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Sitting in T3
Rob Colburn
The entire R2R staff braved the wicked winter weather of 2010 and made it to the fabulous Broadmoor in Colorado Springs for the “Art & Science of Triathlon” Symposium, held February 12-14. A brief review of the weekend follows.
As advertised, the program was a pretty equal mix of “Art” and “Science”. The science piece was a tri geek’s pleasure palace, featuring such varied presenters as Mark “the Grip” Allen-Ironman Legend, Vern Gambetta, considered the father of functional sports training, and Dr. Stephen McGregor, Ph.D. an exercise physiologist from Eastern Michigan University.
The topics presented by these folks and their colleagues covered not only the cutting edge training theories being used today, but also gave us an exclusive peak into what’s coming down the pike in the not too distant future.
USAT level 3 swim guru, Tim Crowley, conducted a breakout session on improving swim technique & training with power. The talk was crammed full of practical swim specific material to help coaches design workouts for both in and out of the water. Tim also spoke of the day when swimmers will be able to measure and quantify an enormous amount of data using a device similar to a bike’s power meter. The data will enable to guide a coach to make very personalized adjustments to stroke technique and training for individual swimmers. Better results through science are right around the corner!
Vern Gambetta, a pioneer on the Functional Sports Training method, presented revolutionary ways of improving performance by using sport specific triathlon strength and core training programs. All we’ll say here is that it’s not your grandpa or grandma’s dumbbells and free weights anymore.
Mark Allen gave his version of a great IM training program with his unique (and need I mention proven) ideas on how to prepare from day one to race week. Who’s not going to listen to that?
The running guys, mainly Dr. McGregor and Joel Friel, are taking the science of running and run training to new levels. Their data gathering methods and applications and periodization training ideas will change the way you approach your next run session, guaranteed.
The science schedule was vast, informative and cutting edge to be sure, but as most triathletes know, you cannot reach your full potential on nuts and bolts alone. It takes heart and guts and inspiration too.
There was no shortage of presenters on the “Art” side of the sport represented to help drive that point home. Johan Bruyneel gave life lessons and coaching philosophies as seen through the eyes of the most successful Team Manager the bicycling world as ever seen. Sue Enquist, legendary softball player and coach at UCLA for over 27 years, imparted great lessons and stories on coaching today’s athlete. She coached with her heart and her head with great passion for her sport and with 11 national titles on her resume, commanded the attention of her audience.
Perhaps the most awe inspiring presentation of the weekend had nothing to do with triathlon, heart rates, gastric emptying or power meters. It was the talk given by Erik Weihenmayer, the only blind climber in history to summit Mt Everest. With equal parts humor and passion he encourages folks to live every day to fullest and to find adventure and satisfaction in the everyday. His athletic accomplishments are impressive and varied, his philanthropic endeavors help thousands of disabled athletes and his storytelling and teaching ability had his audience on the edge of their seats. In fact, by the end of his talk, there was not a dry eye in the house and the entire room rose as one to salute a truly inspiring human being.
“Comes a time, a blind man takes your hand and says, “Don’t you see?” (lyrics by R. Hunter & . Garcia)
One final note: True to the sometimes humbling nature of our sport, Erik’s talk could not have come at a better time. Earlier that morning triathlon legend Barb Lindquist led us on a 5k run through the backstreets of Colorado Springs. At 6700 feet of elevation, the collective heart rate of your R2R staff was too high to measure and our rate of perceived effort too high to be measured by any newfangled device we may have just learned about. It’s still about putting one foot in front of the other. Or as Mary described it, “I am extremely winded but at least my legs feel like lead!”
The good people at USAT should be commended for constructing a program that featured a perfect combination of cutting edge science and an arts program that truly inspired. As coaches, it is now our challenge to put it all together for our athletes.
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