What`s Aqua Velo and how will it make you a stronger

Team
Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
June 2012
Inside this issue:
What’s Aqua Velo and how will it make you
a stronger athlete? By Ryan Stille
AV, Aqua Velo, or Aqua bike is
the swim and bike portion of a
70.3 or full distance IM. It was
officially recognized after the 2005
season in which it debuted at the
suggestion of a fellow athlete.
USAT wanted to explore options
to serve athletes who may want
to complete the race without the
traditional run segment. Fast
forward to 2012, and this is a
growing segment on the race
scene and will hold its first National Championship on June 23rd
in Richmond Virginia. This race
will be comprised of a 650 meter
open water swim followed by an
18.8 mile bike. This is by far a
shorter duration event as race
distances vary. I’ve completed
several of these events and will
share my experiences shortly…
however why would you want to
complete an AV race at all?
We’re triathletes, runners, cyclists, swimmers…why just swim
and bike?
Because it’s awesome! To lay it all
out on two segments of the race
with no regard to holding back or
setting up a solid run is fun.
Think sprint triathlon speed on a
1.2 mile swim and 56 mile bike. We
all know you won’t win an IM in the
swim, however you may lose one. A
great bike split isn’t that great if it’s
followed by a subpar run. Imagine
for a minute expending all your energy on the swim and bike with
nothing left; how would you race
your day differently? I’ve come to
believe that the swim and bike set up
the main event which is the run in
triathlon. A lot of calculation, testing, and
energy including a
dialed in
nutrition
plan contribute to
finishing a
strong run.
If you didn’t
have to run
how hard
would you
race the
swim and bike segment? Would you
line up as a “front of the pack” swimmer and test your open water swim
skills beyond your comfort zone in
staying with the lead pack as the
horn goes off? How many more
watts could you sustain over 56
miles if you knew the race ended at
T2? It’s a lot of fun to go out there
and blow it out with no regard to
your run. You may experiment and
truly push yourself past your comfort
zone which is where many of us will
grow as athletes.
AV races are designed for two different athletes as I see it. Athletes of all
ages who may be rehabilitating a
short term injury and still want to
stay competitive. This includes athletes who may have a nagging hip,
What is FeXY?
1)
2)
FeXY= Fe (Symbol for Iron from Periodic Table of Elements) + XY
(Male Chromosome)
Being FeXYis doing what you love with conviction, pride, determination and passion.
Our mission and vision is to train, race and socialize as
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knee, (fill in the blank) injury from
years of racing that prevent them
from completing long distance
runs without long term damage.
The event also caters well to the
strong healthy athlete who wants
to compete on the swim and bike
segment in preparation for an
upcoming A race. He or she may
not want to lose training time to
recovery from the run segment.
Passing on the run mileage however gaining meaningful open water experience followed with a
competitive bike segment in a race
day atmosphere is invaluable. This
race simulation will build confidence and confirm that your mind
and body are ready for any upcoming A race triathlons.
Several events in the area provide
the opportunity throughout the
season to get an AV race into
your schedule. The Kinetic Half
offers an aqua bike event; I had a
blast there and finished strong in
large part due to the FeXY Blue
Ridge Bike camp the week before.
The camp allowed me to log 245
miles in 3 days of riding and hang
out with a really cool bunch of
teammates. A lot of ideas were
President’s Message
2
Nutrition Basics
2
Prolonged Injuries
3
Membership Update
3
Members Spotlight
4
Thoughts on Eagleman
5
FeXY Tent Mom
5
Ironman Seminar Review
6
Quarter Race Roll-up
7
Sponsors
8
Upcoming Events
• Jul 22—Lake Placid Ironman
• Jul 29—Long Course
World Championships
(Spain)
• Jul 29—Pittsburg Tri
• Aug 02 — Spokes Interval
Ride
• Aug 13 8:00 pm—BOD
Meeting
• Aug 18—Luray International Tri
• Aug 19—Ironman Timberman 70.3
• Aug 19—Luray Sprint Triathlon
shared and great conversations
were had while still managing to
log a couple hundred miles! You
want this training camp on your
schedule next year as it’s directly
contributed to making me a
stronger, more confident rider.
Eagleman AV is another great
event. Many teammates were
there this past
year both to
cheer and race
the AV and
(Continued on page 6)
Always check the Team
website www.TeamFeXY.com
for additions, changes and all of
the details for these events.
