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Austin Triathlon Club is a proud supporter of the 2019 Bevoman Triathlon, an olympic distance race brought to you by the students of the Texas Triathlon team. Bevoman will take place on March 3, 2019 at Pace Bend Park, just 45 minutes from downtown Austin. Bevoman will feature a wetsuit swim and relay options. All club members receive 20% off race registration. Here is a race preview, courtesy of Tomas, the race director.
What is it? Bevoman is an Olympic distance triathlon that will take place March 3rd in the Blue Bonnet decorated Pace Bend Park. This race is natural, grass fed, local, and completely organized by the students of the Texas Triathlon team at the University of Texas at Austin. It will be the 4th annual Bevoman and the 5th race hosted by the Texas Triathlon team. Originally, Bevoman was created to serve as the Southern Midwest collegiate conference championship race. In doing so, it has hosted some of the fastest collegiate athletes in the nation. Today, it’s still a championship race but you don’t need to be a collegiate athlete to participate. Our race is open to any and all triathletes. We want to encourage anyone who is interested to come check it out by offering four divisions; a collegiate division, a junior division, an open division, and a relay division. For the open and junior divisions, awards based on gender and age will be given out for the top three finishers of each. Awards for the fastest swim, bike, and run splits will also be given out. Most importantly, since triathletes love nothing more than food after a race, you can count on there being a banquet with something for everyone at the finish line. How does Bevoman work? It gets the people going. Bevoman is also something of a social event. We will have the improved campgrounds of Pace Bend reserved for participants and volunteers to campout the day/night before the race. Every year the campground becomes alive with triathletes preparing for the next day as well as enjoying the great outdoors. If camping isn’t your thing, there will be dedicated parking on race day and your park entry fee will be free, complimentary of the team. During the race, participants can rest assured knowing we have dedicated race support surveying the course as well as volunteers all along the course to help you get to that finish line. We also have returning sponsors from last year, so you can look forward to some High Brew coffee before and after the race as well as Nuun on the run course! But what about the course? The race is Olympic distance, so it will be a 1500m swim, a 40k bike, and a 10k run. The swim will be one rectangular loop in Lake Travis, followed by a four-loop bike course along FM2322 and Grisham Trail (the main roads of the park), and you will finish with an out and back run that features a brief running trail. The water will be a little cold, so this race will be wetsuit legal and wetsuit encouraged. On the bike course, treat yourself to some nice rolling hills on roads flanked by bluebonnets, volunteers, and supporters. Volunteers If you’re not interested in racing but want to be involved or know anyone who would be able to help make the race possible, become a volunteer! This is a student organized event, so no one is being paid. Everything is done out of our own free time and resources are limited. Putting together this race is a great reward itself but it requires a lot of effort. Most of the team will be racing Bevoman, so we must rely on outside volunteers out on the course ensuring everything (and everyone) is running properly. If you or someone you know is interested, you can sign up here. That’s Bevoman in a nutshell. It’s a unique race and we hopefully have something special in store for anyone who comes out to race this year. I’m Tomas, the race director, and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected]. I hope to see you there! **** Austin Triathlon Club is a non-profit social and training club that promotes triathlon across the Austin area. Our members include triathletes of all abilities, from beginners to experienced Ironman athletes. We are a welcoming and inclusive club, meaning that you can be a member of Austin Tri Club, and still be a part of another team or train with a personal coach. The Club is an all-volunteer, member-run community. For more information and to join, please check out our membership page.  It’s only April and this weekend at Ironman Texas will be my second spectathlon of the year – welcome to Texas! Spectathleting is HARD, so I thought I’d share some tips for fellow-spectathletes on how to have a successful day:
PRE-RACE PREPARATION:
Meghann Jones, Spectathlon Champion 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 ----- Austin Triathlon Club is a non-profit social club that promotes triathlon across the Austin area. Our members include triathletes of all abilities, from beginners to experienced Ironman athletes. We are a welcoming and inclusive club, meaning that you can be a member of Austin Tri Club, and still be a part of another team or train with a personal coach. The Club is an all-volunteer, member-run community. For more information and to join, please check out our membership page.  Austin Tri Club March Happy Hour This week marked a milestone in the young life of Austin Triathlon Club. Our club has surpassed the 100 member threshold!
