Pan American Games

It's been a while since I've written anything worth reading. The problem I have with my fellow triathlete's blog post is that they typically tend to get repetitive and seem uninteresting after a few reads. Who's really that interested in reading race reports if there isn't some sort of valuable take away in the end? "The swim was good, I struggled a bit on the bike, had a great run. I'm happy I won." Puke.

This season has had it's ups and downs. I won a few smaller races and had a tough time finding my way in the big and important ones. Recently, I competed in the Pan American Games in Mexico. Triathlon was fortunate enough to have the race in Puerto Vallarta along the oceanfront rather than the host city, Guadalajara about 350km inland. The original Men's team was Mark Fretta, Hunter Kemper, and myself. Unfortunately, Hunter crashed in a race in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina two weeks before and was forced to withdraw because of a broken elbow. Our replacement was Manny Huerta.

Aside from competing at US Olympic selection events, the ITU World Championship Series, and WCS Grand Finals, the Pan American Games was the first Major Games any of us had ever competed in. The only other Major Games the US competes in is the Olympics. The commonwealth countries compete in the Commonwealth Games. Just being part of the team was an honor.

Mark Fretta and I were placed on the team for one sole purpose: to protect our team leader on the bike and drain our competition's legs. USA Triathlon told me I can only go for the win if our team leader or Mark Fretta are both incapable of doing so. Who ever wins the Pan American Games solidifies their country a spot a the Olympics. The other two ways are to place in the top 3 at a selected event (in this case it was the 2011 WCS - London) or by accumulating "Olympic Points" at WCS, World Cups, and Continental Championships. The period lasts from June 1, 2010 to May 31, 2012.

For a detailed account of what the US Men are up against obtaining our third spot, check out Ben Collin's blog

Jarrod Shoemaker and I were ranked top 20 in the world on the points list and are on course for solidifying the US spots that way. Our 3rd place guy was ranked too low to be in contention to solidify the 3rd spot, so winning Pan American Games was our next best option.

Into the Race
I've never been appointed as domestique to protect and keep a team leader out of harms way, with my own result as second priority. In the past a domestique in Triathlon will help a team leader, but still has their own interests in mind in the end. Mark Fretta and I were competing only to put Manny in the best position to win. Mark and I weren't even interested in our own performances. I gave up one of the best swims I've had all season to drop back and wait for Mark and Manny. There was a gap of about 15 seconds at one point during the first lap of the bike. Two Brazilians, Brent McMahon, and some other strong cyclists were trying to pull away. I could have easily been a part of that and raced for a podium position on my own, but chose to soft pedal the first 1km so I can bring my boys up to the leaders.

For the rest of the bike, Mark and I would let gaps open up and force some of the stronger runners around us to close the gaps. Slowly, but surely we zapped as much energy as we could out of everyone. All but the eventual winner, Reinaldo Colucci. He was one of the only guys in the race who trained specifically for this race since June. Manny was admitted to the race less than two weeks before. Mark led Manny into T2, just in front of the group so he would have the best advantage on the run. At that point we've done our jobs and it was all up to Manny to seal the deal.

Below is Melissa Merson's account of the US Men and Women's perspective of the race:

"I want everyone to know what an incredible job the USA men and women did in PVR on Sunday. There is absolutely no question but that it was a transformational event in terms of the evolution of our international competitiveness and in my mind a true prognostication of what our athletes are capable of on the field of play.

"The women's team lead by Sarah Haskins brought home the gold medal. We just HAVE to look at this as a team event although Sarah stood atop the podium. Sarah McClarty and Gwen Jorgensen both turned in fantastic performances as well with Gwen finishing fourth after the second fastest run split. In my mind, the story that doesn't get enough attention is the role played by an athlete like Sarah M. in leading the swim and the bike so as to assist the others and heightening their chances of success. I can only wonder what would have happened in Athens or even in Sydney has we employed such great team tactics. She is no doubt the workhorse of the team and a personable, intelligent woman as well. It would be great to see Sarah McClarty on our board at some point -- or any of these ladies of course.

"The men's race was a site to behold. The execution of the planned strategy was as close to flawless as possible. With Hunter sidelined, the team was rearranged with the goal of trying to secure a third spot for our men in London next summer. To do that, we needed to have not Matt Chrabot or Mark Fretta atop the podium. We needed to have Manny Huerta win the gold. Manny is an incredibly talented rising star who is training at sea level in Costa Rica while living at altitude. Matt and Mark both completely sacrificed their own possible podium positions to give Manny the best possible chance of success. They pulled him through the swim and all three headed out on the bike course in a small lead group at the head of second and third packs that later merged. Matt and Mark both strategically thinned out the field with sprints and a variety of superb tactics on the bike with the goal of leaving Manny with as few serious competitors for the podium as possible. From our vantage point above the transition area, it was spectacular to watch the small remaining group charge into transition. It appeared as if Manny was sling-shot out onto the run within a breath of the Brazilian Colucci. Matt and Mark gushed telling the story afterwards - they were so proud not of themselves but of the brilliant teamwork that gave Manny the best possible shot at the gold.

"The run was a white-knuckle drama. Each time they came through the transition we were screaming our lungs out for Manny, knowing what was at stake. He poured his heart and soul into running shoulder to shoulder on the last lap with the Brazilian. At 200 meters from the finish, Colucci kicked in another gear. The Brazilians also were fighting for slots in London, for them a second athlete position. He pulled away for the final straight with Manny holding on for a fantastic silver medal performance.

"Each and every one of our triathletes put in fantastic TEAM performances. As one of the few individuals privileged to have attended every Olympic triathlon to date, I can tell you that this was the very first time the United States came as one entire TEAM dedicated to the proposition that the team comes first before the desires of the individual. This is such a critical concept as we head into the final Olympic year because our prospects of winning any medals in London hinge on our ability to field a team of TEAM rather than a team of individuals.

Quotes from Manny and Myself following the race USA Triathlon's site

I think one of the driving factors that contributed to great success was from USAT. The only way any of the athletes would win any sort of money was if we employed team tactics. The bonus structure was set up so that it was split up evenly 3 ways. As long as one of us made the podium, all of us were paid equally. Money, funding status, and self interest has been the driving force of the elites competing at major races since the beginning. All USA Triathlon did was make an adjustment to how we get paid when someone performs well.

Team tactics can work. If Hunter Kemper was racing and ran a 31:00 10km that day, it might not have been as obvious. Lucky for us, Manny was in stellar form when he stepped in to fill Hunter's role as leader. If everyone raced for themselves, I'm not sure Manny or I would have even come close to making the podium. By giving Manny the support he needed during the race, we took a guy who's at best had some "good performances" to the "race of his life and a silver medal.

Congrats Manny, We're all proud of you.

Running in Icy Conditions

Running in icy conditions from Matt Chrabot on Vimeo.

Running on snow and ice can be slippery. I've been using
Ice Trekkers the past year and they have worked very well. They aren't as light as Yaktrax, but are much more durable when running between snowy surfaces on pavement.