Edited and Published by:
Team FeXY
11780 Bayfield Court, Reston, VA
20194
E-mail: [email protected]
Team FeXY
Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
Nutrition Basics
By Mary Kay Jessen
We can talk till we are blue in the face about recovery drinks, salt tabs,
electrolyte supplements, race nutrition, gluten-free, vegan, and other nutritional components. But sometimes, as endurance athletes, we forget that
sometimes the best answer is to go back to the basics. Here are a few tips
for you to keep in mind to keep yourself fueled, hydrated, and on track for
great performances!
Calories: whether you are trying to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain
weight this is the biggest component. One pound is approximately
3500 calories and the recommendations are not to lose more than 12 pounds per week. That means, on average you should burn 500
calories extra per day or decrease your intake by
500 calories per day (or some combination of the
two). For those of you trying to gain weight, you
should aim for 0.5 to 1 pound per week, which
means taking in between 250 and 500 calories
extra each day.
In order to figure out how many calories you need, first calculate
your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is how many calories you need
just to survive and maintain your weight (before you factor in exercise). Once you know this, you can figure out how many calories you
need each day to meet your goal and adjust based on your daily training. Check online for a BMR calculator.
Determining how many calories you are burning during a training
session is tricky. The true measure is dependent on your average
heart rate, age, time spent working out, and gender. Online calculators don’t necessarily factor in all the components, so these estimates
may be too low or high. Garmin and other HR monitors can be more
accurate, depending on your settings (but can still be variable, particularly if your HR monitor isn’t always picking up). If you are interested
in truly figuring it out, check of the Journal of Sports Sciences and
spend a few training sessions calculating the numbers, comparing
them to the data you’ve been using, in order to get more accurate
data.
Be sure to read labels, accounting for portion sizes and serving sizes,
in order to accurately calculate your daily intake. A popular app that
can be very helpful (and several of your teammates are using) is MyFitnessPal.
Hydration: as we enter the summer, this is something to pay particular attention to, and not just
during training. Proper pre- and post- hydration is
equally, if not more important. So what should
you be drinking? Some of that depends on you as
an individual, how much you sweat and how salty
your sweat is. The hotter (and more humid) the
weather, the more hydration and electrolyte balance is critical. Some
general recommendations are:
Before Exercise
Drink about 15-20 fl oz, 2-3 hours before exercise
Drink 8-10 fl oz 10-15 min before exercise
Page 2
Summer Time Goals
By Scott Baldwin, FeXY President
2012 is shaping up to be another exciting year for Team FeXY! We are
part way through the season and have seen some impressive results and
huge successes. We kicked off the season in April with the Rumpass in
Bumpass weekend. Nearly each weekend since, we have had team members racing in a wide range of events from a 5k or a sprint triathlon to
TTT or an Ironman and every distance in between. Not only do we have
team members racing, but we also see many of you volunteer at races or
support team members by cheering from the sideline. Whether your goal
is to finish your first race or win a podium spot, the support of the team is
what sets us apart from others.
As we are hitting the peak of summer, it’s a good time to take a step back
and see where you’re at with the goals you set in the beginning of the
season. Maybe you have already reached the goals you established and it’s
time to “raise the bar”. Or maybe you’ve had to adjust or tweak your
goals based on an injury or things going on in everyday life. It’s important
to remember that goals can evolve and change as your season progresses.
It’s inspiring to see team members not only reach their goals, but exceed
them. With still a good portion of the season left, I’m excited to see how
the remainder of 2012 shapes up.
Hydration After Exercise
Weigh yourself before and after exercise and replace fluid
losses.
Drink 20-24 fl oz water for every 1 lb lost. (about one bike
water bottle)
Recommendations for which fluids (water
versus electrolyte drink) vary, but generally
water is OK for anything less than 60 minutes (and even up to 90 minutes depending
on temps, intensity, and the individual).
What you use depends on your goal. Powders such as EFS and HEED provide electrolytes and calories, while salt tabs, Hammer Fizz and Nuun provide electrolytes but minimal calories. It’s
really all about personal preference and what works for you.
So, short of going to a sports lab and having your sweat rate and
content analyzed, how do you know when enough is enough?
Monitoring urine volume output and color. A large amount of light
colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated.
Pay attention to how you feel (before, during, and after a training
session). If you’re cramping during or after, or feel unusually fatigued, take a look at your nutrition and hydration. If it doesn’t seem
that nutrition was the issue, it may be your electrolytes.
