OC TRI RACE REPORT
Jarrett Pfleiger
The Orange County Triathlon in 2008 was my first ever triathlon, so I was excited to see how I have improved over the last year. This would be my first time ever repeating a race in my young triathlon career. My training was anything but consistent over the last year, but I was confident that I had improved a little in fitness and a lot in knowledge, pacing, and race strategy, not to mention the quality of equipment I was using. Last year I rode the course on an old Fuji road bike with running shoes and no foot straps.
A few months out from the race on September 27th, I decided to dedicate my training and make this my “A” race and last one of the season. For a month, I was doing very well, then we started getting busier here at Triathica (definitely a good problem to have) and I had less and less time to train. About a month out from the race my training routine fell apart and I really only trained here and there when I could. I was still pumped for the race and excited for all the Triathica members who would be racing that weekend for the first time.
The night before the race I actually felt the best I ever had. My expectations were not high for the race so I was able to relax and have fun the next day. I got the best sleep I ever have before a race.
For breakfast I powered down a few snickers marathon bars that I got the day before at the expo. Those things are great! They literally taste like candy bars. I loaded all my stuff up in a borrowed truck (can’t really fit a bike in my Miata) and headed over to the race. Got to transition a little early and found a pretty good spot in transition. I brought my wetsuit just in case, but I thought it would be too warm to wear it. This turned out to be correct.
I walked around transition a bit and chatted with a few Triathica members I found. I felt really relaxed which is weird for me. I’m always pretty jacked up on race morning. One thing I was worried about was my goggle situation. I have a pair of dark and clear goggles. Clear goggles were the obvious choice for an early race start, but they got a little warped and I was worried about leakage. I brought both pairs down to the water and tested the clear ones. They seemed to hold up fine so I went back to my T1 area and put away my dark goggles. Probably something I should have tested days ago, live and learn.
It was very different not being the first wave since I’m usually in with the pros and the 29 and unders who normally start first. This time I was in the fifth wave, which was cool since I actually got to watch other people start.
I’m usually cautious on the swim start and try to stay away from the congestion. I’m gaining confidence in my swim so I decided to just go for it. When the horn blew I sprinted out in front and did a few dolphins. I was in front for probably the first minute of the swim until I settled into a good pace. I started to see people pass me, but I just stayed on my pace and tried to follow some feet.
After a while I started drifting to the right towards the course markers. Once I got right up next to them I adjusted and just used them to sight with until I hit the big buoy out in the middle of the lake. The rest of the swim went pretty smooth and after I rounded the first buoy, I started passing people in caps that were a wave or two ahead of me. Once I rounded the last buoy, I started seeing caps from the 2nd wave. I was sure I had a pretty good swim.
The bike portion went pretty well for me. I’ve had a problem in the past riding at too low a cadence and hammering too hard, wearing my legs out very quickly. This race I was concentrating on keeping my cadence high and spinning up the hills instead of hammering. I passed a lot of people on the bike and didn’t get passed all that much. There were a few guys I was going back and forth with almost the whole course. Guy in the pink jersey, you know who you are.
When I was nearing T2, I started getting ready to dismount and tried to move a Gu packet from my shorts to the back pocket in my tri top. Instead or reaching back and slipping it in the pocket, I slipped it under my race belt and it fell, skidding along the ground behind me. I didn’t panic because I felt pretty good and had downed a bottle full of Gatorade on the bike. The Gu was just for emergencies anyways.
I got off the bike feeling the best I’ve ever felt for the run. The first mile or two I felt really good. I held back a little because I knew what lay ahead. Even though I held back, once I hit those hills, I fell apart. I started getting these sharp pains in my lower quads and left hamstring. I had to walk/run up the steep hills and even walking was painful. I had no idea what was going on, but I kept thinking about my Gu packet sitting on the bike course by transition. It could have been a nutrition problem, but my body felt good, just my legs were killing me.
I struggled up Vista del Lago and once I got the top, my legs had had enough. My lower quads were searing and I felt like I needed to stretch them out. I lifted my left ankle up so I could grab it and stretch the quad. BAM! My hamstring tightened and I promptly fell to the ground, rubbing the grapefruit size ball on the back of my leg and trying to stretch it out. After a few minutes of rubbing and stretching I was able to straighten my leg. It sucks to watch people pass you, as you lay helpless on the ground. I think one or two people asked if I was OK, but everyone else was distracted with their own pain.
