If you are considering the al la carte/drop-in session training option, you can see all the training dates we have planned, what kind of group workout we’ll be doing on a certain day, its location and time.  Just click on the event title that you are considering and you will see more details.

If you are ready to sign up (and we hope you are!), click here to go to the registration page.

Any item with a * by it requires that you fill it out in order to complete this form. Five minutes, tops!

If you came to this form too soon and still need to review the programming options, go to our programming details page.
Coach Lynne & Coach Janice

If a picture is a worth thousand words, then what’s a moving picture worth?  Click on this video below to watch a few minutes of genuine, former TTNE athletes talking about their motivations for and benefits from training for a triathlon. Be sure to pause the video on the column on the right before pressing play below.

I want to thank you for all the knowledge and encouragement you gave me in the 2 clinics I took this summer.  It made such a difference as I prepared for this upcoming triathlon.  Here’s what I’ve been doing for the past 2 mornings instead of my normal bricks.  At 6:30 I take a shower in my tri-shorts and sports bra, walk outside the house where I had my bucket set up, dried myself (my dog is definitely confused) and dressed in 3 [top] layers because I know I’ll be cold when it’s in the 50s.  Then I ride a bit, peel layers and run a bit.  I would never have thought to do this, if I hadn’t taken your clinics.  I learned to get mentally prepared as well as physically.  Thanks so much !!! – Janet

I have really enjoyed this program and feel I have benefited greatly from it. The structure and workout schedule has helped me stay to a course without slacking off or over doing it, as I probably would have on my own. One week to go and I am still injury free and feel physically in shape to take on my first TRI   ever. Biking was not one of my top ten before, but this fall I will be   shopping for a good road bike (after I get two kids settled in college).    I have been listening to all that you advise and plan to apply as much of it as I can. Your records show you are the experts.  Thank you for running this program. As women, moms, I think we often stumble when it comes to perceived indulgences for ourselves.  But the time and money spent on this was well worth it to me.  - Mary

I just wanted to thank you both very much for your support and helping me accomplish a long time goal….my first triathlon.  As you are aware I was thrown for a loop a week and half prior to the race with my first open water swim.  I don’t know if it was because the water was dark, full of weeds, or I was unexpectedly reminded of how I almost drowned as a teenager in open water….I don’t know why & why didn’t matter I just needed to fix it & fix it fast.  I was able to swim a mile in the pool comfortably, so this was a huge surprise and discouragement to me.

I found a swamp (ok, they call it a pond, but its more of a swamp) and forced myself to swim in it everyday leading up to the tri.  I figured if I could swim in that, I could swim in anything! I also did visualizations.  I felt confident and calm before the start.  I sailed, that’s right, sailed through the water.  I couldn’t believe it when it was over (and no side stroke or back stroke needed).  It was a piece of cake for me! – Char

Thank you for offering the clinics and training this summer.  You’re such an awesome athlete and inspiration.  You could have spent your time training for yourself, whittling off minutes here and there so that you could medal, but you shared your time with us.  You’re awe-inspiring.  I am so grateful.  - Janet

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. You really are a wonderful coach. You are not only inspiring but willing to go that extra mile. Your efforts and of course your constant words of encouragement help to keep me going on what has been a more challenging (but rewarding) journey than what I initially predicted.
Thanks again!!- Tammy

I first want to thank you so very much for the training program!  It has been great to train with you both with all of your coaching and tri experience/expertise. I really felt very well prepared and knew what to expect for the first race, I was still extremely nervous and tired due to lack of sleep, but well prepared!  It has also been a joy to meet and work with all of the workout leaders.  They have been very attentive and were there to answer all of my questions and concerns as I trained for my first race.  It has been a wonderful eight week journey! - Tonya

What a great workout tonight was!  Thanks!  I really feel so proud of me, and strong!  I could do it!   What a treat to come in to the house and tell my kids what i did today – they were totally impressed!  This is really working!  thanks to you both for bringing me along! - Lucy

What an amazing experience… I think I am hooked!  I loved achieving this personal physical goal but even more important I enjoyed spending time training with a group of wonderful women! – Aileen

After a long a 2 page letter about what an incredible experience this athlete had, she ended her letter by writing this…

I have sometimes regretted that I have not spent my summer as committed to other projects that have been put aside while I have been training.  I suppose what the training has brought me, beyond a certain level of fitness, is the knowledge that if I can compete in a triathlon, what else might I be able to do?  How else might I be able to improve?  What more might I have to give to others?

This is all by way of saying that I appreciate from the bottom of my heart the work that you are doing, and I will always remember with great fondness my “triathlon summer.”  There will be other triathlons but I imagine never so eventful or emotional as this journey has been for me.  Thank you so much, again.

