Fast forward to now: USAT has full control of the race – a move by our national governing body that has many race directors up in arms (they don’t feel USAT should be producing races).  I am here to tell you that USAT has made the right move by taking over the race; they are providing an experience for collegiate triathletes that no one else can consistently deliver.  What an incredible experience for all of the college athletes that make the annual pilgrimage to this great event (the race site moves around the country every two years).  This year they had a total of three races over two days: on Friday there was the first ever ITU Draft Legal Collegiate race, on Saturday morning was the Olympic non-drafting race and on Saturday afternoon was the Super Sprint Relay.

If you have never seen an ITU Draft Legal race, I can tell you as a veteran of 25+ years in the sport that they are really exciting to watch – especially when it comes to college racing. It’s like March Madness all rolled into a one hour race in April, with kids who aren’t getting huge scholarships to compete.  As cool as the ITU race was, the Super Sprint Relay was incredibly fun to watch. The relay teams are comprised of two women and two men; each athlete does a very short triathlon of 250m swim, 5km bike and 1.2km run – about 15 min of anaerobic amusement.

I haven’t seen this much pure fun in the sport for many years; it was the most enjoyable time I have had watching the sport I have grown up with.  Of course, it’s even better when you sponsor the team (my alma mater) with the men’s winner of the ITU and Olympic race (University of Arizona TriCat – Ben Kanute) as well as sponsor the women’s Olympic winner (Colorado – Michelle Mehnert) .

How did you get started in triathlon?

When I was younger (Age 7 in Second Grade), I had tried sports like soccer, basketball and softball.  I just could not find the right fit for me.  Then, two of my friends’ (boys) dads told my dad about these kid triathlons they were participating in.  My dad asked me if I wanted to give it a try.  I did and the rest is history.   I was hooked!  My earlier years were spent learning about all three sports, nutrition, gear and competing in many local and national championship races.  Two years ago, I decided that I wanted to start racing in adult triathlons, but only if my dad would do it with me.  Now we do them all together!  This year I competed in approximately 15 duathlons and triathlons, including two Olympic distance races.

What made you decide to start racing for charity?

As I progressed into the adult triathlons, a lot of attention was being placed on me.  I was usually one of the only kids racing and I was beating most of the adults.  I decided that I wanted to shift this attention away from me and onto a cause that was more worthwhile.  I created Team Ariana last year and kicked it off at the beginning of the 2012 racing season.  I united my sponsors and created a web site, a full Team Ariana race wear line with my awesome sponsor Champion System, and provided a way to raise more awareness and badly needed funds for the Vogel Alcove.  The story on the Vogel Alcove also goes way back as my younger sister, Gabrielle, deserves all the credit for introducing it to our family.  The Vogel Alcove is a special place which gives young homeless children and their parents a start at a second chance in life.  They provide schooling and healthcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old and case management for the parents, which helps them prepare and find work, and ultimately a real place to call home.  Twenty one different local homeless shelters, domestic violence facilities, etc. feed into the Vogel Alcove.

We started helping Vogel by donating all our birthday presents to them, creating donation drives and visiting the children to bake cookies, do art projects and play.  But that just did not seem like enough.  I wanted to do more.  Once my sister and I realized that these sweet children don’t even have a bed to call their own, not even their own pillow, I knew I could make a difference.  Team Ariana was the answer.  When I am racing and pushing as hard as I can, I find a way to push harder knowing I am doing it for these children.  I have so much and they have so little.  I can endure a few hours of pain for them.  This year alone, Team Ariana has raised over $37,000 and we are not slowing down one bit!

Do you participate in other sports outside of swim/bike/run?

Yes, I participate in volleyball at my school!

Have you inspired any friends or family to participate in triathlon?

Definitely!  My dad was my number one equipment manager before I started doing adult triathlons.  Now, he does all my races with me and even completed his first Ironman this summer!  More importantly, I think I have opened up other kid’s eyes to the reality that they, too, can make a difference.  I have heard and seen other kids finding a way to give back to their communities by finding something they believe in and going after it.  Some do it through triathlons, and others through sports they love.  The main thing I want to get across to other kids is that I am proof that one kid CAN make a difference.

