Join Team Training New England as we kick off the triathlon season with an amazing pair of workshops for women and men to complement your training. These workshops will give you tools to stay strong and injury-free all season long!

These workshops are appropriate for all levels of yoga and athletic experience, including athletes in all sports, endurance or non-endurance.

Yoga and Running
9:30-11:30 a.m.
$30
In this two-hour session, we’ll examine how yoga and running mesh. Starting with a dynamic yoga warm-up, we’ll see how yoga asana helps us with alignment, strength, and flexibility in running. We’ll also consider yoga’s approach to breath and focus and observe yoga’s effect on the runner’s experience. Learn running-specific core strength and hip stretches to finish.

Come dressed to run, but expect to run no more than a mile or two total. All levels are welcome.

Yoga for All Athletes
1:00-4:00 p.m.
$45
In this three-hour workshop appropriate for all levels of yoga and athletic experience, you’ll learn poses to increase flexibility, especially in the hips and legs; spend some time cultivating sport-specific core strength and playing with balance; and examine yoga as mental training, learning how incorporating this ancient approach can make you a better athlete. No matter what your sport is, you’ll leave with practical ways to incorporate yoga in your training to increase your flexibility, core strength, stability, and physical and mental endurance, while lowering your recovery time and risk of injury. All levels welcome, including beginners.

Sign up for both: only $65
Go to Active.com for online registration
Offline Form: Yoga Workshop for Athletes Registration Form and Waiver

Check-in will be at Trinity College’s Ferris Athletic Center (Unit D) on Broad Street in Hartford, CT.
Once on campus, we will post signs that will point you in the right direction.
Space permitting, we will accept event-day registration for an additional $10.

Sage Rountree, PhD, is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher and USA Triathlon, USA Cycling, and RRCA certified coach. She is author of The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga (VeloPress, 2008) and The Athlete’s Pocket Guide to Yoga (VeloPress, 2009); creator of The Athlete’s Guide to Yoga DVD (Endurance Films, 2008); and a contributor to Runner’s World and Yoga Journal Online. Athletes of all sports and levels—from former Olympians to professional triathletes to the UNC football team—praise her practical, straightforward teaching style. Sage’s podcast of post-workout stretching routines is available at sagerountree.com. She trains, teaches, and coaches in Chapel Hill, NC.

Coaches Lynne (left) and Janice

Schedule, as of February 24:

Thursday, March 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Fleet Feet
1003 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford
860-233-8077

Tuesday, March 9 at 6:30 p.m.
Ladies Night at Hartford Stage for Motherhood Out Loud
50 Church Street, Hartford
860-525-5601
Come visit us in the lobby before the show.
Tickets can be purchased on the Hartford Stage website. Make it a true Ladies Night Out!

Sunday, March 14 at 12:00 p.m.
New England Air Museum
36 Perimeter Road, Windsor Locks
860-623-3305

We are very excited to be collaborating with the New England Air Museum for this event.  Bring your family and they can tour the museum while you spend some time with us. We’ve scheduled our talk to coincide with the arrival of “AEXEOUS.”  AEXEOUS is a one of a kind engineering marvel that is being used as a teaching tool to educate and excite children of all ages.  He is 12’ tall and he moves and talks with visitors. On Sunday, March 14, visitors to the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, Conn. will be treated to a special show by an amazing interactive robot.|

Those women attending the Team Training New England talk can bring their families for a special admission rate: With every adult admission ($10), a child gets in for free (savings of $6).
Also, check out the attached list of libraries that give free passes to the museum!
Libraries with Passes
We just visited the museum and it was such a treat.  It’s something you won’t want to miss.

Wednesday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Mandell JCC
335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford
860-236-4571

Wednesday, April 14 at 7:00 p.m.
REI at Blue Back Square
71 Raymond Road, West Hartford
860-233-2211

We will be in the Coventry, CT in May.
Stay tuned for details!

Coach Janice all ready to go

For the past six months I have had the opportunity to switch places with the hundreds of women that have trained with Team Training New England over the past five years and now I REALLY get it!  I have been lucky enough that my fitness level has enabled me to compete in both Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons without a tried and true training plan.  My life as a mother of a three teenagers, a daughter of aging parents, my involvment in my family business as well as my coaching business didn’t leave me much time to train systematically.

When I completed my first triathlon in 2004, I was overjoyed. I felt that I finally found my calling as an athlete.  As I thought about the challenge of a longer distance triathlon, I knew that I couldn’t rely on my current training regime to get me to the finish line.   Like many of our athletes, I was experiencing first hand, the challenge and exhilaration of setting my sights on an event that I had previously thought of as unattainable.  My challenge was a 70.3 (half iron distance).

