve a better race weight, some [...]
22 Feb
Setting Goals
by Coach Bob What is your goal for the coming year? Is it to qualify for Age Group Nationals or The Boston Marathon? Is it to make it through the [...]
08 Feb
Our Kinetic Chain: Putting it to work for better performance!
by Coach Sarah There is a constant among us all, sprint triathlete to marathon runner to Ironman alike – we all have a structural chain within us that connects each [...]
11 Oct
All You Have To Do Is Choose
by Coach Suzy A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. -Confucius Well, here I sit nearly three weeks post-Ironman (How did THAT happen?!), and I’m finally putting pen [...]
29 Aug
Controlling the Uncontrollable through Drill Work and Recovery Workouts
by Coach Sarah We can’t always control what happens to us, but we CAN control our reactions, both mentally and physically! As endurance athletes, we know that things happen on [...]
26 Aug
Becoming 140.6 Mile Suzy
by Coach Suzy Two weeks from today, after many months of training through blood, sweat and tears, I will toe up to the starting line at Ironman Wisconsin. This is [...]
04 Jul
What A Ride
by Coach Suzy What a ride this training adventure has been! Right after I signed up for Ironman Wisconsin, Coach Joe told me that this was going to be, "the year [...]
26 Feb
The Hard Is What Makes It Great
by Coach Suzy One of my favorite scenes from the movie, A League Of Their Own, came when Dottie (Geena Davis) quit the team right before the world series. The [...]
26 Jan
Using Periodization and a Coach to Succeed
by Coach Jim Are you achieving your fitness and performance goals? If not, you should consider using a periodized training plan and professional coach. Periodization is how coaches break down [...]
22 Jan
The Pain and Pleasure of Time Trialing
by Coach Sarah Time Trialing. The sequence of thoughts seems to consistently go like this, no matter if the race is indoors, or outdoors: First quarter in, “Wow! This is SO [...]
21 Jan
4,223 Yards…Oh My!!
by Coach Suzy My alarm went off at 4 AM yesterday. After fumbling to hit the snooze button, I said, “Oh my God, what day is it?” He answered, “It [...]
07 Jan
Ah-Ha Moments on the Pool Deck
by Coach Judie As we close out 2012 and welcome 2013, it's natural to reflect on the year past and think about our breakthrough moments, or even our not-so-breakthrough moments, [...]
01 Jan
8 months and 8 days
by Coach Suzy It’s New Year's day, and this is the year of my Ironman. This is my first entry in my blog about my journey going from “3 Mile [...]
26 Dec
The Art of Time Management
by Coach Cathy Do you ever wonder how athletes who juggle their career, family, school and other responsibilities are still able to get all their workouts completed in a week? [...]
20 Aug
Become a Better Swimmer
by Coach Cathy Fall is approaching and the triathlon season is winding down for most of us. You’ve worked hard this summer at completing your required swim workouts just to [...]
09 Aug
What is Your Number?
by Coach Judie If you look around you after your next race, you will see or maybe be a part of a group of athletes studying their watches and talking [...]
02 Aug
How to keep your momentum and speed while turning
by Coach Sarah Here’s a quick tip that might help you tackle all the turns & corners in the cycling leg of your next race with as much efficiency as [...]
26 Jul
Sticking up for the little guy – watt production and speed in cycling
by Coach Sarah There are a lot of ways to skin a cat... or so I’ve heard. Just like there are lots of ways to produce a watt on the [...]
06 Jun
Massage – One of the most effective tools out there!
by Coach Sarah I recall one of my early instructors during our first Anatomy Lab class at Clinical Massage Therapy school saying that our muscles are “dumb” and easily trainable [...]
30 May
The Four C’s of Optimal Performance
by Coach Cathy As athletes, we all want to do our best. We strive to perfect our performances and to be faster and more efficient. We hope we’ve trained hard [...]
10 May
There is No “I” in Team
by Coach Judie 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 [...]
05 Dec
Can We Cry While We Swim?
by Coach Sarah Can we cry while we swim? I wouldn’t have thought so, prior to tonight. But I did. Tonight I swam for the 3rd time after my nasty [...]
02 Nov
The Perfect Storm – Ironman Florida 2011
by Coach Joe “Give me one moment in time when I'm more than I thought I could be. When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away and the answers [...]
28 Oct
Relax! It’s good for you.
by Coach Judie You hear it all the time, I bet, and probably from your friends and family who don't share your passion for competition. “You just need to relax!” [...]
30 Sep
It’s all about the form!
by Coach Judie If you've ever spent time in our Masters Swimming programs, you know how much time we spend working on form in the pool, drilling in good technique [...]
09 Sep
Reinventing our Cycling Style to make way for improved performance
by Coach Sarah One of the best parts of cycling is that we never truly reach perfection. If we are lucky, we might experience one race where we feel like [...]
