EMPOWERED by TRIFINITI

The Magical Sweet Potato

2011-12-01T13:25:00.000-08:00

By Coach Dorette Franks

First impressions are lasting impressions which may be why many of us shy away from befriending that ever so nutrient rich sweet potato. Sweet potato memories of childhood Thanksgiving feasts are hearing my mother say "try a little of everything," and so I would scrape the crisp golden brown melted marshmallows from atop pineapple laced mushy sweet potatoes as if this counted as a sweet potato serving. It wasn't until taking a committed interest in my well-being that I realized the true potential of these brightly colored soil dwelling tubers.

The magic within a sweet potato begins within its color. They come in a variety of colors from bright orange to deep purple. Moreover, they are packed with anti-oxidants (including vitamin A, C, and B6) which help reduce free radical damage, promote healthy vision and reduce inflammation--now that's a plus for endurance athletes! They are even an excellent source of unrefined and unprocessed carbohydrate rich in dietary fiber and are loaded with potassium.

Begin your day with some magic! Instead of instant oatmeal, try steaming a few sweet potato slices then smashing them up with a fork or in a food processor, add a hint of cinnamon and paprika and there you have it--a healthy unrefined breakfast. For dinner, give them an ethnic spin and bake them with a few other root vegetables along with a dash of clove or nutmeg, sea salt and then toss in some pistachios for added crunch!

As for your nutritional performance, sweet potatoes are a fantastic alternative fuel source of carbohydrate - try it out on your next long run or ride. Remember, those small changes in your diet add up to a whole lot of health!

Athlete Spotlight: Mike Tatham

2011-12-01T13:23:00.000-08:00

At first it was about the puck, the hockey puck that is, then the whale boat rowing, and then it became all about the bike, but eventually, it became about the tri, as in triathlon. Fifty-eight year old Trifiniti coached Mike Tatham, was seeking a greater challenge in athletics and we think he's finally found it! Mike became invested into living a multi-sport lifestyle just over two years ago. As coaches, we've witnessed Mike enter the sport of triathlon, improve upon his finish times and goal distances, and find enjoyment and challenge from the training process; Mike is able to maintain a healthy balance in living a multi-sport lifestyle and focus on the other important aspects in his life--namely, his family. And for this reason, Trifiniti coaches Duane, Dorette and Nate felt Mike Tatham was the right athlete to highlight in this month's "Athlete Spotlight".

Mike shares his biggest obstacle inside of triathlon. "I grew up on the Jersey shore and spent all day in and out of the water. I found out when I took up tri's that everything I did in swimming was wrong." At his first triathlon, the Marin County Sprint Triathlon, Mike rushed into the water at the front of the pack only to be kicked around causing him to lose his breath and become winded. Sound familiar? Yet, Mike's perseverance prevailed as he built his endurance, strength and speed graduating from his first sprint distance triathlon to racing in the big league at Boise Ironman 70.3. For Mike, it's the challenge and excitement that keeps him wanting to race.

Competing in multi-sport events can be a selfish endeavor. Training long hours during the week and weekends can sometimes impact time with family and friends. But Mike figured out that if he wanted to train right and create balance in his life he needed a structured plan and so he hired Trifiniti Coach, Nate Helming.

Mike has experienced the benefits of having a structured plan means greater efficiency of training, allowing more time with his family. I recall an evening when I was coaching track for the Golden Gate Triathlon Club at Kezar Stadium. Mike showed up as always, but this time with his two pre-teen nephews in tow! And much to my surprise they relished the challenge of running intervals as much as their Uncle. It appears the benefits of training have a trickle-down effect. His wife reports that she finally has him eating salads for lunch. It's a win-win for Mike and his family.

When asked about his 2012 race goals, Mike tells us, "I just want to continue being a racing fool. Running, triathlon and even the occasional swim race-they all keep me motivated and having fun."

This is the inevitable challenge of being an endurance athlete: being able to live a balanced lifestyle, avoid injury, spend time with loved ones, complete all your training workouts, improve performance, and above all, have fun. And that is just what Mike Tatham has done, he's reached this balance, a balance that defines the Trifiniti philosophy.

