Here are the tentative dates for our 2024 events (we are submitting permit requests for these dates):

• 4/14/24: Sunday - Triathlon
• Registration opens March 1st
• 6/1/24: Saturday - Triathlon
• Registration opens May 1st
• 7/7/24: Sunday - Aquabike
• Registration opens June 1st
• 8/10/24: Saturday - Triathlon
• Registration opens July 1st

Pencil these dates into your calendar! More information will be posted as we get closer to the date.

Events are for members only! Membership is annual and runs next season from March 2024 to March 2025.

Continue to check our Facebook Group for any additional get-togethers that may be happening, and for locals who are training in town or down at Lake Mead. Post your workouts!

Thanks everyone!

Past President

Out With the Old

“Out with the old, in with the new” is an old saying. This is my article so we are going to take this in a different direction. We all know we have way too much stuff in our houses. We’ve been training and neglecting the pile up. This New Years, I challenge you to do the “Out with the old” part. (My husband should be very nervous!) You don’t need anything new. You don’t need to buy anything that collects dust or takes up space.

Where do you start? One area of one room at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Find that junk drawer or tool chest and have 3 categories: keep, sell/donate, toss. If you haven’t used it in a year, donate or toss it. If you are really on the fence about it, put that item in a box, in your garage. In a year, if you haven’t pulled that item out of the box, sell or donate it. I did this over the summer once. I picked 2 hours, 1 day each week. For 12 weeks, I focused on a different spot in the house. I accomplished a lot. 

According to an article I read on The Simplicity Habit website, 80% of stuff in our homes isn’t used frequently. Top items we buy with good intentions and don’t end up using are:

1. Home exercise equipment or gym memberships
2. Single purpose appliances- I just decluttered my counter of an ice cream maker and an air fryer.
3. Cleaning gimmicks
4. Very specific tools- Example: scrapbooking, woodworking…
5. Lawn games
6. Magazines
7. Books-I finally got my husband to part with his college Calculus book.
8. Specialty foods and cookbooks- Feed Zone Portable books I’ve always meant to read…
9. Shoes
10. Formal clothes
11. Trendy styles
12. Beauty products
13. Planners, calendars, journals
14. Music & movies
15. Hobby gear- This would be our triathlon stuff!
16. Vitamins & supplements
17. Subscriptions & memberships
18. Impulse buys

According to this website we spend $18k on stuff that is not essential every year. I would challenge you to find which category you struggle with, declutter it, and shop intentionally to break the cycle.

~Shawna Glasser

The New Triathlete

The New Season

On September 7th of this year, 34 professional football teams were preparing to start the new football season. On this, the first day of the season, each team was undefeated. Every single player on every single team had hopes and dreams of playing in the Super Bowl. At no other time in the season would motivation be stronger and hopes higher. The upcoming season would provide golden opportunities for each player to reach their goals, fulfill their dreams, and show the world that they were fast, strong, powerful and skilled. This magical time isn’t specific to football – it applies to us as well. The upcoming season represents a new beginning for experienced and new triathletes alike, and it’s a powerful motivator, whether you are working to do your first triathlon or get on the podium.

You probably know where I’m going with this – while it’s true that the excitement of a new season applies to all athletes, no one has more hope, excitement, and enthusiasm than the rookie who is just getting started in Triathlon. And therein lies both a problem and an opportunity.

Yes, as a new triathlete, you’re excited and enthusiastic about the new season, so soak up the magic -- but don’t overdo it. Start slow, be consistent, and don’t get injured. I had three surgeries in the first two years of my triathlon career because I set lofty and unrealistic goals. Learn from my mistakes -- I encourage you to set goals of learning versus excelling, consistency versus intensity, and finishing versus winning. This will pay off tenfold in the long run.

~ Bob Gamble

Coach's Corner:

Embrace the Triathlete's Approach to New Year's Resolutions: Setting Purposeful Goals for a Victorious Year

As the New Year beckons, the air is thick with the excitement of new beginnings and aspirations. Traditionally, resolutions are made, promises to self that often fade as the year progresses. But what if, instead of resolutions, we embraced the true spirit of a triathlete's mindset – setting goals that fuel our passion, determination, and growth?

So it's the start of a new year. Rather than a resolution that might dwindle by February, consider setting meaningful goals that resonate with your journey as a triathlete. Are you eyeing your first triathlon, aiming to conquer a personal best, or simply striving for consistency in training?

