LVTC Happenings!
A monthly report of events and resources for our passionate, growing local multisport community.
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Opening Message
One of the magical aspects of our sport is how easy it is to fall in love with. When you just start riding, and you're on your bike and you realize that you're the motor that’s driving a truly amazing machine down the road, and you feel the wind on your face and see the landscape rush by, you feel a sensation that makes you think, “life is good.” When you hit milestone after milestone as you become a good swimmer you enjoy the sweet sense of accomplishment each time – whether it’s the first time you swim a single lap in the pool nonstop or realize that you’re in open water and you can’t see the bottom – and you’re OK with it – or you hit that point where you’re comfortable and relaxed in the water, or when you exit the water for the first time in your first triathlon, swimming gives you hard-earned and well-deserved rewards. When, one morning, you go for a run and instead of getting out of breath in the first 400 yards, you hit a comfortable pace and realize that you are running efficiently and smoothly, and you realize that your heart, lungs, and muscles are all in sync – the feeling is indescribable. As you are becoming a triathlete, the sensations and rewards are both indescribable and priceless. This is how and why we fall in love with our sport.
How much of this has anything to do with speed, superhuman endurance, or standing on the podium? Absolutely none of it. There is an ultra-pure, magical innocence at play when we first get started in triathlon, and it only happens once. Later on in our triathlon journey, our goals change. We’ll seek out more speed, better equipment, and performance-enhancing training and nutrition. There is a time and a place for that, but not yet. Here’s a thought for you experienced triathletes: Your job, when it comes to new triathletes, is to keep them safe and allow them to enjoy the magic and pure joy of falling in love. The seed has been planted, but the tree doesn’t need pruning yet. It simply needs encouragement and nourishment in the form of acknowledging, participating in, and enjoying a beginner’s accomplishments and revelations along with them. I encourage our seasoned athletes to keep this in mind when you see a beginner who you know you can make faster. When they’re ready, they’ll ask for this, but it’s not what they need at the moment. Let them – and help them – enjoy their new love.
~Bob Gamble
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Race Results August 28th, 2021 |
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Socials/Training Events/Education
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Check our Facebook Group for locals who are training on your end of town.
Socials coming back soon!
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Coaches Corner:
Stress sucks.
Stress is also a part of every race.
It's also rarely a part of every training plan.
Though, that paradigm can and should change! A little candid race reflection, rudimentary science, and self-reflection can unveil a dark horse feature of endurance racing to - STRESS MANAGEMENT.
Stress response is both relative to the individual athlete and can be trained/changed. But, a spectrum of sorts exists for all- circumstances cause stress causing athlete behaviors/physiological state to change. Fight or flight is one such state.
Fight or flight is major. Altering breathing, heart rate, fat/carb/sugar utilization, and ability to concentrate, to start. Kicked on the swim
Flat tire. Nutrition mishap. Cramp. All common scenarios that can put an athlete into the throws of Cortisol hormone hell.
Shallow breathing issues affecting the ability to get out enough co2 every breath and inhale enough o2 to keep a good heart rate, to not sticking with nutrition or pacing plan due to not being able to concentrate on task at hand.
Race plan deal breakers.
Prelude to DNF story.
Common as any examined triathlete pitfall.
So should an athlete's training reflect not just the 'if' such could happen, but the 'when'. Preemptively visualizing all of the things that could go wrong, then how to systematically GET THROUGH IT. Or developing a pre race breathing ritual to bring down the stress before its inevitably elevated.
Methods vary athlete to athlete or by coach or one philosophical background to another. The underlying theme, the same. Like enough training volume helps a race completion, stress management improves by vigilant practice in being prepared for the stress (duh).
Preparation is the only weapon effective against race imploding anxiety. Anxiety WILL be the most menacing race competitor. But, it won't take down those that master their swim form only second to their mastery in STRESS MANAGEMENT!
~Nancy Jones
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Safety Corner
Signs of Overtraining
Triathlon can be addicting. You sign up for a race. You train for the race. You compete in the race. You say you’ll never do another… and a few hours after you’re already searching for the next race that you can sign up for. Does this sound like you?
With the 2021 season ending soon, it can be tempting to sign up for every race possible. But it’s a good time to also start listening to your body for signs of Overtraining. Best to end the season injury free and give your body a rest so that you’re fresh for the next season.
What are some signs of Overtraining?
- Your race times and training gains are getting worse instead of better. If you notice that performance is on the decline, it might be a sign that you need a good, healthy break.
