Completing an IRONMAN or Half IRONMAN Triathlon is truly an incredible goal. Anyone can do it, if they commit to the training, but there are a few things you should consider before signing up.
Qualifying for the Boston Marathon RTA coached athlete, Nick W, qualified for the Boston Marathon for the SECOND TIME! And we couldn’t be more happy for him! However, his preparation this time, was significantly different.
Each year we try to find ways to add additional value to your experience as an RTA club member. In 2020 we will be offering regular triathlon webinars for our athletes and club members. More info and sample webinar below.
Our group is made up of a lot of busy professionals, parents and overall ambitious people looking to learn and better themselves, but they are also strapped for time. As our Team’s geographical footprint continues expand (NJ, NY, CT, PA, MA, IL, WA, CO) we are always looking for ways to keep people connected regardless of where they live. Hiring a triathlon coach is becoming the “norm” among age/amateur group triathletes. An EXPERIENCED COACH can make a HUGE difference by helping you avoid stupid pitfalls (regardless of the athletes experience) and ultimately get you to the start line fit and ready to rock on race day.
With the increased demand for triathlon coaches, there are more “coaches” and options to choose from than ever before. So, how do you decide which triathlon coach is right for you and who you will entrust with your time, money and goals? Coach to Coach Show w/ 2 TOP Coaches > You’re Invited < **Recorded Show Included at the Bottom of this Post** Are you a Tri Coach? OR… Are you an triathlete who likes to know what goes on behind the “scene?” Join Coach Elizabeth Kaplanis as she and IRONMAN U® Master Coach, Matt Dixon breakdown two real life athlete scenarios.
Stress + Recovery = Fitness Gains When it comes to training for a triathlon (or run race or ANYTHING), stress followed by recovery equals a stronger and fitter athlete. As such, stress needs to be managed throughout training in order to reap results. However, stress is not mutually exclusive to “training stress” and therefore many age group athletes screw this up.
Learning to Breathe Properly While Swimming Have you ever tried to swim laps in the pool and felt completely “gassed” after only 1 or 2 lengths? If you answered, ‘yes,’ you are not alone. This feeling is likely NOT indicative of a lack of fitness, but rather an undeveloped breathing rhythm.
Learning to breathe properly while swimming freestyle is one of the most difficult things for new triathletes/swimmers to master. It takes time to master and the time it takes is different for everyone. Frequency (not duration) in the pool (i.e. 3, 4, 5+ days per week) and working with an experienced coach will help speed up the process. However, it’s important to be patient and not become frustrated. Once one gets the hang of it, their “swim curve” takes off! Below are a few helpful tricks I have learned while working with triathletes over the last decade who are trying to learn how to breathe properly while swimming. On July 28th, 32 athletes from Team RTA Triathlon Club started the iconic IRONMAN Lake Placid and by midnight EVERYONE FINISHED! We had the most athletes of any group this year so there was plenty of team support to go around.
It’s hard to put into words just how special this event was for Team RTA so instead of trying, we created a short video to help caption the emotion from this triumphant weekend. How To Overcome Open Water Swim Anxiety Open water swimming is a unique experience. For many, it may feel like the only thing similar between swimming in the open water and a pool is that the water is wet.
There’s no black line to follow and often you’re staring down into a dark bottomless body of water. All of this and a long list of additional reasons is why we regularly help athletes who struggle with open water nerves overcome anxiety. Most of the time, it’s about learning proper open water technique and building up the athletes confidence. It’s all about guiding them along their journey as they become more experienced and comfortable in this environment. Below I will walk through a proven progression that has helped a countless number of triathletes overcome open water swim nerves. RTA Athletes PR on Challenging Course IRONMAN Mont Tremblant 70.3 was an RTA Tri Club Team Race again this year. About a dozen RTA club members toed the line in Quebec, Canada on what was a beautiful day for a race. Everyone had a great time and all of the RTA coached athletes had outstanding races including 5 PR’s.
IRONMAN Mont Tremblant 70.3 has become a popular destination race among Team RTA triathlon club members. The area is filled with endless entertainment and recreational options for all ages. And the pedestrian layout makes the city inviting, accessible and spectator friendly. Whether it’s this race or another destination race, there is nothing more fun then racing some place new and exciting with friends & teammates. CONGRATS to all on outstanding races and a special mention to those athletes below who PR’d. Keep up the good work!!! We’ve Walking on Sunshine! Cue the music! We are absolutely THRILLED and HONORED to have been selected as a recipient of the Women for Tri triathlon club grant for the 5th time! We are looking forward to continue growing the female population in the sport we love.
Women for Tri, a program of The IRONMAN Foundation was launched by IRONMAN and Life Time Fitness in 2015. It works to increase female participation at all levels in triathlon. The program seeks to identify and diminish primary barriers to entry and mobilize triathlon advocates. The overall mission is to encourage and engage female athletes across all race distances and all athletic abilities. Women for Tri embodies the heart and soul of what makes the sport so rewarding.
These three things are measured in the most widely recognized test of endurance – triathlon. How Many Times Will You Get Back Up? Rohit is new to triathlon. Like many overachievers, he has a “go big or go home” mentality. He signed up for his first triathlon, IRONMAN Atlantic City 70.3 and contacted us soon after.
Rohit had a decent understanding of triathlon, but he didn’t know how to swim and wasn’t sure how to best prepare for the race. However, he understands the value of professional guidance and proper preparation. He’s also determined to be successful and he’s willing to put the work in. Despite all of this, the reality was Rohit had a massive goal. Like any BIG goal in life, the journey to his finish 70.3 finish line would likely have a couple bumps in the road. And it did. Post Race Homework For most of us, triathlon and endurance sports in general is a journey. It’s a journey of self exploration and self improvement.
