303Endurance Podcast

2016 Rio Olympic Champion, Gwen Jorgensen, returns to the World Triathlon circuit competing with Katie Zaferes and Taylor Spivey. Alex Yee, Hayden Wilde and Kristian Blummenfelt will battle it out on the men's side. Plus Mad Gravel, Bike to Work Day and more!   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - Rick Hoyt passes at the age of 61; Pro Races This Weekend (WTCS Cagliari [Cal-a- ree]and IM Brazil) What's new in the 303 - E-Bikers Ride Much Farther and More Frequently; Planning for Bike To Work Day Colorado Video of the Week - None   Endurance News:   Rick Hoyt, whose late father pushed him through decades of Boston Marathons and other races, has died at 61 By Sara Smart, CNN   Rick Hoyt, the man who was pushed in a wheelchair by his father in 32 Boston Marathon races, died Monday morning.   Hoyt, 61, died due to complications with his respiratory system, according to a family statement posted on The Hoyt Foundation's Facebook.   “It is with profound sadness that the Hoyt Family announce the passing of our beloved brother and uncle, Rick Hoyt this morning,” the Hoyt family said in a statement Monday. “As so many knew, Rick along with our father, Dick, were icons in the road race and triathlon worlds for over 40 years and inspired millions of people with disabilities to believe in themselves, set goals and accomplish extraordinary things.”   Rick, who had cerebral palsy that left him a quadriplegic, and his father, Dick, who passed away in March 2021, ran their first Boston Marathon in 1980 with a custom racing chair for Rick, according to the Boston Athletic Association and became fixtures in the race until their last as a team in 2014.   The father and son began running in races in 1977 when Rick told his dad he wanted to participate in a 5-mile race to benefit a lacrosse player who had been paralyzed in an accident, according to the Hoyt Foundation's website.   Rick Hoyt was a 36-time Boston Marathon finisher, according to the marathon race organizers.   “Rick Hoyt will always be remembered as a Boston Marathon icon and for personifying the ‘Yes You Can' mentality that defined Team Hoyt,” the Boston Athletic Association said in a statement. “We are fortunate to have been able to call Rick a friend, mentor, pioneer, and Boston Marathon finisher.”   The father-son duo completed more than 1,000 marathons, duathlons and triathlons, according to the Team Hoyt website. Plenty of notable moments for Chattanooga's Ironman 70.3, world's largest since pandemic by Jim Tanner / Correspondent 3,051 athletes competing in Sunday's race, which consisted of a 1.4 mile swim in the Tennessee River, a 56-mile bike section that took competitors into North Georgia, and ended with a 13.1 mile half-marathon run along the Riverwalk and through North Chattanooga.   Sunday's turnout in Chattanooga was the largest field in any Ironman 70.3 in the world since the start of the pandemic in 2020, a sign that racing is returning to normal and continues to grow, race Director Drew Wolff said.   "That's a testament not only to the fact that people are coming back out to race, but that they're coming out to race in Chattanooga. We just love being a part of this community," Wolff said.   With no professional men's field competing Sunday, the first across the finish line was Canadian pro Paula Findlay, one of the world's top woman triathletes. She was runner-up in last fall's Ironman 70.3 World Championships and is ranked No. 4 in the world in the latest Professional Triathletes Organization world rankings.   Findlay, who finished with an unofficial time of 4 hours, 9 minutes and 44 seconds, said cooler temperatures and a breeze on the course was a benefit during her race.   American Danielle Lewis was second with a time of 4:15:02, and South Africa's Jeanni Metzler was third, finishing just 35 seconds behind Lewis. Sunday's cooler temperatures also made life easy on the more than 1,000 volunteers throughout the course and finish area.   Chattanooga 70.3 Pro Women's Results   Olympic medallists Jorgensen and Zaferes ready to heat up the action in Cagliari What not so many could have guessed is that the pristine beach of Poetto, in Sardinia, will see the 2016 Rio Olympic champion Gwen Jorgensen lining up against the best of the best triathletes of the world for the first time in over six years on what promises to be an epic battle this Saturday.     World Triathlon Championship Series Cagliari: Preview, schedule, stars and how to watch The World Triathlon Championship series returns to Italy on 27 May, where reigning world and Olympic champions will be competing in the picturesque location of Cagliari's Poetto beach. By William Imbo One year after Italy held its first stage of the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS), the competition is returning to Bel Paese, this time on Cagliari's Poetto beach in Sardinia.   The Championship Series, which has been used to crown an annual world champion since 2009, will now hold its third round of the 2023 tournament after previous races in Abu Dhabi and Yokohama.   WTCS Cagliari competition schedule Saturday 27 May WOMEN'S RACE 09:30 Athlete's Lounge Check in 10:00 Transition Check in 10:00 Swim Warm up 10:50 Athlete line up 11:00 Women's Start 13:10 Women's Award Ceremony   MEN'S RACE 13:45 Athlete's Lounge Check in 14:15 Transition Check in 14:15 Swim Warm up 15:05 Athlete line up 15:15 Men's Start 17:20 Men's Award Ceremony   All times are local   WTCS Cagliari athletes to watch The first round of the 2023 WTC saw British athletes earn gold in both races, with double Olympic medallist Alex Yee and Beth Potter winning the men's and women's sprint events, respectively.   Sophie Coldwell (GBR) won the second round race in Japan, and currently sits in first place in the women's WTCS rankings courtesy of her win in Yokohama and second-place finish in Abu Dhabi.   2020 bronze medallist Hayden Wilde (NZL) currently sits in 6th place after triumphing in Yokohama, but it is Vasco Vilaça (POR) who tops the leaderboard after finishing second and third in the first two races of the series.   Tokyo 2020 men's champion Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR), who has been competing in Ironman events over the course of the last year, took part in his first race of the 2023 WTCS in Yokohama, finishing 8th; he is currently ranked 14th heading into Cagliari. Reigning world champion Leo Bergere (FRA) is currently ranked third overall.   On the women's side, reigning Olympic champion Flora Duffy (BER) won't be taking part in the race this weekend, but Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) is expected to participate; the Briton is in 7th place overall.   What is the 2023 WTCS Calgliari course? WTCS Cagliari will follow the Olympic racing format: a 1,500m swim over two 750m laps, 10 bike laps of 3.8km each and four 2.5km run laps to complete the race.   What's New in the 303: Mad Gravel https://madgravel.com/hemi/   E-Bikers Ride Much Farther and More Frequently Than Regular Bikers They are not 'cheating,' but are serious transportation. By Lloyd Alter   People used to complain that using an e-bike was "cheating," which I thought was dead and gone, writing a post two years ago, "Let's Stop Even Talking About E-Bikes Being 'Cheating'" Yet as this recent tweet demonstrates, it is still happening.   I have tried to make the case that e-bikes are often used differently than regular bikes, that people use them more often and go much farther, and have quoted a study which finds that e-bike riders get as much exercise as riders of regular bikes because they ride farther. Now a new study, "Do people who buy e-bikes cycle more?" gives us real numbers, and they are huge. Not only that, but the e-bikes are replacing cars more than they are replacing bikes.   The researchers, Aslak Fyhri and Hanne Beate Sundfør, studied the before-and-after habits of people who bought e-bikes in Oslo, Norway. The e-bikes were Euro-style pedelec designs, which means that the rider has to pedal for the motor to run, there is no throttle. They compared these results to a group who were interested in e-bikes but had not yet purchased them, asking the questions:   If buying an e-bike is related to a larger change in total cycling kilometers than short term access If buying an e-bike is related to a larger change in cycle share than short term access If the study outcome is dependent upon the choice of the comparison group. The Dramatic Results The people who bought e-bikes increased their bicycle use from 2.1 kilometers (1.3 miles) to 9.2 kilometers (5.7 miles) on average per day; a 340% increase. The e-bike's share of all their transportation increased dramatically too; from 17% to 49%, where they e-biked instead of walking, taking public transit, and driving.   The researchers call this the "e-bike effect," but worried that people might be riding so much because they just bought the bike and there is the novelty of it, so they are using it a lot, similar to what happens when people buy fancy gym equipment. They discounted this because in fact, people rode their e-bikes more the longer they had them; "it confirms previous findings indicating that people tend to go through a learning process where they discover new trip purposes for where to use the e-bike."   But Norway isn't the USA Many in North America will likely suggest that this is Scandinavia, it's different. In fact, the researchers note that Norway doesn't share the Danish or Dutch use of bikes as transportation, and in Oslo, the cycling shares are low.   Norwegian cycling culture has been dominated by recreational cycling for the last few decades. Hence, the context of Norway to a certain extent can be compared with that of the U.S, where the few studies that have hitherto been published indicate a mode shift from cars to cycling following from e-bike access. The authors conclude:   E-bikes are increasingly turning into an essential part of the urban transport system, and can be an important contribution to reducing environmental impact from transport by shifting people away from motorized transport....We find that the increased cycling is not just a novelty effect, but appears to be more lasting. Our study thus indicates that policy makers can expect a positive return of policy measures aimed at increasing the uptake of e-bikes. If we really want to see a permanent uptake in the use of e-bikes, we need policy measures that provide a safe place to ride and a secure place to park. Then e-bikes can truly take their place as part of the urban transport system.   I also believe that this study puts paid to the question of whether e-bikes are "cheating." E-bikers are going so much farther, so much more often, that it's clear that they are being used differently. They are not just an easier bike to ride, but are being used as a replacement for cars and transit. And after all, who is cheating here?   Bike to Work Day Wednesday, June 28, 2023 Put some joy back into your commute! Join Way to Go and thousands of Denver-region residents for Bike to Work Day this summer. Register to swap a ride in your car for a ride on two wheels on Wednesday, June 28, and help improve air quality. Sign up and be automatically entered into a drawing to win prizes including a Tern e-bike!   Video of the Week: Women's Triathlon - Rio 2016 Replay | Throwback Thursday     Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Yokohama drama, Chatty 70.3 anticipation, Durango bike racing, an inspiring bike movie and navigating your first race of the season. We are all over the place this week!   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - Yokohama, Chatty 70.3 Women What's new in the 303 - The Engine Inside Movie, Durango and behind the bike race curtain Coaching Tip of the Week -  Navigating Your First Race; First Race of the Season   Endurance News:   WTCS Yokohama 2023 men's results: Hayden Wilde runs rivals ragged By Jonathan Turner Hayden Wilde put a flat tyre in Abu Dhabi behind him in perfect style as he ran away with the win at WTCS Yokohama.   The New Zealander, who was second to the absent Alex Yee here last year, had a great swim and was then a driving force in a huge group on the bike – and thankfully this time there was no mechanical mishap to derail him.   With the race effectively boiling down to the 10km run, Wilde took the lead early on alongside reigning WTCS champion Léo Bergere (FRA) before kicking clear on the second of four laps en route to a dominant win.   He had plenty of time to celebrate on the blue carpet but behind him there was a thrilling battle for the podium places – Matt Hauser (AUS) sprinting to second, with Vasco Vilaca (POR) in third.   Reigning Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt, second last week at the PTO European Open in Ibiza, was eighth while his Norwegian compatriot Gustav Iden was nearly five minutes back in 39th.   Meanwhile earlier in the day Britain's Sophie Coldwell notched her biggest-ever win in the women's race – click here for that report.   WTCS Yokohama 2023 Results Saturday May 13 2023 – ELITE MEN 1.5km / 40k / 10k   1. Hayden Wilde (NZL) 1:42:13 2. Matt Hauser (AUS) 1:42:17 3. Vasco Vilaca (POR) 1:42:18 4. Dorian Coninx (FRA) 1:42:22 5. Léo Bergere (FRA) 1:42:26 6. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 1:42:37 7. Jelle Geens (BEL) 1:42:42 8. Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) 1:42:48 9. Csonger Lehmann (HUN) 1:42:53 10. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 1:43:01   WTCS Rankings Standings after Yokohama 1. Vasco Vilaca (POR) 1549.38pts 2. Dorian Coninx (FRA) 1340.52pts 3. Léo Bergere (FRA) 1239.98pts 4. Matt Hauser (AUS) 1124.28pts 5. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 1049.01pts   WTCS Yokohama 2023 women's results: Sophie Coldwell claims landmark win By Jonathan Turner Britain's Sophie Coldwell claimed her first WTCS victory in impressive style as she powered to an emphatic triumph in Yokohama.   Wearing the number one bib, she was to the fore from the start, part of the front group in the swim which then distanced the rest on the bike.   Coming out of T2, she was a fraction behind Taylor Knibb (USA), the winner here in 2021 and returning after a stress fracture in her foot, but quickly moved into the lead and would never look back.   Coldwell bossed the run and crossed the line 17 seconds ahead of Rosa Maria Tapia, the first Mexican woman to make the podium in a WTCS event.   Knibb stayed on well for a fine third in her comeback race, fellow US star Taylor Spivey collected another fourth place and Britain's U23 world champion Kate Waugh registered her best finish at this level in fifth.   But there was frustration for last year's WTCS overall runner-up Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) who was never able to threaten the podium after losing touch with the front group on the swim, eventually finishing seventh.   Her great friend Coldwell, having come second to the absent Beth Potter in the opening WTCS race of the season in Abu Dhabi, moves to the top of this season's standings.   Meanwhile in the men's race, Hayden Wilde ran away from his rivals to take the win – click here for that report.   WTCS Yokohama 2023 Results Saturday May 13 2023 – ELITE WOMEN 1.5km / 40k / 10k   1. Sophie Coldwell (GBR) 1:53:32 2. Rosa Maria Tapia (MEX) 1:53:49 3. Taylor Knibb (USA) 1:54:02 4. Taylor Spivey (USA) 1:54:14 5. Kate Waugh (GBR) 1:54:20 6. Maya Kingma (NED) 1:54:40 7. Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) 1:54:48 8. Kirsten Kasper (USA) 1:55:03 9. Emma Lombardi (FRA) 1:55:10 10. Summer Rappaport (USA) 1:55:30   WTCS Rankings Standings after Yokohama 1. Sophie Coldwell (GBR) 1693.75pts 2. Taylor Spivey (USA) 1433.17pts 3. Rosa Maria Tapia (MEX) 1157.91pts 4. Summer Rappaport (USA) 1089.35pts 5. Emma Lombardi (FRA) 970.52pts   IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga 2023: Start time, preview and how to watch live By Tomos Land   IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga is the next North American middle distance event on the calendar, with the action heading to Tennessee this weekend with a women's only professional field.   Chattanooga, a small city in the southeast of Tennessee, last year saw Jason West and Jackie Hering take the wins at a race which also doubled as the North American Championships. This year, Herring will return to defend her title.   In our preview below you can find everything you need to know, from start times to streaming information, plus a preview of the professional women's field.   Start time and how to watch live The race takes place on Sunday 22 May 2022.   The Pro race will start at 0650 local time (Eastern). That corresponds to 1150 in the UK and 1250 CET.   The race will be shown live, with the event the fourth of 12 IRONMAN 70.3 events to be broadcast in 2023 in a partnership with Outside TV. You will be able to watch for free via web, mobile or connected TV app.   As always, the ever reliable IRONMAN Tracker is the perfect data addition to support your viewing. If you haven't got it on your phone already, where have you been?!   Pro Women In the professional women's field, Canadian Paula Findlay will line up for her third race in a month as she looks to take her first 70.3 win of the season.   Paula Findlay PTO European Open 2023 run [Photo credit PTO / Darren Wheeler] Findlay, currently ranked PTO #4, will be racing off the back of an impressive fifth place finish at the PTO Tour European Open in Ibiza, where she raced strongly from start to finish.   Defending champion Hering will hope for another win in Tennessee, but against a field of this calibre, which has a strength of field rating of 83.37, might struggle, with her best result this season fifth at IRONMAN 70.3 St George.   The winner from that race, Jeanni Metzler, is set to go again after that emotional return to the top of a podium, after a long period when she doubted she would ever race again.   She told us this week: “It's kind of a quick turnaround but I've decided I just want to toe the line again. I haven't raced that much in the past 18 months so it's going to be good practice to just maybe improve some things on a different course and in different conditions. So I'm looking forward to racing again.”   Along with Skye Moench (second) and Danielle Lewis (third), the full St George podium from that North American Championship race will go head-to-head again.   Metzler Moench Lewis IRONMAN 70.3 St George podium 2023 [Photo credit: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images for IRONMAN] [Photo credit: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images for IRONMAN] The event could also potentially see the season debut of Sarah True, who as if balancing professional triathlon and family was not enough, is also fitting in a full-time university course! Little seems to slow True down though, the two-time Olympian winning both IRONMAN Lake Placid and IRONMAN Arizona in 2022.   Advertisements Prize Money: What's on the line? The prize purse on offer this weekend is $25,000 – with each of the winners collecting a $7,500 share of that total.   In addition to money, there will be a total of two qualifying slots for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Lahti, Finland in August.   The total funds will be paid eight-deep, as follows:   $7,500 $5,000 $3,750 $3,000 $2,000 $1,500 $1,250 $1,000   Pro Race Schedule - https://files.constantcontact.com/a202847d001/ab8d8718-1cce-485f-9b8b-d6f69d45eccd.pdf   What's New in the 303: The Cyclist-Lawyer Megan Hottman Featured in The Engine Inside Movie By Kate Agathon   May 17, 2023, Cycling is an emotional experience. It can be joyful. It can be heartbreaking. It can be empowering.   Just ask Golden-based lawyer Megan Hottman (aka The Cyclist-Lawyer), who is one of six bicyclists featured in The Engine Inside, the newest cycling film coming out this summer by Anthill Films.   Narrated by Phil Ligget, The Engine Inside shares the stories of bicyclists from all over the globe who reveal the unique power of the bicycle to change lives and build a better world. “I feel incredibly honored to be featured as one of the six people in this film, when I know that Anthill Films had a long list of amazing humans with amazing stories to choose from,” said Hottman.   Hottman is well-known in the cycling community for her dedication to making Colorado a better place for bicyclists. Her tireless work on behalf of all bicyclists has resulted in numerous, and hard-fought positive outcomes for the cycling community.   She notably represented the family of U.S. Masters road race champion (and friend and former teammate) Gwen Inglis who was killed by a driver in 2021 and was awarded an unprecedented $353 million verdict in a civil lawsuit against the driver.   The Engine Inside offers a rare glimpse into how Hottman experiences the world as a bicyclist- both in public and private life.   Specifically, the film captures Hottman at her most vulnerable- at a ghost bike dedication for Inglis shortly after she was struck and killed by a driver. Or, when Hottman herself is hit by a pickup truck driver and suffers serious injuries.   Hottman said, “One part I am happiest about is the inclusion of Gwen's story in my section- and that now she'll be known and honored globally everywhere the film is shown. It's one small way to keep her name and legacy alive and shared.”   “I'm not afraid to show my emotions -on film or off- as we're all in this human experience together and it's hard. To pretend otherwise does our experiences a disservice. I am who I am, real and raw, and at times emotional. I'm glad the film captures that range of emotions not just in my story but in other character stories as well,” she continued.   While a bicycle can have a positive impact on physical and mental health, it can also be utilized as a powerful tool for social change, as Hottman demonstrates.   By deconstructing the lived experiences of bicyclists, The Engine Inside urges audiences to consider what can be accomplished by simply riding a bike. What change can we make every time we get on the saddle?   Transcending geographical borders, economic circumstances, and language barriers, the transformative power of the bicycle to those who use it in their daily lives is inspiring.   “We were looking for really well rounded people that had an amazing story to tell, and that each had a connection to the bicycle from a different perspective,” explained The Engine Inside director Darcy Wittenburg.   “Although there is some overlap with some of them, they each represent some of the major ways bicycles help humanity from mental health to transportation and everything in between,” she continued.   The narratives shared by The Engine Inside are as diverse as its six participants. Their stories confront a culture that revolves around cars, and encompass global issues that range from climate change, more livable cities, socio-economic inequality, and indigenous trauma.   Despite often formidable personal and systematic obstacles to overcome, each bicyclist used the bicycle as a catalyst for hope and agency.   