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Homemade Healthy Sports Drinks and Gels for Triathlon

June 30, 2012 By 3 Comments
Soaking Goji berries in water overnight is a great way to make your own energy drink
Soaking Goji berries in water overnight is a great way to make your own energy drink

Soaking Goji berries in water overnight is a great way to make your own energy drink

As triathletes we are often concious about our bodies and health. When it comes to race day we stuff them full of factory produced, totally artificial, processed sugars. Richard Wygand, a raw food, vegan pro triathlete has a couple of alternative recipes for sports drinks and gels that will do the job on race day, be healthier for you – and save you money!

Natural Triathlon Sports Drink Recipe:

Soak over night dry fruits such as dates, figs, or goji berries. For example I cup of dry fruit soaked in one jar of water. Due to the osmotic pressure the sugar and electrolytes from the fruit are passed on to the water.

Home Made Triathlon Gels:

I either use raw sugar (from crushing sugar cane), molasses or I make a dates paste ( blend about 10 dates with a little bit of water) making a gel. I put in a gel flask. Those ingredients are rich in potassium and for longer races I use celery sticks (either blend with the gels or eat) for sodium. The sodium from plants and fruits (called organic sodium) is the only sodium absorbed by the body, that does not make you thirsty.
Sodium from commercial gels and sports drinks are not absorbed by the body and dehydrate you as well. Simple sugars from fruits are easy assimilated (with less stress on the digestive system), and satisfy you. Its quite different to the complex carbs from commercial gels and sports drinks.
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A Holistic Approach to Triathlon – Raw and Vegan and Pro

June 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Richard Wygand is a pro triathlete who runs barefoot, is vegan and only eats raw food
Richard Wygand is a pro triathlete who runs barefoot, is vegan and only eats raw food

Richard Wygand is a pro triathlete who runs barefoot, is vegan and only eats raw food

Since I started racing (2004) I always knew that nutrition played a big part of the game. I went to several nutritionists with different kind of approaches. In all of them I had trouble, recovering, with hydration, fueling and so on. Since I always liked the natural approach of things, and I was vegetarian for awhile and a few nutritionists said was impossible to train and be vegetarian, I started to eat meat again, never felt good, recovery and energy level weren’t good as well. So 2 years ago, I went vegan and one day my wife said “let’s do 2 weeks all raw”, since that day my diet is 100% raw.

Why Vegan?

This part is simple: All animal products make your body acid, when we train we make our body acid as well, so having a diet that contain animal products making your body more acidity makes recovery a lot harder. Also, the digestion of animal products takes a lot of energy, and we can be using that energy to train and recover.  Yes it is that simple! Keep in mind to that even a lean cut contain a lot of fat!

Why Raw?

Raw for me it is the next level in nutrition. The truth is, anything cooked above 105 degrees kill the enzymes and part of the nutrients. By that means, when you cook the food you change its natural state, therefore the body does not recognize, and even if it does the digestion process will be really stressful. My idea is: if you have to cook to make it taste good, that is not a good food for you. And yes that will include grains!

The benefits of a raw vegan diet have been amazing for me and for all of my athletes that decided to change their diet. The greatest benefit is how clear your mind is, and how easy is to focus on training, work etc. Energy levels are sky high. Sleep (which is the biggest part in recovery) is great, I can sleep less but with a lot more quality (I usually sleep 7 or less hours per night and wake up fresh like I slept 12 hours).  Recovery time it is a lot faster, now I can schedule hard and long workouts closer together, also tapper time it is smaller, so I can train harder closer to the race and gain more fitness.

If you plan to change your diet you have to be prepared to feel bad before you feel good. That happens because your body start releasing all the toxins that you ingested for years.  If you have a SAD (standard American diet), you can take up to 6 weeks of detox if not more. I went to major detox symptoms and I had (or I thought I had) a great diet.

My diet now is very simple, it is a diet called 80/10/10! 80% carbs from fruits and veggies, 10% protein from green leafs (kale, spinach etc), 10% of fat from seeds and nuts (no oil). Those % are from calories, by that means if you have a 2000 calorie diets, 200 calories from protein, 200 calories from fat and the rest carbs (of course carbs from fruits and veggies, mostly fruits).

I take pretty much no supplements, the few things I take are raw protein and the raw meal replacement (both from “Garden of Life”) when I travel. No caffeine. No chemicals. Even gels and sports drinks I make my own. The funny (or sad) is when I used to take all the commercial salt tablets, gels, sports drinks etc, I had stomach issues during races, cramps and hard time to recovery. Now that I stopped all that I have zero problems and my performance gotten better.