In the 5 months since our first happy hour, Austin Triathlon Club has grown to a thriving community of triathletes dedicated to a common purpose – working together to provide a fun, welcoming, and supportive home for triathletes of all abilities. Our passion is to support each other, whether you're training for your first triathlon or your fiftieth, whether you’re young or old, whether you’re big or small, whether you’re LGBT or straight, whether you train with this team or that team. We’re Austin, and we’re all in this together. We launched Austin Triathlon Club because we love triathlon. We believe that triathletes have so much to offer each other and our communities. Whether you’re a mentor, a volunteer, a coach, a rookie, a retiree, a runner, a swimmer, or a biker, we can all pay it forward to those who share our love for health and fitness. If you’re already a member of Austin Triathlon Club, THANK YOU. Thank you for volunteering, mentoring, sharing advice, leading workouts, and being such a fun group of folks. Thank you for taking a chance on us and coming together to create something special! If you’re a supporting partner of Austin Triathlon Club, THANK YOU. Thank you for your support, especially in these early days of the club. We know that when we started this club, a lot of people didn’t really know what to expect. Thank you for believing in this club. Finally, Austin Triathlon Club is all-volunteer and member-run, meaning that everyone has the opportunity to leave their fingerprints on the club. If you’re a triathlete in Austin, we hope that you will consider getting involved. We want Austin Triathlon Club not only to be a fun and welcoming place for all Austin area triathletes, but we want this club to serve as one of the very best community triathlon clubs in the country. With your help, we can make it happen! Cheers to the next 5 months of Austin Triathlon Club. Now let's start race season! ---------------- Austin Triathlon Club promotes triathlon across the Austin area while fostering a sense of unity, fun and a healthy lifestyle. Our members include triathletes of all abilities, from beginners to experienced Ironman athletes. We are a welcoming and inclusive club, meaning that you can be a member of Austin Tri Club, and still be a part of another team or train with a personal coach. The Club is an all-volunteer, member-run community. For more information and to join, please check our our membership page. Three months ago tonight, Austin Triathlon Club held its kickoff happy hour at the Ginger Man. Since that night, we have been working hard to build a community triathlon club that we hope will serve Austin for years to come. Thank you for getting involved in this all-volunteer effort, and thank you for supporting this club. Whether you're a member, a sponsor, or a facebook fan, we're excited to be working with you to serve the Austin community!
We have so much to be proud of and so much to be excited about. Here are few of the highlights from our first three months:
Thank you to everyone who has pitched in so far. The Club is not possible without your support, enthusiasm, and willingness to give back to the Austin tri community. We hope to see you at the next club happy hour on Saturday, February 24th, at Flour and Vine! ------------------- Austin Triathlon Club is a 100% volunteer, member-run club launched in October 2017. Austin Tri Club aims to improve the physical fitness and mental well-being of all members of the Austin community through the promotion and encouragement of the sport of triathlon. Click here to read more about our mission and values.  Several of the club founding members after the kickoff swim One month ago tonight, the Austin Triathlon Club was holding its kickoff happy hour. At the time, the club officers were a bit nervous. We weren't sure how many folks would show up. We knew that most people probably hadn't heard of us, and might not know what to expect. Since Austin Tri Club is entirely volunteer, word about the club was spread primarily by word of mouth and grassroots enthusiasm. Looking back a month later -- what a journey it's been! As of this morning, Austin Triathlon Club has 38 members, with more members joining every day. Our members range from beginners hoping to complete their first triathlon to coaches to professional triathletes. We are truly grateful for the support and the faith that these founding members have placed in Austin Tri Club to deliver on its promise of serving as a community triathlon club for Austin -- and for throwing themselves into Club activities right off the bat. We are so excited to know you! So, what has the Club been up to in its first month?
