Bike Diva: September 2011

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September 2011

09/29/2011

Results of 2011 Publix Escape to Miami Triathlon

Reback Wins Male Title for the 4th Time;
Olivas Wins Female Title by Over 10 Minutes

A field of 1,800 athletes swam, biked and ran in the 7th annual Publix Escape to Miami Triathlon last weekend. There were two races held on Sunday, September 25- Sprint and Olympic. John Reback came in first overall in the Olympic distance with a time of 2 hours 8 minutes and 47 seconds.

This was the fourth time in five years that Reback had won the triathlon. In regards to Sunday's event he said, "The conditions were perfect, the sun didn't come out [from behind the clouds]."

Isabel Olivas, 27, was the overall female winner for the Olympic distance. She came out of the swim in second place with only one male in front of her and managed to move up during the bike to first place. Although she was passed by a few male athletes during the run portion, Olivas still claimed the overall female title with an astonishing time of 2 hours 16 minutes and 55 seconds. Her finishing time was just over 10 minutes faster than second place female, Jeanine Seeger who completed the event with a time of 2:27:07.

The female winner for the Sprint distance was Audrey Vanderkamp with a time of 1:20:06. Lee Zolhman came in almost six minutes ahead of the second place male with a time of 1:09:13 to win the overall male title for the Sprint distance.

The Publix Escape to Miami Triathlon is famous for taking Olympic distance athletes by ferry out to an island where they must jump overboard and "escape" back to Miami by swimming .9 miles. They then bike 24.8 miles and finish by running 6.2 miles over the MacArthur Causeway. The Sprint distance consists of a .25 mile swim, 13 mile bike ride and 3.1 mile run.

The weekend events also included a health and fitness expo on Saturday that had Paralympian and World Record Holder Rudy Garcia-Tolson speak about his experience as a double amputee athlete. Following Sunday's event was a post race party that included event sponsors Pollo Tropical, Heineken, Volkswagen, Muscle Milk, Baptist Health and Mack Cycle.

Registration for next year's race is already open. The 2012 Publix Escape to Miami Triathlon date will be September 23. Interested athletes can register by going to www.WillYouFinish.com.

About US Road Sports

US Road Sports & Entertainment Group is a health and wellness company dedicated to the production of world-class endurance events. The mission of US Road Sports is to offer an unparalleled participant sports experience that showcases host communities and endures as a deeply valued local asset through events that are a part of the city's culture, identity and brand. For each participant, US Road Sports strives to offer events that allow participants of all skill levels the opportunity to improve their physical and mental health and accomplish life-altering goals while having fun. US Road Sports provides sponsors and municipalities highly effective exposure to help maximize their presence and message in the community.

Posted by Lynn Smythe on 09/29/2011 at 09:21 AM in Press Releases, Triathlons & Duathlons | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

09/27/2011

Bike Diva's Tentative 2012 Race Schedule

Above: Lynn Smythe, AKA the Bike Diva, and her husband Rob finishing the swim leg of their first ever triathlon, February 2011.

Race Bike Diva Race

It's that time of year again. Time for reflection as I look back at the races I participated in 2011 and figure out which events I want to race in 2012. I've been racing since 2008, you can view my Bike Diva Race Schedule to see all the events I participated in since that time: https://bikediva.net/bike-divas-races.html.

I start planning my schedule for the following year in the early fall for a number of reasons:

The companies I am trying to obtain sponsorship from for the 2012 race season usually accept applications in the fall for sponsorship the following year. Every potential sponsor needs a general idea of the events you plan on doing.
I am married with children and need to plan my training and racing around my husbands work schedule and daughters school schedule.
I am not independently wealthy, and as an amateur athlete, I have to pay the entry fee to all my events. Being on a limited budget I have to decide which events are the most important to me each year.
I live in south Florida and could easily race year round. But that would be a recipe for disaster. Everyone needs an off season to rest and recuperate from their main racing season before gearing up their training for the next racing season. I was exhausted at the end of 2010 after doing 22 events, so I am trying really hard to scale back a bit. Fewer races should mean those races are better/faster than going slow and suffering when doing too many events.

