Leapfrog Athletics Presents

Tips and Strategy for the Fitness Challenge Sprint Triathlon:

(& ***Don’t Forget to Check Out our MEMORIAL DAY SALE!! 3 Months of All Things Leapfrog for only $140 (Plus Leapfrog Membership of $3/Month.) )

1. Arrive Early for race check in.  Be sure to check you bike tire pressure and have both tires inflated to proper psi.  Set your bike up on your rack early for best position.
2. Count how many bike racks you pass coming into transition BOTH WAYS until your rack.  Know your rack position (Don’t rely on reading the numbers, they could fall off or someone could be standing in front of them…do not lose your bike/rack in transition!)
3. Walk down to the water and check out the swim course…DON’T PANIC!  Be sure to check out the beach heading into the water…see how far you can run into the water before the shore dips and you  have to swim.  Do the same for the finish…See how the beach is, where the sand dips and how far you need to swim in before standing and running to the finish.  ALSO:  Be sure to check your “sight line” from the last buoy to the finish line, remember: the sun will be coming up so most likely you WILL NOT be able to see the finish line while swimming.
4. Relax, Use the Bathroom…
5. Warm Up!! Approx. 20 minutes before your wave, do a short warm up.  Approx. a 1/2 mile and some build ups.

RUN COURSE STRATEGY:

1. Go out with an EASY EFFORT for the first stretch.  Here you will get sucked along with the crowd, so just relax and enjoy, don’t push it to hard the first ½ mile.
2. When you get to Crayton Rd.  Here is a great place to assess your position, are you running near people you train with?  Establish a strong breath and good form.
3. When you turn RIGHT on Spring Line know that here is both UPHILL and the First Mile Mark.  I highly suggest NOT looking at your watch!!  Whatever you choose, however fast that first mile has gone by: DO NOT SLOW DOWN or ADJUST YOUR YOUR PACE HERE.  You will be going up a small hill, so don’t relax here…Continue your pace with strong form up the hill, once you turn right on Alamanda you may relax a bit.  Alamanda is DOWN HILL and provides a great opportunity to relax and practice Active Recovery.
4. Continue to relax across Alamanda and on Orchid Dr. 
5. Once you  turn right on Mandarin Dr.  you have options:  IF you are a Strong Runner I suggest picking up the pace here and actively passing people.  Mandarin is a nice street approx.  ½ mile long and in the shade, great opportunity to pass your opponents!  IF running is not a strong suit of yours, I suggest just running with Good Form, Strong Posture and a Medium Breath.
6. Once you turn left on Banyan, this is a Recovery Street.  Catch your breath, Strong Posture and Form.
7. Once you go right on 41 here is the TWO MILE MARK. 
8. I suggest EVERYONE make an effort to RACE this stretch of the course.  In other words, push the pace here!! 
9. Know that keeping your eyes up, you can look toward the stoplight and know that you will be turning on to South Golf Drive one block before the stoplight.
10. Turn Right on to South Golf Drive.  Here is the second uphill of the course!  Once again, do not relax your form/pace until you have crested this slight incline.
11. Once you pass the top of the hill you will want to practice Active Recovery again and find a Strong, Smooth Pace/Rhythm.
12. As you run down S. Gulf Drive, Run Strong!  Not nessicarily fast…the 5k in a Reverse Triathlon is NOT the time to go after your P.R.  (you still have to have energy to bike and swim…so don’t push yourself all our on the runJ
13. As the Beach Club comes into sight, start changing your thought process to how you will transition.  DON’T WASTE TIME IN TRANSITION.
14. Think:  Where’s my bike rack, Where’s my bike, Then Helmet on/buckled, change shoes (if required) and then RUN your bike out of transition to the mount line.

BIKE STRATEGY:

1. Mount the bike as quickly as possible.
2. Keep riding the first ½ mile in an EASY GEAR.  Everyone should be in the Little Chain Ring.
3. TIP:  The first ½ mile has 3 turns, instead of pushing to maximum acceleration before each turn, try instead to establish a quick cadence and a strong breath!! 
4. Once you get to the stoplight at Banyan I suggest beginning to Accellerate USING YOUR GEARS!!
5. TIP:  Know that on the course you make a turn approx. every ½ mile until Venitian Village.  SO:  at 15mph you turn every 2 minutes (at 20mph you turn every 90seconds!!) So if you have a headwind… don’t fret! You’ll soon be turning and the wind will change!!
6. TIP:  Use your Gears up the hill at Mooring Line Bridge.  ALSO: if you’re clipped in, pull UP on the peddle stroke!
7. TIP:  Peddle through your Turns!!
8. REMEMBER:  Once you turn into Venitian Village you have 2 miles straight down and back…Odds are you will have a HEADWIND and a TAILWIND.  Use your gears appropriately!  (Easy Gear, high cadence into the wind.  Hard Gear fast speed with the wind at your back)  ALSO: Remember: Brake, Peddle and Shift as you come into those U-Turns.
9. Coming out of Venitian: just know you turn every ½ mile.   Keep on Pushing!!
10. On the way back, once you come through the stoplight at Banyan, start thinking about your transition:  Where is your bike rack? 
11. Dismount, and RUN your bike to its rack.  Remove your helmet and shoes, grab your goggle and GO!!
12. RUN out of transition and down to the swim.  You don’t have to run fast…IN Fact I suggest running Easy, Run with GOOD POSTURE, Establish a Strong Breath!!  Big inhales and Exhales as you prepare for the swim

SWIM STRATEGY:

1. TIP:  The road is rough in the parking lot, look for the concrete “gutter” and run on that stretch, it’s smooth and cool.
2. Enter the Water and Start Swimming!! 
3. SIGHT OFTEN!!  This is HUGE!  IF you struggle swimming the last thing you want to do is swim extra…so SIGHT OFTEN.
4. Modify your swim stroke as needed.  Use Side Stroke, Back Stroke…Most Importantly: Don’t Panic.  Breath, Sight and Continue Forward.
5. Swim towards the finish!!  Once you stand up, CONTINUE TO RUN out of the water and Up The Beach to the finish line!!
6. Keep your Arms Up, Your Eyes Up and TAKE A GREAT PICTURE!! 
7. You’ve Just Had a Successful Triathlon!!
8. Cheers and Congrats!!

I look forward to seeing each of you at the finish line!!  We will celebrate Leapfrog Style:

Fitness for a beer…

Once again:   Thank You for choosing Leapfrog Atheltics!!

***Don’t Forget to Check Out our MEMORIAL DAY SALE!! 3 Months of All Things Leapfrog for only $140 (Plus Leapfrog Membership of $3/Month.)

Leapfrog Athletics: PO Box: 9336 Naples FL  34101  (239) 272-7811

www.leapfrogathletics.com    

Facebook:  Leapfrogathletics        E-mail:  Coach@leapfrogrunning.com