Midwest Triathlon Coaching - Kansas City's Triathlon Coach

2012 MTC Racing Team

2012-01-02T18:53:00.003-06:00

Midwest Triathlon Coaching
2012 Racing Team

The MTC Racing Team is an exclusive group of great athletes, but it is not exclusionary; you don’t have to be “fast” (although you may be). It is for all current MTC coached athletes, formerly coached athletes and other members of the “MTC Family”.

MTC Racing Team members will receive:

MTC Racing Team T-Shirt
MTC Visor or Winter Beanie
MTC Decal
Invitation to Racing Team training events
Recognition and camaraderie from your fellow Team members

You will also be eligible for Team pricing from the following:

Garry Gribbles Running Sports
Elite Cycling
XTERRA Wetsuits
Rudy Project Sunglasses & Helmets
Zoca Performance Gear
GU Energy
Tri Tats
MTC "Event Specific" coaching plans

Requirements

There is no cost to be part of the MTC Racing Team.

When you join you agree to race at least FIVE times in 2012 wearing MTC gear before, during and after the event - shirt or tri top (hat doesn’t count). At least three of the five events coming from the following list:

Rock the Parkway
KC Triathlon
Topeka Tinman
Shawnee Msn Tri
WIN Triathlon
Jackson CO Tri
Redman Triathlon
Any 5150 Triathlon
Any 70.3
Any Ironman

End of Season Bonus – if you meet the requirements, or refer a client who becomes an MTC coached athlete, you will receive your choice of either a free month of coaching ($175 value) or a running jacket with MTC logo.

If you are interested in applying for the MTC Racing Team contact Ken Welsh at ken@mwtricoach.com

5th Annual Resolution Run

2011-12-21T10:13:00.000-06:00

Signing Up for an Ironman

2011-10-11T11:53:00.001-05:00

IM Wisconsin Swim Start

Ironman is the biggest triathlon commitment you can make, not something to be taken lightly. Here are some pointers to consider before you sign up and to help with planning once you have made the commitment.

1. If you haven’t done at least one well executed 70.3 then stop reading right now, you are not ready to sign up for an Ironman. Ideally you should have done a couple Half Ironmans before you sign up for the Full. Preferably you have run a stand-alone marathon and gone 100 miles on your bike before beginning your Ironman year as well. The build up for Ironman is hard enough, if you have never done a 100 mile ride and/or a 20 mile training run then you likely aren’t as mentally or physically ready as you could be to try to put it all together.

2. Pick the right race - For a Midwest based athlete I strongly encourage you to do one of the three “end of summer” Ironman events – Canada, Louisville or Wisconsin. The reasons I suggest them are:

a. Longer summer days make it easier to get up early or stay out later

b. More options for prep races such as Kansas 70.3

c. More training buddies around in the summer (maybe others read this article too!)

d. For Louisville and WI, they are close enough you can drive there on race week and for a “Recon Trip” in July (see para below)

e. The terrain is similar to what we have in our area, rolling hills, can be hot, can be windy – ie. Kansas in the Summer.

f. Amongst them you can then look at each race individually, they are all different. Wisconsin and Canada have mass start swims and hillier bike routes. Major characteristic of Louisville is the heat and humidity (though we have had exceptions in two of the last three years)

3. What about some of the others?

a. St. George & Texas – Too early. Unless you really love spending 5 hours on your trainer or doing 18 mile runs on the treadmill, these races aren’t for you. St George is also very hilly; a great challenge but not for your first one

b. CDA – not as tough as the above but still early. It is a beautiful location and the race conditions are often good (with a cold swim) but you must fly and you are going to be riding 80-100 in March.

c. Lake Placid – time of year is better, it is also a beautiful location but it is hillier than what we have here. You can go down to Arkansas for the hills but if you want to do that, then pick IM Canada instead.

d. Florida - Too late in the year to peak because the days are short and the weather gets cool/cold.

e. AZ or Cozumel – Same as Florida, only worse because once you get there you suddenly have to deal with hot and/or humid conditions. I have heard of people wanting to do Cozumel because it is a “nice vacation spot.” I agree, Cozumel is a wonderful place and I would encourage you to go there, but not as part of your Ironman. When you are racing an Ironman, especially your first, pick one that makes life easy. No need dealing with foreign languages, different food options, strange customs etc. If you want to drink margaritas then take a trip after your IM.

4. Couple other notes

a. IM Canada is beautiful, I am bias having raced it 5 times but the advantages to Louisville and WI are you can drive instead of dealing with the hassles of flying.

b. If you are an experienced Ironman athlete who is interested in “collecting T shirts” from all the races then go for it, the others are fine events. But if you are a "virgin" or want to do well then pick a race that plays to your strengths and stick with it. I strongly believe part of what finally helped me qualify at IMC was I had raced there 4 times already so I knew the route very well and knew I was supposed to feel a the different points on the route. That knowledge only comes with experience.

c. You don’t have to do Ironman every year, in fact your probably shouldn’t. Taking a year away from Ironman training will allow you to increase motivation so you are ready when it’s time to go again. You can often make more improvements in your 70.3 and marathon racing when not burdened with Ironman training. You can also do Century rides or focus on Olympic distance for a season. All things that will make you a better Ironman athlete when you come back to it.

In summary, we train in the heat and the hills of the Midwest, so for your IM, especially if it is your first IM, do a race that will provide you terrain and conditions you are accustomed to.

Hopefully you have made the right decisions based on your needs and requirements. Once you have signed up here are some things to do:

Have an “off-season”. For most of the races we are signing up a full 364 days before the event it is tempting to want to start “training” right away. You must give yourself an opportunity to relax and be away from the sport mentally and physically for at lease a few weeks before your training season begins. The training will be hard enough come June, July and August, no need to hammer yourself in November and December.
Don’t wait on booking your hotel; they fill up as fast as the races do.
Plan on doing a Recon Trip, preferably in July. There are organized groups you can join at every IM or you can go there on your own or with some training buddies. You want to plan the trip late enough that you are ready to ride the whole route but early enough that you can still impact your training significantly.
For a Sunday race plan on being at the race site no later than Thursday afternoon. This is a huge event; don’t start the weekend by feeling rushed.
Avoid adding other big non-triathlon events during your Ironman summer such as trips. Travel is for later, the summer is for training.

New Uniforms

2011-02-21T16:25:00.003-06:00

Photo of the new MTC cycling jacket and running singlet. Few pieces available now, next order will deadline end of March. Order form available on request.

Resolution Run #4

2010-12-20T21:31:00.001-06:00

Can't believe it but here we are once again well into December which mean January 1st is just around the corner so it's time for the 4th Annual Resolution Run. Hope to see everyone January 1st at Muddy's on the Trolley Trail at 51st Street.

Should I run a marathon?

2010-12-10T14:58:00.000-06:00

Have recently had a couple athletes send me their race plans for 2011. In these two specific cases they had listed the Olathe Marathon in April. Since I have had the same conversation with other athletes in years past, I thought it might be worth a blog post.
The question is, for a triathlete doing a 70.3 or full Ironman later in the year (Aug/Sept) as their seasons' "A+" event, should they run a marathon such as Olathe in April or Lincoln in May? An interesting article titled "Should You Run a Marathon in Preparation for an Ironman? on Active.com by Amanda McCracken was sent to me by one athlete. In it Amanda provides some great reasons to do so - base miles and mental prep are points with which I completely agree. Where I disagree with Amanda is with the timing - "at least three or four months out from the Ironman" is far too close.

Early on in my IM career I followed the advice Amanda is providing; I regularly did the Lincoln Marathon in early May before doing IM Canada in August. As I progressed in my understanding of the demands of the sport and developed a stronger understanding of what works and what doesn't for myself and others I have changed my feelings.

Doing a marathon nine months out from an Ironman, as she starts the article mentioning, does make sense to me and I have had a number of athletes do a marathon in the Oct - Jan timeframe before taking a break then starting their IM prep for Canada/Louisville/Wisconsin in Jan/Feb/Mar. So I am not opposed the running the marathon, rather I no longer agree doing it in Apr/May is the best way to prepare.

