My day at Ironman Arizona
by Bob H. I looked forward to Ironman Arizona every day since deciding it would be my next Ironman in 2013. The only time that excitement waned was during the [...]
02
Dec
11
Aug
Becoming an Athlete
by Sharon K. Two years ago yesterday, the day of the Naperville Sprint Triathlon presented by Experience Triathlon, I started my fitness journey. I saw my profile in a store [...]
28
Jul
Triathlon Training Special on NCTV17
Published on Jul 25, 2014 on NCTV17 The sport of triathlon attracts athletes of all types of backgrounds, and with these unique stories, come different challenges. Andrew Wells, a Naperville [...]
27
Jul
Is Triathlon a Team Sport? My Journey to Ironman Racine
by Darryl T. Racine was a stop on the map heading towards Ironman Wisconsin. Leading up to the race a vast amount of training and discussions took place to build [...]
11
Jul
It’s not always about the race…
by Steven M. Sunday morning I woke up a little later than usual. It was the Sunday after the 4th of July and we were all tired from the weekend’s [...]
09
Jul
Finding Peace at Pleasant Prairie
by Emily O. I knew as soon as I finished my first sprint triathlon in August 2013 that my goal for 2014 HAD TO BE to complete an Olympic distance [...]
08
Jul
Always A Good Day to Tri Hard
by Bill K. I began the season with a terrific Memorial Day race in Traverse City, MI: The Bay Shore Marathon. As the name implies, it’s a spectacular run along [...]
24
May
Big Sur: Puppy Kisses and GUs
by Laurie S. I ran the Big Sur Marathon this year. It was an awesome race for my first marathon and I don’t think I could run a better marathon. [...]
22
May
My name is Jada … and this is my Galena sprint triathlon story :)
by Jada B. I have to say that this particular sprint triathlon, I learned a few years ago, is one of the toughest little sprints out there and it has [...]
21
May
Consistent hard work, with a plan, will move you forward
by Bill Jene Two and one-half years ago, I started training with Coach Joe. My goal at that time was to be able to run a triathlon and feel confident [...]
18
Feb
Mental Skills Training Tip – Focus On What You Control
Focusing on the things you can control while letting the uncontrollable variables go is the best way to reduce race day stress and improve overall performance. You can control [...]
17
Feb
Run To Become – Spring Session
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
15
Jan
My First 10K
by Emily E. I never thought I could complete a 10K run race. I started jogging about 3 years ago after we got a dog and walking her got boring. [...]
28
Dec
Mental Skills Training Tip – Avoid the Time Trap
Setting a specific, aggressive finishing time at a new distance or race venue with a major change in terrain or weather is a sure fire way to increase stress [...]
06
Dec
Run To Become – December 2013
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
15
Nov
Mental Skills Training Tip – Race Strong
To reduce race day stress and improve overall performance, try setting your primary race goal to come away from the event knowing that you controlled everything well and raced [...]
03
Nov
Cold Weather Running Tip – Wear Tights
The secret to successful cold weather running is selecting the right clothing. For the legs, try running in tights! They actually keep the legs warmer than loose fitting warmup [...]
21
Oct
Still On Pace for Big Sur
by Laurie S. By now, it’s no secret that I will be doing the Big Sur Marathon in April of 2014. I’m already reading guidebooks and searching for ideas for [...]
24
Sep
Becoming an Ironman
by Jim R. I started on the road to Ironman four years ago, yet it seems like a lifetime ago, without even realizing back then this is where the journey [...]
23
Sep
Run To Become – September 2013
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
22
Sep
Staying in the box at Ironman Wisconsin
by Bill K. First and foremost I want to thank Joyce, my wife, and my family for their support throughout this entire process. Also, I want to express my appreciation [...]
17
Sep
140.6 Rocks!!
by Cathy O. Racing is funny at times. There are times when you can’t wait for the race to be here and done and then there are times you can’t [...]
10
Sep
My First 140.6 Ironman
by Dale R. After 10 months of hard training, the time was finally here! I was physically ready and mentally prepared for what awaited me at Ironman Louisville. Heading down [...]
30
Aug
Why Triathlon?
by Tom Z. It all started back in 2003. I was working on an individual as a PTA when I noticed a tattoo on the back of the calf. Unbeknownst [...]
28
Aug
Becoming a Triathlete
by Kim P. Hi Coach Joe! I may have been slow and I may have sold myself short, but I finished the Naperville Sprint Triathlon presented by Experience Triathlon only [...]