08 Aug
Breakthrough Performance – Embracing The Pain
Beating the Demons - Chapter 6 by Coach Joe Why do we repeatedly throw ourselves into painful training sessions and races? The answer to this question in one of the [...]
06 Aug
Not Offensive and Fine to Drink
By Laurie Schubert, PhD RD LDN, Team Dietitian Experience Triathlon athletes are used to drinking. I almost never see them without a water bottle full of water or a sports [...]
18 Jul
Is Your Training Optimized?
As a coach, I’m often approached by self coached athletes wanting to discuss their training, training plan and performance results. Many times there are issues and concerns. Things like [...]
04 Jul
Triathlon: A celebration of Life
by Coach Sarah Does this happen to you? A full day passes you by, you finally lay down to sleep at night, and you barely remember what you did….actually, what [...]
24 May
There Is Always More To Learn
On Sunday morning I waited mid-pack for the start of my fifth marathon. I had gone over my whole race plan with Coach Joe on Thursday and kept reviewing [...]
22 Apr
Biking For Family Fun And Fitness
With spring having officially sprung and National Bike Month (May) right around the corner, it’s a great time to suit up the family and get rolling! After all, what [...]
14 Apr
A Little Healthy Competition
For those of you who have hit my Experience Triathlon masters swim classes at Central Park Lisle on Monday evening and Friday morning (shameless plug!), you’ll know that I [...]
31 Mar
The Power of Momentum
We all have that one thing that is looming out there on the horizon, that one thing that you tell yourself you really need to do, one day, it’s [...]
25 Mar
Core Training and Recovery
There’s a visual picture I’ve found myself using lately during my indoor trainer rides… it’s a little odd, but it helps get the job done. It’s a visualization of [...]
16 Mar
Myths and Mysteries of the Flutter Kick
Our leg muscles are arguably the largest muscles in our body. Yours are probably rock solid from all that running and biking you’re doing. Why, then, don’t they work [...]
22 Feb
What do I do now, Coach?
Welcome to winter! We are fully immersed, at least those of us in the Midwest, in that gray and chilly time of year that sometimes is snowy, sometimes isn't, [...]
27 Jan
Bringing Awareness to your Swim Workout
by Coach Karli Almost everyone I’ve met over the years has said something like this upon learning about my swimming background: “Oh, you’re a swimmer? You know swimming is such [...]
26 Nov
Staying Cycling-Fit Through the Winter Months – Part 1
by Coach Sarah I’ve heard many times from athletes how winter running is something they look forward to, and is pivotal to their annual run training program. The cool temperatures [...]
28 Jul
Transitions – Plan and Practice
by Coach Joe Can there be such a thing as Free Speed in triathlon? Yes, and it can be found in the transition from swim to bike and again in [...]
31 Mar
Running on Empty
By Laurie Schubert, PhD RD LDN, Team Dietitian As a sports dietitian, I frequently encounter people who want to talk to me - just not right now. They want to [...]
04 Mar
Why I Love Running
by Coach Suzy Running. A sport that can be done anywhere and the only required equipment is a determined mindset, a good pair of running shoes and some comfortable moisture-wicking [...]
16 Feb
Act as if…
Beating the Demons – Chapter 5 Act as if you can… and become! Acting as if you can is one of the most powerful ways to Beat the Demons. In [...]
31 Dec
Getting Back to the Basics: Healthy Eating
By Laurie Schubert, PhD RD LDN, Team Dietitian It’s the new year, and all of last year’s dietary transgressions must be overcome! Sound familiar? It’s so easy to let the [...]
16 Nov
Someday
Beating the Demons - Chapter 4 Today, November 16, 2009, I’ve been thinking a lot about Someday. Today, many of us attended the memorial service for our dear running club [...]
30 Oct
Holiday Healthy Eating Tips
by Coach Suzy Ahhhh, the holidays. It’s hard to believe, but they are almost upon us again! One of my roles as an endurance coach is to educate athletes on healthy [...]
10 Sep
Being Consistent
by Coach Joe While it’s been a long season for most of us and we do need to disconnect both physically and mentally to recharge our batteries, it’s also time [...]
06 Aug
Front Row, Back Row
Beating the Demons - Chapter 3 “Life is played on the field, not in the grand stands.” - Anonymous I just love this quote. Like the quotes in Chapters 1 and [...]
22 Jul
Anything is Possible!
Beating the Demons - Chapter 2 In Chapter 1, we talked about Beating the Demons with proper goal setting. With proper goals, stress is reduced and success is more likely [...]
22 Jun
Don’t Tell Them, Show Them!
By Coach Suzy Involving Children in Triathlon Standing in the Experience Triathlon booth at a local triathlon last weekend, I noticed a familiar face in the crowd. It was my friend, [...]
05 Jun
Beating the Demons
Chapter 1 What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail? How many times in your life have you missed your goals and been frustrated? If you’re [...]