Triple Threat Triathlon

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Tips For Selecting Your Next Ironman

Iron Gina Shand is running out of fingers to count her Ironmans on. Here's some fun yet practical advice and "awards" from her experiences to help you choose your next IM!

As this triathlon season is winding down, there is a lot of discussion of what Ironman should be next on the list. With the addition of several new races over the past couple of years (Boulder, Maryland, Chattanooga, etc.) races are not selling out in minutes as they have in past years. Many people consider proximity to a race and the type of course when selecting a race. There are tons of race reports out there highlighting which races are “easy” (no such thing, I don’t care if the swim is downstream or the bike is flat) and which are “brutal” (It’s at least 140.6 miles and 8 hours working out, right? They are all brutal.) I decided to put together some other things to consider based on my personal experiences at Ironman Texas, Ironman Florida, Ironman Mont Tremblant, Ironman Chattanooga, and Rev3 Cedar Point.

crowd support helps, especially when the bike course is 4 mi too long!
(should be the correct distance next year)

Best Bike Crowd Support Experience – Mont Tremblant, Runner up – Chattanooga

You can’t beat biking through the small French-Canadian village of Saint Jovite where the streets are lined with people eating, drinking, and yelling at you in French. I don’t know what they were saying, but I felt like a rock star. At Chattanooga, Ironman provided a shuttle service for spectators to come out to Chickamauga, around the halfway point, to cheer. It was nice to see them after 50 miles of riding in rural Georgia.

Most Costumed Spectators on a run course – Texas, Runner up – Chattanooga

The majority of the run in Texas is along the canal walk, so there are tons of people out drinking and partying all day. Including a man with a trash can drum that chased people back and forth for hours. I have to give a shout out to the couple in the Speedos wearing unicorn masks and rainbow suspenders on the highway in Chattanooga. There was also an Elvis on the pedestrian bridge that I heard was pretty entertaining. I missed him on the bridge but did see him getting arrested at the end of the night.

Best pre-race practice swim - Mont Tremblant

They had a coffee boat. Need I say more?

Most reasonably priced accommodations – Florida

So many condos within a mile of the finish line for $100 per night. Also – highest concentration of tattoo and “adult entertainment” establishments for your support crew. Honorable mention as well for closest Walmart to transition.

Best Event color scheme – Chattanooga

For you fashionistas out there, I loved the teal and black. It was a nice break from red and pink.

Best post-race food – Mont Tremblant

Beer, pizza, sandwiches, hot dogs, fruit, and of course, poutine. French fries covered in gravy and cheese curds = best post-race food ever, per my husband (editor's note: Magic Mike Espejo seconds the motion). Sorry Texas, your burritos have nothing on poutine.

Best logistics/crowd control at a swim start – Chattanooga

Major props to the Ironman team for the execution of getting all of the athletes and spectators 2.6 miles from T1 to the swim start. I saw the line to board and thought there was no way they were going to make it happen. They loaded buses like nobody’s business.

Best non-swag benefit– Rev3 Cedar Point

If you race or volunteer, you are granted priority access to the park the Friday before the race two hours before the general public. Awwww yeah. Best roller coasters ever!

Best Medical Tent - Texas

I have had multiple friends validate this award. They give out IVs like they are candy. That’s what you get when a hospital is the title sponsor.

Best Volunteers – All of them!!

I can’t make a “best of” without thanking the volunteers. Every race has amazing volunteers. From the people who are there for their loved ones, to the athletes giving back, to the poor 16 year old girls in Florida getting community service hours who had no clue what they were getting into when they volunteered in the women’s change tent (sorry girls, you can’t unsee that), to the Fire, EMS, and Police Officers who keep us safe for hours while still cheering us on. Ya’ll are the best!

I hope these “awards” shed some light on these races to help you narrow down your choices for 2015.

Feel free to leave a comment with a new award or your personal choice!

Related Posts:

Don't Sign Up For An Ironman!!

Monday, October 13, 2014

Kona Recap

Here's a quick summary of the World Championships. By all accounts it was one of the hottest and windiest days they've had in a while, and many of the big names struggled. That said we still had two great races with very well-deserving champions Sebastian Kienle and Mirinda Carfrae.

Men's Top 10

1) Sebastian Kienle (Germany) - 8:14:18

Made it look easy, taking over on the bike and never looking back. Dominant.