Building up running mileage out of proportion to cycling mileage early on might seem to make sense since the weather is cold and so riding isn't much fun. But the taper before the marathon and then the 2-4 weeks that an athlete might take to be fully recovered from the demands of running 26.2 at race pace can set the athlete's IM prep back as much as six weeks. I have also seen a mental let down after a big event like a marathon.

Best story I can share is from my '98 season. Third IMC, had a new bike and I really wanted to do well. Trained really hard early and I set my marathon PR (3:07) in May in Lincoln. Thought I was doing great but then did my slowest Ironman in August... Lots of circumstances that went into that result but after that year I never ran as fast at the marathon but set a 25 minute PR at IMC #4 (over an hour faster than #3) and another 20 minute PR at IMC #5 in 2002.

So, if you are interested in doing an Ironman then doing a marathon ubefore hand is a great idea. (Same can be said for having successfully completed a few 70.3 events and a Century bike ride or two.) But that marathon need to be completed in the Fall before your Ironman season so you have the Holidays to mentally and physically recover and can start your Ironman journey in the New Year.

2011 Winter Gear Order

2010-12-01T20:47:00.004-06:00

Arch and Ken taking a break after riding "Super James" in Colorado

Interested in sporting MTC gear in 2011? Looking for a great Christmas present for yourself, a loved one or training partner (or both)?
Now is the time to get in on the next order of the gear that has been so visible and well received by everyone in 2010. We have triathlon tops and shorts, cycling jerseys, jackets and shorts as well as running tanks available. It is professionally designed by Arch Fuston and all "Made in the USA" by Zoca Gear based in San Diego, CA.
In addition to the fully sublimated gear from Zoca, we also have the Saucony Kinvara training/racing shoes and running jackets, TYR swim caps, XTERRA transition backpacks and a few other miscellaneous items available.
The deadline for the next order is December 15th. We will have that order delivered by mid-February, just in time for spring training rides and early season races.
If you have any questions or want to try items on before ordering I have sample sizes of everything available.
Order form is available on the Updates page of the MTC website.

MTC / Elite Cycling Rewards Program

2010-11-19T10:45:00.004-06:00

Midwest Triathlon Coaching- Rewards Program

Presented with Elite Cycling

Purpose:

Encourage and reward athletes for supporting MTC & EC by “showing the colors” at races and training events during the 2011 season.

Athletes will earn points to be used for prizes and will be eligible for multiple discounts.

Scope:

The Rewards Program year will begin on January 1, 2011 and will conclude on Tuesday December 6, 2011 at which time prizes will be presented. All members of the MTC “Family” as well as customers of Elite Cycling are eligible to participate.

Registration:

All participating athletes must register.

Current MTC athletes - FREE.

For all others, there is a $65 registration fee payable to MTC.

Earning Points:

Once an athlete is registered they will earn points in the following ways:

Referrals
Provide name, email & phone of a prospect to Ken (along with a MTC recommendation to prospect)	15
Provide referral that becomes an MTC coached client or purchases a bike from Elite	100

Representation
Wear MTC or Elite top at a training event	2
Wear MTC or Elite top at a running race	5
Wear MTC or Elite top at a cycling race/event	5
Wear MTC or Elite top while doing a Sprint/Olympic triathlon	7
Wear MTC or Elite top while doing a 70.3	10
Wear MTC or Elite top while doing an Ironman	15
Wear MTC or Elite top while doing a National Championship triathlon	15
Wear MTC or Elite top while doing a World Championships (Kona, 70.3 Champs, ITU Worlds)	30

Registration
Facebook photo showing you in MTC or Elite gear	5
Facebook account linked to MTC & Elite accounts	5
Athlinks photo showing you in MTC or Elite gear	5
Athlinks.com account linked to MTC	5
Link website or blog to MTC home page	15


Results
Wear MTC or Elite top on podium picking up AG award	1.5x pts
Wear MTC or Elite top on podium picking up Overall award	2x pts

Renew with MTC
6 months continuous	20
12 months continuous	20 more

Notification & Tabulating:

Athletes are responsible for tracking their own results and notifying MTC of their activities as related to the Rewards Program.

Athletes are to upload photos to the Elite or MTC Facebook Gallery within 10 days of the event and notify Ken with a link via email. To earn event points and podium bonuses the athlete should claim their results on Athlinks.com.

MTC will keep track of points earned and will provide a monthly update to all participants.

Rewards:

Upon reaching designated levels the participant may “cash in” their points to receive their rewards. Deadline for choosing Rewards is 12/31/11.

Reward	Points
KC Fitness Magazine Subscription	50
MTC Headsweats Visor	50
MTC or Elite training shirt	50
Elite $25 Gift Certificate	70
MTC Fully Sublimated Tech T	70
MTC Coaching Session	100
XTERRA Transition Backpack	100
MTC or Elite S/S Bike Jersey	150
Elite Cycling or MTC Running Jacket	250

Grand Prizes:

Participants may also compete for Grand Prizes, which will be awarded to those with the most points at the end of the Program. Prizes will be presented in a “roll-down” format i.e. - Top earner gets first pick, second gets second pick etc. at a year end party on December 6, 2011. Current Grand Prizes include, but are not limited to:

Prize	Value
HED Stinger 9 Flamme Rouge wheelset (provided by Elite Cycling)	$2500
Powertap hub SL+ (provided by Elite Cycling)	$1000
XTERRA Vendetta Wetsuit	$750
Rudy Project Wingspan Aero Helmet	$325
MTC Gear Package	$250
Many More to Come	$???

Other benefits:

In addition to Rewards & Prizes athletes that become part of the MTC / Elite Rewards Program will be eligible for discounts and deals including (but not limited to):

1. 20% off at Garry Gribbles Running Sports

2. 10% off at Elite Cycling

3. Up to 50% off XTERRA Wetsuits

4. Semi-annual GU Energy discount purchase

5. Free MTC visor or training shirt

6. Discount on coaching plan for Kansas 70.3

7. 50% discount off individual Training, Technique or Testing session

8. Invitation to group training & educational events

9. Basic TrainingPeaks.com account

Registation - to register contact Ken Welsh at kwelsh1@gmail.com

MTC "Dominates the Dojo" at Jackson County Triathlon!

2010-08-23T12:54:00.003-05:00

Results from the Jackson County Triathlon are up and MTC athletes did some serious butt kicking. The group was led by Kelly Dippold, Michelle Arzubi & Carrie Tysdale who swept the podium going #1-2-3 in the Women's Division. (These three also beat a lot of men going 7th, 11th and 14th overall!) They were about 4 minutes apart, the next women was almost 11 minutes back. Wow!

The men were led by Preston Williams who, despite a recent shoulder injury and a bike accident during the race, was 6th overall and won the 25-29 AG. Another AG winner was Mike Malfer who led the M35-39 division; should set him up for a great race at Ironman Wisconsin in a few weeks. The Men's Clydesdale division was won by Brian Gillespie in 2:07:34 which would have seen him place 2nd in his AG if he'd raced "non-Clydesdale".

The Short course also saw two podium performances. Brian Dufner set a huge PR, finishing 2nd in the M30-34 and Peter Paulin won the M40-44 race.

Congratulations to all MTC athletes and other competitors at this year's Jackson County Triathlon.

Alex Franz & IM Louisville - more than just a race...

2010-08-23T10:10:00.000-05:00

Last summer MTC athlete Trish O'Donnell asked me to help with a fundraiser she was doing. I was happy to help and put together an "MTC Coaching Package" consisting of some schwag - hat, shirt etc. as well as some coaching services for the auction. The highest bidder was someone I had heard about through Trish and her brother Tim but at that point hadn't met, Alex Franz. Shortly after the auction Alex and I got together and he shared with me that he'd decided to race IM Louisville and wanted to use the package to help him prepare. I was a bit concerned with Alex's decision because at that point he hadn't done a race longer than Sprint distance and typically I suggest doing one or two Half Irons before signing up for Ironman. But Alex was committed so I told him I would do my best to support his goal.

