Tri Zones Training

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tri Zones Training Helps Beginner Triathletes Navigate the Way

Tri Zones offers resources for new triathletes as they prepare for upcoming Austin races, including the Danskin Women’s Triathlon

AUSTIN, TEXAS – February 14, 2008 – Tri Zones Training has launched a multi-faceted approach to helping beginner triathletes learn more about the sport of triathlon. In addition to the quality training programs that Tri Zones has long provided, the Tri Zones coaches are now offering a variety of free resources to beginners, including a series of informational seminars, a weekly e-newsletter, an online Beginners Corner, and a discussion forum.

Each June, over 3,000 women participate in the Danskin Women’s Triathlon in Austin, the majority of them beginners. Other upcoming beginner-friendly races this spring include The Rookie, Skeese Greets Women’s Tri, and CapTex First Tri. As a result, thousands of new triathletes will be seeking to learn all they can about the sport of triathlon. Tri Zones Training’s new offerings will help guide beginner triathletes this spring.

The Tri Zones coaches are offering the You Can TRI informational seminar series. Designed to answer beginner triathletes’ questions about training and races, the free seminars are held every Saturday in March at Jack and Adam’s at 9:30 a.m.:

March 1 -- Give it a TRI! – What to expect while training for and participating in a first triathlon
March 8 -- It takes what to TRI? – What gear is needed for a triathlon
March 15 -- Get off the couch and TRI! – How to ease into training and stay motivated
March 22 -- Is your bike a TRI cycle? – What kinds of bikes can be used by beginners
March 29 -- Women: You'll never know until you TRI! – What to expect while training for and participating in a women’s-only triathlon, including the Danskin Women's Triathlon or Skeese Greets Women's Tri

While the You Can TRI seminars provide beginner triathletes the chance to meet coaches face-to-face, Tri Zones is also offering several free online options for learning about triathlon, available at www.trizones.com.

Starting in March, Tri Zones coaches will distribute a free weekly e-newsletter to subscribers. The e-newsletter will feature training tips, upcoming training events, announcements about upcoming races, and much more.

Tri Zones has recently added a Beginners Corner to their web site, with Frequently Asked Questions, a list of training gear, links to resources, and training tips. Readers can learn what to expect on the swim, bike, run, transition, and putting it all together.

The Tri Zones web site also features a discussion forum where beginners can post questions and comments. Tri Zones coaches and active members will monitor the forum and reply with tips and advice.

Head Coach Tracy Nelson says she wants to provide a comprehensive local online resource. “We’d like to be seen as the go-to place for beginners, offering information to help them learn more about the sport of triathlon.”

Along with the online resources, Tri Zones Training continues to offer their team training programs for beginner and intermediate triathletes. Their beginner teams provide supportive training solutions that empower novices as they prepare for their first sprint-distance triathlon. Their intermediate teams focus on improving skills and performance while maintaining camaraderie for a variety of distances, including sprint, Olympic, and half Ironman.

The Tri Zones spring training options include:

March Pre-Season Tune-up – March 4 through March 29
Separate teams for Beginners and Intermediates will meet twice a week to dust off the winter blues and get a jump start on spring training.

Spring Women-Only Teams or Co-ed Intermediate Teams – April 2 through June 11
- Women’s Only – Featuring 3 teams: North, South, and Round Rock/Cedar Park. Perfect for those women who want to make Danskin or Skeese Greets Women’s Tri their first triathlon, or for those who want to improve their triathlon performance through a supportive women-only environment. Each team offers two levels – First Tri (for beginners), and Tri, Tri Again (for those with triathlon experience)
- Intermediates (Co-Ed) – Great for those of who have some triathlon experience under their belts and are looking to take it up a notch, and also for men who are training for the Texas Tri Series.

The Tri Zones coaches have extensive experience working with beginners and women – they led Team Danskin Training in Austin for the last five years, and head coach Tracy Nelson has been on the local Danskin race committee since 2000. This year, Tri Zones is making the switch to offer their women’s-only spring training program under the Tri Zones name.

Tri Zones welcomes all abilities, as evidenced by 69-year-old Jody Kelly who joined the team in 2007. “Where else could a 69-year-old non-athlete go for caring, attentive, realistic, expert triathlon coaching?” she said. After winning her age group in her first triathlon, she said, “This training stuff works, even for an elderly non-athlete. Tri Zones and Coach Tracy are a winning combination, no matter how old you are, what shape you're in, or what your athletic (or non-athletic) background may be.”

There are countless benefits to training with a team. Team members are empowered to try things beyond their comfort level. With USA Triathlon-certified coaches guiding the workouts, Tri Zones members improve skills while increasing their endurance. Workout calendars help them stay on track during the weeks leading up to race day. The journey to the finish line is made easier with the knowledge and confidence they’ve gained throughout the training process.

“A training group is a great idea because while you may say you can swim, you can bike, you can run, you may not have done them all back to back to back, and it's not as easy as it sounds!” said Pam Tobias, a Tri Zones member since 2004. “A training group can teach you what to wear, what gear you need, how to eat and drink for an endurance event, how to transition between the sports, and how to perform each sport most efficiently so that you have the most energy left for the end of the race.”

Instead of one training partner, athletes have a team full of training partners to help keep them motivated. The Tri Zones teams have a reputation for fostering camaraderie and support for the entire team, regardless of skill level.

Tobias loves the way she feels after the team workouts and the friends she’s made through Tri Zones. “There are good training days and bad training days, but I always leave a workout feeling good about myself and my accomplishments,” she said. “We are a group of people that have chosen to fit triathlon training into our busy lives. Everyone is welcome, whether their desire is to place in their age group or to set a personal best or simply to get fit and have fun. We cheer each other on and celebrate every victory, which happens every time a teammate crosses a finish line.”

About Tri Zones Training:
Tri Zones Training provides triathlon and running training programs for beginners and intermediates in Austin, Texas. Known for a positive team spirit and camaraderie, the Tri Zones coaches empower their athletes to reach their personal fitness goals in a fun and friendly environment. Tri Zones was founded by the coaches who managed Team Danskin Training in Austin from 2003 until 2007. Coaches Gina Lardon and Tracy Nelson started Tri Zones Training in 2003 when Team Danskin members found themselves hooked on a new lifestyle of fitness and wanted to continue training for triathlons after Danskin was over. Since then, Tri Zones has grown to a year-round training program, offering triathlon training in the spring/summer and marathon and half marathon training in the fall/winter.

CONTACT:
Tracy Nelson
Tri Zones Training
Contact via email
www.trizones.com

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