Threading their powerful stories into a cohesive narrative was also a challenge. “There's so many ways to look at this as it was a challenging project all around! Narrowing down the vast world of cycling into an 80-minute film was probably the first and ongoing challenge for us,” said Wittenburg.   “The main motivation was to focus the film on personal stories that many people can relate to. It was a tricky balance keeping the topic of cycling in the background so the characters' connection to cycling could shine through,” she added.   Sponsored by Hottman Law Office, The Engine Inside Golden premiere will take place 5:30 to 8 PM on June 29 at the American Mountaineering Center in Golden. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased here. Proceeds will benefit Bike JeffCo.   “We're really excited to be part of sharing a film that has the potential to change how bicyclists are perceived! The bicycle is truly a vehicle for making change, both in individuals and communities,” said Bike Jeffco Chair, Jan Stevenson.   “From the time you are a new rider, you learn how to be resilient, how to navigate, how to solve problems. You build confidence in your ability to get things done. These stories take that confidence and show how to elevate these abilities to bigger solutions to bigger problems,” she continued.   Stevenson remarked how fitting it was that The Engine Inside's overarching theme intersects with the mission of Bike Jeffco. “We want to share the joy of biking! The shared global stories really highlight the wide range of positive impacts that simply riding a bike and having access to bikes, can bring to a community,” she said. “Biking is fun, exhilarating, and hard work all at once! The sense of freedom and empowerment that comes with the ability to control where and when we go places is huge,” concluded Stevenson.   Bike Jeffco will be holding a Meet and Greet at Colorado Tap House on June 10 from 10 AM to 2 PM. Learn more about their advocacy and about the Golden premiere of The Engine Inside.   Check out the official trailer for The Engine Inside- a new documentary about the often-overlooked, world-changing potential of the bicycle. Official Trailer: The Engine Inside - A Documentary About Using Bicycles To Build A Better Future     Tip of the Week:   Navigating your 1st Race Registration Athlete Guide Race Course Hydrating and fueling Swim - starting position, drafting, sighting, buoy turns Bike - aid stations, drafting rules, Run - Packet Pickup Transition Area Setup The stack Minimal Bike in gear Shoes clipped or not Walking your route and marking Plan your line for the swim and position     Case Study - Without Limits Productions Colorado Triathlon on June 3rd Race Info/Schedule: https://www.withoutlimits.co/colorado-triathlon-race-info Course Map: https://www.withoutlimits.co/colorado-triathlon-course-maps Checklist: https://beginnertriathlete.com/RaceLog/race-checklist.asp   RunDot Launched by Predictive Fitness, Developer of TriDot May 17, 2023   DALLAS, TX – May 17, 2023 /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Predictive Fitness announces the launch of RunDot, a run training app driven by decades of data and patents-pending artificial intelligence. The platform produces dynamic, individualized run training for better results in less time while being motivational, fun, and easy to use.   RunDot leverages the same core proven optimization technology as TriDot (its sister app for triathletes) and features an athlete community that is as supportive as the training is effective. Touted in publications such as Forbes, Men's Health, Tech Times, Triathlete, LA Weekly, NY Weekly, and Men's Journal, TriDot has long delivered performance improvements that significantly outpace the gains made by other training methods.   “Runners no longer have to rely on static plans, simplistic ‘adaptive' training templates, or someone's personal training philosophy,” says Jeff Booher, CEO and Founder of Predictive Fitness Inc., developer of RunDot. “Our proprietary and one-of-a-kind technologies consider numerous factors such as genetics, environmental conditions, age, and normalized training stress to prescribe optimal training for runners so they can better achieve their health and fitness goals, avoid injuries and break through performance plateaus.”   RunDot can be used with or without a coach, like TriDot, which has attracted hundreds of coaches including some of the most prominent names in the sport of triathlon. Mark Allen, Michellie Jones, Mirinda Carfrae, and Tim O'Donnell are a prestigious group of coaches on the platform with 10 IRONMAN World Championship titles, numerous Hall of Fame honors, and an Olympic Silver medal. RunDot similarly offers coaches the ability to better serve their athletes and their coaching businesses by letting technology do what technology does best – analyze data and optimize training – so that coaches can focus on the human side of coaching and spend more quality time with their athletes.   About RunDot: Run training platform for both athletes and coaches, driven by decades of data and AI to produce better results in less time with fewer injuries. Optimized run training platform powered by the same AI engine as TriDot. Similar features, look and feel, capabilities, and results as TriDot. RunDot can be used with or without a coach. The platform produces optimized run training for better results in less time while being motivational, fun, and easy to use. Unparalleled results for runners and coaches at a price point that fits any budget. Early access – invite your runner friends onto RunDot with your coach-specific URLs.   Are there plans for a swim and bike version of Run and TriDot. Yes, VeloDot and SwimDot are on the product roadmap.   TriDot (and now RunDot) are training platforms that build a training plan and daily workouts using AI and machine learning using your individual experience, training and performance data to optimize your training to have better race results with fewer injuries.   TriDot Sign-Up Link https://app.tridot.com/onboard/sign-up/richsoares RunDot Sign-Up Link https://app.rundot.com/onboard/sign-up/richsoares The RunDot Project Sign-Up Link https://app.rundot.com/onboard/sign-up/richsoares?sub=73&type=53     Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Max Neumann and Anne Haug take out the PTO European Open; Spivey, Rappaport, Knibb, Pearson, Rider and McQueen in Yokohama. Boulder 70.3 bike clinic and more this week.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - Euro PTO Open Results; WTCS Yokohama What's new in the 303 - IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder Bike Loop + Transition Clinic Video of the Week - 70.3 North American Champion--Race Review & Analysis   Endurance News: European Open 2023 triathlon titles - Full results from Ibiza Neumann upstaged Olympic triathlon champions Kristian Blummenfelt, Jan Frodeno, and Alistair Brownlee to triumph in Ibiza with Haug dominating the women's race.   Max Neumann and Anne Haug came out on top in Ibiza to claim inaugural Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) European Open triathlon titles on Saturday (6 May).   The races were of the PTO standard distance of 100km comprising a 2km swim, 80km cycle, and 18km run.   The men's race was billed as a clash between the last three Olympic champions - Germany's Beijing 2008 hero Jan Frodeno, double gold medallist Alistair Brownlee, and reigning champion Kristian Blummenfelt.   Brownlee was looking good at the front on the early stages of the run, but nearly collided with a passerby who wandered out onto the course while looking at his phone in Ibiza Town.   The man thankfully stopped just before there was contact, and it had little bearing on the double Olympic champion, who was soon caught by Neumann with the Australian moving clear 10km from home.   The Briton clearly went out too hard and struggled badly after that, dropping back with Blummenfelt and Denmark's Magnus Ditlev quickly passing him.   Norwegian Blummenfelt was unable to bridge the gap as Neumann took the biggest victory of his career in 3:13:45.   Blummenfelt jogged home to finish 27 seconds behind with Ditlev rounding out the podium in third almost two minutes off the pace.   Frodeno - like Blummenfelt a subsequent Ironman world champion - was fourth in his first race after almost two years out through injury with Jason West fifth and Brownlee back in sixth place.   Speaking afterwards to PTO, Neumann said, "You don't get many chances to race these guys. They're what's made triathlon and it's just a privilege to go up against Jan, Ali, Kristian. They literally made the sport for us guys. I'm quite emotional about it.   Haug flies home for women's victory Anne Haug surged clear in the women's race with just 12 out of the 26 men's starters clocking a faster run leg than the German two-time Olympian.   Lucy Charles-Barclay had a lead of over a minute and a half as she transitioned off the bike, but Haug took over less than midway through the run and gave her British rival a respectful tap on the side as she went past.   When Australia's Ashleigh Gentle - another two-time Olympian - moved ahead of Charles-Barclay into second place, she was over a minute down on Haug who was fairly powering on at the front.   The 2019 Ironman world champion won by a two and a half minutes in the end, crossing the line in 3:38:00.   Haug invoked the spirit of Forrest Gump in her post-race interview, saying, "I compete against the best of the world and that really pushes me to get the best out of me.   "I had a fantastic race, I must say. My swim was OK, I felt very strong on the bike, and I knew I could run pretty quick but you never know. It's the first race of the year against the best in the world, you never know where you are, it's always a box of chocolates. I tried my best and you always have to believe that you can make it."   The next PTO Tour triathlon is the US Open in Milwaukee on 4-5 August. Same weekend as AG Nationals.   Results from PTO European Open, Ibiza, Spain - 6 May 2023: Men's race: Max Neumann (AUS) 3:13:46 Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) +27" Magnus Ditlev (DEN) +1'50" Jan Frodeno (GER) +2'16" Jason West (USA) +2'19" Alistair Brownlee (GBR) +3'17"   Women's race: Anne Haug (GER) 3:38:00 Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) +2'30" Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) +2'56" Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR) +4'19" Paula Findlay (CAN) +5'34" Tamara Jewett (CAN) +5'51"   On Related News - PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETES ORGANISATION AND USA TRIATHLON ANNOUNCE MILWAUKEE WILL HOST THE 2023 PTO US OPEN   U.S. ELITE TRIATHLETES, ELITE PARATRIATHLETES TO RACE AT WORLD TRIATHLON SERIES YOKOHAMA By USA Triathlon | May 11, 2023   COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. —The World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) race in Yokohama is the second of the 2023 season, which includes seven events, plus the Paris 2024 Test Event in August, all leading to the World Triathlon Championship Finals in September in Pontevedra, Spain.   For elite paratriathletes, the World Triathlon Para Series (WTPS) race in Yokohama is the second of four stops on the Para Series before September's Championship Finals in Pontevedra.   This season marks an important year of competition as athletes will be vying for crucial Olympic and Paralympic qualifying points ahead of next year's Paris 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games.   HOW TO WATCH Fans can stream World Triathlon events live or on-demand on TriathlonLIVE.tv.   Coverage of the elite para races begins at 5:50 p.m. ET/2:50 p.m. PT, Friday, May 12 (6:50 a.m. Saturday, May 13 Yokohama local time).   The elite women race coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, Friday, May 12 (10 a.m. Saturday, May 13 Yokohama local time).   The elite men follow at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT, Friday, May 12 (1 p.m. Saturday, May 13 Yokohama local time).    WTCS Yokohama Five U.S. elite triathletes make up the women's roster in Yokohama, led by Taylor Spivey (Redondo Beach, Calif.), ranked No. 3 in the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Rankings.   A consistent performer, Spivey earned the bronze in the 2023 WTCS season-opener in March in Abu Dhabi. Last year, Spivey placed in the top 10 in every WTCS appearance, her consistency leading her to fourth in the 2022 WTCS rankings.   Summer Rappaport (Thornton, Colo.) comes to Yokohama No. 4 in the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Rankings, following her fourth-place finish in Abu Dhabi. A Tokyo 2020 Olympian, Rappaport is a six-time WTCS medalist.   Taylor Knibb (Boulder, Colo.) makes her 2023 season debut in Yokohama, where she earned gold in 2021 to qualify for the Tokyo Olympic Games. Knibb finished third in the 2022 WTCS rankings.   U.S. National Team veteran Kirsten Kasper (North Andover, Mass.) and U.S. National Team veteran newcomer, Erika Ackerlund (Helena, Mont.) round out the elite U.S. squad racing in Yokohama. Kasper began her 2023 season in Abu Dhabi and placed 12th in the 2022 WTCS rankings. Ackerlund opened her second year representing the U.S. National Team in March with a seventh-place finish at the 2023 World Triathlon Cup New Plymouth.    Four U.S. elite men will race in Yokohama, led by Matt McElroy (Huntington Beach, Calif.), who opened his 2023 season with an eighth-place showing in Abu Dhabi.   Morgan Pearson (New Vernon, N.J.) makes his 2023 season debut, returning to Yokohama where his bronze in 2021 qualified him for the Tokyo Olympic Games.   Seth Rider (Germantown, Tenn.) earned a sixth-place finish at the 2023 World Triathlon Cup New Plymouth, while Chase McQueen (Columbus, Ind.) comes to Yokohama with a win on his resume from the 2023 Arena Games Triathlon Series Montreal and a bronze at the 2023 Americas Triathlon Cup La Paz.   WTPS Yokohama Tokyo 2020 Paralympians Kendall Gretsch (Downers Grove, Ill., PTWC), Allysa Seely (Glendale, Ariz., PTS2), Hailey Danz (Colorado Springs, Colo., PTS2), Melissa Stockwell (Colorado Springs, Colo., PTS2), Eric McElvenny (Pittsburgh, Pa., PTS4) and Kelly Elmlinger (San Antonio, Texas, PTS4) lead the U.S. elite paratriathlon squad competing in Yokohama.   Other U.S. elite paratriathletes competing include fellow U.S. Elite Paratriathlon National Team members Mohamed Lahna (Elk Grove, Calif., PTS2) and Carson Clough (Charlotte, N.C., PTS4) and Project Podium's Owen Cravens (Chicago, Ill., PTVI), who is guided by pro triathlete Ben Hoffman. This winter, Cravens joined the elite development squad based in Tempe, Arizona, joining three-time Paralympian Chris Hammer as the squad's first two paratriathletes.   What's New in the 303: SUNDAY AT 9 AM IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder Bike Loop + Transition Clinic Event by IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder Tom Watson Park Public  · Anyone on or off Facebook Join us along with PLAYTRI, Westminster this Sunday for 1-loop of the IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder bike course. Meet at Tom Watson Park @ 9am. Transition Clinic to follow.   Video of the Week: 70.3 North American Champion--Race Review & Analysis   Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

The PTO European Open is the feature this week. 28 of the fastest pro men and 28 of the fastest pro women will be fighting it out over the 100km distance in Ibiza, Spain on May 6th. The race comprises of a 2km swim, 80km bike and 18km run.   Jan Frodeno and Daniela Ryf are two of the greatest triathletes to ever grace this planet, but they have some serious competitors waiting for them in the likes of Kristian Blummenfelt, Ashleigh Gentle, Magnus Ditlev, Lucy Charles-Barclay and many other top talents.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   UCAN Fact: Emma Bates's marathon of 2:22:10 Emma Bates (born July 8, 1992) is an American middle- and long-distance runner. She is a 12-time All-American, the 2014 NCAA 10,000 champion competing for Boise State University, and the 2018 U.S. Women's Marathon Champion.   In 2021, Bates moved to Boulder, Colorado to join Team Boss and is coached by Joe Bosshard.   Emma fuels her marathons with 1 UCAN Edge energy gel every 5k. During Boston, she consumed an Edge gel at every 5k water stop except for at 40k. She consumed a total of 7 gels to fuel her personal best marathon of 2:22:10. In training, Emma takes an Edge gel every 45-60 minutes, but she uses them more frequently when she's racing. No matter how often she uses them, what Emma loves most about UCAN is that it never bothers her stomach.     In Today's Show Endurance News - PTO European Open, Taylor Knibb on stress fracture rehab What's new in the 303 - Lookout Mountain Hill Climb is in danger of cancellation; Boulder Valley Velodrome Video of the Week - Countdown to the PTO Euro Open   Endurance News:   PTO European Open 2023: The keys to victory for a mouthwatering Ibiza weekend By John Levison 4 May 2023 We are just days away now from the first PTO Tour event of the 2023 season, the 2023 European Open, which will be held on Saturday in Ibiza, Spain. Full details on the timing, how to watch and more in our pre-event explainer.   What I want to do here is take a look ahead, and outline some of the potential factors which could change the direction of the race on Saturday, for both the Pro Men and Pro Women.   Coming so early in the typical racing year, it is very unusual to have such a depth of field in early May. Many of the favourites – Ryf, Charles-Barclay, Blummenfelt, Ditlev, Brownlee, Frodeno as examples – have not yet raced at all. Some – Haug, West, Sodaro, Jewett – arrive with confidence, while others have perhaps not hit the heights they wanted in their limited races this year.   That all suggests strongly that this one is unlikely to go simply to form and rankings. Despite the best experience and preparations, expect at least some of the top names to talk post-race that their race sharpness was missing.   How big will Lucy's swim lead be? As is now familiar, Great Britain's Lucy Charles-Barclay will almost certainly be the first athlete to complete the 2km swim at Figueretas Beach. In the absence of Taylor Knibb – who managed to stay with the Brit in Dallas last year – she's probably going to be solo through most of the two laps on Saturday.   Lotte Wilms (70.3 World Champs) and Sara Perez Sala (Challenge Miami) have shown the potential to perhaps come closest in the water, but the gap to some of the big-name favourites (Ashleigh Gentle, Daniela Ryf, Paula Finlay and co) will be the one of the first points of interest.   Of note, is that LCB has spent four weeks training consistently at altitude in Font-Romeu, France to prepare for this race. Her altitude block immediately prior to the 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship helped deliver one of the greatest middle-distance performances ever. If Saturday starts with a gap of significantly more than a minute over those with genuine winning potential, then it'll be advantage Lucy less than 30 minutes into the racing.   Lucy Charles-Barclay / IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship 2021 Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images for IRONMAN Where's Kristian and Magnus? For the men's swim, the chances of a lone athlete breaking clear are remote zero. You would expect the likes of Aaron Royle, Alistair Brownlee, Jan Frodeno, Daniel Baekkegard, Ben Kanute and Kyle Smith to be among those within 10/15 seconds entering T1. Will the in-form Jason West make that cut here?   Key questions will be: How close will IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion, Krsitian Blummenfelt be? And what deficit will Denmark's Magnus Ditlev have to make up? The Dane won't be at the front, but is a better swimmer than I think many give him credit for. If he enters T1 within say a minute or so of the leaders, he's right where he needs to be. Significantly less, and he'll be smiling as he starts dropping the watt bombs on the bike!   Group dynamics Once we are onto the bikes – and with memories of 2022 still vivid – how groups on the bike are monitored and policed will, I think, be key to how the race plays out. Nobody wants to see drafting penalties issued – but equally, we want to see racing within the rules too.   That's as much to do with the athletes, as it is the Technical Officials.   Looking at the bike course, it's basically a straight line, out-and-back course, which starts with a steady incline of just over 5km. The latter, perhaps, may help thin the field out early, while the nature of the route should help make maintaining a legal distance easy (and easier to spot).   We'll see how this plays out – and hopefully we won't even need to reference it post-race.   Breakaway? Who'll make – or be able to make – a move on the bike? I don't think that's going to come via bike handling skills – this is not Nice, France for example – but if we take the men first, who'll be able to get away? The lack of Sam Laidlow means one less ‘go from the gun' athlete with proven bike ability, but it feels unlikely that Brownlee, Kanute, Frodeno and co. will be playing it safe, with the likes of Blummenfelt and Ditlev probably not far behind.   Kristian is confident he can win on the run if needed. That remains to be proven, but nobody is going to be waiting around to make it any easier for him. I think that points to any lead group from the swim being whittled down via sustained pressure, but if I had to make a prediction, I think we'll see a small and very select group entering T2 separated by 10-15 seconds.   In typical fashion, I expect Lucy Charles-Barclay to lead for at least a significant proportion of this race, solo. If she's on St George 2021 form, that could be all the way to the finish line. As one of the few top female athletes not to have raced this year, she's been relatively quiet in media headline terms – but her competition will surely not have forgotten her abilities.   With some of the greatest runners we've ever seen in action here – Anne Haug, Chelsea Sodaro, Tamara Jewett and Emma Pallant-Browne – that all points to Daniela Ryf and Paula Findlay in particular leading the charge to join LCB up front. Without Taylor Knibb as a potential partner at the front, if LCB finds Ryf and Findlay riding well and bridging up without those ‘runners', I think she'll be more than content with that company.   Who's got the run legs? We've talked at length in the lead-up to this race about the strength-in-depth of the fields. We know we have some of the best runners in the history of the sport racing, but who can produce it against this level of competition, especially when the swim and bike will surely be raced in aggressive fashion in both the men's and women's fields? I don't foresee anyone starting their 18km feeling fresh – remember what happened to Blummenfelt, Laidlow and Brownlee at the Canadian Open?!   