D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, "The Triathlon Minute". Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn't know.
Activate (not warm-up) your rotator cuff prior to a big swim set! Coach Martina demonstrates how in this week's tip.
D3 coaches have a library of training tips and articles for your reference at D3 U.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, "The Triathlon Minute".
Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn't know.
Coach Jim Hallberg reminds us how training partners can be a training asset in this week's tip! If you like our videos please share them!
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, “The Triathlon Minute”. Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn’t know.
Sometimes you just need a reminder to drink more water, or a nudge to get a massage, and in this week’s Triathlon Minute, Coach Jim Hallberg shares these tips and a few others that he does to recover himself.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, "The Triathlon Minute". Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn't know.
Better luck next time! "Really, that's it", you ask? No! THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING RACE STRATEGIES WE'VE EVER HEARD! Watch, listen, learn, and apply what mental skills coach Will Murray has to share about a race day strategy.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, "The Triathlon Minute". Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn't know.
Protein matters to your immune system and to your body's ability to detoxify. Nutritionist Megan Forbes encourages athletes to eat protein in this week's tip!
D3 coaches have a library of training tips and articles for your reference at D3 U.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, “The Triathlon Minute”. Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn’t know.
Every once in a while, it’s important to put all the training pieces together and conduct a race simulation. Coach Jim offers this great reminder in our weekly Triathlon Minute.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, “The Triathlon Minute”. Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn’t know.
If managed properly, the transitions between swim to bike and bike to run are an opportunity for athletes to gain extra time over the competition. Coach Brad shares a few tips on how to manage your transition area to help you achieve successful transitions.
Get more training tips, from D3 U.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, “The Triathlon Minute”. Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn’t know.
There are 3 reasons athletes race. Learn what they are and learn how to strategize the competition on race day! Mental Skills Coach Will Murray offers us another valuable tip for pre-race prep.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, “The Triathlon Minute”. Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn’t know.
In this week’s tip, Coach Brad Seng reminds us about the value of a race plan. Race planning is an essential part of your success strategy. A race plan can help to minimize challenges that may come up during your race by having you think through solutions in advance.
On race day, you want to be prepared for all that the day brings!
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, ‚"The Triathlon Minute‚". Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn't know.If you hydrate properly during your race, chances are good you will need to go to the restroom. But, you are on your bike (or running), so what do you do? Coach Brad shares a technique to make sure your shoes stay out of the way and relatively dry!Get more training tips at D3 U.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, “The Triathlon Minute”. Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn’t know.
Which sports are good for lateral movement training? Coach Brad shares the answer and explains why cross training in the off-season is so important!
D3 coaches have a library of training tips and articles for your reference at D3 U.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, "The Triathlon Minute". Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn't know.
Big picture goals need process oriented goals. Coach Brad Seng explains what this means in this week's tip.
D3 coaches have a library of training tips and articles for your reference at D3 U.
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, "The Triathlon Minute". Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn't know.
Coach Brad Seng shares a reminder about the value of staying present during a race and not letting your mind drift too far into the future of the race.
If you are curious about more mental training tips, explore D3 U section. You'll find many additional tips to help you more thoroughly enjoy the experience!
D3 Multisport is proud to release the video series, "The Triathlon Minute". Invest 1 minute each Friday and you may learn something you didn't know.
What can you do about the self-defeating chatter in your head? Smart athletes know how to turn that potentially troublesome chatter into helpful, confidence boosting aspects of their training and racing! Mental Skills Coach Will Murray shares some easy fixes to gain control of them, and improve your mental game!
If you like our videos please share them!
Please meet Steve Bratton, our D3 Athlete of the Month wait until you read this story it's not one you'll want to miss. It's inspirational and it's a great example of hard work paying off.
Who is your coach and how long have you been with him?
Mark Dillard has been my coach since March of 2009. When I signed up with D3 I put Mark on a fairly tight schedule from day one. I let him know in that first email that I had my first race, a 10 mile run in one week. I also informed him that with no run, swim or bike history prior to coming off the couch in September of 2007 I wanted to improve my HIM time at my 2nd HIM ever, Boise 70.3 only 3 months away in June, that I wanted to complete an ironman distance triathlon 2 months after that in August and then run a late season marathon, hopefully with a PR there as well. I am sure he got a chuckle from my goals, until it occurred to him that he needed to come up with a plan for how to get me in shape enough to meet those goals. Well the first thing he did was come up with a race strategy for my 10 mile run. It was to start off slower and then build for a strong finish. I knew that strategy, but he explained it in terms or heart rate zones that enabled me to actually accomplish it. I ended up with a 6+ minute PR on that race and finished very strong. The whole race felt great. So as to not waste time, Mark also used the heart rate data from that race to set up my run training zones.