As the coaching relationship continued I learned more about Alex and his story, how his young beautiful wife had recently passed away, how he travelled every week as a private airline pilot. Now, almost a year later I am looking forward to being in Louisville this weekend to watch him race. I am very proud of Alex and what he has achieved as an athlete and as a person, I am not so sure that if presented with the same situation I could have responded as well as it appears he has.

Alex recently sent out this message and with his permission I wanted to share it here, I believe it helps to put things in perspective for all. Best of luck to Alex, as well as Barry Ogden, Dave Hubert, Matt Mason & Tim O'Donnell, and all the other Kansas City area athletes racing this weekend. It is going to be a great day for everyone but in reading the message below you will see that for Alex it will mean just a bit more.

Swim, Bike, Run, Remember,

Several months after Megan passed away, a great friend of mine gave me a very powerful and meaningful book about grief. The name of this book is “Riding with the Blue Moth”. It was written by Bill Hancock, whose son was killed in an airplane crash in 2001. (This accident took the lives of 11 members of the OSU basketball team, and staff). In summary the book is about a fathers’ struggle to deal with the loss of his son. He decides to deal with the tragedy by riding his bike from the West coast to the East coast. He began the ride with the idea that he was going to physically beat his grief into submission. Somewhere along the way he realized that he can’t “beat” his grief, but must learn to live with it. I read this book while training for my Ironman, and through it I learned the same lesson.

The most difficult emotional and physical challenge that Megan faced was her fight with cancer. As you all know through her writings, she handled that challenge with an incredible amount of “guts”. She always worried more about her family, friends, and me, than herself. Christmas 2008 comes to mind. Megan knew that her fight was at an end. She was in great pain, basically bed ridden, and yet, she got out of bed, opened presents, and gave every person in the room an unforgettable lesson about toughness and grace. She had a smile on her face, and her spirits were bright the entire time. Anytime I’m faced with a situation that seems impossible, I remember that Christmas morning. I picture Megan that day, a picture of mental and physical toughness and grace, like nothing I have ever seen. I was as proud of her that day as any.

Megan’s sickness and passing is by far the biggest emotional challenge I have ever faced. August 29^th will be my biggest physical challenge. I know a triathlon doesn’t mean anything in comparison to a physical battle with cancer, however, it is one way that I can remember how easy I have it, and how my wife handled her physical distress with such toughness, grace, and class.

August 29 at 7:00am, in Louisville, Kentucky I will attempt to accomplish a 140.6 mile journey with my own “Blue Moth”. A 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run. If all goes well, I will finish around 7:00 or 8:00pm. I plan to complete this task in memory of my late wife Megan McBride Franz. I know she will be smiling down on me every stroke, pedal, and step of the way. If you would like to support me during my journey, I invite you to head to the race. If you can’t make it to Louisville, I invite you to make a donation to Megan’s Endowment to help find a cure for this terrible disease.

Please Mail Donations To:

MD Anderson Cancer Center

ATTN: Regina Wheeler

6900 Fannin Suite 6.1000

Houston, TX 77030

In the memo line, please add:

“Megan Mcbride Franz Research Endowment Fund”

If you would like to track my progress during the Ironman here is the website:

www.ironman.com

My bib number is 1601.

Much Love,

Alex Franz

P.S. The training for this Ironman truly has been an emotional and physical journey. Here are a few of the stats:

1 Flat tire

1 Broken Bike

1 Call to my brother to come pick up my coach and I during a thunderstorm

1 Swimming Lesson

1 Missed swim due to doodie in the pool (in Canada)

1 Lucky turkey that I just missed on my bike

5 Dogs that couldn’t catch me on my bike

3 20 mile runs in 95 + degree heat

4 Countries trained in (US, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico)

5 pairs of running shoes

6 Bike tune-ups

I Trained in the following cities:

Kansas City

La Paz, Mexico

St. Louis

Washington D.C.

Las Vegas

Sao Jose Dos Campos, Brazil

Toronto, Canada

Teterboro, NJ

Stewart, NY

Norman, OK

Stillwater, OK

Denver

Tulsa

Palm Beach, FL

Little Rock, AR

Montreal, Canada

Queretaro, Mexico

Monterrey, Mexico

Nantucket

Dayton, OH

Pittspurgh, PA

Wichita

Ruidoso, NM

Hays, KS

Baltimore

Toluca, Mexico

Biloxi, MS

For a grand total of:

124 Miles Swum

724 Miles Run

3031 Miles Ridden

Midwest Mayhem 2010

2010-07-20T16:22:00.002-05:00

Had the opportunity to race the Midwest Mayhem at Lone Star Lake this past weekend and wanted to make some comments about the event. As most who have been involved in the Kansas City tri-community are aware the Race Director for this event (KLM) has over the years developed a reputation for poor athlete service and races that left a lot to be desired. Because I had seen firsthand and heard from others of the incidences, I have cautioned my coached athletes and others against doing events hosted by KLM. Therefore some eyebrows were raised when I mentioned that I was going to do Midwest Mayhem this year.

So what did I find? This will come as a surprise to many but I found the race was actually pretty well run. From responding to an athlete's pre-race questions to having a nice Oakley-branded t-shirt to having multiple locations for packet pickup, the pre-race routine was very appropriate.

As for race day, though I was expecting the worst, I was pleasantly surprised. Some of what I discovered was:

A well laid out, fair course - the course was well signed and there were plenty of police and volunteers on the bike and run courses. I don't know how anyone could have gotten lost and didn't hear of any.

Enough aid stations - lots of drinks available before the start and after finishing. No aid stations on the bike but with a 25 mile ride that isn't expected or necessary. There were 5 well stocked and manned aid stations along the 6 mile run course. Since it was a hot day I hit every one and found cold water and gatorade every time, along with GU at the turn around.

Volunteers to help out as required - I saw plenty of volunteers available to help with parking, body-marking, traffic control, aid stations etc.

Did the race have all the trappings of Ironman Kansas 70.3 or the KC Triathlon? Certainly not. Are there things that if I was the RD, I would do differently? Sure. Couple examples include having timing mats at both the bike and run turnarounds or someone taking down race numbers as athletes go by. I would figure out a way to make sure the distances are exactly Olympic: 1.5k swim, 40k bike and 10k run, rather than "near Olympic" (but maybe that's just my Canadian background coming through because when I was part of the Race Committee putting together the KC Triathlon I heard from a number of people that "exact distances don't really matter"). I would also have more control of the transition area to keep non-athletes out of it. Are those things that would make a good race better? Absolutely. Are they critical to having a safe, fun, well run race? Not necessarily.

So, is Midwest Mayhem ever going to be as big and popular as it could be? Probably not.

Will it suddenly start to sell out every year like the Shawnee Mission Tri? Not likely.

Will I be pushing my athletes to add it to their calendars as next summer's big "A" race? No.

Does the RD deserve the reputation he has? Yes... but I see improvements.

Is Midwest Mayhem a viable, safe, supported race that provides a mid-summer option instead of traveling to Iowa or elsewhere? Yes, I believe it does.

EC Camp Summary

2010-07-02T10:26:00.004-05:00

Been a few days since I drove back from Boulder, got busy with regular life again but still wanted to post something about the last two days of the Camp. Day 6 started very early as the crew was scheduled to meet in Idaho Springs just off I-70 by 6:45a (its an hour's drive from Boulder). From there we began the longest, highest bike climb you can do in North America - 28 miles and nearly 7000' up to the top of Mt. Evans. Although the climb was certainly not as steep as others we had done it presented its own challenges as the temperatures dropped and the winds picked up as we ascended. Additionally the thin air above the tree-line made me and others feel light-headed. The struggle was certainly worth the views once we summited though we didn't spend long at the top as it was cool and windy. Descending back to the half-way point at Echo Lake was all about holding on and dealing with the rough roads. From there the last 14 miles down was a blast, fast cornering and high speeds! The evening's entertainment/meal was appropriately held at the Nepalese Sherpa Restaurant in Boulder where we had the opportunity to listen to former pro cyclist and co-founder of trainingpeaks.com Dirk Friel speak about some of what he has learned about coaching pro cyclists; very informative.

