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.
