Tony's Xterra & Short Course Tri Group - OPEN

Hi All!  Group's officially open!  Open to all, but focus on Xterra, spring, Oly.  If your a 1/2 or full IM your welcome too!  

I'm in a carry over group already.  But since you're my coach and I'm also doing some sprints, oly's and xterra's along with HIM's I'd love to join your group too if it's ok?

WHEN CAN YOU START MENTORING CONSISTENTLY: Last week!

FOCUS: HIM

NAME: Meulen / Brian

STORY: I've been doing tri's for about 5 years now.  Although, technically, my first year was only one indoor tri and the second was mainly mtb racing.  After that I dove in!  Really got into road tri's.  I still ride the MTB and do some trail running for fun. This year I'll get back to some Xterra too!  It will also be my first year as a coached athlete.  I've been working with TZCoaching for a few months now after the season ended last year.  I'm really looking forward to racing this year!  Although, I will have some challenges dealing with my Plantar Fasciitis and ongoing sinus issues that curbs a lot of my swim training.  But I've still been making good progress lately, and am working on hard on what I can work on!  Hoping to overcome and set some PR's next season and maybe qualify for some bigger races!

FAMILY STATUS: Married with 3 "kids"; 2 black lab mixes & a cat!  All rescues.  We love animals in our house! 

CURRENT TRAINING: Train consistently year round focusing HIM. 

THIS YEAR'S RACES: Raced 2012 Racine 70.3 to a bit dissapointing results but still at least MOP,  Took 10th in my AG at the Palos Half Marathon, and 5th in AG at the Naperville Sprint triathlon and qualified for USAT nationals there. 

2013 RACES:  Going to do two 70.3's, Kansans and Muncie, focussing on a futal attempt to qualify for LV.  Also racing the Palos half marathon, Xterra ft Custer, and possibly another Xterra and or an Oly in prep for the 70.3's.  I'll top off the season with USAT nationals in Milwaukee and the Naperville Sprint tri.

WEIGHTLOSS: Lost about 50 lbs in my early years of during mtb racing and tri's.  Have put a few back on in the last year.  Looking to get down to a new low and find an ideal racing weight for me.  TZCoaching is guiding me through the MET diet starting Jan 1.

WHAT WILL MAKE ME A GOOD MENTOR: I've been around racing/training a while now and love to share my experiences.  I also love to hear others experiences and continue to learn and find better ways to trian/race/and achieve goals. 

Hey Kyle!  Welcome to the group.  Brian, your not welcome, I have to hear enough from you outside of here... )  

Kyle, the Xterra's are FUN!  Brian has done them before, and I'm sure he can share his experience but the trails aren't too technical at all.  

Hi, I am Steven, 46Y, I'd like to join your group as my first try at Tri will be the Xterra Greece 15th of june. the next 2 month I want to focus on getting the volumes in and adapting to consistently training. saturdays for the long bike sessions, sundays the long runs and during the week 6AM sessions before work, in the fitness center, swimming, treadmill, spinning and weights.

current data; weight 69kg, in race form should be dropping to ca.63kg, in "tourist "mode I can complete all distances.

Hi Tony,

  My name is Gordon VanderMeulen. I'm the almost 65 year old father of Brian, who along with his wife, Ann have inspired me to begin training for my first Triathelon. The goal is for me to run the Naperville Sprint Tri in August. I'm new to this type of training. I have weight trained and done some bikeing for years, but until last May I never ran as far a city block in my life. Brian wisely instructed me to use the couch to 5K program and by June, I was running 5K's 3 times a week with no ill effects on these old joints and bones. Initially lost 30 pounds in the process and now weigh about 175 lbs. I'm almost up to the point of running 10K and if all goes well, I might try to run a 1/2 marathon with Brian in Mayin Palos Heights. I've been running 3 days a week, biking 2 days , and swimming 3 days. I'm by far the weakest at swimming and am working with the Swim Smooth program to get me to where I can get through that part of the Tri. I'm not quite as dedicated at this as Brian because I'm still involved in my main hobby, the Shooting Sports, but I've come pretty far allready and I've made up my mind to do this. I hope you will accept me in your group. I'm looking forward to meeting you

Hey Samantha! 

Welcome to the group!  I see your in Michigan, they have a couple great Xterra's out there!  They aren't as intimidating as you'd thing; there actually really fun!  Relaxing environment, everyone is super friendly and they aren't as adrenaline filled as your typical tri's.  Give one a try!  We'll be out there probably at Fort Custer, so stop by and try it! 

Thanks Tony!  I actually was looking into Fort Custer, I think that would be a neat one to do, but I have another (regular) triathlon in mind I'd like to do the week after, and I have no idea what my recovery would be like from an xterra!  (I dunno, I feel like I'll be using extra muscles I'm not used to using??)  If it were the weekend AFTER the regular triathlon, I wouldn't mind so much!

So, I'm looking at doing the Torn Shirt one.  Have you (or anyone else) done that one?

So as I mentioned, I am hoping to pop my head in here from time to time to learn more about xterras!  

Now for a little bio.  I'll be entering my third season of triathlons.  I learned about triathlon through watching the Ironman world champs on NBC (very original, I know). That was in high school, at which time I did an indoor triathlon and that was it.  Finally many years later I did my first outdoor tri which was in 2010.  That year I did 4 sprints which culminated with an HIM which I had been training all summer for.  Sadly, little did I know, I had an injury waiting to happen the whole summer, and it blew up during my HIM.  That left me with an assortment of hip issues, and I basically took the following tri season off.  I tried to get back into things slowly last year and did 3 sprints.  I managed to not run into many major problems all last year, but now, it seems that now something has cropped up!  So I'm continuing to manage it, and it is really just about making sure it doesn't get to a horrid stage.

My mind keeps changing about specific races I want to do this year, but I will be sticking with sprints... although the xterra torn shirt I'm looking at I would count slightly longer than a sprint! (regular swim with 18 mile bike and 6 mi run).  At this time I am also thinking of having a run focus (fall running race) and leaving my July/August open without races...... but, that could change!  We'll see!

Samantha