LVTC Happenings!
A monthly report of events and resources for our passionate, growing local multisport community.
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2022 Triathlon Season!
We completed our March Membership Madness month - A big ‘Welcome’ to all our new members – and a big ‘Thank You’ for all the members who have renewed!
Memberships will now run on a year basis (i.e., March-March). This process will help us have a good sense of our yearly membership and help us with budgeting and planning for the year.
April was an important month of the year as it marks the kick-off of our four-event season:
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April 23rd
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June 12th
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July 16th
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August 21st
These events are free with your club membership. If you can’t participate – we always welcome volunteers!
The events are great as a ‘first-ever’ triathlon or as a way to compete with friends. The events are also a great way to try something new … new pacing strategy, new gear, new nutrition … experiment!
You’ll need a timing chip if you want an official time and if you want to be part of the season ‘Points Series’. Visit our web page to purchase the timing chip.
For the Point Series, we keep track of placement in each triathlon for each category (Overall Female, Overall Male, Athena, Clydesdale, Rookie Female, Rookie Male, Master’s Female, Master’s Male) and recognize the Season winners with some cool swag.
Most importantly, the events we have are open and welcoming to everyone. Furthermore, it is important that this is not ‘just another race’.
This is a way to connect with the endurance community and #enjoythejourney.
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LVTC 2022 Event #1: April 23rd, 2022
Great day for a triathlon! Athletes completed either the sprint triathlon (~400 m swim, 20 Km bike, 5 Km run) or duathlon (1 mi run, 20 Km bike, 5 Km run). Of course, there was a long transition run from the swim to the bike due to the low water levels. On top of that, several athletes suffered cuts on hands/feet due to some of the mussels in the shallow water. Our first aid station was, unfortunately, busy.
The great thing about our event is that we have athletes looking to just complete the event and we have athletes that are pushing for those top spots! Our top spots for this event went to the following athletes:
Overall Female: Candace McCutcheon
Master's Female: Jolene Mitchell
Rookie Female: Samantha Godbey
Duathlon Female: Anne Imahara Alba
Overall Male: Paul Hayes
Clydesdale: Chris Leslie
Master's Male: Dennis Nelson
Rookie Male: Steve Albright
Thanks everyone for participating! And a big shout out to all our volunteers!
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Socials/Training Events/Education
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Check our Facebook Group for locals who are training in town or down at Lake Mead. Post your workouts!
2022 Club Sprint Tri Events
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June 12th
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July 16th (Aquabike)
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August 21st
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Membership Drive
Support your local Triathlon Club
Membership Includes:
- Club logoed gear for purchase
- 3 Sprint Triathlons & 1 Aquabike
- Triathlon Programs: Events and Skill Clinics
- Opportunities to train, get together and socialize
- Discounts for members only on BBSC races
- Additional discounts on products and services
Single Membership is $65.00
Family Membership is $85.00
College Membership is $40.00
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Safety Corner
Open Water Challenges
We just completed the first Tri Club event (April 23rd) and this is an excellent opportunity to address potential open-water challenges.
Inform Race Staff If You're Anxious
Let a race volunteer know if you're feeling uneasy about your open water swim. It's best to do it early on (check-in, for example) so that a plan can be put in place.
Study the Course
Get in the water pre-race to acclimatize yourself, but also to study the course. Remember to sight often during the race.
Start Where You're Comfortable
If you aren't feeling confident about your open-water skills yet, start at the back or side of the pack.
Pace Yourself
We all want to hit the water as fast as possible. Save energy for the rest of the swim and race.
Wear Goggles Under Cap
Kicking and flailing are common during the swim. Your goggles are less likely to be kicked off your head if they're under your cap.
Rest If Needed
If you find that you need a break to catch your breath, try floating on your back (or transitioning to backstroke). You can wave down a support kayak to temporarily rest.
Get Attention For Help
If anything happens to you that makes you want to stop swimming, tread water to keep your head above water and wave down a support kayak.
~Amanda Wolpink
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Coaches Corner
Join the club!
First endurance race jitters…are good. It means a respect for the endeavor. It puts a serious attitude within a serious athletic event. And such an attitude brings preparedness and an organized approach to what might otherwise be unorganized chaos.
As a coach, my pragmatic first time race advice parallels this sort of seriousness. First time racers ought to mentally and physically prepare to ‘pop their race cherry’ by way of a systemic approach which includes, though isn’t limited to some of the following:
- Training plan
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Equipment checklist: https://completetri.com/the-ultimate-triathlon-race-day-checklist/
- Good meals week of/night before/morning of race
- Good rest both in sleep and athletic recovery close to race
- Visualization of controllable race variables such as: Pacing/discipline form, changing a flat, transitions, nutrition, body temperature control.
- Realistic finishing expectations.
However, as a fellow RACER…my pragmatic side surrenders to a more philosophical outlook. Or rather, one built on nostalgia and FUN. An outlook embracing the fact that nothing will EVER compare to the first race finish line crossing!
Such a list for this might focus on, though not limited to, the following ideas:
- Embracing of the unknown. Soon this will all be old hat so revel in the newness like it’s dating someone new.
- Enjoy being the newbie with ugly or cheap equipment versus being ashamed of it. Years later, you won’t be able to stop telling other athletes about ‘back in the day’ and your board shorts or whatever.
- Pay attention to your effort and slow down a bit here and there. Not just so you don’t bonk. But, so you can take in the whole amazing picture now and again.
- Love the suckiest, most painful parts. They’re not only temporary, but getting through them is what makes this all so dang beautiful and addicting.