2) Ben Hoffman (USA) - 8:19:23

Wow!! No one expected The Hoff to be up this high. Incredible performance.

3) Jan Frodeno (Germany) - 8:20:32

Overcame a flat and a cheap 4 min. drafting penalty to have a stellar race. One to watch for sure.

4) Andy Potts (USA) - 8:21:38

Awesome performance, highest he's placed at the World Championships.

5) Cyril Viennot (France) - 8:22:19

I wouldn't recognize this guy on the street. A surprise, but well deserved.

6) Nils Frommhold (Germany) - 8:22:29

Barely know this name. Maybe I should learn more about him now.

7) Tim Van Berkel (Australia) - 8:23:26

Ditto. Surprising how many of the big names struggled on Saturday.

8) Frederik Van Lierde (Belgium) - 8:24:11

Last year's champ was in 3rd for much of the race and went for the win before faltering late.

9) Bart Aernouts (Belgium) - 8:28:28

Another surprise, to me at least. Nicely done.

10) Romain Guillaume (France) - 8:30:15

See #7

Women's Top 10

1) Mirinda Carfrae (Australia) - 9:00:55

Ran a 2:50 marathon to win from almost 15 min down. She never ceases to amaze!!

2) Daniela Ryf (Switzerland) - 9:02:57

If only Ironman were a mile or two shorter... led the lion's share of the race.

3) Rachel Joyce (UK) - 9:04:23

For a while it looked like she would be the one to run her way to the win.

4) Jodie Swallow (UK) - 9:10:19

Was steady all day but never really in striking distance for the win.

5) Caroline Steffen (Switzerland) - 9:12:43

Was surprised to not see her at the front during the bike.

6) Julia Gajer (Germany) - 9:16:58

Don't know much about her, besides she's fast.

7) Liz Lyles (USA) - 9:18:11

Ditto.

8) Gina Crawford (New Zealand) - 9:19:21

She's been on my radar a bit since I watched her win Ironman Wisconsin a while back.

9) Mary Beth Ellis (USA) - 9:20:46

Pocket rocket was in the mix for the lead through much of the bike.

10) Liz Blatchford (UK) - 9:23:34
The only positive point scorer (2 pts) I had for our team's Kona Fantasy game. Appreciated!

Fastest Swim Splits: Andy Potts (50:56), Amanda Stevens (54:25)

Fastest Bike Splits: Sebastian Kienle (4:20:46), Daniela Ryf (4:54:33)

Fastest Run Splits: Ivan Rana (2:44:38), Mirinda Carfrae (2:50:27)

My boy Filip raced his heart out but it just wasn't enough, getting 31st with a 9:10:57. Don't worry we'll get'em next year, bud.

Lastly, here were the results of our team's Kona Fantasy game by state. The point system is simple, feel free to contact us if you're interested in the specifics. I thought it was really fun.

Wisconsin (Erin) 56
Connecticut (Dave) 54
Florida (David) 28
Alaska (Joleen) 24
Hawaii (D Wild) 20
Ohio (Sandy) 16
Utah (Jackie) 10
Illinois (Ryan) 6
Oregon (Jeff) 4
Washington DC (Russell) 0
Kansas (Reece) 0
Indiana (Amy) -2
Maryland (Matt) -10
Washington DC (Emily) -10
Arizona (Kristen) -10
Colorado (Stewart) -18
Utah (Collin) -18
North Carolina (Tori) -20
Virginia (Gina) -32
Connecticut (Eric) -38
Pennsylvania (Sean) -40
Texas (Brian) -40
Massachusetts (Mike) -40

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Kona Preview & Predictions 2014 - Men's Race

Following the women’s preview, here’s a look at the men’s race, which promises to be highly entertaining as well.

Breakdown by country, men’s pros in the field:

Australia: 12
Germany: 9
USA: 7
Belgium: 4
France, Spain: 3
UK, New Zealand, South Africa: 2
Austria, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland: 1

A little recent history:

From 2007-2012, the Thunder From Down Under was untouchable at Kona, with Aussies Chris McCormack (2007 & ’10) Craig Alexander (2008-09, ’11) and Pete Jacobs (2012) all doing serious work on the biggest stage. Before that, Germany had a 3-year run with the combination of Normann Stadler (2004, ’06) and Faris Al-Sultan (2005). Finally in 2013 a new country was represented, with Belgian Frederik Van Lierde flying a bit under the radar on his way to an impressive victory.