Sure I can get some snow shoes, but it rarely ever snows enough to make it worth while in Virginia Beach, VA or in Colorado Springs. I've slipped and fell a few times over the years and since I've been wearing the ICEtrekkers, I haven't really had any problems.

Happy running.

Q&A With American Olympic Hopeful Matt Chrabot

Inside Triathlon’s Courtney Baird caught up with American Olympic hopeful Matt Chrabot as he prepares for the ITU World Championship Series Grand Final in Budapest. Chrabot finished fourth at the most recent World Championship Series event, in Kitzbühel, Austria. It was the best ITU finish by an American this year.

Written by: Courtney Baird

Triathlete.com: You’ve had a breakthrough season this year with a 9th place finish in Sydney and a fourth place finish in Kitzbühel. To what do you attribute to this recent breakthrough?

Chrabot has broken through in the ITU World Championship series in 2010. Photo: Janos Schmidt/Triathlon.org

Chrabot: I guess you could say I got my act together. I stopped screwing around in between workouts and hard days. I also took myself less seriously. Sounds a bit more complicated than it really is.

Triathlete.com: I read that you’re living outside Paris while you prepare for Budapest. Is that true? If so, what’s the training like in France?

Chrabot: Yes, I’m living in Poissy. The training is good…except when you show up for a track workout and come to find that the gates are locked (which happened 10 minutes ago). Can’t stress over it though. There are some great running trails less than a mile away, so I’ll just do it in the woods and measure the distances with my GPS watch.


Chrabot has broken through in the ITU World Championship series in 2010. Photo: Janos Schmidt/Triathlon.org


Triathlete.com: The Olympics are only two years away. How is your preparation going to change as we get closer and closer to the Games? And what would it mean to you if you qualified?

Chrabot: Well, basically, the course is currently set up to be a pure runner’s race. It’s pretty much a symbol of what the ITU racing has become in the past several years: a flat, boring bike then a runner’s race. Running is my main focus and has been for the past few years, whether my results have shown it or not.

Qualifying for the Olympics is huge! Racing in the Olympics is the very pinnacle of the sport—any sport for that matter. But simply padding my résumé is not why I want to compete. I’m all about racing at the highest level.

Triathlete.com: What’s your day-to-day life like as you live and train as an Olympic hopeful in Colorado Springs?
Chrabot was edged out by defending champion Matt Reed at the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon. Photo: Paul Phillips

Chrabot was edged out by defending champion Matt Reed at the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon. Photo: Paul Phillips

Chrabot: It’s fairly uneventful. Days and weeks blend together as one giant blur. It’s broken up by races and trips around the world. Living at the training center definitely has its advantages, though. Mixing it up with other athletes from different sports from around the world is a great way to share ideas on life and training as an elite athlete.

Triathlete.com: You’ve mentioned on your blog that ITU’s courses are too “easy.” Why is this? And what’s the perfect course for you and why?

Chrabot: From what I hear, these races are expensive and complicated to put together. The ITU and its organizers get so caught up in this that they tend to take the easy way out and just come up with a simple and convenient course in the end. The feedback on my blog I received from some of the athletes and ITU was very positive. They’re looking to include more difficult courses sometime in the future…it makes racing more exciting!

The perfect course for me would include an ocean swim with giant surf, hilly bike with steeper climbs that are over a mile long, some technical descents, and a rolling hill run course. I have no idea where to find a place like that. Maybe the Rio 2016 course?!

Triathlete.com: The pronunciation of your last name is a little confusing for some. How exactly do you pronounce it?

Chrabot: It’s “Matt Shär-bòt.”


Chrabot was edged out by defending champion Matt Reed at the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon. Photo: Paul Phillips

You Get What You Pay For (that’s a freakin’ metaphor. I know these things are expensive)

Yesterday in the race briefing the ITU reamed us out for acting like goofballs on the bike in London and not creating enough buzz with the media.

First of all, I think the ITU has come a long way, and is doing an excellent job. I’m glad to see the athletes are really starting to engage themselves with the age group athletes, etc. Now that I got that out of the way, here’s what I’m really going to write about.

You want real trash talk, just put a microphone in the middle of the bike pack…you’ll have to bleep out half the words for TV though…

The ITU and media want exciting races. Big City, Big Crowds. BC. All the WCS races seem like they’re modeling after the final day of the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées. The first half of the race is all smiles and waves, the last 20Km is all out racing. There’s the beautiful scenery of Paris, but it’s designed for the sprinters. Only a handful of guys have a legit shot at the win. Breakaways rarely succeed that day.

With the courses we’re racing on, it reminds of exactly that. Accept we get yelled at for waving at the camera and crowds. Big City, Big Crowds? It ends up being Boring, Crappy racing. You don’t need incredible background scenery to come up with an epic race. It’s the same thing every time. The same guys in the top 10. If the viewers want to watch something with beautiful background scenery, don’t you think they’d watch the Discovery Channel instead?

Sure, let’s have the races like Hamburg and London, but how about a killer race course like the Escape from Alcatraz? Only the strongest, most well round triathletes will shine. Maybe the same guys who place in the Top 10 will still all be in the top 10. We can only speculate for now.

As of right now the athletes representing the rest of us are also some of the most successful guys in the sport. Not only that, but you guys work your ass off, and I fully commend you on that. Thanks for all your hard work and what you do. They’re badasses, but the guys are sort of like the sprinters racing on the Champs-Élysées. Now, if we race on one or two impossibly hard courses a year, you might have to take a pay cut if you can’t hang and not get your usual top 10 finish, or just skip that one in the series. And no, I don’t feel like running for a committee anytime soon.

Tomorrow we’re racing in the beautiful town of Kitzbuehel…in a valley surrounded by alps and epic climbs. There won’t be any of that in our race though. You’ll see it in the background, but we won’t be there. I’m not suggesting we race on more dangerous courses, but if the racing is going to be more exciting, we’re going to have to race challenging courses.

Ok, tomorrow will be tough, especially if it rains like last year. Cold, wet, windy, rainy….miserable. (Man, that was hard! I didn’t even make the main pack! )What the television viewers really want to see are ocean swims with giant surf, long steep climbs, technical bike courses (quit it with the 180 degree turns already), and hilly runs. Challenging courses that will rip the race to shreds because they’re hard, not because it’s dangerous and guys are crashing.

Oh, not all the athletes will like a hard race? Then stay home you sissy.

Now, back to preparing for tomorrow's race...

Racing Hurts, Quit Being a Pansy

The 2010 season has been another breakthrough year for me. Kicking things off with a half marathon in February running a 1:10 on a hilly course with heavy volume and limited tempo work to consistently performing in just about all of my races.

3 Podiums thus far:

1^st Miami International, 2^nd Monterrey World Cup, 2^nd Lifetime Fitness Triathlon.