Feel Good and Go Raw!

Check out Richard’s sites to find out more about Raw Vegan triathlon training or check out some simple recipes for triathlon gels and sports drinks here

www.rwtriathlete.com

www.rwtraining.net

www.wellingtontriathlonclub.com

www.therawveganironmanproathlete.blogspot.com

 

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HITS Hunter Mountain Half Ironman Course Review- 2012 – David Smith

June 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment
David Smith Finishes the HITS Hunter Mountain Half Ironman
David Smith Finishes the HITS Hunter Mountain Half Ironman

David Smith reviews the HITS Hunter Mountain Half Ironman Course (the photo is of Muddy Buddy though!)

David Smith reviews the HITS Hunter Mountain Half Ironman course. A tough course because it goes up a mountain but all the more satisfying because of that – and with great race organisation!

Triathlon Name

HITS Hunter Mountain Half

Triathlon Date

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Who Are you?

David Smith- I race about 10-12 Triathlons a year. Love the 70.3 distance the most. I am a solid AG competitor-once in a while I manage to stand on the podium.

Race Category

M 40-44

Country

Hunter, New York, USA

Why did I do this race?

I wanted to check out the HITS Series for one. Two they offer a free super short open distance that I was able to get my son to race and third- I love hills.

The Swim

The swim was a single loop with left turns (most of my races have right turns, but I like breathing more on the left so this was pretty cool). The water was cool- about 65 degrees- perfect wetsuit water. And the lake was pretty clear so finding friendly feet to draft was rather easy. There was only one wave for the half and full (the full did two laps) so we had a pretty nice scrum at the start. I did have to flip on my back twice to clear my left goggle, but within settled in to a nice steady stroke. I felt pretty strong and consistent through out the entire swim.

The only real challenge was when we turned at the final swim buoy, we were swimming into the sun rise so sighting was a bit hard. But since I was in a pretty good pack, I stayed on course and was quickly out of the water. I usually swim about 37-38 minutes for the . This race I was out of the water in 34:45 and hit the transition mat at 35:35ish. I was pretty happy about that, although I knew it was likely the swim would be the only fast leg- after all we were racing on a Mountain.

The Bike

The first were flat to a slight downhill and I hammered Hard. While I had not ridden the course, HITS is working with Map My Tri to showcase route details including elevation, so my pre race strategy was to ride hard during the first and then sit up during climb or the last – at an average grade of 5%. I executed well- first in about 1:25. Next 26 in about 1:27. Total time 2:52. Which is about 15 minutes slower than what I usually do, but I knew the course was very hard so I was happy with my effort. And coming into T2 I felt very good- legs were loose, stomach was fine and I was looking forward to 13.1 of up and down- yeah the run was a lot like the bike. There were 4 aid stations- one every but I did not need to stop.

The Run

An out and back with minimal turning laterally, but lots of up and downs! The first were pretty much downhill outside of two short but very steep hills. Then the next were rolling hills. I felt pretty good- although I did have two blister form and pop- one on each heel. Once they popped I did not feel any pain (but knew I would later). Since the first were downhill, the last four miles were uphill. I ran slower than I would have liked, but never once felt like I needed to walk or even slow down (my body did that on its own). Normally I run a 1:40-1:45 for the run- but I ran a 1:58. Given the heavy climbing and the fact that I was recovering from a minor knee injury I was very pleased.

Transition

Transition is set up very nice- each racer has their own area including personal rack and a stool. Plenty of room, nice and flat and easy to get in and out.

T1- I am pretty good at T1 and T2. I do a good job of getting my gear set up and come into the Transition area with a clear plan of what I need to do and in what order. What was pretty cool is the AV crew was taking video of me as I got ready to head out on the bike- I will share the link if I can get it. Time was about 1:15.
T2- nailed it- 46 seconds. My T1 time was the fastest and T2 was second so practice and consistency works.

Race Organisation

Outstanding race organization. Mark Wilson who is the race Director did a great job sharing insights about the course, which was well marked. Pre race had a clear athlete guide, packet pick-up was great. Post race- plenty of food- bagels, pretzels, HEED recovery drinks, lemonade, coke, ice tea and fruit.

Top Triathlon Tips

  • Do this series as they offer 5 distances- Open, Sprint, Olympic, Half and Full on each weekend they race. I will definitely do it again and in multiple locations. Great value, great experience & great race!