From start to finish, the entire experience was nothing short of spectacular.  Thank you once again for all of it.   You, and all of the workout leaders, are so inspirational in your personal fitness and goal setting, your unending enthusiasm and support, and your joy of mentoring others.  Congrats to you on your race and on your enormously positive role in all of our triathlon experiences.

The Team Training New England Advantage

(1)  We’re #274!
Your coaches, Janice Cohen and Lynne Tapper, are  just like you.  We have families. We have busy lives. We are NOT elite athletes who finish first in every race we enter, do Iron Mandistance triathlons or otherwise can’t relate to what you are thinking and feeling.  Both of us can still clearly remember doing our first triathlons, how nervous we were and everything we did wrong.  That experience helps us help you.

(2)  We’re not experts.  Oh, wait, we are!
Both of us are certified USA Triathlon Level 1 coaches and have been since 2007.  Janice is a yoga instructor and Lynne is certified to teach the use of heart-rate monitors in training.  And, in case you are worried, we are both CPR and First Aid certified.

(3)  What time is it?  It’s “you” time!
Finding free time to exercise, for some people, is like finding the holy grail.  Exercise could be taking a brisk walk, a brief interval workout at the track, even doing some core exercises on the floor at home.  Something!  We’ll help you start the process of scheduling time in your day for you, helping you put put yourself near the TOP of your TO-DO list.   Because when you choose to do that, you’ll have more energy to get through every day, week, month and year.

(4) We put the “tri” in team
One of the key advantages of our training program is that we do it as a group.  Not everyone runs, bikes or swims at the same pace, but we’re sure that you’ll find someone who’s pretty close to your pace.  Plus, we have a crew of Workout Leaders who have trained with us in the past who are there to answer questions, ride along with you on a tough hill and generally offer encouragement and keep a safe eye on everyone.  Why train alone when you can train with a team?

(5) Triathlons for all
Team Training New England is a triathlon training group FOR ALL, women and men!  We train people who “never in a million years” thought they would or could do a triathlon.  We train our athletes to do a sprint distance triathlon in an encouraging, safe, fun group setting.  We believe that triathlons should be a viable exercise option for pretty much everyone and not seen as an elitist or intimidating sport.

(6) History is on our side
Team Training New England started turning “I don’t know” into “I did it!” in 2005, taking a team of 20 women to the Danskin Women’s Triathlon in Webster, Massachusetts.  We have trained people of pretty much every age, size, level of fitness and ability.  Every year we fall in love with our team all over again at the inspirational stories, the great friendships and the caterpillars who turn into butterflies as they train with us and cross the finish line.  We know what we’re doing and we love what we do.

What is Team Training New England?
Team Training New England is a triathlon training group FOR ALL, women and men!  We train people who “never in a million years” thought they would or could do a triathlon.  We train our athletes to do a sprint distance triathlon in an encouraging, safe, fun group setting.

Why should I train with Team Training New England versus another training program or private coach?
Not only is Team Training New England  comprised of USA Triathlon certified coaches, we have numerous Workout Leaders at all of our group sessions.  These Workout Leaders are usually past participants who were so moved by the experience that they volunteer their time by providing feedback, encouragement and safety.  No one is ever alone at any given time.

Who are the Team Training New England coaches?
We are  just like you.  We have families. We have busy lives. We are NOT elite athletes. We DO, however, put ourselves near the TOP of our TO-DO lists. Because we do that, we have more energy to get through every day, week, month and year.

What is a sprint distance triathlon?
A sprint distance triathlon consists of a 1/2 mile swim in open water (usually), 10-12 mile bike ride, and 5k (3.1 miles) run.  We strongly believe this is a manageable, achievable distance that anyone who WANTS to accomplish it, CAN!

What are the other triathlon distances?
Just for your own edification, we will answer this question.  The other common triathlon distances are:
Olympic Distance Triathlon: .9 mile swim, 20k (~25 miles) bike, 10k (6.2 miles) run
Half Ironman Distance Triathlon: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run (1/2 marathon)
Ironman Distance Triathlon: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run (marathon)

When does the 2012 training begin?
Our kick off meeting is on Wednesday, April 11th.  Location: TBD  This will not be a workout, but a chance to get everyone together to meet each other and go over the multi-week program in detail.

Starting the week of April 16th, we  meet every Wednesday (6:30-8:00 p.m.) and Saturday (7:00-9:00 a.m.) until race weekend. 

What are the 2012 team races?
Our team goal race is the Amica 19.7 Ocean Beach on Sunday, July 15th.
It consists of a .5 mile ocean swim, 16.1 mile bike ride and 3.1 mile flat run that ends on the boardwalk.