Frederik, you dog you

With Alexander and McCormack now in the twilight of their careers, Jacobs and Luke McKenzie (2nd last year) should give Australia their best shot of reclaiming the crown. Germany is well represented as always, with rock star Sebastian Kienle, former Olympic Gold Medalist Jan Frodeno, and cagey veteran Andreas Raelert to name a few.

In addition to the defending champ, Belgium has Marino Vanhoenacker (who I cracked a lame joke to earlier this year), a guy who’s led this race for long stretches in the past. This may also be the best chance the US has had in a while, with Andy Potts raring to go after missing last year due to an injury, the ever dangerous Tim O’Donnell, and Andrew Starykowicz, who depending on weather conditions is always a threat to break the bike course record.

Who I’d like to see win:

is this Kienle's year?

Andreas Raelert (Germany): Raelert has been close many times, and his window of opportunity is closing fast... would like to see him pull off the win, although considered a long shot this year
Andy Potts (USA): Recent interview and former Olympian will be first out of the water as always - hopefully can put it all together on race day
Tim O'Donnell (USA): US Naval Academy grad and Mirinda Carfrae’s husband not necessarily a favorite, but stranger things have happened!
Sebastian Kienle (Germany): I met him at St. George this year and he’s a very cool, very humble guy. Is definitely considered one of the favorites as well, and has been close the last couple years.
Kyle Buckingham (South Africa): is it possible to go from fastest amateur one year to fastest pro the next? Probably not, but would be pretty amazing.
Filip Ospaly (Czech Republic): Who?? Yeah that’s right... Filip Ospaly, baby!! Our team is having a Fantasy Football-esque game with each teammate getting 4 random names, a point system, etc. My “autodraft” sucked... three so so female pros and this guy. However, that won’t stop me from cheering harder for a Czech athlete since inexplicably pulling for Ivan Lendl vs. Mats Wilander as an 8-year old. I don’t remember the match, just that it was on TV and it sucked me in.

COME ON FILIP, I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!

Prediction for the men’s podium:

Sebastian Kienle (Germany): was 4th in 2012 despite losing time to a flat and 3rd last year… is this the year he breaks through??
Jan Frodeno (Germany): huge wild card… on one hand, this is his first time at Kona, and only 2nd Ironman ever. On the other, he’s a MACHINE. Definitely capable of a stellar performance on his first try.
One of the two New Zealand dudes: as my darkhorse, I couldn’t decide between Bevan Docherty and Terenzo Bozzone, so I’m going with both. If they tie for 3rd after an inconclusive photo finish, I shall be referred to as "Nostradamus" throughout the rest of the year.

Should be an awesome race! Follow live coverage Saturday, Oct. 11th on ironman.com

Jan Frodeno

cramming the night before my test

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Kona Preview & Predictions 2014 - Women's Race

As was done last year, here's a little preview of the Ironman World Championships. This year it's ladies first! If you aren't familiar, at each Ironman and Ironman 70.3 race throughout the year, pros compete for prize money as well as pre-determined points based on placing. The top 30 women on the 2014 points list have earned a spot on Saturday’s start line (in addition to a couple of automatic qualifiers).

Here’s the breakdown by country of the women’s pros who made the cut:

USA: 14

UK: 7
Switzerland: 4

Germany: 3
Australia, Canada, New Zealand: 2

Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden: 1

Triple Threat teammate David Wild (HI) with Mirinda Carfrae & Tim O'Donnell

A little recent Kona history:

In 2007 a then unknown British triathlete named Chrissie Wellington shocked the triathlon world by storming to a Kona victory. From that point on she was virtually invincible, winning everything in her path including four Kona titles. A few months after winning her 4th in 2011, she shocked the triathlon world once again by announcing her retirement. This opened the door of opportunity in a big way for the rest of the field. Leanda Cave continued the UK dominance in 2012, claiming both the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 crowns. Australia’s Mirinda Carfrae took advantage of Chrissie not racing in 2010 due to illness, then proved that performance was no fluke last year, breaking Chrissie's course record en route to her second title. The women’s field is as strong as it's ever been this year, so should be a great race!

Who I’d like to see win:

Meredith Kessler

Heather Wurtele (Canada): 6x Ironman Champion lives the simple life with her pro triathlete husband, bouncing around North America living and training out of an RV. Has had a terrific year, including 1st at IM Coeur d'Alene and 3rd at the 70.3 World Champs last month.