What was your motivation to get started in triathlon?
I found myself with no dragons left to slay and started eyeing windmills. I had obtained the majority of the life goals that I had set for myself back in high school. I was happily married for 18 + years, had 5 children, owned my home, had completed my BA in Psychology, MA in Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, Certificate of Advanced Studies in School Psychology, had obtained the licenses and certifications and was secure in a job that allowed me to use all of these skills on a daily bases. I had essentially run out of goals to strive towards completing. Granted, furthering my spiritual life will be an ongoing challenge until the day that I die, but I also needed a tangible goal that I could pursue on a daily basis. One problem with getting a lot of education is that you tend to put on 5-10 pounds per degree, all that studying. So I found myself at 180 pounds on a 5’9” frame, the heaviest I had ever been, with some spare time and no real focus for my every day routine outside of work and family commitments. I live way out in the middle of nowhere with no athletic facilities, so I could not just go down and join the YMCA and get into a sport of any kind that way. After considering my options and what was practical given where I live and what would be a serious challenge that I could embrace that might also help me drop a few pounds, I settled on Triathlon and have never looked back. I have lost about 35-40 pounds and am now in the best shape of my life. I continue to work on improving the weave between faith, triathlon, work and family. I can tell you that at mile 18 on the IM run when my strength was fading and I was tempted to walk, it was God’s grace and the encouragement of my family with my wife saying "GO STEVE" and my daughter yelling "GO DADDY" that helped me move through that moment and keep running to finish strong.
How has your D3 coach helped you with your goals?
When I got started with my triathlon training, knowing absolutely nothing about any of the three sports, being able to jog 1 mile, ride my $45 K-Mart mountain bike about 5 miles and with only being able to swim breaststroke I started a couch to sprint plan in September of 2007 and completed my first sprint in December. I purchased a road bike and went on to train for a half marathon, an Oly and a HIM in 2008. In the back of my mind, even when I started training for that first sprint I was wondering if it would be possible to complete an Ironman. You know, not the kind of thing you want to say out loud to anyone because even admitting to thinking that way makes people look at you funny. After all, it is the Ph.D. of triathlon right? So after recovering from my first HIM I decided to take on the IM and signed up for Vineman in August of 2009 and well a HIM to hit as a good measure of fitness, pacing and nutrition 7 weeks prior to the IM. I had completed a marathon in January of 2009, but was starting to get a little nervous about completing the IM based on a generic training plan and not knowing how to make sense of all of the LT testing, time trials, HR training and nutrition information I was reading.
So a short story made long, I signed up with Mark at D3 and he figured it all out for me and got me going. It was a good thing he did, or I might not have been on such an emotional high right now. I had developed some thoughts about what training should be like, how many calories per hour I needed and such from what I had read. It turns out my training philosophy was not very efficient and may have been pretty bad for the IM. The three main things Mark changed was decreasing the duration and increasing the intensity of many of my workouts, doing workouts for a specific purpose rather than just to put in the time and I he doubled my calorie intake for the longer races. It turns out that my first effort at a HIM on 650 calories for a 6:48:29 effort was a bit low and contributed towards me having to walk the last 1 mile of it. Granted it was 105 F that day, the bike course was hillier than I had anticipated (front half of the Silverman course) and the water stations on the run were 2.5 miles apart, but I think the low calories was the final straw that got me walking.
So under Mark's guidance and with only 3 months to the HIM and then 2 months to the IM we got to work. Mark helped me set up heart rate training zones on the bike and run, designed a plan to help me reach all my goals and let me know what pace or effort he expected me to do each part of each workout. He also helped me design a race pace strategy and made sure the race nutrition was where it should be. He evaluated my training and set up race time goals that I should be capable of if everything went well on race day. However, Mark's frequent communication, sense of humor and actual caring about not just how my training was going, but how I was doing as a person was very centering and invaluable. After all, people who have never trained for any endurance sport really do not understand what it takes to train for an IM, so we do not tend to get much informed support from friends and family. Mark as an athlete who has been there and done that knows first hand what goes into that first IM attempt. He also sets pace goals for me that make me balk, until he gets me to surpass them.