Recently, I guess I should say I “took part” in the World Championship Series London. The race took place in Hyde Park and was a test run of the Olympic course. Just about all the athletes showed up 100% ready. I too thought I was one of those guys.

Now before I go on, I’m not one of those triathletes who writes Sappy-All-About-Me-Pathetic Post Race Blogs. Who actually read those? Boring! I’d rather have an extra bold 24 ounce coffee, eat a high fiber multigrain muffin, and watch an episode of Dr. Phil while stuck in traffic on a hot summer day with no A/C. Now if your bad race was epic in any way, do tell… I find it difficult to talk about myself on a regular basis, so as you can see my blog posts tend to be a bit limited.

Welp, I had a bad race. Yup. Late afternoon race starts have been my Achilles Heel. Looking at the performance of my “participation” (I dare not call it a “race”) now in hindsight, I think was a good thing. I had a great swim then a fairly solid bike. Things were going according to plan. After that it turned sour.

Could taking 51^st, having to hop the fence in the middle of the run to take a dump in a port-a-john then get back in only to have the same urge 1km again before the finish actually be a good thing? Perhaps. I had the same problem at the World Championships last year in Gold Coast. Just when I thought I solved the problem stemming mostly from a miscalculation of nutrition, I’m irritated and back to the drawing board 10 months later.

Consistency is the name of the game when you are a professional in any occupation. One hit wonders come and go. Doing it well is a priority if you want to make some money or go places. I’ve come into this sport from the bottom of the totem pole. I’ve made lots of mistakes… and repeated some of them. The key is you have to learn from your mistakes and make improvements, not make the same thing again, and carry on.

Performing fairly well for the past year has been great. But lately I’ve gotten lackadaisical; I’ve gone back to some bad habits. Staying up late and having a few drinks the night before key workouts, drinking too much coffee on occasion, and goofing off a little more than I should. Nothing excessive, but I know what my threshold is now. When you’re still kicking ass, making money you wonder where that tipping point is. The fine line between kicking back, and kicking too far back.

Losing to Matty Reed by less than 10 seconds at Lifetime Fitness Triathlon, taking 3^rd in a four way sprint for 3^rd place at a French Grand Prix the following weekend, and a pathetic showing on the Olympic course the third and final weekend; it’s time to trim the fat. Sunday’s piss poor performance in Hyde Park kicked me repeatedly in the nuts then said “wake up and stop screwing around!”

Ok, this sounds a bit better: Taking to 2^nd to one of the greatest non-drafting experts of our time while beating the current 2x Ironman World Champion by a minute, then the following weekend sprinting against two Olympians with multiple World Cup Victories (Kris Gemmell & Fred Belaubre) and the 2008 World Junior Champion (Vincent Luis) along with two of the best guys on the planet taking 1-2 (the Brownlee brothers) isn’t a bad two weeks. But! Capping a 3 weekend race series off with a 51^st place finish in London is bad and a good wake up call. That and a 26^th place finish at the Des Moines World Cup is both disappointing and unacceptable.

No, it’s not time to race less, but better preparation and more careful planning will do the trick.

The best triathletes in the world race towards Olympic glory in the ITU draft legal format. Period. Either I have to show up ready at 100% and throw down against the best, or pack up and “go longer”… oh don’t worry those are on my hit list, but further down the road… business first, fun later.

M

___________

Upcoming plans:

To get a month of high quality sea level training in at a training camp with Jarrod Shoemaker and Greg Rouault in Poissy, France after Kitzbuhel WCS beginning mid August to prepare for World Championships in Budapest in September.

For now, back to Colorado Springs.

Silver at the Monterrey World Cup in Mexico

I flew into Monterrey with just a few days of recovery under my belt from the WCS race in Sydney. I was feeling fresh, ranked #1 in the race, and optimistic about a great performance in the Fundidora Parque. The race venue was a former steel foundry from 1900 to 1986. The park contains several industrial buildings from the old Foundry making the park a famous Archeological Industrial Site in Mexico full of beauty and ambiance. It also contains extensive walking tracks, an artificial lake, playgrounds for children and a 2.1 miles (3.4 km) permanent Formula 1 road course which is popular with joggers, bicyclists and inline skaters. An ideal place for a triathlon in a city setting.

Only problem was that the canal we were swimming in was terribly narrow and compact. It kind of meandered its way from city hall in down town to the Park where the race took place.

The start pontoon was set up at the widest part of the canal. After only 150-200m or so, it bottle necked then curved to the left. If you couldn't get out fast enough in the opening 50m, it was easy to get spit out the back...which happened to me.

I made a poor decision by picking one of the worst spots on the start line. Should have stuck with my initial gut instict by starting on the far right.

The water was only about waist deep, so it made for a very shallow swim. I had such a great swim in Sydney, I thought I'd have something similar in Monterrey. Boy was I wrong.

Coming out of the water about 60 seconds down from the leading group of 10 or so, I was lucky to have in company some of the best cyclists in the race. We were able to close the gap down to about 30 seconds. Because of my American teammates and friends up the road, I was hoping the main field wouldn't catch them but at the same time the gift of too much time would almost render our run performances meaningless.

Out onto the run, I was able to run down everyone by the end of the 3rd of 4th lap. Catching the race leader, Joao Silva, was out of the question. The race for the last 2 podium spots was on. I put in a big surge to try and shake off Manny, Seth, and the German, Greg Buchholz.

I noticed I felt much better while I surged, so I just maintained that pace until I picked it up once more right before the finish. In the end I held off the German and former U23 World Champion and cruised in for a 2nd place finish.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my performance. After such a rough swim and getting kicked in the chest very hard, I'm happy to still take home the silver and have the fastest run of the day.

For now, I'll relax during these next few days and prepare for the next World Championship Series race in Seoul, Korea on May 8th. My dad, who lives in Tokyo, is flying up to watch the race. I'm really looking forward to having family at a race on the other side of the world from home!


M

9th Down Under!

(From USATriathlon.org)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - American athletes got off to a strong start in the first event of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series Sunday with a combined three top-10 and five top-15 finishes in Sydney, Australia.

USA Triathlon takes a look back at last weekend's action and looks ahead to this week's biggest races on the elite calendar in what will become a regular weekly feature on usatriathlon.org.

Chrabot, Kemper Post Top-10 Showings
National team standouts and Colorado Springs, Colo., residents Matt Chrabot and Hunter Kemper took ninth and 10th, respectively, on the men's side. Chrabot crossed the finish line in 1:51:56, and Kemper was close behind in 1:52:07. Click here for USA Triathlon's recap of the race.

"Preparation heading into this race was the best ever," said Chrabot, who won the Miami International Triathlon March 14. "I proved so by coming out of the water in the top 10 and opened up a significant gap late in the bike. Unfortunately, I couldn't bridge up to Hunter in time so we could work together on the bike and save our legs for the run. I was a bit fried coming off the bike, but still felt very good.

