FEATURES
Practice Does NOT Make Perfect...
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Sunday, 18 May 2014 00:10
By Sara McLarty (triathlon.competitor.com)
You know what they say: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But not always. And I’m here to tell you that you really can improve your freestyle by fewer miles. There are three tools that you can use toward this end: swimming slower, watching other swimmers and visualization.
Swimming Slower
Vince Lombardi said it best: “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” In swimming, the effort to go fast often results in imperfect practice. You’re so focused on getting to the other side of the pool as quickly as possible that you can’t think about the elements of good technique and your form gets sloppy. Before you go fast in the water, you must learn how to correctly swim slowly. Stroke...
Discipline Shouldn't Be Difficult...
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Saturday, 17 May 2014 00:10
By Craig Howie and Will Murray (usatriathlon.org)
“The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work.” — Richard Bach
If you look up the word discipline in Webster’s Dictionary, the first definition is given as one word: punishment. This one-word definition is followed by the following definition: “A rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity.”
These definitions shed light on how we have been conditioned to think about discipline. To put it simply, ...
A Capitol idea!
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Tuesday, 13 May 2014 09:57
We're not sure who has adopted whom, but Best of the U.S. and the city of Saint Paul are so happy together they've changed the race name and with great pleasure introduce the Capitol City Tri (formerly and aka Best of the U.S. Sprint). The date remains June 22, the venue is Lake Phalen.
"The sprint race will still host the BOUS Championship," said Director Trudy Marshall. "But the Sprint is for everyone, and we wanted the name to reflect that. Our goal is to create an instant classic. We're celebrating all of Minnesota's--and particularly Saint Paul's-- treasures: its incredible parks; its dynamism and energy; its diversity; people and businesses small and large coming together for fitness and recreation. We Minnesotans are so blessed! What an awesome place we have to work and play."...
Open Water Anxiety..
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Saturday, 10 May 2014 00:10
By Sara McLarty (triathlon.competitor.com)
Discomfort in the open water is very common. Whether it is a panic attack in the middle of the course, fear of the “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” or simply an aversion to dark and murky water, you are not alone. Anxiety is normal among athletes at all experience levels. The answer to conquering your fear lies in your pre-race training, mental preparation, and creating and utilizing a personal race strategy.
Consider these strategies:
• Mimic the chaos of open water by swimming with a large group in the pool. Share a lane with other swimmers where you’ll be forced to make contact, and swim side-by-side to become more comfortable.
Shifting Gears...
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Wednesday, 07 May 2014 06:10
By Matthew Payne (matthew-payne.blogspot.com)
Well whaddya know? Another winter has come and gone during which I posted exactly zero updates. Although that's probably for the best. Anything I may have written this winter would almost certainly have spun off into a rant about how soul-crushingly awful our weather is.
For the one or two of you keeping track of such things, you may have noticed that there has been a change in the banner ads to the right. Starting this year, I'll be racing as part of the Gear West Bike and Triathlon Development Team.
This is a tad bit bittersweet because I have nothing but good things to say about TCMC, Dan Casebeer and everyone at Grand...