I needed to find the time to follow a training plan.  As Lynne would say, I needed to figure out how put myself on the top of my “to-do” list.

For the past five years, my training focus has been on our athletes – the women that we have had the privilege and honor to work with year after year – our “TRI-ladies”.  When I decided to attempt a 70.3, having never run or biked more than 10 or 40 miles respectively, I knew I needed more support and structure than I could muster on my own.

Last winter I came across a book by Sage Rountree called The Athletes Guide to Yoga.  I discovered that, in addition to being a gifted yoga teacher, she is a triathlete and a coach.  I imagined that it would be personally and professionally enriching to train with her.  An introductory e-mail quickly led to a two-day trip to Chapel Hill where we discussed training philosophies and options.  The next thing I knew, I had registered for the Beach2Battleship race in Wilmington, North Carolina in November 2009. I had six months to prepare. The late season race allowed me to find the training time I needed with my coaching season over and my children back in school.

What I hadn’t imagined was that my experience over the last six months would draw me even closer to the women that I coach.  I did miss training with a group of like-minded women but felt completely supported by Sage and my Team Training New England community  — not to mention my family!

Other than that, all of the ingredients were there:  (1) commit to an event that is outside of your comfort zone, (2) trust the training and (3) follow through to the best of your ability.

I am elated to report that once again the recipe worked!  Not only did I love the process of training, which in and of itself was gratifying and transformative, but the event exceeded my expectations.  I look forward to my next 70.3!

We’ve been field testing the thinksport™ water bottle to see if it meets our high standards.  Not to get all hyperbolic, but this is “not just another water bottle” that you get when you do a race. While it’s not designed to be used on your bike, it’s perfect for pre and post race hydration (or for keeping your coffee/tea/hot chocolate hot, hot, hot).

Double-walled stainless steel and vacuum-sealed, it keeps contents hot or cold for hours. You won’t feel the temperature of the contents. If you fill the bottle with hot liquid or put ice cubes in, you won’t grab a blazing hot bottle or a freezing cold one either.  The liquid inside stays the temperature that you started with.  We think it’s perfect for keeping in your car during the hot and cold months.  It also works great for race day.  You can keep your recovery drink in your transition bag and it won’t get warm while you’re out on the road.

To make this a little more personal, we customized these bottles with the  Team Training New England logo.

Here are the some of the other thinksport™ bottle features:

Removable internal mesh filter.  This reduces the chances of ice or tea leaves from being consumed during drinking.

Made with safe, non-toxic materials. Free of Bisphenol-A (BPA), lead, PVC, nitrosamines, phthalates.

Holds 12 oz or 350 ml of liquid.

Get your customized thinksport™ Team Training New England water bottles today.
We are not able to ship these products, but we’re happy to meet you and deliver them to you in person.

Each bottle costs $20 (including CT sales tax).
Cash or checks (made payable to TTNE) accepted.

Email Lynne or Janice directly and we’d be glad to meet you.

Stay tuned, we hope to post some other great gift ideas soon!

But recently I realized that while I train even more than while I was living in New York City, I MOVE much less.  In the course of my days in New York City, I walked two to three miles a day, without even noticing.  I don’t do that here. I could walk to the Stop & Shop, it’s only a little over a mile away, but I don’t.  I could walk to the pool for a swim, it’s less than a mile away, but I don’t. Why? Because “I don’t have time.”  At least that’s the story I’ve been telling myself for six years.  

Now, however, I’m starting to do a little re-writing.

This fall, two seemingly unrelated events occurred.  The first was that I had surgery in November.  I plan everything, so this surgery was planned at a convenient time for me, my family and mostly my training. It was the off-season; thus I could accept the amount of time off necessary to recover.  Maybe physically I could use the time off, but mentally I thought I would go crazy.  However, the surgery was necessary and I would, I kept telling myself, survive this downtime.

The second event was that I discovered a book called American Idle; A Journey Through Our Sedentary Culture.  While driving, I heard the author, Mary Collins, speak about her book and the experiences that led her to write it on NPR.  I was intrigued and inspired by her interview.  At a red light, I wrote down the name of the book and immediately contacted her once I got home and requested a review copy.  (FYI, she’s currently a professor of creative writing at Central Connecticut State University).