His goal for me for the Boise 70.3 was in the 5:55:00 to 6:05:00 range based on my training. I wrote back, really, you think I can drop 45-50 minutes off my HIM time from only 6 months ago? He said that he believed my training was there to hold the pace on the bike and still have enough left to nail the run. He was right, even through whitecaps on the swim and 4+ hours of rain on the bike and run I ended up with a PR of over 1 hour (5:43:46). His goal for me for the Vineman was 15:00:00. He let me know what swim, bike and run paces he knew I could keep given my training. Once again I was taken aback a bit by the paces. I asked if I could really hit the bike that hard and have enough left for the run at that pace and he said that he was confident that I could. I ended up completing the IM in 12:16:29! I think he put in some slush time in the calculation thinking that I might have to walk some of the marathon, but thinking I could probably pull it off if I was able to stay mentally tough for the entire race. I finished the whole run with no walking, not that I wasn't tempted to walk at around mile 18, and I had a kick for the last 3 miles of the race, finishing strong. I could not have written the book any better if I had tried. So amazing! Definitely in the top 5 as far as life experiences go for sure.
So now that I have the marathon coming up in January, Mark thinks I can Boston qualify. Once again my initial response is really, you think I can drop roughly 30 minutes off my first marathon time from last year? I trust Mark in setting tough but obtainable goals, but I still reserve the right to be amazed if he can get me there this year.
Favorite distance to race and what is your best race to date?
I enjoy the longer races, so full marathon, HIM and IM with IM being my favorite distance. The IM is just such an epic event that to accomplish it is just amazing. I could never say the same thing about a 5k race, although I am just as amazed when someone runs a 16 minute 5k as they might be of someone completing an IM. I am so new to the sport that I only have 1 race in each of the longer events except for the 2nd HIM. I equally value my 3:48:45 marathon, 5:43:46 HIM and 12:16:29 IM, although I am most proud of the IM. For me they were the very best I was capable of at that point in my training and I consider them major life accomplishments.
What does a typical training week look like for you?
My typical week of training depends a lot on what race is coming up. I am typically doing running and biking 3-4 times a week and swimming 2-3 times a week when IM training. Swims range from 2500 to 4200, bike ranges from 25 to 116 miles and runs range from 6 to 17 miles typically toward the end of the plan. That looks like a short, medium with intensity and long workout in each sport with a brick most weeks. The best/worst part of the IM training was the long bike ride on Saturday followed by the long run on Sunday. "Getting used to running on tired legs" helped a bunch when it came to running the entire marathon of the IM. My legs got tired, but I was able to just keep going, it was familiar territory. That was a gift that Mark gave me, the training with a fatigue load to help me be ready to not walk during the IM run. I never would have come up with that training strategy on my own or from reading books.
What is your favorite race experience?
That first IM was definitely my favorite race. It was completely everything I had hoped for and more. Everything just went right, my swim was faster than expected, but I did not over do it, the bike was solid and again faster than expected and I ran the entire run with a very strong finish. Crossing that finish line was definitely one of the best experiences of my life and well worth the hard work to get there. I highly recommend Vineman to anyone wanting a moderately challenging” well supported IM race.
What’s in your race future?
After 2 years of training I feel like I am just at the beginning of the journey. I have established a base and gained confidence that I can complete the longer events, now the challenge is in getting faster at racing. My plans for the next year are a 30k trail run in October 2009, a full marathon in December 2009 or January 2010, CDA 2010 and then something in the fall, either a HIM or a marathon. Pie in the sky goals would be to qualify for and compete in each of the big races for marathon (Boston), HIM (Clearwater) and IM (Kona). I do not know if I can get there, but one has to have goals and those three will keep me busy for some time to come.
Tell us about home life and how you balance work, and training?
My key to balancing training with my home life is my wife. She is so supportive and is the glue that holds everything else together. I may be up at 5am to get in a run or bike ride before work, get in a 6 mile run or 18 mile bike during lunch and then get in an evening workout. Instead of driving to church on Sunday’s I will get up early, run the 10-17 miles to church (depending on what route I take) and then meet up with my family there and then I have the rest of the day with the family. However, it is my wife getting the kids up and making sure they have breakfast and their assignments for school with them while I am finishing up on the treadmill and practicing my T3 run to work clothes transition. She tries to have dinner ready for when I get back from my 90 minute bike ride after work so we can all sit down to dinner together. My 4 year old will do a warmup walk/jog with me for a half mile or will do a cool down 5 mile loop on the mountain bike in the back seat after a long ride on Saturday. My 12 year old son may ride his bike alongside of me when I go for a shorter run. The dog, well he hides under my wife’s chair and shakes when I put on my running shoes, he is only good for about 2 miles, but he greats me enthusiastically and with relief when I am finished with my run. Somehow it all works out, but most of it is my wife taking care of all of the little things that need to be done to keep the household moving along.