We will also be doing the Litchfield Hills Olympic Triathlon on Sunday, June 24th
It consists of a .9 mile lake swim, 14.8 mile hilly bike ride and a 6.2 mile run.

What is the cost of the training?
The program offerings for 2012 are as follows:

Sprint Plus
Fee: $399 (does not include race fee)
13 weeks of total training = 10 week training program + 3 week build up
Training dates: April 18-Race day
Goal Race: Amica 19.7 Ocean Beach, July 15, 2012

Sprint
Fee: $299 (does not include race fee)
10 week training program
Training dates: May 9-Race day
Goal Race: Amica 19.7 Ocean Beach, July 15, 2012

Olympic
Fee: $399 (does not include race fee)
12 week training program, 10 weeks of group workouts
Training dates: April 18-Race day
Participants will receive a 12 week training program and access to 10 weeks of group training that will finish with race day on June 24th.
Goal Race: Litchfield Hills Olympic Triathlon, June 24, 2012

Drop-In Sessions
There will be 25 available drop-in sessions during the training program from April 18-July 11.
Fee: $25 per session, $100 for 5 sessions, $180 for 10 sessions

What if I cannot make every workout?
It is rare that one athlete makes it to every single workout.  Given our busy lives, you do the best you can.  If you purchase the Sprint Plus, Sprint or Olympic training programs, you will receive an online training program to follow. So, if you miss a workout, you’ll get to see what you missed and hopefully you can do it on your own.  Clearly there are things you will miss by not being with the group, but it’s not the end of the world.

Can I just sign up for one or more workout(s)?
Yes. We have Drop-In Sessions.  We have 25 different workouts that you can sign up for individually. Each session costs $25.  If you buy 5 or more workouts there is a discount.

Do I need to purchase a new bike?
No. We do not recommend that you purchase a new bike for this training program. If you have a hybrid bike or an older road bike, that will suffice.  We do, however, recommend that you make sure the bike fits you properly.  You should never be in pain while biking or after a bike ride.  If you plan on borrowing someone’s bike, make sure you bring it to a bike shop and get a proper bike fit.  If you need a recommendation on a bike shop near you, please contact us.

Do I need to know how to swim?
Yes. Our training program is not a “learn to swim” program.  You must be able to swim in a pool.  We will teach you how to swim in “open water.”  If you need some swim coaching recommendations, please contact us.

What if I don’t like to run?
Not a problem.  Many of our past participants have come into the program who dislike running. You can walk the run portion of the triathlon, it’s not a problem.  However, we do want to mention that many women who have trained with us end up running more than they thought they would and hate running a bit less than when they started.

If there are any questions we have not answered, please email us and we’ll answer you directly and as well as posting it here.

And, of course, all of that is true for some triathletes, but for those participating in Team Training New England (TTNE), run by Lynne Tapper and Janice Cohen in the Hartford area, the process is rarely just about the miles and feats of endurance.

Marlanda Hamilton, a rising sophomore on the volleyball team at Saint Joseph College, did not even know how to swim. But when her coach told her about a scholarship offered by TTNE, which included free gear, eight weeks of twice-weekly training sessions and the fee for a competition in Massachusetts, Marlanda didn’t hesitate to sign up.

An elated Marlanda after an open water swim workout

“I actually learned how to swim two weeks before the first TTNE meeting,” she said, while sitting in the lobby of the O’Connell Center for an interview. “I had some friends in the pool with me showing me the basics of the freestyle stroke.”

TTNE already had strong ties to Saint Joseph College because they often used the college’s facilities for their training sessions.
“During our second year of TTNE,” Lynne Tapper says, “we approached Saint Joseph College about using their facilities. We cold-called Debbie Fiske (Associate Athletic Director). We loved the idea of working with an all-women college for our all-women training groups.

“They were really generous from the start. In 2007 Debbie  did her National Girls and Women in Sport Day, which is part of a national event put on by the Women Sports Foundation. I had actually worked with that myself and was always a bit frustrated that they had so much for girls but not women, especially the pre-Title IX crowd.  So I pitched the idea to Debbie that we run an indoor event in February for women as well. It was open to anyone. We’ve done it several winters now and the last one had more than 100 competitors.

“So when Janice and I decided we wanted to give a scholarship to someone, Saint Joseph seemed like a fine place to start. The fact that triathlons take a lot of time, energy and money to train for can mean there are a lot of barriers [to participation] and we wanted to open it up to a wider range.”
Marlanda, who turned 19 during the summer training, admits that she felt particularly intimidated by the age difference.

