Tri Zones Training

Tri Hard, Live Easy Newsletter -- March 20

Tri Zones Training would like to welcome you to the Tri Hard, Live Easy Newsletter! You will receive this newsletter every week during the spring triathlon season, between now and Danskin (June 8). Here you will find news and information about training, details about upcoming events and workshops, and a Training Tip of the Week. Through this newsletter, we hope to inform you of the many resources available to you while you train for spring triathlons including Danskin, Skeese Greets Women’s Tri, The Rookie, and CapTexTri. For more information about training resources, visit our web site at www.trizones.com. And feel free to forward this newsletter to any of your friends who are training for triathlons this spring!

This Week:

1. Spring Triathlon Clinic tonight!
2. Danskin Pre-Race Seminar on April 2
3. Be careful while on your bike!
4. Trek cycling tips
5. Tri Zones spring training early bird deadline is this weekend!
6. Poll:  What kind of bike do you have?
7. Question of the Week - "How do I change clothes at the race for all three sports?"
8. Upcoming Training Events and Workshops
9. Training Tip of the Week – Equipment needed to get started

1. Spring Triathlon Clinic tonight!
Tough Cookies Fitness presents a Spring Triathlon Clinic on Thursday, March 20 at 6:00pm (tonight!) at Bettysport downtown. Come mingle over a glass of wine and learn women-specific triathlon training tips from USA Triathlon and USA Cycling certified coaches!  Get answers to all your questions:
- How to train for you first triathlon
- Moving up from sprint to Olympic distance triathlons
- Planning your training season
- Creative training tips for moms
- Buying a bike
- Cycling training tips
- Latest women-specific triathlon gear
- Nutrition tips
…and much more!

2. Danskin Pre-Race Seminar on April 2
MassMutual Financial Group will present a FREE Training Seminar, conducted by Sally Edwards, Danskin Women's Triathlon Series Spokeswoman, at REI downtown on Wednesday, April 2.  For more details, visit the Danskin web site.

3. Be careful while on your bike!
Check out this cool video to see why it’s so important to be extra cautious while out on your bike.

4. Trek cycling tips
Trek shares ten tips for smoother cycling, including how to find the right bike, proper bike fit, how to start and stop with grace, and shifting.  To see all ten tips, visit http://www.danskin.com/trektip.html.

5. Tri Zones spring training early bird deadline is this weekend!
On April 1 and 2, Tri Zones will begin its 10-week spring training programs.  The early bird discount ends this weekend, so don’t delay if you’d like to save $20!

We will be offering four teams this spring:

Women’s teams – We’ll have 3 teams:  North, South, and NXNW (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.  (We will offer two levels – First Tri and Tri, Tri Again)

Intermediates Co-Ed team – Great for those of you who have some triathlon experience under your belt, and also for men who are training for triathlons.

And we're offering a Bring-A-Buddy discount -- if you bring a new member to Tri Zones, you'll receive a $10 refund on your registration fee!!!

For more details about our training options this spring, visit our site at www.trizones.com

6. Poll:  What kind of bike do you have?
We’d like to know what kind of bike you have!  Go to www.trizones.com, and take part in our poll.  And if you’re wondering if your bike will get you through the triathlon, come see us at our free info seminar this Saturday – we’ll be talking about bikes!

7. Question of the Week - "How do I change clothes at the race for all three sports?"
Most triathletes doing sprint-distance races will not change from one outfit to another between the swim, the bike, and the run.

Some people do the entire race in a swimsuit, and those who are modest will add layers (running shorts plus a shirt) on top of their swimsuit while in transition.

Many triathletes wear tri apparel:
- Tri shorts look like bike shorts, but they have a thin, fleece padding that dries quickly.
- Tri tops are usually lycra and stretchy (like swimsuit material) and dry quickly too.  A tri top usually looks like a tight-fitting tank top or sleeveless shirt, and it will provide more coverage than a swimsuit top would provide.
- Tri suits look like a tri top plus tri shorts all together in one piece.

Tri apparel is comfortable, provides good coverage, and dries quickly, which makes these items ideal for wearing throughout the swim, bike, and run portions of the race.  

8. Upcoming training events and workshops
Spring Triathlon Clinic
March 20, 6:00pm, Bettysport, free!
Tough Cookies Fitness presents a Spring Triathlon Clinic – mingle over a glass of wine and learn women-specific triathlon training tips from USA Triathlon and USA Cycling certified coaches.