Where do you train for each event and where is the closest pool?
Living 100+ miles form the nearest stoplight, Wallmart, McDonalds, bike store or just about any other named store you would recognize has its challenges when it comes to training. Granted I can ride 110 miles without ever unclipping, but if I am going north, the first store, house, anything I can get water at is 56 miles out. Going northeast there is a rock with a pipe out of it that has a spring about 25 miles out and I have made friends with folks at the bug inspection station by the state border that will let me fill up a water bottle. I live at around 4500 feet above sea level and the summer temperatures get up around 100 F with some snow in the winter. My bike is set up to carry 145 ounces of water on the frame for those 6 hour bike rides in 100 F heat in the summer. My typical long bike rout is 60 to 120 miles with 4000 to 5000 feet of climbing, but I have a lot of options to mix it up. The meanest ride I have includes a 10 mile continuous uphill of 4-6 percent grade over the mountain and then coming back up again from the far side.
Access to a pool has been a real challenge since I started training as the town pool is outdoors and is only open during June and July each year. The two closest lakes are within 35 miles of my house, but they get pretty skuzzy by the end of July. There is just something about swimming into randomly floating algae bogs in water that has 3 inch visibility that makes it hard to get into a rhythm. The next lake is about 45 miles out and I can swim in that one until early November before the water temp drops into the 40s. My last swim in that lake last fall was during a snowstorm. I got some really interesting looks from the fishermen in their down jackets and gloves when I went into the water for a swim, walking through the snow. The next closest actual pool is 100 miles away in the next state. So all of last winter I drove 100 miles each way two times a week to get my swim time in. That makes 4 hours of driving for a 60 to 90 minute swim. It was very limiting.
In that crazy way that only a triathlete can think, I researched the swim options for my home and settled on the Swimex swimspa as a viable option. This is the top end of the swimspas, designed at MIT and has a top speed for the resistance current you swim against in the 3.5 mph or so range. However, living in the middle of nowhere makes finding contractors difficult. I am now on my second contractor and nearing the completion of my housing project so I can swim at home. I literally had to add on to the house so I could put the swimspa in to be able to get my workouts in more than twice a week and reduce the drive time. Once the tile in the new room is sealed I will finally be able to swim at my own home. The project has taken more than a year to complete and has cost a pretty penny, but it is something the entire family can enjoy. I think being a triathlete by definition means overcoming obstacles that most people never face and certainly do not understand. For me this is just one of those problems to be overcome.
In closing I wanted to say that I was quite surprised and honored to be selected as the D3 athlete of the month. There are so many truly amazing athletes and coaches on the D3 team and I am just getting started. I apologize for the long read, but I wanted to take the questions seriously and give you a good understand of who I am in my journey to becoming the best triathlete and member of the D3 team I can be.
Meet Sarah Petre-Mears, our D3 Athlete of the Month. Sarah's unique journey into triathlon is an inspiring one. When Sarah started working with D3 in 2005 she smoked 2 packs a day. She also lives on a tiny Carribean island with few roads and no pool or track. Despite these daily challenges, Sarah has finished several Half Ironmans and this year became an Ironman finisher! Her story is one of perseverance and the never say die attitude. I hope you enjoy Sarah's interview!
D3: Can you tell us a little bit about your sports background? Which sports did you do as a kid and as you got older?
SMP: This is easy none! I hated sports at school was always picked last and was totally uncoordinated so avoided sports as much as possible. This includes never learning to swim or ride a bike.
What was your motivation to get started in triathlon?
SMP: I learnt to swim the day before my 31st birthday (10th May 2005) this was 3 strokes breast stroke before I gracefully sank! Through practicing everyday a friend suggested the tri -a -try maybe a good idea, fabulous said I so I just need to learn how to ride a bike!
When and where was your first race?
SMP: September 16th 2005 was a 10k run, I had never run that far and it felt FAR! My first tri was 2 weeks after 250m swim, 5k Bike and 3k run.
You have a very interesting job what is it?
SMP: I started my own business 13 years ago with my business partner; we provide corporate services to companies worldwide.