So, next time you find yourself in a mass swim start with this former hockey player, you better think twice about getting too aggressive or else you may find yourself being kept in check.

Athlete Spotlight: Kona and Beyond

2011-10-05T09:23:00.000-07:00

By Duane Franks

Check out Coach Duane's Race Week Tips for Kona Athletes here on Training Peaks

Most of us triathlon loving athletes may never know what it’s like to toe the line of a world championship. And that’s fine because that alone may not be the goal for many of us. We find enough challenge trying to fit in a daily dose of training into an already very busy life. However I do believe that most of us are still intrigued by the thought of Kona or the ITU Worlds and may be wondering what it’s like to mix it up with the best in the world. So on that thought, I would like to send out a huge congratulations to our Trifiniti athletes who have made a world championship the goal and in doing so, put in the work to produce the results to get there. Let’s learn more about these outstanding athletes.

Kona Bound

Kathy Winkler: It’s no surprise we are starting with Kathy. She holds the honor of being a Trifiniti coached athlete longer than anyone else. Since joining Trifiniti in 2001, Kathy has qualified for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii seven times. She has been to that podium all but once, and has stood on the very top step twice in 2001 and 2004. Yes she is a two-time age group world champion. Kathy ages up this year and will be competing in the 45-49 division for the first time. Kathy earned her slot by finishing first at the Hawaii 70.3 event in June. She may not have much time to rest after because this year, Kathy is double dipping championships. If you haven’t heard, the ITU Worlds Long Course is taking place on American desert soil near Las Vegas on November 5. The long course is a few miles shy of Ironman distance but the hilly bike will make it just as challenging. Kathy claimed this slot last October at the USAT Nationals in Myrtle Beach.

Sandrine Micoleau: Sandrine qualified for Kona in her second Ironman event. Although it was never a stated goal, I knew that she had the talent. The only conversation we ever had on that topic was my advice to attend the roll down the day after Ironman Canada. She took that advice and is literally on her way to Kona as this article is being written. But the world championship story actually started a few months earlier at Wildflower where Sandrine earned a slot to the ITU Worlds long course for finishing with the leaders. Sandrine was thrilled and excited to be going to Vegas so you can imagine how she felt when she found out that she would join Kathy in a world championship double header.

Stefan Irion: Just like Sandrine, Stefan also earned his Kona slot in his second Ironman, qualifying at St George, Utah in May. I doubt anyone was surprised given that his IM debut resulted in a 9:40 something in Switzerland last year. His preparation seems to be right on target with age group wins at Alcatraz and Big Kahuna. This may be his first dance in Kona but you can bet it won’t be his last.

Peter McIntosh: Peter is a long time friend of Trifiniti and Kathy’s number one fan and supporter. Okay so he’s more than that; he’s her finance. They planned to be married in December only a few feet from the Ironman run course. Peter is a living example that poetic justice lives in the spirit of Hawaii. I was with him at the 2010 Ironman Coeur d’Alene roll down when he missed it by one place. Peter finished 7^th and knew it would likely be the only time he would be able to put in the necessary hours to qualify for Kona. We are happy to report that last year’s effort was rewarded a year late with a lottery slot. Peter will be completing his own version of a double dipper by competing in the Xterra Championship.

ITU World’s Long Course

Dorette Franks: Whether you know her as Dorette, Coach D2 or in my case, “yes dear”, Dorette will soon be known as a Team USA athlete at the starting line at the ITU Long Course world championship. Dorette proudly earned her slot at the USAT long course nationals in Myrtle Beach. Coach Nate has been laying out a fine training plan for Dorette. Hey, coaches need coaches too.

Ironman 70.3 World Championship – Las Vegas

Virgilio Pigilucci: Virgilio solely represented us at the Ironman 70.3 championship last month. Virgilio had a solid performance despite high desert temperatures and an extremely competitive field. Virgilio is another beneficiary of Coach Nate’s high performance coaching. The challenging hilly course is very similar to this year’s ITU Worlds course so perhaps he has some advice for the three who are heading there in November.

ITU Worlds Olympic & Sprint – New Zealand 2012

We would like to congratulate four stellar athletes who made the trip to Vermont for this year’s USAT Olympic and sprint distance Nationals, and returned home with an invitation to join Team USA at ITU Worlds in

New Zealand

next year.

