Winter Fuel can be HOT!!

Something new to add to the list of things that make you say, "D'oh, why didn't I think of that?!"

Cliff Bar has come up with electrolyte and recovery fuels that can be served HOT. Yes, hot. Gone are the days of freezing on the ski slopes or a crisp ride or run in January, only to shudder at the thought of drinking cold citrus mixers. Abandon the guilt you'd experience (not to mention lack of nutrients) by having some hot apple cider or cocoa. Like many other fitness potions, just add water and you're set.

Cliff Bar has the following available for purchase at stores and on their site:
Recovery Hot Chocolate
Electrolyte Hot Apple Cider

If you've already tried these, post your feedback!

10 Triathlete Gifts Under $25

Tri Gifts Under $25 - Take note, family and friends of multi-sport enthusiasts! Here are 10 gifts that every triathlete will appreciate:

No-brainer Brand Items
1. Lickety Split Transition Mats ($24.95)
Much easier to tuck into the tri bag than a full beach towel, and neoprene makes it easier to clean. Also they’re available in bright colors and include a spot for you to write in your name, so you can find your spot quickly.

FuelBelt Gear (recently named to the 2007 Inc. 5,000 list of fastest growing companies!)
It’s getting dark much sooner now, so don’t forget to stock up on reflective gear. FuelBelt has two great products under $25 to get you some attention:

2. Headlamp ($23.95)
New design, is OSFA and lightweight. Adds visibility for both runners and others on the road.

3. High Visibility Vest ($21.95)
Offered in Red, White, or Neon with Silver reflective trimmings. A staple for any winter or evening runner, or anyone who’s running in the elements (rain, snow, etc.)

Swim Accessories
www.speedo.com is offering free shipping with no minimum spend by entering coupon code speedo124 at online checkout. No off-season training program is complete without cool pool toys for swimming drills, either:

4. Speedo Jogbelt: $24.95
5. Power Paddles: $19.99

Sports Nutrition
6. 1week/1month supply ($15-$25 depending on the athlete)
Speaking of “FUEL” you can’t go wrong with stuffing the stockings with PowerBars, Gu, and other electrolyte mixes. If you get the chance, raid your fellow triathlete’s pantry and find out which brand they use. Rei sells PowerBar products, and ClifBar products are readily available online and at most sporting goods stores.

Educational Investments
7. Digital Subscription to Triathlete Magazine: $12.00*
*Okay, so the real subscription for 1year is $29.95 but if you get yourself one, you can get your fellow triathlete a digital subscription for only $12 more!

Want to add a more personal touch? There’s more legwork involved with this, but like any good training program your efforts will pay off:

Christmas Apparel-ing:
8. Overstock.com has a Bally Total Fitness Sauna Suit for only $12.99!
This Mylar-space suit would be the perfect gift (IMHO) to give to the triathlete who may have been taking himself a bit too seriously. If nothing else, check out the picture on their site!

But seriously, you can’t go wrong getting a solid Dry-fit T-shirt and/or running hat at any major sports apparel retailer. Pearl Izumi, Brooks, TYR, Zoot, and similar online stores can offer some fantastic clearance deals. When in doubt, choose the smaller size, though. We may have fattened up over Thanksgiving, but we plan to lose it again come springtime.

Flattery is King
9. Purchase Official Race Photo $15-55
Steps involved:
1. Find out which race(s) your triathlete did this year
2. Navigate to the race website, to find out who did the official race photography
3. To stay under budget you can buy a 5x7 photo and then frame it yourself.
4. To splurge, you can add $5-35 and order the photo as a framed certificate-style pic, and in the case of Ironman races even order your favorite triathlete’s photo on a box of Wheaties!

10. Personalized Photo Calendar ($12.99-$29.99)
You can use your Shutterfly, Kodak Share, Snapfish or whatever other photo sharing application you’ve got, to create an inspirational training calendar for your favorite athlete. If you know which race(s) the triathlete plans to do, stick a few pics in there of those races on their respective months (i.e. The Wildflower in May, Escape from Alcatraz in June, Ironman Races in July-November, etc.). Aren’t into photo sharing online? No problem; simply take your pics over to the nearest Walgreens, Staples, or Wolf Camera and get 'er done there. Ad pics of yourself and any others who will be part of your athlete's support network!