Most peoples' wildcard for the men's race is Jason West, for example. A well-earned position, courtesy of his form this year at CLASH Miami and 70.3 Oceanside, each producing headline-grabbing run splits. Will he be in a position at T2 to put that to potentially race-winning use? Frodeno and Brownlee are two of the most decorated athletes of all time, but what have they got left in their running legs?   Similar situation for the women. Tamara Jewett's run prowess is not new, but Oceanside was the first time that had resulted in a win against some of the biggest names in the sport. This is another step up. Anne Haug has used her run speed to podium in almost every non-drafting race she starts – is Tamara there, just yet?   https://www.tri247.com/triathlon-news/elite/pto-tour-european-open-start-list-bib-numbers-pro-men https://www.tri247.com/triathlon-news/elite/pto-tour-european-open-start-list-bib-numbers-pro-women   Taylor Knibb on stress fracture rehab By Jonathan Turner News Director 20 Apr 2023 American star Taylor Knibb is back firing on all cylinders after an extended injury layoff.   She launched her YouTube channel this week (video embedded below) with a detailed rundown of the healing process – and frighteningly for her rivals she appears to have produced that astonishing performance to win the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship last October in spite of her foot issues.   Talking through the timeline and the details of the injury which has kept her on the sidelines since November's WTCS finale in Abu Dhabi, she explained how the problem first emerged: “I was prepping for WTCS Leeds [which took place in early June] and I felt something in my foot and was diagnosed with a stress reaction.   “I was told two to six weeks and you'll be back, it's really minor. One surgeon even said I wouldn't have even stopped you from running with that minor an edema.   “But it wasn't healing and finally at 11 weeks I saw a doctor and he said you can start running now because if it's not healed, it's not going to heal.   “So I started racing in the fall – I raced Dallas, Cagliari and then the 70.3 Worlds, Bermuda and Abu Dhabi.   And that quintet of races saw some superb performances – she picked up a second, third and fourth in the WTCS events, led for much of the PTO US Open in Dallas before being overhauled by Ashleigh Gentle and then produced that masterclass in St George where she left the world's best trailing in her wake.   But taking up the story after that busy spell of racing, Knibb revealed: “Then I took a little break and it turns out that my foot was not healed. So I got an MRI and it was now a stress fracture, with a CT scan showing a fracture line.   “So then my options were I could rest it fully and hope it would heal and that I think would be eight weeks of nothing in a boot – no weight bearing, no training whatsoever.   “Or I could get surgery and I opted for that and got a screw put in my fifth metatarsal on January 3rd.” From that point onwards it's all been about the recovery process, something that the 25-year-old freely admits has been “very challenging”.   She explained: “Because the incision point is directly to the bone I had to be very careful and wait until it had healed before starting swimming again or doing anything.   “I did get to do strength training with Erin [Carson] which helped my sanity a lot – I wanted to go in the day after surgery, I think she said no to that but it was maybe two days after I was back working with her.   “It was four weeks before I was cleared to do some easy swimming and biking and built it up gradually.   “But I'm back fully swimming and biking and adding the running in now.”   She goes into detail on the video about how even getting back outside has been a big boost and what she might do differently in the future, saying: “It was tough but I think that I have learned a lot from it and I think if I were to do it again I would focus on what you need to do [rather than what you can't].   “It was very challenging and I'm very grateful for the people around me because I know I was not fun to be around some days. But it's a period of time that's hopefully closed now.”   The defence of her 70.3 Worlds title in Finland in late August is the big priority for 2023 and we look forward to seeing her back on the start line soon – and hopefully producing more YouTube videos too!     What's New in the 303: Bicycle Colorado Event Support April 28 at 12:30 PM  · The Lookout Mountain Hill Climb is in danger of cancellation due to low pre-registration numbers. At this point, they cannot cover the costs of the event. Please register here to support this iconic event: https://www.bikereg.com/racer-x-cycling-lookout-mountain....   Thank you all for constructive comments. For new racers, most events have a 'Race Flyer' which holds all relevant information for an event. Race Flyers can be found on the BC website within the event listing: https://www.bicyclecolorado.org/.../lookout-mountain.../.   'Race groups' or 'categories' are a structure to classify athletes. This category structure is in place to an effort to make events safer and more balanced. Beginners start at Category 5 and progress toward Category 1 through participation and earning results in races.   A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE VELODROME The Boulder Valley Velodrome is a 250-meter wooden cycling track in Erie, Colorado which for 5 years served as a training ground for Olympians, and a place of discovery and excitement for those new to track cycling.   Founded by Frank Banta and Doug Emerson and designed by renowned track architect Peter Junek, Boulder Valley Velodrome is an Olympic-caliber track that boasts the angles and altitude for some of North America's best riding. The property was acquired in 2008, construction began in 2011, and the track opened in 2013.   In 2013, a week away from opening, 70m of the track was destroyed by a tornado. Then, after a month's worth of repairs, lightning struck in the same spot. That was the month of the disastrous Boulder flood.   Over its 5 years of operation, the velodrome hosted numerous national and international cycling events and was a popular destination for anyone from Olympians to amateur cyclists and families – really anyone with the need for speed.   The facility was put up for sale in 2019 and has since fallen into disrepair. In 2020, a group of dedicated cycling enthusiasts launched a campaign to resurrect the velodrome and restore it to its former glory. Their efforts have included fundraising through GoFundMe, seeking sponsorships, and recruiting volunteers to help with the restoration work.   The goal of the campaign is to create a world-class cycling destination that will attract riders from all over the world and help to promote the sport of cycling. With the support of the community, the Boulder Valley Velodrome is poised to once again become a vibrant center of cycling culture and competition.   The Boulder Valley Velodrome's story is, and will always be, a story of passion, perseverance, and community.   Out of the 26 velodromes in the country, the Boulder Valley Velodrome is one of just two tracks that meet Olympic standards.   For press inquiries, please contact info@bouldervalleyvelodrome.org.   Boulder 70.3 - Don't Delay! Only 200 spots left! IRONMAN announced they only have 200 spots remaining for general registration for IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder in beautiful Colorado. Boulder caters to the outdoor enthusiast and not only provides epic trails and outdoor activities but also world-class dining, shopping, events and craft beer and spirits. Boulder gives you a taste of everything Colorado.   IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder | June 10, 2023     Video of the Week: Jan Frodeno, Daniela Ryf: Not Done Yet | Countdown to PTO European Open

Welcome to Episode #385 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance news, coaching tips and discussion.   From the great state of TX we have the IMTX pro race and USAT Multisport Fest last weekend. Next weekend is the PTO Euro Open and 70.3 Champs in St. George next weekend. Plus owning up to an EPO violation by Colin Chartier and World Champion Tips at the TriDot Kona 2023 Kickoff Event last night.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - IMTX, EPO, 70.3 NA Champs in St. George What's new in the 303 - Kona 2023 Tips from Mark Allen, Miranda Carfrae and Michellie Jones Ask a Coach - Question (and Response) of the Week Video of the Week - USAT Multisport Festival Draft Legal and Netflix TDF Unchained Trailer   Endurance News: IRONMAN Texas 2023 men's results: Rudy von Berg wins a thriller By Jonathan Turner   America's Rudy von Berg claimed a thrilling win over Poland's Robert Wilkowiecki and IRONMAN debutant Matthew Marquardt (USA) as the three of them finished within 22 seconds after nearly eight hours of racing at Memorial Hermann IRONMAN Texas – The Americas Championship.   Last year saw a sprint finish between Ben Hoffman and Magnus Ditlev and the drama matched it 12 months on.   Von Berg and Wilkowiecki had swapped the lead on the marathon but behind them Marquardt was demonstrating why he's a rookie to keep a very close eye on.   The overall age-group winner at Kona last year after only starting the sport in 2021, this was his first ever IRONMAN race as a pro and he closed dramatically late on as Wilkowiecki looked set for the win.   But von Berg was always within range and he pounced just as the Pole started to struggle inside the final mile.   There was drama of an unwanted kind for the two big pre-race favourites – three-time Texas winner Matt Hanson's chances disappeared after an age-grouper apparently crashed in front of him while Joe Skipper was reported to have taken on a wrong turn on the bike to scupper his hopes.   And it wasn't a big surprise to see last year's #1-ranked swimmer Andrew Horsfall-Turner (GBR) set the pace in the water.   But he didn't have things all his own way – he headed a group of four at the halfway point, with Wilkowiecki on his feet, closely followed by von Berg and Marquardt.   And that was how it stayed heading into T1 as Horsfall-Turner clocked 48:50, with Marquardt rounding out the leaders as he underlined his swim prowess.   That quartet had over two minutes and more on the rest.   Of the big favourites, Hanson was 10th out of the water at +3:38. And Skipper followed his pre-race promise of “a decent swim and sitting on the best feet I can” as he too was in that same pack.   Heading onto the bike, von Berg lost a bit of time in T1 which left a leading trio out in front as the likes of Skipper and Hanson set about trying to hunt them down. All eyes were on Skipper early on the bike and the promised ‘new Dad watts‘ looked to be forthcoming as he started to cut through the field.   His deficit on the leaders was down to 2:10 at 40 miles but the dynamic of the race started to change after that.   For the leading four of von Berg, Wilkowiecki, Marquardt and Horsfall-Turner were working well together and they gradually started to put time between themselves and the rest. Unfortunately an age-group athlete apparently crashed in front of Hanson on the looped bike course and left him with nowhere to go and out of contention.   So heading into T2 it was von Berg and Wilkowiecki who had moved clear, with each of them clocking best-of-the-day 4:05 bike splits.   It was just the fourth IRONMAN of von Berg's career and his performance was a nod to coach Mikal Iden, with whom he's worked since the latter part of 2022.   Speaking in the build up, von Berg had said his goal here was “the podium or better” and that was very much on the cards.   Wilkowiecki was the only one who could match him and starting the run there were just 23 seconds between them.   Marquardt was at +2:48, Horsfall-Turner +5:42 and Guilloux +7:02 while Skipper dropped right down the standings in the last few miles of the bike section, with the live broadcast reporting he'd taken a wrong turn – all of which meant he began the marathon over 20 minutes back on the leaders.   It was fascinating up front as von Berg and Wilkowiecki swapped the lead early on.   Both looked strong but Marquardt was charging in the second half and taking chunks of time back on both of them.   No fewer than five IRONMAN World Championship slots in Nice were up for grabs and the trio were miles clear of their rivals and guaranteed a place barring a huge mishap.   It was Wilkowiecki who appeared to be holding strongest but he suddenly started to send out distress signals going into the final mile and von Berg had timed his challenge perfectly. Just 12 seconds separated them on the line and Marquardt was only 21 seconds adrift on a phenomenal pro debut.   It was nearly 10 minutes back to Guilloux in fourth, with Cody Beals taking the final Nice slot in fifth.   PRO Men 1. Rudy von Berg (USA) – 7:44:51 2. Robert Wilkowiecki (POL) – 7:45:04 3. Matthew Marquardt (USA) – 7:45:12 4. Arnaud Guilloux (FRA) – 7:54:21 5. Cody Beals (CAN) – 7:57:18 6. Ivan Tutukin (KAZ) – 8:01:40 7. David Plese (SLO) – 8:03:58 8. Thomas Davis (GBR) – 8:05:33 9. Adam Feigh (USA) – 8:06:04 10. Michael Weiss (AUT) – 8:06:12     American Pro Triathlete Collin Chartier Admits EPO Use After Positive Drug Test An out-of-competition test by Ironman in February of this year detected the presence of erythropoietin (EPO) in a sample collected from 2022 U.S. Open Triathlon winner Collin Chartier. APRIL 24, 2023 CHRIS FOSTER, TIM HEMING    Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.   The International Testing Agency (ITA) announced this morning that American pro triathlete Collin Chartier tested positive for EPO from an out-of-competition test performed on February 10, 2023. Upon receipt of the positive test, Chartier admitted to the use of the banned substance to the agency, and as a result received a reduced ban of three years, down from four according to the ITA.   Erythropoietin, known as EPO, is prohibited under World Anti-Doping Agency regulations because it stimulates erythropoiesis (red blood cell production) and can modify the body's capacity to transport oxygen, increasing stamina, and performance.   In a social media post released on Monday morning, Chartier went on to further admit his use of a “PED in November after feeling like I have lost my way in the sport,” due to “intense pressure and expectations to win the biggest races in 2024.” His post went on to say that he had no plans to return to the sport after the three-year ban was lifted.   Despite having a relatively inauspicious short course career, Chartier was an up-and-coming triathlete in the long-course scene.   Coached by Mikal Iden, the brother of reigning Ironman world champion Gustav, he was a shock winner of last year's inaugural PTO U.S. Open in Dallas in September where he won $100,000 topping a highly competitive field including Magnus Ditlev and Sam Long.   Training alongside two-time Ironman world championship runner-up Lionel Sanders, the victory came three weeks after his first full-distance Ironman victory in Mont-Tremblant. Chartier then had a disappointing debut in Hawaii in the Ironman World Championship in October when he finished 35th.   Prior to those results, Chartier's highest competitive finish was a win at Challenge Salou in October 2021 and a third-place finish at 70.3 Boulder in August of the same year.   Fellow pros posting in response to Chartier's Instagram message gave mixed comments, with 2014 Ironman world champion Sebastian Kienle saying: “Let me guess, you bought it on the internet and also learned how to use it – all from the internet. Nobody helped you, nobody knew.”   Former triathlete-turned-elite-runner Lauren Goss commented: “Dude brave of you . No one sees the mental health side. Walk through the fire.”   Despite being PTO-ranked No 14 and an automatic qualifier, Chartier was not on the start-list for May's big money PTO European Open in Ibiza. He had originally planned to race Saturday's Ironman Texas and had been training at altitude in California, Ecuador, and Girona in Spain.   The International Testing Agency (ITA), the testing body who administered and discovered the adverse finding is a Switzerland-based, not-for-profit that claims no connection to “sporting or political powers” on its website. The ITA conducts testing for the Ironman organization from a pool of 46 professional athletes currently registered in the Ironman Registered Testing Pool (RTP) as of this writing—which includes Chartier.   Coincidentally, Ironman said that 2023 is the first year the brand has delegated results management and prosecution of doping cases to the ITA. “Testing plans are based on a variety of factors and differ from individual athlete to individual athlete, with review of specific performances, intelligence, and the testing plans of National Anti-Doping agencies to maximize resources,” Ironman said in a statement.   “Ironman does acknowledge the significance of the decision made by Collin in promptly accepting responsibility for his actions.”   What's New in the 303:   Team Kona 2023 TriDot Women's Team Mark - give your competitor the food that doesn't have nutrition; no racing 6 weeks from kona; start at 300 calories per hour Michellie - Climatize but don't spend a season in sun, humidity and heat. Make sure you know your sweat rate and sodium content. If your afraid of an ocean swim, come up with a mantra Rinnie - be honest about yourself and your body. Don't just plow through a session. If you have a stressful day, take a day off. Stay at the King K the night before the race. The athlete that trains their body to take on the volume of calories you need. 1.5g/ KG/hr Siri - Don't beat the dead horse. 42 participants including Matt Bach - commented on hydration and then said any other coaches want to chime in.   Video of the Week: 2023 Multisport National Championships Festival – Draft-Legal Sprint Duathlon & Triathlon Tour de France : Unchained | Official teaser | Netflix    

Welcome to Episode #384 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance interviews and discussion.   It's day 2 of the USAT Multisport Festival here at the Levi Event Center in Dallas (Irving), Texas. 3000 athletes are here for 5 days of multisport racing of a variety of formats. We are going to talk about who's here, what those race formats are, and what to expect tactics for each and how to prepare for the 2024 edition.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - USAT Multisport Festival What's new in the 303 - The Eight Passes in One Purchase Video of the Week - TriDot Pool School   Endurance News: Dave McGillivray Completes 51st Consecutive Boston Marathon April 19, 2023   Boston running legend celebrates 36 years of running at night post-race with more than a dozen running buddies in tow BOSTON  /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – After all other participants had long finished their Boston Marathon journeys, Dave McGillivray crossed the finish line at 7:28 p.m. monday evening. McGillivray oversaw the course throughout the race earlier in the day, taking runners across the starting line and helping to ensure their safe arrival on Boylston Street. This is McGillivray's 51st consecutive completion of the Boston Marathon and the 36th of which he has completed at night after seeing to his race day duties.   “It doesn't feel so long ago that I was 18 years old, sitting on the curb at mile 21, wondering if I would ever get a chance to finish the Boston Marathon. If I could go back and tell my younger self that he goes on to finish that day and 50 more editions, I can't imagine his reaction,” said McGillivray. “I'm grateful for the more than a dozen friends and colleagues who joined me on the journey to the finish line today. I had to dream big to get to this moment, and I couldn't do it without my community and my family that support me every step of the way.”   The weekend featured two other special moments for McGillivray. On Saturday, Team With A Vision inducted McGillivray into their hall of fame during a dinner at the Westin Copley Place. Team With A Vision pairs blind and sighted runners together to complete endurance races across the country. Their efforts support the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which delivers professional, peer, and volunteer support to over 1,200 individuals each year, giving them the support they need to live with dignity and independence. All funds raised support MABVI's statewide vision rehabilitation services, including 34 low-vision support groups, Assistive Technology and Training Centers, and 400 volunteers matched 1:1 with blind individuals.   In addition, McGillivray was a featured speaker during the Boston Marathon Expo, where World Marathon Challenge champion Becca Pizzi interviewed him about his long history with the race. He shared photos, videos and stories with the crowd, and signed copies of his books for attendees at the Dave McGillivray Finish Strong Foundation booth following the presentation.   McGillivray is one of just a handful of runners who have marked half a century or more of completing the world's most famous marathon. Alongside his rich connection to this race, his running resume includes completing the World Marathon Challenge (seven marathons in seven days on seven continents,) nine Ironman Triathlon World Championships, a 1,250-mile run along the U.S. East Coast in 1980 to again benefit the Jimmy Fund, a 24-hour run (120 miles,) a 24-hour bike (385 miles,) and a 24-hour swim (27 miles.) He triathloned around the six New England states by swimming one mile, biking 80 miles and running 20 miles every day for 32 consecutive days. Over the span of his life, he estimates he's run more than 150,000 miles.   For more information on Dave McGillivray, visit www.davemcgillivray.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.   ABOUT DAVE MCGILLIVRAY   Running legend Dave McGillivray has increased the self-esteem of millions of people through his work as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, motivational speaker, author, and athlete. Dave is best known for his athletic feats including his 80-day trek across the United States, running the 3,452 miles from Medford, Ore., to Medford, Mass. in the summer of 1978 to benefit the Jimmy Fund. In addition, he's received great acclaim for directing or consulting on more than 1,400 events throughout the world including the Boston Marathon, the Olympic Marathon trials, and the Olympic Games. For more information on Dave McGillivray, visit www.davemcgillivray.com and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.   Multisport Athletes to Compete at 2023 USA Triathlon Multisport National Championships Festival in Irving, Texas, This Weekend April 18, 2023   3,000 registrants to race five-day event featuring triathlon, duathlon (run-bike-run), aquathlon (swim-run), aquabike (swim-bike), relay and youth races. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – More than 3,000 registrants will compete in swim-bike-run, run-bike-run, run-swim-run and swim-bike multisport races this Wednesday through Sunday in Irving, Texas, at the 2023 USA Triathlon Multisport National Championships Festival.   