Above: showing off my bike in the transition area of the 2011 St. Anthony's triathlon.

Bike Diva's 2011 Races

As you can see, I still have a few races left to go for 2011. My "A" race of the year, the one which is the most important to me, takes place on November 13. I will be competing in my first half Ironman distance triathlon at Miami Man, 6 days before my 48th birthday!

2/06 - Club Med Race Series #1 – sprint triathlon – Club Med, Port St. Lucie
2/26 - Race for Faith – 5k – John Prince Park, Lake Worth
3/13 - 35^th Annual Shamrock Run – 5k – John Prince Park, Lake Worth
3/27 – Club Med Race Series #2 – sprint triathlon – Club Med, Port St. Lucie
4/03 - Spring Training Triathlon - sprint triathlon - Tradewinds Park, Coconut Creek
4/17 - FAU Wellness Triathlon - sprint triathlon - Spanish River Park, Boca Raton
4/23 - Egg Hunt Triathlon - sprint triathlon - CB Smith Park, Pembroke Pines
5/01 - St. Anthony's Triathlon - Olympic triathlon - Vinoy Park, St. Petersburg
5/07 – 10th Annual Race for the Arts – 5k – John Prince Park, Lake Worth
7/04 - Independence Day - sprint triathlon - Tradewinds Park, Coconut Creek
7/24 – Club Med Race Series #4 – sprint triathlon – Club Med, Port St. Lucie
8/06 - Loggerhead Triathlon - sprint triathlon - Carlin Park, Jupiter.
8/21 - WPB Race Series - 15k time trial bike race - West Palm Beach.
10/02 - Race the Troops - sprint triathlon - Tradewinds Park, Coconut Creek
11/13 - Miami Man – ½ Ironman triathlon – Larry & Penny Thompson Park, Homestead
11/19 25th Annual Turkey Trot - 5k run - Anchor Park, Delray Beach
12/03 - Warrior Dash - 5k adventure run - Quiet Waters Park, Deerfield Beach

Above: my favorite part of the triathlon, the bike leg!

Bike Diva's Tentative 2012 Race Schedule

This is a very preliminary schedule. I don't have any dates yet for the Club Med series of triathlons or any of the Multirace.com triathlons. I'm not sure if I will commit to doing my first full Ironman distance triathlon the end of 2012 or 2013. If I don't do Ironman in 2012 then I will do the half Ironman again at Miami Man in lieu of Ironman Florida.

Also, if my swim confidence has improved, then I'm looking at NOT doing as many Multirace.com events as I usually do and adding in some of the bigger tris, such as Miami International, Nautica South Beach or Escape to Miami to my schedule. BUT I will have to get over my fear of bridges, Miami triathlons are full of stinking bridges.

Also, my local chapter Team in Training is talking about doing the Moab century ride next September. That is a 100 mile road bike ride in the mountains in Utah. My husband is one of the Team in Training cycle coaches, so if Moab is a go, then I'll be training for that event in September in lieu of doing Nation's triathlon.

The Disney half and full marathon (AKA Goofy Race & a half Challenge) are the only events that I have already registered for in 2012. I am doing Goofy with my local chapter of Team in Training to help raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This leaves a lot of room for changes and additions to the schedule. But potential sponsors for 2012 race season need to have a general idea of what events I plan to race so I put together this tentative schedule.

1/07/12 - Disney - half marathon - Orlando
1/08/12 - Disney - marathon - Orlando
2/19/12 - A1A - marathon - Ft. Lauderdale
2/25/12 - 9th Annual Race for Faith - 5k - Lake Worth
3/10/12 - 11th Annual Race for the Arts - 5k - West Palm Beach
3/?/12 - 36th Annual Shamrock Run - 5k or 10 miler - Lake Worth
4/15/12 - FAU - sprint triathlon - Boca Raton
4/29/12 - St. Anthony's - Olympic triathlon - St. Petersburg
8/?/12 - Loggerhead - sprint triathlon - Jupiter
9/09/12 - Nation's - Olympic triathlon - Washington, DC
??11/?/12 - Ironman Florida - Full Ironman triathlon - Panama City Beach OR
11/?/12 - Miami Man - half Ironman triathlon - Miami
11/?/12 - 26th Annual Turkey Trot - 5k - Delray Beach
12/?/12 - Palm Beach Marathon - marathon - West Palm Beach

Above: my least favorite part of triathlons, the swim. I've only been swimming since January 3, so I guess I'm doing okay for just getting into triathlons. I am like a fish out of water in the water - LOL!