Happy Shopping,
Jen Killian

Links:
FastTransition.com
Speedo.com
REI.com
Overstock.com
Shutterfly.com, Snapfish.com
triathletemag.com
trisports.com/clothing

Escape from Alcatraz Lottery

Fellow triathletes -
The Accenture Escape from Alcatraz is opening tomorrow, December 1st. Don't miss out!

http://www.escapefromalcatraztriathlon.com/  

The Latest and Greatest on Kona

Make it an Ironman weekend:

This Saturday the 2007 World Championships will air on NBC. Catch a glimpse of the the great Macca conquering his elusive Kona victory and see all the other inspiring athlete's stories. Check your local TV listings for times.


Also, the lottery for 2008 Ironman Hawaii is OPEN! Two Hundred 'common-man' athletes (can't believe they actually refer to any Ironman athlete that way!) will compete with the 1,800 qualifiers from all over the globe. One of the few lotteries in the USA that non-citizens (50, to be exact) can win. And heck, you won't even have to pay taxes on it! For more info on Ironman Hawaii 2008, click here.

Ironman Arizona does a doubletake for 2008

Ironman Arizona 2008 - April

Ironman Arizona 2008 - November?

It's not a typo, folks, next year will be the year of Ironman Arizona. The only year there will be twice as many Arizona Ironmen (and women!) as ever before. If you haven't already signed up our tried but couldn't get into the IM08 of your choice, check out the site today:

News about Ironman Arizona

For those of you jockeying for the precious Kona spots, fear not. The November Ironman Arizona will offer slots for the 2009 Championchips. The April event is sold out for general registration, but race registration opened earlier this week for the November race.

To register or volunteer, visit www.ironmanarizona.com.

Triathletes Race Past Black Friday

Black Friday has come and gone - have you finished your holiday shopping yet? If no, check the "12 Days of Triathlon" posting from last week for gift ideas.

You can also check out this online shopping mall which returns a percentage of all sales to USA Triathlon:

http://www.shopforcharityday.com/11726


Multi-sport readers, your posts are welcome? What would YOU like this Christmas?

Happy Turkey TROT Day!

Thanksgiving is upon us - time to reflect on all the good tidings we've received throughout the year. Time to recognize people or events that had an impact on us. Time to reflect on ourselves, figuratively AND LITERALLY!

Check yo'self in the mirror (don't you look great?) and make sure you don't lose all the hard work you put in. THANK YOURSELF! by going for a fun run Thanksgiving morning. Here are a few good reasons for you to do so:

1. Nearly every Turkey Trot in the country is a FUN RUN. No race times, no extra extensive training required. These runs cover distances of 10k, 5k, and even 1mile so find one near you and register.

2. Keep your base. You wouldn't want to be the poor loser in Jeopardy who has the -600 score, right? So why start in the negative with your training at 2008.

3. A morning workout will help you keep up your energy levels so you can survive a day of hanging out with the in-laws, playing football outside, and furious cooking.

4. Exercise on Thursday will help you rest better and wake up bright eyed and bushy tailed to hit the shops on Black Friday.

5. Oh yeah, and you'll have burned a few extra calories to squeeze in a slice of pumpkin pie for dessert!

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Find a Turkey Trot Near You:
http://www.active.com/running/turkeytrot/

Vote for Macca!!!

Great news, Macca fans!
Chris 'Macca' McCormack was just nominated for the Australian
Sports Performer of the year for 2007! No triathlete has ever
been nominated for this huge honor before,and it's fantastic
that the Chris and this sport have received such recognition!

His competition:
Cadel Evans - bike dude, something about Tour de France, but
he's 2 sports shy of the full bucket.
Lauren Jackson - blond basketballer; but I think Macca can
outrun her full court press
Libby Lenton - swimmer; uhm, POOL swimmer. Not nearly as
dangerous as ocean currents or sharks.
Jana Rawlinson - New mum on a mission - she may be able to
run 53 seconds, but again, she's finished racing within one
of Macca's transitions.
Casey Stoner - motor cyclist? c'mon! He gets a motor, Macca
has to BE the motor! This should be a slam dunk.
Ricky Ponting - OK, cricket is, I hate to admit, more broadly
popular in Australia than Triathlon. He is stiff competition,
even though he has to wear padding to play his sport to avoid
harmful collisions with a little ball. Nevermind poor Macca
has to contend with thousands of tons of pressure of the seas
or a face plant on blistering Kona roads at high speeds with
only spandex and Styrofoam for protection.

Let's not let those cricket fans skew the vote! Vote TWICE for
Macca and bring this tall poppy down, hehe.