Marlanda and her teammates

“I was intimidated by being around such a different group of people [mostly white, middle-aged women] but it felt like a family environment and everyone was great.”

As many as thirty women enrolled in the TTNE summer 2010 program might show at any given workout, which meant there were always plenty of buddies to do laps with and to get pointers from. Some were moms with young children who wanted a break; others were challenging themselves after devastating injuries or a lifetime of inactivity. They shared the common purpose of building better physical health and trying to compete in and complete the Massachusetts State Triathlon on July 18 at Lake Dennison. The task: 1/3 mile swim in a lake; 12 mile bike ride (including a mile hill climb) and 3.1 mile run.

Marlanda herself had two jobs at the time, but dropped one so she could handle the training schedule better. Her Dunkin Donuts supervisor accommodated her needs so she continued to work there. Some days her mother could bring her to the track sessions with the group or to the pool, but other times she had to load her gear onto a city bus and make her way over to wherever TTNE might be meeting.

RACE DAY
Marlanda rose at 5:30 a.m., put her new bike in her mother’s van and together they made their way from their hotel to the start of the race.
Six hundred or so competitors—men and women—mingled at the start as they received their numbers, an ankle bracelet that would keep track of their times on each segment, and hit the marker station where a volunteer penned on each athlete’s body his or her number and age.

Marlanda was in the pink swim cap group, which included women of all ages. They waited on the beach while the first wave of male competitors entered the water.
“They looked like they were going to war,” Marlanda says of the men.

Marlanda and her proud coaches

THE SWIM
Two weeks of lessons with friends, seven weeks of training at various pools and now Marlanda Hamilton had to race with competitors in an open lake in record heat. TTNE Coach Janice Cohen had looked into getting a swim buddy for Marlanda at the Massachusetts event, which the organizers approved. So the Saint Joseph College volleyball player found herself towering over a man named Geo on the beach, her swim buddy, who swam by her side and coached her through her breathing and strokes as she made her way around one huge orange floatable marker to the next.

THE BIKE
Hundreds of bicycles lay racked in dozens of rows and as the athletes came out of the water, through an inflatable arch and into the bike launch area, things got confusing fast.

“I went in the wrong direction at first,” Marlanda admits. “But there was no one else around so I just collected myself and found my bike and got started. I did forget to turn my heart monitor on.”

In each section of the race, Marlanda found a “partner” to work with. At the swim section, Geo was assigned to her, but on the bike, she just picked out someone going at the same pace. Together with her newfound friend, she tried to tackle the one mile hill.
“We thought we’d just finished it but then we saw the sign, ‘Crush the Hill’ on the side of the road, so we knew it was still ahead. I wanted to stop but I kept going and going.”
Once she got over the top, most of it was downhill.

“I admit to doing a little sightseeing at that point,” she says, laughing and flashing her perfect smile.

THE RUN
Many athletes struggle with the transition from the intense bike ride to the run. Legs wobble. Backs seize up. Feet cramp. Once again, Marlanda found someone in her pace range and chatted and teamed with that person to help her pace herself through the race.

THE FINISH LINE
A group of TTNE competitors in blue shirts were already at the finishing line with their cow bells cheering on fellow teammates as they crossed the finish line. Marlanda says seeing that group was one of the highlights of the entire training for her.

Of course her mother, Michelle Hamilton, who was also there, admits, “It was so nerve wracking. I was really nervous that she was doing this event, but she always does things that no one else would do.”

Now, when she goes to work at the Dunkin Donuts, Marlanda is known as the Tri-girl. “I don’t mind that!” she says.

She’s ready to try again, possibly for the indoor in February, only this time no swim buddy and “I want my volleyball team to join me.”

Mary Collins
penmary@aol.com
www.marycollinswriter.net
Mary Collins’ new book, American Idle: A Journey Through Our Sedentary Culture, won the Grand Prize for Nonfiction at the 2010 Indie Book Awards.
She completed the sprint triathlon at Lake Dennison with Marlanda.

The following gear and services were generously provided by Team Training New England, Newington Bicycle, Fleet Feet Hartford, Trek Bicycle, Heart Zones Coaching, Max Performance, Courtyard Marriott Fitchburg:  a new road bike; running shoes; triathlon suit, swim goggles, program fee, race registration and hotel accommodations.

Note: These are in alphabetical order by business name or last name.

Balance Massage, West Hartford, CT
Brigitte Boltz, 860-805-8199, Avon, CT
Hands at Work Center for Massage Therapy, Southington, CT
Karen Lubin, West Hartford, CT
Market Square Wellness, Newington, CT
therapeutic bodyworks, West Hartford, CT