Day 7 - "the Big Finish" started with meeting at the Boulder Reservoir for another OWS though this time it was a larger public event, the Boulder Bare Bones Swim. Had a chance to run into Chrissie W (again) as well as see Dave Scott. Options for the race were 1 and 2 miles, most of the EC crew chose the 2 while I wisely decided 1 mile would be plenty. After that we loaded up and hit the road for the last ride of the week, the same loop we had done Monday only in reverse order - to Lyons, up through Raymond onto the Peak to Peak, down through Ward (stopped for a taste of the world-famous Ward Spring Water) then back to the Reservoir. Some campers chose to keep the day a bit flatter with an straight out and back to Lyons. We ran into the first rain of the week during the descent but nothing to dampen the enjoyment of the ride. Getting back most campers set off on a short transition run. After a couple hours to pack up and get changed we all met at the Rio Grande Restaurant to try their margaritas and have dinner. In my case I didn't stay too long as Arch had a flight to catch and I was anxious to start the long drive home to Kansas City. Made it home Sunday morning around 7:30a after an uneventful drive.

In summary, although it took a lot to organize things beforehand and placed a heavy burden on my wife and family while I was away for a whole week, I have to say the Camp was totally worth it. I rode more miles and climbed more feet that I have in a long time, I met some great new people and got to reconnect with others. I also learned so many things that will make me a better athlete and coach. Huge thank-you to Gordo, Justin, Alan, Chuckie, Marilyn and their support crew and spouses for making the Camp such a wonderful experience once again. I highly recommend any athlete (and especially USAT coaches) consider attending next summer's Camp starting June 19th.

Endurance Corner Camp Update

2010-06-25T17:22:00.003-05:00

Things are going strong with the Boulder Camp. Day 3 started with a beautiful open water swim session with the Boulder Masters Club at the Boulder Reservoir. From there is was onto the bike for a ride up to Jamestown and beyond to what the locals refer to as "Super James." Although not as long as the Ward loop we did the day before it was steeper, especially the "super" part. We had an interesting presentation by Marilyn MacDonald on descending skills then it was time to put them into practice as we rode back down to the "Rez" for an OTB run, by which time the temperature was reaching 90*. The rest of the day was a time to recover, my Compex machine was put to very good use.

Wednesday - Day 4 was a day to learn and do a bit of recovery. We started the day meeting Greg and Laura Bennett who showed us the finer points of capturing free speed by improving our transition skills. I picked up some points I am looking forward to trying soon. After that we migrated to a local running track for a very informative session with running coach Bobby McGee. I am a big fan of Bobby's and really enjoyed spending time learning more from him about running form and technique. The final formal learning session explored the basics and benefits of bike training with a power meter presented by Coach Gordo and Alan Couzens; took a lot of notes. We ended the day with a talk by Craig "Crowie" Alexander (Champion #6 we have had a chance to meet)

Thursday - Day 5 started with a swim session at the Flatirons Athletic Club led by Monica Byrn, Gordo's very talented wife. I definitely noticed the thin air during the workout. After that we had the pleasure of listening to American Olympian and 70.3 World Champion (#7) Matty Reed discuss his career and training. After that is was off for another challenging ride, this time up Flagstaff Mountain with its steep climbs and gorgeous views of Boulder below.

Endurance Corner Boulder Camp - Day 1 & 2

2010-06-22T07:03:00.000-05:00

Days 1&2 of the Endurance Corner Boulder Camp are in the books. After driving to Boulder on Sunday and meeting up with Arch Fuston, my good friend and training partner for the week it was off to Gordo's house to meet up with the other campers. Couple of familar faces from last summer's camp as well as many others. Real mix of ages, abilities and experience levels though I am certainly pushing the experience level and age averages higher. We all had the opportunity to listen to a wonderful presentation by IM World Champion Chrissie Wellington. I thought I liked her before but after listening to her speak and then sitting near her at the dining room table I like her even more!

Monday's main event was a ride from Boulder up to Ward then down to Lyons and back to Boulder. This is a very common local ride here but for the athletes coming from the coast (Arch) or the flat (me) it presented plenty of challenges and great views. Very glad I changed to a larger rear cassette during the last mile of the climb and really enjoyed riding the Cervelo. One of the highlights was descending down Hwy 7 at the back of a 12 rider pace line at 45 mph - big fun! Total ride was 58 miles with 5967' of elevation gain topping out at 9303'.

In the evening we again gathered at Gordo's for another great presentation, this time by running coach Bobby McGee. Bobby was one of the highlights for me from last year and he was awesome again. His discussion of good running form (as well as a lot of other topics) was very enlightening and I took lots of notes.

New Uniform Order

2010-05-28T07:39:00.002-05:00

Due to the high popularity of the MTC uniforms as displayed at the KC Triathlon we will be putting in another order shortly. In addition to the cycling and tri gear we will be adding running tanks, cycling jackets and transition backpacks to the order this time. Deadline for the order is July 1st or whenever the manufacturer's minimums are met so don't delay.

To place an order go to the order form. Contact Ken if you have questions about the order, sizing etc. - 913 706 0864

KC Triathlon

2010-05-25T20:00:00.008-05:00

Congratulations to everyone who raced the KC Triathlon on Sunday. As a member of the original Race Organizing Committee it was wonderful for me to see the event grow in participants and continue to be run very successfully by Ryan Robinson and his crew.

As a coach and business owner it was also great to see the athletes I have the pleasure to work with racing in their MTC gear. I received a lot of positive comments about the design and colors. The best compliment I got came from a rookie athlete doing his first triathlon, he told me,

"Because I was wearing the jersey there were several times other MTC athletes and spectators encouraged me with stuff like “Keep it up MTC!!” and “Way to go MTC!” They were total strangers so it was an unexpected pleasure."

There were some great results, wanted to highlight some special performances and some "stats". As a group there were 33 MTC affiliated athletes who raced. From that we had:

Overall Winner! - Carrie T Short Course Female
Third Overall (and AG winner by over 20 minutes!) - Kelly D Long Course Female
AG Winner - Barry O
2x AG Seconds - Robert R, Jason F
AG Third - Collin G
4x "First Ever" Triathlons - Bruce L, Jeff D, Linda S, Lindsey M

There were a lot of athletes doing their furthest triathlon ever and quite a few PRs were set as well. Hope I didn't miss anything...

Special thanks to Sandy C for all his work leading up to the event and to Preston & Jess, Chelsea, Trish and Michael for helping out at the MTC Aid Station. I appreciate it very much, you guys did a great job.

Next up is Kansas 70.3, should be another great day of racing for MTC athletes.

70.3 Mini - Camp

2010-05-10T06:55:00.005-05:00

70.3 Mini Camp Successfully completed!

Who says you can't swim in Clinton Lake in early May? Despite WINDY conditions and cool temperatures these brave souls were out doing what others only talked about doing - an Open Water Swim practice. We had others (who were either not as brave or slept in) join us for the ride and run that followed. Great training which will produce great results on June 6th!

Special thanks to the event sponsors for their ongoing support -

XTERRA Wetsuits
GU Energy
Elite Cycling

New Cervelo RS Coming!

2010-04-27T17:08:00.003-05:00

With help from Jeff at Elite Cycling I am soon to be the proud owner of a 2010 Cervelo RS. This will be the first new "road" bike I have owned since purchasing my Trek 2100 for $750 in 1993. I am very excited to be getting my hands on this bike and taking it with me to Boulder for the Endurance Corner Boulder Camp in June.

Eating and drinking while training and racing

2010-03-31T07:29:00.001-05:00

I get a lot of questions about nutrition, hydration and supplementation (NHS for short) while training & racing so I thought I would post some info I recently shared with an athlete in hopes that it might be of benefit to others. As with everything else in the TRI WORLD there are plenty of different solutions to the same problems. These are some ideas that have worked for me and people I work with.