22
Aug
The burden of old beliefs
by Erin M. "I can't swim." "I'm not an athlete." I've dragged these old beliefs around like a chain on my leg for as long as I can remember. They are powerful [...]
21
Aug
What an AWESOME first Triathlon
by Nader A. I signed up last winter for the 2013 Naperville Triathlon presented by Experience Triathlon after having been road cycling for about a year. My wife's first comment [...]
11
Aug
I Didn’t See The Lighthouse, But I Did See The Light
by Drew R. When you strip it down to its bare essentials, swimming is pretty simple. One hand pulls you through the water as you lift the other one out [...]
27
Jul
Bill and Rob’s Excellent Adventure
by Bill K. and Rob K. This was Bill’s second Racine HIM and Rob’s first. Rob: Dude! Great idea on doing the Racine Ironman 70.3 together this year! Bill: Yeah, thought [...]
06
Jul
Run To Become – July 2013
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
13
Jun
Group Track Program – Summer 2013
Track interval running workouts and coaching for runners of all levels Experience Triathlon group track program is a weekly coached track interval workout under the guidance of Coach Joe LoPresto. [...]
20
Apr
Run To Become – May 2013
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
07
Apr
An Ironman Mindset
by Jim R. While Ironman Wisconsin isn’t until September 8, 2013, it’s been on my mind since signing up in September 2012. Lately it’s been on my mind more than [...]
15
Mar
Group Track Program – Spring 2013
Track interval running workouts and coaching for runners of all levels Experience Triathlon group track program is a weekly coached track interval workout under the guidance of Coach Joe LoPresto. [...]
19
Feb
Breaking Through in Miami
by Kelli Z. Every Thursday at 5:30am I “Run to Become” with Coach Joe and a small group of Experience Triathlon teammates. It is a great way to start my [...]
08
Feb
Run To Become – February 2013
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
28
Nov
Run To Become – December 2012
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
23
Oct
Mount Desert Island Marathon
by Bob H. When I signed up to do the Mount Desert Island marathon, I had not begun training with Experience Triathlon, had not met Coach Joe and had not [...]
19
Oct
Round 3, Aaron: 1, Chicago Marathon: 2
by Aaron A. When I finished my second Chicago Marathon last year, my ET blog post talked about my next challenge being mental toughness during the race. However, I think [...]
12
Oct
An Amazing Experience at the Chicago Marathon
by Elliott L. Today I arrived at what I consider the halfway point of a dream that was born in April of this year. Before April I never swam, biked [...]
11
Oct
Staying in the Box at the Chicago Marathon
by Mike L. "Don't start too hard. Don't start too hard. Don't start too hard." I had been working with Coach Joe for six months, and when we went [...]
19
Sep
A Different View – Ironman Wisconsin 2012
by Jeff P. A couple of years ago, I wrote a long piece titled An Incredible Ironman Journey detailing the wonderful and emotional journey that led up to the 2010 [...]
17
Sep
My Journey to Ironman Wisconsin
by Bob H. My journey to Ironman began in 1978 when I read about these crazy people in Hawaii doing a race that included 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles [...]
16
Sep
Run To Become – September 2012
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
24
Aug
An unbelievable day in Benton Harbor
by Jim L. I think my story of the Steelhead Ironman 70.3 has to begin this past winter, because this offseason laid the foundation for having such a special race [...]
17
Aug
Another medal for the big guy! Vineman 70.3
by Tom S. 8+ months of training have paid off, as I finished the Vineman 70.3 on Sunday, July 15th. I’m happy to report that I finished with a smile [...]
15
Aug
A Great Day to Race!
by Drew R. As I stood on the beach surrounded by nearly two thousand of my fellow triathletes, I was enjoying the feel of sand under my bare feet. As [...]
14
Aug
My Day at Ironman Racine 2012
by Jim R. I had an awesome experience at Ironman Racine 70.3, my first long distance race course. The journey began on Friday when Kevin and I drove up after [...]
10
Aug
OK, it IS a journey, not just a race
by Pete J. We all get into triathlons for different reasons. I got sucked in listening to my sister regale me about her first tri last summer in Charlotte where [...]
31
Jul
Half Ironman – Take 2
by Jill A. This year was a success at Racine 70.3 Ironman! What an awesome and grueling day all at the same time. Silly as it may sound, one of [...]
24
Jul
A Half-Ironman Ain’t Half of Anything
by Amanda L. My family recently attended a picnic hosted by some of our oldest friends. In response to my parents RSVP, the host replied, “It’ll be good to have [...]