What does a typical training week look like for you?

Well, I typically have 3-4 hours of homework every night so a typical training week during the school year is a little different than a training week during the summer.  Also, my training changed when I began focusing in Olympic distance tris versus sprints.  First off, my coach is awesome.  Coach Steen Rose has always made sure that my training is balanced with my other obligations.  More importantly, he makes sure I am always having fun.  After all, I am still a kid!  During the school year, each week I will typically balance 2 runs, 2 swims, 2 bikes, resistance training and yoga.  My coach changes up my schedule, but the weekends usually involve longer bricks and more endurance work.  We also use Training Peaks which really helps me in my weekly and monthly planning.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? ,

Strawberries!

Looking at your results, it’s easy to see that you’re a fierce competitor. Do you have any dreams of racing as a professional some day?

Absolutely!  I would like to (1) complete my first Ironman before I finish high school and (2) become a professional triathlete sometime in my career.

Who is your favorite triathlete (both male and female)?

Hunter Kemper and Sarah Haskins.   I got to race with them both in the Toyota US Open Championships!

What is the toughest subject in school?

History

What is your favorite subject?

English, Spanish, Math, and Science

How do you decide what your goal is for how much money you want to raise for Vogel Alcove, and does that goal change from year to year?

This is my first year of raising money for the Vogel Alcove.  When I started earlier this year, my goal was $10,000.  We hit that so quickly that I raised it to $20,000.  Once we passed that I raised it to $50,000!  It has been so great to see so many people and companies help support me, Team Ariana, and the Vogel Alcove.  This really is an awesome sport with a phenomenal support group.

How do you spend your down time (what’s your favorite non-athletic thing to do)?

Playing with my friends (sleepovers, movies, fun sports) and doing fun activities with my family (traveling, cooking, etc.).

What’s the hardest part about triathlon training?

The hardest part about triathlon training is usually not the training itself, but finding a way to structure my schedule so I can fit it in.  I have found that taking breaks from my homework to train really allows me to recharge and focus more on my studying.

Are your friends into triathlon as well, or do they think you’re crazy?

I met my best friend (who lives an hour away) through triathlon racing.  She is my BFF and I wish I could see her more.  My other friends don’t race, but are supportive.  Some have come to see races, but many don’t like getting up that early and they generally think I am crazy!

No longer an underdog after her 3^rd place finish in Hawaii last year, Leanda Cave is one of those athletes you root for because of her work ethic, and because she’s just plain nice. If you live in Tucson you can see her out on the roads and trails, putting in the hard work day after day, like Rocky Balboa. It’s not always the best man or woman who wins; sometimes it’s the ones who are willing to play dirty or sometimes it’s that annoying team with all the money. Leanda, however is not only one of the hardest working professional triathletes, but also one of the nicest professional triathletes I’ve had the honor of meeting.

I’ll never forget the first time I was introduced to her in the TriSports retail store, shortly after I moved to Tucson and started working here. It was my first time meeting a pro outside of a race setting. When I was introduced to her, the person introducing us mentioned that I was training for a marathon. I noticed that she seemed to be friends with everyone in the building, but figured that it was just because they had been there for so long. However, the very next time she came in, not only did she greet me by name, but she asked how my marathon training was going. Getting to know her on a few training rides and on a few social outings solidified my belief that she is a kind, down-to-earth woman.

Because of the wonderful person she is, the entire TriSports triathlon community was behind her on race day. I was, quite literally, on the edge of my seat as I watched the final miles of the marathon unfold. To be honest, I was a little worried at one point; I had never seen Mirinda Carfrae catch another athlete and not pass her. When Leanda held strong and then began pulling away, everyone in the room went wild. She made us believe, as she must have all along, that she could catch Caroline Steffen and win the race.