Bike - carry multiple sources of water and an electrolyte drink (Gatorade is the most common but I like GU Brew) in separate bottles on your bike. I suggest getting a drink bottle for your aerobars such as this and putting your electrolyte drink in it. There are a couple different versions out there, I am sure the local shops have them. Water is to wash the sweet and sticky taste out of your mouth and off your hands but it should not be your primary source of fluids. Your electrolyte mix should be the source of your basic hydration. For calories you should start with a concoction I call "Ironman Cocktail" It consists of 3-4 scoops of Metabolol Endurance and 3-4 scoops of Cytomax mixed into a large waterbottle. (you can choose the flavors you might like) You can get these products on line (my friends at World Multisport put them together with Carbo Pro in a package deal), from GNC or your local shops might have them as well. Once the mix is made up it is quite "thick" so you don't drink it fast. Rather you take a sip every 10-15 minutes (set your watch to beep to remind you) so that you drink a full bottle through about 55-60 miles. At Ironman you will have a "Special Needs" pick up so you will be able to have another bottle waiting for you there. Supplement the Cocktail with one GU pack per hour (I like the heavily caffeinated stuff for racing), an Endurolyte every 30-45 minutes depending on how hot it is and how much you sweat. I don't like any solid foods such as Powerbars, Clif Bars etc. while training hard or racing. They are great for before or after but trying to digest solids while racing is too tough. If you are interested I have a sponsorship "deal" with Perfect Foods Bars, let me know and I can get you the discount code. The only exception I would make would be pieces of banana now and again or the chewy energy products coming on the market such as the GU Chomps (like a gummy bear but with "good stuff" inside) This strategy will work for training and racing.

Run training - carry your electrolyte drink and plan a route that allows you to pick up fluids as you go (especially once it starts getting hotter and the distances get further) Depending on the distance and the temperature I either wear my Fuel Belt or a belt that carries a full "bike sized" bottle like this. Carry a drink on every run, even the short easy ones and practice drinking every 8-12 minutes. Typically I drink a big bottle in an hour but have gone through two full bottles during the last 5 miles of a 20 miler in the heat. I find most people do not drink enough while training. During a race it is easier because you have aid stations every mile. As well, take a GU pack after 45 minutes and then another one every 30-45 minutes after that. Endurolyte tab every 30-45 minutes on the run as well.

Finally, one other note. On race day (and on a few long hot training rides and runs) good old Coke has saved my butt a number of times (they offer it at the aid stations of the longer events). The sugar and caffeine can be a great "pick me up" but the thing to know is once you start drinking Coke you really need to keep consuming it until the end of the event.

Nutrition (not transition) is the 4th event at a 70.3 & Ironman so you have to practice consuming calories during your training. You also need to practice taking in calories during your shorter training sessions when you are at or above race intensity. You might not "need" GU packs to complete a 90 minute training ride but something that works at lower intensity might not at race pace. Only by trying them at race intensity do you know if they will really work on race day.

70.3 Mini Camp

2010-03-30T09:41:00.005-05:00

Kansas "Mini-Camp" Lawrence, KS - May 7-9. A great opportunity to learn and train with other athletes doing the big race on June 6th. If you are an MTC coached athlete or are following the MTC 70.3 ESP this training camp is free but a limited number of guest spots are also available for $125 (70.3 training plan available for an additional $75.) Please contact Ken at kwelsh1@gmail.com for registration details.

Athlinks.com

2010-02-04T07:12:00.007-06:00

Was checking some results recently on athlinks.com and realized a lot of people still don't know about this great site or that you can join the Midwest Triathlon Coaching group. If you haven't created a profile I encourage you to do so. You will be amazed that they already have most of your results already in their system, they are just waiting for you to claim them. Click on the link above, type in your name and check it out. You can create a profile and upload a photo.
Please join the MTC group using this link -

http://www.athlinks.com/affiliate/455/Midwest-Triathlon-Coaching.aspx

Do I need a Coach?

2010-01-21T11:06:00.007-06:00

I recently got an email from an associate asking for some advice as she gets ready for Ironman Kansas 70.3. Her situation is not unique, so I felt some info about her and my response might be of interest to others, so here it is:

Bit of Background:

She is the mother of a young child, is married to a supportive husband. They both have strong athletic backgrounds - marathons etc., but this is her first 70.3. She shared that she was feeling overwhelmed and was very busy with work, family and other commitments. She also stated, "I am getting little bits of information from everywhere. It's hard to make sense of it all and put it into practice." She went on to explain that she had a "plan" but was already concerned about it. "It's kind of like training for my first marathon, fear of the unknown." She wrapped up the email with, "I'm not sure that I need coaching, I just have a lot of questions."

My Response:

Dear ____,

Interesting that you say you don't need coaching yet you are overwhelmed, confused and afraid. Isn't answering questions and reducing anxiety part of what a coach does? The main reasons people hire me are so they don't have to figure it all out on their own and, as my motto says, they arrive at the start line "confident to go the distance".
My advice would be, if you developed or picked a plan then commit to it and be 100% confident in it. If you aren't sure about it before you even start then its not the right plan for you, that anxiety will only grow as you do your training. I believe for an athlete to succeed they must have confidence in three things, without all three the chances for success are greatly reduced:

Themselves
The Plan
The Coach

There are a lot of resources out there - too many. I have worked with athletes that want to try every new thing they read on some random website or in an article in Triathlete Magazine. My job as their coach is to keep them focused on the task at hand and have them commit to their training rather than spend time reading blogs or articles with lots of conflicting "advice".
With that said, the best book on long course triathlon training is Going Long by Gordo Bryn. I have followed Gordo's career as an athlete and coach for many years. I spent a week with him at a training camp last summer and I agree with his coaching philosophy. I recommend his book to any 70.3 or IM athlete looking for more knowledge. But, though reading a book can be helpful, trying to put the concepts into practice for yourself for an event that is less than 5 months away is another thing altogether.
I had suggested earlier that you consider taking advantage of the Kansas 70.3 training plan I have put together for KC Multisport members, I continue to encourage you to do so. If we work together to achieve your goals the anxiety will fade and your questions about what, how much, when, how often, how hard etc. will start to be answered.
Regards,

Ken

Tips for the New Year

2010-01-02T13:57:00.004-06:00

Been discussing goals and plans with a lot of athletes lately so wanted to post up some ideas that I believe are very relevant for this time of year.

Set believable and achievable goals – Have a look at your past logs (hopefully you have kept one, if not see point # 2) and your race results. You can certainly improve your performance by training smarter, getting others to help you and improving your knowledge. But if you want to go faster or further then you will also need to figure out how to train longer and stronger. Do you have more time to commit to your training? If not, then planning on smashing your PRs might not be realistic. Ultimately you will need to put time in the saddle, on the road and in the pool if you want to improve.

Create and follow a structured plan – To get where you want to go you need a map; the same is true if you want to arrive at your “A” race completely ready to perform at your best. The plan must factor in your work and family schedules, your “B” and “C” priority races, your strengths and weaknesses as an athlete, as well as your past experiences. Once the plan is made you need to follow it, but be willing to make adjustments along the way as necessary. You also need to log what you are doing so you can see what went right and what needs improvement.

Work on technique now – Once your training gets hard and heavy you will have less time and desire to focus on the finer points of swimming, biking and running. So now is the time to have someone film your swim stroke and provide pointers. Concentrate on pedaling complete circles while sitting on trainer. If your bike is not comfortable this is the time to get a new one or add some new parts and get re-fit on your existing steed. As for the run, work on improving turnover and minimizing the time your foot is on the ground. Most top runners can maintain 90 steps per minute or better.