You Can TRI Seminar series – Is your bike a TRI cycle?
March 22, 9:30 – 10:30am, Jack and Adam’s, FREE!
Tri Zones coaches will show you the kinds of bikes you'll see on race day, the importance of proper bike fit, and how your helmet should fit. All bikes are welcome at these races!  www.trizones.com

It takes what to TRI?
March 24, 7:00 – 8:30pm, REI Gateway, FREE!
We'll tell you about the gear you really need before getting started, and we'll help differentiate between the must-haves and the nice-to-haves. You don't have to be a gearhead, but you can be if you want to! We'll show you your options!  www.trizones.com

Women: You'll never know until you TRI!
March 26, 7:00 – 8:30pm, REI Gateway, FREE!
Is that a triathlete you see in the mirror? Have you heard that the Danskin Women's Triathlon is a life-changing experience and you wonder if you can do it? Learn about what it's like to train for a tri and what to expect at your first all-women's triathlon. Gain the confidence that YOU CAN DO IT whether your goal is the Skeese Greets Women's Tri or the Danskin Women's Triathlon!  www.trizones.com

Rosedale Ride
March 29, 8:30am, Samsung Austin Semiconductor, $25
The 14th annual Rosedale Ride is on March 29 is always a great ride on beautiful country roads.  The ride benefits the Rosedale School, the AISD’s only school for children with multiple disabilities.  Open to cyclists of all abilities, the ride offers different courses to suit anyone. This year the Rosedale Ride has four courses to choose from: a Kid’s Fun Ride; or courses of 20+, 42+ or 62+ miles. The ride begins and ends at Samsung, winding through the gently rolling countryside east of Austin. http://www.rosedaleride.org

Women: You'll never know until you TRI!
March 29, 9:30 – 10:30am, Jack and Adam’s, FREE!
Is that a triathlete you see in the mirror? Have you heard that the Danskin Women's Triathlon is a life-changing experience and you wonder if you can do it? Learn about what it's like to train for a tri and what to expect at your first all-women's triathlon. Gain the confidence that YOU CAN DO IT whether your goal is the Skeese Greets Women's Tri or the Danskin Women's Triathlon!  www.trizones.com

Capitol 10,000
March 30, 8:45am, Austin American Statesman, $30 or $32 (youth discount available)
The Statesman Capitol 10,000 is the largest 10K in Texas and an annual rite of spring in Austin, Texas.  In its 31st year, the Capitol 10,000 attracts the silly to the serious and has become a fun, festive tradition for the whole family!  http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/cap10k/index.html
 
9. Training Tip of the Week – Equipment needed to get started
There is basic equipment you’ll need to get started in all three sports of a triathlon – swim, bike, and run.  For the swim, you’ll need a swimsuit, goggles, and a swim cap.  Goggles are important to allow you to see well under water.  At the store, try on different kinds of goggles.  Press them up to your face without putting the elastic band around your head – they should stay on well without the strap. A swim cap will help protect your hair from chlorinated water if you train in a chlorinated pool.  It is also a safety requirement if you’re ever swimming in a lake to practice your open water swimming. On race day, you will be provided a colored cap to wear which designates the group you will start the race with (each group, called a "wave", of about 100 women will start the race together).

For the bike, you’ll need a bicycle that fits properly, a helmet (REQUIRED to do the race), comfortable cycling shorts or a comfortable bike seat, a water bottle and a cage to hold it, gloves (if your hands sweat a lot), and a spare tube and tools to change a flat tire. A pair of sunglasses can provide a lot of comfort and safety for your eyes.  It is extremely important that your bike fits you well – the height of your seat post, the position of your saddle, and the location of your handlebars, among other things.  If your bike doesn’t fit you well, you will not get the power you need to ride effectively, and you risk injury once you start building up the miles.  Any local bike shop can provide a bike fit for you. 

For the run, you’ll need comfortable running shorts, running shoes that fit well, and women will need a sports bra that provides good support.  A hat can also help with sun protection.  With running shoes, there’s more to fit than just comfort.  Since your feet are taking a pounding when you run, it’s important to take your biomechanics into account when purchasing a pair of running shoes.  Shoes that are too old or shoes that don’t provide the right support for your needs will end up causing discomfort and injury.  The experts at RunTex take the time to ensure you have the right pair of shoes for your needs.  And if you bring in an old pair of running shoes, RunTex will give you a 10% discount (and the old shoes are donated to the needy!).

That's it for equipment. There are lots of extra fun items you can consider (try the local shops) and you might want a bag to keep all your equipment together.  For more information about training and race equipment, come to our free gear talk at REI on Monday, March 24!! 

---

If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, please visit us at www.trizones.com, or you can send email to newsletter-subscribe@lists.trizones.com.

If you have questions about triathlons, submit them on the discussion forum at www.trizones.com. Happy training!