Sitting in the TriSports Tempe retail store is Leanda’s trophy from Ironman Arizona. At the beginning of the year our staff, along with some of our best customers and sponsored athletes, wrote resolutions for the New Year. Below is a picture of that trophy and Leanda’s resolution; that’s how the mind of a champion works, and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of the title Ironman World Champion. It was such a thrill watching our friend and sponsored athlete win the most important and exciting race of the year, becoming the first woman to win both the Ironman 70.3 and Ironman World Championship races in the same year. Leanda, you continue to amaze and inspire us, and we thank you for another great year. Congratulations, champ! Your win was hard earned and well deserved.

Leanda "Super Bird" Cave

Angela "No Longer the Bridesmaid" Naeth

Missy "Check Out My Quads" Kuck

Could the women of TriSports sweep the podium? We’d put money on it!

Keep your eyes peeled for these speedy age groupers who are all gunning to top the podium this year: Leo Carrillo (M45-49), Sarah Jarvis (F30-34), Ali Rutledge (F45-59), and Mark Tripp (M30-34).

Pictures from Triathlete.com

In Kempville, Ontario, Canada, near Ottawa, our nation’s capitol, the inaugural eQuinelle Grand Prix drew a strong field of elite men and women races due to a sizable prize purse! I had to pull a few strings in order the get my Canadian racing license in order, but all worked out and I made the 3+ hr drive to a far eastern part of our province.

They had a $1200 prize purse for the winner of the women’s race, with 2^nd: $500, 3^rd: $300, 4^th: $200 and 5^th: $100. Winning had a lopsided advantage and 20 + women, including Team Exergy Twenty 12 rider, Heather Sprenger plus a number of Canadian National team riders, lined up to take a run at the big payout.

Lap 3 included a very bad crash. I managed to avoid hitting the deck, but not before skidding, going up on one wheel and dropping my chain. I ran to the pit, but the race was stopped for 30min while they took one rider away to the hospital.

They restarted and shortened our race from 60 min + 5 laps, to 45 min + 5 laps. The race started with gusto and this was good as it kept women from bunching up in the narrow, technical corners. With a few $100 primes on the line, I sat back, watched and assessed a field that was virtually unknown to me. The pace never seemed too difficult, but there were a few teams with 4+ riders so I knew I would have to be smart. The last prime was presented with 15 min to go, again, I sat and watched.

The classic lull after the prime was perfect for an outside attack from the back and away I went. A sizable gap opened right away, but I never made it more that 25 seconds away. With no allies in the field, I knew the only chance I had now was to just 100% commit to this move. With 3 laps to go, the field was now motivated to fight for the biggest single day payout in Ontario. They were coming on strong, but I managed to fight them off, as they closed all but 5 seconds! That is not my typical style of crit racing, but it was an amazing feeling to win solo, off the front, for 25 min! Now my pocket book can breathe a little easier!

]]> http://blog.tri-sports.com/2012/06/04/chloe-black-wins-canadas-equinelle-grand-prix/feed/ 0 http://blog.tri-sports.com/2012/05/30/angela-naeths-lifetime-fitness-kits-triathlon-clinic/ http://blog.tri-sports.com/2012/05/30/angela-naeths-lifetime-fitness-kits-triathlon-clinic/#comments Wed, 30 May 2012 11:00:07 +0000 Jaclyn A. http://blog.tri-sports.com/?p=5722 By Angela Naeth

Last week I did a Kids Triathlon Clinic at Life Time Fitness in Las Vegas, NV. With over 50 kids and adults present, we went over everything from nutrition, recovery, and mindset to transition setup and training. I had a great time with the kids; it brought back great memories of working as a pediatric physiotherapist. I made sure they were up on their feet, had their brains firing and their bodies moving.

We had a great group of young triathletes!

It was a great chance to encourage others, young and old, to take up this wonderful sport and pursue their dreams. My message to all of them was to have fun and to find the passion that lies within you – whether it be triathlon or something else entirely. Never give up and don’t worry about the outcome, but rather how hard you pushed yourself individually.

