IRONMITCH: Triathlete Magazine’s Memoirs of an Ironman
Cooling down on the track after a run today – I was struck by an image. Granted, I had taken my camera with me on my run in search of images for this blog posting. It was the pipe that runs down the length of the field separating the stands from the field, spectators from the participants. Growing up, we have all played and watched high sports in places like this. Triathlon – in a way – is just a playing field where we can participate in something wonderful, a place to find a goal and then pursue it with the passion and happiness of a dog chasing a Frisbee. Training for triathlon affords us the opportunity to live in the present moment – breathing deeply as we swim bike or run – experiencing the now. Like the numbers across the line in the photo above, in a race, we may stand at the starting line in approximately the same place when the gun goes off or when our wave starts – yet we all will end up at very different places in the finisher’s rankings. Often these rankings don’t carry the same weight as our own internal ranking system that we use when judging our performance. The circumstances that we each face on their road to a race can only be truly known deep within each individual. On this field, our perspective on our existence as human beings is enhanced by the pounding oxygen, endorphins, and nutrients flowing through our bodies.
Why Do You Do Triathlon?
I have been in the triathlon world, teaching triathlon classes and clinics, coaching triathletes from all ages and abilities, eating and selling triathlon nutrition products and doing triathlons myself for more than five years, so I’ve asked thousands of endurance athletes about why they do this sport. You do triathlons for emotional and irrational wants and fears. You do triathlons so you can prove something to yourself. You do triathlons to prove something to other people. You do triathlons because you did just one, this one time, and then you got sucked into the vortex and you had to keep coming back and trying to beat your performance from the previous year. You do triathlons because running is boring and you don’t have that kind of attention span. Being able to wear your Ironman or triathlon race t-shirt in public to impress people. Wanting to be able to eat whatever you want, but not having the control, so finding a sport where working out too much is OK.Being able to fit into whatever style of clothes you wish. The secret to achieving success in these type of sports is to figure out the true WHY – which is some always an irrational desire, fear or want. If you’re comfortable with sharing, in one sentence in the comments for this post, state the emotional and irrational why behind your motivation for doing triathlons.
RG Active Race Team
Please allow us to introduce the RG Active Race Team. The team represent RG Active, who are the UK’s largest multi-sport coaching company and these teams have evolved from the work that RG Active do and the ethos they have towards the sports of triathlon, cycling, running, duathlon and swimming that unites us all. RG Active ‘the coaching company’ promotes a fun, friendly and enjoyable approach to triathlon and sport in general and the Race Team adopt exactly the same approach. The Race Team maintain a close working relationship with the company and this unique partnership makes us stand out from all the other clubs across the country. Unlike many of the bigger clubs in the UK we do NOT charge a monthly fee, or require standing orders or direct debits from our members. We only ever ask for a one off membership fee each season and then you pay for the sessions you attend and it’s as simple as that. We understand that people have busy lives and it is not always practical to be paying monthly for for sessions and services you aren’t able to utilise. We make the most of the RG Active company sessions, add our own ‘club’ sessions to the fold and have what we think is ‘more for less’ offering compared with many bigger clubs like us in the UK. To take a closer look at the team and what they can offer…..
Minnesota Tri News
Sure, some dus are larger and some feature fancier staging-bells and whistles that mean little if the event isn’t expertly produced and participants aren’t treated like rock stars. Since 2000, the year The Apple hosted the USAT Age Group Duathlon National Championship, this event has done everything right. These folks were completely dedicated to satisfying the participants of their event. Daryl and Pam are no longer at Apple’s helm, but new director Brandon Testa is intent on promulgating the legacy that the Stevens’ built. From a management and execution standpoint, as well as athlete amenities, the Apple is first-class. This is because the ’10 race will not be a Team USA World’s Qualifier. Losing it’s qualifier designation, it should be noted, will not diminish this event in any way. This division features the regionally undefeated-in 2009 and thus far in 2010, that is-Bob Baily, 2008 Minnesota Grand Master of the Year Hank Larsen, who’s won his AG here four times since the current course distances-5K-33K-5K-were established, and Nick Vanduzee, a three-time divisional winner at Apple. Because he kinda sorta looks a little-bit-but not-too-much like everyone’s favorite Bolshevik, Vladimir Lenin, we decided to post a shot of the Soviet revolutionary. FYI, Nick knows more about musical stuff than the long-dead Commie ever did.
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