How did you do?

Total time- 5:28:53. 18th place overall and 4th in my AG (40-44). In the last two years I have been pretty consistent finishing in the top 10-15% in most races and my performance was on track.

Verdict

Without a doubt this was the hardest 70.3 I have done (number 6 so far). But also very satisfying. I nailed the swim, nutrition, transitions and executed my pre race strategy. I will definitely do another HITS race and recommend it very much to everyone else. And bring one of your non triathlete friends to do the open- soon they will be one of your triathlete friends!

You can check out David’s website here or follow her on twitter as @dsmith1031

If you have done a triathlon and want to post a triathlon review then send it through. Every review you do for BeyondTransition helps us write better race guides and other triathletes enjoy their races more.

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Achieve the Ironman Time You Want: 10 Tips That Will Help

June 16, 2012 By 2 Comments
10 Tips to Achieve the Ironman Time you Want
10 Tips to Achieve the Ironman Time you Want

10 Tips to Achieve the Ironman Time you Want via oneyeartoironman.wordpress.com

Maybe this is your first Ironman, or perhaps you have already completed ten. No matter the distance of triathlon, I see everyone from veterans to first-timers making a few key mistakes. I hope my 10 tips will help you achieve the Ironman time that you deserve.

10.  Water Stations Aren’t Just For Drinking.

Use water and ice to cool you down and wash off.  Your hands may be sticky from nutrition, and nothing feels better than cold water on your head on a hot day.

9.  Race Day Nutrition Must Be A Part Of Your Overall Strategy.

All bodies are different, so do some research and find out what works for yours (consulting a sports nutritionist is recommended).  Also, keep the temperature of your race location in mind. Your body has different needs in extremely hot weather.

8.  Don’t Forget The Sunscreen!

Like water, it will also help keep you cool and can prevent painful sunburns. Take advantage of race volunteers who may apply it for you. If volunteers are not available to you for your race, keep spray-on sunscreen at your transition area and apply before heading out on both the bike and the run.

7.  Know Your Bike And How To Fix It.

Don’t let a flat tire ruin your race! Practice changing your tires before race day so you are confident in your ability to do so if needed.

6.  Bring The Music With You.

Remember that amazing scene in Shawshank Redemption? Andy Dufresne breaks in to Warden Norton’s office to play Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro” over the prison speaker system and is punished with two weeks in the hole for the stunt. Andy says it was the easiest time he ever did. Tapping his head and his heart, he says, “the music was here…and here.” USAT bans iPods during competition so have a few favorite songs burned in your mind. I pick one that makes me happy and feel the strongest and listen to it over and over the morning of the race.  Then, during the bike segment, I press “play” in my mind and it makes all the difference in the world.

5.  Nothing New On Race Day, Or The Day Before.

NOTHING!  Not a new brand of gel, not a different pair of socks, not even a new pair of sunglasses.  If you have not tested each item out extensively during your training, do not use it.  Your body and stomach will become very fragile during the long day and it is not worth it to take chances with something you aren’t extremely familiar with.

4.  Walk Through Water Stations On The Run.

Not only does this break up the run into doable segments, but it will also allow you to take in proper levels of hydration and nutrition and help you commit to running the remainder of the race. Set boundaries and permit yourself to walk (only) at these planned markers.

3.  Why Are You Doing An Ironman?

What’s your “one thing?” Be sure of it, own it and repeat it to yourself when you are certain you can’t take another step forward.  Your mind and body will engage in an intense chess match at some point in the day.  If you aren’t positive of your motivations to keep going strong, your body will win and you will slow down.

2.  Allow Only Positive Thoughts On Race Day.

Negative thoughts won’t get you anywhere and can be destructive to your performance.  Think about all the work you have put into training and how incredible an accomplishment it will be to finish.

1.  The Race Begins At Mile 18 On The Run.

Keep this mile marker in mind until you reach it.  Will you show up at Mile 18 with anything left in the tank?  You should expend the appropriate amount of effort prior to this point, so that you are able to finish strong.  Chin up and run solid for the last few miles.  You are about to become an Ironman!

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Harriman Olympic Distance Triathlon – 2012 – Eamon Foley

June 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Eamon Foley Reviews the Harriman Olympic Triathlon
Eamon Foley Reviews the Harriman Olympic Triathlon

Eamon Foley Reviews the Harriman Olympic Triathlon

Eamon Foley reviews the Harriman Triathlon in New York State with its super hard and technical bike course

Triathlon Name

Harriman Olympic Distance Triathlon, NY

Triathlon Date

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Who Are you?