I know your better half is involved in your training as well tell us how that works and how you keep each other motivated?
SMP: Stanley, my husband, is a naturally gifted runner who loves marathon but is not so taken by triathlon, we rarely train together as someone has to be with the children, but he is the pillar of support always.
Who is your coach at D3?
SMP: Mike and I have worked together since November of 2005.
How has your coach and D3 helped you with your goals?
SMP: Mike has just been amazing, he has pushed me when I needed to be pushed but also stood firm when I wimped out. He has a lot more faith in me than I do in myself he has made me constantly surprise myself over the last few years. It's been a real process, from me learning to ride a road bike, to wearing clip on shoes, wearing camel back for my first 70.3 and even learning to front crawl.
I know you live in a very remote place tell us where it is and what challenges you run into training facility, training partners, and weather!
SMP: I live in Nevis in the Caribbean, 36 square miles of paradise! With one island main road which is 18.5 miles long (20k of which is in terrible shape), no public pool so open water swimming is the only option, no track so running is road or road, one bike shop which is open November to April, year road average temperature of 79 degrees but temps rising up to 95 in the summer, 89% humidity is also a killer. Then we have days like today in hurricane season where we lose power, have torrential rain and flash floods, it all adds to the excitement. My training partners are few and far between, several triathletes come down for the winter months but during the summer I train alone, training for the ironman I had a couple of people including Stanley who would join me once a week for a small portion of the ride which was nice.
Have you done any races that you'd traveled for?
SMP: I have traveled for most of my races.. Anguilla half marathon Nov 2005, Grenada Sprint Tri, April 2006, New York Marathon Nov 2006, St Croix 70.3 May 2007, Disney Marathon January 2008, Grenada Sprint May 2008, Hawaii 70.3 May 2008, Disney Goofy Challenge Marathon and a half January, 2009, Florida 70.3 may 2009, Louisville IM August 2009.
Best Triathlon moment?
SMP: No question finishing the IM this was just a feeling that will never leave me; it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. This was also the day I became the first IM in the federation of St Kitts Nevis it was so great to achieve my goal and make history
What is your favorite race and why?
SMP: Distance is the IM for sure Race, I loved Hawaii 70.3 It was just an awesome race, I felt so strong on the bike, this was the first race I actually felt like I belonged at this was a great day for me.
What are your long-term goals in triathlon?
SMP: To start to have more faith in myself, the IM showed me anything is possible, I now want to prove that to myself. Long term I would like to race and IM again and do it much better, completing my first has only made me want to do another better.
If you could spend a day training with anyone, who would it be?
SMP: Chrissie Wellington, she just is everything I admire in a women, especially her love for her sport. She is a true inspiration. Natasha Badmann is a very close second, balancing motherhood and a career is a challenge for anyone and she does it with the most amazing strength.
What's in your race future?
SMP: The first ever Montserrat half marathon in December, Miami Marathon January, World's largest 10k in Puerto Rico February, March Nevis Triathlon, May St Croix 70.3, November NYC Marathon. Then hopefully IM South Africa 2011
What's your favorite workout?
SMP: The one I do well, when I finish a workout and I am completely spent I feel fabulous
What your least favorite workout?
SMP: The one I don't finish or worse still the one I never started.
Tell us something interesting about you!
SMP: That a tough one, Mum of 2 Alex 13 and Siobhan 11, Vegetarian, Studying for my BA through the University of Phoenix.
Can you tell us a little bit about your sports background? Which sports did you do as a kid and as you got older?
I played a lot of sports and different times growing up- soccer, baseball, tennis- but my main sport was wrestling through middle school and high school. I ran track in middle school but dropped it in high school and picked it up cross country my junior year of high school. In college I was on the Air Force Academy's parachute team which precluded me from most of the sports teams but I joined the triathlon team there my junior year and did 5 or 6 races with them.
What is your current job and what do you do?
I'm currently an officer in the Air Force.
Where do you currently live and how is the training in the area?
I currently live in North Pole, Alaska- just outside of Fairbanks. The training here is challenging during the winter and incredible during the summer. I spent the fall and winter in Kabul, Afghanistan and was limited to mostly indoor training. We had a 1k paved path around our camp that I could run on, a few spin bikes for bike workouts, and no pool so it was challenging to get in good training. My coach, Curt Chesney, was great at coming up with creative workouts that kept me from getting bored with the same thing over and over. Now that I'm back in Alaska, we've just gotten all of the snow melted and I was able to do my first outside bike yesterday! The sun is already out until about 11:30 PM so I can literally train at any time of the day or night which is wonderful given my often hectic schedule!
