Race Day for 3 Young Quick Chicks

I was too excited for the race to just sit around the house waiting to leave. So I left early for the park and got there before many of the other athletes. Helping these three girls prepare for this race was a lot of fun. They each have great personalities and a huge personal drive to compete. For Brittney and Ashley this was not something new. Ashley did this race last year and Brittney has raced before. Madison, the youngest, was about to become a triathlete.

The day was picture perfect with the winds coming from the south making the surface of Lake Erie smooth as glass.

The beach was groomed and ready for the first nervous footsteps of the triathletes, experienced and first timers.


As the girls showed up we helped them get their bikes racked and gear laid out. I pumped up their tires and walked them through each stage of transition. I wanted to make sure they knew how the race would flow. Where to enter transition and where to exit.


A quick picture of the triathlete trio and we headed to the beach.

The girls would be the second to last wave to hit the water. We waited patiently with all the spectators as we watched the other waves start.



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If the girls were nervous it didn't show. Sara and I were nervous but also excited to watch the race unfold. The girls lined up with their wave and hit the water.



I watched them swim for a bit and then headed over to transition. Sara would watch them exit the water, I would watch them get started on their bikes. Brittney was the first into transition, then Ashley and Madison weren't that far behind.



Now the waiting begins. 12 miles of biking. How long would they be out there. Would they push themselves like I asked. I prayed for a safe return and no problems. We watched as the men from the first waves started coming in. It was good to cheer for friend who were racing well.

Sara and I waited at the end of transition with the girls family. Each time a bike rolled into the park we strained to see if it was one of the girls. Brittney finally made it back to transition and was ready to tear up the run course. She was back in her element....the run. Like a triathlon rock star she ran out of transition while snapping on her race belt.



Madison was the next one in. She also made her way through transition with no problems. The little girl with a big heart was on the run.

But where was Ashley??? My nerves were getting the best of me as I scanned each rider who entered the park. "She should be in by now." I was heading over to the finish line when I saw her finally enter the park. Whew. They all made it back from the bike. Time to watch them finish this with a solid run.

As I was waiting for Brittney to finish her race, Ashley's mom came by to tell me that Ashley flatted on the bike. Her rear tire had absolutely no air in it. Ashley rode half the course on a flat tire. We never went over changing a tire. What could happen in a sprint? There was a rough, gravely spot on a trail that popped her tube. But Ashley forged ahead and did the best she could on the bike. She's not a quitter and headed out for her 3 mile run.

With all of the girls on the run course all we could do was wait some more. Brittney came in first with a blazing sprint to the finish line. She looked strong the entire run.



Next was Madison with her first triathlon finish.



Ashley made her way to the finish. She even gave me a smile with a half mile to go. She had such a great positive attitude during the entire race.


The race for these girls was all about pushing themselves and getting outside their comfort zone.

For Brittney it was about pushing herself harder on the bike than before.

For Madison....doing something you never thought possible for such a young woman.

For Ashley....Never give up. Keep a positive attitude. Take what the day gives you. Finish no matter what.

The final results were of no concern for us but I still want to brag about these girls.

Brittney won her 15-19 age group. She also placed 8th overall female.

Madison took second place in her 14 - under age group.

Ashley gets my first place award for her attitude. I know she will be back next year.

Congratulation girls. It was a pleasure helping you to the finish line.

Swim Changed to RUN today

Well, the weather just doesn't want to cooperate with us today! We will be doing a run instead. We will still meet at Columbia Beach at 6pm. Bring your running gear and any questions you have about this week's race!

See you then!

RACE WEEK! Open Water Wednesday TOMORROW!!

Hi triathletes!