The Multisport National Championships Festival returns for the second consecutive year to Irving, Texas, bringing to Irving the nation's best multisport athletes who will compete for age group national titles in the following National Championships:   • Draft-legal Triathlon National Championships • Duathlon (run-bike-run) National Championships (standard and draft-legal sprint distances) • Aquathlon (run-swim-run) National Championships • Aquabike (swim-bike) National Championships (standard distance) • Super Sprint Triathlon Time Trial National Championships • Super Sprint Duathlon Time Trial National Championships • Mixed Relay National Championships   Athletes will compete in Irving at Levy Event Plaza, which opened in 2020 along Lake Carolyn as a dedicated outdoor hub for Irving community events. Athletes will swim in Lake Carolyn and the bike and run courses will take athletes on rolling hills through the main thoroughfares of Irving, including Las Colinas Boulevard, Lake Carolyn Parkway and Royal Lane.   In addition to racing for age group national championships, athletes will also have the opportunity to qualify to represent age group Team USA at 2024 World Triathlon Age Group World Championships. For more information about Team USA, comprised of the nation's top amateur multisport athletes who represent the U.S. at World Triathlon Age Group World Championship events, visit usatriathlon.org/teamusa.   With the opportunity to race multiple events over the four-day span, more than 50 athletes will attempt to race five or more events for the chance to earn the title of “Multisport Master.” Athletes crowned as Multisport Master will receive a special belt buckle and be honored at the final Awards Ceremony on Sunday evening.   The event will also feature a youth triathlon race on Sunday morning, kicking off USA Triathlon's USA Kids Tri Dallas program, which includes a series of six youth races across the North Texas region.   EVENT PROGRAM & WEBSITE Complete event information for the 2023 USA Triathlon Multisport National Championships Festival, including a detailed schedule and course maps for all races, is available in the official Multisport National Championships Festival event program and website, multisportfestival.com.   MEDIA & COVERAGE To request a media credential for onsite coverage, please fill out the USA Triathlon National Events Media Credential Request Form or contact Stephen Meyers, USA Triathlon Communications and Content Senior Manager, at stephen.meyers@usatriathlon.org. Photos will be available for each day's events, beginning Thursday via this folder.   EVENT SCHEDULE (All times Central)   Wednesday, April 19 3 p.m. Open Water Swim Competition: 750m   Thursday, April 20 7:30 a.m. Super Sprint Triathlon Time Trial: 250m swim, 5k bike, 1.2k run 10:30 a.m. Super Sprint Duathlon Time Trial: 1.2k run, 5k bike, 1.2k run 2:15 p.m. Aquathlon: 2.5k run, 1000m swim, 2.5k run (or 1000m, 5k run)   Friday, April 21 7:15 a.m. Draft-Legal Sprint Duathlon: 5k run, 20k bike, 3.3k run 12:50 p.m. Draft-Legal Sprint Triathlon: 750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run   Saturday, April 22 7 a.m. Standard Duathlon: 10k run, 40k bike, 5k run 2:05 p.m. Standard Aquabike: 1500m swim, 40k bike   Sunday, April 23 7 a.m. Youth Triathlon: 100m swim, 5k bike, 1.2k run 8:30 a.m. Triathlon Mixed Relay: 250m swim, 5k bike, 1.2k run 8:32 a.m. Super Sprint Individual Medley Triathlon: 250m swim, 5k bike, 1.2k run four times each 12:30 p.m. Age Group Duathlon Mixed Relay: 1.2k run 1, 5k bike, 1.2k run   Other Notes: Kimee Armour from the Sister Madonna crew in Longmont Michele Jones raced Eric Kenney raced   What's New in the 303: The Eight Passes in One Purchase Denver, April 5, 2023—-Fremont, Tennessee, Vail, Palo Flechado, Bobcat, Coal Bank, Molas, and Wolf Creek passes are waiting for you to conquer on your bike this summer on three different bike tours. For a limited time, you can purchase The Eight Passes showcasing three distinct regions of the Rocky Mountains and tackling loads of elevation on well-supported routes.   The Ride Collective and Colorado's Ride have teamed up to offer you seven days on your bike riding 468 miles and climbing over 36,000 feet for a combined price of $760 (plus tax and fees), a savings of $150 if you signed up for these rides individually.   With The Eight Passes, you will ride the Copper Triangle and Enchanted Circle one-day epic cycling tours while gearing up for a five-day adventure in the San Juan Mountains on Colorado's Ride that includes a ride on the historic Silverton/Durango railroad. These rides are filling up and this is a limited-time offer expiring June 1st or until the rides reach capacity, whichever comes first.   The Copper Triangle is a stalwart bike tour in the heart of the Colorado Rockies climbing Fremont, Tennessee and Vail passes. This ride is 79 miles and climbs 6,500 feet. You will travel through historic areas like the training grounds for the 10th Mountain Division, the Climax Mine, and the historic Battle Mountain Bridge. Riding through the Mosquito and Gore mountain ranges offers incredible high alpine beauty. The ride is on August 5th.   On August 12th you travel to Northern New Mexico and take on The Enchanted Circle Bicycle Tour and some of the most scenic areas in the southwest. Bounded by some of the most spectacular peaks in New Mexico, the Enchanted Circle Scenic Byway features the iconic mountain town of Red River, the Village of Questa, the soul of the Southwest in Taos, the four-season resort of Angel Fire, the summer-home community of Eagle Nest, a rewarding climb over Palo Flechado Pass, and a trek along the state's highest mountain road in Bobcat Pass. There is an 85 and 100-mile option for this ride climbing either 6,000 or 6,900 feet.   With two stellar rides getting you stronger, you will be well prepared to take on Colorado's Ride from August 28 through September 1. This five-day adventure in the San Juan Mountains is limited to 500 riders. You will spend three nights in Durango and two in Pagosa Springs. On day one you will ride some of the most remote and rugged parts of Colorado and arrive in Silverton. From there you will take the narrow gauge train back to Silverton. On day two the ride takes you on a “locals favorite” loop of 67 miles show casing some of the best roads around Durango. On day three you will ride to Pagosa Springs via Navajo Reservoir and Chimney Rock. Day four is on out and back on the very scenic Wolf Creek Pass with plenty of time to enjoy the Pagosa Hot Springs. Day five takes you back to Durango via Bayfield on some local legend back roads.   All tours include full route support, stocked aid stations, music and food. The eight passes and their elevation:   Fremont – 11,318′ Tennessee – 10,424′ Vail – 10,666′ Palo Flechado – 9,117′ Bobcat – 9,820′ Molas – 10,917′ Coal Bank – 10,640′ Wolf Creek – 10,857′     Video of the Week: What Is TriDot Pool School?     Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Welcome to Episode #383 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance interviews and discussion.   This week we are talking SuperLeague London Learnings, Swim Speed Reset and When To Replace your Helmet.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   UCAN athletes Sara Hall and Emma Bates competing in the Boston Marathon on Monday!   In Today's Show Endurance News - New Voices of IRONMAN, SuperLeague London Learnings, Swim Speed Reset What's new in the 303 - How do you know when it's time to replace your helmet? Video of the Week - Bike with Square Tires…That Works!   Endurance News:   WORLD CHAMPIONS, BRAVE DISPLAYS AND RECORD BREAKING CROWDS: 5 THINGS WE LEARNED FROM ARENA GAMES TRIATHLON LONDON   Last week mentioned – American golden couple Chase McQueen and Gina Sereno to complete in the Arena Games Triathlon in London.   It was a fast, frenetic and entirely unpredictable conclusion to the 2023 Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift World Championship Series.   From stellar performances to shocks and twists and turns, the race at the sold out London Aquatics Centre had it all.   Here we take a look at five things we learned from the final of Arena Games Triathlon.   LINN ON TOP OF THE WORLD Sophie Linn sparkled in the opening event in Montreal but ultimately faded just a little to finish behind Gina Sereno. However, a fire had clearly been lit as she realised this format could be one to really suit her.   The Australian initially wasn't going to come to London, such was her lack of confidence to secure a World Championship title, but after giving it some thought she committed – and then some.   Arena Games Triathlon, Grand Final, London, Uk, 2023, Linn put in a significant training block to give herself the best chance of success, and really delivered on the day. She was not only to eventually take the world title, but made a race that could have been dominated by Beth Potter and Cassandre Beaugrand ultra competitive.   Linn may not have started the Series as any kind of favourite, but is now an official World Champion.   HENRI'S COMEBACK COMPLETE Arena Games Triathlon has really been Henri Schoeman's redemption story.   Three years of injury and illness have dogged a man so used to success at the very highest level of the sport. His road to recovery has been bumpy, and hugely emotional. There was a time he thought he may never get the chance to race again.   Arena Games Triathlon, London, Uk, 2023 But Schoeman stuck in there, even during the dark moments, and has got his reward.   He really went the hard years for it too, racing all three events even when mathematically he didn't need to.   But this was always about more than racing, it was about proving to himself he can have a second coming in the sport. And how he did that.   BETH IS A BOSS Beth Potter may not have raced enough Arena Games events this year to be able to defend her title, but she showed her class in smashing the London event, and in front of a baying British crowd.   Potter has achieved so much in Arena Games racing, but she had never actually beaten Cassandre Beaugrand when the pair have raced together. She put that right in emphatic style with a convincing victory.   GUSTAV'S CHAMPION MENTALITY They say a champion never quits. Gustav Iden proved why he already has some of the biggest titles in the sport in his collection by proving what it takes to be the best.   The weekend presented him with so many challenges, A delayed flight and a missed briefing saw him start his heat – the so-called ‘Heat of Death' – with a five second penalty before he had even stepped on the race course.   He pushed hard but ultimately was in the repechage. He was – in Arena Games terms – a mile back coming out of the swim in Stage 2 and his exit before even making the finals looked all but assured.   However, he dug in, pushed himself to the absolute limit and was ready as soon as there was a sign of weakness to pounce.   After such efforts to get to the final there was a suspicion he could come last, but that was proved to be nonsense as she actually got himself to fifth by the end of the final. A remarkable performance, that displayed a quite remarkable mentality.   ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE The London Aquatics Centre and the British crowd ensured an incredible day for triathlon. The venue was sold out, with a record 2,000 fans in attendance. The atmosphere was loud and happy, and the athlete thrived on it.   Fans turned up to support Para Triathlon as well and were treated to some stunning performances, including a virtuoso display from Grace Norman.   The venue is fast establishing itself as the pinnacle of Arena Games, but with more fans than ever packing in for the events across the Series, it is clear that triathlon is growing.   https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/08/super-league-triathlon-arena-games-behind-scenes-triathlon.html     IRONMAN Brings New Voices to Call in Finishers TAMPA, Fla. (April 13, 2023) – The list of voices calling athletes across IRONMAN® and IRONMAN® 70.3® finish lines will be expanding in 2023 to include some familiar voices as well as new ones. As the IRONMAN community bids farewell to Mike Reilly, the most famous voice in the sport of triathlon who has retired following a storied career spanning 33 years, athletes can expect to hear a variety of different voices greeting them at IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events over the coming year.   In addition, more women announcers will be picking up a microphone at IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events in 2023, including for the first time ever, a fully female announcing crew calling athletes in at the 2023 IRONMAN Maryland triathlon, part of the VinFast IRONMAN North America Series on Sept. 16, 2023.   “There's nothing quite like those final moments before an athlete crosses an IRONMAN finish line,” said Shane Facteau, Chief Operating Officer for The IRONMAN Group. “Our athletes work for months, and sometimes even years, to hear the illustrious words, ‘You are an IRONMAN!' made famous by our beloved Mike Reilly. While we will all miss Mike, we are proud to bring a diverse cast of emcees to our events in 2023 and we know our athletes are keen to meet these announcers as they help enhance their race day experience.”   Mike Reilly also shared his appreciation for the craft and the impact this crop of race announcers can have as they encourage athletes at events. “For over 30 years, it has been an incredible honor to support IRONMAN athletes as they cross finish lines worldwide,” said Reilly who is also in the IRONMAN Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport. “I have no doubt that the dynamic and diverse team of announcers assembled will continue to uphold the legacy of IRONMAN and create unforgettable experiences for competitors and spectators. When you hear those powerful and life changing words, ‘You are an IRONMAN' at your next finish line, know that they are delivered with passion and a deep commitment to your success.”   Below are many of the iconic voices and new announcers that athletes can expect to see and hear at IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 events this year.    Americas Jill Blankenburg –  Jill is now a seven-time IRONMAN finisher, beginning in 2009 when she completed IRONMAN Florida and since then has gone on to cross IRONMAN finish lines in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Lake Placid, N.Y.; Whistler B.C. Canada; Louisville, Kentucky; Cozumel, Mexico and Panama City Beach, Florida for a second time in 2019.  Jill is no stranger to the microphone – she's been a radio DJ, recorded lead and backing vocals for various music projects and fronted a rock and roll band for many years. Jill was delighted for the opportunity to combine her experience on the mic and her passion for triathlon when she began announcing multisport races in 2016 – and she's often called upon to sing the National Anthem at her events. Jill joined IRONMAN's announcing team in 2022 is proud to be one of the new female voices on the IRONMAN stage.   Otton Bernardelli –  In 2011, during a 10k race, the announcer failed to show up, and Otton had to step up to the microphone to lead 5,000 athletes in the event. This experience made him realize that he wanted to pursue a career in sports announcing. Four years later, in 2015, he received his first opportunity to announce an IRONMAN 70.3 event. Since then, he has worked alongside Dave Ragsdale and Tony Lugo at IRONMAN 70.3 Miami in 2017, and proudly shared the microphone with William Bonder at all IRONMAN 70.3 and full-distance IRONMAN events in Brazil for the past 7 years.   William Bonder – Javier Clavelo  Nick Edwards  Carissa Galloway . She has also been one of the most recent additions to the world championship announcing team and will help call athletes in at the women's IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i.   Eric Gilsenan – Many have heard Eric at IRONMAN Village expos during past world championship events, and he will expand his role at the VinFast IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship events in 2023.   Erick González Velázquez – Originally from Mexico City, Erick has been the voice of IRONMAN in Mexico. Two of his passions outside of being an announcer are playing the guitar and heading out every morning for a run with his Husky, Cookie.  Dave Kappas   Rachel Kazez Andrea Kooiman Dave Latourete Tony Lugo   Sara McLarty – Sara McLarty has been racing triathlons since she was a child. She enjoyed a successful 15-year professional career representing the United States at 13 world championships in seven different sports and raced on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. After retiring in 2015, she transitioned into coaching and athlete support with the USA Triathlon elite squad, culminating with a trip to the Tokyo Olympics 2020. Today, her passion is with the SLAP Tri Team #SLAPPERS in Central Florida helping adult, youth and junior high-performance athletes achieve their goals and dreams!   Dave Ragsdale – Dave has been around the Endurance Industry long enough to remember grabbing a popsicle stick at the finish line of a college cross country meet. After a stint in corporate sales in New York City, he moved to South Florida with a buddy so that they could train year-round for the then emerging sport of triathlon. Since then, he's been in the Event Management business, sold media for Florida Sports Magazine, a precursor to Competitor Magazine and Rock ‘n Roll Running Series and headed up a 6-person sales team with The IRONMAN Group. Currently, Dave helps connect brands and events in the active lifestyle space. Dave's time on the microphone dates back to his earliest days in the event management business, when he realized that holding a microphone and talking for hours was a lot easier than moving cones or barricades. Thankfully, he had the skill needed to succeed in that spot and in his more than 20 years as an announcer, he figures to have greeted close to 500,000 athletes to the line. Born in Minneapolis, Dave grew up in Pleasantville, NY was educated at Colgate University. He and his wife, Molly, live in Juno Beach, Florida.   Colleen Rue Tom Ziebart     Mental Mastery With Mark Allen Week 7: Swim Speed Reset Six-time Ironman World Champion shares what he calls the "ultimate race-prep drill" to find a new physical and mental gear in the swim. APRIL 10, 2023 MARK ALLEN   As a triathlete, you likely do a ton of steady-state swimming, and not a lot of top-end swimming. That's good for building endurance, but as you head into race season, it's good to reset your body's gauge of what it can do at a fast speed – physically and mentally. That's why this week's installment of our nine-week Mental Mastery series will take you to the pool for a fast and furious workout.   Going fast presents perhaps the biggest challenge to keeping your three pillars of Mental Mastery dialed in and active. Hard efforts can be uncomfortable, and physical discomfort can be a distraction to staying locked into a champion's Mental Mastery focus. This swim workout will blend physical and mental skills to ensure you get the hang of this demanding aspect of athletics.   These types of sets were extremely important for me to do from time to time even when I was getting ready for an Ironman. The intensity of short and fast is like a concentrated form of what takes place over a much longer period of time in a race.   This type of set also reinforced my ability to do the ultimate athletic race prep multitask, which was to go fast but to also stay focused on economy of motion, on keeping my mental chatter to as close to zero as possible, and to resetting my fast gauge.   Sometimes, just thinking about a hard workout can be a mental roadblock. I would always have to rein in my anxiety and the anticipation of how the set would feel, and just launch into doing it. Remember: It's always so much easier to deal with it while doing the set, than it is to let your mind spiral about what-ifs. The what-ifs in your head are almost always worse than how it actually turns out in real life.   Before we get to the workout and the Mental Mastery drills, let me remind you again what the three pillars of mental mastery are:   Body Awareness- This is developing the ability to be aware of how your body is moving, especially when you are fatiguing or going at a very fast pace or high-power output.   Internal Dialogue- This is being aware of when chatter is getting in the way of performance and developing the ability to change the channel quickly to a space that supports your physical efforts rather than weakening them. Mental Race Prep- This is remembering what the day-to-day work is going toward and using that vision to propel you to your personal best in your pursuit of the extraordinary.     What's New in the 303: How do you know when it's time to replace your helmet? 303 Endurance | How do you know when it's time to replace your helmet?   By: A.V. Schmit   Well, there is one obvious reason why you should replace your helmet — A crash. No matter the severity, a crash indicates a mandatory helmet replacement. It makes sense, when you consider all bike helmets are single-use pieces of safety equipment.   A compressed foam impact-absorption area can often be invisible from the outside. Photo: Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute.   They are not designed, nor intended to absorb the energy from multiple impacts. Even in what appears to be a minor impact, the integrity of the internal structures within the helmet may be compromised and be unable to perform when called upon in a supplemental impact.   But there is good news, well, kind of. Many helmet manufacturers offer a discount to replace a crash-damaged helmet. Giro offers a 30% discount as a crash-replacement incentive. To access the discount, you can call their 1-800 number or use an online form on their website.   Other circumstances, like accidentally leaving your helmet in an excessively hot car or truck, cause not so obvious reasons to replace your helmet. Extremely high temperatures, such as those experienced in the southern United States in the summer months, can create temperatures that can damage the impact absorbing foam that make up many modern road and mountain bike helmets.   “Excessive heat can damage your helmet. For example, in direct sunlight a dark gear bag, the interior of a car, or an automobile trunk can get hot enough to cause heat damage (damaged helmets will appear to have uneven or bubbly surfaces).”   Bell Helmets FAQ   Excessive heat, exposure to caustic chemicals, and impacts both on and off the bike, are all circumstances that can necessitate replacing your bike helmet.   So, you have not crashed your helmet or let it cook in a hot car, how do you know if you should replace it?   “We encourage riders to replace their helmet at least every 3 to 5 years,” said Tara L. Giro Consumer Services Representative. “At Giro, our focus is safety. With the advances in safety technology, we feel that is an appropriate range for the usable life of a helmet, barring a crash.”   UV, Ultra Violet, light can degrade a helmet's polycarbonate shell, but this takes an extended period of time out in the sunlight to occur. Most helmet shells incorporate a chemical UV inhibitor in the material that resists UV damage. Even with that, an extended period of time in the sun or high-altitude exposures can damage the shell of the helmet, as evidenced by fading color or cracks in the shell.   If you observe either of these situations, it's time to replace your helmet.   So that should give you some general guidelines as to what can damage your helmet, and when it makes sense to replace it. If you are unsure about the condition of your helmet, most manufacturers have a 1-800 number listed on their website where you can seek additional advice.   And… when you do get a new helmet, mark the month and year on the interior with a permanent marker somewhere so you know when you put it into service.     Video of the Week: Insane Square Cycling     Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Last weekend the N. American IM season kicked off with Oceanside 70.3 and this weekend Super League Pros race in the London Arena Games. Bill, how's Carbondale, Colorado?   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Discussion - Life Hacks for the Time Crunched Athlete Endurance News - 70.3 Oceanside Pro Results, Arena Games London Saturday, What's new in the 303 - Pro Tips for Boulder 70.3 and What Up in Carbondale? Video of the Week - 70.3 Oceanside Highlights and Lowlights   Discussion: Life Hacks for the Time Crunched Athlete: I was recently invited to be a guest coach on the TriDot podcast. Every week they have a Warmup, Main Set and Cooldown with a TriDot coach. I was asked to describe my coaching specialty, which I feel is helping beginner to experienced triathletes overcome plateauing factors, overcome confidence issues and work/life/train balance, especially for long course athletes.   Life Hack 1 - During one of my IM training long rides, I took off at 9am and told my wife I'd be back at 4. When I got home, my wife said 'I thought you would be back in 4 hours'. I reminded her that I said 'back at 4pm' and we decided to agree to disagree. I went to the Office Max and bought one of those "Will Be Back At" window clock with the plastic hour and minute hand that the pharmacist or barber puts on the door at lunch hour. We put that on the garage door to make sure I was setting expectations. Life Hack 2 - When I was in the peak of IM training I had tight windows of time to squeeze in my workouts like a 1 hour swim in the morning. If I didn't get to the pool right at 5, I wouldn't have time to complete the swim before 6am in time to get home, showered and ready to take the girls to school on my way to work. When you get to the pool at 5am and realize that I left my swimsuit at home I would be devastated. My house is only 10 minutes away, but it would be 30 minutes before I could be back at the pool. I learned to keep a spare swimsuit in my glovebox and that saved my workouts that I otherwise would have lost.   Endurance News:   Oceanside Corrections Taylor Knibb was in the broadcast booth instead of toeing the line It was an in water start in the bay and not a beach start into surf as it was in 2022   9 Takeaways From the Pro Race at 70.3 Oceanside TIM HEMING    Ironman 70.3 Oceanside marked the start of the North American Ironman season. Located just up the coast from the birthplace of triathlon, and with a packed field of professionals, expectations for Oceanside were high – and the race delivered.   It might have been a cold morning, but the action soon became heated. After two enthralling races, we were left with some red-hot run splits and two deserving new champions. Leo Bergere carried out his plans for a smash-and-grab win in California, breaking the tape in 3:45:25 on his long-course stopover en route to Paris 2024, while Tamara Jewett laid down a blazing-fast run to push her way to the top podium step in 4:08:09.   Here are nine things we're taking away from the race as we blast off into the 2023 season.   Missed the action in Oceanside? Outside Watch has made the replay of the race broadcast free for all. See the race from start to finish by hitting the button below:   1. No one made the same (freezing) mistake twice. The weather in most of the United States has been miserable of late, and despite it being Southern California, the early start of the day – with the pro men going off at 6:40 a.m. – made for chilly conditions. The water temperature was just 57 degrees F, and the ambient conditions not much more. But whereas a host of athletes were caught out (and near-hypothermic) in similar conditions at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Utah last year, lessons had clearly been learned.   Notably, Holly Lawrence ditched her normal high-cut racing suit for additional layers, and swapped blue lips for blowing past a chunk of the men's field. Perhaps the decisions of 70.3 world champion Taylor Knibb had been noted from St. George, where the the number-one priority for the now reigning 70.3 world champion was to be cozy for the start of the bike leg. (Although there were no such considerations for Knibb here, as she wasn't racing – instead, was wrapped up in the Ironman commentary booth.)   https://twitter.com/IRONMANtri/status/1642188291368787969   2. The payout isn't as big as you think. This was a high-profile curtain-raiser to the North American Ironman season, with almost 100 names on the pro start list, 3,500 amateurs and a live broadcast to boot. Yet the prize money at just $50,000 was derisory, especially compared to other pro prize purses offered by other race organizers. Some quick math on the $1,200 Ironman pro license shows that if they race on average four times a year, then around $30,000 poured into Ironman's coffers for this race from their license fees alone. Essentially, the pros are funding much of their own prize pot. The age-old problem is that although there is huge value in the pros for below-the-line marketing of the Ironman brand – i.e., the pictures that sell these races – Ironman prize purses may not necessarily align with that value.   3. 5-star performances are the norm, not the exception. https://twitter.com/IRONMANtri/status/1642188291368787969 (Photo: Donald Miralle/Ironman) From early on, it was clear that there were only ever five women in this contest, and all of them had a chance at the win. Paula Findlay led early and faded late, while Tamara Jewett held on early and hammered through at the end. There were no surprises in Chelsea Sodaro, Kat Matthews and Holly Lawrence, either – they were in the mix, and moves from all three made for more exciting racing. The pro women's field has some bona-fide superstars right now. The rest of the season, whether it's PTO racing or Ironman, comes laced with anticipation. The rest of the pack must work out how to catch on and catch up.   4. Bergere was brilliant – but won't be back. As was befitting a reigning World Triathlon Championship Series champion, Bergere was a class act from first to last in Oceanside, leading the swim, staying upfront on the bike leg and then leading through the half-marathon. We shouldn't be surprised. We found out before the race that he's done the work dialing in his position on the time trial bike, he's won over this distance before, and he's an Olympic medal favorite for Paris – so speed isn't a problem. That's even true with Jason West marauding through the field. The 26-year-old Frenchman just stayed cool, checked his watch, looked over his shoulder, and eased to the tape.   But if you're looking for more non-drafting action from Bergere, you'll have to wait. It's now full focus on Olympic qualification and a return to the World Series. The French short course men have the strongest depth of talent in the world currently, and he needs to make sure he's on the team for next summer on the banks of the Seine. If people weren't sure of his name in Oceanside, it's likely to be a household one after Paris.   5. The runners are getting into position. There has never been any doubting the running pedigree of USA's Jason West and Canada's Tamara Jewett. For many observers, they are the two quickest runners in middle-distance triathlon right now. If they're in the mix come T2, they're strong favorites for the win. Even a 30-second blocking penalty on the bike for Jewett was shrugged off as a minor inconvenience as she plowed her way out of T2 and into first place. With superbly executed swims and bikes, the case as contenders has been well and truly proven for both. If the dime hadn't already dropped, the idea of them being allowed to (legally) sit in on a paceline without being attacked in future has dissolved just as fast.   6. About those run splits… In the 13.1 mile run leg, West clocked a 1:07:41, and Jewett 1:13:00. West and (particularly) Jewett's half-marathon splits blew up on social media with no filter to the hyperbole that was flowing. They were fast and deserved the praise, no doubt, but take a look at the historic performances of both athletes and you can see it's in the same ballpark as they've regularly been clocking for 70.3 runs over the past three years. All it proves is that this isn't a one-off, and in many ways, that makes it even more exciting for what's to come.   7. Three minutes is not enough between pro fields. Having the professional women start three minutes after the pro men, when the men's field is saturated and the threshold for being a pro man isn't high enough, is a recipe for a mashed-up mess, with pro women forced to swim and bike through the back end of the men's race. Getting separation between the two races may not always be easy, but there has to be a better option than than a measly three minutes.   8. Emotion is rocket fuel. Oceanside was awash with emotion even before the cannon went. Particularly, Matthews – returning from a bike crash that almost took her life before Kona – and Sodaro, who admitted to debilitating mental health struggles in the wake of her Ironman title triumph in October. Emotion has long been the intangible dimension that adds jeopardy to the result. How both Matthews and Sodaro, and even Sam Long – who saw this as a redemption race after a controversial penalty in St. George – responded showed they have the maturity not just to process emotions, but harness them into a performance to be proud of.   9. Chelsea has the final word. After 4 hours of intense racing, Sodaro used the post-race interview to reaffirm her pre-race commitment to give her prize money ($5,000) to Moms Demand Action, a grassroots movement trying to address the nation's culture of gun violence. Her simple message: “I just want to be able to drop my child off at school with the knowledge that I'll be able to pick them up again.”     American Couple McQueen and Sereno Both Hoping to World Championship Titles in London April 5, 2023   /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – American golden couple Chase McQueen and Gina Sereno are hoping to complete a unique World Championship double as they race in the final of Arena Games Triathlon powered by Zwift in London on Saturday (April 8).   McQueen, one of the USA's greatest short course hopes, and Sereno, who also holds down a full-time job at the jet propulsion laboratory at NASA, had the dream day when the Colorado based couple both won at Arena Games Triathlon Montreal.   That means they sit joint top of the World Championship standings alongside Arena Games triathlon Switzerland winners Henri Schoeman and Zsanett Bragmayer heading into the final at the London Aquatics Centre at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (17:30 local time).   If they can master the short, sharp and intense unique hybrid race format of real life and virtual racing one more time each then they could boast a pair of World Championship titles to take back home.   Chase McQueen said: “To see Gina win and execute the perfect race I was just so proud of her. I don't know if it was excitement or happiness and pride, but it took a lot of pressure off of me and I would go out there and do what I could and I would still be really happy because of the race that she had. To both come home with gold medals in a race like that…it's rare to have a good day like that in the sport, and to have a good day on the same day as her in the same spot is really special and for sure a memory I will remember for the rest of my life.   “I am heading to London with the expectation to try and win a world title, but to manage that together helps a lot. There are a lot of really good people there and people that aren't competing for the overall Series but we are both going there to win and hoping to come home with world titles.”   Gina Sereno said: “I was so excited to win (in Montreal). I didn't know if that would be possible but as the rounds went on I felt relaxed and felt comfortable in the heats. Chase did so well in his heats and I felt he could win as well. Watching him bike so hard and his face and thinking about all the times we ride on our trainers together I knew he was going hard.   “It will be really fun to be in the finals in London and see what I can do at this next level. I didn't get to leave it all out there in Montreal so being in an environment where there are better people and more challenges I am really excited to see what I can get out of myself and my goal is to win.”   Schoeman's story is also a remarkable one as the 2016 Olympic bronze medallist and 2018 Commonwealth Games champion from South Africa battles back from nearly three years out of the sport with health and injury issues which almost forced him into retirement.   Hungary's Bragmayer, meanwhile, is looking to go one better than her runner-up spot in 2022 and will again race alongside her teammat,e 15-year-old Fanni Szalai, who produced a sporting fairytale to make the podium in Switzerland at her first ever elite level event.   Also competing in London but not in contention for the title are the likes of British star Beth Potter, Cassandre Beaugrand of France who won this event in 2022, and Gustav Iden, the current Ironman World Champion.   What's New in the 303: Learn From the Pros: Set a PB in Boulder Brittany Vermeer IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder is a classic race set at foot of the Flatiron Mountains. Here's how to race your best. An oldie but goodie, IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder will celebrate its 21st anniversary this year. On June 10th, triathletes from around the world will gather at the triathlon mecca of the US to compete on a challenging course set at the foothills of the iconic Flatirons.   Nobody knows this area better than the triathletes who live there, so we have two local pros and a coach to give us the inside scoop on everything you need to set a PB at IRONMAN Boulder 70.3.    Endurance coach Lauren Vallee has competed at IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder once and IRONMAN Boulder three times.   “You can't beat the views at this race,” she says. “Even though I've lived here for seven years now, I'm still awestruck when racing this course. The other thing that's unique is the community support. It's likely you'll see legendary athletes like Dave Scott, Joanna Zeiger, or Simon Lessing cheering on athletes.”   Professional triathlete and IRONMAN Now commentator Dede Griesbauer also calls Boulder home. “The whole experience of being in Boulder for a race is a memorable one, from swimming in ‘the Res' to biking and running on its iconic roads,” she says. “Once your day is done, athletes will often take a dip in the Res to cool off, tell stories of the day, and cheer other athletes across the line for hours on end.”   Another Boulder local, professional triathlete Justin Metzler has raced IRONMAN Boulder 70.3 three times and IRONMAN Boulder once. “In 2021, I was fifth at the IRONMAN 70.3. Last year, I was second. Now, I have to come back in 2023 for the win. If I don't win this year, I'll keep coming back until I do, because this race is a big one on my bucket list.”   Athletes begin their journey with a one-lap swim in the Boulder Reservoir, aka “the Res,” before exiting by the boat ramp and heading into transition. Metzler anticipates the June swim will be chilly—between 60 and 65 degrees F.    “Boulder Reservoir is a calm, safe body of water, but the one thing I've made critical errors with in the past is going out too hard,” he says. “Even though I live here at altitude, it's easy to go above threshold early, and you end up paying the price five times over.”   Gaining an extra 30 seconds in the swim isn't worth putting yourself in the hole at the start of a four to six-hour race. To resist the temptation, Metzler suggests taking the first two buoys as a warm-up and building in effort.   Concerning swim gear, Vallee recommends using tinted goggles because athletes will be swimming directly into the bright Colorado sunshine.    The new and improved bike course will take athletes on a two-loop, fast, rolling bike course. From Diagonal Hwy towards Foothills Hwy, athletes will have some short rollers until they make a right onto rural Hygiene Rd. towards 75th St. At that point, it's downhill and fast.   Once you find your way back onto Diagonal Highway, continue past the Reservoir gates for the second lap, with one more loop of the above rollers and fast descents. After athletes complete their two loops, they will merge back into the Boulder Reservoir through the gates along Diagonal Hwy and into transition.   The route features 2,700 feet of elevation gain, complete with stunning views of The Flatirons. Despite the climbing, our experts described this as a fast course.     “Be prepared to time trial, climb, and descend,” Vallee says.   Because Boulder is at altitude, expect your heart rate to be higher than normal and your power numbers to be lower. Metzler says rate of perceived exertion is the best method for pacing this course.   “One advantage we have at altitude is there's less wind resistance, so the bike times are notoriously quite fast,” he says. “Despite the challenging conditions, it's a good place to try for a PB, as long as you have all your ducks in a row with preparation and pacing strategy.”   This two-loop course is unique because the majority takes place on hard-packed dirt and gravel roads. Because of the varied terrain, Vallee cautions runners not to get frustrated if their pace fluctuates.    “The road conditions can mute the ‘pop' runners normally feel on concrete or blacktop,” she says. “Though the run looks fairly flat, it's deceiving. While running the out-and-back on Monarch, you can easily have a 20-second per minute mile swing in pace. Don't let that get in your head. Trust your plan and stay confidence in your pacing.”   Also, be thoughtful in your footwear selection. “Super high stack shoes without any stability will be more challenging because the road is mostly on crushed gravel and dirt,” Metzler says.    Although there's not much gain (318 feet), it can be hot on Dam Rd., so having a well-planned hydration strategy is a must. “This run is one of the more challenging on the circuit with the uneven terrain and the heat,” Metzler says. “I've raced here in June and August, and we've had very warm days.”   However, the spectator-friendly nature of the two-loop course will provide a motivational boost for athletes. “The run is a course that athletes love to hate and hate to love!” Griesbauer says. “For the bits around the Res itself, you're fully exposed with little shade, so if it's a hot and or windy day, prepare to put up a fight. But the amazing Boulder crowds will carry you through.”   In June, the average air temperature in Boulder is 86 degrees F and the water temperature is 66 degrees F, so athletes should expect a chilly start and a hot finish. On top of that, Boulder sits at 5,318 feet above sea level, so altitude is another factor to take into consideration.   “Don't panic if you're coming to altitude from sea level,” Vallee says. “Simply keep in mind that it will take longer to recover from surges, so be smart with pacing.”   Metzler has a tip for those who train at lower elevations and will be traveling to the race. “Everyone responds differently to altitude, but my recommendation would be to come up as late as possible, if you're coming from sea level, to try to retain some of that sea level oxygen you have in your day-to-day training,” he says.    Finally, when racing in Boulder, Metzler has one cardinal rule: respect the heat. “It's something I've always had to manage here. The sun is really oppressive, so you have to stay on top of core body temperature, fueling, hydration, and sodium.”   Lauren Vallee: “Be prepared for hot, dry, and exposed conditions. Don't panic if your run pace is slower than other IRONMAN 70.3's you've done.”   Dede Griesbauer: “There are few roads leading into the Boulder Res, so pack your patience and leave a lot of time on race morning.”   Justin Metzler: “Use rate of perceived exertion, rather than the numbers you see.”     Video of the Week: Ironman 70.3 Oceanside 2023 Highlights and Low light!   The Crawl - Sian Welch & Wendy Ingraham (1997)   Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Welcome to Episode #381 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance interviews and discussion.   Oceanside 70.3 is well-known as the place to watch the top pros show off their early-season fitness, and this year is no exception. Even with last-minute drops from the likes of Jan Frodeno, Lionel Sanders and Jackie Hering, there's still an impressive start list for both the women's and men's pro races.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - Oceanside 70.3 Pro start list,  Jonny Brownlee and Gustav Iden Arena Games London; Mental Mastery with Mark Allen Brain-Boosting Workout for a Stronger Bike Leg What's new in the 303 - South Table Mountain, Unending Trails, Unending mystery; Anatomy of a Running Gait Analysis Video of the Week - Why did the chicken cross the road? Amazing crash avoidance and bike handling   Endurance News:   Oceanside start list is out: full of big names, but no Jan Frodeno March 20, 2022 Oceanside is well-known as the place to watch the top pros show off their early-season fitness, and this year is no exception. Even with last-minute drops from the likes of Jan Frodeno, Lionel Sanders and Jackie Hering, there's still an impressive start list for both the women's and men's pro races, featuring some of the top names in long-course racing (plus a few surprises from the short-course side of the sport). We've broken down the top contenders, plus a few wild cards who could be major players on Saturday.   Want to watch it all play out? Ironman 70.3 Oceanside will be streamed live for free on Outside Watch, beginning at 6 a.m. PT/9 a.m. ET Saturday, April 1. The broadcast will be available on-demand after the finish to all Outside+ members. Become an Outside+ member today and get access to the full streaming library of 70.3 racing any time, on any device.   