The birthplace of triathlon was host to competitors drawn to the sunny skies and the stand-out venue of the 2013 Omegawave World Triathlon San Diego, which welcomed more than 1,800 age-groupers from 15 countries to Mission Beach on Saturday.
The age-group event was again held in conjunction with the second stop of the 2013 International Triathlon Union World Triathlon Series circuit. (more…)
This article was written by Lauren Fleshman who is a JayBird triathlete and the wife of Jesse Thomas who happens to be a JayBird triathlete.
I have a confession to make: I wish I had a penis. Just kidding. Kind of. Not really. Oh, boy. Let me explain.
My sister and I grew up with a pretty dominant dad (pictured; I’m on the right) who was really macho and worked in construction and had the language to go with it. (You’ve been warned.) Frank was the undisputed boss who got the best chair in any room, the first serving of home-cooked dinner, and complete control of the remote at all times. He’s the kind of dude you’d expect would want sons.
But no. Frank had two girls, and turned out to be an unlikely sage for feminist wisdom. (more…)
USA Triathlon will have a new home for the 2013 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championship in Tempe, Arizona. The city of Tempe is excited to be hosting a National Championship and an event the caliber of the Collegiate National Championship. Tempe already has a strong collegiate presence with home of Arizona State University. Saturday, April, 13 will be the Collegiate National Championship race. USA Triathlon will again offer the four-person, draft-legal mixed team relay on Saturday afternoon. Friday, April 12, will be the new addition of the draft legal race for qualified athletes. (more…)
Check out this article that was written by our newest athlete – Jesse Thomas Pro Triathlete
My oh my oh my oh my oh my….
THAT was a big one, crazy ass fans. The biggest one of this journey so far. I honestly don’t know where to start. I’m stoked. I’m crushed. I’m sore. I’m hung-over. I’m really, really hungry. Let’s begin. (more…)
According to USA Triathlon, participation in triathlon is at an all-time high, following unprecedented growth over the last decade. This is good news for participants as new races are popping up to keep up with the demand. Most people have heard of the daunting Ironman triathlon which consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. The allure of this race distance attracts many, but there are several distances for athletes of all entry points, experience, and skill levels.
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With U.S. Olympian Sarah Groff and elite national champion Jarrod Shoemaker headlining the honorees, USA Triathlon today announced its 2012 Elite Athletes of the Year.
Eligible athletes were nominated by their fellow elite competitors with the award selections being made by the USA Triathlon Athlete Advisory Council (AAC).
“2012 was truly a remarkable year in triathlon. With outstanding performances across all distances, picking the winners from our incredible list of nominees was a difficult task,” said Barrett Brandon, chair of the USA Triathlon Athlete Advisory Council. “The AAC carefully examined the résumés and results and is proud to honor these exceptional athletes. The AAC congratulates all the 2012 winners.” (more…)
Sunday’s Ironman Arizona is known for its flat, fast course with lots of loops (three on the bike, three on the run) and the potential threat of wind on the exposed bike course. Since the race has moved from April to November as of a few years ago, heat has been less of an issue—this year’s forecast looks to be 78 degrees with no chance of rain, making for a picture-perfect day for competitors.
With the help of three-time IMAZ finisher Jessica Herschberg of FTP Coaching in Nashville, we have some tips for how to best navigate your race. Good luck to those tackling 140.6 this weekend!
Tips for the swim:
• Tempe Town Lake is not known for its crystal-clear waters. The murkiness means limited visibility—as in, you can’t really see your hand in front of you—so be prepared for flying arms or a foot in your face seemingly out of nowhere.
• The good news is that the one-loop course is very calm. The chaos of the mass start usually dissipates by the turnaround.
• Bring a couple goggle options and try them out in the practice swim the day before. In addition to the limited visibility, the swim starts due east, so the sun can be harsh for sighting as you go out. (Thankfully it follows a straight wall, which can help with sighting.)
• It’s a deep water start, so the earlier you enter the water, the longer you’re treading. “Be careful to not spend excess energy before you race,” advises Herschberg. On the flip side, waiting around too long could lead to a panicked last-minute 6:58 jump-in that won’t do much to calm your nerves. (more…)
LONDON — With a Team USA-best 14th-place effort in the London 2012 men’s triathlon Tuesday at Hyde Park, Hunter Kemper earned the distinction of ranking as the top American men’s finisher in all four Olympic Games since triathlon made its debut 12 years ago in Sydney.
Kemper (Colorado Springs, Colo.) covered the 1,500-meter swim, 43-kilometer bike, 10-kilometer run course in 1 hour, 48 minutes, 46 seconds to lead the two-man U.S. squad. Manuel Huerta (Miami, Fla.) was 51st in 1:53:39.
The 14th-place finish was the third-best Olympic Games showing of Kemper’s decorated career. He was seventh in 2008 in Beijing, ninth in 2004 in Athens and 17th in 2000 in Sydney.
“There are not many athletes that have done four Olympic Games,” Kemper said. “It’s something that’s special to me and something that I’ll hold dear and take a lot of pride of in that.”
The pre-race medal favorites delivered to the delight of the thousands of fans lining Hyde Park, as brothers Alistair Brownlee and Jonathan Brownlee claimed gold and bronze in 1:46:25 and 1:46:56, respectively. Spain’s Javier Gomez raced to silver in 1:46:36.
Another cool morning led to a wetsuit swim in The Serpentine for the men. Kemper exited the water in 20thposition and within 30 seconds of the leaders, while Huerta entered T1 two minutes off the pace.
A lead pack of five, including the eventual podium finishers, made an early break on the bike, but by the time the riders hit the third of the seven laps, the chase pack, which included Kemper, had caught the leaders. Over the final four laps, a handful of breaks were attempted but never came to fruition, and 22 riders hit T2 together. Kemper entered T2 toward the back of the lead group and hit the 10k run course in 19th position. (more…)
If you try to draw correlations among the five U.S. triathletes going to the Olympics this year, good luck. There are some parallels, like their willingness to work hard and make sacrifices, as well as a few stories of overcoming adversity. But their journeys to where they are now are all over the map. Each day this week we’ll introduce you to a different member of the U.S. Olympic triathlon team. Today we’re telling the story of Hunter Kemper, who will be going to his fourth-straight Olympics as a member of Team USA.
Frustration is an understatement when you’re helpless in bed attached to an IV and pick line knowing that you’re there due to a circumstance out of your control. In October of 2011, Hunter Kemper was hit by an amateur athlete while going 35 mph on his bike during a race in Myrtle Beach, S.C., leaving him with a broken elbow. The situation turned into a bigger nightmare than he could have ever fathomed.
“When I went down I didn’t realize how bad it was,” he said. “The next few months were a roller coaster ride. Initially I got a plate and 13 screws in. Then it got infected around Thanksgiving, and come Christmas I got a staph infection.” Kemper traveled to Vail, Colo., where he underwent three surgeries in three consecutive days to clean it out. He was left bed ridden for two weeks, and on and IV drip and pick line for six weeks.
“That’s a point where you definitely have doubts,” he said. “You can’t not when you’re in a place that you never thought you’d be, and that out of shape—and this was in January [2012, with the big race in May].”
He kept his situation private; only those who needed to know were aware. He didn’t need his competitors cognizant of his condition so close to the ‘A’ race at ITU World Triathlon Series San Diego. “I didn’t want to give them that mental edge,” he said. “I’d just say, ‘I’ll be coming back; things are OK.” It was a tough journey but, finally, just two weeks before San Diego he felt like the worst was behind him and that he could execute. And that he did, finishing fifth at San Diego to earn a spot on the Olympic Team.
Looking back at the injury, he realizes it could have been blessing in disguise—Kemper was fresh and more eager and appreciative to be racing than ever before—but he’s also ready to move on. “That was my journey, and it makes you appreciate things,” he said, “but it’s a negative thing that I don’t like to talk much about. I need to stay positive.” (more…)
With less than three weeks until the Olympic Games kick off in London, the 2012 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team was officially announced Tuesday by the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Representing the U.S. in the women’s triathlon on Aug. 4 in Hyde Park will be two-time Olympic qualifier Laura Bennett (Boulder, Colo.) and first-timers Sarah Groff (Hanover, N.H.) and Gwen Jorgensen (Milwaukee, Wis.).
Four-time Olympian Hunter Kemper (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Manuel Huerta (Miami, Fla.) will compete in the Aug. 7 men’s triathlon. In all, the USOC announced a 530-member roster for the 2012 Olympic Games.
“It is an incredible honor to represent the USA in the Olympics. To be able to wear USA across my chest is something I will never forget,” Jorgensen said. “I’m excited to be a part of something that brings not only the USA together, but the entire world together.”
For more on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, visit USA Triathlon’s Olympic Games coverage page. (more…)
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