Sunny & Mark Mckee: What can I say about these two shining examples that the couple who train together, remain together and have also qualified for Worlds Olympic distance. Sunny is an accomplished athlete who always has a shot at the podium when she races. Mark is a meticulous planner who knows what it takes for a top performance when you need it most. Congratulations on your outstanding achievement.

Sarah Squiers: Make no bones about it. Sarah knew what she wanted early in the season so we laid out a plan to give her the best chance at it. The result earned her way to New Zealand for a well deserved family vacation sandwiched around the ITU Worlds sprint championship. You want to know what it’s like to race sprint distance? Try holding your breath, then swimming, cycling and running as fast as you can for an hour.

Archie Walker: Here’s a new name with Trifiniti. In fact, he is so new to Trifiniti that he probably doesn’t realize he’s on our list. I did a swim video lesson with Archie earlier this summer as he was preparing for the Treasure Island Sprint. I knew he was special so I encouraged him to consider going to Vermont and making a run for a Worlds slot. He took me up on that offer, won his age group as its sole member, and punched his ticket for New Zealand next year. He later contacted me and asked to help him train for it. I gladly accepted. By the way, did I mention that Mr. Walker is in his EIGHTIES!

Xterra World Championship – Maui Hawaii

We wish the very best of dirt and trails to two athletes who will be competing at this year’s Xterra World Championships in late October. John Felts and Peter McIntosh are no strangers to the rocky and challenging terrain that this course offers. Peter has been racing here for the past several years. John participated in the very first one when it was called Aquaterra.

Good luck to all these athletes, You can follow those in Kona on Saturday, October 8 at www.Ironman.com – athlete tracker.

Coach Duane Franks

Trifiniti Endurance Coach & Founder

Move Better (one purpose of strength training)

2011-10-05T09:01:00.000-07:00

By Coach Nate

Whether you train individually or as part of a group, the goal of gym work is not simply brute strength or 'core' conditioning – it’s for improved athletic performance. To make ourselves better athletes, we need to be better and more conscientious movers in everything we do. To borrow from San Francisco Crossfit and gymnastics Coach Carl Paoli, we need to address:

1. (body) Position

2. Movement

3. Purpose

For a fantastic tutorial on the more subtle but important aspects of the pushup, check out Coach Carl's daily video blog on all cool things gymnastic related.

For us runners and triathletes, this means identifying and then holding the ideal body position to move in our sport with the purpose of expressing the greatest power and efficiency from start to finish line. What this means is that we want to enjoy (insert sport or activity here) without our (insert body part here) wearing and tearing away.

Thus, practicing pushups or squats provides an opportunity to address our body position (read: posture), and the quality and range of motion of our movement of our hips, knees, and shoulders in a controlled environment. If we see movement this way, we can more effectively transfer the practiced skills from the gym to movements within our sport.

Thus far the two most significant areas of improvement we as endurance athletes need are:

1. Body Position (improved posture, hollow body or a powerful neutral body position).

As soon as this optimal body position breaks down we start throwing power away. You don't want to race with your brake on right? We can also trash our back, hips, knees, etc as once we lose body position; we cannot regain it under load. In fact, running (whether long or fast) is the ability to maintain good posture, fall forward, and lift our heels up underneath us.

Symptoms of lost posture or position while running:

- Scuffing or heavy footfall or hot spots under the feet (from said scuffing)

- Tight and tired hip flexors (resulted from lifting knees forward opposed to pulling heels up under the butt)

-Slowed cadence

-Scuff marks on your calves (due to your heels hitting your own calves)

-Tight and tired achilles tendons (from pushing off too much)

2. Flexibility (especially in the hips and hip flexors)

I see many runners unable to maintain the above body position because their hips and hip flexors are so tight that they're pulled into an over extended position. No Good! This also contributes to the inability to fire your glutes which leads to further problems up and down the kinetic chain.

As for the shoulders, they are so tight and internally rotated that swimmers and triathletes can no longer safely lift anything overhead or engage their big powerful lat muscles while swimming. Also no good!

So, keep practicing all your movements. Pick the wall or couch stretch and hit your quads and hip flexors! Five minutes a day of self care goes a long way!