A USAT Level 1 triathlon coach, Eamon coaches with Team in Training and Tri Latino in New York City.

He strives to bring a fresh perspective to coaching, with a focus on fun & efficiency. His new Holistic Triathlete blog aims to translate swimming & all things triathlon to simple English.

He competed internationally as a swimmer for over 15 years and holds regional records that have stood for 15 years. This makes him feel old.

Race Category

Male 30-34

Country

Harriman State Park, New York, USA

Why did I do this race?

Location 1 hour from New York City, and in beautiful, quiet Harriman State Park. Early season race.

The Swim

One loop, turning at two buoys for a triangle-shaped course, out and back.

The Bike

Very, very hilly. Two laps of a hilly course, with a few long, slow climbs. The course starts with a steep downhill where you can reach 40mph, into a hairpin turn, and back up that same hill where you can reach 4mph! In my opinion, quite a dangerous feature, while the more optimistic will say it is good for technical skills and gear management. Strong cyclists will love it, swimmers like myself will hate it! Good traffic management and markings around the course.

The Run

Flat, one loop, out and back. Mostly on roads with a mile or two on a shaded country track. A couple of aid stations with good snacks (energy gels, h2O, skittles!). Supporters were thin on the ground.

Transition

Very well organised. Bike racks are not the racks you hang your saddle on, but the slots for your wheel with a small bay to store your kit. Very tidy. Good signposting, vocal volunteers in transition cheering athletes on. Easy check in.

Race Organisation

Very good. Laidback crew and very helpful. Atmosphere around transition was great. Could have been more warnings about the bike course. Pizzas, plenty of fruit and ice cold drinks after the race were much appreciated.

Top Triathlon Tips

  • Prepare for cold water in May after a New York winter.
  • Very, very tough bike course.
  • Good practice for non-bikers, good fun for true cyclists!
  • Dangerous hairpin turns, so watch out!
  • Great location for New York City and surrounding areas. Fun event.

How did you do?

I did ok myself. Really struggled on the bike with the hills but enjoyed a good swim and an average run. Fun atmosphere made for a good day out.

Verdict

I might avoid the hills in future, but it is a lovely setting in Harriman State Park and very well put together.

You can check out Eamon’s website Holistic Triathlete here or follow him on twitter as @tricoacheamon

If you have done a triathlon and want to post a triathlon review then send it through. Every review you do for BeyondTransition helps us write better race guides and other triathletes enjoy their races more.

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BeyondTransition Needs Your Help

June 9, 2012 By 1 Comment
Professional triathlete Alexander of Australia waits for the start of the swim portion of the Ford Ironman World Championship triathlon in Kailua-Kona

It’s time for a progress update to let you know what’s happening at BeyondTransition.

Thanks for all the support that everyone has shown over the year so far. Since the relaunch of BeyondTransition in February we’ve been trying to help triathletes race faster and smarter through:

We’re pretty pleased with how this has worked and the response that you’ve shown. Our twitter followers have almost doubled and Facebook fans increased by 50% and we have been seeing a 1000 visitors a day which is pretty satisfying.

Time for a Change

What we want to do is to make BeyondTransition the best triathlon site to come to find rock solid information about the triathlons you’re going to race and the best way to race them. But we are at a decision point and need to decide what to do next.

I now have a 12 hour a day job and can realistically manage to do 1 of the five things above each week (it takes 20 – 30 hours to put a great race guide together) so we need to decide what should be cut – or find a different way of doing things.

Opening Up BeyondTransition

What I would like to do is to open up BeyondTransition to triathletes and triathlon coaches so that our content is more collaborative - the work of the triathlon community – not just a few people. Think of how Wikipedia and the Huffington Post work.

There are a few ways that this can work

Open up the BeyondTransition Twitter and Facebook accounts so that we have multiple contributors – great for sharing content, tips and cheering triathletes on.

Open up the Blog so that more triathletes can be authors and Editors (the nice thing about being an editor is that you can contact almost anyone in the world of triathlon and ask them to write something – comes with some hard work though!).

Open up the race guides so that if you have a favorite triathlon – or one that you are researching – you can share what you know with the community

There are probably lots more ways that we can do this – and if you have a cool idea, do leave it in the comments below.

Become a Collaborator

What’s the catch? Well there’s no money in it – this is for the love of triathlon. Anything that we make will be used to cover costs and make the site better.