Remember, just as you need to keep on top of calories during workouts,
you need to stay hydrated and maintain your electrolyte balance. If you’re
thirsty you are already dehydrated and by the time you’ve noticed those
white patches from dried sweat, you’ve already lost lots of
electrolytes!
Team FeXY
Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 3
Overcoming Prolonged Injuries
By Katherine Liola
There often are obstacles to achieving a goal. Pushing through them is
part of what makes achieving the goal so special. Being optimistic by nature, I have never really considered that there were not obstacles that
could prevent me from meeting my goals as long as I did not derail them
with a lack of proper preparation or mental focus.
I learned a good lesson in late 2011 and into 2012 when I experienced my
first prolonged sports injury. Having played sports since I was a child, I
have faced all sorts of injuries; concussions, sprains and pulled muscles, etc.
Luckily, they were all relatively short lived. At the time, my recovery
seemed like an eternity, but I had never been sidelined from participation
in my favorite activities for more than a few weeks.
This all changed when, in the middle of an interval at
a track workout in August 2011, I felt an intense
pain in my foot which caused me to stop immediately. I had been experiencing some symptoms of
plantar fasciitis since May but I seemed to have managed it with icing, stretching and utilizing Active
Release Technique (A.R.T.) on it. I immediately
knew in my gut that this was going to take more
than daily icing and stretching. My first concern was being competitive in
my first Ironman in November. It seemed like all of my hard work was
going to go down the drain. I tried to stay outwardly optimistic to the
world but it was tough. I could not even get my foot to relax during the
day while I was walking much less complete a run without pain. The control freak part of me could not understand why this was happening. I had
followed the plan, I had listened to my body. Why was this happening?
ommended, I ditched the brand new orthotics,
went to neutral shoes and took running out of my
schedule completely, as recommended by my
coach (it was already very sparse). With major help from my coach, I was
able to maintain fitness and my sanity even though I was not participating
in an activity that I loved. Slowly but surely, running was added back into
my training plan with very low volume and at easy pace as improvement
was being seen in my recovery.
#5. Celebrate the little Successes – This may sound silly, but when you
can not celebrate PR’s, or even fast track workouts, you find that you
need something to measure your improvement. This came in the form of
marking progress with the other disciplines and recognizing my improved
running form.
#6. Stay Engaged with your Sport – I actually accepted my injury in terms
of the Ironman relatively early. The real challenge came in when my foot
condition seemed to worsen in January - the time when training for the
2012 race season was supposed to be ramping up. I was not mentally
prepared to be missing out of the spring race season. It was so hard to
bury the excitement and natural competitiveness in myself. I found that by
participating in team events like trainer sessions and cheering at races for
my husband and other teammates distracted me and helped me to feel like
I was still engaged in the sport and team.
#7. Find Something to be Thankful for – This
probably is the last thing that you might have come to
mind. While the injury may bring disappointment, it can
also yield many positive results as well. Making the
effort to be aware of this can help with everything from
These are the many lessons I learned through this experience:
patience to recognizing that the injury is just a little
hiccup in our athletic careers. For me, this came with
#1. Injuries Happen – It is simply part of being an athlete. While it can
the ability to really enjoy my first Ironman, especially
bring frustration and a lot of disappointment, don’t make the injury personal. It takes away from your improving other aspects of your sport. You the marathon leg of the Ironman – the beautiful landscape, the gorgeous
sunset, the amazing spectators and volunteers and my awesome family,
will only hurt yourself more if you take it too personally.
friends and husband cheering for me along the course. I also appreciate
#2. Reassess Your Goal - My first and foremost goal was to complete my
gaining an improved running form which will only make me a stronger
first Ironman - being competitive was a close second. I knew that I was
runner and athlete. In addition to all of that, I have had the opportunity to
still going to be able to complete the Ironman, even if I had to walk a large miss the sport that I have fallen in love with. My desire to get back to
part of the marathon. I had to ditch the negative thoughts about the run
Race Day is now even higher than it ever was before.
and get ready to race the best race that I could. This meant I needed to
put myself in the best of position with my training for the swim, bike, tranWinning is not about headlines and hardware [medals]. It’s only about
sitions, nutrition and mental focus.
attitude. A winner is a person who goes out today and every day and
#3. Stay Active - Facing an injury does not mean that your
training stops. It may mean that your training needs to be
attempts to be the best runner and best person he can be… Winning is
modified. I worked closely with my coach to determine the
about struggle and effort and optimism, and never, ever, ever giving up.
best strategy to help me get to race day. This can be challenging especially when you are not able to train the way
Amby Burfoot
you are accustomed to training. It is important to recognize
that in addition to maintaining fitness, you also want to prevent additional injury. The benefit to my injury, especially
after race day is that I was exposed to other types of training that I either
previously chose not to participate in or did not have time for like water
By Michelle McKenna
jogging, pilates and yoga and found that I enjoy each of them.