And lastly...squeeze your butt! Or I'll poke you.

Coach Nate Helming
Trifiniti Endurance Coach
San Francisco Crossfit Coach

Crossfit with Trifiniti Endurance, Coach Nate Helming

2011-02-03T14:12:00.000-08:00

Crossfit for Endurance Athletes

with

SF Crossfit and Trifiniti Coach Nate Helming

The Vision: To make better endurance athletes with Crossfit strength & conditioning.

The class: Coach Nate will lead small groups of ~ 5 people through workouts that combine Crossfit’s functional movements (www.crossfit.com), run technique, and Crossfit endurance (www.crossfitendurance.com) inspired workouts. Together, the class will identify goals, address limiters, learn proper movement and mechanics in order to increase general physical capacity.

Where & When: @ SF Crossfit on Monday and Wednesdays at 6pm. Start TBA. Contact me if interested!www.sanfranciscocrossfit.com

Who is this for:

--The aching and chronically sub-acute injured athlete.

--The “stuck on a plateau/looking for something different” athlete.

--The athlete looking to reach his or her potential by increasing strength and improving biomechanics.

A general lack of strength often contributes to the sub-acute aches and injuries endurance athletes face. Training stops and starts as a result of a nagging this or an aching that. Sometimes physical therapy works. Sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, frustration abounds.

Others manage to train with a level of success, only for performances to stubbornly plateau. Nothing done seems to make a difference for improvement. Too often training feels stale and less enjoyable.

Still other endurance athletes perform well but want to look under every rock to reach their true potential and to perform at their best.

Either way, all athletes are looking for some type of breakthrough to get to the next level: injury-free training, tackling a new event, Boston and Kona qualification, or reaching the podium. A constantly varied training stimulus keeps athletes motivated, invigorated, and improving in their training.

Crossfit is a “constantly varied, functional movement” program, often filling a gaping hole in many athletes’ training schedules. Under the eyes of an experienced and competent coach, functional movements such as the squat, the pushup, and the deadlift serve as excellent screening tools to see and address weakness and imbalances in the body, potentially stopping sub-acute injuries before they become a problem. For the non-injury prone, eliminating inefficiencies and increasing strength, stamina and flexibility translates more directly to improved performance. Sure enough, a Crossfit-based strength and conditioning program will rebalance and strengthen you and re-invigorate your training.

Best Buddies Outreach with Rabobank

2010-09-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

Team Rabobank/TrifinitiTrifiniti
Ambassadors from right to left: Tom Koundajian, Kathy Winkler,
Lori Capshaw, Ann Weinstock, Coach Dorette, Fred Mendez, Peter McIntosh (guest ambassador), Coach Duane and Daniel Scarsbery

Trifiniti would like to thank the Fred Mendez (Trifiniti ambassador) and the support of Rabobank for being a part of our first community out-reach project benefitting the Best Buddies Foundation. Together with your help, Team Rabobank/Trifiniti raised $20,000!

On Saturday, September 9th, fundraising for the Best Buddies Challenge began with a special Team Rabobank/Trifiniti BBQ, ride and raffle hosted along the Silverado Trail in one of the world’s most famous wine regions, the Napa Valley. Riders could choose between a 40, 56 and 90 mile ride option and were fully supported on the course by an array of swag luxuries from VEGA Sport, O.N.E. Coconut Water, Hammer Nutrition, and ZinClear SPF 30 by Dermaquest Skin Therapy. Back at BBQ headquarters, riders were treated to a first class meal followed by raffles and prizes – some of which included riding in Team Rabobank support car during the Tour of California, official Team Rabobank professional cycling kits, a case of Bialla Vineyards wine, VEGA Sport Gift Pack as well as gift certificates for massages, dinners and more.