"After leading the run for almost 5k, I was confident I would hold off the chase pack, but my legs grew very tired, and I started to fade fast. Ninth is a great finish in a WCS race, but I wish it could have been closer to the podium after such a monster effort."

Project 2016 team member Chris Foster (Redondo Beach, Calif.), who had already logged three top-six finishes in ITU Pan American Cup events in 2010, impressed with a 14th-place finish in 1:52:40 - just 33 seconds out of the top 10. Kevin Collington (Orlando, Fla.) of Project 2012 was 35th in 1:54:50. Full men's results are available on the ITU website.

Matt Chrabot Featured on The Endurance Planet Hour

Endurance Planet March 24, 2010

People have been butchering Matt Chrabot’s last name for years. He’s been called everything from “Shar-bow” to “Crabpot.” But after his win at the Miami International Triathlon, Chrabot (pronounced shär-bòt) will be a recognizable name to professional triathletes everywhere.

Listen to Matt in this Endurance Planet podcast.

Austin Half Marathon; 1:10:22

Recently, I decided to make an effort to "step up" as "they" tend to call it, and run a half marathon. I flew down to Austin, Texas to test out my running legs to RACE my first ever Half Marathon. I ran the Virginia Beach Rock and roll Half Marathon back in 2003 under my friend Tim Norton's name and ran somewhere in the 1:50 range...

I flew into Austin to do the half as just a gauge to see where my fitness is at for this time of the season. As an ITU triathlete where the races are won with the fastest run times, a half marathon is a great way to see what I'm able to hold at around a tempo run effort.

This wasn't used as a test for an Ironman 70.3 effort. It's been a week since I raced and am finally fully recovered. My legs hurt so bad afterward. I could barely walk at all. I don't know if I can hurt that long in a 70.3. Maybe in Clearwater...since it's practically draft legal and I wouldn't have to work that hard on the bike...

The Race
If you're ever thinking of running Austin, expecting to run fast you'll be in for a surprise. It's very hilly. There's some nice rollers in the first 10K, which is how I took it out in 32:15, but shortly after that there are these short, small, steep hills that totally zap you away from your rhythm.
At 10 Miles I came through in about 53:00. I wanted to throw the towel in at this point. My legs were beginning to cramp bad and all the Tex Mex started to catch up to me. I think my 12th mile split was around 6:00 or something. The last little bit is down hill right past the capital.

Kudos to David Fuentes for sticking it to me. We came through 10Km together then he put two minutes in me by the finish.

Pain is a good thing sometimes, it says you're still in the game and haven't given up.

Up next: Miami International Triathlon; March 15th.

Victory in Huatulco

What a way to end a season! The 2009 training and racing year has been a learning experience. Testing out different training and racing strategies, technique, and abilities. After what felt like a roller coaster of performances, I ended it on a high note. My goal for the last race of 2009 was to crack onto the World Cup podium for the first time.
It’s rare that a professional athlete in any sport can pull off victory in the last competition of the season on the big stage. No this wasn’t World Championships, but a World Cup win is solid.

The more I mature as an athlete, the more I find myself repeating races I’ve been to before. For most of my career, I’ve been racing on a race course in a new city or country I haven’t been to before. When I come back to that city the following year I know where to go for good restaurants, safe places to ride, if I should bring a trainer or not, and whether last year’s hotel was worth residing in again. Since I love racing in Mexico because of the food, culture, and hospitality I never really had a problem any of the five times I’ve come to visit.

If you’ve never been to Central America or South Mexico, it’s hot…all year round. Planning for the race is a given. No wetsuit and wearing lots of extra clothes while training. If you aren’t already on your limit, shedding a couple pounds is less weight you have to carry out on the course when your body feels like a dead carcass in those closing miles. Cutting my weight down a tad was part of the plan.

The bike course has an insanely steep hill. Hills are fun and all but when it’s 100F degrees with no shade, you tend to have a different approach.
I had this theory after 2008’s World Cup that a breakaway was possible. Hard, but possible. A solo attempt early on would be suicidal. I love racing the bike, so I began to get excited right from the water exit. I even took the first bike prime on lap 2. Pushing the pace a little to shake a few of the weaker riders was part of my plan. Attacking up the hill on lap 3 after I sprinted for a prime was not. Looking back a month later, I attacked. At the time, I just “tightened the screw” a bit more.



In cycling, a rider only has two bullets in his pistol, not six. One for an attack or to bridge to a breakaway, the other is for the sprint at the end to win.
I’m not even half way through the bike and I already use up a bullet. In triathlon, you can’t use the other on the bike because of the run. There’s only one bullet. One shot. If you have a bad swim, and have to bridge on the bike to the main field you’re already down to one. Going all out until you’re about to puke then settling back to a sustainable race pace is tough because of the run. Unlike the bike, there’s no coasting on the run. When it’s extra hot, it’s easy to miss fire. You can have an empty chamber by the time to have a reality check and see you’ve got at least thirty minutes left of racing.

So I think I miss fired. That’s ok, because I was planning on making a move anyways. Just not early in the game on a hot, hot day. I used a bullet…On accident… So I had to go with it. I didn’t look back and just rode steady. By the time my next closet competitor, Ruedi Wild, made an attempt to bridge up I had too much of an advantage with little real estate left to sit up and wait for some help.

The run was just gravy. That’s my big focus, so it came the easiest. I’m a swimmer that thinks he’s a cyclist, but is absolutely obsessed with and really wants to feel and move like a runner. (Make sense? No? Me neither… That’s triathlon.)

Thanks for reading.

Age Group Tip: Coping With Jet Lag

from the new www.triathlon.org 3.0!

With many athletes, both Age Group and elite, having to travel across several (or in some cases, a lot of) time zones to the Gold Coast ITU Triathlon World Championships, they will feel fatigued and may be unable to sleep at an appropriate time. They may also suffer a loss of appetite and concentration, and some people experience constipation and general malaise.

These symptoms are the result of the body’s internal clock trying to ‘retune’ to a new schedule and individuals are affected by jet lag in different ways, for example the effects may be worse in the mornings. Jet lag is generally worse when travelling east, so if a return journey is heading back to Europe or Africa it should not be as severe as heading west to Australia.

Top Tip 1
Try and adjust your body clock before you travel. Go to bed an hour or two earlier than normal and get up earlier. This will have the effect of getting your body clock moving towards the different time zone.

Top Tip 2
Reset your watch as soon as you get on the plane and don’t keep converting it to the timezone of your home country.

Top Tip 3
After food has been served, normally in the first hour or two of the flight, try and sleep. Ideally you should get at least four or six hours, but even small naps are beneficial. Make yourself comfortable, recline your seat and use eye-shades.

Top Tip 4
Take additional food and water onto the plane with you and drink plenty of fluid throughout the flight to avoid dehydration. Avoid alcoholic drinks, tea, coffee or cola style drinks that contain caffeine; they will make it harder for you to sleep.