#4. Listen to your body/Trust your gut– After seeing four different docTeam FeXY would like to acknowledge our newest members!
tors, researching everything I could get my hands on,
daily icing/stretching, weekly A.R.T. and Graston (deep
Brian Picconi, Vincent Martinelli, Kevin Wright,
scar tissue release technique), plus buying new orthotics, I still did not see any progress over the course of 4
Pete and Leah Coughlin, Ben and Kim Baumgartner,
months, even as my training lightened during the off
Connie Dowler, Siyeon Lee, Kristine Wooten, Jeff Walton!
season. I knew that I needed to take a different approach. I decided to put more trust into fellow athletes who had experienced plantar fasciitis. Contrary to what the majority of the doctors recWelcome; we look forward to training and racing with all of you.
Membership Update
Team FeXY
Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 4
Member Spotlight:
Tim Kelly: “How I biked into triathlon & my dream
I’m new to the team this season and came
on board after hearing from Katherine Liola
about what a great group of triathletes Team
FeXY is. And after seeing podium after podium
at races being dominated by the red and black
colors last year, I was sold!
I got into triathlon at the same time as two other
friends, Cory Scott and Vinny Martinelli, who are
also both new team members this season. It all
started in the summer of 2008 when Cory
bought an upright Trek hybrid to start using to
get to work. After seeing how easy it was for
him, I pulled the trigger and bought my first bike
since I was a teenager.
A couple of days later I was poking around online
and came across a listing for a position with
Arlington County’s bicycle program. I applied,
was offered the position, and now am part of
BikeArlington, the County’s initiative to get people out of their cars and onto bikes for transportation, errands and recreation.
Now I get to think about bikes all day long while
assisting with the Arlington half of the Capital
Bikeshare bike rental system, working on the
Arlington County Bike Map, encouraging businesses to become more bicycle friendly, and
helping out with educational classes on savvy
urban riding techniques. I was the event organizer at the Bike to Work Day pit stop in Ballston,
so you may have seen me if you stopped by for
your t-shirt, coffee and free Chick-fil-A! Sounds
like a fun job, right?
Kristine Wooten
Since I'm a teacher at Dranesville Elementary I
figured I'd go a different route and tell you about
myself through a name poem!
Krazy enough without the need for alcohol...I
know hard to believe...if I do indulge it isn't a
pretty sight!
Really appreciates training support and encouragement from my husband, sister, and neighbors
who often watch kids for me to train...and Coach
Kim
Is crafty in finding time to train with a 5 year old
and 3 year old at home...not to mention a husband :)
Skiing is what you did as a winter sport in my
town...growing up 2 miles from a mountain helps.
Taught 4th/5th grade for 11 years, then for my
12th year figured out how to work part time, as
a Reading Resource Teacher
Is always up for a challenge and pushing myself a
little bit more...competitive streak
Never been accused of being quiet
Enjoys: training for triathlons (biggest will be
Timberman (70.3) this August...so far), reading a
good smut book, and just chilling (not that it
happens often)
Finishing up the DC Tri
I started riding to work fairly frequently and love
it, and on weekends Cory, Vinny and I would
take longer and longer rides. During one ride,
we saw the Nation’s Triathlon going up the
Whitehurst Freeway and since then we’ve been
hooked. We signed up to do Nation’s the next
year, and in just our second triathlon season, we
took the plunge and did Ironman Florida.
What started out as just a bit of exercise has
turned into a profession for me. A year after
discovering triathlon and realizing how much I
enjoy biking, I was laid off from my job.
Vinny, Me and Cory hanging out in Transition before
Nation’s Tri.
Metal head? Well AC/DC, Metallica, Ozzy is as
Some of the FeXY crew posing with the Chickfil-A cow on Bike to Work Day.
metal as I go, but have been to a concert for
each!
I see triathletes as the ideal untapped demographic to bike to work, especially for those
FeXY team members who live in Fairfax County
and work in Washington DC. Even if other
modes like driving or taking the bus may be
faster, biking can save you time and money by
multitasking your commute and your workout
together. The W&OD trail is the perfect place
to get in some base miles in the morning and
afternoon, while saving time with a reliable, traffic-free route.