Daneil and Tom lead behind the pace car
driven by Olympian Carl Lewis

Then on Saturday, September 11, Team Rabobank/Trifiniti road down the Big Sur Coast for the Best Buddies Challenge in celebration of meeting our goal! Together our ambassadors rode from Carmel through Big Sur finishing in San Simeon to top-notch port-o-showers, buffet lunch, massage, and more swag from the Best Buddies Challenge. Back at the Hearst Castle Ranch, fundraisers topped off the evening with a five station buffet (ranging from Hawaiian to Ranch style cuisine) and an open bar followed by a tribute to 911 – we watched in pride as a parachutist descended the skies trailing a 30+ foot American Flag. Upon night fall, the stage came alive with a concert hosted by Natasha Bedingfield. As one party wound down, another was just beginning to wind up at the Neptune VIP Pool Party.

Natasha Bedingfield

Being a part of the Best Buddies Challenge was a memorable event in and of itself, but moreover, the support, participation and results for Trifiniti’s first community outreach program was AWSOME!

What's next for Trifiniti? Trifinit's cycling in Tuscany trip - group departs September 15, 2010 - it can only get better.

'Join us in Napa and Win'

2010-08-28T06:22:00.000-07:00

'Join us in Napa and Win'Location: Rabobank / Napa Community Bank

700 Trancas Street
Napa, CA 94558 US

When: Sunday, September 5, 8:00AM Add to my Outlook Calendar

WHEN: Sunday, September 5, 2010: 8am start for 91 mile ride; 10am start for 40 and 55 mile rides (all ride routes are relatively flat); 1 - 3pm BBQ and Raffle. RSVP by August 30.

DONATION: $60 per person / $40 per person for couples and families payable the morning of the ride (a tax receipt will be provided at the event)

DETAILS: A ride along Napa's historic Silverado Trail with a BBQ waiting for you at the finish, a 100% tax deductible donation to Best Buddies, and a chance to win Rabobank gear and VIP finish line passes at the 2011 Tour of California ... it doesn't get better than this!

Rabobank is recruiting and training a team to join Anthony Shriver in an exclusive ride along the Pacific Coast Highway between Carmel and Hearst Castle on September 11 to benefit Best Buddies, an organization that grew out of Special Olympics to connect intellectually disabled individuals with local school programs, mentors and a circle of friends they can count on every day. This September 5 event is a recruitment, training and fundraising event for Best Buddies.

Get the word out, share this invitation, bring family and friends, and give some thought as to whether you'd like to do more than support the event by proudly wearing the Orange and Blue jersey that will identify each member of Team Rabobank on September 11.( Visit www.hcchallenge2010.org to sign up for Team Rabobank, please use promotion code RABOBANK to reduce your fundraising goal from $1800 to $1350).

Splash and Dash: Ultraman Canada-- the making of an Ultraman (Part I) - MoreSweat!

2010-08-09T11:42:00.000-07:00

Splash and Dash: Ultraman Canada-- the making of an Ultraman (Part I) - MoreSweat!

'Ride the California Coast with Best Buddies'

2010-08-07T16:36:00.000-07:00

'Ride the California Coast with Best Buddies'

The Eve of Ultraman

2010-07-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

We arrived yesterday, Thursday, in Penticton, Canada with two of our alumni crew members, Rob & Beth Brewster (left) who crewed for Duane (center left) at Ultraman Hawaii '08, and our newest crew member Tom Koundakjian (right). It's good to be back. Upon entering the door to registration, you are greeted by wide smiles and familiar faces - that is the spirit of Ultraman, Ohana, family.

Since Duane's Ultraman in Hawaii, I've crewed more than three times in less than two years. We returned last summer to crew for Beth Brewster (the source of my inspiration to do this wondrous event) and again for Kathy Winkler in Hawaii, '09, who finished second behind Ultraman Champion, Shanna Armstrong. People keep coming back to crew, compete or volunteer. If not by the end of the eve of Ultraman, Ohana is experienced by the end of the first day (10K swim and 90 mile bike) and it's the crew and volunteers that brings the spirit alive!

Crewing Ultraman Canada '09

The "crew" has the most important job of all during Ultraman. Their job is dedicated to making sure their athlete's needs are met. They provide the roaming aid station along the entire course, make sure the athlete is hydrated, fueled, staying cool, happy (as much as can be), that their bike functions properly, and focused on their race (as I type this, my crew is out shopping for my food, ice, water, etc). The competing athlete is completely supported by the crew, not to mentioned entertained. They rally to lift your spirits when the road is long, temperatures are hot and hills continue to climb.

