FEATURES
Kristina's Personal Invitation...
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Monday, 27 July 2015 00:10
ED. Coverage of Toughman Minnesota and a Brewhouse preview will post tomorrow on MTN.
By Kristina Swenson
I’d like to share my story with the triathlon community about how the races world-champion triathlete Tony Schiller creates for kids changed my life and can change your kids’ lives too.
Let me take you back to a Wednesday night in 2005. I was eight years old. I had just finished a swim lesson at Foss Swim School when my teacher, Joe, said, “I want you to do a really cool race this Saturday. It’s just for kids. You’re going to do great.”
Three days later, I lined up on the beach at Lake Ann Park for my first race, the Miracle Kids Triathlon, directed by Tony. I was nervous, but I knew I could finish because Joe believed in me. It was hard, but I had a blast. I not only crossed the finish line, but I discovered the incredible sport of triathlon....
Seeing the Bigger Picture...
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Sunday, 26 July 2015 00:10
By Deanna Pomfret (usatriathlon.org)
At a recent party a spunky 10-year-old came hopping into the room, grabbed a cracker off the cheese and cracker platter and started bouncing away. Her mother called after her, “don’t you want some calcium and protein with that cracker?” The kid just looked at her mom blankly and quickly backed away.
When on earth did we start calling cheese, calcium and protein? Why not just ask her if she wants some cheese? And why the need for cheese? Who cares anyway if she just has a cracker. She wouldn’t be able to bounce around so well weighted down with cheese in her belly anyway.
Children are more instinctive than we adults who get bogged down with nutrient facts and what is good or bad for us. This child knew what her body was looking for, saw the choices available and picked the cracker. She didn’t think too hard about it. She didn’t know this, but she needed quick energy to get back on task — which was playing. We don’t need to teach children about protein and calcium as much as we need to learn from them how to eat without so much analysis....
Get Over It!
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Saturday, 25 July 2015 00:10
UPDATES: ZITUR three-peated at WALKER TRI this morning. HOSCH trashed the men's CR. RESULTS
Guess who won the HOOT LAKE TRIATHLON today? We'll give you some hints. He's a local guy who's won the race several times before. His name rhymes with JAVID DENSEN. RESULTS
By Duncan Larkin (triathlon.competitor.com)
Ask any Olympian about their experiences competing at the top of his or her sport and it’s a good bet they’ll not only mention the highs of their career, but also the lows.
Even elite athletes are human beings and being human means having to deal with setbacks. For endurance athletes, whether you’re an elite athlete or an aspiring age-group competitor, lows usually come in the form of a bad race or terrible workout that fell far short of expectations. It’s when we let these bad experiences fester that training and racing can go from something that brings us joy and peace to something that makes us feel irritated, stressed or even depressed.
Next time you have a race or workout that doesn’t go as planned, employ these tried-and-true tips from elite-level athletes to move past an unplanned setback....
Psychological Recovery...
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Friday, 24 July 2015 00:10
By Molly Breslin (usatriathlon.org)
Unfortunately, most of us have experienced an illness or an injury that has sidelined us from our athletic pursuits. It's challenging enough to deal with these events from a physical standpoint. Managing the psychological aspects of the recovery process is just as important as managing the physical ones and can make or break your return to optimum athletic performance.
We all talk about the rational mind — but the mind can be terribly irrational when dealing with events that have emotional components to them. Triathlon isn't just swim, bike and run with a bunch of gear, training plans, race dates and entry fees. It's something we've committed to, it gives us purpose, makes us happy, diminishes our stress, and provides a social network....
Understanding Recovery...
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Saturday, 18 July 2015 00:10
NOTE: Results links for OUTLAND CHALLENGE - LINK. A link to PAUL BUNYAN results will be posted here and on the Results Page as soon as they are available.
By Krista Austin (triathlon.competitor.com)
Triathletes often believe that integrating a few recovery days into a long training buildup is enough to allow the body to rebuild and reap the benefits of hard training days. But even if your muscles feel OK after a few rest days, these short periods of rest are not sufficient on their own.
Let’s consider the science behind your training: The nervous system can be highly taxed during a period of hard training as the brain controls muscle function. As a result, the body requires regular, extended periods of rest to restore the neuromuscular system. Most athletes can handle approximately two and a half to three weeks of a progressive training load before requiring a restoration period of approximately seven days (aka a recovery week)....