Top Tip 5
On arrival from a long haul flight, such as to Australia, you usually arrive early in the morning – try to avoid natural daylight for the first part of the day but also try to avoid sleeping. If you need a nap make sure this is not for longer than 30min. Staying awake until normal bedtime will mean you get a good first night’s sleep which will help your body adjust quicker.

2nd in Chicago Triathlon

I had an excellent time in Chicago. I stayed with Jillian Wagner and Mike Ronkoske. A great couple. In fact, so great that Mike went to St. Bedes Elementary school the same time I did! He is two years older than me, so we really don't remember each other. Two years apart feels like a generation with you're in elementary school. We had fun reminiscing about our old teachers.

They live almost to the top of a high rise right near the Pro athletes' transition. It only took me a couple minutes to roll down there race morning.

The night before the race I noticed I wasn't feeling too well. Turns out I had a slight temperature so I popped a couple Tylenol and hoped for the best. When I awoke on race month I wasn't feeling quite 100%. All I could do as take things slow, one step at a time praying that I felt better by the race start. I wasn't feeling bad enough to the point where I should be making phone calls about making the right decision to race. I figured if I kept it to myself and not hear myself say that I'm not feeling right, things will eventually start to come around.

As the morning went on, I began to feel much better. I made my way down to transition wearing a long sleeve shirt. Temperatures have been cool lately in Chicago. Cool for Chicago...in the summer...which meant the 60's. In 2007 when I raced, it was very warm and I ran out of water on the bike, costing me to finish outside the money.

After setting my brand new Blue Triad up, I pulled my wetsuit on and jogged my way over to the start area....about a half mile away. My Aunt Suzie and Bela came out so see the excitement, so I told them I wouldn't let them down especially after a solid performance the weekend before at Nationals.

During the swim, I found myself next to Matty Reed and behind Tim O'Donnell. These two guys are some of the best cyclists in the business and I knew that if I was going to have a great race I'd have to suck it up and some how stick with these guys coming off the bike. We've already lost Andy Potts' feet by the half way and he started to build a lead which I hoped to get back sometime early on during the bike.

Exiting the water I found myself in 3rd and held that position until I eventually caught Andy on the bike. I haven't been training much on my non-drafting cycling this season so without giving much thought to the 2nd half of the bike, I pushed the pace. Andy wasn't going to let me get too far, so we exchanged the lead for a few times before Matty Reed cruised by.

Last summer Andy and I rode the whole bike together at the Escape from Alcatraz before he popped me about 2 miles into the run on the first set of stairs. This was my second opportunity in a non-drafting race to try and beat him.

Shortly after Matty went by us, I was riding a few meters to Andy's right when he suddenly clipped an age grouper who had no idea the pro men were barreling down Lake Shore Drive doing almost 35MPG. Both of them hit the ground hard. A few seconds later Cameron Dye came up along side and we both muttered, "that was close." Word on the street Andy didn't have any broken bones or severe damage. Just very serious road rash.

I talked to his coach and my swim coach, Mike Doane today at swim practice and says he's going to attempt to spin on the bike. Hope you have a speedy recovery Andy!

After Andy was out for the count, Matty put about 40 seconds on me and Cameron Dye heading into T2. By this time, I totally forgot about the way I felt the night before and was on a mission to run Reed down. Some of the time checks people gave me were way off, 20 seconds, 1:40, 30, :60. I had no idea what to believe. Matt's such a tall guy that I would be able to see him easily on the strait aways. I barely saw him. At the 3mi turn around I didn't make up much of any time. The gap stood at 40 seconds. Afterwards, I slowly began to fade and ended up finished almost a minute back by the end. Tim O'Donnell had the fastest logged run of the day and was creeping up on me.

2nd place and 1:49 on that course is pretty respectable.

Thursday I'm off to Gold Coast, Australia for the World Championship Finale, or I get I should say the World Champs!

I had a great track session today and am looking forward to the race next weekend 3PM Brisbane, Australia time.

Check out www.triathlon.org for great live coverage of the race.

Cheers mate!

MC

Up next: Chicago Triathlon

I'll be heading to the windy in just a few hours for the Chicago Triathlon. This will be my second time racing in the Windy City. I competed back in 2007. Conditions were hot and racing with only one water bottle was a mistake. I ran out about half way through the bike and didn't feel comfortably hydrated until about 1 mile to go on the run. I just kept chugging water at all the aid stations until I felt better. Didn't even crack the top 10!

This year I'll be much more prepared and from what I'm seeing in the forecasts, the highs for Sunday will barely crack into the 70s. Conditions should be super fast.

As always the water temperatures can change in a matter of minutes so I'll have my wetsuit handy if temperatures suddenly drop to 20C. A stiff westerly breeze can blow out all the warm water and bring in cooler water from the deep, otherwise known as the up welling affect.

I'll be racing for the first time on the Triad from Blue with a Zipp 999 set up. For my 2nd water bottle, I've installed a carbon fiber hydro tail from Beaker Concepts. The hydro tail is low profile and very aero. Really looking forward to it. Been having some great rides lately, so I can't wait.

From Training Peaks

Congratulations Triathlon National Champions Matt Chrabot and Jasmine Oeinck

26 August 2009

Congratulations to TrainingPeaks members and 2009 USA Triathlon Elite National Champions Matt Chrabot and Jasmine Oeinck! Both triathletes used convincing runs to pull away from the other competitors at the end of the race last Saturday, demonstrating both excellent racing strategy and solid preparation for the event.

Exiting the water with Dustin McLarty, Tim O’Donnell and Brian Fleischmann, Matt Chrabot’s group maintained a slight lead during the first half of the bike over a four man chase group that included heavy favorite and defending champion Matt Reed. After the chase group caught the leaders, the pack rode together for the rest of the bike until Chrabot and Fleischmann broke away in the final lap.

On the run, Chrabot was soon out in front by himself, with Reed and O’Donnell in pursuit. The chase continued over the four-loop run, but the advantage remained steady for Chrabot as he ran to a race-best 29:49 10k run and a 34-second victory over O’Donnell, with Matt Reed third.

Describing the most challenging and rewarding moments of the race, Chrabot said, “The most challenging part of the race was the start of the swim. Getting caught in some of the scrum really takes a lot of effort to break free of. Since I was on the end, I had a clean start and swam most the whole way with no contact. The most rewarding was not having any issues bonking or cramping on the run. That’s where I knew all my preparation and hard work paid off.”

Confident in his preparation, Chrabot felt ready to deal with anything that happened during the race last weekend. “My strategy for the race was to accept that my training has been adequate and to deal with whatever circumstances arise. I was ready for either a hard or easy swim, a two man breakaway or large pack, and the hottest conditions… Those who worry in races usually don’t end up winning. I just go with my gut instinct.”