Both the men's and women's races in Oceanside promise to be incredibly competitive. In addition to Sanders, the men's list includes defending men's champion Ben Kanute, his countryman Sam Long, who is fresh off a couple of victories at Clash Miami and Challenge Puerto Varas (which could mean he'll take a pass on Oceanside), two-time Olympic gold medalist Alistair Brownlee (GBR), Australian Sam Appleton, along with Americans Rudolph Von Berg and Matt Hanson (USA). (To name just a few – there are a number of Ironman and 70.3 champions in the field.)   full pro list here   The women's field is every bit as stacked. Defending champion Paula Findlay (CAN) is back, but she'll face a really tough field that includes five-time 70.3 world champion (and four-time Kona champ) Daniela Ryf, 2016 70.3 world champ Holly Lawrence (GBR), Australia's Ashleigh Gentle, who is fresh off a big win at Clash Miami and American Taylor Knibb, who excelled at both World Triathlon and long-distance races last year – her incredible season included a silver medal in the mixed relay, the fastest time of the day at the Collins Cup and a bronze medal at the 70.3 worlds. Chelsea Sodaro is the defending IM World Champ who has been struggling with depression is also planning to race.   As we get closer to the race, which takes place on April 2, we should have a clearer idea of who will actually end up at the race – even if a few athletes pull out, though, it should be an incredibly competitive day.   https://www.tri247.com/triathlon-news/elite/ironman-70-3-oceanside-start-list-bib-numbers-pro-men   Jonny Brownlee and Gustav Iden confirmed for Arena Games London By Jonathan Turner 22 Mar 2023 Four star names have been added to the line-up for the Arena Games finale in London on April 8.   Three-time Olympic medallist Jonny Brownlee, IRONMAN World Champion Gustav Iden, the 2022 Arena Games Triathlon champion Beth Potter and last year's London winner Cassandre Beaugrand have all been confirmed as intended starters.   They can't compete for the overall World Championship title as they haven't raced in either of the first two events in Montreal and Switzerland, but they are sure to add intrigue to the finals which will feature 18 of the top 20 ranked women and men in the series.   Brownlee will be back in Arena Games action Norwegian star Iden won the IMWC title at his first attempt in record-breaking style in Kona last year to add to his two Ironman 70.3 World Championships and is also aiming for the Paris Olympics as he switches his focus back to short-course racing.   On the women's side last year's overall winner Potter could head into London in better form following the Scot's maiden WTCS victory in Abu Dhabi.   And she'll be joined France's Beaugrand, who had a perfect record in England last season – winning both Arena Games and Super League in London as well as the WTCS event in Leeds.   The favourites to become the official triathlon esports World Champions are the respective winners from Montreal and Sursee – Chase McQueen and Henri Schoeman in the men's field and Gina Sereno and Zsanett Bragmayer in the women's.   There is also plenty of British interest aside from Brownlee and Potter for home fans with Olivia Mathias – second in Sursee – Kate Waugh, Dan Dixon and Jack Stanton-Stock all racing.   Mental Mastery with Mark Allen Week 5: A Brain-Boosting Workout for a Stronger Bike Leg This week's Mental Mastery workout from six-time Ironman World Champion Mark Allen will improve your mind's ability to tell your legs how to get those bigger watts and how to sustain them. MARCH 27, 2023 MARK ALLEN    Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.   Of all three sports, cycling is the one that usually evokes an image of strength equating to faster performances. Think of your glutes and quads: If those are toned and able to push, you are going to be a faster cyclist. But if you've also got a strong brain, you can take those strong legs to the next level.   This week's Mental Mastery workout is all about improving muscle recruitment. Some athletes try to accomplish this by doing extended periods in a big gear and low cadence rates. But that mostly just teaches you how to ride in a big gear at a low cadence rate without increasing your ability to push and sustain higher watts. Instead, I've shared a workout to improve both of those things for you. The secret? Staying focused. The Mental Mastery components of this workout will improve your mind's ability to tell your legs how to get those bigger watts and how to sustain them!   I often did this type of workout (but in a much less structured way) during group rides. There would be constant points where I had to suddenly accelerate or get dropped, and often the accelerations were accompanied with a jump up in gearing to be able to go fast enough. These accelerations were so much faster than I would ever go in a triathlon, which reset the gauge of how fast I was able to ride making race pace much more tolerable mentally as well as doable physically.   For one year early in my career, I committed to doing single-leg drills twice a week for almost every single week. That was also the season where I made the largest gains ever in my cycling. At the Ironman that year (1984) I came off the bike with a 12-minute lead on all other contenders. Unfortunately, I didn't have the marathon yet to back up the cycling, but the message was clear: This drill works.   Week 5: Key Strength Bike Workout and Mental Mastery Drills The workout this week has two parts, just like last week's session in swimming. The first is going to be done on a stationary trainer, and the second can be done on a trainer or on the road. Along with each of these two short workouts will be your Mental Mastery drills that will help you not only gain mastery over the physical workout, but will strengthen your ability to integrate mind and body into one cohesive unit.     What's New in the 303: South Table Mountain, Unending Trails, Unending mystery By Bill Plock   Golden, March 2023–The small one-engine plane droned loudly overhead under filtered sun. It would rise and almost stall. Then it quietly glided, nose slightly down, for a few seconds before the engine sputtered alive as it leveled off. I supposed that is some sort of emergency training.   I stood in the middle of South Table Mountain. Curious if the pilot chose this area to practice with its wide open flat top formed about 65 million years ago during a lava flow. It might look flat but there are plenty of undulations of rock that would make for a bumpy landing.   The plane kept climbing and stalling, the sputtering engine drone was annoying in this otherwise peaceful and majestic place. The plane's peculiar behavior mirrored the history of this mountain. I reflected on the 50 years or so I have been exploring it as it continues to unveil questions about what has transpired here for decades, centuries, millennia really. It's the ultimate historical striptease.   Every time I'm there I see or experience something that makes the journey memorable. It's got a vibe, a little like the forbidden zone in Planet of the Apes, a little like an old Western movie sprinkled with a smidgeon of mystery from a true crime show. But with overarching nature and beauty.   Long before the area was invaded by gold seekers, native Ute's conducted ceremonies and burials on top. Grapeshot thought to be from early Spanish explorers was found in 1895 and In 1869 a trail was cut to the top of Castle Rock.   Mysterious structures and piles of rubble, quarries, a shooting range, and utility poles poke out of the lunar landscape crisscrossed with 16 miles of trails. Bikers roll on gravel and mountain bikes. The smooth trails are also perfect for exploring on foot. Skyscrapers in Denver dot the Eastern horizon while the front range of the Rocky Mountains cascades to the West with the town of Golden nestled in the valley between South Table Mountain and Lookout Mountain.   The prominent Castle Rock on the western edge welcomes explorers to perch on top and view Golden and beyond. Castle Rock once housed a cafe built in 1906 and in 1913 visitors could ride a funicular to the top where a casino had been built. The scar from the rails is easy to see making a straight line on the north side of the rock formation.   By the 1920s the casino had turned into the Lava Lane, a whites-only dance hall offering jazz music and a place to congregate during Prohibition. Business faded and the building was taken over by Ku Klux Klan members as a meeting place. In 1923, almost a thousand white-robed members of the Ku Klux Klan met at the summit of South Table Mountain. According to the Colorado Transcript, “A large fiery cross had been erected on the highest point of Castle Rock and it burned throughout the ceremonies, visible for several miles.” In 1927 the building burned to the ground.   In 1905 Camp George West was built on the south side of South Table Mountain and military maneuvers took place on top. In 1969 the Colorado State Patrol moved to Camp George West eventually building a testing track on top which is also used for bike racing in the summer. In the 1990s Nike attempted to purchase the land and wanted to build a 5,000-person office building, but they pulled out. Rumor has it they were just threatening to receive better tax advantages to stay in Oregon.   As a kid growing up on the eastern face of the mountain, most of it was off-limits to visitors. But thanks to Jeffco Open Space acquiring land over the years, most of it is now accessible. There are seasonal closures in areas to protect raptor populations. Trailheads are found on the East, South and West sides of the mountain in neighborhoods and just east of the National Renewable Energy Lab. The north side is home to Rolling Hills Country Club with very limited access.   The approaches from the west and south sides rise gently from the parking areas and are more doable for gravel bikes than the steeper trail from Golden accessing Castle Rock. Once on top, trails make loops and circumnavigate most of the top edges with trails cutting through the middle. They are a combo of crushed rock and hardened dirt. With so many loops and fun, quick-hit hills to navigate you can piece together all kinds of routes that never get stale.   You will see some mysterious things and in the summer be aware of the large population of rattlesnakes.   The plane finally left and flew east towards Denver. The songs of birds filled the air and a couple of deer emerged from the brush as my feet crunched the small pebbly path curiously looking at graffiti on the gun range I had never seen.   Anatomy of a Run Gait Analysis Capturing Video - front, side and back. Full length of body. Tools - software to import the video and slow down to .10 speed and draw angles Propulsion: Force to move runner forward. Maximize energy spent in this plane. Vertical Displacement: Force to move the runner upward. Minimize energy spent in this plane. Support: Force downward to cushion landing. Includes Angle of Displacement (Braking) Minimize. Acceleration: Force to overcome braking and maintain average pace. Minimize Balance: Force when in contact with ground to maintain balance. Minimize. Limb Movement: Energy moving arms. Minimize Running Energy/Vectors Cadence Target 170-180 Steps/Minute Body Lean 3-6° Steady/10° Max Elbow Angle 80-90° @ Elbows Angle of Displacement -0° Balance (GCT) 200*-300ms Vertical Displacement/Support 6-10cm Hip Alignment Left Stance Leg Hip Alignment Right Stance Leg Shoulder Alignment Left Stance Leg Shoulder Alignment Right Stance Leg Pronation  (15° or more could be a deviation/inefficiency) Supination (5° or more could be a deviation/inefficiency) Heel Height Symmetry Target Metrics Supination Hip drop Leg Kicks out Corrective Mobility and Strength     Video of the Week: WILDEST thing I've EVER seen on a bike   Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Welcome to Episode #380 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance interviews and discussion.   We're talking about Sleep Sugar and Cycling today!   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - The 31 Most Important Races in Triathlon History; What lack of sleep does to cycling performance; Strade Bianche, Kristen Faulkner and her DQ for a CGM What's new in the 303 - Nationwide E-Bike Tax Credit Bill and FROGs at local race Video of the Week - Pedal Durango shares why Colorado's Ride riders will love the San Juans!   Endurance News: The 31 Most Important Races in Triathlon History When people talk about the most important races in triathlon history, they're likely to bring up individual performances: Julie Moss crawling across the finish line in Kona, for example, or the Iron War. Maybe they'll even talk about the time Gwensanity swept the Rio Olympics, or one of the many amazing sprint finishes in tri history (which mostly seem to involve Lionel Sanders these days)   Here's what a lack of sleep does to your cycling performance - and how to improve the quality of yours Improving your sleep could provide the single biggest boost to your cycling performance it's possible to make by legal means. Though it was arguably made famous as a “marginal gain” when Team Sky (now Ineos Grenadiers) started carting their own mattresses with them at the Tour de France, sleep may in fact be a maximal gain – it really is that fundamental in building fitness and maintaining health. So how can you make sure you're getting the optimum dose of the most potent legal performance enhancer known to cycling humanity? Nick Littlehales, a sleep coach who has worked with British Cycling to help elite riders understand what happens when we sleep and why it's specifically important for cyclists. “The simple fact is, we should be allocating over 30 per cent of every 24 hours to a defined recovery process,” says Littlehales. “Everything gets repaired when we sleep, which means consistent sleep deprivation diminishes every pillar of human performance, not only muscular and respiratory recovery.”   It's while we sleep that most testosterone and human growth hormone is released, more than in any other phase in each 24-hour cycle. Furthermore, the stress hormone cortisol decreases, cells and muscles are repaired, and our heart and cardiovascular system get the chance to rest. There is a lack of hard evidence around sleep and sports performance, but preliminary studies have suggested that sleep deprivation may also be linked with accelerated muscle atrophy when in a calorie deficit.   “You need to listen to your body,” Littlehales adds. “Cyclists want to be continually pushing their boundaries and sometimes hours of sleep are perceived as a waste of time. But you need a balance, and you need consistent and sustainable levels of recovery.”   What are Continuous Glucose Monitors? Explaining their use, the ban, and Faulkner's DSQ "The fans don't want to see Formula One in bike racing, they want surprises, they want unpredictability," Rogers told Cycling Weekly(opens in new tab). "We feel that putting such powerful information into the hands of younger riders is taking away a skill - deciding when you need to eat and learning about your body [...] It shouldn't be a completely automated process where every decision is being taken by technology."   What's New in the 303: Nationwide E-Bike Tax Credit Bill Returns to Congress Leading bike industry advocate PeopleForBikes is asking supporters of the legislation to sign an online petition.   The Electric Bicycle Incentive Kickstart for the Environment Act first arrived in Congress in 2021. Like most bills that come to America's legislative chambers, it never passed into law. But five politicians and bike industry advocates hope that 2023 will be the year Americans get tax credits for buying electric bicycles, according to a statement from industry advocate PeopleForBikes.   For the bill's sponsors, getting more cars off the road is a clear win for reducing reliance on fossil fuels.   “Transitioning to a clean energy economy includes changing the way we get around. That means transit, rail, and electric buses, cars, and bikes. Our bill will make it more affordable for working people to buy an e-bike and help get cars off the road,” said Senator Brian Schatz, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.   Other bill supporters include Representatives Jimmy Panetta (California), Earl Blumenauer (Oregon), Mike Thompson (California), and Adam Schiff (California).   E-bikes parked for a sharing program An office worker takes an e-bike from the bicycle sharing programs that have become common in many cities; (photo/Shutterstock) Bill: $1,500 Credit for E-Bike Purchase The E-BIKE Act hasn't really changed from its 2021 version, according to PeopleForBikes.   It proposes a refundable 30% tax credit for purchasing an electric bicycle — up to a $1,500 credit for new bicycles that cost less than $8,000. The credit would be allowed once per individual every three years or twice for a joint-return couple buying two electric bicycles.   There's one addition to the 2023 bill, however: income caps. These limits parallel the electric vehicle tax credit caps. That means no tax credit for those with an annual salary of $150,000 for single filers, $225,000 for heads of households, or $300,000 for those filing jointly. The bill also mandates a report from the IRS after two years to understand the distribution of the credit by income tax bracket and adjust for equity in the future, according to PeopleForBikes.   An electric bicycle tax credit was included in the House-approved Build Back Better Act in 2021. But legislators cut the provision when negotiations resulted in a new bill called the Inflation Reduction Act.   “The IRA is the largest climate policy package in American history, but to quickly and effectively take action on reducing emissions, Congress must consider the E-BIKE Act as an essential and complementary policy,” PeopleForBikes wrote.   Community Public Service Announcement Call to all local race directors TriDot's Value - Community Who Cares for Each Other; Be good Citizens TriDot Local Event Ambassadors are offering to be First Race Orientation Guides FROG to anyone self-reporting to be their first triathlon. L2L-Peggy Shockley WOL-Lance 70.3-Julie Coleman   Video of the Week: Pedal Durango shares why Colorado's Ride riders will love the San Juans!     Durango Wheel Club 1890s Ironhorse - 2 rothers racing one on a bike and the other on a train going to Silverton   Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Welcome to Episode #379 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance interviews and discussion.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - Who Owns Triathlon, The 2023 Barkley Marathons; Clash Miami, Super League Arena Games Sursee, and a Lack of Live Coverage What's new in the 303 - Karen Hornbostel Q&A Video of the Week - Clash Miami Highlights (Daily Tri)   Endurance News: Who Owns Triathlon? When we think triathlon, we might think Ironman, Hawaii, the Olympics, or the local event organizer down the road who puts on a fun competition every third Sunday in August. All of those are, in fact, triathlon. But triathlon is also a business, with money changing hands on a daily basis and an ever-evolving answer to the question: Who owns triathlon?   It's easy to think that some brands are mega-monsters eating up everything in sight, while others are scrappy upstarts simply bootstrapping themselves into existence. In many instances a perceived battle of David versus Goliath is actually Goliath versus Goliath II. The reality is that answering, who owns triathlon is tricky. To help, we've put together the most recent ownership information that's available at the time of this writing just below. Not a business whiz? We've also created a glossary of terms far below to help you translate.   The 2023 Barkley Marathons has kicked off and here are the best resources to follow the event March 14, 2023 The 2023 Barkley Marathons kicked off today and we can't wait to find out if there is a winner this year. Below we have included some great resources to keep you up to date and a few facts about the event you might find interesting.   Great links to follow for this years race:   Follow the live action and humorous commentary on Twitter at https://twitter.com/keithdunn   Information about each of this year's participants – https://runningmagazine.ca/trail-running/whos-who-at-the-barkley-marathons-2023/   Good site for updates and information – https://run247.com/running-news/trail/barkley-marathons-2023-live-tracking-latest-results   The movie – http://barkleymovie.com/   Weird and Interesting Facts About the Barkley Marathons: Barkley Marathons is an ultramarathon trail race held each year in Frozen Head State Park in Morgan County, Tennessee. With 54,200 feet of accumulated vertical climb (and descent), it is considered to be one of the most challenging ultramarathons ever. The race is limited to 40 participants, and entry is by invitation only. No website and good luck finding out how to register. Potential entrants must complete an essay on “Why I Should be Allowed to Run in the Barkley,” and pay a $1.60 application fee. If accepted, an entrant receives a “letter of condolence.” The course consists of five 20–mile loops, with a total distance of approximately 100 miles (or longer) that must be completed in 60 hours with every other loop run in the opposite direction. There is also a cut off time for every lap. This year's event knocked out 7 runners on the first lap. Runners who complete three circuits of the loop (60-miles) in under 40 hours are said to have completed a “Fun Run.” The 100-mile race has only been completed within the official cut-off 18 times by 15 runners since the first event in 1995. There have been no finishers since 2016. John Kelly won and is racing this year for the sixth time. No women have finished (yet!), but in 2022 Jasmin Paris completed the 3 loop Fun Run in the designated time, becoming the second woman to achieve the feat. The event date is not made public and starts any time from midnight to noon on race day. One hour till race start is signaled by blowing a conch. The race officially begins when the race director lights a cigarette. Runners must use their orienteering skills to navigate the unmarked course with a map and basic watch (no GPS). Competitors must find between 9 and 14 books along the course and remove the page corresponding to the runner's race number from each book as proof of completion. When a runner drops out of the race, a bugler plays “Taps” upon their return to the start/end point.   Last Weekend Now: Clash Miami, Super League Arena Games Sursee, and a Lack of Live Coverage MARCH 13, 2023 BRAD CULP    We had high-profile races on two continents last weekend, and just like the weekend before, those of us who have the resilience to actually watch triathlon could only watch one of them. Here's what you couldn't watch at Clash Miami, and what you probably didn't watch (but should have) at round two of the Super League Arena Games in Switzerland.   