What was your motivation to get started in triathlon?
I've always enjoyed pushing myself to try new things and this was no different. I talked to a few friends that were on the tri team at the Academy and thought it would be great fun to try. My first race may or may not have involved a challenge and possibly a bet over a beer late one night.
What is your best triathlon moment?
I'm still pretty new to triathlon but I think it was probably competing in the Service Academy Championship held in conjunction with the Annapolis Triathlon in 2007. It was so great to be able to represent the Air Force and Air Force Academy in such a great race!
What’s in your race future?
The race schedule is Alaska is pretty light and I'm moving at the end of the summer but my upcoming races are the Midnight Sun Run (a 10k that starts at 10PM on the weekend of the solstice), the Sourdough 1/2 IM, the Tour of Fairbanks bike stage race, and Atomic Man 1/2 IM.
What is your favorite of the three sports?
Running
What are your long term goals in triathlon?
My goal is just to be the best that I can. I would like to be a competitive age grouper at some point but know that my military career definitely puts a lot of limitations on me right now so I just want to be in the best shape that I can and race the best that I can!
If you could spend a day training with anyone, who would it be?
My fiance. She is also in the military and is currently deployed to Iraq. We are both really active people and love spending time together outside. I'd love to get in a good run with her and our dog!
What are your hobbies other than triathlon?
I love the outdoors! I love backpacking and even just day hikes. The best part of living in interior Alaska is that I can be in the middle of the wilderness in a half hour. There is more hiking, climbing, and back country skiing than I could ever ask for- and it is all incredibly beautiful!
What is the single hardest workout you've ever done?
I went to a special forces tryout last spring and it was basically a 5 day never ending workout. We spent time in the pool, running, and just generally pushing ourselves to our physical and mental limits.
How do you reward yourself after a hard day of training?
Two words: ice cream.
Tell us something interesting about you.
I’ve spent more time in foreign countries than in the US over the last two years and by the end of this year I will have lived in seven states and two foreign countries for at least two months in the last three years.
Can you tell us a little bit about your sports background? Which sports did you do as a kid and as you got older?
I grew up playing a lot of tennis, snow and water skiing. I think I enjoy skiing more now then when I was a child.
What is your current job and what do you do?
I am currently a race manager for the Jarden Westchester Triathlon. I've learned so much about the sport through the job. I now look at registration, swag, sponsors, expo set up, timing, USAT officials, volunteers and the logistics of a course so differently when I am a participant. I think my favorite aspect of the job is getting to know the athletes before and after the race. I love hearing their personal stories about why they are doing our race or what has inspired them to be an athlete. During the summer, I move my office to the Adirondacks where I am the manager of a health center at a children's sleep away camp.
Where do you live and what is the training like there?
I live in Pleasantville, NY, 30 minutes north of NYC and this is where I hold my favorite job, mom of twin girls, Emily and Arielle who will be nine in May. In this area, we are very fortunate to have wonderful pools, state parks for running and hills to practice.
What was your motivation to get started in triathlon?
When my girls were just about two years old, a new friend in town asked if I wanted to train for the Danskin triathlon with her. I thought there was absolutely no way I could do this but I quickly learned how social and fun the sport could be. I'd love to see a video of that first race for a laugh down memory lane. But in all seriousness, it was so empowering and fulfilling to be in that particular race, for such an important cause and sharing it with a friend. I knew, from that moment on, that I was hooked, not just on the goal to finish but also racing with causes in mind.
You recently completed 2 HIM distances in a 3 week period, can you talk about that?
Pure pleasure is what they were. I convinced my family to go to Costa Rica for February break, a place that I have always wanted to experience. It just so happened that the inaugural Rev3 race was taking place our first weekend there. I highly recommend the race (if you like the heat). It was well-run, not crowded and a great early season race if you have had a very cold, long winter.
As for the second race, while watching Kona on the computer last year, I got antsy to have something on my calendar for the next year and next thing I knew, I was signed up for the inaugural San Juan 70.3 in Puerto Rico, that took place in March. This was another amazing race; the venue, the course, the people, the party afterwards, all added to the very positive experience. And to all of you women 40+, we were put in the first wave after the pros. It was a whole new world being up in the front. I love the early season races, they keep me honest over the winter and since I work at camp all summer, I can't participate during the summer months.