The online voting process is easy - click the Sydney Morning Herald
link below and vote for Macca. An added bonus?

You can win $5,000 dollars for voting! Only small caveat is that
the voting form only allows Aussie based addresses (i.e. you
can't draft on the bike, but in the swim...?) Voting closes Nov 23rd.
Use a legit email address because your vote won't count unless
you can confirm it!

http://www.smh.com.au/sportsawards

Wonder if I can borrow my in-law's address for my prize money...

GO MACCA!

The 12 Days of Triathlon

Are you celebrating the holidays this year with a fellow triathlete? Maybe you race too, and therefore already have the perfect gift ideas for him/her. But if you're not, check out this classic Christmas tune below to get some gift and stocking-stuffer ideas. Feel free to comment with additional gift ideas for triathletes - I realize there are plenty of gadgets I couldn't shoehorn into this song. :)

The 12 Days of Triathlon

On the FIRST day of tri-ath-lon my true love gave to me,
A membership to USAT!

On the SECOND day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!


On the THIRD day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the FOURTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the FIFTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the SIXTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
6 cycling jerseys
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the SEVENTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
7 water bottles,
6 cycling jerseys,
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the EIGHTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
8 sports massages,
7 water bottles,
6 cycling jerseys,
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the NINTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
9 jars of Cyto
8 sports massages,
7 water bottles,
6 cycling jerseys,
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the TENTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
10 PT sessions
9 jars of Cyto
8 sports massages,
7 water bottles,
6 cycling jerseys,
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the ELEVENTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
11 swimming drills
10 PT sessions
9 jars of Cyto
8 sports massages,
7 water bottles,
6 cycling jerseys,
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

On the TWELFTH day of triathlon my true love gave to me,
12 Power Bars
11 swimming drills
10 PT sessions
9 jars of Cyto
8 sports massages,
7 water bottles,
6 cycling jerseys,
FIVE PROTEIN SHAKES!
4 colored visors,
3 number belts,
2 Zipp wheels,
and a membership to USAT!

Don't Become a Tri-Turkey

The Thanksgiving holiday is right around the corner and, for many, racing season has come to a close. Roughly 1/2 of us novice triathletes will get all gung-ho, ditch the dinner with the in-laws in favor of an empty pool or weight room. We will max out reps with free weights, join the newest Pilates classes (much to the entertainment of the regulars) and jump into the lap pool with our old running shoes for added resistance training. We will buy any full winter training gear we can get our hands on and start using it before the first snowfall. We will continue to trade war stories from races completed earlier in the year like those high school jocks who never mentally left the field after graduation. We will either injure ourselves or burn out completely just before Christmas and therefore bloom later in the spring with our training than the pros.

Which leaves the other half of us...

...going to that Happy hour on Friday afternoon (hey, no 8-hour training in the morning tomorrow!)
...eating another slice of pizza - hell we earned it sometime in May
...sleeping in another Tuesday morning - we're still in recovery, right?
...becoming one with our sofas, and gaining a good 8-12 pounds - BEFORE THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY HITS THE TABLE.

So, how do we keep from falling into these newbie traps? Here are a few tips I gathered from coaches, peers, and publications:

1. Keep doing SOMETHING on your training days
Good time to locate the friends you abandoned during peak training season, so that when you want to watch the 50th repeat of that Seinfeld episode you'll still have compelling reason to get outside for a short run. Make a play date; catch up, and keep some organization to your training schedule w/minimal effort.

2. Use Goldilocks's measure of effectiveness on your workouts
It's as easy as porridge:
* This workout is TOO HARD = slow it down or cut your run/ride/swim shorter
* This workout is TOO EASY = kick it up a notch!
* This workout is JUUST RIGHT!

3. Holiday fun runs
Two words for you: Turkey Trot. Find fun runs and get friends and family into the mix. They've been standing on the sidelines cheering you on throughout the year, so give back and cheer them on through a fun 1-mile walk or 5-k run! Besides, you need to keep up the running foundation anyway.

Good luck on the fence, fellow tri-rookies!

Now that's Hard Core!

My friend Peggy emailed us to say she was 'OK' after her phenomenal efforts at the Ironman 70.3 championships in Clearwater, FL this weekend. Here's her account of the day's events. [This is not a fabrication or exaggeration, you can check out her results online. Do not try this unless you have Lavelle lineage in your gene pool (see also race results for rest of the Lavelle clan!) or are a glutton for punishment. We assume zero liability for anyone crazy enough to try to hang with this woman.]