In between all this bike stuff I’m trying to find a
balance with work, family (my lovely wife Lisa,
and our 20-month old daughter McKenzie) and
training. I’m being coached by Reid Kiser and
trying to manage swimming and running because
this year, Cory, Vinny and I are doing Ironman
New York City. Wish us luck in a couple of
weeks!
Always appreciate music to get my motivated
Raised by a single (very supportive) mom has
only made me more determined to achieve my
goals
Is also a huge 70's classic rock fan
Embraces being a loving mom, personable
teacher, tolerable wife, tough big sister, loving/
sarcastic friend:)
Wishes I could convince my husband to move
back to New Hampshire, where I grew up.
Outlook on life is the glass is always half full,
never half empty.
Outstanding fun fact...I met my husband on
spring break, Cancun 98',and proud of it:)
Teaches bootcamp classes 3-5 days a week
For more information on BikeArlington, and how Enjoyed my first sprint tri (Reston Sprint 2011)
to get started in bike commuting, visit
and was hooked from there
www.BikeArlington.com.
Never eats meat, I've been a veggie since I was
about 10 years old
Team FeXY
Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
Thoughts on Eagleman
By Laura Cortina
Eagleman, to me, is a rite of passage. Anyone doing long-course triathlons
in this area should do Eagleman. I’m not entirely sure why I feel that way;
it just seems like a race that one must check off of his or her triathlon
bucket list. I honestly didn’t anticipate enjoying this race. However, in my
mind, this race was mandatory.
I did my first triathlon in 2006, which was also a 70.3, and the only other
one of that distance that I have done. Since then I have done several
sprints, Olympics, and a few Ironman races as well. My first race of the
2011 season was in March in Miami, and my last was Ironman Cozumel in
November, which meant that I trained for nearly an entire year! To say
that I was burnt out on training and motivation would be an understatement. Yet I had done what most of us do from year to year – signed up
for my “A” race for 2012 before I had even finished up half of my current
year’s races.
I am notorious for being extremely lazy the
year after an Ironman. After Ironman Florida in
2009, I logged a grand total of 42 miles on the
bike in 2010! I was determined not to repeat
that mistake in 2012, and hoped that signing up
for a 70.3 would help me with that
goal. Unfortunately, I was only half
right. While I certainly wouldn’t call myself lazy
this year, I was definitely unprepared going into
this race. Several of my friends told me that I
was crazy for still doing the race, but once you
have endured the pain of an Ironman, somehow doing a half, even if you
aren’t properly trained, seems totally sane and reasonable. I think this is
why so many people in this sport get called crazy. I told myself, “yes
Cortina, this might be painful, but it’s all a mental game.” “Control your
mind, and you’ll be fine.” I was also hoping that all the training Coach
Barlow put me through last year, along with what I had managed to accomplish this year, would allow me to pull off a decent time.
I went into race day more nervous than usual. Temperatures were expected to reach 100 degrees! I normally don’t have an issue with racing in
the heat, despite being a heavy sweater, but since this was my first Eagleman, I had no idea what to expect from my body. I was also trying out a
new nutrition strategy – rookie mistake – it included the addition of salt
tabs on the bike.
Last year I managed to get two coworkers hooked on triathlons, and also
got them to join Team FeXY. Matt Leger and I arrived at the race site
very early in an attempt to get a good parking spot – goal #1 of the day
was a great success! We quickly found our other coworker Jay Latona. This was their first half ironman race. I had thought that I, as the
old pro, would be a great cheerleader for them throughout race day, but I
think I was just as nervous as they were! I did offer them advice about
racing in the heat, but that is about all that I could offer. I spent most of
the morning relaxing, trying to eat, and complaining to whoever would
listen about how stupid I was not to train more before this race. Still, in
the back of my mind, I was hoping that there was a small chance I could PR
my 70.3 time. My first race was in Panama City, FL – very similar conditions, from race course to temperatures. While I was perhaps better
trained for that race, I was now more experienced. To get a PR I’d have
to beat 6:21, so that is the time that I kept in my head.
Before I knew it, it was time to get going. I
aged up this year, and the only thing that
made me happy about that fact was that I
got to start 30 minutes earlier than if I were
Page 5
The FeXY Tent Mom
By Leslie Doll
When I joined the team, I wanted to do more than just race at events and
attend social activities; I also wanted to show my support and
cheer teammates on at various races. I got the opportunity to do this at
the Eagleman 70.3 race.