23
Jul
Live Your Dreams – Ironman Racine
by Bill K. Training for longer duration triathlon events takes a good deal of time and effort. There were 4:30 am morning swims and evening and weekend training in preparation [...]
22
Jul
Thank you 2012! You’ve Been Good To Me!!
by Cathy O. You’re probably wondering why I’m thanking the year already when the year isn’t even over yet, right? While some of my colleagues are continuing on their racing [...]
21
Jul
Spinning Plates at Ironman Racine
by Jeff P. One indisputable fact I have learned from triathlon racing – there is no such thing as a perfect race. There are just too many moving parts and [...]
20
Jul
The Winding Road to Ironman Racine
by Glenn S. What a great feeling to have completed Ironman 70.3 Racine, my first half Ironman. For such a long time the big race seemed so far away. Now [...]
18
Jul
Racing to achieve your goals
by Kristin Bagley Last month I was interviewed by a writer at Chicago Athlete Magazine. This was my first interview and before hand I ran through all the possible questions [...]
07
Jul
Run To Become – July 2012
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
15
Jun
Group Track Program – Summer 2012
Track interval running workouts and coaching for runners of all levels Experience Triathlon group track program is a weekly coached track interval workout under the guidance of USA Track & [...]
15
Jun
How Tragedy Helped Me Become
by Kelli Z. On June 10th I participated in the ET Batavia Triathlon. I also celebrated my first year as a triathlete. How does a wife and mother of two [...]
13
Jun
The Comeback Kid – ET Batavia Triathlon
by Amanda L. Since October of 2011, it has felt like rather than focusing on getting faster, stronger, and tougher, my training has been about moderation, control, and self-discipline. Why? [...]
16
May
There is no shade in Boston
by Bob H. 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, [...]
25
Apr
Run To Become – May 2012
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
17
Apr
Hill Climbing Cycling Clinic – May 12
If one of your cycling goals is to be more efficient, feel more nimble & be more confident on hills, then come join us for this 90-minute “on-the-hill” climbing [...]
22
Mar
Group Track Program Spring 2012
Track interval running workouts and coaching for runners of all levels Experience Triathlon group track program is a weekly coached track interval workout under the guidance of USA Track & [...]
08
Feb
Run To Become – February 2012
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
06
Dec
Batavia Triathlon Announces New Race Director
BATAVIA, December 6, 2011 – The Batavia Triathlon and Duathlon is pleased to announce the addition of Joe LoPresto as Race Director for the 2012 event, taking place on [...]
30
Nov
Run to Become
Are you willing to become everything you are meant to be? Do you want to breakthrough in training, racing and life? How are you going to make that happen? Run [...]
15
Nov
ET Masters Swimming at Central Park Lisle
Winter session starts November 21 - Registration open! Group swim and instruction for all abilities ET Masters is a weekly swimming program designed for triathlon and fitness swimmers. USA certified coaches will [...]
21
Oct
The Chicago Marathon – My Path Back To Competition
by Darryl T. It is weird how a specialization within a sport can carve the nature of one’s athleticism. I was a gymnast and swimmer in college focusing on strength [...]
16
Oct
18,132 Seconds of Awesome – The Chicago Marathon
by Amanda L. “Fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds' worth of distance run.” –Rudyard Kipling After the marathon, my mom asked my dad if he ever thought about just stopping. [...]
14
Oct
An Answered Prayer – Grand Canyon Rim to Rim
by Kim C. My best friend of 26 years, Dottie, heard about a great challenge: hiking the Grand Canyon from rim to rim in one day. That’s 25 miles! She [...]
12
Oct
My evolution as a runner
by Aaron A. Looking back I’ve been an athlete for many years. I did cross country, swimming, and track in high school and continued swimming/running on my own in college [...]
02
Sep
Age Group Nationals: a Proud and Humbling Journey
by Jim R. “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today who sheds his blood [sweat & tears] with me shall be my brother...” - Henry [...]
30
Aug
The Big Stage
by Jeff P. “There were six minutes between waves. Six minutes to lean my head back, look up at the sky and find that calm before the torrent storm of [...]
28
Aug
Seaweed, Hills, and Tenacity
My first Olympic-distance triathlon by Amanda L. When I’m talking to my friends, I sometimes forget that they aren’t fellow triathletes, which is why I was frequently asked about my presumed [...]
26
Aug
My Ironman Journey
by Kevin M. Last year was a big year for me! I decided to do my first triathlon longer than a sprint. In December ’09, my sister said, “I signed [...]