Let's flip the script on resolutions and break down the roadmap to success into three pivotal milestones: the daily, the short-term, and the long-term goals.

• Daily Commitment: The cornerstone of achievement lies in the small, consistent steps taken each day. It could be dedicating a specific time slot for training, focusing on nutrition, or practicing mindfulness for mental endurance. These daily rituals become the building blocks of triumph.

• Short-Term Objectives: Think of these as the milestones along your journey. Whether it's completing a certain distance in swimming, shaving seconds off your cycling time, or mastering the art of transitions – these short-term objectives propel you closer to the ultimate triumph.

• Long-Term Triumph: Your pièce de résistance. This could be completing that dream triathlon, achieving a personal best, or mastering a specific skill. Envision the finish line, but relish every stride taken towards it.

Picture this scenario: a year has flown by. The calendar pages have turned, and you glance back. What did you accomplish? Did you hold steadfast to those daily commitments? Did you surpass those short-term objectives? Did you reach that long-term triumph?

This approach isn't about grand proclamations that lose their luster as time passes. It's about fostering dedication, resilience, and growth. It's about celebrating every milestone achieved, regardless of size. It's about embodying the essence of a triathlete – the unyielding pursuit of progress.

As the New Year unfurls its chapters, let's trade resolutions for purposeful goals. Let's embark on this journey together, fueled by the passion for triathlons and driven by the commitment to excel. Let's make this year not just about a resolution, but about a relentless pursuit of victory – one goal at a time.

~Hilary Mauch

Have you met these Coaches?

Triathlon race season is here. Do you have a coach? Are you looking for one? Well, the Las Vegas Triathlon Club is going to try to help make some connections.

Earlier this year, we sent out a google form to try to capture our local coaching expertise. We had a number of coaches (all are members of Las Vegas Triathlon Club) respond and we have featured them on this webpage: https://lvtriclub.com/coaches/

We are going to continue to highlight coaches on our web page – if you would like to be part of that, please fill out the form: https://forms.gle/yEbcByPPVfHCb7A67

Prez Corner:

New Year's Resolution: Enjoy Triathlon!

I’ve never been a new-year’s-resolution kind of person … especially with triathlon. Training-wise, I’m a big advocate of consistent training. I know if I want to be 2-mins faster in a July race, consistent training over a long time will get me there. But … I say that while also recognizing the importance of an ‘off-season’ and making sure there is a time to just kick back … everything should be ‘easy’ and ‘enjoyable’.

Triathlon training has to be fun … it has to be enjoyable … something to look forward to. It is important to want to go for a swim, a bike ride, a run. Without that enjoyment, without that anticipation of a fun session, triathlon can become a burden.

New Year’s Eve is always a fun type of holiday. I remember as a kid enjoying staying up late to ‘ring in the new year’! On top of that, as we approach the New Year, I really enjoy seeing the year-end summaries that people often share. It is fun to see how many yards swam, miles biked, and/or miles run in 2023!

This is such a great time to look back on your year and to reflect on if you enjoyed the season … the racing … the training. And if there is a chance you did not … as the clock strikes midnight and our calendars flip to January 1^st, 2024, use the magic of New Year’s Eve to make any shift needed to make sure you are enjoying multisport training and racing. Make a resolution to start each swim saying to yourself ‘I love swimming’ or each bike ride ‘I can’t wait to go biking’ or each run with ‘I am a runner’!

Even if you are not a new-year’s-resolution type of person, this is a great time to self-reflect and make any shift in how to approach triathlon to make 2024 an enjoyable season of triathlon training and racing!

#thatsthevegasway

#enjoythejourney

#thrive

#timetothrive

#LVtrifamily 

~John Mercer

The Pro Perspective

Pro Triathlon: 2023 Wrapped & 2024 Stories to Follow

2023 was a landmark year for pro triathlon. The headline story to start the year cast a dark cloud on the sport, with a major doping scandal after a top American Colin Chartier tested positive for EPO, causing an endless fury of angry outrage amongst the rest of the top professionals in what is largely considered to be a clean sport. But as soon as racing started up, the year had many highlights. The GOAT, Jan Frodeno wrapped up his illustrative career with a major win at the PTO’s US Open, and the Ironman World Champs was held in Nice for the first time ever with Sam Laidlow on the top step. Lucy Charles Barclay finally took the top step in dominant fashion in the first ever women’s only Kona after five 2nd place finishes. And of course, Lionel Sanders continued to churn out YouTube after YouTube video. The pro side of the sport grew rapidly despite some economic headwinds this year with sponsors cutting back, but it’s clear there are more opportunities for pros than ever before in large part thanks to the rise of the Professional Triathletes Association (PTO) and their lucrative series, made famous by their invite-only $1M prize purse races.  