This is it...race week is finally here! Think about all the hard work you've done to get to this point. It's normal to wonder, "Did I do enough? Could I have done more?" But trust me, the LAST THING you want to do this week is go swim 10 miles, bike 247 miles, and run 8 marathons. Welcome to taper week...where you cut down your volume a bit, but still throw in a little intensity. For instance, when you are swimming, visualize the swim race morning--the beach, the sun rising, and the 40 or so other swimmers trying to get around you! When you go for an easy ride this week, try a few 2-3 minute pushes at your race pace. And when you do your last run, try to think about how it will feel to run on the race course Sunday. Do a few 2-3 minute pushes to your race pace, and visualize yourself flying down the course. Visualization is a great preparation for race day!

Have you registered for the race yet? Time is running out! Register here!

We only have ONE SCHEDULED WORKOUT THIS WEEK: Open Water Wednesday TOMORROW at 6pm at Columbia Beach. We'll go over last minute race details, give you a checklist of things to bring, discuss what to wear and eat/drink, and just generally get pretty psyched up for Sunday morning. There will be no brick this Friday, as you should just do a short ride on your own. Saturday it would be a good idea to just stay off your feet, relax, hydrate with water and sports drink, and be careful of what you're eating. Saturday is NOT THE TIME to have mass quantities of Taco Bell and Mountain Dew. It will NOT be pretty. ;)

Finally, we are putting together our pre-race pasta dinner for 5:00pm at Huntington Beach in Bay Village! The cost will be $7 and includes pasta, garlic bread, drinks, and salad. This will be a great time to pick up your race packet from 1-4 (if you want--you can also do this race morning!) and relax before the big day...and of course, eat some carbs! Please RSVP to Coach Sara at a brick by bringing your $7 food charge. If you can't make it to a workout before the race but want to attend, please let Coach Sara know and we'll work it out!

GET EXCITED--YOU'LL BE A TRIATHLETE THIS SUNDAY!

See you tomorrow--as always, bring running gear in case of inclement weather or waves. And check the blog here for the most up-to-date information!

Happy Taper Week,

Team Evotri

Smooth as Glass

For those you that missed last nights open water swim....it was smooth as glass.

Madison and Brittney joined me at Columbia Park for a very nice swim in the lake. The wind was blowing such that there were no waves at all. There was some "stuff" floating in the water but otherwise it was very clear.

Brittney is a torpedo in the water.

Madison has a great never give up attitude and swam where I told her.

Both are getting very comfortable in the water.

We talked about what the start of the race will be like. How fast some people go and how close you may be to other people.

For all of the Evotri2 athletes.....take you time. There is no rush. Enjoy the swim and just make your way through the water.

While swimming last night I tickled some feet and we brushed up against each other to get the feel of being near another swimmer. This is normal in a triathlon and you shouldn't get freaked out by it.

The end of the swim. As you head towards the beach keep on swimming. As long as you can swim keep doing it....even if those around your are walking through the water. You are conserving your energy better than they are. You should be able to swim in water 12 inches deep. If you are tired from the swim go ahead and stand up to get your breath.

Not much longer until the tri. Bricks this Friday. Open water next Wednesday. Team dinner the night before the race.

Oh yeah I'm getting excited for everyone.

Have a great weekend and see you on...

The Other Side

Open Water Wednesday and Last Brick!

Hello, Triathletes!

We have two fantastic opportunities for workouts this week!

1. Open Water Swim at 6pm Columbia Beach Bay Village, led by the super awesome Coach Eric!

2. Our LAST BRICK BEFORE THE RACE this Friday morning at 8am at RRHS Stadium!

If you missed last week's open water swim, you missed out! We had a great time and got used to the feel of the water. We also talked about race day tips and how to "sight" the buoys. Be sure to join us this Wednesday, as every chance to practice in open water helps for your race! Bring your cap, goggles, towel, a drink, and running gear (in case of high waves). If the weather is questionable, check HERE before you head up.

This brick will be our LAST ONE before race day! Can you believe in less than 2 weeks you'll be a triathlete? For this reason, come ready to push yourself a bit this Friday. We'll do a few pickups to race pace on your bike, and really try to get the feel for running tired off the bike so you'll be ready to rock the race. Coaches Eric, Aimee, and Sara led a race preview last Saturday morning on the course but we can still answer questions Friday and tell you what to expect.

Have you registered for the race yet? Time is running out! Register here!

Finally, we are putting together our pre-race pasta dinner for 5:00pm at Huntington Beach in Bay Village! The cost will be $7 and includes pasta, garlic bread, drinks, and salad. This will be a great time to pick up your race packet from 1-4 (if you want--you can also do this race morning!) and relax before the big day...and of course, eat some carbs! Please RSVP to Coach Sara at a brick by bringing your $7 food charge. If you can't make it to a workout before the race but want to attend, please let Coach Sara know and we'll work it out!

This Week's Goals:

Swimming:

It's time to test your fitness. Warm up, do a few sets of 50s or 100s, and then swim a 400 straight. Don't worry if it's slow--you just want to make sure you can go the distance! If you are a strong swimmer, try a few sets of 400 and descend on each 100 so you are faster than race pace for your last 100. Don't forget to cool down! Swim at least 2 times this week.

Biking:

You should test out your bike nutrition this week--do you have a spot on your bike for sports drink or water? You should! Make sure to get in one ride of at least 45 minutes this week and if possible, do a short run off for 10 minutes or so. We'll do this on Friday's brick so join us!

Running:

This should be the last hard week of running. If you are a runner, do one run of about 5 miles so you are comfortable going farther than the distance. If you're not primarily a runner, walk/jog 3 miles this week. The race is 3.1, so you want to feel comfortable covering this distance.

Nutrition:
Practice a good race-day breakfast this week! What have you been eating before each workout? Has it worked for you? Don't forget to end your workout with a small recovery snack--remember, chocolate milk does wonders!

See you at a workout!

Course Preview Brick Saturday

Come on down to Huntington Beach in Bay Village for a "course preview" brick on Saturday at 8am! We will meet at the Huntington Playhouse Parking Lot. From there, we'll talk about race day, show you the swim course and transition area, and ride a bit of the bike course. We'll finish with a short run off the bike on part of the run course. Come see what the race will be like and get in some good training!

OPEN WATER WEDNESDAY!

We are ON for an Open Water Swim tomorrow (Wednesday)!

The weather looks good but just in case, please bring your running gear.

We will see you at 6pm at Columbia Beach! I just sent out the email with all the details but just post a comment here if you have any more questions.

See you at 6pm Wednesday!

Open Water changed to RUN today at 6pm--Columbia Beach!

Due to the rainy weather and a higher bacteria count in the Lake, tonight's workout will be changed to a RUN and transition talk! SAME TIME, SAME PLACE--Columbia Beach, which is at the intersection of Lake and Columbia Roads. Park in the church parking lot, carefully cross the street, and meet us there! 6pm--unless it's thundering, we'll be there!

It's always a good idea to practice running in the rain, since you never know what weather race day will bring. We'd all love race days to be partly sunny and 70 degrees, but you want to be prepared for HOT AND HUMID or even CHILLY AND RAINY! Practicing in these conditions makes you more mentally prepared for whatever race day might throw at you!

See you tonight at 6! Bring your running gear and your waiver if you haven't turned it in yet!

Team Evotri Update #3: Open Water This Week!

Hi triathletes!

Great job at the bricks this weekend! HUGE thanks to Coach Eric and Coach Aimee for leading the bricks while I was in Madison, Wisconsin training with Team Evotri on the Ironman Wisconsin course. And congratulations to Coach Eric for taking 1st place in his division and Coach Aimee for taking 3rd place in her division this weekend at the Meadeville, PA Olympic-Distance triathlon! Way to go, guys!!

Our next workout this week will be WEDNESDAY NIGHT at 6pm at Columbia Beach in Bay Village for an OPEN WATER SWIM! Be sure you bring your waiver, photo release form, some water, a towel, a swim cap if you have one, and some goggles. Also, bring your running shoes and some socks in case the waves are too high or the weather is not cooperating, so we can go for a little run and discuss TRANSITIONS in triathlons. A transition is when you go from one sport to another--swim to bike (T1) or bike to run (T2). There are lots of ways to practice transitions and shave off a few seconds--or even minutes!--in your race. Columbia Beach is located at the intersection of Lake and Columbia Roads. Park in the church parking lot, carefully cross the street, and meet at the top of the stairs for our swim!

Friday morning is our next BRICK workout at RRHS Stadium at 8am. Bring your bike, helmet, and water or sports drink! See you then!

Have you registered for the race yet? It's time to make it official--you WILL be a triathlete! Go to this website, fill out the registration form, and you're ready to go! Remember--just bring a copy of your registration to a workout to get your Team Evotri Visor! I will have them with me on Wednesday and Friday's workouts! https://www.ncnracing.com/registration/raceHTD/raceHTD.shtml

Here are this week's goals:

SWIMMING:

--if you are already a swimmer: you should be getting in the pool 2-3 times a week and swimming 1500-2000 yards or so a session. Warm up and cool down with a steady 4-500 yards. Then, try 2-4 400s and descend on each.

--if you are not primarily a swimmer: You should be gradually increasing your distance a bit each session, and swimming 3 times a week. It's better to get in the pool often and swim a little less each time if you are pressed for time. Swimming is 99% technique, so the more you get used to the water, the better! One lap to the other end of the pool is 25 yards. Try to swim 200 yards without stopping! Race distance is 400 yards so you want to build up to that.

BIKING:

--Take advantage of the Wednesday morning spin classes at the Ride and Workout! www.rideandworkout.com Or, be sure to ride your bike at least twice this week for 45-50 minutes each time. Don't forget: most of the race is on your bike, so you want to feel very comfortable on it, and also you want to have enough energy to have a good run!

RUNNING:

--if you are already a runner: You should be building up a nice little base by now, and should include a run of at least 4-5 miles this week. Remember, the race is a 5K, so you want your body to be used to going farther than that. However, to avoid injury, don't increase your mileage more than 10% a week!

--if you are not primarily a runner: You should be running 2-3 times this week and gradually increasing your time. For example, if last week you ran or ran/walked 25 minutes as your long run, this week try to go for 30 minutes. The race is 3.1 miles so you want to work up to that distance in training.

NUTRITION:

--Recovery is very important! After a hard workout, you need to refuel your muscles to be ready for the next day. Did you know you don't have to spend crazy amounts of money on fancy recovery drinks? Studies have shown repeatedly that CHOCOLATE MILK is just as good as those fancy expensive drinks at refueling your muscles! It has the optimal balance of carbs to protein. So after a hard workout, have a glass of chocolate milk! But be sure to do it within 20 minutes or so of your workout to get the most benefit!

See you WEDNESDAY at 6PM for our OPEN WATER SWIM!

As always, check here for updates and don't forget to make your workouts COUNT by logging them in at www.plus3network.com and earning money for your favorite charity!

BV Saturday Brick

Saturday morning was another beautiful day for a brick workout. Madison was our lone tri-newbie for a nice ride with Coaches Eric and Aimee. We rode the bikes for 30 minutes resulting in 6.25 miles on part of the actual race course. Hoping off the bikes we ran for 15 minutes and talked about the run course for the triathlon.

Madison asked some great questions. If people ask the same questions I may just have her answer them for me.

Let's get out there and ride those bikes and run some miles. Wednesday is an open water swim in Lake Erie, it is really nice in the lake.

Look for an update from Coach Sara.

WOW....it's almost July.

Game On.

Friday Brick is in the books

What a difference a week makes weather wise here in Cleveland. Last week's morning storm really put a kabosh on the brick. Last night's storm was severe but only left behind some fallen branches and leaves. This morning was warm and clear for a brick.

Maddie, Patty and Elise (sorry if I'm spelling name wrong) showed up at RRHS for the morning brick. Patty and Maddie were wide awake and ready to go. Elise....well....Maddie had to give her a little wake up call.

Once we got going it was very nice out. A couple of tree limbs covered the Metropark path but otherwise we just had to get around the various walkers. Climbing up the path before the turn-around at Custard Hill the girls soccer team passed us on their bikes.

Wait a minute.....if they are on their bikes....and are soccer players, WHO RUN.....why aren't they riding with us? Go get 'em girls. See if they are interested in tri-ing. The more the merrier.

Maddie, great ride. But next time don't be so nice. Head out on your run as soon as you get back to the school. I do admire your thoughtfulness though.

Patty, I'm glad you pushed it on your bike on the way back to the school. NO.MORE.SLACKING. If you are not pedaling, you are taking it too easy. I can tell you have it in you.

Elise, How does the bike feel with the seat higher? You will be able to get more power from your legs. Don't forget to use the shifters....they are your friends. And those friends helped you get up Detroit Road hill with no problems.

Everybody should think about my comments to the three above, they apply to everyone.

The transition from bike to run should be done quickly

Push yourselves a little. You may surprise yourself.

Remember the gears and use them. We can talk about this more later.

I will make sure we look at everybodies bikes and make sure you are comfortable on them.

Saturday is another brick at Huntington Beach...park near the Playhouse. Bring the waivers.

Game On.

Coach Eric

Week Two Goals and Updates!

Hello again!

It's finally acting like SUMMER here in Cleveland, so it's time to hit training hard! Hopefully last week you did a brick workout on your own, since we were thundered-out Friday morning. There are TWO OPPORTUNITIES for bricks this weekend! There will be a brick Friday morning for the Rocky River Girls Cross Country team (and anyone else is welcome) that I will not be able to lead, as I am traveling to Wisconsin with my team for a weekend of training on the Ironman Wisconsin course. Coach Brabant will be there just to start you off, but if this is your first brick and you are NOT on the River Girls CC team, I encourage you to attend Saturday's Brick in Bay Village! This will be at 8am at Huntington Park on Lake Road. This brick will be led by experienced triathletes Eric Gibb and Aimee Millward. Meet ACROSS FROM THE LAKE at Huntington Playhouse.

For both bricks, remember, you MUST HAVE A HELMET. No exceptions! Don't forget to bring a signed waiver and photo release form, too. They are attached to the email for this week.

Finally, Open Water Swimming will begin NEXT WEEK, July 1st, at 6pm at Columbia Beach, Bay Village. Since we have had a chilly June, we wanted to be sure the water was warm enough, so we will begin next week. That gives you more time to get ready in the pool! :)

Here are this week's goals:

SWIMMING:

--if you are already a swimmer: you should be getting in the pool 2-3 times a week and swimming 1500 yards or so a session. Warm up and cool down with a steady 3-400 yards, and make sure you add in 4-6 100s at race pace in the middle of your workouts to really wake up your arms!

--if you are not primarily a swimmer: You should be gradually increasing your distance a bit each session, and swimming 3 times a week. It's better to get in the pool often and swim a little less each time if you are pressed for time. Swimming is 99% technique, so the more you get used to the water, the better! One lap to the other end of the pool is 25 yards. Try to swim 100 yards without stopping! Race distance is 400 yards so you want to build up to that.

BIKING:

--Take advantage of the Wednesday morning spin classes at the Ride and Workout! www.rideandworkout.com Or, be sure to ride your bike at least twice this week for 40 minutes each time. Don't forget: most of the race is on your bike, so you want to feel very comfortable on it, and also you want to have enough energy to have a good run!

RUNNING:

--if you are already a runner: You should be building up a nice little base by now, and should include a run of at least 3-4 miles this week. Remember, the race is a 5K, so you want your body to be used to going farther than that. However, to avoid injury, don't increase your mileage more than 10% a week!

--if you are not primarily a runner: You should be running 2-3 times this week and gradually increasing your time. For example, if last week you ran or ran/walked 20 minutes as your long run, this week try to go for 25 minutes. The race is 3.1 miles so you want to work up to that distance in training.

NUTRITION:

--Are you hydrating before and after workouts? It is especially important to do this as the weather gets hot! Be sure to consume fluids before, during, and after all workouts--even biking and swimming! Although you may not feel like you are sweating much, you are...and if you do not rehydrate you'll feel sluggish the next day and have a poor workout.

We'll see you at one of the bricks this weekend! Happy training, and don't forget--Open Water Swimming starts NEXT WEEK! Get excited! :)

As always, check here often for updates and don't forget to make your workouts COUNT by logging them in at www.plus3network.com and earning money for your favorite charity!

Mrs. Z and Team Evotri

Not Today

When you wake up and see the local radar looking like this........you know you live in Cleveland.

What a bummer that the first brick is canceled due to rain. But safety prevails.

As aspiring triathletes you will learn to go with the flow and take what comes your way be it on race day or during training. Times like this will be met with a little bit of disappointment and then acceptance of the circumstances. There really is nothing you can do about it except more forward.

Triathlon.....life.....yeah, there are some similarities and lessons to be learned.

But don't let the weekend go to waste. Saturday morning is looking pretty good. Do the brick Coach Sara suggested. There is also a 5k run in Sheffield Sunday morning. I'll be there, leave a comment if you may go. http://www.ncnracing.com

And don't forget Dad's Day on Sunday.

Have fun and get your Game On.

Coach Eric

6/19 BRICK CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER

Unfortunately, today's brick is cancelled due to weather. I just checked the radar and it's not lookin' good! Waking up to the thunder was my first hint...

This doesn't mean you can't BRICK on your own! This weekend, try your first brick. Ride for a half an hour, and then put on your running shoes and run or run/walk for 10 minutes. Notice how your legs feel funny the first few minutes you run, but then loosen up? Yeah, that's normal. That's why a brick is a great workout--it gets you ready to run on tired legs! You'll notice each time you brick that you get stronger.

Don't forget to get in the pool at least 2-3 times this week!

Check back soon for more updates!

First BRICK Friday!

Tomorrow is our first BRICK WORKOUT! Meet at 8am at the RRHS Stadium. Don't forget: you MUST HAVE A HELMET, a WATER BOTTLE, and the photo release and Team Evotri release forms. See the email from this week or post a comment here with your email address if you need any of those to be resent.

Have you been swimming this week? Remember, you should try to get in the pool as often as you can, but at least 2-3 times per week. Try to increase your distance each time you swim. For example, if you can only swim 2 laps without stopping today, go for 3 tomorrow. Or, if you're an experienced swimmer, gradually work up to sets of 3-400 yards at a build pace. Try to increase your overall yardage each session!

Be sure to sign up at the Plus3 Network to make your workouts count and track your miles!

See you Friday morning!

Welcome to the Evotri Battle of the Schools!

Congratulations--you've taken the first step. You've said to yourself, "I think I can do this." Now, you're going to figure out HOW to do this...how to become a triathlete. You'll see that this sport is super fun, pushes you to do your best and become even stronger, and makes you a better all-around athlete.

This summer, join the Team and try a tri!

Our first workout will be a "BRICK" workout: a bike and a run. We'll leave from RRHS Stadium at 8am on Friday, June 19th at 8:00am. Bring your waiver and photo release form, as well as a bike, a water bottle for your bike, and a HELMET. NO RIDERS WILL GO WITHOUT A HELMET AND A SIGNED WAIVER. We will ride for approximately 30 minutes and run/walk for approximately 10 minutes. No one is ever left behind, so grab a friend and your bike and come meet us!

Be sure to sign up at the Plus3 Network to log your workouts and pick a charity of your choice for your miles to turn into donations. Your hard workouts = money donated to charity. How awesome is that?! We will have weekly winners announced of who does the most swimming, biking, and running!

And don't forget, the latest calendar will be posted here as soon as it is finalized! Be sure to email saraziemnik at earthlink dot net if you need any extra copies of the waiver or photo release.

Welcome to the Team! Get ready for a fun season!