22
Aug
Three Years in the Making
by Tyler H. My story starts three years ago (2009) before I met Coach Joe. The prior year, I attended the Naperville Tri with my dad to watch one of [...]
15
Aug
Setting a Personal Record at the Naperville Triathlon
by Rafael P. Race day has become routine for me, having done races at all levels from sprint to the Ironman. The HRMS Naperville sprint is a favorite of mine [...]
04
Aug
95th Vierdaagse
by Marge P. “You walk the Vierdaagse because it is there—to see if you can. It’s the Mt. Everest of walking; a 100 mile peak laid out flat and decked [...]
23
Jul
From 3 Miles To 70.3
by Suzy C. “We never truly know who we are unless we push ourselves beyond our known boundaries.” – Unknown My journey began about 14 years ago. I started running for [...]
22
Jul
Beating the Swim Demons at Evergreen Lake Triathlon
by Drew R. Coming into the Evergreen Triathlon, I felt that I had plenty of reasons to be nervous. First and foremost among them was the fact that it would [...]
21
Jul
Pain is Temporary; Pride is Forever!!
by Cathy O. What do the following have in common? Beach, hot weather, a firefighter, yellow painted toenails, and the best cheering section in the world. They all share in [...]
29
Jun
Pleasant Prairie, My First Olympic Tri
by Jim R. My journey into triathlon started a little over a year ago. Knowing that I didn’t know everything, I started a search for someone who did and found [...]
22
Jun
Group Track Program Summer 2011
Track interval running workouts and coaching for runners of all levels Experience Triathlon Group Track Program is a weekly coached track interval workout under the guidance of USA Track [...]
17
Jun
I’m a Triathlete! My Day at the SheROX Triathlon
by Amanda L. The first time I met Coach Joe about 8 weeks ago, I knew that as crazy as my decision was to sign up for a sprint and [...]
16
Jun
Starting The Tri Season Out Right
by Brian V. The Batavia Triathlon has been my first tri of the season three out of the last four years. I’d never really been too serious about my first [...]
14
Jun
BIGELOW IS BACK, BABY!
by Lynn B. After a year off recovering from shoulder surgery, it is great to be back in the saddle (literally) again. The SheRox Women’s Tri was my first real [...]
08
May
Speechless in Panama City – The Gulf Coast Triathlon
Words just can’t describe some experiences in life. Even pictures can only do so much when in paradise. As I sit here overlooking the Gulf, watching the sunrise and [...]
25
Sep
An Incredible Ironman Journey
by Jeff P. Lao-tzu has been often quoted saying, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” So began my journey into the world of Ironman [...]
30
Jul
All in the family
by Paul W. Eighteen months ago, my daughter, Sarah, challenged me to join her in a triathlon. “You can do it, Dad, you are in good shape and have been [...]
16
Jun
I am a TRI-ATHLETE
by Holly F. In my life I’ve never thought of myself as an “athlete.” I was overweight for the first 20 years of my life and then up & down [...]
16
Jun
I’m doing this for Lindsay
by Jamie D. I shared this story with Coach Joe on Tuesday and it may benefit someone out there. It is how I came to train for a triathlon, found [...]
31
May
Melting in Memphis
by Jeff P. I have always thought every triathlon race I have participated in was a unique learning experience - an opportunity to discover what it takes to swim every [...]
14
Oct
An Amazing Year
by Jeff P. The Chicago Marathon was the end of a great season of racing both in running and triathlon. It was an ambitious season to get in a lot [...]
14
Oct
I am a runner now!
by Gloria R. Today, I am a much stronger and confident person for having become a runner. I met Coach Joe through another trainer about seven months ago. At that time, [...]
10
Sep
I could run like this all day!
by Judie R. Coach Joe! I did it! :) And while I can't say that every moment was great, the overall experience really was. I wouldn't have done it nearly [...]
28
Jul
Breaking Through
by Jeff P. My journey to the Spirit of Racine Half Ironman Triathlon began long before the actual race started. Nine months ago, Coach Joe and I sat in a [...]
08
Jul
A Smile On My Face
by Michelle H. My journey started over one year ago. Last year, around February or March 2008, I decided that I wanted to do a triathlon. After all, I had [...]
01
Oct
You are running HOW far today? You must be joking…
by Viki T. September 28th, 2008, dawned crisp and sunny and clear. Good news as today is Berlin Marathon day. I roll out of the hotel bed in my third [...]
01
Aug
The Big One That Didn’t Get Away!
by Jeff P. This was the big one for me – the Spirit of Racine Half Iron in Racine, WI. The adventure began on Friday with traveling up to Racine [...]