Preparations began by shopping for all kinds of pre- and post-race
foods. Chocolate milk, Smartfood popcorn, chocolate-covered pretzels,
Coke, water, and potato chips. In other words, lots of salt, caffeine, and
sugar to keep my teammates happy throughout race day! On race morning, I left the house at 3:30 AM to make my way through Maryland and
over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to the race site in Cambridge. It was a
beautiful area for a race. I recruited Sara Swenson's Dad to help me bring
all the stuff to the tent (note to self - buy a rolling cooler next time)!
I greeted the racers with
hugs and "good lucks," then
settled into being the FeXY
Tent Mom for the day. I
Mostly watched everyone's
gear in the tent, but
also provided cheer as teammates transitioned between
the swim, bike, and
run! Extra cheer was added
as everyone made their way
toward the finishing chute,
which was only about 50 feet
away from the FeXY tent. I not only high-fived our teammates, but also a
few of my heroes, including Craig Alexander and a few of the other
pros. All of them had big smiles and big hi-fives for everyone. It was nice
to be able to greet the finishers with smiles and congratulations, and to
make sure that they had recovery food and supplies (on top of the enormous feast provided by the race organizers)!
It was a hot, long day, but it turned out to be very rewarding! It was a
fairly easy job, and a pleasure to be a cheerleader and provide support for
my teammates throughout the day! Also, I had recently started doing
triathlons (mostly Olympic), and had yet to do a 70.3, so this was a good
learning experience, and it gave me an idea of what to expect at
future 70.3 races.
still in AG 25-29. It’s the small things really! My
swim was alright – I felt fine, but my sighting was
not perfect. I drifted off course a few times,
mostly due to sighting, but also due to the
strong current and choppy conditions. I finished
the swim in 36 minutes, which put me about 3
minutes behind compared to my last 70.3 race.
I got off to a fine start on the bike. However, I
did not make any attempts to hide my dislike for
this bike course – it’s flat, boring, and most of all….windy. I have ridden it
several times over the years, in training, and also a few years ago when
I raced Chesapeake Man. I’ve never been in a place where you can face a
head wind for several miles, finally make a 90 degree turn, and somehow
still have a head wind. So it was a great pleasure for me to get going and
realize that, for once, this was not the case. I often get lower back pain
when riding (probably time for a new fit!) and it came on early this day – I
downed some pain killers by mile 5, much earlier than I had antici(Continued on page 7)
Team FeXY
Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 6
What’s Aqua Velo and how will it make
you a stronger athlete? continued...
By Ryan Stille
70.3. A separate transition and finish area was
created for AV participants and was larger than I
expected as participation has grown significantly
throughout the last several years. You’re the last
wave to leave at 8:20 (pro’s started at 7am).
However, the tides and current later in the
morning make for an interesting and challenging
swim as you navigate through the swimmers in
the waves ahead of you while maintaining your
speed. AV events typically are the last wave to
race, not so much fun! However, the fun comes
in playing the game of how many waves can you
catch on the swim. Given that they are spread
out by 3 minutes or so, likely a couple on a 1.2
mile swim, which is a hoot! A quick transition in
T1 and you’re out on the bike. Hammer it and
remember to leave no reserve because you’re
not running! At the finish you may quickly assess
your overall race based on the number of bikes
in transition ahead of you versus the empty racks
as many are still out on the course. At EM I was
able to rack my bike, forced down a recovery
drink and towel off and try not to fall over as my
legs were shot. I made my way to the finisher’s
chute and FeXY tent to cheer on the athletes
who are finishing the run segment of the triathlon on a very hot day. I knocked off 18 minutes
over my EM swim and bike split from 2011 due
to spending more time swimming and biking.
Swimming with teammates at World gate Tuesdays and Thursdays forced me to show up and
put in the time necessary to build a strong base.
Pulling doubles also laid the ground work for
some serious yardage and a lot of fun. There is
still more work to do though, stay tuned.
I’ve discovered recovery is faster for an AV race
as I’m typically back in the pool and on my bike
for an easy ride on Tuesday after a Sunday race.
I hope you’ve found this article helpful and
you’ve learned more about AV. Schedule a race
late in the season or early next year and give it a
shot. You may find other aqua bike races on
www.trifind.com. Other local AV events that
are worth considering include the Richmond
race series, Patriot’s half, and Chesapeake man in
September offers the 2.4mile swim and 112 bike.