As we head into 2024, there are a few exciting storylines I will be following closely.

• The expanded “PTO Series”

The PTO is still operating like a “start-up” in its 3rd year of operation, having raised money from Venture Capitalists to form an “athlete-led” body of pros with the mission to take the sport in a positive direction. They’ve made big claims, but have failed to deliver on many of them, including withdrawing their financial support of the 51-100th world ranked athlete end of year bonus, and shrinking their start lists down to just 20 hand-selected athletes per race. But, they are operating like a business that needs to survive after all, and their next big bet is an annual series featuring the top athletes across “up to 10” races next year. The big problem? They’ve only actually announced 2 of them, casting doubt across the sport as to whether they will actually be able to pull it off or not, and if the big-name athletes will decide to sign the annual contracts they’re supposedly offering as a guaranteed payment just for participating. This story has just begun - the real news will be where do the races happen, how do they conflict with big Ironman events, and which athletes will actually make the leap?

• The first ever Ironman Pro Series

In a competitive move to compete with the PTO series head-on, Ironman announced the formation of the first ever Ironman Pro Series with a $1.7M bonus pool with $200k to the winner, and 11th-50th taking home $5k each. To be in the running for the top spot based on the points system, an athlete will have to race 3 Ironmans and 2 Half Ironmans, including both World Championships. The season will tell whether an athlete will be able to snag a top 50 spot with 3- 4 70.3s and 1-2 full Ironmans… my plan for 2024. Familiar favorites in the United States that will be part of the series include 70.3 Oceanside, 70.3 St. George, 70.3 Boulder, 70.3 Mont Tremblant, Ironman Texas, Ironman Lake Placid, and of course Ironman Hawaii (Kona). No doubt these start lists will be stacked, and I’m looking forward to lining up against some of the best in the world at Oceanside, St George, Mt Tremblant, and Ironman Lake Placid.

• A men’s only return to Kona, and the women in Nice

Splitting the men’s and women’s races received a ton of criticism last year, but with the women’s only Kona being more watched than the men's race in France this year, it will be interesting to see how the two races unfold and who makes it to the start line.

• The Olympics and 70.3 Worlds 

Ahh, the side of the sport barely talked about - ITU Olympic distance draft legal racing, or "short course". Every 4 years there is one triathlon that is arguably as big and iconic as Kona, and it’s the Olympic Games in Paris this year. All eyes look to be on Hayden Wilde (NZL) and Alex Yee (GBR) to take the top 2 spots after finishing silver and bronze in Tokyo. But the big headline for us American long course athletes? The fact that after Paris, most of these crazy fast short course athletes will be moving up to 70.3 racing - a scary, scary thought, and one that will likely mark a new era of Ironman racing. Top male short course racers including Martin Van Riel and Hayden Wilde all recently just dipped their toes into 70.3s, claiming the top spot in dominant fashion to lock in their early slot for the 70.3 World Championships in New Zealand. And American Taylor Knibb, 70.3 World Champion, will be heading "back down" to the Olympic distance in France. Casper Stornes, the "third Norwegian" often overshadowed by Gustav Iden and Kristian Blummenfeldt has likely beat out Gustav for an Olympic starting spot, and just won 70.3 Indian Wells. In the race, the two of us got away on the bike together and led the race into the run, where he then went out to out-run me by over 10 minutes (!!) at 5:00 minute per mile pace for a full half marathon off the bike... Keep an eye out for some new names in the sport who can swim and run on a whole new level to make a big impact (so long, Lionel?)

~ Justin Riele

LVTC Member Spotlight

Get to know our club members as our President sits down with the following members to talk about tris and life.

• More episodes in 2024!

The Evidence-Based Triathlete

• Holiday Training

https://youtu.be/v9383HZxQXk

• Form Goggles

https://youtu.be/MFqGQu1YpRY

Where in the World Has Our TRI Club Raced?

Check out the map below to see where our athletes have raced!