Jeff's IRONMAN Journey
Gear For Triathletes
4 Common Triathlon Distances Do you want to do a triathlon? There are a variety of distances to suit your goals.
We recommend starting with a shorter distance first, even if your ultimate goal is a longer race. How Long Will It Take Me to Prepare for My Triathlon? “How long will it take for me to prepare for a triathlon / my race?” This is one of the most common questions athletes ask their coach before they begin training for a triathlon or run race.
However, without learning more about the individual athlete, the best answer that can be given is, “it depends.” Obviously, this is a generic answer to a generic (yet common) question. Never the less, below I will highlight a few factors that can increase or decrease each athlete’s timeline as well as a list of a few ideas to consider when trying to determine what YOUR timeline should look like.  Matt not only CRUSHED his first 70.3 Triathlon (& only 2nd triathlon EVER!), but he qualified for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in the process. Holy Smokes!
Needless to say, Matt is a naturally gifted athlete, but he’s not superman. However, he is goal oriented, determined, discipline AND as a happily married, father of 2 young kids, he doesn’t have time to waste. He also knows what he knows and knows what he doesn’t know. Those characteristics are what will make ANYONE successful in the sport of triathlon.  Rules Of The RoadDistracted riders, bad road conditions and narrow road and poor rider etiquette can all make road cycling dangerous. Unfortunately, triathletes are often uninformed and this is in part because cycling is only 1 of 3 sports that comprise triathlon. Needless to say, this is not an excuse.
Knowing the rules of the road will help keep you safer and also make you a better riding partner. Below you will find our top 5 tips for various cycling situations, powered by our friends at Road ID.  Incorporating a CORE strengthening routine into your weekly training regimen is advantageous for triathletes & runners (or just about ANYONE), but sadly it is often overlooked and not prioritized.
Below we will briefly discuss what your core is and how you can make it a part of your weekly training routine. At the very bottom, you’ll find a video with a few exercises to get you started.  FREE Webinar for Triathletes “Creating Healthy & Sustainable Routines!” LIVE – Thursday, 1/21 @ 12pm Routines and habits are one of the most important aspects of sports that athletes (of ANY level) can develop to improve their health, fitness, training and competitive performances.
Although, we often set out with good intentions, many fail to actually establish a routine (let alone a habit) that sticks and ultimately pays off. We will discuss best practices and common pitfalls including actionable steps one can take to help ensure success. When: Thursday, 1/21 @ 12pm EST Where: Zoom (registration below) Who: Triathletes looking to be successful in 2021  RTA Triathlon x Hyperice We are very excited to announce a new partnership with Hyperice, the leader in recovery technology.
 Each December, just before the new year, I go for a run on a discrete and private snow-covered road in Lake Placid. I use this run as a time to reflect on the previous year. Here are a few thoughts that came to mind as we close out the 10th year of RTA…
 FREE Webinar for Triathletes “What You Should Be Doing… NOW!” LIVE – Thursday, 11/19 @ 7pm The late fall and early winter can be a tricky time of year for triathletes. The weather is getting cooler and the days shorter. HOWEVER, if this time is used well, it can set you up to have an incredible season in the year to come.
When: Thursday, 11/19 @ 7pm EST Where: Zoom (registration below) Who: Triathletes looking to be successful in 2021  How to Find Triathlons to Sign Up For
There are numerous websites that offer “Tri Calendars.” Many of these websites have a listing of events that you can filter by area, distance and time of year to help you find a triathlon that works best for you. Below are a few websites and factors to consider to help you get started.  Achieve MORE With Accountability Whether you’re driven to race OR if you simply enjoy a healthy lifestyle, creating a routine and having ACCOUNTABILITY is a total GAME CHANGER.
When you have accountability, you’re much more likely to stay on track and achieve your goals.  Triathlon Season Planning Made Easy Success in triathlon and life in general, typically starts by setting goals, creating a plan and then executing that plan. We refer to this process as season planning and done correctly, it will help set you up for success.