If you’re interested in being part of the project chuck me an email – [email protected]

Here are a couple of reasons why you won’t email me

  • Time – There are lots of ways of making a difference. Many only take a few minutes each day
  • Triathlon Experience – We need a lot more skills than just knowledge of triathlon – and often people who have just learnt something are best able to pass the lesson on.
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IronKids Florida – 2012 – Summer Kanstoroom

June 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Summer Kanstoroom reviews IronKids Florida in its new 2012 venue in Haines City, Florida
Summer Kanstoroom reviews IronKids Florida in its new 2012 venue in Haines City, Florida

Summer Kanstoroom reviews IronKids Florida in its new 2012 venue in Haines City, Florida

Summer Kanstoroom reviews IronKids Florida in its new 2012 venue in Haines City, Florida – much improved over the previous Disney Venue

Triathlon Name

IronKids Florida

Triathlon Date

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Who Are you?

My name is Summer Kanstoroom. I am a race age 14 youth elite triathlete from St Petersburg, FL. I train with the Triton Elite Multisport youth and Junior elite high performance triathlon team. I have competed in over 45 triathlons over the past 4 years. I also recieved the honor of being selected as a USA Triathlon All American for 2011.

Race Category

Senior 12-15

Country

Haines City, Florida, USA

Why did I do this race?

IronKids Florida is one of the more competitive youth triathlon’s in the country. Many of my top competitors from around the USA and other countries travel to Florida each year to compete in this race. It is close to home and a great early season race to test where I am for the coming season.

The Swim

The swim was a lake swim starting from the beach. It was a little challenging as it was shallow to start and then got deep and then shallow again. But overall a pretty good 300 yard swim course. Very long run from the water to the bike transition area.

The Bike

Bike course was very technical with many right and left and turns. Definitely not a high speed course. There were a few areas that could have been a little safer with bikers coming to a turn in both directions. But, overall a good technical course that required good bike handling skills to really to your best

The Run

The run was a flat and fast loop. Very well marked and easy turn into the finish.

Transition

Transition was set up very good. But, it was a long 1/4 mile run from the water to the bike transition and after the bike was over it was a long run out of transition to get on to the run course. Dont know for sure if the distance of the run was exact or if it included the long run out of transition as I did not wear my Garmin for this race.

Race Organisation

One of the best IronKids races I have done. Overall they did a great job. Haines City was 100% better than the last several years in Disney. Much easier to get around and the entire expo and race area was much better. I hope they keep this race in Haines City and don’t go back to the Disney course. Patrick McGee did a great job and made sure all of the kids had a great time.

Top Triathlon Tips

  • Practice your bike handling skills.
  • The bike was the most challenging and those that were better on the bike did the best.
  • Some small hills on the bike course.
  • Very hot this time of year so keep lots of water on the bike.
  • Plan on staying the next day to see the pro’s (Lance Armstrong) race the 70.3.

How did you do?

Overall had a very good race. I had the fastest swim and run split of the day. Ended up coming in second place behind my good friend Gina Johnson who had an incredible bike split and a great race.

Verdict

IronKids Haines City was the best IronKids I have done and that includes the 3 National Championship races. They just really did a great job both before, during and after the race. One of my favorite youth races I have done.

You can check out Summer’s website GotPodium here or follow her on twitter as @gotpodium

If you have done a triathlon and want to post a triathlon review then send it through. Every review you do for BeyondTransition helps us write better race guides and other triathletes enjoy their races more.

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Capital of Texas Triathlon – 2012 – Chris Arrington

June 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Chris Arrington at the Capital of Texas Triathlon
Chris Arrington at the Capital of Texas Triathlon

Chris Arrington at the Capital of Texas Triathlon

Chris Arrington Reviews the Capital of Texas Triathlon. “The best part was how spectator friendly it was”

Triathlon Name

Capital of Texas Triathlon

Triathlon Date

Monday, May 28, 2012

Who Are you?

As a triathlon noob, I did this race as my first official tri. I’m a husband, soon-to-be father, and a military man. At 27 years old, I only wish I had started down this road sooner.

Race Category

Active Duty Military

Country

Austin, Texas, USA

Why did I do this race?

Last fall, I decided I was going to be a triathlete. However, work dictated that I’d be living out of my suitcase for training. I began looking for races in the vicinity of my next duty station and found this gem. I signed up for the full Olympic distance because it scared me to think that I’d be skipping the sprint distance.

Austin was close to my home, a very cool looking city, and a fun looking event.