Additional Sponsorship Information

Here are links to articles I've written on obtaining sponsorship for amateur athletes:

Take care,
Lynn Smythe, AKA the Bike Diva

Posted by Lynn Smythe on 09/27/2011 at 04:35 PM in Athletic Sponsorship, Bike Diva News, Bike Diva Sponsors, Multisport, Road Biking, Running, Triathlons & Duathlons | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

09/21/2011

Proper Arm Swing Improves Your Running Form

Above: Bike Diva showing poor arm swing while running.

Arm Swing While Running

What a difference a couple of weeks makes. The photo shown at the top of this blog post was taken on August 20, 2011. I was participating in a short run after the season kickoff for the Team in Training winter marathon team. The members of the team that live in south Palm Beach county do their weekly Saturday training runs out of Red Reef Park in Boca Raton. As you can see in the photo, I used to run with my arms swinging all over the place and crossing the front of my body.

All the magazine articles and books I've read on running never mentioned a lot about what to do with your arms. Roy Wallack's book, Run for Life, offers a brief insight on how a poor arm swing can lead to poor running mechanics which can lead to aches and pains and eventually injuries. Wallack says that runners should have pendulum arms: "to direct all your momentum forward, swing arms vertically along the side of the body with elbows bent at a 90-degree angle or less. Don't swing them at an angle across the chest, which directs your momentum cross-ways and places additional compensating forces on hips, shoulders, knees, ankles and back."

Above: e3 Grips by Biogrip, Inc.

A Tool For Proper Arm Swing

I've been trying really hard to pay attention to what my arms are doing during all my runs. I seem to have less right hip flexor and lower back pain now that I'm not swinging my arms wildly about. But because I had been running for the past 3 years with improper arm swing, I am currently seeing a chiropractor for weekly adjustments, to help get my back, spine and pelvis back into proper alignment.

Wallack discovered the e3 grips, made by Biogrip, Inc., to help him keep his arms in the correct position, while learning a more efficient arm swing. I don't think I would resort to buying a pair of the grips, I can't imagine running while holding something in both hands. You can get the same effect by pretending you are holding a joystick in your hand and are trying to push the side of your index finger with the tip of your thumb. The grips have a suggested retail price of $39.95; if you are interested in learning more about the e3 grips, visit their website: http://biogrip.com/.

Bike Diva Recommended Running Books

I have loads of books covering various swim, bike, run, strength training and nutrition topics. Here are a few of my favorite running books that can help you improve your running form. All three books are proponents of having a mid foot strike, as opposed to being a heel striker, while running. I changed my running form from being a heavy heel striker, to that of a mid foot striker, over one year ago. But that is a topic best reserved for another blog post.

Pose Method Running - Dr. Nicholas Romanov
Chi Running - Danny & Kathy Dreyer
Run for Life - Roy Wallack

Above: coming out of the water at the 2011 FAU sprint triathlon. My arms almost look okay here, elbows still splayed out a bit too wide and flapping like chicken wings, NOT an attractive look.