I was very excited about whatever I was talking about...probably recovery (sleep)!

I hope this clinic is just one of the first of many for me. Inspiring these kids and answering their questions was a big highlight.  One of the funniest questions asked was, “do you run fast when you race…or really fast?” They also wanted to know what the reasons are to do a triathlon; there are many answers to this questions, but the most important reasons are to have fun, be healthy, and challenge yourself.

Ryan and Justin lending me a hand.

We chatted about what it takes to do your best in triathlon. I spoke about the four pieces of the pie: nutrition, training, recovery and mindset. While we talked about nutrition, the kids got to eat their tasty Beanitos, Core Power drinks and Gu gels. Ryan and Justin helped go over some key pointers for setting up a transition area. For recovery I explained a little about how to prevent injury by doing other exercise and gave ideas for strengthening their bodies. We also covered the best recovery of all…SLEEP, watching movies and hanging out with their friends. The kids had a lot of great ideas for this one!

Overall we had a great time and I couldn’t be more happy with the turnout. I’m pretty sure I saw a few upcoming triathlon stars in the mix!  A big thanks to Renee, Eddie, Justin and Ryan Carroll for their amazing help for the clinic! Ryan and Justin were my two right-hand boys and helped with the presentation. Heck, they could have done it themselves! They answered questions, chatted about their new Pearl Izumi tri kits, and explained how to set up a transition. They are future triathlon stars!

Schwag! Thanks TriSports!

A huge thank you also goes out to all the sponsors that helped out for this event. The kids were ecstatic with all the goodies they received, and everyone left with a big bag of new schwag.

Sponsors: Pearl Izumi, ISM Seats, Rudy Project, Punk Rock Racing, GU Energy,  Sable Water Optics, Bonk Breaker, Larabar, Trisports, ClifBar, Xlab, CorePower, Beanitos,

Also, a big shout out to Jayne Furman, photographer.

For more pictures from the kids clinic check out Angela’s Fan Page!

Over the weekend a good friend reached out to me in search of help for his young nephew who was just diagnosed with ALS (also known as Amyotrophic  lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s Disease).  And two days later I learned the triathlon community has lost another life to ALS: Doug MacInnes (RIP Doug). This incurable disease takes lives every day and for the most part ALS is not heard about and sufferers only live for a short time beyond diagnosis. The health of the patient deteriorates so quickly leaving family and friends with very little time to adjust to the decline of their loved ones health.

A lot of athletes train day in and day out to participate and ultimately achieve a great result in triathlon, or any sport for that matter.  To some degree, we race this sport of triathlon for no reason other than our ego driven goals.  But I like to feel there is a purpose for everything and to know there is an even bigger reward.  And so racing for a cause, or in the name of someone else, is one of my favorite ways to race. I encourage all athletes to consider the value it brings to your life and to others by getting behind a charitable organization and racing for them.

Besides raising money for research and awareness, the Blazeman Foundation for ALS has been a huge support network that distributes knowledge and assistance to families and friends of ALS sufferers.  For this and many other reasons, I lend my time, name and voice to the Blazeman Foundation in hopes to increase their visibility and hopefully be a link in the chain to those who I reach.  And what does this all have to do with my race at the 29^th annual Columbia 5150 Triathlon? Rob Vigorito, the event owner and organizer, is a Clinical Instructor at the University of Maryland and has done key brain tissue research on Jon Blais (of whom the Blazeman Foundation was named after) in pursuit of a cure for ALS.  Rob has given up his own time and raised over $4million in aid of charitable organizations.   I raced Columbia 5150 in honor of Jon Blais and to support the charitable efforts of the Blazeman Foundation for ALS who help and encourage those and their families who have been affected by this disease.  I will add that Rob was also kind enough to let me play around in his Porsche Boxter before the race!!

Back to the race report!