The Swim

A one loop, 1500m swim around Lady Bird Lake with buoys. We began by walking out on a dock to go past the sensor pad, then jumped off to tread water for a couple minutes between two buoys. Once the gun fired, we started on our rectangular-shaped course.

The water was 81.2* despite being flushed out that night, so only a few folks wore their wetsuits.

Right after the second turn, there was about 25-50m where I could feel the vegetation growing from the lake bed. It didn’t slow me down as much as it caught me by surprise.

The shore and pedestrian bridge over the course provided a spectator friendly view of the swim.

The Bike

For the 40k bike, there was a 4 lap, non-drafting course through downtown Austin. There were six 90* and two 180* turns. There was one “hill” where we went up the short side coming out of a 90* right turn, took a 90* left at the top, and rode down the long backside into a 180*. To provide some perspective, the minimum elevation was 427ft and the maximum was 550ft. So it really wasn’t a doozy. The gradual uphill heading north on Congress Avenue was 470ft to 545ft in 0.8mi.

There weren’t any aid stations, but it was advertised so most people had their water bottles out there. I didn’t mind because the course was pretty fast and open due to multiple lanes throughout most of it. The only real choke points were the two 180* turns, but I found those a lot of fun to shoot out of.

Since the course was pretty tight and looped, it provided a great opportunity for spectators to watch for their athletes. I enjoyed seeing my wife so many times.

The Run

The 10k was made up of two, flat 5k loops. Running out of transition, we took a right to see the western end of the park before circling back to run right back through it and back into the city.

With 3 or 4 aid stations, there was plenty of opportunity to get water/Gatorade. There was also a Cliff bar/Power shot station right around mile 1 and mile 4.

This was another successful portion for spectators as, just like the bike, it was tight and looped. I saw my wife 4 times and she didn’t even have to move far from the finish line.

Transition

Since I was in a small division, I enjoyed the benefits of having a very secluded transition area. The volunteers made finding everything very simple, and they had the layout well memorized.

There were folks helping with wet suit removal, but since the water was 81.2* they weren’t over burdened at any point that I saw.

Congestion was not an issue in my area, but that could’ve been due to the division breakdown. My transition area only had a couple of hundred triathletes, whereas the other sections looked almost twice the size.

Race Organisation

Communication from sign-up to race weekend was amazing. I had regular emails and updates the entire 5 month wait.

There were two course talks and rule briefings, one at 230pm and 500pm. I attended the 230pm one to get a better understanding of any rules I may have missed. The briefing was concise and quick. Questions were easily answered, and I walked away more comfortable about the following day.

Packet pickup was on the far wall from the entrance of the Expo. This created a very long line through the middle of the Expo, which in turn created congestion. Since it was on the far wall, I could only see two signs when I walked in; Olympic and Sprint. After waiting 30 minutes, I was within 5 people of the front and a lady pointed out that in the far corner was the Military division table.

Everybody was amazing on race day. From staff, volunteers, and representatives, everyone seemed to be out there for the joy of it.

Top Triathlon Tips

While these may not improve your performance, I sure wish I had known this.

  • Bring baby wipes or your own toilet paper. The porta potties were out by 645am, and my wave didn’t go until 734am.
  • Bring your own nutrition. There was one table of some GU pack on the run. I brought my own food and was rewarded by only being fatigued at the end instead of hungry.
  • For packet pickup make sure that if you have a roof-mounted bike rack, you look for an alternative to parking at Palmer Event Center. We approached from the western side and didn’t see that we were going into a 1/4mi driveway to the parking garage. Upon seeing the height limit bars, we had to turn around in the middle of the driveway. Embarrassing.

How did you do?

I shot for a 3:00:00 for my first triathlon and enjoyed a 2:44:45. The entire race was a blast and at no point did I regret making the decision to go all out. Swam well enough, biked faster than normal, ran better than expected. A great day for me.

Verdict

I’m signing up for next years. The best part was how spectator friendly it was and how easy it was for my wife (7 months pregnant) to get around and get to places to see me. Staff, vendors, and volunteers were awesome, and the other folks competing were generally very nice.

The only thing I’d really improve is the packet pickup layout. I felt as though time was wasted for staff, athletes, and vendors alike because of the massive line punching through the middle of the Expo and congesting foot traffic.

You can check out Chris’ website www.casualete.com here or follow him on twitter as @korisu56

If you have done a triathlon and want to post a triathlon review then send it through. Every review you do for BeyondTransition helps us write better race guides and other triathletes enjoy their races more.

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