FEATURES

"Grind While They Rest....."

Monday, 27 March 2017 23:10

By Kristina Swenson (kristinaswenson.wixsite.com)

Over spring break, I had the opportunity to travel to the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado with 8 teammates from the Iowa State Triathlon Team. We traveled with 8 members of the University of Iowa Triathlon Team as well, and we paid their coach, who is a pro triathlete who lives in the Colorado Springs area, to coach us for the week.

Training at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) is a pretty unreal experience. You stay in a traditional style residence hall like you would find on a college campus, eat all your meals in a dining center, and train in some of the nicest workout facilities in the country. It is literally your job to get up, train, eat, sleep, and recover so you can do it all again the next day.

Four years ago I had the opportunity to train in this exact place. At the time, I was 16 years old and had just joined my first triathlon team, Minnesota Junior Elite Triathletes. Even though I had been doing a kids triathlon since I was 8, I had only been doing sprint distance races for 2 years, so joining an elite level team was a huge step for me. I like to think that this is really the moment where my triathlon journey began....

"Thank Your Body"....

Sunday, 26 March 2017 05:10

ED. While web surfing recently, we stumbled upon an interview of Mankato triathlete, Kristin Gustafson, by her coach, Marni Sumbal, who is an awesome person. Do you know her? FYI - Kristin is one of the coolest people we know.

MS - Describe your athletic background and how you discovered your current sport?

KG - I was always competitive growing up playing tennis and basketball in high school. I tried playing tennis in college until my third knee surgery changed those plans. Any type of lateral movement makes me scared so I decided to find other activities where I only had to go straight. After college, I missed being competitive so I decided to start running. I started with a 10k and quickly moved onto doing marathons. After doing 20+ marathons, I felt like it was time to try something new. My very first triathlon was a half Ironman in July 2011 and the rest is history!

MS - What keeps you training and racing in your current sport?

KG - There is nothing more satisfying than signing up for a race, putting a 100% into training, being dedicated every day to becoming a better athlete, and then finishing it all off with completing the race distance. I was recently diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) this past year so now, more than ever...

VO2 or CGM? Interesting Stuff....

Friday, 24 March 2017 23:10

By Chris Foster (triathlete.com)

A controversial researcher says the key to speed and delayed fatigue lies in your brain, not in your lungs.

Tim Noakes is a South African scientist and medical doctor who likes to ruffle a lot of feathers. His controversial theories are famous for challenging conventional wisdom on topics ranging from sports medicine to biomechanics to nutrition, like promoting a high-fat, low-carb diet for the general population. But perhaps his most game-changing idea is one that rethinks why athletes slow down....

Fueling For Every Distance...

Thursday, 23 March 2017 23:10

By BROOKE SCHOHL (teamusa.org)
This article originally appeared in USA Triathlon Magazine.

You’ve logged the miles and completed the training. But there’s a nagging feeling that you’ve forgotten something as race day looms. Oh yeah, your fuel plan! All too often, nutrition takes a backseat. Consequently, fueling-related challenges are common during triathlons. But there’s a solution. Use training to determine what works for you, develop a play-by-play plan for race day, and follow that plan.

Whether your next race is an all-out sprint or a dig-deep, endurance-fest Ironman, make sure your fuel plan is on track and specific to the task at hand. One of the coolest things about our sport is the variety of options when it comes to race distance, but determining what to eat and drink and when can get rather...