Thank you to everyone who has pitched in so far. The Club is not possible without your support, enthusiasm, and willingness to give back to the Austin tri community. We hope to see you at the next club happy hour on Monday, December 11th, at the Ginger Man! Let's make 2018 the best race season ever! ------------------- Austin Triathlon Club is a 100% volunteer, member-run club launched in October 2017. Austin Tri Club aims to improve the physical fitness and mental well-being of all members of the Austin community through the promotion and encouragement of the sport of triathlon. Click here to read more about our mission and values. What activity can help you greatly improve your health, eliminate stress, boost confidence, and burn fat, without having to buy a single supplement or step foot into a gym? That's right - running.
Running is perhaps one of the most approachable workouts for people looking to stay in shape, without having to learn a sport or new dance move - but that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are tons of reasons to start running.
But as with any activity or workout, there are certain safety measures that should be put into place to prevent injury down the road. The following safety tips should give you what you need to begin training (safely) for the running portion of a triathlon. Maintain Your Strength The best way to prevent injury is keeping up your strength. If you are just starting out, don’t push yourself too far or you might risk an injury. Start small, build your way up, and keep your muscles active and strong. Some exercises suggested by RunnersWorld.com are:
Working out your whole body to prepare for your runs is one of the best steps towards preventing unforeseen injuries. By following the suggested workouts, you're a lot less likely to encounter any permanent damage. If you're running for distance or speed, it might be a good idea to strengthen and improve the muscles in your legs.
Remember to Stretch One of the first things athletes, coaches and athletic professionals will tell you: "Stretch!" Always remembering to stretch in addition to strength training can help you maintain the flexibility needed to be an excellent triathlon runner. You should stretch for about ten minutes before each run, making sure not to rush yourself. For the most effective stretches, be sure to hold each of them for at least thirty seconds. The best way to incorporate this into your daily run is to permanently make it part of your routine. Make it a point to stretch before you even step foot out your front door.
Stay Hydrated Running or training for triathlons will have your body using much more water than you may be used to. For this reason, it’s especially important to not only replace the water you lose while running but the electrolytes, too. When we sweat, we're not just losing water - we're losing electrolytes, like chloride, sodium, magnesium, and potassium. Your body uses these electrolytes to regulate vital processes - like heart and brain function. While many sports drinks may contain electrolytes, be sure to watch out for the sugar content - it could be extremely high. Some other ways to infuse electrolytes and important minerals into your workout include: Making a Homemade, Sugarless Sports Drink
Eating Almonds Almonds are a great source of magnesium. In fact, just a single ounce of almonds has 78 milligrams of magnesium. Other great sources of this mineral are:
Keep Tomato Juice Handy Drinking tomato juice is a great way to get some potassium into your body - especially on-the-go. If you prefer the taste of orange juice, you can enjoy that instead. One glass of OJ provides 500mg of potassium. Here are some great hydration resources for runners:
Always Keep Personal Safety First There are a handful of important personal safety tips to keep in mind before you head out for your run. Brushing aside health and fitness, the main goal here is to stay safe. Plan Your Route When you go out for a run, make sure to plan ahead to avoid busy roads or dangerous areas, but don't think that an underpopulated road or neighborhood will be safer - in fact, it could be the opposite. Many runners love the beautiful scenery and peaceful locations, but safety experts say that in these areas you have less access to help - should you need it. Before you head out, also ensure that you tell someone your route so they can check in on you, if need be. It's also important to update them if you plan on changing it, so you have at least one person who will know where you are at all times. Bring Along Some Friends When running, there is always strength in numbers. Bringing more people offers greater visibility and helps ensure that someone is always alert. If you’re not sure who to ask to come along, consider:
Other resources include: Always Stay Alert While running itself can be safe if you take care of your body, there are outside factors which could blindside you, if you're not careful. Some of the most important clues to incoming safety risks can be found in your surroundings. Try to run during the day so you will be more visible to drivers on the road and so you can see incoming dangers well in advance, too. If you aren’t completely sure if something could be a danger to you, such as a suspicious car or person, trust your instincts and head back or contact someone immediately. Bringing something that can make noise to alert others to your situation, like a whistle, for example, can save your life. Leave Your Headphones at Home Some of the most crucial hints of impending danger are sounds. Always listen for approaching cars, animals and people. To make sure that you are the most in-tune with your surroundings, leave your headphones behind and make sure you pay full attention to what’s going on around you. Sure, listening to your favorite jams while going for a run may be a nice way to enjoy yourself, but headphones can also give a signal to dangerous individuals that you can't hear them - making you a potentially easy target. Make Sure You Have the Right Footwear Since your feet are one of the most important tools you will use while running, it's important to take good care of them. Just like you would never set off for the biking portion of a triathlon with a flat tire, you should never begin running if your footwear isn't up to the task. Shoes for triathlon running should fit snugly around your foot, but should not be tight enough to cause blisters. There should be a little room in front of your toes as well. An employee at a store that specializes in shoes for triathlon running or a podiatrist or orthopedist can help make sure your shoes are fitted well enough not to cause injuries.