Coach Lynne with her daughter Sofie (photo by Lorraine Greenfield)

I decided to read the book as part of my recovery. American Idle chronicles how the American people have stopped incorporating movement in their lives. Our ancestors, the hunters and gatherers, had to move to get their next meal.  This could mean up to 4 miles a day on foot.  For most Americans to get their next meal they only have to get off of their couches and walk to the kitchen. It’s easy to see how many of the health issues in this country probably stem from our lower levels of activity.

But as Collins’ book points out, “personal responsibility only goes so far; lots of things out there that we feel we can’t control contribute to our biblical levels of slothfulness.  Studies show that something as simple as a bike path near a neighborhood can increase people’s activity levels as much as 25 percent.”

My surgery and the discovery of this book were the perfect storm.  As I read, I started to think about how I could incorporate regular movement into my daily life as well as for my eight-year-old daughter, Sofie.

Sofie is a fairly active girl.  She has physical education (called P.E.) at school 4 days a week. On nice days, she’ll grab her bike and go around the neighborhood, plus this year she’s on a swim team. I still fear that as school gets more challenging and the computer, Sony DS and her iPod compete for her free time, she might lose that desire to just play and be outside.  As a very active adult, I didn’t want to just model healthy behavior, I wanted to create a situation where she could start to lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle that she would carry into adulthood.  Was this asking too much?

Collins points out that “with each succeeding generation, children spend less time in gardens, around streams, in woodlands…The rise in organized sports, with its emphasis on structured activities, coincided with the rise in obesity, as people became less and less at home with free play and other spontaneous movement.”

I realized that as fit and healthy as I am, what good would it be if my children were to become yet another statistic?

So I came up with a plan.  Sofie’s piano lesson is 1.2 miles away from our house.  We could give ourselves 30 minutes to get there.  We would wear headlamps and bike lights on our way home since once it got darker.

Now I still had to convince Sofie that this was a good idea.  Surprisingly, she agreed, with no argument.  On our first day, she walked a bit slowly.  She told me she couldn’t go any faster.  I told her if she didn’t pick it up, we’d be late.  We eventually got there and she was elated and proud when we arrived. We have walked every week for the past five weeks and her pace has picked up quite a bit.  This past Monday, it was a little rainy out. I told her we could drive and she said, “We have raincoats and rain boots, we can still walk. PLEASE??”  So we put on our rain gear and walked.

A side benefit of this healthy movement is the bonding time.  I was so focused on getting regular movement into our lives that I had no idea how much we would love just being together – outside – exploring.  We now walk to piano and swimming — three days of walking. As the weather gets colder, I’m breaking out the hats and gloves. Sofie is completely on board.

It’s been nearly two weeks since my surgery and my body is recovering nicely.  I have yet to swim, bike or run, but I feel great. Not including my walks with Sofie, I have walked every day for nearly an hour at a time. I never wear a heart rate monitor and I never know exactly how far I’ve gone.  For a data-driven, heart rate monitor-, gps-wearing, athlete this is revolutionary. These past two weeks have been life-changing for me.

I delayed this surgery for nearly three years for many reasons. Mostly, I didn’t think I’d be able to survive the time off.  I have not only survived, I have thrived.  I truly believe that getting outside, whatever the weather, has helped me heal faster both physically and mentally.

Mary Collins’ book has opened my eyes about what it means to move and connect with the world around us.  Thanks to her, I am connecting with my daughter in ways I never thought possible.  We both view our walks as adventures and our relationship is much better for it.

I felt the need to tell this story because as a coach I am always pushing my athletes to go faster and get stronger.  I now know that there are other ways to stay healthy and fit. It doesn’t all have to be so focused on “the workout.” Finding enjoyment in any kind of activity has a value as well.

I do plan on resuming my triathlon training when my body is ready. I also know that my walks will continue. Time is always an issue when it comes to prioritizing our daily lives, but it’s worth re-evaluating how we move throughout the day and in our lives. Here are two suggestions:

1.    Figure out where you can find 15-20 minutes a day to go for a walk.  It might mean a few less minutes on the computer or leaving the dishes in the sink.  Try taking a walk during your lunch break and eating a light lunch at your desk.  When shopping, park at the outskirts of the mall.
2.    Pick up a copy of Mary Collins’ book, American Idle.  Read about her fascinating story and transformation.  Learn about what has contributed to the vast sedentary lifestyle of over 65% of Americans.  Collins also suggests ideas on how we can change your own behavior as well as open your eyes to the obstacles we all face and how we might be all be able to be part of the movement movement.

