Book it!

Lately I've found myself doing a lot of reading, unfortunately a good chunk of this wasn't something assigned by one of my professors. We all have plenty of reading and studying to do for our academic classes so who wants to read more, right? Well, I went on amazon.com a few weeks ago and picked up a few triathlon related books. I'm training my body like crazy in preparation for the coming racing season and I figured I should be training my brain a little, too. Below are a couple of the books that I am currently reading with a short description of each. If you're lucky enough to find yourself in the same van as me on our 22+ hour trip (one way) to the Lone Star State you'll probably have a chance to check them out for yourselves.



The Triathlete's Training Bible (2nd Edition), by Joe Friel

The title of this book just about says it all. Between the covers of this book you'll find out about planning your yearly/monthly/weekly training, swim/bike/run technique, valuable nutrition imformation, strength training plans, racing strategy and MUCH more. Mr. Friel backs up his advice with references from the scientific literature which gives this book much credibility. If you buy just one book about triathlon, I would recommend this one. This book covers all the bases.



Going Long: Training for Ironman-Distance Triahtlons, by Joe Friel and Gordon Byrn

This book covers much of the same topics as the Triathletes Training Bible, but with an emphasis on long distance triathlon (Ironman and half Ironman). I'm an Ironman virgin, and will be competing in Ironman Lake Placid this July. As I prepare for this race-that's-longer-than-most-people-are-at-work-in-a-day I'm finding this book to be very helpful in calming some of my anxieties about how to prepare for this race. It gives detailed descriptions of how to prepare for each of the disciplines, how to fuel your body during training and the race itself, what to expect come race day, and just about every other big question that runs though your mind about Ironman training.

One major thing that I have learned from this book that I (and many other triathletes and endurance athletes) almost completely overlooked in the past is how to rest and recover properly during training. With all the stresses that are placed on the mind and body during training for an Ironman, it is crucial to build in recovery as part of your training plan. This book details how.

If you are signed up for an Ironman you've already dropped a chunk of cash just to be able to toe the line. This book is easily worth its minuscule cover price when compared the the entry fee.

Happy reading.

Joel


P.S. Does any one remember what "Book it!" was? Or am I dating myself??

Cutter Style.

As we get ready for our first cycling race of the season, let's all make sure we have the necessary equipment on race day. Don't forget your bike shoes.

-Joel

A place called home

There was once a time when our team feared we would show up to USAT Collegiate Nationals with a severe disadvantage in our biking and running. While the pretty-boy Californians would be out eating up miles of road, our planned speed workout was being decimated by a foul combination of rain, snow and wind. Forced to spin on trainers inside, we soon realized that it was crucial to maintain the team-practice atmosphere. The spinning studio was born.

The original studio was affectionately known as "The Swamp," a name suiting of the stench and damp air that greeted you every time you ducked your head to carefully descend the rotting stairs. Today's spinning room is slightly nicer. The carpeting and five-speaker sound system are certain upgrades. But some of the original charm still remains. We continue to use the same 15 year old TV with a harsh yellow tint. Things don't quite smell right. And the walls sweat almost as much as the triathletes.

Here's a brief photo tour from the regular Tuesday morning ride:

People claim that triathletes can't bike in packs or pelotons, but I think this proves otherwise. Twelve people are crammed into the main spinning area. Once you're in your spot and the legs start moving, you're pretty much stuck there until everyone else is done spinning. Buddhist prayer flags and movie posters watch over us.

Showing up late is a sure way to sentence yourself to some time in the laundry room. Ventilation is non-existant, the floor is more uneven and there is absolutely no chance you'll catch any bit of what's showing on the TV that day. If people are feeling nice, they'll at least share the workout with you.

The workouts follow our team's long-term training plan. There's everything from 1-minute builds to three-hour steady rides.

The Christmas lights and string of floral decoration? Left overs from our Tri Formal this past fall.

The view from the back row isn't the prettiest, but it's made better by our custom TV stand made from scrap wood. Our favorite spinning entertainment includes last year's Tour de France, Spinervals and comedies for long rides. Fans are hung from the ceiling in the corners to keep the sweat to a level that is just marginally below disgusting.

It may not be much, but it serves its singular purpose: giving us a snow-free place for good team workouts.

-Eric Tingwall

Why we're here

We've got something to say. In the pool, during the run, and as we climb onto our bikes, we're always talking about the latest triathlon toys, upcoming races or news about the pros. But it doesn't end when we're through with our workouts. Our conversations about triathlon follow us out of the locker room and into the cafeterias, onto our couches and inside our email inboxes.

As one of the largest and most successful collegiate triathlon teams in the nation, we're constantly training and racing together. But we also live together, study together and eat together. Some of us even sleep together.

The world isn't exactly thriving with fresh, relevant content for the enamored triathlete. Google "Triathlon Blog" and you'd think I'm lying. But start clicking those links and you'll find the true story. Most of those blogs were three-post wonders, with the most recent entry dated sometime before Ironman Louisville existed. Even if you happen to stumble upon a blog entry with a post that came after the born-on date of your Budweiser, do you really care about Johnny Firsttimer's 14-page epic about his 5-hour finish at the local sprint?

Our roster is filled with characters: The eccentric bike-freak, the guy who still can't swim after three years of triathlon, former collegiate runners; Ironman finishers and triathlon rookies; elites and middle-of-the-pack age groupers. And while we all came from different backgrounds and are on the way to even more diverse futures, for the moment our team members all share the same life-consuming passion: Triathlon.

It's this rare combination of diversity united by an unhealthy obsession that has driven us into every corner of triathlon. We have the experience and the passion to tell the stories that haven't been told yet.

-Eric Tingwall