Jason West's recent run splits have been off the charts. He ran 51:13 for 10.5 miles on the unique run course around Homestead-Miami Speedway, which was three minutes faster than any other man in the top 10. That includes guys like Daniel Baekkegard, Sam Long and David McNamee, who are three of the better runners in the sport. That means he ran 4:53 per mile 10 and a half times, and it puts West in a very elite category of triathlon runners, most of which will be racing for a medal in Paris next summer.   Competing in only her second full professional season, 23-year-old Brit Lucy Byram is another British Lucy we'll be hearing a lot from over the next few seasons. She's a bit reminiscent of Taylor Knibb, with no weak discipline at a very young age. Byram is particularly powerful on the bike, and that's where she and Denmark's Sif Bendix Madsen put the race out of contention for the rest of the field.   PRO Women 1. Lucy Byram (GBR) – 2:59:16 2. Sif Bendix Madsen (DEN) – 3:00:33 3. Pamella Oliveira (BRZ) – 3:01:38 4. Sara Perez Sala (ESP) – 3:03:52 5. Haley Chura (USA) – 3:04:07 6. Olivia Mitchell (IRL) – 3:07:24 7. Grace Alexander (USA) – 3:09:56 8. Holly Smith (USA) – 3:15:20   PRO Men 1. Jason West (USA) – 2:35:32 2. Tom Bishop (GBR) – 2:36:08 3. Daniel Bækkegård (DEN) – 2:37:04 4. Sam Long (USA) – 2:37:19 5. David McNamee (GBR) – 2:37:45 6. Youri Keulen (NED) – 2:39:03 7. Sam Appleton (AUS) – 2:40:07 8. Kieran Lindars (GBR) – 2:41:51   Are The Super League Arena Games The Most Exciting Show In Tri? Super League Arena Games Broadcast The Arena Games was a pandemic-inspired creation that appears to have legs beyond lockdown. The live broadcast—available for free on Super League's site or YouTube—was quite good and offers a new way to showcase the swim-bike-run. It's also a very easy venue to produce a live broadcast, relative to an Ironman that often takes place across multiple towns.   Clash Miami has a somewhat ideal venue for a live broadcast in a confined speedway built for broadcasting a live event, but it also has the problem of having to pay to use one of America's biggest and best speedways for an entire weekend. That's not cheap. And for a race that's trying to turn a profit, it's tough to invest in a live product if it's going to mean a net loss. A highlight show is better than nothing, but there's a big difference between live sports and not-live sports.   This comes after Ironman did not broadcast its African Championship in South Africa last weekend—a race in which Alistair Brownlee was going to be racing up until the last minute. Alistair Brownlee moves the live coverage needle. And there was a world-class field outside of the double Olympic champion.   Of the three race producers doing the best job of producing live TV, two have billionaire backing and one is the governing body of the sport. But Super League, PTO and World Triathlon have all invested heavily in the live side of the sport and they've created something that can—maybe—sell. PTO and Super League have secured impressive broadcast partnerships—mostly in Europe—and World Triathlon brings in a lot of sponsorship dollars and has great local broadcast partners at its biggest races.   Though a solid slate of 70.3 races are available through a partnership with Outside Watch this season, I'm not sure that Ironman can ever secure the kind of broadcast partnerships that make live coverage of their full-distance races a very profitable endeavor. An eight-hour show of people exercising—mostly alone—is a hard sell to major broadcast partners. Still, Ironman's live broadcast schedule is somewhat robust for this season. South Africa was just a strange one to be left out, given that they're trying to elevate the status of their regional championships. Live coverage is the utmost way to elevate professional athletes, so it was disappointing to see Ironman and Clash unable to make that happen in successive weeks.   What's New in the 303: A Q&A with the COBRAS and Karen Hornbostel Time Trial Series By Bill Plock   March 14th, 2023–You know it's Spring in the Colorado Cycling scene when the Karen Hornbostel Time Trail Series kicks off. This year marks the 32nd season for this storied series that kicks off March 29th. We talked with Larry Potter of the COBRAS to learn some history and find out what's new for 2023!   First off if you don't know what the genesis of the COBRAS name is; Colorado Bicycle Racing Association for Seniors (COBRAS!)   Learn more about the organization and the people who bring you this iconic Colorado event–on newly paved roads this year!   1. Why was Cobras started? Was there a void in bike racing that was leaving seniors out?   The Colorado Bicycle Racing Association for Seniors (COBRAS) cycling team was founded in 1993 by Herman Ponder, an accomplished racer, and Frank Schneider, a beginning racer as a developmental/racing club focused on individuals who love the sport of cycling and who already race or are interested in learning to race.   At the time there were not any clubs that catered to the over 39-year-old racers, just younger 18–39-year-old racers. This presented an opportunity for a club that focused on older racers who race or were interested in racing.   Over time the racer community changed with more racers who are in the senior categories. For the 2023 KHMTT over 65% of the registered racers are over 40 or older.   A few years ago, the COBRAS opened their membership criteria to include any person over 18 years old. At the time, COBRAS officially changed their name from Colorado Bicycle Racing Association for Seniors to just “COBRAS”.   The club today focuses on individuals who currently or previously raced or just enjoyed being with those who just enjoy the sport. The club has added several social events during the year , performs various community projects, and promotes the Karen Hornbostel Memorial Time Trial series at Cherry Creek (KHMTT).   The majority of the funds earned from the KHMTT are donated to various not profits serving the cycling community including Bicycle Colorado.   Cobras Photo by Ryan Muncy   2. When was the first KHMTT   The race started in 1991 and was originally held near downtown Denver, then moved to Cherry Creek State Park, and was then known as the Cherry Creek Time Trial Series (which several old timers still to this day refer to the KHMTT as the CCTT). The COBRAS have been the promoter of the KHMTT since the early days of the series.   3.How did Karen become so beloved to the Cobras to name the series after her?   Karen was a beloved member of the racing community in the Denver area who passed away in 2006 at the age of 54 from breast cancer.  She was loved by many close cyclist friends and cancer survivors.   Her legacy is that she developed a program for cancer victims and survivors to be able to stay fit and exercise when cancer patients were told to go home and rest. Not Karen. Her program is still used today and is now known as the Cancer Fitness Institute (CFI); a recipient of donations from KHMTT.   For more information about Karen and CFI, go to https://khmtt.com/remembering-karen-hornbostel/   4. Tell us more about the COBRAS club?   The COBRAS have about 40 members who race and love the weekly rides we offer. The COBRAS offers a weekly no-drop Saturday ride and a Wednesday fast ride.  Both are open to members and nonmembers as well.   The club sends out weekly ride notices with the meeting location, time, and route with mileage, elevation gain, and a map using Ride with GPS.   5. What's new in 2023 for KHMTT   After years of working with Cherry Creek State Park, they have finally repaved the worse roads on the east and south sides of the park. We are very pleased that they have made the course much safer and more comfortable to race on.   The only unsafe part of the course was the turnaround on the west side of the park using Lake Loop Road.  The road has 2-3 inch cracks that we don't want racers to ride over any longer.   This year the COBRAS have modified the course to a 180 turnaround and not use the Lake Loop Road. There will be two certified flaggers at the turnaround to control vehicle traffic and two marshals to warn racers they are approaching the turnaround point, and a marshal at the turnaround so that racers know exactly where to turn.   We have improved the Show and Go program that allows a racer to reserve a start time then only must pay for races they participate in.   Our First Timer program is back as well offering someone who has never raced to try it out for a total of $20.   Other minor changes are that the start time intervals are now 30 seconds instead of the previous 20 seconds. This allows for fewer start times but keeps the density of the starts tighter, reducing gaps in the starts.   6. Talk about the role KHMTT, maybe Bicycle Colorado played in getting the roads re-paved   The COBRAS meet with CCSP management at least twice a year to talk about how the series can continue to have the least impact on the park and other park users, as well as what the series needs from the park. We have talked to CCSP over the years attempting to impress the need for road resurfacing for safety. We have had promises of “real soon now” for years and are very grateful it finally happened.   For the last eight years, the COBRAS have worked closely with Bicycle Colorado to help us interface with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and they have been effective. Their legislative representative has kept in touch with CPW monitoring the progress of the funding and the progress of the resurfacing.   8. Recently Frank passed away, the founding member of COBRAS, will there be any special recognition in the way of events or part of KHMTT   Frank was a highly respected and loved member of the COBRAS as well as one of the founders.  The COBRAS will name the start house (tent) to the Frank Schneider Memorial start house and are working with the synagogue that Frank was a member of to donate a plaque honoring Frank and his work with the COBRAS. The congregation loved Frank and was keenly aware of the love he had for bicycle racing and the COBRAS.   9. Why Volunteer?   All racing events depend on volunteers and the KHMTT is no exception.  We offer two volunteer shifts, each about an hour to an hour and a half. This allows racers to volunteer in one shift and race during the other. You can also volunteer and give your free race to someone else, like a friend or significant other.   We also offer paid positions and of course are grateful for volunteers who are willing to volunteer just for fun and being a part of the series.   The KHMTT still needs several volunteers to not only marshal but for other positions as well including someone who is familiar with Excel to help record finish times.   For more information go to https://khmtt.com/volunteer-request/   The KHMTT is inclusive, encouraging new racers, juniors, athletes with disabilities, and racers who now find that a ebike allows them to still ride and race.   Video of the Week: Clash Miami: Crashed Out   CLASH MIAMI 2023 | HIGHLIGHTS   Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

After publishing last week's show I opened the Pro Race Schedule spreadsheet. I was so focused on preparing for this weekend's Clash Miami race that I had completely forgotten that last weekend was the World Triathlon Series season opener in Abu Dhabi. So this week we are starting in Abu Dhabi to talk about the pro women and men's races. And, we will preview / report live on Clash Miami.    Other pro races that have occurred in the last few weeks: 70.3 Tasmania, Challenge Wanaka, 70.3 New Zealand, IM African Championship   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   Celebrating the Women of Team UCAN   In Today's Show Endurance News - Taylor Spivey snags bronze at WTCS season opener; Clash Miami preview What's new in the 303 - What is Mips and why should I care? By Andy Schmidt Video of the Week - 2023 WTCS Abu Dhabi: Women's Highlights   Endurance News: TAYLOR SPIVEY EARNS BRONZE MEDAL IN 2023 WTCS SEASON OPENER IN ABU DHABI Crossing the line in 58:27, the third-place finish granted Spivey her first WTCS podium since 2021 and fifth-career WTCS medal. ABU DHABI, UAE — Showcasing an impressive start of the season, U.S. Elite Triathlon National Team member Taylor Spivey (Redondo Beach, Calif.) earned the bronze medal in the opening race of the circuit at the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi on Friday, March 3.   Crossing the line in 58 minutes and 27 seconds, the third-place finish granted Spivey her first WTCS podium since 2021 and fifth-career WTCS medal.   The top-three finish also offered sweet redemption for Spivey, after she just barely missed the podium last season with three fourth-place finishes and ultimately a fourth-place overall Series ranking.   “To earn the bronze medal — pleased is an understatement. At one point in the race I was in fourth place and I thought ‘I can't let this happen again!' I am not the most confident athlete and racing is a way to build my confidence. And at the end of the day, I just executed every step of the race pretty perfectly and I finally came away with a step above fourth place, I am happy with it,” Spivey said of her result.   Abu Dhabi opened the season as the first of seven total stops on the 2023 WTCS calendar, with athletes returning to the same host city that crowned the World Champions last November.   Placing fifth in Abu Dhabi last fall, Spivey improved her position to third on a sprint-distance course (750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike, 5k run). She finished just 31 seconds behind the victor, Beth Potter of Great Britain, who won in a time of 57:56, followed by British compatriot Sophie Coldwell with the silver (58:14).   U.S. Elite Summer Rappaport (Thornton, Colo.) also had a standout season-starting result, placing fourth. After a dominating swim where was third out of the water, she crossed the finish line just 8 seconds behind Spivey to claim the fourth-place position with a time of 58:35.   Fellow U.S. Elites, Kirsten Kasper (North Andover, Mass.) finished 25th with a time of 59:28, while Katie Zaferes (Cary, N.C.) clocked a time of 1:00:21 to finish 37th overall. This marked her first competition back to racing since 2021 and seven months after giving birth to her son last summer.   Gina Sereno (Madison. Wis.), fresh off her win last week at the Arena Games Triathlon Series in Montreal, made her second-ever WTCS appearance, finishing 41st.   On the men's side, Matt McElroy (Huntington Beach, Calif.) finished strong for the U.S. men, earning eighth place with a time of 53:19, his best WTCS result since 2019.   2023 World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike, 5K run   Elite Women's Podium - Complete Results 1. Beth Potter (GBR), 57:56 2. Sophie Coldwell (GBR), 58:14 3. Taylor Spivey (Rendondo Beach, Calif.), 58:27   U.S. Elite Women Results 3. Taylor Spivey (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 58:27 4. Summer Rappaport (Thronton, Colo.), 58:35 25. Kirsten Kasper (North Andover, Mass.), 59:28 37. Katie Zaferes (Cary, N.C.), 1:00:21 41. Gina Sereno (Madison, Wis., 1:00:46   Elite Men's Podium - Complete Results 1. Alex Yee (GBR), 52:53 2. Vasco Vilaca (POR), 52:59 3. Manoel Messias (BRA), 53:06   U.S. Elite Men Results 8. Matt McElroy (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 53:19 DNF Kevin McDowell (Geneva, Ill.) DNS Morgan Pearson (Mt. Vernon, Vt.) DNS Seth Rider (Germantown, Tenn.)   World Triathlon Series - Abu Dhabi Women's Flora Duffy not racing Taylor Spivey 3rd place Men's Morgan Pearson pulled out morning of Kristian ill Alex Yee first out of the water Kevin McDowell in the front at the end of the bike Yee first out of the water Best 4 races of the 8 Includes Paris Test Even Total Prize money for the series championship work 2.5 million https://wtcs.triathlon.org/prize_money     CLASH Endurance Miami 2023: Start time, preview and how to follow live By Tomos Land 7 Mar 2023 On Friday, some of the best middle distance athletes in the sport will head to Florida to chase those all important PTO points and a slice of the $50,000 prize purse at CLASH Endurance Miami.   The race will also contribute towards the Challenge Family World Bonus and results will count towards qualification for the Challenge Family The Championship.   Below are details on the start times of the races, information on how to watch, and a preview of the elite men and women that are looking to kick their season off in style in the Sunshine State.   We should stress though that the start lists are very much subject to change, with a number of big names – such as Vincent Luis, Joe Skipper and Jackie Hering – initially announced but now not taking part. And there looks to be bad news on the coverage front this year, with no live pictures but instead a post-race production…   POPULAR STORIES RIGHT NOW IRONMAN New Zealand 2023 results: Phillips and Visser take titles Alistair Brownlee setback as he rules himself out of IRONMAN South Africa IRONMAN explain reasons for Justine Mathieux DQ in South Africa Start time and how to follow The elite race at CLASH Endurance Miami takes place on Friday March 10th, 2023.   The start times are as follows:   Elite Women – 0830 local time / 1330 UK / 1430 CET Elite Men – 1200 local time / 1700 UK / 1800 CET Past editions of the event have been streamed live – and for free – on the CLASH Endurance Facebook and YouTube channels.   But this week the following message was posted about current plans: “If you know CLASH Endurance, you know we're always trying new things. There will be no live coverage, however a post-race show will be released after the event.”   So if you haven't got it already, then adding the CLASH Endurance app to your phone / mobile device is recommended for racing splits and results. It's pretty much identical to the layout and structure of the IRONMAN app – which given that has proven itself over many years, is a good thing.   Event history and course In 2021 the event was held under the ‘Challenge Miami' banner, prior the rebranding of the Challenge Family North American events to ‘CLASH'. In 2022, CLASH provided some of the most thrilling races on American soil, in both Miami and Daytona.   Homestead Miami / Challenge Miami In Miami, the race venue is the Homestead Miami Speedway, a self-enclosed motor racing circuit event. As with the Daytona International Speedway, a very convenient lake sits nicely within the centre of the circuit, primed and ready for swimmers.   Unlike the racing at Daytona however, CLASH Miami utilises the roads within the racing oval, and so is far more technical than the pure straight-line speed efforts that are the focus there.   The event will be raced over the following distances:   Swim: 1.7km / 1.05-mile (2 laps) Bike: 62.7km / 39-miles (17 laps of 2.2 miles + one part lap to start) Run: 16.9km / 10.5 miles (7 laps of 1.5 miles) Pro Women Last year, Ashleigh Gentle dominated, with the Australian winning by almost eight minutes in a performance that really set the tone for what was in store throughout the rest of the season for the PTO World #1.   This year, however, looks set to be a much more competitive race, with the absence of the defending champion from the start list really opening up the competition to a whole host of contenders.   Last season's runner up, Brazil's Pamela Oliveira, is an athlete who knows what it takes to get on the podium in Miami, but will face stiff competition if she has any hopes of going one better than last season.   The 35-year-old, who won IRONMAN Brasil as well as Challenge Brazil in 2022, will rely heavily on her endurance in Miami, and will have to hope her strong swim-bike combination will be enough to keep her away from some of the lightning quick runners in the field.   Sara Perez Sala (ESP) and Haley Chura (USA) are also likely to be to the fore from the outset.   Perez Sala, who won the Challenge Championship in 2022, before also finishing second at CLASH Daytona behind Angelica Olmo, will be hoping to build an insurmountable lead over the swim and the bike this Friday, with athletes such as Chura and Sif Bendix Madsen (DEN) the likely candidates to contribute to an early break.   Sara Perez Sala The Championship 2022 Sara Perez Sala – Photo Credit: Jose Luis Hourcade Last year, Sala crashed out of CLASH Miami, so will be hoping that her return this time round will not be brought to such an abrupt end. If her winter training has gone well, expect to see her at the front from the gun and pushing hard for the win throughout the closing stages.   Lastly, Lucy Byram will be flying the flag for the UK, as the 23-year-old Brit looks to build on a 2022 that featured Challenge Wales and IRONMAN 70.3 Jesolo wins, plus runner up spots at IRONMAN 70.3 Vichy and Challenge Riccione, with a strong performance Stateside.   Pro Men In the men's field, defending champion Sam Long will look to take down some big names from both the ITU scene and the long course world as he races for the first time under the guidance of new coach Dr Dan Plews.   Sam Long (Photo credit: CLASH Endurance Miami) Sam Long (Photo credit: CLASH Endurance Miami) More stardust was sprinkled on the event at the start of this week when Canada's Lionel Sanders announced he was a surprise addition to the field.   ‘No Limits' impressed pretty much everyone at the super-sprint distance of Arena Games Montreal recently, was second on his previous appearance here in 2021 behind Jan Frodeno) and will be locking horns with Long again after their epic battle at the Collins Cup last season.   Jason West (USA), runner-up here last year, will look to challenge Long as will Tom Bishop (GBR), who was an excellent fourth at CLASH Daytona late last year.   Joe Skipper had been scheduled to take part but the only British man to have outperformed him in Kona, David McNamee, will look to rediscover the form that saw him take back-to-back IMWC podiums in 2018 and 2019.   In addition to McNamee and Bishop is fellow Brit Kieran Lindars, who won the European Long Distance Championships at Challenge Almere and finished a respectable 11th at CLASH Daytona.   Finally, internationals Matthew Sharpe (CAN) and Samuel Appleton (AUS), who have both finished sixth at CLASH events in Florida in the past, could be the only athletes with the swim ability to match Luis, setting up a potential scenario where the Frenchman has some real bike power to work alongside out on the speedway.   Prize Money: What's on the line? Athletes will be racing for a total prize purse of $50,000, payable eight deep as follows:   1st – $7,500 2nd – $5,000 3rd – $3,750 4th – $3,000 5th – $2,000 6th – $1,500 7th – $1,250 8th – $1,000   https://www.youtube.com/@CLASHENDURANCE/streams https://www.youtube.com/@CLASHENDURANCE/streams   What's New in the 303:   What is Mips® and Why You Should Care? By: A.V. Schmit   303 Endurance | Interior of Mips bike helmet Interior of a bike helmet with Mips® Technology. Photo: Courtesy of Mips.   