Turning 40, my goal was to complete a triathlon

by Lori Simeunovic

Like unicorns and Victoria's Secret models, triathletes were always elusive, almost mythical creatures to me. Then I became one. Sort of.

It was a surprise to all who knew me, and certainly to me, when I announced my intention to complete a triathlon the year I turned 40. Never mind that, at 39, I wasn't particularly buoyant, didn't own a bike and had last run more than two kids and 20 pounds ago.

Physical fitness had never been my forte. If I'd applied myself in high-school physics with the same fervour that I faked cramps to get out of gym class, I'd be the head of NASA.

I decided to train with a friend from work, and she brought in some women from her gym. I soon realized that, as a team, we were doomed: They frequently met for 30-kilometre bike rides in bad weather (I still didn't have a bike); they regularly bragged of doing a double cardio pump class prior to our swim practice (I didn't belong to a gym and was still swimming with a flutter board); and they obsessively watched live feed from the Tour de France (I devoured Pringles during The Bachelorette). The last straw was seeing them have the same reaction to power shakes that I had to cheesecake. It was clearly time for me to go solo.
I scoured bookstores looking for the perfect training guide, passing quickly over covers with terrifyingly sculpted bodies until I found Jayne Williams's Slow, Fat Triathlete. It was the perfect how-to guide for normal people, offering such insightful chapters as Losing Your Tri Virginity and reassuring me that I would do just fine on my borrowed mountain bike. With less than two months until my race, I finally began to train in earnest.

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The Expo Low-Down

by Stephanie Warren

The expo is a must-hit for every triathlete in Kona. There’s no better event in the world at which to learn about all of triathlon's newest time-, sweat-, and energy-saving products and talk to the people who make them. Here’s just a small sample of what the expo has to offer:

Zoot Sports’ Physiologist Chris Bohannon

Chris previewed Zoot’s three hottest new products for us. They are:

The Ultraspeed shoe. Zoot used a medical pressure device to measure the varying pressures on the different parts of a shoe during exercise. Zoot was able to use this data to create a shoe that replicates the feel of a regular running shoe—but without laces. Imagine the ease of a slip-on shoe, but with the security of a laced one. This is the future of exercise shoes.

The CompressRx Calf Sleeve. Zoot used medical studies to make a connection between the physiology of those recovering from injury and the physiology of a triathlete’s muscles under duress. They discovered that since compression of injured tissue works well for medical patients, it should also work for triathletes, to aid in muscular recovery from workouts.

The Icefil Cool Sleeve. This incredible arm sleeve is made of a fabric with zylotol, a crystal that vibrates when wet, creating an endothermic (or cooling) reaction. When activated by water or sweat, the sleeve lowers its temperature by 5.4°. That’s 5.4° that would come in very handy on the lava fields on Saturday.

Contact Chris at chris@zootsports.com or visit their website here.

Endless Pools’ Michael Sparacio

Endless pools are a great solution for triathletes that want a convenient way to practice their strokes at home. Endless pools operate at two different speeds, and, since you remain stationary, allow a perfect platform for coaching. Michael affirms, “If you hold at top speed for 2.4 miles, you’ll be the first one out of the Ironman swim by 5 minutes.”

Endless Pools is offering two models, the original and the Fastlane. The original is the most effective and efficient, and the Fastlane is a more inexpensive option which has one great advantage: the unit itself can be purchased and installed directly into an existing pool, turning a backyard oasis into a high-tech training machine.

Contact Michael at msparacio@endlesspools.com or visit their website here.

Rocket Science Sports’ CEO Martin Sochaki

Rocket Science Sports is introducing a new “rocket racer” called 20BPM. It’s made of a special material that is double-sided, white on the outside and black on the inside. The white outside shell is made of a special reflective material that sends the sun’s rays away from the body. The inner black lining prevents whatever sun that gets through from hitting the skin.

The suit also features a unique cycling pad. With a specific gravity of 0.25, it floats and won’t weigh you down, but it also stays dry so that you can swim in it without that uncomfortable diaper sensation.

Martin is Rocket Science Sports’ CEO. He’s also its engineer, and a former aerospace engineer. Visit Rocket Science Sports’ website here.