Today was all about logistics, eating, resting, checking that the equipment functions properly, crews roles defined. This morning we attended the athlete breakfast which was followed by a two hour athlete/crew meeting then visited the swim start (see video below) at Lake Skaha. The water temperature was approximately 74F. Since, I will be in the water for greater than three hours I've decided to wear a full sleeve wetsuit. If this were a 2.4 mile swim or 2 hour swim, maybe I'd go sleeveless, but knowing how my body responds in the water after three hours, I'm playing it safe. My kayaker, Rob Brewster, will have my hydration fluid (and his) and a few bars so I continue to eat and prepare for the ninety mile bike following the 10K swim. A ninety mile bike seems like a drop in the bucket those who often ride "long". But keep in mind that the body needs forty-eight hours to recover and the only recovery an athlete gets is the fuel they eat or drink following day one and a little sleep.

As I have been advised and have witness, Ultraman is the ultimate pacing event. Let Captain Ego control the show and soon you'll see that the double marathon on day thre crumble right below your feet.

So, you think you want to do Ultraman? Stay tuned...the event starts tomorrow.

The Road to Ultraman Canada

2010-07-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

This is Ultraman: Forty athletes from around the world have been invited to compete in this 318.6 mile individual endurance event taking place in Penticton, Canada. The race occurs over the course of three days and consists of a 10K swim and a 90 mi bike (day 1), 170 mile bike (day 2) and a double marathon (52.4 mile run (day 3). Ultraman Canada is a pre-qualifier to the World Championship Ultraman in Kona, Hawail.

The Bay Area Road to Kona, The Ironman World Championship

2009-10-20T15:44:00.000-07:00

MoreMarin Buzz Home

Congratulations to Ironman Canada and Louisville Athletes

2009-09-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to our final Ironman finishers of the 2009 Trifiniti GGTC Ironman group program. As you recall IM Louisville and Canada wereheld two weeks ago. Dorette and I were in Germany at the time with limited internet access. But we were extremely excited and proud as the scrambled results came streaming in.

Canada dealt some challenging conditions with warm temperatures and smoke in the air from nearbyfires. The wind didn't make it any easier on the out and backsection near mile 60. However the conditions were no match this day forfirst time finishers Jenn Davis and Jamie Westcott. Richard Valenzuela, Fernando Chilvarguer, Grant Richards and Peter Bartelme added anothermedal to their collection with successful finishes.

A few time zones earlier Romeo Nido and Jesus Trinidad were taking on the elements at Ironman Louisville. It was a first time attempt at the distance for both of them. Jesus finished strong and happy feeling like a rock star as he made his final sprint down the finishing chute. Romeo, who just learned to swim for this goal, emerged in style from the river sans wetsuit as they are not allowed in this event. Romeo endured the rolling bike course arriving under the cut off but came just shy of meeting the time limit midway through the marathon course. This was a big accomplishment for Romeo who is already setting his sights onanother Ironman.

This concludes this year's IM events. I will post one more announcement with the names of all our Ironman athletes. Great job; you guys rock!!
Duane

A Call for Fall Training: Triathletes and Runners

2009-08-22T00:00:00.001-07:00

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IM CDA 2009 race report!!!

2009-06-22T15:44:00.001-07:00

2009 IM CDA Race Report:

It’s Monday morning. I’ve successfully hobbled from my bed to the couch after a semi-sleepless night due to some seriously achy legs. So much so in fact, that every time I get up or move I feel I have to plan ahead.

I really battled in CDA this year—seemingly much more so than years past—although maybe I say that every year as athletes (fortunately) have a short-term memory for extreme physical pain. Otherwise, how on earth would these ridiculous races sell out year after year? And to be clear, an Ironman is an absolutely ridiculous race! It is just so long. I guess after doing two of them the previous years though a little bit of the magic was lost for me going in. It’s doable, I’d tell myself. No sweat. No sweat??!! Doable?!! These words—once so certain in my mind—rang hollow as soon as I started to get clobbered 10 yards into the swim. Then again about every 10 miles into the bike. And further more about every other mile on the run!!!