Meredith Kessler (USA): Despite routinely having the most pros in the field, an American woman hasn’t won Kona since 1995. Would love to see Meredith break that drought! She was 7th last year and has had a great 2014 season, including 1st at the US 70.3 Championships.

Caroline Steffen (Switzerland): as I said last year, "this ain’t the Swiss Miss from the hot chocolate packets"… the ripped chick they call Xena has been close on multiple occasions, placing 2nd in 2010 and 2012 before dropping to 5th last year. Now coached by Chris McCormack, and I'd be happy to see her break through.

My prediction for the women’s podium:

Mirinda Carfrae (Australia): pocket rocket from Down Under and the defending champion has her work cut out for her, but should take care of business once again. Has greatly improved her bike splits over the past couple years to go with her always dominant run.

Daniela Ryf (Switzerland): is undefeated thus far this season, including the 70.3 World Championships last month. Former Olympian should be a force to be reckoned with before ultimately succumbing to Carfrae on the run.

Meredith Kessler (USA): as mentioned Meredith's had some big wins this year, and she's a scrappy competitor... this could be the year she sneaks onto the podium.

Follow live coverage of the race Saturday, Oct. 11th on ironman.com!

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Ironman Chattanooga Race Report

We were extremely proud to have two Triple Threat team members at Ironman Chattanooga: Amy Fletcher (Indiana) and Gina Shand (Virginia). Here is Amy's report of that awesome day!

IMCHOO RACE REPORT – 28 SEPTEMBER, 2014

The goal from the very beginning was to do something in my training that would result in my being able to run the run in IMCHOO.

We were up at 4:00 to head to Transition and made it to the swim start line by 5:00 then had 2 ½ hours to wait to jump in!

SWIM – Goal 1:10:00 77 degrees – wore tri shorts and tri top.

Once we went down the swim chute, spectators could no longer see their loved one, so I kissed Doug good-bye and headed towards the water. This was a pier start much like IMLOU except there is no upstream part. Once we enter the water, it is all downstream with the current. I entered the water pretty close to 7:30, I believe. I noticed I was thirsty during the swim, as normal. Not sure if I really was thirsty or if it was just that my mouth was dry. This usually is the case though. I planned to swim to the left shore of the island as my first landmark, but I could not see the island. Each time I sighted, I kept seeing a blue strobe that I assumed was a police boat. I HOPED it was stationary because that’s where I started aiming. I was way further to the right (towards the middle of the river) than the other swimmers, but I sincerely thought they were taking a curved path and I was taking a straighter path. Kayakers did not seem too freaked out by where I was, so I stayed with my plan. Turns out, I was right!

The island starts at 1.2 miles, so I knew I was half-way. The next .6 miles was along the shore of the island and I breathe on my right, so I did not sight much. From the end of the island (1.8 miles), there are three bridges to the finish. There are some stunning sights through this section with the bridges and the banks of the river. People had commented that during the practice swim Saturday, they had not turned hard enough off the last buoy and nearly missed the swim exit due to current. People exaggerate. It was, however, my plan to stay left (towards the shore) once I passed the island. I thought that with a river current, I could swim it in 1:10:00. I climbed up the stairs and started to run. When I looked at my watch, I was shocked to see...

Continue reading here!

Friday, October 3, 2014

Triple Threat Profile: David Fernandez - Florida

I was talking with a teammate the other day, and somehow the name David Fernandez came up… we both concurred that he is “just a great dude.” Truer words have never been spoken. David is a native of Spain who represents Florida on our national team. Among other things, he talks about Miami, nutrition, T.I.T.S., getting “exposed” as a triathlete, and most importantly, this weekend’s Ironman Barcelona!

What’s your background and how did you get into triathlon?

I was always a very (hyper) active kid and I played many sports while growing up in Spain: team or European handball, soccer, basketball, windsurfing, mountain biking, and judo, to name a few.

You may develop some running speed, but you won’t develop endurance with most of the sports that I played growing up. However, I excelled at a few of them and practiced some at a high level, especially team handball, which turned me into a very determined and competitive person and taught me the sacrifices, time, and effort one has to go through to be successful.