All photos credit Alexis MacMillan

Great Kona Condo Available

My good friend Susan works with a company called Prince Properties in Kona. Every year, I rent a condo for a week or two during the Ironman. They have some truly amazing properties available, and they have some great deals that go on during Ironman week. Their service is impeccable and I've never been disappointed with my stay.

Right now, they have a two-bedroom ocean front condo available for $135 a night at a 7-night minumum. It's well-appointed with a large wrap-around lanai, has great ocean views, and can sleep 5. This is a great place to stay during Ironman week, so if you're going to the race and haven't booked a room yet, check this one out.

If you've already got a place to stay, make sure to keep Prince Properties in mind for your trip next year. The photos above are of the available condo. The photos below are of other Prince Properties places available and of the surrounding areas.

If you're interested in the condo or want to check out Prince's other properties, below is Susan's contact info:

Susan McKay R(S)
Property Management
Prince Properties, Inc
877-782-5662 Office
808-334-0545 FAX
susan@konatraveler.com
www.KonaTraveler.com

Jarrod Shoemaker wins Duathlon Worlds

The USA’s Jarrod Shoemaker used a blazing final sprint to come back from outside the top 20 on the final 5k run to win the elite men’s ITU Duathlon short course World Championship in a photo finish over France’s Damien Derobert.

Shoemaker, the 2005 Under 23 Triathlon World Champion, fired off a 13:52 final 5k -- 23 seconds faster than Derobert – to take the win by a chest lean at the tape in a time of 1:49:02.

Shoemaker, a 2008 Olympian who won a breakthrough first ITU World Championship Series race this summer in Hamburg, almost fell out of contention when a crash in the misty rain on lap five of the bike put him half a minute back of the lead pack. But Shoemaker worked with a strong chase group to pull into T2 in 20th place, just over 20 seconds back of the lead pack which included Derobert, Jurgen Dereere of Belgium and Sergio Silva of Portugal.

Shoemaker jetted after the leaders on the run, rising to 4th place after 2.5k. By the time he reached the home stretch on the tarmac of Lowe’s Motor Speedway where NASCAR racers routinely are flying along at 180 mph, Shoemaker had dispensed with Silva and had Derobert and Dereere in his sights.

Shoemaker surged into the lead, and then Derobert counter attacked. But with a final burst that put the lie to Shoemaker’s reputation that he did not have a finish line sprint, the Sudbury, Massachusetts flash nipped the Frenchman at the tape.

While crediting any duathlon or triathlon event, even world championships, with accurate measurement is a low percentage bet at best, Shoemaker’s 5,000-meter split would have won gold at the 1952 Olympics...

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Amey and Dogana, the first stars of the TriStar200 Andalucía

Paul Amey, winner of the inaugural edition: “This is more fun than an Ironman!”

The inaugural Challenge TriStar200 Andalucía Doñana Challenge developed dramatically, uniting the provinces of Huelva and Cadiz and through the Doñana National Park. Paul Amey (GBR) and Italy's Martina Dogana are the first winners of a unique race that has had very positive resonance from the more than 200 participants who were up for the challenge of this new competition format.

One of the great innovations, the start of the peloton cycling, has facilitated a good battle between several riders who decided to break away in the ascent to Medina Sidonia. Thomas Darby (FIN) had a 12 seconds lead ahead of Ramon Garcia (ESP) and Austrian Alexander Wilhelm Franc, while Paul Amey (GBR) would take the lead from kilometer 110. On the women’s side, Tiina Boman (FIN), Martina Dogana, Christel Robin (FRA) and Nieve Infante from Andalucía dominated the bike leg.

After crossing the River Guadalquivir Paul Amey was still in the lead and none of his pursuers, including Spaniard Marcel Zamora who managed to make up a lot of time on the run, could close the gap. The renowned British triathlete Amey completed the 200 miles of the Doñana Challenge in 6:09:40. "It was fantastic; it's more fun than an Ironman! It has been a real challenge to feel the loneliness in Doñana, and running on the beach on sand has been a new experience. I will definitely participate in more events of the TriStar series!” Marcel Zamora was also satisfied with his participation in the TriStar200 Andalucía and remarked "it is a very attractive and interesting event that will attract many more participants for the next edition - it is perfectly organized. Alejandro Santamaria completed the podium three minutes behind Zamora...

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All photos credit of TriStar200 Andalucía