What is your best triathlon moment?
I truly love what the sport has given me, the people I have met, the places I have traveled and the sense of accomplishment that I feel through my training and events. But, the time that probably stands out the most in my mind is when I put the number 179 on my body before IMLP 08 until I rolled across the finish line on that very wet rainy day. The day was so much bigger than the race itself. Jon Blais (The Blazeman) was a wonderful friend and will always be an inspiration. I had the deepest appreciation that day for being able to participate and complete the race, wearing his number gave me great strength.
What's in your race future?
I promised myself that I would take this year off of Ironman and only do halves. I definitely miss the thrill and the goal but my mind and body needed the break and I wanted to do this for my family. I hope to do one more half before camp and then I'm planning on one in September. In the coming years, I'd love to continue traveling with the sport. I've made some of the greatest friends this way and experiencing a different culture with a race only makes it more exciting. Coconut milk right from the coconut at the end of Rev3 in Costa Rica and "You are an ironman" in Portuguese in Brazil, make it very special.
What is your favorite of the three sports?
I'm not a swimmer but in the longer races, the swim is always my favorite part. I just get into a groove with a song in my head and enjoy it. The bike is fun, I am looking for friends to cheer for but I always fear the dreaded flat tire so I am thrilled to get off of the bike. If this is an ego question, I probably like the run the most but the bike lets me feel like a kid again.
What are your long term goals in triathlon?
If I haven't received a lottery slot to Kona by the time I am 50, I plan to celebrate 50 by volunteering. I have to experience that race at some point in my life.
If you could spend a day training with anyone, who would it be?
Of course Chrissy is the first to pop into my mind. But I would probably be so worried about slowing her down that I would be too stressed. One of my daughters has done a kids tri and she says she enjoys it. When she is older, I would love to be able to share this sport with her, even if it's only for a day.
What are your other hobbies?
My other hobbies include, volunteering with various organizations and hobbies with my kids. Before triathlon, I raced cars.
What is the single hardest workout you've ever done?
When I think of "my hardest workout" the first thing that comes to mind is a 3-hour run in Vegas. Imagine going for the weekend to celebrate a 40th bday and as soon as you land, you have to lace up and hit the road. I didn't do the math before booking. (4 weeks before IMAZ) Not to worry, I still went out dancing.
How do you reward yourself after a hard day of training?
One word, Compression! Actually, after a long bike and brick, I always offer to take my girls and their friends to the movies. Nothing better then sitting in a theater with hands full of sweet and salty foods, kids content and an activity you don't have to clean up after.
D3: Can you tell us a little bit about your sports background?
Todd: I started running about 8 years ago to get into shape. I was working with a personal trainer at the time who convinced me to give triathlon a try.
D3: Which sports did you do as a kid and as you got older?
Todd: I played little league baseball when I was young. However, as I grew older participation in sports of any kind was relatively minimal. As a result, I was pretty out of shape until my late 30’s when I decided enough was enough!
D3: What is your current job and what do you do?
Todd: I’m Director of Sales for an Environmental, Health and Safety and Human Resource consulting firm based in Lafayette, CO. We work with transportation and manufacturing businesses to promote safe and effective working environments for employees and clients.
D3: When and where was your first race?
Todd: My first race was a sprint race in PA in 2007. It was a small race near my parents’ home and I almost bonked! Live and learn.
D3: You just raced your 1st Iroman, IM CDA, how did the day go for you?
Todd: Overall, the day went off without a hitch! It was an amazing experience. Coeur d’Alene is beautiful and I did the race with two very good friends who were also completing their first Ironman competition. Having them there made the experience so much more enjoyable and much less stressful. The swim was a little choppy but manageable. The bike and run courses are gorgeous and the fan support is incredible. I highly recommend this race! I finished in 12:36 under my goal time of 12:45. I really feel like I can get under 12 hours and that is now my goal.
D3: What workout really helped during your IM preparation?
Todd: I would say the run intervals helped me the most. My coach had me doing intervals in all three disciplines weekly and it definitely made the difference on race day. I could not believe how strong my run was at the end of the day! Also, the climbing rides into Estes Park and Ward were extremely helpful although I was cursing my coach near the summit of those training rides, for sure!
D3: You also just moved out to Colorado from D.C. how did that effect your training and what do you think of Co. so far?