When I got up, I felt a little better as I started hobbling along. It still felt like I was going to cramp any minute, but it wasn’t as painful. I started to pick up speed and passed a lot of people that had passed me. One guy I ran past offered me some extra drink he had in his race belt. I thanked him and guzzled down a bottle in about two seconds. I’m not sure it helped, but it gave me the mental boost I needed.
I continued on and started to pick up speed on the downhills when I started having pain again. It was weird because the pain was only below my shorts, so I started moving them around a bit. It worked and the pain subsided temporarily. I came to the conclusion that my strategy of wearing double layers for the extra compression actually was cutting off circulation in my leg. I was almost done with the race so I just powered through it for the last mile.
The fact that the last half-mile of the course was all downhill made my day. I just cruised to the finish line and from my watch it looked like I beat my time last year by about 15 minutes.
I stuffed my face full of nutrition, got a sweet massage, and talked to bunch of other people about their race. I hated when people asked how my race went, I didn’t like explaining I was an idiot and died on the run, which could have been prevented. Oh well, I still had fun and there is always next year.
I ended up getting 18th in the 25-29 age group and finished in 2:33:13. I beat my time last year by about 15 minutes and lost a ton of time to cramps. Needless to say, I was very happy with my performance considering. Now it’s time to dedicate my training this off-season and come back with a vengeance next year.
OCEANSIDE COMPUTRAINER
Jarrett Pfleiger
Calling all athletes competing in the Ironman California 70.3 in Oceanside on March 27th, 2010. If you are planning on doing well in this race, you need to know the course. Unfortunately, the majority of the bike course is on Camp Pendleton marine base and cannot be accessed except for race day. If you want to get familiar with the course and be successful on race day, we might have a solution for you.
At Triathica, we have a room full of CompuTrainers that can simulate real courses around the world. You bring in your own bike, we set it up on the trainer, and the computer does all the work. Well you still have to work hard, but the CompuTrainer will adjust the resistance based on the course profile to make it feel like you are actually riding the course. You will have to shift gears and everything just like you were riding.
There are over 100 courses loaded in our system right now, and 70.3 Oceanside is one of them. We want to give everyone a chance to come in and ride the course to get a taste of what they can expect on March 27th. The CompuTrainer also measures watts, heart rate, cadence, and a lot of other data. If that means nothing to you, don’t worry. If you like analyzing numbers, these things are a techie’s dream.
We will be having a MultiRider ride of the course on Sunday, October 16th at noon. There are only six spots, so don’t wait to reserve your spot. Email Jarrett@triathica.com or call 949.273.6223. If you would like to come on another day to ride yourself or with a few friends, let us know.
COMMON SWIM STROKE FLAWS
Jarrett Pfleiger
The swim is the one thing that strikes fear into most beginner triathletes. Many veteran triathletes still struggle to be competitive in this event also. The swim is a humbling experience for many beginning swimmers. Even the fittest athletes will be very winded after only a few laps in the pool if they have bad form. The freestyle stroke is similar to a golf swing in that you could have all the strength and power in the world, but if you have poor technique, you will not be very successful.
Swimming isn’t natural for humans and it takes more practice to master technique as opposed to cycling and running. Once you do master the technique, you will have a big advantage over other athletes who have not taken the time to refine their stroke. Even though there are many parts of a swim stroke that can be off, there are a few major mistakes most people make that, when corrected, can make a noticeable difference in swim speed and energy expenditure.
Next time you go to the pool, consciously think about your stroke and try to figure out if you make any of these mistakes.
Head position:
This is, by far, the most common mistake I see in athletes. The good news is that it’s also the one that gives the most benefit when fixed. While swimming, people tend to lift their heads too much, especially when breathing. When your head is tilted up in the water, you hips will drop lower in the water automatically. When your hips and legs drop in the water, you will create more surface area and will be plowing through the water instead of slicing through it like a torpedo.
Try to keep you head and neck in a neutral position, just like if you were standing straight up on land. Your face should be pointed to the bottom of the pool (ocean, lake, etc.) and your eyes should be looking ahead. You do need to see where you’re going, but look with your eyes, not your head. Keeping your head down will make your body more hydrodynamic and will help you go faster while expending less energy.
Body roll:
The old school way of swimming was to swim with your chest and stomach pointing down at all times and use your arms and legs to propel you. This is a recipe for shoulder problems, rapid fatigue, and slow swimming. Your body is most hydrodynamic while on its side, so incorporating more body roll into your stroke could work wonders.