There is something for everyone. Good luck and
race hard!
Ironman (Lake Placid) Seminar Review
at Potomac Running By Sara Swenson
Back in mid-May, Scott Baldwin and Michelle McKenna presented a seminar, on training for an Ironman, at Potomac Running Tysons Corner. The
presentation focused on Ironman Lake Placid, but could easily be applied to any Iron distance triathlon (140.6).
The seminar covered Ironman training based upon three categories: 1) First Timer, 2) Seasoned Racer, and 3) Kona Qualifier Attempt. The “First
Timer” training focus was on building a strong base and enough confidence to successfully complete the Ironman distance. The “Seasoned Racer”
training focus built upon a strong base with either added volume or quality workouts. Finally, the “KQ Attempt,” similarly built upon a strong base
with both added volume and quality workouts.
The table below are the recommended weekly training hours for each category, covering overall training hours, as well as the suggested training volume for each discipline:
Beyond the recommended weekly training hours, the seminar also covered the
importance of the following:
1) Race rehearsals (everything as close to race day as possible, and weigh-ins
before and after long workouts),
2) Transition practice (with all bags and equipment for race day),
3) Nutrition (keep it simple and practice-good rule of thumb: 2 calories per
pound of body weight per hour on the bike, and 200 calories per hour on the run,
4) Mental toughness (have multiple race day goals, visualize achieving successes
throughout race day, stay in the moment/be prepared for change, and race with
confidence),
5) Pre-race (stay off your feet, eat early, and review race plan), and
6) Race morning (wake up early, take in 600-800 calories, then go back to
sleep, normal pre-race breakfast-beware of high fiber, and take a gel 15 minutes
prior to the swim start).
Team FeXY
Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 7
Thoughts on Eagleman continued...
By Laura Cortina
pated. But thankfully, it wasn’t slowing me down
much. I stuck to my nutrition plan, including the
addition of salt tablets along the way. I was actually hungrier than expected, so I added in extra
calories where I could, because I had previously
been a victim of severe hunger on a run leg, and I
did not want to make that mistake in this race. I
would need all the fuel I could get to make it
through this in one piece. I got off my bike three
times to stretch out my back and tried to keep
from cramping. It was well worth the couple of
minutes that I lost doing that, as I finished the
bike in 3:00 and wasn’t in terrible pain to start
the run. That was about 18 minutes faster than
the last race, so I was back in the positive and on
track for my goal. Just in time for a 100 degree,
mostly unshaded 13.1 mile run. No big deal!
As normal, the first mile of my run leg was faster as compared to the rest
of the run. Boy was it hot, but
thanks to some advice from a teammate, I had brought a Ziploc bag
with me on the run, which turned
out to be one of the key factors in
me making it through that leg. I
filled it up with 2-3 cups of ice at
every aid station, and then stuffed
that into my sports bra, in the back
of my tri top, basically wherever I
needed to cool down. Once the ice
melted, I’d pour the cold water on
to my head and down my arm coolers. And so this went on, mile after
mile. I had told myself at the beginning of this race that if I didn’t feel like
I could PR, my second goal of the race was to be the happiest person out
on the run course! So far, I was on track for both goals. I said hi to most
everyone I passed, and I forced several people into being my friend along
the way. I apologized to one man for rambling to him for 2 miles, but told
Team FeXY 2nd Quarter Race
Roll-up By Tom Impellitteri
So it’s hard to believe we are already half way through the race season. We trained through the winter, finally got to regularly get outside in
the spring and of course we have done lots of racing. As summer continues to march on I wanted to provide a synopsis of the last quarter of racing. So here we go:
Number of Races Entered: 59
Number of FeXYies, who raced: 89
Number of Overall Race Wins: 3
Ken DelRaso for Reston Sprint
Melanie Yu for the Monticelloman Half Iron
Chris Geary for the METavivor Adventure Race
Number of Podium Finishes: 42
25 of these were division wins
him if he hadn’t let me, I would have stopped running 1.9 miles ago. He
accepted my apologies and agreed that he doesn’t usually like talking, but
he would have stopped running long ago too if it weren’t for me.