Bring Identification Whether you think so or not, one of the most important components of running safety is your identification. When you set off running, always make sure you have a form of identification, like a driver’s license or state-issued ID. Additionally, it's always a good idea to have proof of your blood type, in case you need treatment at a hospital. Try to bring along an emergency contact list, if you can. Some phones have emergency contact features as well, which could make the job of a first responder a lot easier. Jen Port, Austin High School Jen wrote this blog post for Austin Triathlon Club as part of her health class project. SOURCE: Banks, Summer. Healthy and Safe Running: A Detailed Guide. Oct 25, 2017. https://www.dietspotlight.com/benefits-of-running/  When Club President Daniel first proposed starting Austin Triathlon Club the first thing that came into my head was NCC... I love NCC!
NCC is the USAT National Challenge Competition: a triathlon club team competition where club members log swim, bike and run miles to collect points for their team. Triathlon clubs across the country compete to become NCC champions. Throughout the competition athletes can log miles in any discipline, but prizes are given for teams logging the most swim miles in December, bike miles in January, and run miles in February. I did my first NCC in the 2013-2014 off-season and while I was a little sluggish in swim month and bike month (DC is cold!), when run month came I decided it was mine for the taking. In my previous on-season I had done an Ironman and an ultra marathon, so my legs were capable of doing a lot of miles. And when I saw that I could help DC Tri win the competition, and that I had a teammate on my heels racking up points at the same rate as I was, that was motivation to not miss a day. In my 2014 season, I was supposed to be not taking it and just racing for fun, but even without trying very hard I got a PR in practically every distance - marathon, half marathon, 70.3, Olympic... The friendly competition of NCC had been enough to get out there and build the base for my best season ever and led me to meet some really great people - including husband Club President Daniel, who chased me around the pool as he tried to figure out how to ask me out. Since then, every year I get excited about NCC - even though I'm not in the same shape I was that first NCC year, it's great motivation to keep me training and not give in to the winter. In 2017, I'm excited about the prospect of entering an Austin Triathlon Club team. With the amazing community of triathletes and the resources we have for winter training - not least the weather - I'm convinced that Austin can be up there competing with DC Tri, Salt Lake, and San Diego. The best part of NCC is that it doesn't matter how fast you run the miles or swim the laps, it's the taking part (or the points) that count! Meghann Jones Vice President, Austin Triathlon Club  Sunrise over Lady Bird Lake and Downtown (photo from a morning run on the Townlake trail) My name is Daniel Riegel, and I’m one of the founding members of the Austin Triathlon Club. We created Austin Triathlon Club because we believe Austin is the best city in America for triathlon. Here are a few of our reasons why we think Austin is the perfect city for triathletes.