Disney Marathon

I am doing the Goofy Race & 1/2 Half Challenge in Orlando in January with Team in Training. Participating in both the Disney ½ marathon and Disney marathon is called the Goofy Race and ½ Challenge. I will be participating in this event with my local Team in Training chapter, while helping to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Disney will be my first running event with Team in Training. I have completed 5 century bike rides and 2 triathlons with TNT since 2006, while helping to raise over $30,000 for cancer research. My fund-raising page is located at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/pb/wdw12/lsmythe.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Posted by Lynn Smythe on 09/21/2011 at 11:29 AM in Bike Diva News, Cross Training, Fund Raising Events, Running | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

09/20/2011

Compression Tights & Compression Triathlon Shorts

CW-X Conditioning Wear

I recently had a chance to test out compression tights and triathlon shorts made by CW-X. I had been wanting to get a pair of compression tights to start using as a recovery tool after my long bike rides and runs. I figured the compression tights would also double as running tights in the winter and the tri shorts can be worn for regular biking and bike-to-run bricks. I probably would not wear them for any of my races, too many sponsorship obligations so I am usually racing in official team gear for Team Odwalla or one of my other sponsors.

CW-X has a size guide on their website. They say if your height and weight has you falling between sizes to choose the next size larger. I ordered the compression shorts and tights in women's size medium. In addition to the tights and shorts, CW-X makes a complete line of compression gear including:

arm sleeves
calf sleeves
socks
support bras
running and triathlon tops

Compression Gear Features

According to CW-X their compression gear has a variety of features:

Warm-up - establishes the optimum state to begin your workout safely and effectively.
Training zone - maintains peak performance and stabilizes temperature during activity.
Cool-down - helps the body slowly return to its resting phase.
Recovery - facilitates circulation and venous return, minimizing lactic acid build-up and muscle soreness during and after activity.

Above: CW-X women's Ventilator triathlon shorts.

Above: CW-X Perform-X compression tights

Bike Diva's Verdict

Both the compression tight and compression shorts were a little bit tricky to get on. They kind of reminded me of putting panty hose on, work from the ankle up to the knee then finally pull them up to your waist. You work on getting on one leg at a time, and since they are so tight, it also kind of reminded me of putting on my wetsuit.

At first I thought I wasn't going to like the tri shorts, as they hit just above the knee. That is way longer than any of my other biking or running shorts. But once I started running, it was heaven! I normally have a lot of hip flexor pain, due to tight IT band, but the shorts felt like I was getting a message the entire time I was running. And they have a very light weight chamois pad to make the transition to biking comfortable.

Above: my husband and I at the completion of the 2011 St. Anthony's Triathlon. Yes, I found the beer tent right after crossing the finish line.

Disney Marathon

Living in south Florida I will mainly use the compression tights as recovery gear to wear at home after my long run and bike workouts. But it does cool down for a day or two during the winter in Florida, so I might actually get a chance to wear them while running. I am doing the Goofy Race & 1/2 Half Challenge in Orlando in January, it can get a bit cool in Disney World that time of year, so I will pack my compression tights with me just in case. And I will definitely want to wear them after doing the 1/2 half marathon the day before doing the full.

Participating in both the Disney ½ marathon and Disney marathon is called the Goofy Race and ½ Challenge. I will be participating in this event with my local Team in Training chapter, while helping to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Disney will be my first running event with Team in Training. I have completed 5 century bike rides and 2 triathlons with TNT since 2006, while helping to raise over $30,000 for cancer research. My fund-raising page is located at: http://pages.teamintraining.org/pb/wdw12/lsmythe.

Promotive Website

I purchased my CW-X compression tights and triathlon shorts on the Promotive website as part of a pro deal discount. I qualified for both the Industry Pro Deal and Outdoor Media & Industry Advocates teams on the Promotive website.

You've heard of brands that hook up "pros" with free gear to expose their products to flocks of potential buyers. You may not know those same companies offer discounts to other high-profile customers as well. You're receiving this invitation because I think you're discount-worthy, and I'm pretty sure a bunch of cool brands will feel the same way. There's only one way to find out if you qualify for up to 70 percent off retail - register with ProMotive.com for free!

Additional Information

CW-X clothing can be purchased from a variety of on-line retailers including Paragon Sports, Zappos, Back Country and Tri Sports. Shop around for the best prices; I found them going on the internet for between $50 and $100 for both the shorts and tights.

Website: http://cw-x.com

Twitter:

Facebook:

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva

Posted by Lynn Smythe on 09/20/2011 at 02:17 PM in Clothing & Accessories, Multisport, Product Reviews, Triathlons & Duathlons | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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