That drive to succeed and to challenge myself were the reasons why I got into triathlon. After moving to the US, I didn’t work out for a period of 3-4 years due to massive business traveling. One day, my company signed all employees up for a 5k with a 5 day notice and the trash talk at the office started to see who would be the fastest runner. I was out of the top ten, but that was all I needed… my inner competitive drive couldn’t stand not winning, not being able to compete.

I started working out again, I got into running (top 3 next year at the same 5k), I started mountain biking at local trials, and I went to see a friend do an Xterra triathlon. I thought it was awesome and signed up for a sprint tri right away. I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but I found that the sport of triathlon and everything that surrounds it is a great fit for me. On one hand, you are able to compete against yourself and become better and better the more you work and the more effort you put into it. It is very addictive!! On the other hand, the camaraderie that you experience at each race and in your community while training is unmatched with any other sport I’ve ever participated in.

Most of us only know the Will Smith version of Miami… you know, “bouncin in the club where the heat is on, all night on the beach til the break of dawn.” What’s it like to actually live and train there?

Well, that Miami exists. A couple of weekends ago I was going biking and parked at Tri-Beach (local beach where most of the local triathletes meet to go open water swimming, biking, or running). It was 5 am and there was a group of people still partying while a bunch of us were getting ready to go work out. The contrast was interesting, to say the least…

Will Smith was referring to South Beach. That is the part of Miami that everybody knows from the movies, TV shows, music videos, and vacations. It is a very touristic area that locals try to avoid. I spend most of my time inland: Brickell, Coral Gables, Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove, Miami, Design District, etc. These areas offer a quieter environment, amazing food options with flavors from all over the world, and great training spots.

For me, the best thing about Miami is the weather; it is an eternal summer that sometimes rains A LOT. I love being outdoors and here I can swim, bike, and run outside all year long. Also, I think that this good weather promotes a healthier lifestyle. It is unbelievable the amount of people that work out here. On any given day you can find yourself running in Key Biscayne with 300-400 other people, go for a swim in the ocean and find that 60-70 people are there too, or bike to the famous “Robert’s is Here” meeting point that hundreds of cyclists use to refuel during their long bike rides. It is very easy to feel welcomed by the triathlon/running/cycling community here.

The biggest con of living here is that Spanish may be necessary to feel integrated. Obviously, that is not an issue for me, but you may feel left out if at the very least you don’t understand it. Well, that and driving... Your driving skills will be tested here!

What did you learn from Ironman Texas in May that will directly impact your strategy at Ironman Barcelona?

Be on time: As you know I started my swim late and that set me up for a rough swim. I was in awe with everything surrounding an IM race and I didn't pay much attention to detail.

Body and mind: IMTX was my first IM, and I wasn’t sure about the physical and physiological demands that it would require to complete it. It is a long race and you need both your mind and body to be ready for it. I don't know how my body will feel on race day and how far I will be able to push it, but I know my mind is now stronger than before. I will try to pace myself as well as I can, especially on the bike and run, and to keep a positive mindset during the second half of the run.

Expect the unexpected: From a broken watch during the swim, to losing a bottle of sports drink during the bike, or being exposed to extreme weather. You must have an overall strategy, but you need to be flexible to adapt to the demands of the race. If something does not go as planned, be ready to find a way to overcome it!

You had a stellar debut Ironman time of 10:43 at Texas, which was 43rd in your AG. What time do you think it will take in M3034 to qualify for Kona at Barcelona, and what are your expectations for this race?

Not that I looked into it, but... There may be 5 KQ spots for my AG and last year the top 5 male 30-34 finished under 9h 30 min. However, last year the race was a Challenge event and had less than 900 participants. This year 2,400 people signed up. If it is anything like IMTX, KQ spots in my AG go to people that break 9 hours or finish in the low 9 hours. Totally out of reach for me, at least for now...

For this race, I don’t have any expectations other than to finish while enjoying racing at home for the first time. It will be very special, I will have my wife, family, and friends there cheering for me all day long and waiting for me to finish so we can go eat my favorite Spanish food to celebrate the accomplishment. I would love to PR, but I doubt it. I am not in top shape (summer vacation derailed my training plan a little bit...) and I think the course, at least the swim which is my biggest weakness, is more challenging in Barcelona than in Texas. I know one thing for sure; I will give everything I got.

Speaking of Kona, is that a big goal that motivates you for the future? What else motivates you as a triathlete?