Based on the last few year’s times in the 25-29 AG, I knew that I was well within striking distance for going top 5 (maybe top 3?) and punching my ticket back to Kona. Something I really wanted after sitting out on the sidelines during last years epic battle on the big island. My 9:55 performance from last year would have placed me in 6th place in the 25-29 and only 3 minutes out of top 4—a kona guarantee. Going into today, I knew that I could go under 9:40-45 if everything went all right. Going close to last year’s time was my “B” race goal and at least a Kona slot.

Unfortunately, my very solid 9:49 performance placed me 9th and 6 minutes from 5th place. So understandably my feelings about yesterday are a little mixed. On the one side, my big island intentions proved elusive yet again. On top of that, I was served a pretty heaping plate of humble pie by my fellow competitors. On the other side, I battled with myself every step of the way and in the process rediscovered the magic of this crazy distance. Let me explain….

Up until about two weeks ago, training that had been going like clockwork . Under the incredible guidance of Alex Margolin—a strength coach and trainer who I credit with getting me healthy again over the winter, getting my strong again in the gym, and the getting me fast again on the bike and the run. After consulting with Duane, I made the decision to work with Alex and to change my training. Long story short, 5km track repeats, 15min max wattage intervals, and bike and run time trials replaced my 18-20 mile runs and 100+ mile bike rides as my key IM preparation. I also stayed in the gym working on plyometrics and overall strength (how many other triathletes out there can do 100 pullups?).

This training is the best for improving strength and speed…but endurance for an IM too? I put my faith in Alex. Heck, he’s already gotten me this far…So going into this weekend, I knew I could do well, but it was on far less volume. Thus, the mental side of things would have to be there. Considering my longest run was 16 miles and longest ride since may was 65 miles, I tried to keep my doubt and nay-saying in check. Considering how I felt out there and how many times I wanted to quit, I’m very happy with how little I slowed down! And thus the magic of Ironman returned. I really didn’t think I could finish a few times today! But I did. I struggled with confidence, but continued. I got distracted and discouraged, but remained focused. Congratulations to every one who raced this weekend both in CDA and in San Jose. With club competitions, podiums, and Kona slots out there, sometimes we take for granted how difficult it is to finish. To leave with a Woody Allen quote, “80 percent of life is showing up.” For triathlons and triathletes, showing up to the starting line and finishing the race is a real feat in itself.

Happy Training,

Nate

Trifiniti 40 Ironman Update

2009-06-14T13:01:00.000-07:00

Greetings Trifiniti Ironman athletes,
I want to take a few minutes to thank you for allowing us to help you prepare for your Ironman events this year. The following is an update on all our Ironman athletes who are enrolled in our group program and a few who are coached individually.

Congratulations to Daniel Scarberry who successfully completed his first Ironman at Brazil 2 weeks ago. Daniel did an excellent job pacing on the bike which allowed him to blitz the marathon. Most of us already know that Francois Lariviere completed Ironman New Zealand in early March. He will take on his second IM of the season at Nice France in two weeks. Joining him will be Barbara Walker in her second IM and Jenny Eddy who will also be competing in her second IM.

We have 13 headed to Coeur d’Alene Idaho next week. Good luck to Kevin Kinkor (his 2nd), Victor Shum (his 3rd), Geoff Farrell (his 3rd), Tom O’Brien (his 3rd) and Tom Trauger (his 2nd). Our list of “Iron Rookies” include, Lara Rafton, Mary Ashby, Preston McCaskill, Rachel Lee, Rahim Rahman and Sydney Fang. We are very excited for you. The player coaches (that’s a baseball term) will be Coach Nate Helming at Coeur d’Alene for his third straight year and yours truly, Coach D returning to CDA for IM number 14. Coach D2 (Dorette Franks) will be coaching from the sidelines this year.

While the Coeur d’Alene victors are resting and celebrating our triumphs, Ann Weinstock will be visiting the UK and pounding out another Ironman in the process. Stan Beraznik will be a hop, skip and jump (or swim, bike and run) away in Zurich competing in his first IM.

In late July we will be tuned into Ironmanlive.com cheering for Dave Lampert, Sarah Becker and David Evans in Lake Placid. This will be Sarah’s first Ironman. David completed Ironman Florida a couple years ago. I can share from my experience that the bike course at Lake Placid is nothing like Florida. Dave Lampert is an Ironman veteran who keeps on getting faster. He already completed New Zealand this year. Good luck you three.