When you take a stroke and extend your lead arm, try rotating on your side. When your right arm is extended, your chest will be pointing left. A complete 90-degree rotation isn’t necessary, but rotate as much as you can while still feeling comfortable. This should lift your shoulder out of the water and will make it easier to take your next stroke. When you do take your next stroke, you will rotate or “roll” to the opposite side. Just imaging you are on a giant BBQ skewer while you roll back and forth. This does not sound pleasant, but it is a good example of rotating on an axis.
This rotation will allow you to engage your core muscles, lats, and hips to generate more power and conserve your arms and shoulders. It will also make it easier to breath without lifting your head and causing your feet and hips to sink. Look up a few side-kick drill variations to help with feeling balance in the water on your side.
Kicking:
Focusing on kicking is not as necessary as some may think. Relatively speaking, kicking does not apply that much forward force to swimmers and uses a lot of energy. The last thing a triathlete wants to do is expend energy, especially in the legs, during the first portion of the race. If you do kick, make sure you are kicking correctly. I only kick for balance purposes and get little, if any, propulsion from my feet.
A lot of times I see swimmers’ legs separating and flailing around, kicking way too much, and bending too much in the knees. All this does is create additional resistance in the water. Keep kicks short, legs close together, knees only slightly bent, and ankles limp. Don’t point your toes unless you would like some calf cramping later in the swim.
Glide:
The swim should be smooth, fluid, graceful and almost easy compared to the pounding of the run and burn on the bike, but all too often people struggle most in the swim and are constantly battling the water. Don’t battle the water by constantly windmilling your arms, but glide through it like a fish.
After every stroke, pause for a moment or two with arm extended while on your side. With each stroke you also create forward momentum, which is wasted if you hurry to take another stroke before gliding a bit. This is free speed; take advantage of it and save energy.
Hopefully you will be able to recognize if you are making some, or all, of these mistakes. Don’t worry; these are not impossible to fix with the right drills and some practice. A good coach would be even better since they will be able to see what you cannot. Stop logging more miles in the swim, ingraining bad technique in your brain and muscle memory. Make the decision today to fix your stroke and become a whole new swimmer.
Here at Triathica, we have an Endless Pool that is perfect for swim coaching and video analysis. If you are serious about improving your stroke, swimming faster, and working less, give us a call to see how some swim coaching could take your racing to the next level.
BEGINNER TRIATHLETE CAMP
Jarrett Pfleiger
Thinking about doing a triathlon? Already done one, but want to know what you need to do to get better? Triathica is in the process of creating a triathlon camp for beginners that will help you reach your goals and give you the knowledge you need to not only finish, but also be competitive and have fun doing it.
A Triathlon is one of the best ways to get and stay in shape. Once you sign up for a race, it is a constant motivator to keep you training hard. Your results don’t lie; it is the perfect accountability partner.
The camp will more than likely be held on a weekend and will cover topics such as swimming, cycling, running, transitions, race strategy, nutrition, safety, equipment, training, and much more. Stay tuned for more information about our beginner triathlete camp.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Ron Saetermoe
Sadly, we didn’t make our new member objective so Jarrett could go to Kona, but we did enroll a bunch of new members, and for that we are extremely grateful.
To our new members, here’s what I think you’ll find. All of the staff members here at Triathica are very friendly and eager to help you. We understand that you have your own unique objectives and we’ll do everything in our power to help you reach them.
Some of the equipment can be a bit intimidating so don’t hesitate to ask questions. It takes several attempts with the CompuTrainer to get it right and be sure to use the USB stick on some of your CycleOps sessions so you can file these as marker sets (see the last newsletter).
You’ll find the Endless Pool easy to use but a bit hard to get used to. You must stay right in the middle of the stream or it will push you sideways. Once you get used to it I think you’ll find it really makes for a great workout. No flip turns needed.
And probably the biggest thing you’ll notice is the help you’ll get from Jarrett and myself when you’re here. We discussed many times before opening, how we really want people to use the facility. The large gyms DEPEND on passive members to break-even. For example, the average 24 Hour Fitness has 8,000 members. Can you imagine if all 8,000 showed up at one time? Our numbers are much lower, but we want athletes that come here often.
You’ll also find Jarrett and myself eager to help you. We love discussing your upcoming races and strategy. While we do offer personal training for a fee our guidance and advice is free so we invite you to ask us what’s on your mind.
Thank you very much for your membership! We hope to see you here often!
Cheers!