Focus on becoming a “balanced” triathlete – By which I mean, focus on your weakness. Look at how you compared to others in your Age Group in the three disciplines and determine in which event you are losing the most when compared with others. Then concentrate on being stronger physically and mentally in that event. (A note for those who believe it is "okay" to ignore poor swim performances – swimming is technique based, you can improve your speed and efficiency relatively easily as compared to the other sports by improving your flexibility and balance in the water. See tip #3 then stop giving up time to your competitors by putting yourself through a four-week heavy swimming technique phase in the winter, your riding and running will have plenty of time to get in line before your first race)

Don’t be a “January Champion” - Too often people train really hard in January and February only to be mentally burned out or physically injured long before the real race season gets under way. Unless you are training for New Orleans 70.3 or some other early event, there is no reason to be logging big miles and high intensity sessions over the winter months. Instead save the motivation and desire for May, June & July, when you really should be working hard and training long. Being really fit on Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you will be that much more fit on the 4th of July. The health clubs and spin classes are full of people who don’t miss a session in January but are no where to be seen in June.

New Uniforms & Training Gear

2009-12-30T13:44:00.006-06:00

Due to popular demand I am excited to announce new uniforms and training gear for Midwest Triathlon Coaching athletes. I have been working the past few months with talented artist and good friend Arch Fuston to put together a great design. Through Arch's work at active.com he has been introduced to a custom cycling clothing company from San Diego called BLP that is developing a new line of high quality cycling and triathlon clothing called ZOCA. MTC will be one of the first groups in the US to be wearing these items.
In addition to cycling and tri jerseys pictured above we will have cycling and tri shorts, and tech tee's available. The best part of this whole package is the gear is being provided to MTC athletes at below cost due to the support of three MTC athletes that agreed to be jersey sponsors:

Deadline for the gear order was January 31st but thanks to some flexiblity on the part of the manufacturer the new top secret, extra special double extended deadline is now Thursday, Feb 11th. So to place your order click here.

If you have any questions about the gear please contact me at kwelsh1@gmail.com

Look forward to seeing lots of MTC athletes sporting the new gear in 2010!

New Year's Day Resolution Run

2009-12-02T16:46:00.002-06:00

Please join us for the New Year's Day Resolution Run.

Which IM to do?

2009-11-09T15:51:00.005-06:00

Few weeks ago I added to a discussion on the KC Multisport site regarding which Ironman to do. Have heard some feedback about it so thought it would be worth posting up here too.

Let me add to the debate as someone who has done 8 IMs and coached another 20+ people to successful finishes as well.

For a KC based athlete I would NOT recommend IM AZ or Cozumel. Too late in the year to peak, days are short, weather is cool/cold then you suddenly have to deal with hot or humid conditions. You are setting yourself up for potential failure. Even trying to peak for KONA in October has been tough for me. Florida would be a similar situation though it usually isn't as hot.We train in the heat and the hills of Kansas, so for your IM, especially if it is your first IM, do a race that will provide you terrain and conditions you are accustomed to and where you can drive instead of dealing with the hassles of flying - IM Louisville or IM Wisconsin.

If you can't get in this year then wait and sign up next year. If you have to do it this year (not sure why?) but the regular spots are sold out then donate the extra money and get a Community Fund slot. Doing that is still cheaper and will make for a much better experience than trying to do an Ironman in Mexico. If you want to drink margaritas then take a trip after your IM.

If you are an experienced Ironman athlete who is interested in collecting T shirts from all the races then go do Arizona or Mexico, they are fine events. But if you are a "virgin" or are wanting to really do well then there are better choices.

Article in KC Business Magazine

2009-09-05T11:24:00.003-05:00

Very honored to be featured in the September issue of KC Business magazine. It is a wonderful article about how I started Midwest Triathlon Coaching and some "business" lessons I have learned along the way. Bit intimidating to be on the cover of a magazine that features stories about top CEO's and others who are running huge companies. Thank you the staff and my friends at Anthem Media for all their support in the past and now. To read the full article click here.

70.3 World Championships & Jackson County

2009-08-25T20:56:00.007-05:00

I am proud to announce that a third MTC athlete has qualified for the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater. Maggie B earned her spot at the Timberman 70.3 over the weekend. She joins Kelly D & Aimee W (all ladies, wonder if that is a coincidence?) who have also qualified.

Some serious PR's this past weekend at the Jackson County Triathlon, wonder if the cooler weather had anything to do with it? Jason F finished 3rd overall and Jason T won the Clydesdale division of the short course while Todd D & John O set PR's and Susan O finished second in her AG on the long course.

Few short days and we'll be off to watch the KC crew at Ironman Canada including Ellie's "Uncle Glen". Please join me in wishing Rob S the best of luck at his first Ironman in Penticton. Also this weekend Emily K will be sporting a new "zebra-striped" outfit while doing her first Ironman in Louisville.

Nutritional Information Video

2009-08-20T04:18:00.003-05:00

An athlete sent this YouTube clip through to me. It has some interesting nutitional information that I thought would be worth posting here. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0yoz4jAhrQ

The Fall Performance Program & Some Updates

2009-08-07T13:05:00.010-05:00

With the days getting shorter and the neighborhood kids going back to school this week a lot of us are thinking about plans for the Fall. So I am happy to announce a new group strength & run technique training series we are calling "The Performance Program." For this series I am partnering with good friend Sheryl Hammontree who runs the Fit Pit.

"The Program" will start Sept 22nd and run 10 Tuesday nights - 6:30 to 8:30p. I am really excited about the plan Sheryl and I have put together with a balance of education & training in the areas of nutrition (that's all Sheryl), running technique, strength and flexbility. More info and registration is now available on the Camps/Clinics page.

A lot of great performances have been taking place over the last few weeks so I wanted to send out a huge congratulations to a few athletes that are breaking new ground:

Jim D (of MTC's NYC Chapter) set a HUGE PR at IM Lake Placid taking 90 minutes off his time. Jim worked very hard and the results speak from themselves.
Aimee W set her 70.3 PR at Steelhead and earned a trip to the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater in November. Two World Championships in two years, not too shabby.
Jason F is also off to a World Championships, but in his case it is as a representative of the USA at the Short Course World's in Brisbane, Australia on September 13th. Jason went up against the very best short course athletes in the country at the Pacific Coast Tri in southern California to earn his spot. I told Jason about the hidden clause in his Athlete Agreement that reads "any athlete qualifying for a World Championships on their first attempt must take their Coach along for the trip." He's not buying it...
Finally a collective pat on the back to the athletes that suffered alongside their coach at the UltraMax 50. Tim O & Mike M both won the "Beat the Coach" competition while others battled it out on a long hot day. Special recognition goes to Alan W as this is his first year competing in triathlons and UltraMax 50 was by far the longest race he has ever done.

It has been a great season so far with lots of racing still to do - Timberman 70.3 & Jackson County Tri this weekend, IMC next weekend (I am excited to be going up to cheer), IM Wisconsin, Redman etc.

Summer Update

2009-07-24T08:55:00.008-05:00

How is it that so many weeks can pass by before I have a moment to update here? Feel like I need a "web updater" who can keep my all my "networks" up to date - this blog, Facebook, Athlinks, Linked In (don't even think about Twitter or any of the others - too much!)

In any case plenty has been going on and some great things to come. Athletes doing a lot of great stuff, here are some highlights of what has happened since June 4th -

22 0f 22 MTC athletes racing at the Kansas 70.3 set PR's! I am sure the ideal weather had something to do with it but as the coach I am happy to take some credit as well. Of all the "rookies" I didn't see anyone cross the finish line that wasn't thrilled with their results. Special congratulations to Kelly D who was one of only three local athletes to pick up a slot at the World Championships in Clearwater after winning her Age Group.

On the same day Jim D also set a huge PR at Eagleman 70.3.

Tim O crushed his Ironman PR by over an hour and Mackenzie M successfully completed her first 140.6 at IM CDA. Congratulations to both.

Maggie B set her Half PR @ the Rhode Island 70.3 and became the second MTC athlete to miss a Clearwater spot by 2 minutes (Sandy C had the same bad luck at KS).

Susan O rocked on a very hot day at the most competitive Half in the world - Vineman 70.3.

As for me, I had the pleasure of spending 5 days in Boulder with Gordo Byrn and the athletes & coaches of Endurance Corner. The camp was a learning experience (allowed me to pick up a bunch of the CEUs that I am required to earn in order to keep my USAT certification) AND I was able to do some really cool training. Training highlight was a 28 mile climb to the top of Mt. Evans - the highest paved road in the USA at over 14,100 feet. Learning highlights were time spent with running coach and sports psychlogist Bobbie McGee and the chances to talk with Gordo about the "business". Very worthwhile experience and one I hope to repeat next year.

Next up - This weekend will be very busy with athletes competing from coast to coast - Jim D at IM LP, Sandy & Norbert are doing the NYC Olympic and Jason F is racing Short Course Nationals in SoCal. There is also a group training run scheduled from Leawood Park on Sunday for those of us in town and available - all are welcome. I am trying to keep up the training to avoid being embarrassed at UltraMax 50 on August 9th. I have put out a challenge to all MTC athletes to come "beat the coach"; the staff of Elite Cycling have even offered a gift certifcate to any athlete that can do it! Should be fun...

Local Sprint/Olympic Distance Races

2009-06-04T05:39:00.002-05:00

Had an athlete recently ask me about the options for local events. Thought it was a good question and worth posting the reply here as well -

The "local" races are -
Topeka Tinman - mid June (used to be my favorite local event but in the past years it hasn't been run as well as it once was)
Shawnee Mission Tri - early July (biggest local event, pretty well run, challenging looped bike course, always lots of fun)
Midwest Mayhem - mid July (KLM has their challenges with running quality events but some people really like it, challenging course that I like)
OctoMax (part of UltraMax 50) - 500 yard swim – 18 mile bike – 3 mile run August 9th out at Hillsdale Lake near Paola, KS (this is a new event run as a partnership between Sherpa Sports - the RD of Kansas 70.3 and UltraMax Events - who do the TriZou Tri and other quality events for years. I know both those guys and am 100% confident that it will be a great event) I am planning on doing the longer UltraMax 50 on the same day.
Jackson County Tri - late August - same swim beach and transition area as the KC Triathlon - different bike course that some people do not like. Well attended, long running event.
Redman Tri - Oklahoma City, mid Sept. A bunch of options are available here - Full Iron Distance, Half Iron Distance and an Olympic distance event. Well run, athlete-oriented. My understanding is quite a group from KC is going to be going down there. Could be a great finish to your season.
US Open Tri - Dallas, mid October. If you really want to cap off the season with a "bang" this would be another great option. Very high quality event!

KC Triathlon and other stuff

2009-06-02T21:53:00.007-05:00

Wow what a time the last week has been! Finally getting an opportunity to sit down and update recent developments in the world of Midwest Triathlon Coaching. Being on the race committee for the KC Tri was a great experience that I was happy to be part of while at the same time happy to be finished with.

Putting on a race is a HECK of a lot of work!!!!

We had a solid group of knowledgeable, committed and hard working people all contributing to the success of this event by doing a lot of what they did best - Sheryl designed, Sandy sold, Mark organized, Ben and Joel worked tirelessly etc etc etc. I had the opportunity to design and then take care of the bike and run courses and I was very happy with the way they turned out. Highlights included scrapping road kill into the ditch in the poring rain at 4:30a and "stealing" my wife's car from the VIP parking lot to race water coolers up to the run aid stations as they were about to run out of water... I have always thought I appreciated the effort Race Directors put into hosting good events but in case I was forgetting, this experience has reminded me how much work goes into putting on a quality event.

As proud as I am of the event we put on I am even more proud of the results of all 25 MTC athletes that participated! From Kelly D who was the overall winner of the Women's Olympic event to Alan W who won an AG award at his first ever triathlon, seven MTC athletes were up on the stage picking up plaques - very impressive performances all around. I was busy taking down the bike racks when the awards were being handed out but I had to keep stopping and rushing over to the stage every time I heard another name being called - felt like a proud father watching his kids succeed.

I was also happy to see so many athletes wearing the new MTC visors and shirts. I love "stuff we all get" (SWAG) so I like giving it out and seeing people using it. (For my part my wife has told me I'm not to wear more than one thing with an MTC logo on it at a time, something about looking like a dork?) Did get a nice compliment from a friend about how much the business has grown - its cool to see the progress / impact my little company is having.

This week is a lighter schedule then next weekend will be another big event in the local triathlon scene - the Kansas 70.3. 22 MTC athletes will be toeing the line and although I won't be racing I will probably be more excited and nervous about watching them than if I was.

New Postcard

2009-05-26T14:15:00.004-05:00

New postcards just arrived. Think they look great and appreciate Arch's help with the design and slogan. Will be stuffing them into the bags for the KC Triathlon.

Maggie Wins!

2009-04-28T20:58:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Philadelphia based MTC athlete Maggie B for her recent victory at the Upper Main Line YMCA Triathlon.

Maggie nearly didn't enter this event because she "isn't a sprint distance athlete" but decided to do so on a whim. Maggie's abilities as a great runner have never been in question but at this event she was not only the fastest woman (by a huge margin) but she also posted the 4th fastest bike split of all racers - male & female! Impressive.

Way to go Maggie, keep up the great work.

Group Ride

2009-04-28T17:07:00.004-05:00

All MTC athletes & guests are invited to join the group ride leaving from Leawood Park at noon on Sunday, May 3rd. The ride is for all levels of cyclists. The route will be a simple out and back so distances will vary from 30 to 60 miles. Click here to see the map. If you have any questions please let me know.

Kansas 70.3 Training Event

2009-04-20T16:03:00.005-05:00

Rode the new Kansas 70.3 route this weekend as part of the training event put on by Ryan Robinson, the RD. It was my first time over the new course and I liked it. Believe it is quite a bit faster than last year's course and should lend itself to some good times. As I was riding with a client and on my 16 year old Trek (with downtube shifters) I wasn't exactly tearing up the course but it was still nice to get out for a 5o+ mile ride. Also great to see so many friends, clients and associates out there as well.
Funny thing about a training event like this -

"Why do people want to train with their race wheels and aero helmets?"

The purpose of race wheels and aero helmets is to be faster on race day than you are while training. If you are constantly riding on race wheels you don't get the added boost from putting them on for the race. I am in the process of getting a new bike and I told Jeff at Elite Cycling I wanted the heaviest, most durable wheels he could give me for training. The heavier and less aero the better. My progress is judged by how I do on race day not at a training event. I tease athletes I coach about training with race wheels but the point is a serious one, the harder you train the easier you race.

2009 Season Under Way

2009-04-07T22:08:00.008-05:00

The 2009 Triathlon season official got under way this past weekend with five MTC athletes competing in events that stretched from one (southern) coast to the other.
Pictured above are John O. (l) & Jason (r) (along with some guy in the middle named Dave who had never heard of their coach...) who, along with Mike K. raced the Nautica South Beach Triathlon in Miami, FL. John did really well at his first "big time" race while Jason finished second in his Age Group, missing the win by only a few seconds. Mike K also did great, completing his first triathlon in many years.

Bianca & Rob S. were way over on the other coast in Oceanside, CA. The water was colder but the day was beautiful for their first ever "Half" at California 70.3. They both dealt with numerous challenges but put in great first time efforts.

Finally, Sandy C. (pictured in the MTC shirt with some training buddies) also raced this weekend at the New Orleans 70.3. Putting in a great swim and his strongest bike performance in years, Sandy is pleased with his progress so far and is fired up for his "A" race - Kansas 70.3 on June 14th.

New MTC Visors

2009-03-29T16:21:00.006-05:00

There has been a lot going on and I haven't done a good job keeping up here but this is an example of one of the cool things I have been working on (rather than Blogging). These Headsweats visors were designed by my good friend (and MTC athlete) Arch Fuston. Special thanks to Kay Martin & her staff at Headsweats for all their help with this project.
All MTC athletes will receive one, they should be delivered before the KC Triathlon at the end of May (it is a long boat ride from China).

"When Do I Start?"