Let’s just say that I did it again.  I managed to pick (or I should say it picked me) another one of the toughest races on the triathlon circuit to continue my early season racing campaign with equally tough competition!  Columbia 5150 is probably one of the hardest races over the Olympic distance that I have ever done…..and I would just like to remind readers that I have been doing triathlon for 20 years! So it goes without saying that to do well over a course of this difficulty means that you are doing something right and your form isn’t that shabby.  Hence, I’m pretty pleased with achieving 2^nd place at this stage of the game.  But what is of more significance to me is that I am still able to lay it down in an Olympic distance event.  I have morphed into an Ironman triathlete over the past 5 years and technically I should have no speed in my legs at all!  Additionally, the 30 hour training weeks I have been putting in prior to this event are not exactly conducive to Olympic distance racing.  I hurt myself quite a lot at this event and it felt really good!  That sounds like I seek pleasure in pain but in fact it is just more the fun of racing neck-and-neck again.  All too often, with long distance races, I find am more or less on my own the whole way.

On to how the actual race went down……

The clear leader out of the swim for the women was Sara McClarty.  Sara actually caught some of the men because she is such a demon in the water!  Next was a pack of 6 girls: Annabel Luxford, Lauren Goss, Rebecca Wassner, Debbie Tanner, Lindsey Jerdonek and myself.  I forgot how fast transitions are in short course racing and I was like an old woman running to my bike.  Right there I lost about 100m on the girls but I reeled most of them back in after the first few miles of the bike……..the exceptions being Rebecca Wassner and Annabel Luxford.  And then, Sara McClarty was still in the lead somewhere in the distance!  The bike course was a toughie: Hills, hills, and for kicks and giggles, a few more hills!

At about 20miles into the bike I finally caught McClarty which moved me into 3^rd place.  I was busting my lungs to keep up with Wassner who was busting her lungs just trying to keep the gap between herself and Luxford turning into daylight. We came off the bike about 90 seconds down on Luxford, and we were caught by Margie Shapiro who put in a valiant effort after coming out a bit down out of the swim.

Considering how bad my swim to bike transition, I was the first of our little pack to shoot out on to the run.  I wanted to just go as hard as I could for the run but this was not an easy run. The longest flat section was a 400 yard stretch in the last mile.   Everything else was either up or down but I kept telling myself: “it’s only 10km”, quite a bit shorter than the half or full marathon distance which I am now accustomed!  I swear, 10km seems so short after you have raced a few Ironman! At the end, I managed to hold on to 2^nd place.  I only gained back 30secs on Luxford who took out the win, but I had to fight the last mile with the 3^rd fastest run to hold off Laurel Wassner who ended up with the fasted run split by about a minute.  I completed the race, with of course, the Blazeman Roll…….which all started with Jon Blais who said he would make it over the finish line at Ironman Hawaii even if he had to roll.

I’m so very happy with this result. It’s nice to know that I still have a bit of speed and it also felt incredible to fight so hard during a race.   When I raced Wildflower, I was coming from quite some time off from racing and felt that it showed in my performance but now, after Columbia 5150, I feel like I’m truly racing once again and am more in love with racing and triathlon than ever.

My next race will be the famous Escape from Alcatraz.  I already have won this one 3 times, and I have my sights set on another win.  Thank you to all my AMAZING sponsors who I appreciate to no end: Driscoll’s Berries, Pacific Health Labs, K-Swiss, Trisports.com, Pinarello, Easton, Giro, Blueseventy, ISM Saddles, Tor Hans, Skins, TriBike Transport, Oakley, Computrainer, PowerCranks and Katalyst Multisport.

On Saturday, March 16 the TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing team lined up in Tucson’s biggest cycling race of the season, the Old Pueblo Grand Prix. Expectations were high as the team was still enjoying their recent successes in Murrieta, Avondale and Tucson Bicycle Classic. With nearly a full squad including Brian Ellis, Andre McNulty, Justin Orkney, Ben Lair, David Welsh, Shawn Daly and, making his first Cat 2 start, Christian Maldonado, the plan was to stay at the front and ride aggressively.

The pace was fast right from the gun and within the first few laps, gaps in the field opened and riders were shelled off the back. Things settled down about 5 laps in and Brian took the opportunity and flew up the right side to launch an attack. A group of 4 slowly but surely pulled away from the field. The group of 4 grew to 6 with riders from the teams of TriSports Cycling, Jetset Racing, Green Team, Tachycardia and Tolero (and one unattached rider).

Content with their representation in the break, the TriSports team sat up and left the chase efforts to the rest of the field. Meanwhile, up in the break, Brian and his companions drove the pace and increased their gap on the peloton.  As the lead grew to 30 seconds, Justin Orkney made a valiant attempt to bridge up to the lead group.  Just as he was within ~25 meters of making contact with the leaders, he overcooked a turn and went down. Not to be deterred, he got up, dusted himself off and continued racing.

The lead group continued to push the pace and further increased their gap to the main field. After nearly 45 minutes of riding off-the-front, the leaders had the tail end of the peloton in sight. The field would be lapped!

With 5 laps to go, the field was lapped and things got messy. A handful of the breakaway riders were content to sit on the back and take their top 6 placing but the rider from Green Team quickly made his way to the front of the pack. Brian was in hot pursuit and the rest of the TriSports team did what they could to position him near the front. Amidst the confusion, the Green Team rider sprinted a lap early and thought he had the win but in reality, there was still one lap to go. The final lap was fast and the field was strung out.

Andre led Brian out of the last turn but a long day in the break had taken the toll on his legs. Brian gave it his best but the finish line was just a tad too far and he was passed by the rider from Jetset Racing who took the win. No one else from the break was able to come around Brian though and he held on to 2^nd place overall.

Justin Orkney gets the Spirit Award for this race. Despite crashing early on, he continued to race and even made a second attempt to bridge up to the leaders! Unfortunately he never made contact with the lead group, but his efforts would net him 7^th place on the day! Andre would finish in 9^th overall and Ben, David and Christian rounded out the top 15 with 12^th, 14^th and 15^th respectively.  All in all, a great day for the TriSports Cycling/Eclipse Racing team!

Amy Regan won her age group at Ironman Coeur D’Alene for the second year in a row, and finished 10th in her age group at the Ironman World Championship.

Karin Bivens won her age group at Ironman Brazil and proceeded to beat her husband in Kona.

Thomas Gerlach was the Rev3 amateur series champion and turned pro at the end of the season.

Angela Naeth won the inaugural Leadman Epic 250 and wrapped her season up with her first 70.3 win in Boulder.

Mark Tripp was 3rd in the highly competitive M30-34 age group at Vineman 70.3 which was also his first half.

Craig Pansing was the overall series winner for the Los Angeles Tri Series.

And Leanda Cave won Wildflower, Miami 70.3, Rev3 Knoxville, Ironman Arizona, and finished 3rd at the Ironman World Championships.

While these accomplishments are all very impressive there is more to being a TriSports.com athlete than winning races. It about living a healthy lifestyle, pushing ourselves beyond what we ever thought we were capable of, sharing the joy of sport with those around us, and our 2011 TriSports.com athlete of the year truly embodies the spirit of the sport.

2011 Athlete of the Year: Craig Sheckler

As a coach, club founder, and accomplished triathlete Craig Sheckler has turned the sport of triathlon into a lifestyle. As founder of the Endurance Multisport club in Pennsylvania he has helped grow the sport of triathlon in his community and inspired others to follow his lead and live an active lifestyle. His club now boast a membership of over 125 members. When Craig isn’t coaching he is busy training. After many years of racing Ironman Craig was ready for a new challenge and this year tackled Ultraman UK: a ridiculous 3 day double Ironman in the horrible weather of England. He then proceeded to do and Ironman 3 weeks after his return from Ultraman. As a 7 year member of Team TriSports I am honored to present the 2011 athlete of the year award to Craig Sheckler.

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