We have a couple athletes who will stay local and enter the Full Vineman in early August. I speak from experience again when I tell you that this can be a very challenging course when the Sonoma summer heat gets turned up. But there’s no doubt about the ability of these two cool cats. Good luck Mike Roach and Kenny Clews.

The last weekend in August will be busy in Louisville and Penticton. First timers Jesus “JT” Trinidad and Romeo Nido will swim, bike and run their very own Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile we will have a small Trifiniti army invading the opposite side of North America competing in Penticton, British Columbia Canada. Leading the troops into battle will be Ironman veteran’s Jeri Howland who’s won about 5 Ironman age group titles, Grant Richards (l lost count how many he’s done), Chung-Man Chu (Can’t remember how many he’s done but enough that he should know better), Peter Bartelme (his 3rd), Fernando Chilvarguer (his 3rd), Leishia Woolwine (her 3rd) and X-Big Man, Mark Davis (visit xbigman.com for his amazing story). Following close behind will be a swarm of “Iron Rookies” that will include, Jamie Westcott, Jenn Davis, Richard Valenzuela, Tom Koundakjian and John Petty.

John Felts may close out the Ironman season in Arizona in November when he toes the line to go long for the first time in his celebrated athletic career.

I used the term “may” above because there is still the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona in October. But we don’t want to jinx anyone by talking about who can qualify for the grand daddy of all triathlons.

Special recognition to Alex Hetherington who was forced to withdraw from CDA this year following his bike crash. While in the ER that day, he was already talking about rolling his entry to next year so we know he’ll be back soon

Good luck to all of you! You make us very proud coaches.

Trifiniti Coaches
Duane, Dorette and Nate

Athlete Spotlight: Dave Lampert makes Amazing Comeback!!

2009-05-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

It's inevitable that all athletes have setbacks when it comes to training. These setbacks can last as little as a few days or be prolonged for weeks at a time. Disturbances sometimes come from wonderful events like the arrival of a new child or setting off for an exciting adventure around the globe. This wasn't the case for long time Trifiniti athlete, Dave Lampert. His setback of several months came as the result of contracting a mystery virus following a trip from Africa where he celebrated his 50th birthday by climbing Mt Kilimanjaro. Dave became ill shortly after returning to his home in Novato. At first he thought he had caught the basic flu but when the symptoms worsened, his physician decided to hospitalize him and run tests. Dave's conditioned continued on a bad track and quickly regressed to meningitis which led to serious neurological and muscular problems. Dave a veteran of multiple Ironman races and a host of other endurance feats, was no longer able to walk unassisted or stand on his own two legs. He bounced back and forth between home, the hospital and the Kentfield Rehabilitation Center, where he spend more than a week. With his wife, Lisa by his side every step of the way, Dave decided to handle his daily physical therapy sessions with the same determination and positive attitude as he does his athletic training. His therapist and physicians were amazed at his progress. He continued to challenge himself well beyond his prescription as triathletes often do. He was soon able to move around with the help of a walker and then on his own with a John Wayne like swagger. If Dave ever became impatient, you would never see it. His ever-optimistic and strong self confidence became the backbone of his progress. Dave started planning his return to cycling even before he could walk a straight line. His first couple minutes back on the saddle were on a stationary trainer, which soon became a spin bike at Bay Club Marin. Then he finally made the jump to the great open highway and beyond. Meanwhile his legs were on a 'hit or miss' basis when it came to running. He had his good days and not so good days. His jogging intervals grew in duration as the walking became proportionately shorter. By September he set his sights on the 3-day triathlon in Lake Tahoe. He successfully completed the 2 mile swim on day one, 72 mile around the lake bike race on day two, and capped of the weekend with a full marathon from Tahoe City to South Lake Tahoe on the final day. While still not 100%, Dave registered for Ironman New Zealand scheduled only a few months away. Now with a new lease on life, training and racing, Dave conquered the Ironman New Zealand course with the same tenacity he is now famous for. His time of 13:48 was not that far off his PR. Congratulations Dave for your inspiring comeback!