----- Original Message -----
From: Peggy Lavelle
Sent: Monday, November 12, 2007 10:07 AM
Subject: 70.3 World Championships

Returned from the triathlon (half Ironman) in Florida yesterday- kidney stones intact, but I'm banged up with bruises- see below. I know I am lucky.

Met my goal of breaking 5 hours, but not goal of top 5 age group. I was 7th in my AG with a time of 4:54. Splits were 36 min swim -2:32 bike +1:39 half marathon.

Had a great race but at the 54 mile mark of the bike, I was riding in the lane designated by cones for the bikes, and a car going the same direction as I took a left in front of me, and I crashed on the ground, maybe into the car -I don't remember- and went down. My bike is bent, and I'm hoping it will not need extensive repair. I am bruised all over my right side- x-rays were negative. But, I got up and kept going although I had to open up my brake lever and carefully steer my bike to the finish. A stranger from San Francisco competing in the race (Golden Gate Tri Club) stopped to see if I was OK, and detained the driver until the police came over while I rode on. I have since connected with this guy (a SF lawyer named Stephen Robinson) and I am just amazed that he sacrificed his race for a complete stranger just to do the right thing. When the police report comes in, I'll have the driver's name and license number. The police did not cite the driver.

I'll be seeing you guys out there soon- not sore at all except where bruised- shoulder, bicep, elbow, hip, hand, knuckle.... A brisk walk might just what I need right now.

Be careful on your bike!
Peggy

Ironman Lake Placid 2007

Find a Race Near You

Here's a list of sites to help you find races near you:
http://www.active.com
http://www.usatmembership.com/EventCalendar/
http://www.multisports.com
http://www.trifind.com

3 Easy Tips to ensure a Stress-free Triathlon Season Next Year

The triathlon and running season in most parts of the country are winding down. The marathon month of October is over, as is the Ford Ironman racing series for 2007. Veteran triathletes know that this is NOT the time for hibernation and holiday binging - rather, it is time to strategize about a successful 2008 season. The following tips will reduce much of the stress imposed by the minutia of doing triathlons; and let you focus on your training program!

1. Plan out your races by January 1st, if not sooner!
Look at the race calendar for next year and pick your races. Enter for those races - NOW! Do not pass Go, do not collect $200 because the best races sell out quickly! Ironman Lake Placid sold out in a record 8 hours. Celine Dion can't sell out that fast. Plan also to enter a few shorter races building up to your big race. If you are running a marathon, you'd better have run at least a 1/2 marathon and a few 5-10k races well before then.

2. Take advantage of early travel planning.
The only thing that runs out faster than the beer at a triathlon finish line is prime hotel accommodation. Check that credit card reward system that you've ignored for months, and use those points to score a great room ASAP! Sheltered triathlete? Just make sure your hotel is close to the race start, has a mini fridge inside it, and an ice bucket with corresponding machine nearby. Most well-organized and popular races have a list of race hotels/inns located near the site; many of which have special promotional rates that, you guessed it, run out quickly!

3. Send out your "Race Memo".
This is the most fun, elitist part about being a triathlete. Make sure your family, friends, and colleagues know about your relationship with triathlons. They will be impressed, annoyed, and confused about your decision, but at least everyone will be privy to your plans and will have proper expectations about how much of your time will shift from them to your sport. You've primed your inner circle to be your best support network for the coming months.

The bad news: you'll see less of those friends who don't really support the sport or know how much it means to you.
The good news: you'll see more of those friends (and make new ones) who want to support you and/or learn about the sport. In fact, you may even recruit a buddy to train and race with! Don't be shy. You'll only benefit by letting people know you have decided to do some races next year.

What the...?!

If you've stumbled upon this blog, you may wonder where it came from and why. Here's the quick and dirty:

The Quick

I've always been active in sports. From Little Leagues in grade school to Div I Cheerleading, I've given everything a shot - at least ONCE. My career has also dabbled into the realm of the fit (but I swear, I only taught cardio-kickbox while Billy Blanks was en vogue!).

The Dirty

Gone are the days of 2-hour team practices and weekend tournaments. I have an office job, grocery shop on the weekends and take the occasional family-centric vacation. I'm probably one of millions of women who seek the Holy Grail of work-life balance. In my latest quarter-life crisis episode, I changed jobs, took on the GMAT and signed up for an Ironman triathlon in one fell swoop. Read the blog, and you'll find out how I achieve it (or, be able to commiserate with me if I miss the boat!).