6-MONTH WINTER TRAINING MEMBERSHIP EXTENDED
By popular demand, we have decided to extend our 6-month winter training membership, for only $180, until the end of October. However, the six months still begins on October 1st, so every day you wait is another day you miss training on some of the best triathlon performance equipment in Orange County.
We know many people were very busy and didn’t get a chance to come in to sign up before the deadline. If you can’t find the time to stop in, just call us up. We can get you set up over the phone.
Don’t miss this opportunity to have a place to come when it gets cold, rainy, dark, and windy outside. Our thought is that with winter coming and daylight savings going, you’ll want to do more of your training indoors. And what better way than with our PowerTap spin bikes, CompuTrainers, an Endless Pool, and Landice treadmills, the smoothest and most quiet treadmills you will ever run on?
We have literally everything you need to get your workouts in, all in a cozy, air-conditioned facility. Don’t let the comfort fool you. Indoor training is the perfect way to focus on your workout and your workout alone. No worrying about cars, obstacles, visibility, flat tires, waiting for a lane, wearing a jacket, etc. Everything is in a controlled setting which helps you take your workouts to the next level. Dominate next year by staying in shape over the off-season.
Give us a call or come on in. 949.273.6223, Jarrett@triathica.com or 26475 Rancho Parkway South, Lake Forest
FREE GROUP WORKOUTS (Week of October 5th)
All of our group workouts are free to members and non-members, so come on out!
We want everyone to enjoy our group workouts but we should clarify the intent. The intent of the group workouts is to “workout.” Yes, it includes a social element. Yes, your Triathica host is happy to give you tips. But please be aware that everyone there is attempting to get a workout in at his or her own pace. If we all go at the slowest person’s pace many people won’t be getting in a proper workout. We will attempt to pair you up with another athlete so you’re not left alone.
Week of October 5th
Event: Group Swim
Place: Triathica flag at Big Corona near the lifeguard station next to the jetty
Day: Wednesday, October 7th
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Planned Workout: 1 – 3 loops around the buoys
Event: Group Ride
Place: Triathica HQ
Day: Saturday, October 10th
Time: 7:00 a.m.
Planned Workout: Santiago Canyon Loop
Event: Group Run
Place: Triathica HQ
Day: Sunday, October 11th
Time: 7:00 a.m.
Planned Workout: Whiting Ranch Loop
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Big Corona – Corona Del Mar From the 405 N take the Jamboree Road Exit Make a left at Jamboree Turn left at Macarthur Boulevard Turn left on to CA-1 Pacific Coast Highway Turn Right on Marguerite Turn right on Ocean Boulevard Park at the beach ($8.00) or on the street (free) |
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Triathica – Triathlon Training Center From the I-5 Freeway: Exit Bake Parkway and head east for about 4 miles Make a left on Rancho Parkway South Turn right at the 3rd driveway 2nd building on your right Triathica is in Suite B on the right side of the building (Automotive Associates’ building) |
TRIATHLON RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Get More for Your Money, Jarrett Pfleiger
Look around at any triathlon race and you will see that most triathletes are not afraid to spend money on their sport. If we think a piece of equipment will make us faster and give us an edge on our competitors, most of us will probably buy it. Bikes the price of a used car, the most cutting edge running shoes, the most buoyant wetsuits money can buy, all to shave a few seconds or minutes off their race times.
There are new technological advancements being made in the sport every day. Bikes are lighter and more aerodynamic than they have ever been. Wetsuits are more buoyant and friction resistant, and shoes are lighter and perform better. One could spend a small fortune trying to have the best equipment out there, and some do.
Even though some equipment out there is amazing and can definitely shave time off your races, you may not be getting as much return on investment as you could by spending your money elsewhere, such as with coaching or a good training plan. 
For a good cyclist, a nice bike could shave minutes off bike times, but for novice to average cyclists, the performance improvement is not as dramatic. The advantage in aerodynamics and weight is most dramatic for cyclists pushing the boundaries of human performance. For the average Joe, the gains in performance may not be worth the cost.
Buying a high-end bike when you are still a beginner is like spending a ton of money on the best wetsuit if you are not a good swimmer. Yes, more expensive wetsuits are more buoyant and create less friction in the water, but performance gains are really only noticeable for swimmers that already have their technique and speed down and just need that extra edge. If you are just an average swimmer, an entry-level wetsuit will be perfect. I recently bought a brand new Xterra wetsuit for $99 on sale and I love it. Just look for the deals and don’t feel like you need to drop over $500 on the next best thing.