I know that triathlons – both training and coaching for them – have changed and enhanced my life. But, movement for the sake of movement, without a transition or a finish line has also had a profound impact.  Yes, walking is almost like breathing, something many of us take for granted. But, this experience of re-learning how and why I move has re-energized me as I head into the new year.

Location: The combination of this race being no more than an hour away from the Greater Hartford area and the reasonable start time of 8:00 a.m., makes this a great final race of the season. In this 2nd annual race, there was a record 500 registered athletes.

Timing: The transition closed at 7:30 a.m. I would recommend that you give yourself a full 45-60 minutes to get your chip, rack your bike, and set up your transition area. I showed up at 7:15 a.m. and it was way too tight. The racks were all filled and I had to squeeze my bike in last minute. I’m sure my rack mates were not very happy.  I also had to pick up my chip and get numbered.  All in all, it was a little too chaotic for my taste.  But it was my own fault.  My new mantra: You can never be too early.

Course: The swim is a big rectangle in the Long Island Sound at Jennings Beach. We started at one side of the beach and exited at the other end.   If you want to leave some type of footwear, you need to place it a bit of a ways away from the swim start.  I did not leave any shoes for that reason.  It was too many things to worry about.  The run from the swim to the transition area is mostly on the sand and a little bit on the parking lot.  It was a short distance, so shoes were not necessary.

The bike is two loops.  It is very a flat 14.5 miles. Be careful of the tight turns as you meander through the beach neighborhoods. If you’re comfortable with these tight turns, just be cognizant that not all the participants are and try not to freak them out.  You are pretty much able to stay in one gear on the entire bike ride.  I found it a lot of fun.

Leaving for the run.

The run is a mostly flat 3.1 miles through the same neighborhood you just bike through with a little off-road thrown in, right by the beach. There was only one mile marker, at mile 2. Since I didn’t know that, I was rather thrilled to see mile 2, knowing I only had one mile to go.

The finish takes you right up a little bridge and on the sand. It was fun to be on the beach and feel as though you could take another quick dip in the water.

The setting was ideal and the race was very well run by Trifitness.

What to watch out for:
As with all mid-September races, the weather can be very unpredictable. The air is usually cooler than the water, but you need to be prepared with the proper clothing. In 2009, it was very warm and dry; ideal racing conditions.

As mentioned before, the bike has some very sharp turns. Be prepared to slow down so as not to wipe out. Remember: safety before speed, any day!

Finishing right on the beach!

The run is very flat, but without any mile markers, it can be unnerving. I recommend that you wear a watch and do the best you can at estimating your speed so you know how far you have to go. As I mentioned, there was a 2 mile marker.

In the goody bag: Some Hammer products, a transition towel instead of a t-shirt and some local businesses flyers.

At the finish: There was plenty of bottled water, fruit and bagels to eat and medals for all the finishers!

I would definitely do this race again. Location and race course was top notch.

Trifitness Fairfield Triathlon (Sprint Distance)

Stay tuned for Race Reports from the following races:

Massachusetts State Triathlon (Sprint & Intermediate Distances)
New York City Triathlon (Olympic Distance)
Nation’s Triathlon in Washington, DC (Olympic Distance)
Women’s Triathlon (Sprint Distance)

We welcome all submissions.  We encourage you to keep the comments as general as possible.  It is our hope to provide as much helpful information about a particular race as possible.  Please focus more on the race details themselves and less on your personal experience.  You can also send us a photo or two.  Email us at coach@teamtrainingne.com and we’ll post them here.

Coach Lynne explaining how to navigate a transition area

A coach asks her athletes a question and answers it herself.

This season, Team Training New England ran a contest that encouraged our athletes to answer the question “Why I Tri?”  The prizes were  a brand new road bike, a triathlon suit and a new pair of running shoes (courtesy of national and local companies). Our goal was to learn a little more about our athletes, challenge them creatively and do some research, all at the same time.   Surprisingly, as I read the entries for “Why I Tri” I discovered why I coach.

After five years of coaching groups of women to train for and complete their first sprint distance triathlon, it seemed that I had lost sight of why I coached. As a professional organizer, I had become very efficient at organizing the marketing, the training and the race preparation I needed to make TTNE successful. It had all become automatic and somewhat predictable. Every season, there was a new group of women filled with fears, hesitations, and excitement.  A new group of women with obstacles and challenges that would stand in their way of getting to that starting line.  A new group of women whose lives would be forever changed by this experience.  A new group of women that had no idea what new challenges awaited them once they crossed that finish line.  And this year was no different.  I expected the athlete’s lives to change.  I was no longer surprised by it.