Chrabot’s training leading up to the race was specifically designed to mimic the focus and intensity that he will need to maintain leading up to the 2012 Olympic Trials. So far, this approach seems to be working well. “The great thing about 2009 is that there’s still plenty of time to test out different strategies and really get it dialed in for when it counts most in 2011 and 2012. The next thing I’m looking for is top performances on a consistent basis - that way I can earn enough points to help solidify a 3 man Olympic team. Half way through 2010 we will begin to start racing for Olympic Points. This is crucial for the US, especially since we have the depth to send 3 guys to the Olympics. Each year I’ll have to continue to step up my game just to keep up with the curve.”

As part of his training, Chrabot uses TrainingPeaks to stay in touch with his coach. “TrainingPeaks makes communication with my coach almost effortless. When we’re both very busy or traveling she can at least read my daily entries to see how training is going.”
In the women’s race, Jasmine Oeinck and a group of five other triathletes including Jenna Shoemaker, Margaret Shapiro, Jennifer Spieldenner, Jillian Petersen, and Mary Beth Ellis managed to catch swimming expert Hayley Peirsol on the final lap of the bike. When pre-race favorite Ellis pulled out with a hamstring injury, Oeinck took charge in the run to win with a race best 35:14 run to seal the win in a time of 2:02:49. Shoemaker ran to second in 2:03:17, with Peirsol grabbing third in 2:04:29.

“Everyone did a really good job out there. It was a tough race,” said TrainingPeaks member Oeinck in a quote featured by USAT. “Hayley was so far ahead. She was phenomenal. I just tried to encourage everyone [in our group] that we could get her, if we kept working and plugged away. It’s a really nice feeling to hold the finish line tape. It’s pretty cool.”

Congratulations again, Jasmine and Matt, and happy training!

National Champion

Just had the race of a lifetime yesterday in Tuscaloosa. Finally pulled off the performance I've been looking for all season long. The first half of the season was mainly an experiment to see how I responded to lighter training loads. No injuries, but not enough haulin' of ass.

The setback was just a setup for a comeback!


Heading into Nationals, I took the last 5 week to really prepare and pull myself together after the mediocrity I've had all year. Mentally, I wanted to put as much pressure as I could on myself to perform. Racing is all about picking a few big ones out of the year and really hitting a home run. Winning Consistantly throughout the year is for the Gods of sport. Most of the rest of the top athletes in the world pick and chose their battles and aim for consistancy leading up to the big moments. I admire guys like Peter Robertson (Australia) for stepping up and nailing gold medal performances at the 2001, 2003, and 2005 World Champs. He wasn't the best during the season, but when it mattered most he can put it all on the line and pull through. Not only that but he's short like me.


When it came time for race week, I mentally and physically prepared the best I could that way if there were any surprises I'd be able to deal with anything that came up without over reacting and losing sight of my goals.



Media:


- http://usatriathlon.org/news/article/15311


- http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20090823/NEWS/908229886/1007?Title=Spectators-athletes-praise-competition-say-river-s-current-was-only-problem


- http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/Oeinck_Chrabot_win_USAT_Elite_Nationals__976.html

Off to the Chicago Triathlon!

-MC

Ready for Nationals

I was sitting in the Steam Room today, trying to prep for Nationals when I realized it's been a while since I've raced. Last one was in Kitzbuhel, Austria on July 11th. July 11th turned out to be a cold, rainy, miserable race for me (and Team USA) that day.
Nationals are being held in Tuscaloosa, AL. Completely opposite climate than Austria...Hot, Humid, and lots of sun...just the way I like it. This is were Olympic Trials were held last year. Unfortunately at the time I haven't accumulated enough points to participate and went on that day to win down in Mexico instead.

Fun filled week ahead. I'll be visiting schools Friday morning, promoting Triathlon and the race. Around lunch time I'll be hanging out with my sponsors Blue Bicycles and Zone Labs at the race expo.

This weekend will also be Age Group Nationals. Good luck to all the Age Groupers!

My Mom, Nancy Chrabot will be flying down from Virginia Beach, VA to catch all of the action. This will be her first trip to Elite Nationals.

MC

Travel Tip – Flying With Your Bike

Getting out of paying airline bike fees is something I've been trying to tackle since day one in the sport. United's bike fees are $175 Domestic each way and $200 international...$250 if you're flying to Asia! The hard case with bike stickers are a dead give away.
One thing about the softcase is your bike has a higher chances of getting damaged. Most airlines won't replace the bike if it is damaged, so getting out of paying that hefty fee is worth it in the long run.

Here are some tips and tricks I've picked up along the way to deal with this delema:

One thing I would add is making sure you have some sort of brace in the rear drop outs (where you insert the rear wheel). This helps prevent the rear forks from bending inwards.

Also, with this specific softcase (pictured below), I've inserted fluted polypropylene panels on the outside of the wheels to protect from any direct impact. I've had spokes broken before is this is one way to combat that issue. The panels are very light weight so it doesn't add much weight to the case. You can just pick it up at a specialty plastic store. It's the kind of store that would also make signs to stick in your front yard.

The biggest help to getting out of paying for bike fees is continually flying on one alliance. United is part of Star Alliance so I get frequent flyer miles to all my big races (Lufthansa, South African Airways, Air New Zealand, and many more). Once you reach Gold Status, your chances of getting out of a bike fee are much higher since the baggage rules are slightly different from regular passengers and are more lenient to the amount of checked bags and weight. The agent at the ticket counter might have that slim chance of interpreting that Gold Status members or higher don't have to pay bike fees.

I'm about to go to the airport right now with my bike in a softcase. Racing in Kitzbuhel, Austria on Saturday. Check out www.triathlon.org for live coverage of the event.

Cheers
MC

Originally posted on USATriathlon.org:

By Blue Competition Cycles

Flying to a race with a bike has never been an easy prospect, but recently things seemed to have become tougher and more expensive than ever. Airlines have declared war on anyone traveling with their bike by charging excess weight and baggage fees that can sometimes exceed the price of your ticket.

Experienced racers have learned that flying with your bike packed in a soft-sided bag is your best shot at avoiding some of these outrageous fees. Soft cases are smaller and much lighter than the traditional hard shell case, giving you a better shot at getting checked-in without having to fork over large sums of cash.

