State Games Medal Winners

State Games Medal Winners
Jon, Caitlyn, Emily and Coach

FINE LINE RACING

FINE LINE RACING
Triathlon, Swimming, Cycling, and Running Coaching

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

2008 - a great year, and then.....


On Feb 9th, I competed the 3rd edition of the Pikes Peak Road Runners Winter Series footrace; I was leading my division, in First Place at that time.

In December I embraced the winter by joining the Incline Club and was happily learning how to run up Pikes Peak (Ute Pass Trail to start) in 5 degree weather, in deep snow! What fun!

The gear I required was (foot to head) Yak Traks on Salomon Water Resistant shoes, covered by leg gaiters to keep snow out of shoes. Heavy tights, two technical tops covered by a heavy shell cycling jacket with a pocket, a neck gaiter, eye protection, ear band and knit hat. This was completed by a fuel belt carrying Revenge and Hammergel, and mittens with hand warmers inside!

I didn't think it could be done, but after just 2 weeks, I'd worked up to 3 hours and was doing The Incline about every 4th Sunday. I felt powerful! I loved my new Incline Club friends! I also succeded is getting in the Pikes peak Ascent with my last qualifying half marathon.

On Feb 12, just 3 days after a delightful Winter Series III, I was training my athletes on the horrid, hard, small banked indoor track at my Y, and I went into a turn and radically wrenched my ankle, resulting in a full sprain of the entire foot, which velocity was strong enough to snap and displace my fibula, at the ankle!!

This was a real troubling injury and surgery was required to put the displaced bone back where it belonged, with a plate and 6 screws. "Open Reduction with Internal Fixation" performed by a great Dr James Duffey. One of my athletes, Martin Read, was my anesthesiologist; if it had to be done, we had a great time!

My athletes brought me meals, chocolate, good cheer, groceries, and kept my spirits high! While I wrote training plans, they would carry them out at class.

3-4 months later, the ongoing irritant , when I try to do anything, is immediate swelling with radiating pain up the entire leg and across the entire top of the foot to the toes. Also, the Doctor detemined a 7% permanent impairment. It's become a partial disability, officially.

another time to shift gears and learn to "accept" to the best of my ability.

I believe the injury has made me a better coach; Rather than be in the pool, on the track, on the bike, I have had the opportunity to be more analytical using helpful tools like videocamera analysis. I wouldn't be able to do this if I were engaging in each discipline with my athletes.

So, the silver lining is delivering higher quality coaching to my athletes.

The plate and screws come out end of Fall

Garden Ranch YMCA Triathlon Training Class


Triathlon Training Class at Garden Ranch YMCA.

8 week sessions by USAT Certified Coach
Beginning Triathlon Training - Monday and Wednesday 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Intermediate Triathlon - Tuesday and Thursday 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Since August 2007, scores of new Triathletes have trained for and completed their first triathlon with podium finishes in some cases.

Swimming - pedagogy focus is Swimming for Triathlon (TI principles), sighting, drafting and nagivation. Open water swim field trips, to Prospect lake begins end of May. Water Polo drills focus on navigation and speed.

Spinning - cadence, jumps, technique and form. Bike fit technique for road riding
Bricks - bike to run drills at about 4 weeks. Riding on AFA post begins in March.

Run - Drills for form, technique and efficiency; combines bricks later

Time Trials begin at about week 4-5.

Garden Ranch Triathlon - 719-593-9622
http://gardenranch.ppymca.org/

Next sessions - July 7th, 2008 - Beginning Triathlon Training, July 8th Intermediate Triathlon Training Class.

For YouTube videos of the class, see Triathlon Training Class;
Videos included demonstrate form and technique, with drafting technique.

Triathlete in both classes have just completed their first Triathlon; race reports will follow.