If you've been helmet shopping in the last few years, you have no doubt seen the little yellow circle that says, “Mips” on some of the helmets and boxes. What is Mips® and why should you care?   MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) was developed in Sweden, Stockholm to be exact, by a neurosurgeon and an engineer. The technology represents the intersection of academic research and industrial engineering.   The research, begun in 1995, was led by Hans von Holst of the Karolinska Institute, a practicing neurosurgeon, and Peter Halldin, an engineer with a background in aeronautics. Von Holst had witnessed the devastating aftermath of numerous Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) while performing brain surgeries on his patients. This inspired him to begin looking for ways to ameliorate these types of injuries.   By examining the design of commercially available helmets, he was soon convinced that the currently crop of helmets were not providing sufficient protection against brain injuries. Especially those involving rotational forces or secondary impacts after an initial impact.   He then contacted the KTH (Royal Institute of Technology) about initiating a research project focused on the prevention of head and neck injuries. That's when he was introduced to Halldin who was at the time a student at the institute.   Halldin then commenced a PhD program studying biomechanics in order to investigate the problem and work on engineering a solution. Together they identified the way the dura membrane was critical to the brain's ability to slide within the skull in order to prevent concussions.   They hypothesized, if a low-friction area could be created between the head and the helmet, rotational force, especially from an oblique (or angular) impact like that of a cyclist falling off a bicycle, could be reduced. They enlisted the help of Nigel Mills, who had access to the types of testing equipment they would need to prove their theory was correct.   During the same time period, Svein Kleiven also a PhD student at the institute, had begun work on developing an FE (Finite Element) model of the human brain. It has since been recognized as the highest fidelity computer / mathematical model of the human brain ever created. This model proved to be a key research / simulation tool for Mips®, as it made it possible to visualize and measure the effects of Mips® safety system in a variety of collisions.   Human cadavers and, in some cases, living subjects would have been used for this type of analysis, but because of ethical reasons, availability and variability in experimental results, the FE computer model is infinitely preferable.   Researchers and product testers can run an infinite number of simulated crash experiments without cracking any skulls. Now I know what you are thinking, “What about all those out-of-work crash test dummies?” Fret not, the FE model Kleiven developed is only for the brain, it will be some time before a complete FE model of the whole human body will be available. And Mips® and the bike helmet manufacturers still use synthetic human heads in testing.   The results of their research, a 50% reduction in rotational forces as a result of a crash. This led them to publish their results in 2001 and apply for a patent in 2002 which was granted in 2003. This led to the formation of Mipscorp, the company responsible for bringing Mips® technology to market through its brand partners.   Mips has become bicycle industry's defacto answer to mitigating rotational forces on the brain in the event of a crash. When a cyclist falls, their head often impacts a solid surface at an angle. This angular impact creates a rotation in the brain, which has been proven to have significant potential to cause concussions and TBI's.   Scott Sports was the first helmet manufacturer to integrate Mips® into their ARX helmet design, with other manufactures soon to follow. Now, Giro, Bell, Scott, POC and other bicycle industry leaders have integrated Mips® into their helmet designs.   As of 2016, more than 28 helmet manufacturers had integrated Mips® into their product lines, with a corresponding number of 1.7 million units featuring the revolutionary technology.   Well, there you have it… If a Mips® technology helmet can offer as much as a 50 percent reduction in rotational forces on your brain in a crash. Maybe we should all care what kind of helmet we wear.   Video of the Week: 2023 WTCS Abu Dhabi: Women's Highlights     Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Welcome to Episode #377 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance interviews and discussion.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - IM Broadcast Schedule, USN Academy, Invest in Your Swim What's new in the 303 - Chris McGee's New Role with Bicycle Colorado Overseeing Bike Racing Video of the Week - Super League Arena Games: Full Heat 2 Semifinals   Endurance News:   U.S. Naval Academy Becomes 13th NCAA Division I Program and First Military Academy to Offer Varsity Women's Triathlon March 1, 2023 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – USA Triathlon and the United States Naval Academy today announced the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, will become the 13th NCAA Division I program, and the first U.S. military academy, to offer women's triathlon at the varsity level. A member of the Patriot League, Navy will begin competing in fall 2023 and be coached by Billy Edwards.   “As an NCAA nationally emerging sport for women, triathlon defines exactly who we are at the Naval Academy and the type of opportunity we should offer to our midshipmen,” said Naval Academy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk. “The broad-based requirements through highly competitive swimming, running and cycling highlight the demanding physical characteristics that correlate with personal confidence and leadership development.”   “The addition of women's triathlon at the U.S. Naval Academy represents a major milestone in the women's collegiate triathlon movement,” said Victoria Brumfield, USA Triathlon CEO. “One of the storied U.S. military academies, the U.S. Naval Academy prepares our future leaders and for years has had a thriving club triathlon team. We are thrilled to now see increased competitive opportunities for Navy's student-athletes at the DI level. More opportunities will help drive collegiate triathlon competition to the highest level.”   Edwards currently leads the Naval Academy's club triathlon team, one of the strongest teams in the nation. The Naval Academy's club triathlon team won the overall team title at the 2018 USA Triathlon Collegiate Club National Championships.   Will CU or Army be next?   The commitment by the Naval Academy continues the momentum women's collegiate triathlon has gathered toward becoming an NCAA Championship sport. With more than 40 schools now offering women's collegiate triathlon, the NCAA Emerging Sport for Women has met the 10-year window to demonstrate sustainability and success at the NCAA varsity level. Now, women's triathlon has a few more steps to take on its way to being fully managed by the NCAA as a championship event, including committee, council, divisional and budget approvals.   Women's triathlon is a fall sport, and the varsity season includes two National Qualifiers followed by the Women's Collegiate Triathlon National Championships held in November. The draft-legal races are sprint-distance, featuring a 750-meter open-water swim, draft-legal 20-kilometer bike and 5-kilometer run.   In the draft-legal format, athletes work together in packs on the bike and make multiple loops on a closed course. The exciting, spectator-friendly draft-legal format is the same format contested in the triathlon competition at the Olympic Games and on the World Triathlon Championship Series circuit.   For more information about triathlon as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, visit usatriathlon.org/ncaa. Interested in helping to identify and recruit the next women's varsity collegiate triathlon program? Inquiries may be directed to Tim Yount, USA Triathlon Chief Sport Development Officer, at tim.yount@usatriathlon.org.   Women's Varsity Collegiate Triathlon Programs   NCAA Division I (13) Arizona State University (Tempe, Ariz.) Delaware State University (Dover, Del.) Duquesne (Pittsburgh, Pa.) East Tennessee State University (Johnson City, Tenn.) Hampton University (Hampton, Va.) Queens University of Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.) Texas Christian University (Fort Worth, Texas) University of Arizona (Tucson, Ariz.) University of Denver (Denver, Colo.) University of San Francisco (San Francisco. Calif.) University of South Dakota (Vermillion, S.D.)   U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis, Md.) Wagner College (Staten Island, N.Y.)   NCAA Division II (15) American International College (Springfield, Mass.) Belmont Abbey College (Belmont, N.C.) Black Hills State University (Spearfish, S.D.) Cal Poly Humboldt (Arcata, Calif.) Colorado Mesa University (Grand Junction, Colo.) Drury University (Springfield, Mo.) Emmanuel College (Franklin Springs, Ga.) King University (Bristol, Tenn.) Lake Superior State University (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) Lenoir-Rhyne University (Hickory, N.C.) Montana State University Billings (Billings, Mont.) Newberry College (Newberry, S.C.) St. Thomas Aquinas College (Sparkill, N.Y.) Wingate University (Wingate, N.C.)   NCAA Division III (14) Alvernia University (Reading, Pa.) Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Mich.) Central College (Pella, Iowa) Coe College (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) Concordia University Wisconsin (Mequon, Wis.) Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Va.) Greensboro College (Greensboro, N.C.) Guilford College (Greensboro, N.C.) Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.) North Central College (Naperville, Ill.) Northern Vermont University-Johnson (Johnson, Vt.) Transylvania University (Lexington, Ky.) Trine University (Angola, Ind.) Willamette University (Salem, Ore.)   For more information about triathlon as an NCAA Emerging Sport for Women, visit usatriathlon.org/ncaa. Interested in helping to identify and recruit the next women's varsity collegiate triathlon program? Inquiries may be directed to Tim Yount, USA Triathlon Chief Sport Development Officer, at tim.yount@usatriathlon.org.   About the U.S. Naval Academy    As the undergraduate college of our country's naval service, the Naval Academy prepares young men and women to become professional officers of competence, character, and compassion in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Naval Academy students are midshipmen on active duty in the U.S. Navy. They attend the academy for four years, graduating with Bachelor of Science degrees and commissions as ensigns in the Navy or second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. Naval Academy graduates serve at least five years in the Navy or Marine Corps.   About USA Triathlon   USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,000 races and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).     2023 IRONMAN Live Broadcast Schedule Tune in all Season Watch for free as your favorite pros battle it out this season with race coverage from around the world. IRONMAN races can be seen here or on the IRONMAN YouTube Channel. IRONMAN 70.3 races are exclusively on Outside Watch. Save the schedule below so you don't miss any of the action!   Invest in Your Swim TriDot Pool School ("TPS") is an 8-week program designed to make you swim faster, more efficiently, and more confidently.   The instructional method used at TPS works effectively for all levels of swimmers - from beginner to advanced. Past participants, on average, have seen these huge improvements in pace:     What's New in the 303:   Chris McGee's New Role with Bicycle Colorado Overseeing Bike Racing By Bill Plock March 2, 2023–Change is not always easy and often comes with challenges and opportunities. When Bicycle Colorado acquired Colorado Cycling (a.k.a BRAC) it was with clear knowledge they would be inheriting many challenges along with the complexities of organizing a race schedule and managing a membership that is probably a bit confused with all the changes. They also took on a long history of bike racing and the ups and downs of the local overseeing racing association and some challenging times over the years with USA Cycling and its multitude of leadership changes and focuses.   But there is equally as much optimism. With a rising tide mentality, they are hopeful that with a larger audience, a renewed focus, and a strengthening relationship with USA Cycling that more riders might be attracted to not only race but to participate in all cycling events.   They knew they needed to hire someone to oversee all of this and meld it into the bigger mission of Bicycle Colorado. And so they hired Chris McGee, a long-time race organizer and one-time Executive Director of BRAC to take on this important stewardship.   Chris McGee with Bicycle Colorado Vintage Chris McGee   When asked about his vision, he said, “ I look at the big picture and my role is events and finding ways to work together to help overcome common challenges. The kindred spirit of what we have as a cycling community is so important to foster. It makes the experience better for everyone riding bikes in Colorado.”    When asked about road bike racing in particular, Chris said “There is definitely a decline in road racing and those events, but at the same time if you look at what's going on in Colorado and look at Bicycle Colorado's calendar and see all the events in Colorado, and knowing how big some of those events are and how they attract cyclists from all over the country, I'm really excited! If you look at events like the Triple Bypass, Ride the Rockies, Ironhorse Classic, the High School Cycling League, Collegiate Nationals, and big mountain bike events, there is a lot of reason for optimism for overall cycling—we are pretty lucky here! But the number one thing to know, BRAC as an entity for building the race calendar, assigning officials, and helping race directors is still intact and we dropped it into Bicycle Colorado. Yvonne van Gent, who has been a pillar at BRAC for many many years is still doing what she has always done.”   But changes in racing are happening. In a nutshell, one of the biggest changes already is the paired membership model with USA Cycling. Says Chris, “one thing I am really proud of is our deepening partnership with USA Cycling. Racers need to only buy a USAC license to race in Colorado this year. No longer do they need a BRAC license. When they sign up for a USAC license they will automatically be registered as Bicycle Colorado race members. Registration will be much quicker and easier for racers and for event managers. Soon we will have a new website dedicated to racing with many of the features of the old BRAC site but also with many upgrades and of course all the history.”   Lance Panigutti, the owner of Without Limits who put on road races, cyclocross races, and triathlons, said this about the changes so far, “It mirrors other endurance sports like triathlon that have seen a grassroots resurgence these past several years.  What I'm hopeful for and would like to see is for Bicycle Colorado to focus on marketing the cycling race community as welcoming and inviting, not as an intimidating elite sport.  Race scenes like cyclocross are the perfect environment for races to fall in love with competitive racing, and then moving to the road scene is a natural migration.   But let's take a look at why Bicycle Colorado took this on and how in the long run it hopes to help not only races but all cycling events.   Bike racing, at its heart, is a grassroots sport. Bicycle Colorado took on organizing the sport as part of its mission to improve the cycling experience for all. Including racers.  Take a look at the bike calendar. It's packed. It's an elusive creature to have one, up-to-date calendar presenting all the possible events and races available to cyclists.   Said Chris McGee, “it starts with a comprehensive event calendar so people can find events, and plan for events but also so we can help manage the impact these events will have on the community. Our goal with acquiring BRAC (Colorado Cycling) is to bring bike racing more into the mainstream of cycling and help improve the experience not only for racers but also for clubs and for the communities hosting these races. We also want to help attract more people to race and to be a stronger partner with USA Cycling to encourage the growth nationally and provide a stronger conduit of youth racers to grow the sport.”   Bike racing is a very niche sport. Riding a bike however is one of the most popular activities in the world. Some studies show riding a bike is the most popular activity in the United States. But based on a few google searches, and depending on how you define “activity”, it may not be the top activity, but it's at least in the top five. Running, fishing, and hiking all seem to be higher in ranking.   So how many people actually are considered cyclists? Does it matter? Well, it certainly does to Bicycle Colorado which advocates for all cyclists, including bike racers and those that just want a safe route to ride for fun or commute.  Their website states, “Bicycle Colorado is a nonprofit advocacy organization championing the interests of all bicycle riders statewide. We envision a Colorado where riding a bicycle is always safe and convenient for everyone, where bicycling is the top choice for recreation and everyday trips, and where the benefits of bicycling are experienced and valued by all people in our state.”   Obviously, this would include racing. But for years, bike racing was a kind of satellite revolving around “biking” left mostly alone to advocate for itself and fend off trends and market forces that in the case of road cycling, have left that discipline battered and isolated, some might say unapproachable, complex and even elitist in nature.   For decades racing a bike, as an adult in Colorado has been sanctioned by different governing bodies and most recently was overseen by the Bicycle Racing Association of Colorado (BRAC) which changed its name in 2020 to Colorado Cycling but was essentially the same organization. But thanks to an aging, expensive website, COVID, and some would argue a wavering philosophy on their role in the sport, BRAC was at crossroads about its future or even if it had a future.   Something needed to change for the good of cyclists and the sport—it fit Bicycle Colorado's mission to step in.   Bike racing, in particular, road racing has been on the decline for years. There are too many reasons and speculations to take a deep dive here as to why, but one thing is for sure, bike racing is complex. It involves getting a license, closing roads, finding, coordinating, and paying referees. Most people who race are on a team. People are categorized and race against others of similar ability. There are points and team competitions and on and on. It's simply not the most approachable sport for someone not familiar with how to do it. Sure you can just show up and race (after getting the licenses) and not care about the rest, but to fully engage takes effort. But as participants age, or drop out of the sport, refilling the road peloton so to speak isn't keeping pace with those leaving.   Unlike triathlon, where for the most part, people are sort of racing themselves and do it for the challenge of finishing. Obviously, people race to win in triathlon as well, but in general it's a participation sport and all one needs is USAT license (can be a one day license) and show up and race. Triathlon comes with its own barriers of entry such as the cost and the intimidation of maybe doing a sport, like swimming, that is not comfortable but is very approachable for the most part.   Those in the bike racing governing bodies have been talking for years about how to make it more inviting, to attract new people, and to make it more accepted in the community. To make it more sustainable and with a brighter future. To grow the sport. To make it simpler and broaden the appeal to the biggest audience possible.    Let's hope and help Bicycle Colorado navigate the future and achieve those goals.   Video of the Week: Super League Arena Games: Full Heat 2 Semifinals     Closing: Thanks again for listening in this week.  Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment.  We'd really appreciate it! Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!

Welcome to Episode #376 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We're your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance interviews and discussion.   Show Sponsor: UCAN Generation UCAN has a full line of nutrition products powered by LIVESTEADY to fuel your sport.   LIVSTEADY was purposefully designed to work with your body, delivering long-lasting energy you can feel. LIVSTEADY's unique time-release profile allows your body to access energy consistently throughout the day, unlocking your natural ability to stay focused and calm while providing the fuel you need to meet your daily challenges.   Use UCAN in your training and racing to fuel the healthy way, finish stronger and recover more quickly!  Use the code 303UCAN for 20% off at ucan.co/discount/303UCAN/ or ucan.co   In Today's Show Endurance News - PTO's Recent Changes: Who Do They Benefit? What's new in the 303 - Bicycle Colorado Declares 2023 as Year of the eBike Video of the Week - Descent Disciples ||Vol 13|| Tom Pidcock vs. The Fish   Endurance News: PTO's Recent Changes: Who Do They Benefit?  AMANDA WENDORFFWed Feb 22 2023   On Monday, the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) issued a press release announcing a new event - the European Open, to take place in Ibiza at the same time as the ITU Long Course World Championships on May 6, 2023. Further down in that announcement, however, were some quieter announcements that immediately ruffled the feathers of many professional triathletes.   Specifically, the PTO announced that in 2023, the starting fields at the PTO Tour events (the European Open, the U.S. Open and the Asian Open) will be tightened up, with only 30 athletes per gender on the start line for the European and U.S. Opens, and 20 athletes per gender at the Asian Open, down from 40 starters for the Opens in 2022, for the purported reason of needing to “establish[] a more regular consistency of ‘world championship level' events.” At those same events, the overall prize purses are being lowered from $1 million to $600,000. The winning prize of $100K remains, and every finisher will be paid.   Most notably, though, the PTO's $2 million end-of-year bonus pool remains, but the bonuses previously paid to athletes ranked 51-100 are being eliminated and redistributed to increase the payments to those ranked 13-40. In the press release itself, the PTO acknowledged that “some members will be unhappy,” but was quick to point out that the changes were un