Regardless of which case you decide to use going to your next event, you should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on packing your bike to help insure it arrives unscathed. Additionally, here are some tips from the pros on how to get your bike to the races as safely and cheaply as possible:

“I like to go to Home Depot and buy two of the 6 foot long foam insulation tubes used for 1-inch hot water pipes, cut them to match the length of each tube, fork blade, seat stay, and chain stay, and zip tie them into place for extra protection without adding weight.”
— Tina Pic (Five-time National Criterium Champion)

“I shift the chain into the big ring so that the chain covers the teeth, protecting it from potential damage. I use zip ties to hold the chain into place on the big chain ring so it doesn’t slip off during shipping.”
— Brent McMahon (Canadian National Champion, New Orleans 70.3 Champion, Two-time XTERRA World Championships 3rd place)

“I like to keep my packed bag lightweight so that I do not have to pay overweight luggage fees at the airport. I accomplish this by not packing any extra gear into the bag with the bike. I always carry my shoes and helmet separately in a carry-on bag.”
— Andreas Raelert (Two-time Olympian, IM Arizona Champion, 2nd place 70.3 World Championships)

“If I am traveling with two bicycles, I can remove the wheels and pack both bicycles into one bag and carry all the wheels separately in my wheel bags. You can save a lot of money flying this way”
— Laura Van Gilder (US National Cyclocross team member and NRC Road Champion)

“I find it useful to carry a small bottle of degreaser, a wiping rag, a set of Allen keys, and a package of 50 zip ties with me when I travel with my bike.”
— Sarah Haskins (U.S. National Triathlon Champion, Member of 2008 US Olympic Triathlon Team)

“To avoid questions about what is inside the bag, I try to look as inconspicuous as possible. Fortunately, my case is discrete looking. If I walk into the airport with a ‘Bound for Paris Roubaix’ shirt, a helmet strapped to my bike bag, and shoes sticking out of my backpack, I’m a lot more likely to be charged an oversized luggage fee.”
— Heather Wurtele (IM Coeur d’Alene Champion, 3rd place IM Canada)

“I am a tall guy and ride one of the largest bikes. When packing my bike, I remove the front brake caliper from the fork, remove the fork, and put the fork into one of the inside pockets. This allows me to tilt the bike forward so that the seat mast does not stick up too high.”
— Trevor Wurtele (Top 15 IM Arizona, 6th IM Coeur d’Alene)

Blue Competition Cycles is a gold partner of USA Triathlon. Visit the Blue Competition Cycles website at rideblue.com.

s the Challenges,Elites Discuss Tactics and Misconceptions of Draft-Legal Racing

USA Triathlon June 15, 2009

Draft-legal racing in action

Elites Discuss the Challenges, Tactics and Misconceptions of Draft-legal Racing

As a competitive age group triathlete, your racing schedule is probably pretty packed this summer. But if you approach the new few months as a fan, you can experience some high-level competition by some of the top elite triathletes in the world… and in a format not seen much in the U.S.

Four draft-legal events will be held in the U.S. between now and late August, each perfectly located to draw in spectators from around the country. Check out the race nearest you. Here’s the breakdown:

June 21
ITU World Championship Series
Washington, D.C.

June 27-28
ITU Hy-Vee World Cup and Team World Championship
Des Moines, Iowa

July 11
ITU Pan American Cup at the San Francisco Triathlon
San Francisco, Calif.

August 22
ITU Pan American Cup/USA Triathlon Elite Nationals
Tuscaloosa, Ala.

The races in Des Moines, San Francisco and Tuscaloosa are part of the USA Triathlon Twenty-12 Elite Race Series.

Don’t know much about draft-legal racing? Well, it’s the style raced by elite triathletes on the world cup circuit, and it’s what you see every four years at the Olympic Games as the world’s best hammer it out over a 1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run course.

What you get is a spectator-friendly event with lots of action, multiple-loop courses, pack riding on the bike, and runs that often come down to sprint finishes.

Want to know more about the intricacies and skills needed to race this style? We caught up with four of the top U.S. elite triathletes to give us their take on what draws them to the sport.

Here is our panel: Sarah Haskins (St. Louis, Mo. / Colorado Springs, Colo.), 2008 Olympian and 2008 ITU Worlds silver medalist, Andy Potts (Princeton, N.J. / Colorado Springs, Colo.), 2004 Olympian and 2007 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, Matt Chrabot (Virginia Beach, Va.), 2008 ITU Pan American Triathlon Confederation Champion, and Ethan Brown (Lowell, Mass.), 2007 and 2008 USAT U23 National Champion.

What do you enjoy most about racing ITU-style events?
Matt Chrabot
The level of competition is unmatched in triathlon. ITU style is typically much more spectator friendly so my family and friends find it more entertaining.

Ethan Brown
I enjoy the fast-pace and unpredictability of ITU racing. Every race is unique and anything can happen on any given day. I also like ITU racing because you can race frequently. If you have a bad race one week, you don’t have to wait long to redeem yourself.

Sarah Haskins
I enjoy the speed and the head-to-head racing. I also like the fact that the races are more spectator-friendly, so the fans can watch most of the action.

How does a draft-legal race affect you differently physically than a non-drafting race?
Matt Chrabot
I average about the same amount of power on the bike. But in draft legal, I find it's much more explosive. Off the bike, running with a group of 20 guys is much tougher than by yourself.

Ethan Brown
In a draft-legal race, the swim and run tend to be more painful and competitive than a non-drafting race. In non-drafting racing, you go at or close to threshold the whole time, but in ITU racing you’re constantly spiking your heart rate and effort level, and while sometimes you don’t have to bike “as hard,” covering attacks and sprinting on the bike can drain your legs much quicker than a 40k TT effort.

Sarah Haskins
In the swim, bike and run there is much more surges and changes of pace (especially in the bike). Time trial racing is all about rhythm and staying in your zone. Often times in a draft legal race you have to redline to respond to an attack, and then settle back down below your race pace. Both types of racing are difficult, but in different ways.

What are the biggest mental challenges you are faced with when racing ITU style?
Ethan Brown
The biggest mental challenges you face in ITU racing are preparing for that swim start and first few kilometers on the bike. Those are the most critical points in the race when the lead pack is forming – if you want to be in it, then you have to prepare yourself to go max effort to get there at those two points.

Sarah Haskins
Making sure you have your transition nailed down. If you have a poor transition, it can cost you a race, so I try and mentally rehearse the transition area. Also, if you come out of the swim just 10 seconds back from the leaders, you mentally have to stay in the game and try catch up to the pack on the bike. Heading out on the run in T2, athletes are going very fast and you can't let people 100 yards ahead of you let you down mentally, but stay within yourself.

Andy Potts
You are constantly strategizing as the race moves along. You have to plan for every possible scenario to be successful.

How much is mental and technique and how much is physical when it comes to ITU style racing?
Matt Chrabot
90 mental/10 physical. You have to know how to play the game.

Ethan Brown
Trying to break down the mental, technique-based, and physical aspects of ITU racing into percentages is difficult, if not impossible. Each course presents its own challenge, different competitors can change the way the race plays out, and sometimes sheer luck is involved. All of these things can have a bearing on how much mental prep, pure technique, or fitness is needed to prevail on that day.

Sarah Haskins
Much of racing is mental, period. You are physically swimming, biking and running, but everything in between is a mental game, especially in draft-legal racing. Transitions are very skilled as well as bike handling (cornering, turns, downhills).

Andy Potts
There is a bigger mental component to ITU style racing than non-drafting. In non-drafting races you can put your head down and just push. In ITU style racing you have to have your head up and be aware of everything and everyone around you.

How key is it to get in that lead group coming out of the swim?
Matt Chrabot
It's huge. Looking at the last three of the last four major races, Ishigaki and Mooloolaba World Cups and Madrid WCS, if you weren't in the first bunch out of the water, there was no chance of winning.