The fall and early winter are a great time of year to start planning for next season. Races are beginning to open up and many popular races sell out FAST. Below I will outline a simple, but effective, approach to set yourself up for a super successful year.  Can you imagine swimming 2.4 miles and riding 112 miles with 1 hand? Me neither! However, despite having only 1 hand, Jim Williamson knew he could do it.
So, with the support of his family and a little guidance from his coaches, Jim set out to prove, “anything is possible!”  Have DIRECTION & PURPOSE for your goals Many events are too hard, long, and difficult to race or participate in on a whim. When the going gets tough – and it will – it is purpose that will help drive you forward.
We always encourage our athletes determine what their purpose is BEFORE getting started on their journey. Some common (yet general) examples include:  Drew’s Motivation Behind His Virtual Boston Marathon First and foremost, we’d like to give a HUGE SHOUT OUT to RTA coached athlete Drew C! He CRUSHED the 2020 Virtual Boston Marathon last month by running a 🔥3:05🔥 with a negative split of 1:30 on the back half. 😯 OUTSTANDING, especially considering all of the circumstances.
This was all done on his lightest run volume ever and in a very limited time frame leading up the the race.  Don’t Underestimate Race Fueling & Nutrition Many athletes don’t fully understand the importance and value of proper nutrition while training and racing. Even those who do “get it,” don’t always have the most effective plan in place (for them). However, those that have their nutrition plan 100% dialed in, perform significantly better and recover faster.
To be clear: I am specifically talking about what an athlete consumes immediately before, during and after a race or training session. It doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, it should be as simple as possible so that it becomes thoughtless and easy to execute. Below I will provide 2 TIPS and a high level outline to help get you on track.  2020 was the year RTA coached athlete, Ryan Astrup, planned to become an “IRONMAN.” He had planned to race the iconic IRONMAN Lake Placid triathlon in July. This race consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run. In one day. With no breaks. For those counting, that’s 140.6 miles in total. Due to the global pandemic, this triathlon was eventually postponed and finally canceled.
However, that would NOT prevent Ryan from achieving his goal.  Anything is Possible With Commitment We first met Brian Moran and his buddy Rob on the day of IRONMAN Lake Placid in 2015.
After talking to them for a couple minutes we quickly learned they were looking to get into triathlon and were hoping to do their first IRONMAN the following year in Lake Placid. We tried to discourage them from doing an IRONMAN in their first year of triathlon, but they insisted. We gave them our card, parted ways and didn’t expect to hear from them again. A few days later we received a phone call and the rest is history. After all, anything is possible.  Taking it Outside of My Comfort Zone with Triathlon Bob Brown is like most of the people we coach. He’s a family man, has a successful career and he is goal oriented. He is the classic, “over achiever,” who decides what he wants and figures out how to go and get it. Perhaps you can relate.
This was the year Bob wanted to break into triathlon. However, he didn’t want to “just do a sprint” triathlon. He wanted to do a half IRONMAN or 70.3. “I like signing up for things that are way out of my comfort zone and challenging myself to get them done,” Bob told us. “I constantly preach to my kids that they can do anything they want if they try. And I try to lead by example.” We can DEFINITELY respect that!  Meet Jim Hollentein. RTA triathlon club member and super nice guy.
10 years ago a friend asked Jim if I wanted to do a triathlon. He had run a few 5k’s and done a couple mountain bike races so it sounded doable, but he needed to learn how to swim. Nearly EVERYONE looking to get into triathlon has to learn how to swim! The next day he went to the pool and couldn’t swim 25 yards. Following that first experience, he thought completing a triathlon was going to be IMPOSSIBLE. That’s when the triathlon journey began. |
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RTA TriathlonRTA is a comprehensive triathlon coaching organization and fully supported USAT sanctioned triathlon club.
We are based in Ridgewood, NJ and coach triathletes of all abilities from across the country. Our mission is to make you a better triathlete. Contact us when you're ready to take your "game" to the next level. |
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Copyright © 2022
Copyright © 2022