How far can I go? How fast can I become? How can I push the limits of what I once assumed was impossible? Short on time to train? Not interested in hiring a triathlon coach? Below is an easy way to improve and come closer to nailing your race & achieving your goals by doing a little post race homework. Test Results (2019) We regularly test and re-test our athletes throughout their training programs. Positive test results ensure the athlete’s custom training plan is “working.” If results do not show improvement, it allows us time to ask, why, and make the necessary adjustments PRIOR to race day.
Test results provide us with valuable data for creating future workouts in order to maximize fitness gains for the athlete. Ultimately the data will help to establish their race day strategy. Needless to say, the end goal is to put our athletes in optimal position to have the best race possible. We are proud of our athletes and the hard work and dedication they put toward training. Below are a some of the test results we have seen recently. Performance Testing for Triathlon Training Regular performance tests within triathlon training are a critical piece to any training program. It doesn’t matter what the sport or activity you are trying to improve, the old adage holds true, “what gets measured, gets improved.”
In our first article on this topic, we discussed the importance of testing within triathlon. We briefly covered:
Here’s the direct link. We will now discuss how we use the data from the test results and how you can do the same. Triathlon SWIM Case Study: Jim Williamson RTA Triathlon coached athlete, Jim Williamson, recently slashed 1:00 minute off of his 500 yard swim test. This equates to 0:12 seconds per 100 yards AND a time SAVINGS of 4:14 over a 1.2 mile half IRON-distance swim or 8:28 minutes over a 2.4 mile IRON-distance swim. Needless to say, this is SIGNIFICANT!
Jim did this in only 8 weeks. Here are the 5 things he did and what you can do to SHAVE TIME off of your next triathlon swim split. Jonathan Schwartz has been an RTA Triathlon Club member since December of 2016. He’s a family man, typical type A overachiever and a pleasure to have on the Team.
When Jonathan joined our Triathlon Club in 2016, he had never done a triathlon before, but obviously that was his goal for the 2017 season. Jonathan came from a running background, but was looking for a new challenge. He decided triathlon was going to be it… except things didn’t unfold the way he had envisioned. Meet Ken V. He is a dad, husband and triathlete. He is also a 3 x Half IRONMAN finisher and soon to be IRONMAN.
He first became involved in triathlon about 7 years ago and has been a member of Team RTA triathlon club for most of that time. Ken has slowly worked his way up in distance and improved his times over the years. Most recently Ken finished his 3rd IRONMAN 70.3 distance race in Atlantic City, NJ. Shortly after, he “pulled the trigger” and signed up for IRONMAN Maryland, which will take place in the fall of this year. It will be his first “full” IRONMAN triathlon. He will swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles all in one day and in less than the 17-hour time limit. So how does a regular guy get caught up in these crazy “shenanigans” (LOL)?!?!? Find out why and how by reading about Ken’s triathlon journey below. Becoming an IRONMAN In 1990 Jeanne first dreamed of becoming an IRONMAN, but she never really thought it was actually possible.
In 2015 she toed the line at IRONMAN Maryland, but she was ultimately disqualified for an innocent mishap during the run portion of the race. In 2018 Jeanne got sweet redemption and finally became an IRONMAN! Her journey wasn’t easy, but no one’s IRONMAN journey is easy. Everyone has a story. And everyone has obstacles they need to overcome along the way. Perhaps that’s why they say, ‘the harder the battle, the sweeter, the victory.’ Emily K is a text book overachiever. She knows what she wants and she goes out and gets it.
She graduated from college (Penn State!) in 2+ years and had her masters degree secured by the time most people get their undergraduate diploma. She now has more than one job, continues to work her butt off and is very successful. Like any Type A, overachiever, she was looking for a new challenge. She had been a runner, but she wanted something more than just running. “Why not sign up for a triathlon, she thought.” And even though she didn’t have a bike or know how to swim, that’s what she did. GAME ON! Below is a short Q & A with Emily regarding her triathlon journey. COMMUNICATION Hiring a triathlon coach is becoming more and more common among triathletes. There are a ton of considerations and a lot of options when deciding who to hire, but one is most important. THE most important component in triathlon coaching is the COMMUNICATION between coach and athlete.
If you’re coach is a good communicator you will do well. If she’s an exceptional communicator, you’ll do REALLY well! It’s not just about the coach telling the athlete what to do. A good coach makes time for their athletes, encourages communication and listens to their athletes. How is Your Swim Pacing & Control?
Hard Work and Dedication We would like to highlight Simon F who has continued to improve in triathlon during the 2018 season. His personal achievements haven’t stopped stacking up and he continues to improve his swim, bike and run metrics year after year. WOW! 4 years ago, I would have been happy with getting past the barrier of a 2 mile run without stopping. I was unfit, asthmatic, and very much a non-believer that I could ever do “something like this sport”. – Simon One highlight in his 2018 season was when he WON the competitive 40-44 age group at the JerseyMan Triathlon in Lebanon, NJ in May.
Mobility exercises for triathletes (especially aging athletes) are a great way to improve flexibility and optimize physical performance on race day. Not only that, but you’ll notice a difference in day to day life.
Always Do Your BEST! On race day, jitters and nerves tend to peak. One way to deal with this is by promising yourself, you’re simply going to do your best.
The “butterfly” feeling is normal and expected. If you don’t get this feeling pre race, it may be time to find a different challenge. Most athletes have a goal for each race. Whether you have a time goal, want to place in your age group or merely finish the race, we all tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves. For your next event, remember this: |
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