- Your body hurts! Chronic aches and pains in your muscles, joints, and bones are a surefire warning from your body. Listen to your body and it will tell you when you’ve done too much.
- Vitals during workouts and rest are much higher than normal. Concern should set in if you are seeing 5-10 bpm higher than your norms.
- You are cranky and your brain is foggy. You just aren’t your best these days. You forget things. You snap at loved ones or colleagues.
- You aren’t sleeping well.
If these signs are starting to sound familiar to you, you might want to consider saving your energy for the next season. Start to taper off your season, take some time off, and start to plan your 2022 season.
Hope this month’s Safety Corner helps and STAY SAFE tri friends!
Amanda Wolpink
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Prez Corner:
Grit.
Gusts of 25-40 mph … sand blown … rain … sleet … white capped waves … heat … humidity … The St. George 70.3 Ironman World Championship threw just about everything at the athletes on race day. But there were only about 100 DNF’s … really amazing. The storm that blew through the course hit athletes at different parts of the race since start times were over a 3-hr period.
The big question of the day was ‘Where were you when the storm hit?’ Some athletes were already on the run, many were on some part of the bike segment, and others were still in the water just starting the race.
What amazes me are the athletes who were hit by the storm during the swim, T1, or even just in the beginning of the bike. The storm was so intense that many of us thought they would stop the race … but that never happened. It is impressive that the athletes who were hit with the storm early in their race kept going. Starting off a 56-mile bike ride in the midst of a whirlwind type of storm takes grit.
Something that draws many athletes to triathlon is the challenge of the event – you have to obviously be fit enough to complete three different sport segments (swim, bike, run). But you also will most likely have to overcome some other challenge during the course of the event. That challenge may be a mechanical issue on the bike, weather related (e.g., wind, heat, cold, rain, …) or physical (e.g., injury, cramping, …), for example.
What impresses me is the grit that athletes show during triathlon to push themselves to the finish. When talking with athletes about their proudest triathlon moment, it often can be based on a story about overcoming some challenge either during training or the race.
Grit. There is often a real sense of accomplishment when we dig deep to reach a goal, regardless of the time or placement. The next time you toe a start line, have the confidence in yourself that you have grit. Triathlon brings that grit out … and it is great to celebrate when we are able to overcome challenges.
~John Mercer
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Past President
I was asked to write a section of the newsletter to show that sometimes triathletes are not always doing triathlons and that’s okay. Sometimes we are injured, dealing with burnout, don’t have the equipment, or are just at a point in our lives where triathlon just doesn’t fit. That’s okay. You are always a triathlete. Triathlons will be there when you return.
I, myself, am hiking. I guarantee you with the elevations I am hiking and the prolonged hikes, my return to the pool should not be an issue for my lungs or my aerobic capacity, nor for my bike leg. At the time of the last newsletter release I was at 43 peaks of my 50. Today I am happy to say I am at 48. The biggest hurdle for me is my 49th peak is the biggest on my list and is close to the California wild fires, so it is closed for weeks. If I am unable to get to it by mid October it will be too cold and my list completion will need to happen next year.
If you still want to be part of the action, but not, don’t overlook volunteering or spectating for a triathlon. A lot of fulfillment can happen here. Sometimes volunteering can be more joyful than racing when you get to feel that camaraderie of the group and get to support all those grateful athletes.
Bottom line, there is no shame in discovering who you are outside of triathlon. Sometimes skills will over lap and help you and sometimes new skills outside of triathlon make you the well rounded person you need to be. Keep exploring and achieving!
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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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LVTC Member Spotlight
Get to know our club members as our President sits down with the following members to talk about tris and life.
· Stefanie Eigen
· Kyle Petersen
· Justin Thornley
· Richard Huston
· Maria Dellett
Click on the names to view the video.
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The Evidence-Based Triathlete
· Relationships
· St. George 70.3 Preview
· Ask us anything – Part 1
· Ask us anything – Part 2
· Sleep
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Check our website for Discount Codes
Login to your account and look for top right account menu "My Membership" as circled below. On your dashboard page in the middle of the page you should see a link "Discount Codes". Click on that for latest discounts for members. These will appear as they come available.
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Fresh Body provides mindfully formulated hygiene products with clean ingredients derived from plant based materials & extracts.
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Your financial life is complicated. Whether you are a pre-retiree, a business owner, or a Nevada government worker, you are not immune to the complexities of personal finances. Luckily, Peak Financial Solutions is specialized in helping people like you, better plan for retirement.
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Xterra is always hooking up our club! Even though we receive monthly deals/discount code, check out the goods all around!
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More amazing LVTC Sponsors |
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