With another guy, I decided that we could have started a band between
the two of us – him with the squishing of his wet shoes, and me with the
sound of maracas from the ice bag bouncing around in my sports
bra! There’s something to be said for being able to amuse yourself in an
otherwise tough situation. I also saw several FeXYies scattered throughout the run course, including my two coworkers (who were doing great!),
which is always good motivation. Early on in the run, around mile 4 or 5,
my mental state began to dip, and I kept thinking about how many more
miles I had to run. Then I saw the blind racer headed in the opposite
direction, on his way back toward the finish
line. Shortly after that, I saw one of the racers
missing a limb. This was more than enough to
snap me out of the little funk I felt coming on – I
have no reason to complain about a little selfinflicted pain…I don’t even know what hard is
compared to these guys!
Fast forward to the last mile of the run. I had
done it. I could walk the rest of the way, at a
pretty slow pace, and I would still PR. I received
some last minute cheers and a little running company from my friend’s dad and his dog, and then I
brought it on home – 6 minutes faster than the
last time I had raced this distance! While this
wasn’t a huge drop in time for a race of this
length, I was pleased with the outcome! It was a certainly a lesson in how
not to prepare for a race, but it also demonstrated the benefit of base fitness, mental perseverance, and racing experience. Plus, now I could
check Eagleman off of my bucket list; a race that I
never really wanted to do in the first place! Of
course, it only took about 15 minutes for the
triathlete selective memory to set in – as I sat
there in recovery mode having a snack, all I could
think about was my inevitable increase in training in 2013, and how much
faster I could do this race next year!
Number of Top 10s: 34
Number of Ironman World Championship Qualifications: 1
Leslie Knibb for winning her Age Group at Ironman CdA
Number of Personal Records: 9 – Well that’s all that we know about but I
believe there were many more
Congratulations to everyone that has raced so far this year. As you all can
see Team FeXY continues to excel. We are now into the second half
the race season which will be highlighted by the Team Ironman, the Luray
Race Weekend, the Reston World Championships, and of course the
Ironman World Championships. Good luck to all in your future races.
See you next quarter.
Team FeXY
Newsletter
Volume 4, Issue 2
Page 8
Team Sponsors and Partners
Spokes Etc supports their local cycling communities by sponsoring race teams, charity rides and
other events. Most importantly, they concentrate on providing excellent customer service to all who
visit their stores.
The mission of Potomac River Running is to expand and serve the DC-area running, walking, and
triathlon community and share their collective passion for an active, healthy lifestyle. Potomac
River Running welcomes runners, walkers, and triathletes of all levels – it’s not about how fast or
how far!
Specialized is a company that supports athletes in all levels in a wide variety of disciplines. Their
goal, at Specialized, has always been to support the athletes who support their dealers and who
support racing and cycling in their communities.
RaceSox, a spinoff from Twin City Knitting, provides superior quality in materials for athletic and
compression socks. The functional design and outstanding performance has been tried and tested in
the lava fields of Hawaii and by endurance athletes around the world. Whatever the race, a RaceSox
product is an inevitable and invaluable piece of equipment.
Rudy Project designs and manufactures hi-tech sunglasses, goggles, helmets and accessories using
the application of science, advanced materials and computer technology to create functional, aesthetically superior and technologically advanced products.
First Endurance is all about endurance nutrition and started by two racing fanatics (a cyclist and a
triathlete) with a healthy obsession for sports nutrition. The idea was simple: to give endurance athletes access to formulas that are developed for one specific reason - to maximize endurance performance.
TRISWIM Aqua Therapy Chlorine Out Hair and Skin Care Line effectively reconditions the hair and
skin to combat harsh elements of Chlorinated and salt water. TRISLIDE is a great skin chafing treatment. FOGGLE Anti-Fog Cleaning Towelette not only defogs swim goggles but also cleans the lens
at the same time .
XTERRA Wetsuits strives to make your swim faster and more comfortable, and to offer you the
highest performing triathlon wetsuit at the best value.
ENDURANCEWORKS We provide
(Click Sponsor Logos to go to their website)
the Coaching, Testing, Training plans, ebooks and resources you
need to achieve your excellence in triathlon and other endurance
sports…beyond what you knew you could do. Triathlon is your passion. It's what you do.
Developing triathletes is our passion. It's what we do.
FeXY Coaching Services was founded in 2010 by Scott Baldwin, Reid Kiser, Michelle McKenna and Rob
Barlow, FeXY Coaching Services is a collaborative team of coaches who are passionate about helping athletes achieve individual endurance sport goals; this ranges from improving general fitness and understanding
endurance sports to qualifying and competing in world championship endurance sport events.