- Pause when crossing the finish line. Lock it into your mind forever. Maybe some later, more experience fueled races will compare to it…but, not likely.
ENJOY!
~Coach Nancy
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LVTC Member Spotlight
Get to know our club members as our President sits down with the following members to talk about tris and life.
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The Evidence-Based Triathlete
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Prez Corner:
LVTC Triathlon #1, April 23rd, 2022
Our events are an important part of the Las Vegas Triathlon Club. We take pride in having events that are open to all levels and types of triathletes. We have athletes who are striving to compete with each other, we have athletes doing their first event, and we have athletes who are simply looking to complete an event, for example.
Most importantly, we gather for the event as way to celebrate and enjoy Triathlon! This is not just another event – by participating in the event, you are part of the Las Vegas Triathlon Club Community. Your day is just as important as any athlete’s day. We strive to make you feel part of the event!
To have a successful event, we do adhere to rules. Before each event, we send out an email to everyone who is registered. In that email, we provide the rules for the event – in general, they are the same. But we do update them based upon any current information. Below are the general rules for each event. Here are some highlights:
- Transition opens at 6 AM.
- Swim start is at 7 AM.
- The Duathlon will start after the last swimmer is in the water.
- Course information is provided in this video:
- https://youtu.be/V4Z7PF6nMRY
- The bike course is open to traffic. We are not allowed to stop or direct traffic and athletes must yield to all vehicles.
- Be sure to look over your shoulder before turning at the turn-around as well as making the left-hand turn back into Boulder Beach.
- Be Safe!
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You must be wearing a LVTC timing chip in order to have official results. If you do not have a chip, please either purchase one (go to the shop on www.lvtriclub.com) or know that you will not have a time at the end of the race.
- The water is cold. This is a good race to try out a neoprene cap and/or booties. Gloves are not allowed.
- You can switch to the Duathlon at any time – even the morning of the event.
- There are no bike aid stations. Take fluids with you as needed.
- There are no run aid stations. Take fluids with you as needed.
- There will be no pre-race or post-race food or fluids.
- Be sure to thank a volunteer before your day is over ... Many of them will be helping with a race for the first time - let's make it enjoyable for them too!
~John Mercer
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The Las Vegas Triathlon Club Legacy Scholarship
Background
On 12/10/20, five Las Vegas athletes were killed when a driver of a truck fell asleep and ran into a group of cyclists. The athletes were Tom Trauger, Erin Ray, Aksoy Ahmet, Michael Murray, and Gerrard Nieva. These five athletes are endearingly referred to as TEAMG (Tom, Erin, Aksoy, Michael, and Gerrard).
Following their deaths, there has been a upswell of community support for the families and survivors directly affected. There has also been a renewed call for action to create a safer environment for athletes to train here in the Greater Las Vegas Valley.
The purpose of the Las Vegas Triathlon Club Legacy Scholarship is to honor the legacy of TEAMG as well as any local triathletes who have passed away. The Legacy Scholarship is designed to encourage involvement in triathlon by new athletes, youth athletes, and/or continuing athletes in special need.
Scholarship Categories
New triathlete
A barrier to enter triathlon is often the expense of gear, race registrations, and/or travel, for example. The purpose of this category of scholarship is to support new athletes entering the sport. The applicant can request funding to support acquiring gear, race registration, and/or travel, for example. The applicant should describe how the scholarship will remove barriers to a lifelong pursuit of multisport involvement.
Youth / Collegiate triathlete
The future of triathlon is built upon involvement of youth in the sport. The purpose of this category of scholarship is to encourage and support youth and collegiate members. Some barriers to youth/collegiate triathletes include the cost of education on top of the cost of participation in the sport (e.g., gear, travel, race registrations). The applicant should describe how the scholarship would support their educational and triathlon goals.
SOS Scholarship
Things happen … and there may be times that a triathlete needs special assistance. The purpose of this scholarship is to assist a triathlete in some manner to allow continued involvement in the sport.
Please visit our webpage to find out more information about this new scholarship opportunity. I also ask that you renew and/or join the club to help support important initiatives such as this.
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Past President
Never make a decision on a hill
This is during a race or metaphorically in life. The hill is the tough stuff. Don’t assume the race, or anything you are going through, is always going to be this hard and you can’t handle it. Get into a better place where you have an opportunity for some insight and make your decision then.
Stay in the moment
One of my favorite coaches said this to me and I never forgot it. When you are swimming, your job is to think about the swim. Buoy to buoy if you need to, but you shouldn’t be thinking about the bike or the run. When you are on the bike, your job is to think about the bike. The swim is done, do not analyze what you did, focus on the bike. The run comes up, same thing, focus on the run mile by mile. My only “but” would be for transitions. Toward the end of a sport, I start giving myself a check list for transition. For T1 as I hit land and start running toward T1 I say to myself, “I need to get 5 things: socks, shoes, nutrition, sunglasses, helmet.”
You get to do this
Don’t be so hard on yourself or take triathlons too seriously. There are people who are physically unable to do this sport. There are people who can not afford this sport. There are people who work too many hours or have too many commitments to do this sport. You are lucky that you “get” to do this sport. Feel that gratitude and that appreciation.
Enjoy the journey
When you are on the course, look around. You probably have amazing views, friendly faces, gorgeous weather, etc. Take it in. Don’t get tunnel vision. Most likely this isn’t a job for you. This should be fun and enjoyable.
~Shawna Glasser
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Where in the World Has Our TRI Club Raced?
Check out the map below to see where our athletes have raced!
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