Ethan Brown
Being in the lead swim pack is extremely critical for having a successful race. The odds are stacked way against you if you have a bad swim, but once again, anything can happen and you can’t rule out anybody until the race is over.

Sarah Haskins
Very key, otherwise you have to work very hard on the bike/run to catch up.

What do you say to people who say the bike leg is not as important in ITU style racing?
Ethan Brown
The critics who say the bike leg in ITU doesn’t matter don’t fully understand how much short-term power ITU athletes need to have to be successful. ITU races play out more like bike races instead of time trials, and having the power to cover attacks, bridge up, and break away is of the utmost importance. A male athlete who does not have a max power output of at least 400 watts for 5 minutes would find themselves occasionally getting dropped.

Sarah Haskins
Come try it out! It is very similar to a bike race (like the Tour...but much shorter). The change of pace can be just as taxing (if not more) on your legs than a TT ride.

Andy Potts
It is different and hard to put into words. Sometimes the bike can be easy and other races it can be very demanding. It depends on the course and the competition.

What is the difference in the bike leg between the two styles?
Matt Chrabot
ITU is much more explosive. You also have to have the ability to work cohesively with others. If you can't rotate through, and are uncomfortable riding in the pack, you waste a ton of energy.

Ethan Brown
I would say the indicator to success in ITU racing would be having the highest 5 minute power output, while non-drafting would require more of a focus on 1 hour max power output. Developing each of these skills requires two different types of training.

Sarah Haskins
Answered above, but to add in – you have to be very aware of what is going on in a ITU race (packs, attacks, surges, etc), otherwise you could get dropped from a group or crash out. In a non-draft race it is much more internal; you have to set the pace and keep the hurt going.

Andy Potts
The bike in non-drafting races will always be demanding. In ITU racing you don’t know what you are going to get until the race is on.

What are key tactics involved in the bike leg? How does a pack work together? What are the challenges of riding in a group?
Ethan Brown
The tactics involved in an ITU bike leg depend on how many guys are in the group, whether or not the pace is high, and whether or not you suspect someone will attack (or if you plan to attack). All of these scenarios would affect the effort level I would put into the bike. Working in a group can be rewarding but also extremely frustrating. Ideally you want a pace-line where each athlete is rotating through taking short pulls, however, sometimes an athlete will skip their pull or refuse to work, and this causes conflicts, shouting, and slows the group down.

Sarah Haskins
If you have a group of 8 or less, it is important to pace line and take turns with pulling to stay away from the group. Hills or corners are a great place to attack a group and to try and get away from a pack. Teammates can help athletes stay away from a pack by sitting at the front of the group and riding slower. You have to be aware of riders who are not comfortable on the bike and make sure to try to avoid crashing.

Andy Potts
Sometimes the pack works together and other times there is no cooperation at all. It can be frustrating and exhilarating at the same time.

How do you decide when to attack on the bike?
Matt Chrabot
When you know the entire field is hurting the most. When everyone is already red lining, it's time.

Ethan Brown
Attacking on the bike is a decision you have to fully commit to or you will easily be caught. I tend to attack frequently going into transition in order to avoid the chaos of T2, especially if there is a large group. Attacking early in the bike leg maximizes the chance that you will be in a breakaway and open up time on the rest of the field for the whole 40k. Also, there may be a certain point on the course that is especially difficult where you may decide it is worthwhile to attack, not to drop everybody, but to weed out the weaker cyclists.

Andy Potts
Need to read the pack and then take your chances. Reading the pack takes time and experience.

How key are transitions in ITU style?
Matt Chrabot
In a big pack, the difference between the first guy and last guy in could be 20 seconds.

Ethan Brown
Transitions in ITU racing can literally make or break your race. An extra few seconds can be the time it takes to miss that lead pack. Someone from every race has a story about how they “were right there!” but a slow transition ruined their day.

Andy Potts
They are important, but like the swim, no one has ever won a triathlon with just fast transitions.

Does your training differ depending on which style of race you have coming up that week?
Ethan Brown
My training doesn’t vary much the week of a race, regardless of whether it is draft-legal or not. The week of a race I’m focusing on doing shorter, more intense efforts to build speed and feel fast for that weekend.

Sarah Haskins
Not too much, but I will be training on a road bike verses a TT bike when I have a draft-legal race approaching.

Looking back at your first ITU style race, how did the event turn out for you?
Matt Chrabot
It was horrible. 2005 nationals. I nearly finished dead last. In ITU style, the best guys are very solid at all three disciplines. I thought I was a good swimmer, but got annihilated from the start. Plus racing late in the afternoon was something I was definitely not used to.

Ethan Brown
In my first ITU race (2006 U.S. Nationals in Long Beach, Calif.) I feared for my life during the swim. I’d never been in a field with so many good swimmers, and I was beat up pretty bad. When I finally made it to the bike, I had already missed the top 2 or 3 packs, and I ended up riding 30k of the bike with just one other guy, only to get caught by a giant pack with 10k to go. In retrospect, I simply should’ve waited for that pack and conserved my energy instead of working hard with just 1 other guy.

Sarah Haskins
Yes, many mistakes. I had a slow first transition and missed the first bike pack (I was not used to getting on the bike with my shoes already on the pedals). I also ran out of T2 with my helmet on! I was also not too great technically on the bike and had to catch up to wheels after all the corners.

Andy Potts
I made some mistakes but it was a great experience and very exciting.

How long did it take you before you felt comfortable racing ITU style?
Matt Chrabot
It took 3 years. I'm a slow learner!

Ethan Brown
I would say it took me 3 seasons of racing, up until 2008, to really find my groove in ITU racing and start having good results. To this day I’m still working on my swim as I don’t always make the front pack.

Sarah Haskins
A couple of years... and still working on it! I think one of my biggest weaknesses is technical skills on the bike, so focus on the weaknesses, but don't forget to train my strengths.

Andy Potts
I was comfortable right away – I was always in the thick of things and love the challenge of it.

What advice do you have for someone approaching their first ITU style race?
Matt Chrabot
It looks like we are beating ourselves up in the swim but we aren't! Try to keep your hands and arms in if you want to make it out of the swim in 1 piece. If you want to race on the biggest stage in all of sports in triathlon, ITU is the only path to the Olympics.

Ethan Brown
To someone about to do their first ITU race I would advise them to race aggressively and keep their head in the race no matter how it goes. People tend to get destroyed in their first ITU race – the thing to remember is that it’s the experience that counts. You learn something new every race and you have to go into them prepared to suffer, but also with a calm state of mind prepared to learn.

Sarah Haskins
Have fun, stay calm, mentally go over the course (especially the transitions). Practice riding with road cyclists on group rides and get comfortable riding close to people, practice pace lining and cornering.

Andy Potts
Be ready for anything and get really comfortable riding in groups.