1) Barton Springs. The heart and soul of Austin. Barton Springs is a natural springs pool that is more than 200 meters from one end to the other. The pool is perfect open water swimming practice for beginners and experienced triathletes, alike. Water temperature is always ~ 68 degrees, meaning we can train year-around and practice in a wetsuit whenever we want. 2) Deep Eddy. Spring fed lap lanes, slightly warmer than Barton Springs. Deep Eddy overlooks the Colorado River and is #2 on our list of favorite swimming holes. Each pool length is 33 1/3 yards, so 53 lengths make a mile. Even when the pool is at its busiest, you usually only need to wait a few minutes to find a spot in a split or circle-swim lane. Deep Eddy is also the oldest swimming pool in Texas. 3) Bike Night at COTA. There is no other experience like this in the country. Every Tuesday night from April to October, cyclists can ride the Formula One race track in Southeast Austin. The world-class track is 3.4 miles with 20 turns. We love the beer garden afterwards and the general vibe. 4) Townlake (aka the Butler Hike and Bike Trail). Our favorite place to run anywhere. The 10 mile loop provides beautiful views of Lady Bird Lake and downtown Austin. The soft surface -- mostly dirt and gravel -- is forgiving, and there are plenty of water fountains and restrooms. The addition of the boardwalk a few years ago made the run even nicer. 5) Weather. The weather means that there is no off-season for triathletes in Austin. Setting aside our one week of “winter”, we can swim, bike, and run year-around, outside, every day. 6) Races. The Rookie Triathlon, Cap Tex Tri, Lake Pflugerville Tri, Marble Falls Tri, Jack's Generic, Ironman Austin 70.3, Kerrville Triathlon, all in our backyard. Not to mention, the Cap 2K, Pure Austin Open Water Race Series, Splash n Dashes, Deep Eddy Mile, Lake Travis Relay, Highland Lakes Challenge, the Driveway Series, and the Austin Distance Challenge. The list goes on and on. 7) Coaches. Austin is home to 35 USAT-certified triathlon coaches and dozens more highly qualified coaches, trainers, and instructors. Walk into your neighborhood YMCA, and your swim instructor just might be a former professional triathlete turned swim coaching savant. 8) Facilities. Austin has over twenty public lap pools, including three outdoor 50-meter pools, a bike veloway, a state-of-the-art triathlon training center, a gym with its own lake, and over 100 miles of urban trails to run, bike, and play. 9) Community. Austin has a long history of triathlon. In the 1990s and early 2000s, Austin had one of the largest and most talented triathlon clubs in the country – the Austin Triathletes. That club spawned scores of professional triathletes, coaches, trainers, and leaders in Austin’s triathlon community. Our goal is that Austin Triathlon Club can once again provide Austin with a community-based triathlon club, one that welcomes Austin area triathletes of all abilities. We encourage everyone who is a triathlete, or who is just trying to complete their first triathlon, to join the Club. 10) Austin. Austin is home. The people, the music, the food, the weather, the outdoors, the laid-back attitude. We can’t imagine a better place to live and to be a triathlete. Whether or not you agree that Austin is the best triathlon city in the country, we hope you'll agree that Austin is a pretty great place to swim, bike, and run. We love it here, and hope you do too. Daniel, Austin Triathlon Club President ------------------------------------------- Austin Triathlon Club was launched on October 8, 2017. Austin Triathlon Club is an all-volunteer, member-run community welcoming triathletes of all abilities. We encourage you to learn more about the Club by checking out our Mission and Values, the Club Leadership, and how you can get involved. We would also love to see you at our Kick-Off happy hour on November 6th at the Ginger Man in downtown Austin. For more details and to RSVP, see our facebook event page.  The Austin Tri Club founders: Laura, Josh, Meghann, Daniel We are excited to launch the Austin Triathlon Club website today – and so glad that you found us!
Austin Triathlon Club was founded by a group of people who care about making triathlon – and sports and healthy lifestyles in general – accessible to everyone. Our goal is to create a safe and welcoming community for people who already participate in triathlon or who are wondering what it is all about. Right now our website has lots of information about the club mission, the leadership team, and resources for swimming, biking and running in the Austin area. In addition there is information about some of the activities that we are planning for the club, such as mentoring new triathletes and hosting an informal training camp at Big Bend during MLK weekend. Our goal is to launch memberships by early November. While we intend to keep the club as open and accessible as possible, having a formal membership program will enable us to participate in races and other activities as as a team, and to build partnerships that bring the immense triathlon resources that Austin offers to the club. Meanwhile, you can stay up-to-date on what is happening with the club by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or contacting us for more details. You can also join us for our launch happy hour. We are looking forward to tri-ing with you! - The Austin Triathlon Club Leadership Team |
Welcome to the Austin Triathlon Club blog! Through this blog, Austin Tri Club members can share their triathlon knowledge and experiences. If you are interested in blogging for Austin Tri Club, please contact us. Archives
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