Then, as our training session was coming to an end, I received a note from one of my athletes that changed my perspective.. She wrote, “You are an incredible [person]…to take complete strangers and infuse them with your love of sport and empowerment is truly amazing. These past eight weeks have totally changed me in so many ways.”

Complete strangers.  These two words immediately jumped out at me.  While that is a factual statement, it just seemed to be so far from the truth.  Complete Strangers.  Yes, it’s true I didn’t know any of the women until the first day or training.  But something about this training program and this physical challenge spoke to them.  All of these women are choosing to take this challenge and try something new.  I had never met these women before, yet they were willing to put their trust in me and let me show them the way.  They were willing to let me guide them to the race day starting line.  They were not complete strangers, they were kindred spirits.  I had become so focused in making sure the athletes met their personal goal, whether it was to finish a race, try for a personal best or just have fun, that I had forgotten to share in it.    Every season, these complete strangers enrich my life because through their achievements I renew my own love and passion for this sport.

During these past few years of training, I have learned so much about my athletes.  I have learned what motivates them, what inspires them, and what scares them. I have learned about the challenges they face to accomplish their goals and how they overcome them, stay focused and ultimately persevere. But this season, as I read their contest entries, I had the opportunity to really hear their stories.  I was educated, moved and inspired by their challenges. They used music and videos and words to express their joy in this sport, joy that each year I rediscover and share.  I realized that the question I posed to them was also to me.  Why do I TRI? Why do I coach?

I coach so more women will be fit and empowered.  I coach so more women will challenge themselves in ways they could never have imagined.  I coach so a woman will be a better daughter, a better mother, a better wife, a better doctor, a better lawyer, a better teacher, a better human being.

I coach because there is nothing more rewarding than turning a group of complete strangers into training partners, into athletes and into friends, all facing challenges and reaching goals together.

And I coach so every spring, I can renew my love and passion for the sport of triathlon; a sport that gives me so much joy in every way, season after season!

Date: Sunday, April 11
Time: Wave times are 12:30 p.m.- 2:50 p.m. Not everyone can be in the first wave.  It is important that before you register  you make sure you are able to participate at any time during this window.
Swim: 20 minute pool swim
Bike: 20 minute guided ride on an indoor bike
Run: 3 mile outdoor run/walk
Event Flyer: 2010 JCC Indoor Triathlon Flyer
Click here to register online.
Call 860-236-4571 to quickly register over the phone.

We look forward to seeing many of you again soon!

Congratulations to all of the women who participated and volunteered at the 4th annual all-women’s indoor triathlon challenge at Saint Joseph College on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010. Click here for the results.
2010 SJC Indoor Triathlon Results

Save the date: Sunday, February 13, 2011 – 5th Annual Saint Joseph College Indoor Triathlon!

What are the healthiest choices at a restaurant?
•    Select grilled/broiled foods
•    Avoid fried foods – or at least remove the skin from chicken
•    Ask for double veggies on sandwiches
•    Order low fat milk or 100% juice
•    Have a salad or baked potato instead of fries
•    Avoid high fat dressings and sauces
•    Ask for veggies on your pizza, go easy on the cheese or choose chicken over pepperoni and sausage

Packable Nutrition Snack ideas (high energy, lean protein)
•    Trail mix (nuts, cereal, dried fruit, choc chips)
•    Wheat bread sandwiches or subs with PBJ or meat/cheese
•    Dry cereal & drinkable yogurt
•    String cheese or cheese cubes & fresh fruit
•    Nuts or Sunflower seeds & granola bar
•    Leftover cheese pizza or English muffin pizza
•    Beans and rice (in Tupperware)
•    Bagel with sliced cheese
•    Yogurt-covered raisins or pretzels
•    Sports bars

Remember small changes can make a big difference:
•    Egg McMuffin® = 12 grams of fat
•    Sausage Egg McMuffin® = 27 grams of fat

Tips
•    Packing snacks is also a good habit for busy days at home.  Keeping non-perishable foods in your car so you can curtail any “crashes” that might occur when you’re out and about.
•    Most fast food restaurants have their nutrition information on the web. You can calculate how your favorite meal stacks up nutritionally. You can also request a copy of nutritional information from restaurants and store them in your travel bag to guide to refer to later.
•    Plan ahead. Prepare a travel pack with snacks and beverages that support your performance eating plan.  It also saves you money.

Submitted by Jillian Wanik