Todd: I love Colorado! I moved here in early 2009 and I bought a home in Denver in March of this year. The adjustment to altitude took about 6 months when I first moved here. Now I don’t notice it unless I head to the big mountains for a little skiing. Training at altitude has certainly helped when doing races at sea level, for sure.
D3: What tips would you give other 1st time IM athletes?
Todd: Try to do something every day. I travel a lot for work, so finding time for 1-2 workouts on the road can be challenging. A pair of sneakers means the ability to workout. Also, I followed the training plan and the race (perfect day for me in a lot of ways!) went off without a hitch. I never felt like I was not going to finish and it was much, dare I say “easier”, than I expected it to be. Follow the plan and the race will handle itself.
D3: What’s on your schedule for the rest of 2010?
Todd: I am considering doing the Rattlesnake Olympic race in CO in August. I have signed up for a 70.3 race in Myrtle Beach in early October. After that, I may take a few months to enjoy some “down” time!
D3: What are your long term goals for endurance races?
Todd: Well, I seem to be hooked. My buddies and I are deciding which Ironman to do for 2011 and all signs are pointing to Lake Placid. We’d like to plan an International Ironman location in either Australia or Europe for 2012. I will continue to focus on Olympic and Half-Iron distances in the near term.
D3: If you could spend a day training with anyone, who would it be?
Todd: My two buddies. One lives in NY and the other in DC. We did not spend any time training together. We’d have a lot of fun!
D3: What’s your favorite workout?
Todd: Running intervals, by far! They break up the monotony of a long workout.
D3: What your least favorite workout?
Todd: The long 4000+ swim workouts near the end of training were the worst for me! I dreaded those hours in the pool. However, since the swim is my weak link, I foresee more time there in the future.
Thanks and congratulations to Todd!
Can you tell us a little bit about your sports background? Which sports did you do as a kid and as you got older?
I grew up playing soccer and from 6th-9th grade played year round on a travel team. In HS, I joined the swim team and was surprisingly good. I also played water polo in HS, at both the HS and club level. In college, I played water polo my first two years and swam all four years. After college, I took a break from everything, until 2007 when I started swimming again, trying to get my Olympic Trial cut. Missed my OT cut and officially "retired" from swimming in 2008. In early 2010, I decided I wanted to run a marathon, so in October I did.
What is your current job and what do you do?
I am the National Events Coordinator at USA Swimming. I help put on all the elite level swim meet in the US, including Nationals, Jr Nationals and Olympic Trials.
Where do you currently live and how is the training in the area?
Castle Rock, CO. For the most part, I train on my own.
What was your motivation to get started in triathlon?
While training for my marathon, I entered a triathlon on a whim. I figured the run would be easy since I had been training for the last few months, the swim was only 500yds and I could do that in my sleep and I could just "wing it" for the bike. After I was done, I was hooked!
Who is your coach? How long?
Mark Dillard since October 2010. He's been GREAT!
What is your best triathlon moment?
Being in the stand to watch the finish of the 2010 IMAZ from 11:30pm -11:59pm. People were dancing and cheering and even Chrissie Wellington was there at the finish line handing out medals. It was amazing and gives me chills just thinking about it.
What's in your race future?
2011 "A" races are 70.3 Texas in April and IMAZ in November. I'm also contemplating doing the USMS 10K Nat'l Champs in June, since I'll be there for work anyway.
What is your favorite of the three sports?
You would think with my swimming background, it would be the swim, but I really enjoy running the most.
What are your long term goals in triathlon?
Once I get a few seasons under my belt and get a better grasp on training and racing, I would like to see how competitive I can be in my age division (sticking to the Sprint and Oly distances).
If you could spend a day training with anyone, who would it be?
I'm not sure. Since I'm still new to the sport, I'd be happy to train with anyone with experience and could give me pointers on how to be more efficient on the bike and run. Since I work down at the Olympic Training Center, I've already worked out next to some of the bigger names in triathlon (little did they know that I was watching them closely while trying to stay somewhat focused on my training).
What's your favorite workout?
For running, it would be the Sunday LSD runs. For swimming, I love 200's LCM.
What your least favorite workout?
The only time I dread workouts are when they are the recovery, ez swims. I'm not a fan of the garbage yardage, but I know they're important.
How do you reward yourself after a hard day of training?
On the couch, watching a movie and falling asleep early.
Tell us something interesting about you.
-I'm a 3x NCAA Div.II Swimming National Champion and former NCAA record holder.
-At IMAZ last November, I volunteered with doping control and was the USADA chaperon for Chrissie Wellington after she won.