Basically what I’m saying is to look for how much you are getting for how much you are paying, or “return on investment.” Is $5,000 for the new triathlon bike worth the few minutes you might save? What if you invested a little money in some coaching to raise the efficiency of your pedal stroke, a good bike fit to squeeze some extra power out of your legs, and/or a good training plan to make you a better cyclist. What about taking the hundreds of dollars you save by not buying a cutting edge wetsuit and invest it in some swim coaching, or maybe some good video analysis, to really cut minutes away from your swim time. I guarantee that for an average or below average swimmer, just a few swim coaching lessons will make you much faster than a top wetsuit will over an entry level wetsuit.
Don’t just throw money at your weaknesses; you need to tackle them head on. So many times people see our endless pool and get scared when they see the mirror at the bottom of the pool, or our underwater camera. Many are terrified to see themselves swim, which makes no sense to me. If you know you have bad technique, you should do everything you can to fix it, not spend $500 on a wetsuit or a small fortune on a bike and hope it goes away. From our experiences here at Triathica, most of the time, its only one or two little technique tweaks that make a HUGE difference. At just over $30 a pop per coaching lesson at Triathica, that’s a pretty good return on investment if you ask me.
If money is no option and you can afford all the best equipment and good coaching, then do both. But if your funds are limited, and you have to choose between that new carbon fiber bike or some good quality coaching to bring up your weak points, you will get more return on your investment with good coaching and training every time.
SPIN POWER DVD
Jarrett Pfleiger
Are you ready to take your cycling performance to the next level? Stop wasting time by logging mile after mile outside on your bike. You can get a better workout done in less than half the time by training harder and smarter indoors.
Sure, the scenery isn’t as good, but if you are serious about improving your performance on the bike, you need to add indoor training to your regimen. Focus completely on your workout without worrying about cars, stoplights, obstacles, flats, other riders, etc. All you need is an indoor trainer or stationary bike, and we will provide the workout and motivation.
Triathica would like to introduce the first DVD in the Triathica Academy series, Power Up! Power Up is a 60-minute spin workout designed to help build your leg strength to climb hills and power through the wind. The DVD will lead you through a series of intervals that will test your ability to generate power on the bike by continuously varying cadence, power (watts), and interval duration. The interval timer is accompanied by video of a spin class held at Triathica triathlon training center in Lake Forest, CA. The video is led by Ron Saetermoe, president of Triathica and USAT certified coach.
For each interval we will tell you which training zone you should be in. Don’t know your personal training zones? No problem. We will provide a test you can perform at home to find your zones. Knowing your training zones is valuable for making sure you are training at the appropriate intensity every time. Don’t waste time training in too low of a zone, or burn yourself out too soon by training in too high a zone. Test your heart rate zones before you do another workout. You can use this same test as a marker set to track your progress as you become stronger on the bike. Retest every few weeks and adjust your zones accordingly.
Stay tuned for more training DVD’s from Triathica as we continue to develop the Triathica Academy series. We are dedicated to enabling anyone and everyone to reach their triathlon and multisport goals. Let us help you train like a triathlete.
Please click here to purchase the DVD.
MARKER SETS
Ron Saetermoe
Any good goal has several elements to it: it’s measurable, achievable and has a timeframe. Marker sets include all of these elements.
A marker set is a very precise workout you can repeat over time to track your performance improvement. Precision is very important because if you don’t have a controlled environment there may be other influences at work that skew the results. For example, if you use a three-mile course around your neighborhood to test your cycling performance there may be factors that impact it beyond your performance.
For example, some of the factors might include temperature, humidity, wind and traffic. Each time you do your course the conditions will be different, sometimes dramatically so. As a result, you’re not really getting a good gauge of your performance.
For that reason alone I’m harping on the benefits of training with watts. When you come to Triathica for a CompuTrainer session, we can duplicate the workout you did a month ago quite precisely.
So what’s an example of a marker set? Here’s one for cycling. The cadence stays at 90 throughout.
In this example, the second marker set was performed six months later and the athlete shows a considerable performance improvement in terms of rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate. This is what you would expect to see from an athlete that was actively training and getting the proper rest.
Believe me, besides your races, there’s little more motivation than to see your performance improve in this way. Last night for example, I tested myself on the treadmill and found that my average heart rate dropped from 170 to 162 at a 7:00 sustained pace on the treadmill. That’s nearly a 5% performance improvement. That’s huge.
Give us a call if you’d like to learn more about marker sets.
Cheers!