One of my first bosses told me: “Your aspirations are your possibilities.” That sentence stuck with me and I truly believe that if you aspire to do/accomplish something, you will put in the work and effort to make it happen. You may or may not get it, but it becomes a possibility from the moment you think about it.

I would love to race Kona, but I know I am far from a qualifying time (I would need to drop ~90 min off my IM time) and right now I don’t have the time to train for it. I know one day I want to be there and when the time is right, I will work for it.

My main motivation right now is to become better in all 3 disciplines. Before running, I need to learn to walk. I never swam, ran, or biked competitively as a kid, so I have lots of room for improvement in all 3 sports. That motivates me to wake up early every morning and work at getting better; this work shows in the races that I’ve done. My results are getting better race after race. The feeling of wanting to know where my limit is, it is what motivates me the most. Also, I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I introduce new people to the sport.

What do you do for a living and what works best for you to balance training with work, family, etc?

I am the COO of a Real Estate Investment firm in Miami. I spend my days meeting with investors, financial companies, visiting current projects, making sure projects are profitable, managing employees, analyzing new business opportunities, etc. It takes a psychological toll as the stress level is pretty high sometimes; triathlon helps me to channel my work stress. I never workout with music or bring my phone, so I have plenty of time to think and meditate about work and life during those 15 mile long runs, 100 plus mile bike rides or long swims. Triathlon gives me the opportunity to be alone and connect with myself.

I usually wake up around 5 am every day and do my longest and/or hardest training sessions in the morning. I also train a few nights a week, but it is mostly recovery or shorter sessions. Saturday morning is my longest training block of the week. I also work out Sunday morning, but I'm done by 10 am to go have brunch with my wife. If you want to go long here in Miami, you must start early; otherwise the heat will destroy you.
My wife is an attorney, so she is pretty busy as well and also an early bird, so my training really doesn’t impact our lives much now that we don’t have kids.

Do you do strength/core training, and if so how often? Can you share a couple key things you do in those sessions?

Hold on, I thought triathlon was only about swimming, biking, and running, right?? You exposed me with this question. My main goal for next season is to introduce strength/core training to my training plan. I know the tremendous benefits it has, but I neglected it completely this year with the increase in volume of S/B/R to complete my first IM.

Some of the minor injuries I suffered this season as well as my race performances have been impacted due to the lack of strength training.

Your sister is a well-known nutrition expert in Spain. Are you pretty strict with your diet? Do you focus more on avoiding “bad” foods, or rather eating “good” foods?

I owe most of my success to her. She helped me to go from 20% body fat down to 7-8% and to lose 5-10 pounds while gaining muscle. As you can imagine, the benefits of these body changes translated immediately into dramatic gains in race performance.

The best part is that she didn't put me on a diet. Her approach to nutrition is teaching people to make decisions when buying food and helping them to understand that they can eat anything as long as they keep a balance. For example, I eat a huge burger every week, ice cream, chocolate and other treats, but that’s what they are, treats that I mix in with my weekly nutrition plan. In general I eat pretty healthy balancing carbs, veggies, and protein in every meal, plus fruit, nuts and dairy products as well.

In Spain, we don’t eat too much fast food or precooked meals… we cook every day. I do the same here in the US. I stay away from processed foods, I buy whole and nutrient rich foods and cook my lunch and dinner every day, which I am sure also helps me to eat healthier.

like the '92 "Dream Team," David is likely to dominate in Barcelona

What’s your current bike set up, and to what do you most attribute your bike prowess?

I ride a Cervelo P2 with FLO wheels (60/90 combo). A power meter is definitively next on my wish list, but I am still training and racing based on HR, cadence, and feel.

Maybe biking came more naturally to me than swimming and running due to my past in mountain biking, but definitively the biggest contribution to my bike prowess is T.I.T.S (time in the saddle). One can have the fastest bike or "buy speed" (aero helmet, aero bottles, race wheels, latex tubes, etc.) and that for sure helps, but if that person does not put enough time on the bike working on the engine, he/she will not maximize those gadgets.

What advice would you give to newcomers to the sport?

Enjoy the journey.

Triathlon will challenge you, it will motivate you, it will make you want to make healthier choices, it will bring back the kid inside you (all kids love swimming, biking, and running!), and it will connect you with amazing people. Enjoy the camaraderie of the people that do triathlons, enjoy and embrace your daily training, and enjoy every moment and every race you do. You will fall in love with the sport once you try it.

Triple Threat Triathlon - National Team interview archives: