The Triathlon Experts

Summer cycling is in full swing for triathletes - and others who just love to ride the roads and the trails. Every year, I ponder what kind of upgrades and gear that I want to add to my bikes. Since I am not a rich man, I usually head for my two favorite bike catalogs…Performance Bike and Bike Nashbar.

I always feel like a kid when I see either a Performance Bike or Bike Nashbar catalog in the mail. Even if I do not need any parts, I always enjoy browsing the catalogs to see what new products have come on the market that I can strap onto my bikes. They usually have a good sale with the catalog as well…so I am usually on the Web placing some kind of order a few times a year.

Bike Parts Industry Domination = Cheaper Parts for Us

If I didn’t know better, I would think these two companies are the same company - but what makes them seem similar is their extreme price competition with each other. Performance and Nashbar compete in the “discount” bike parts marketplace…much to the disliking of local bike shops (LBSs). Although I like to give the LBSs some of my business, I am convinced that they can’t match the catalog prices and stay in business.

Now, if you are more of a purist and demand the top-level parts and components, Performance Bike and Bike Nashbar may seem a little pedestrian…but they do sell top brands and top-level components as well. So, don’t stick your nose up too soon without a look, unless you just have too much money and need to get rid of it!

Great Deals, Cheap Shipping and Easy Returns

Being able to return that component after you have breached the packaging is one of the great pleasures of being an American…in my opinion. I love knowing that I can check a product out on the vendor’s tab, before committing to keeping it. With the big players, like Performance Bike and Bike Nashbar, I have never had an issue returning something - as long as it has not been “used”. Try that at a small catalog, and you may be keeping that product forever.

My experience with both companies is that their service and returns policies are generous. Additionally, the shipping costs are pretty minimal. Combine this with great deals and you will see that you can get a whole box of bike parts for the price of one component at a local bike shop.

Go forth and shop! Just remember to give some business to the local bike shops…since they are great to have around and provide tremendous support to local events and the triathlon community.

It is no surprise that many triathletes and spectators see XTERRA off road triathlon racing as an event for the borderline mentally insane…especially when watching the TV footage from the mountain biking leg of the XTERRA triathlon.

I will not completely disagree that we triathletes are insane, but know that you can apply good training and strategy to improve the chances of success and to decrease your chances of crash injury. First, learning how to ride a mountain bike properly is a must. A good training guide to start with is Blair Thorne’s Mountain Bike Guide . Check this material out.

XTERRA events add the challenge of nature’s unpredictability to an already difficult sport. We want to provide you with some tools for ensuring that you come out on top of the heap, instead of ending up on the bottom of the crash pile. Read the rest of this entry »

The XTerra Off-Road Triathlon Series and other lesser-known off-road triathlons are completely different beasts than the traditional on-road triathlons. Where the fast, sleek and finely tuned athletes excel on the road - the tough, flexible, and pain-eating athletes excel off the road.

Off Road triathlons attract a different crowd of people who love the outdoors and love to use the outdoors to challenge themselves differently in every race. Therefore, you need a different training approach to be successful (whether a beginner or expert) in off-road triathlons.

In the “Off-Road Triathlons” category on this site, we will explore the different training techniques and focus areas to help you get the most out of your XTerra experience.

You Need Strength, Flexibility & Threshold Training

With all of the zigging, zagging, plunging, climbing, twisting and pulling that the human body has to endure to get through an XTerra offroad triathlon, it is no wonder that most coaches recommend a diverse training plan that builds on strength, flexibility and training near and above your lactic thresholds.

In a road triathlon, usually the prize goes to the triathlete who can maintain a high level of smooth performance. Not so off road. The athelete that can adapt to changing conditions, power up hills, dodge boulders, and handle high levels of lactic acid in their muscles has the advantage.

So, how should you approach your training? We will be doing a series of posts on this site on different off road triathlon training tips. Start with these tips in mind and look for upcoming posts.

Top Off Road Triathlon Training Tips

1. Train for the Course Features You will Be Racing
   You need to prepare your body for the rigors of the race to avoid injury and to be successful. Study the course descriptions and look for training opportunities close to home. We will be going into detail on ideas for finding these places to train.
2. Get Out On the Trails Now!
   Depending on where you live, you will have some access to trails. Don’t train indoors or on the road all of the time and expect to be able to apply this directly to off road triathlon success. Not gonna happen. Your body needs to learn to adapt to trails, hills, rocks, logs and other obstacles.
3. Cross Trail to Build Strength and Flexibility
   Take part of your training to Gym, yoga studio, or any other diverse athletic endeavor (golf courses may be a stretch here…:) ) to build up strength and flexibility in the muscles you usually don’t train. This will come in handy to save your butt when you have to zig zag on the trail in a different direction than anticipated…not to mention making you more efficient and faster.
4. Work on Your Technical Skills
   Anyone who has decended a steep hill on a mountain bike (even at Granny pace) knows that it takes skill and practice to avoid disaster - let alone making good time. You can’t just translate your road skills to the trail overnight. The more practice you get in actual conditions, the more efficient and fast you will be on race day. Off road triathlons require more technical skill, so don’t leave this important training aspect out. If you are new to mountain biking, check out this comprehensive guide Click Here! .

These tips will give you a framework to build a good XTerra off road triathlon training strategy. Stay tuned, as we will be discussing more details on how to get the most out of your off road triathlons.