2008-12-20T08:21:00.003-06:00

To quote the Grinch (with a three year old in the house we have been watching a bunch lately). "Christmas is coming, it's practically here!" Once the Holidays are over the next thing most people start doing is planning New Years Resolutions and plans. Triathletes especially start thinking (if they haven't already) about race schedules and training. The health clubs and spin classes are always crammed full in early January as everyone starts to crank it up again.
I have recently had athletes (clients and others) ask me "When should I start?" It is a good question and there are a lot of variables to factor in before the correct answer can be determined.
BUT, as I sit here on a Saturday morning calculating the Annual Training Plans for a number of athletes that have targeted Kansas 70.3 as their first "A" race of the season I have realized that the "correct" time to start training for that event, if you want to follow the protocol established by Joe Friel in the Triathlete's Training Bible, is Dec 29th.

Happy Holidays.

Resolution Run

2008-12-16T18:18:00.006-06:00

Last year we organized a New Year's Day Fun Run. I found the name "Resolution Run" somewhere on the internet and, like any good idea on the net, I shamelessly stole it. Figured as I wasn't trying to make any money on the idea it was OK to "borrow". Last year we had about a dozen people show up, hopefully this year there may be even more.
Details are:

When - 9am Jan 1st

Where - Muddy's Coffeehouse - 51st & Brookside Blvd

What - Fun Run 5 or 10k options in and around the Plaza and Trolley Trail

What else - Free drinks from Muddy's afterwards

What else - bring a coat or canned goods for City Union Mission and we'll donate them, besides that the event is FREE

Cafe Press Shop Ready!

2008-12-11T11:09:00.002-06:00

Just in time for the Holidays I have got the new MTC Cafe Press shop organized and ready to go. Thanks to MTC athlete Rian Sanders' wife Natalie (who's interesting blog you can read at www.trisupporter.com) for turning me on to the convenience of having a Cafe Press shop. Check it out here.

2:32 & 1:35

2008-10-05T22:19:00.003-05:00

Recently had a very cool experience.
For the past 7 weeks I have had the opportunity to do a lot of one-on-one coaching with a couple MTC athletes. Let me say I love meeting people for rides, runs or swims. If I had my choice I would have the opportunity to train with each of my athletes at least a couple times a week. Reading comments in someones training log is fine but looking them in the eye and having a face to face discussion is SO much better.
In any case, there is one particular athlete that started with me in mid August. During our first swim session together he wasn't able to swim a straight 50m. He could get down to the far end of the pool but couldn't make it all the way back without taking a breather. We worked together, often meeting at his pool at 5:30am to do drills, work on technique and improve his swimming fitness overall. Each swim seemed to bring new challenges and push him to new limits. He struggled, was frustrated at times but kept a positive attitude and persevered.
Last week we got together for a "test". His assignment was to swim a straight 500! Now this was way out of his comfort zone, 500 straight for a guy that couldn't swim 50 seven weeks ago? I am not sure he believed he could do it! I was there to cheer him on as the lengths clicked by and was so happy for him when he finished in 12:40 which equals a 2:32 "T-Pace". He text messaged me four time that evening saying how happy he was - "I feel more proud of myself now than after my first marathon!" If I am ever asked why I enjoy being a tri coach his story is going to be part of the explanation. He has a long way to go before he will be ready for his ultimate competition goal but he is on his way.
After watching my athlete do his thing I was ready for my own test - did the standard 1000m test, ended up with a 1:35 "T-Pace" which isn't my fastest ever, but not too bad for meter pool.

Couple things

2008-09-23T22:20:00.005-05:00

Been some really exciting things going on recently. First there were six MTC athletes competing in Half Ironman races over the weekend:
Redman Triathlon in Oklahoma -

Rachel Kraenow finished her first ever Half in 6:14 - "not bad for a short course athlete"
Heather Hull set a 5 min swim PR and "officially" finished her first Half (after missing out by 2 miles at KS 70.3) in 6:12. No rest for Holly, KC Marathon is right around the corner.
Trish O'Donnell also had her first "official" finish, going 6:50. Next up is the Chicago Marathon!
Finally Tim O'Donnell capped off a great season by setting a 25 minute Half Iron PR, going 5:07. Nothing for Tim until 2009.

Matt Johnson and his new bride Deva Featherston travelled to Cancun 70.3. Deva successfully finished her first Half to wrap up her first season as a triathlete (she couldn't swim 100 straight when we started back in January!)

The other thing going on that I really fired up about is the new "Kansas City Triathlon". I am part of the Race Committee planning on a quality Olympic (1.5k - 40k - 10k) and Half Olympic (750m - 20k - 5k). Save the date - May 31, 2009. Tentative routes are:

Bike Course (clockwise - 2 loops for the Olympic)

Run Course (counter clockwise - 2 loops for the Olympic)

The goal for this race is to bring the best quality Olympic distance event the Kansas City area has seen since USAT Nationals were up in Smithville. Many more details to come.

Ironman Update

2008-09-08T18:02:00.009-05:00

In the last two years of coaching I have come to realize that helping someone else accomplish their Ironman dreams/goals is almost as rewarding as accomplishing my own.

It is quite a thrill for me to speak with an Iron Virgin many months before their race and then slowly, as the season goes on, watch them progress as an athlete. I consider it quite an honor to be a part of these peoples' journeys. In many cases my athletes are total strangers when we first meet but as the season goes on I begin to know them very well - what is going on with their families, when they are sick, when they struggling at work etc.

I get to watch as they go through breakthrough workouts and training races that leave them feeling exhilarated and others that shake their confidence and belief that they will ever be ready to accomplish the goal they have set for themselves. I get to talk them down from the "ledge" as their race grows near and they start to wonder if they have done enough of the right things. I also get to speak with them after they have finally been able to cross the finish line and hear Mike Reilly scream out their name and proclaim they "are an Ironman!"

These last two weeks have seen some great Ironman performances and I wanted to recognize and thank the following people for letting me be part of their Ironman experience, I am very proud of each and every one of you!

IM Louisville - SWIM / BIKE / RUN / OVERALL / DIV.POS.

Maggie Bradley - 1:27:02 / 6:18:37 / 4:24:18 / 12:23:06 / 15 of 86

Tim O'Donnell - 1:17:52 / 5:57:23 / 5:20:31 / 12:45:14 / 91 of 260

Troy Oliver - 1:16:15 / 5:48:03 / 5:30:18 / 12:46:31 / 116 of 342

IM Wisconsin - SWIM / BIKE / RUN / OVERALL / DIV.POS.

Rian Sanders - 1:19:45 / 7:41:35 / 5:02:42 / 14:33:03 / 291 of 382

Preston Williams - 1:08:12 / 6:02:12 / 4:28:27 / 11:54:54 / 31 of 82

I would also like to recognize Aimee Warnke from Rolla, MO. She is a very special athlete who, at age 18 travelled all the way to Almere, Holland to represent the United States at the ITU Long Course World Championships. Despite a second degree concussion suffered during the swim, she finished the event's 2.5 mile swim, 70 mile ride and 18 mile run in 9:24:12. Aimee was the only girl racing in her age group which says a lot about this young lady's focus and determination at such a young age; I expect Aimee is going to have a great triathlon career ahead of her!

Racing in 2009

2008-08-27T14:21:00.002-05:00

I have already mentioned one of these announcement but it is nice to see it is official. Other announcement that the USAT UltraMax and Club National Championships are going to be hosted down the road at the Redman Triathlon next September is intriguing.

Ken

http://www.ultramaxtri.com/newsletters/ultramax/Umax_08_08.html

New Events on the horizon for KC area triathletes

2008-08-26T23:50:00.004-05:00

Couple other interesting things going on locally that will affect triathletes in the area.

Had a long talk with the RD for KS 70.3 on Sunday. He has some changes planned for next year's event that sound pretty exciting and is working with others in the community to potentially bring another quality event to the KC area.
There is a strong possiblity that another new group (which I am happy to be part of) is working on adding one or two new triathlons to the calendar for 2009.

Final note, I just signed a sponsorship arrangement with Rudy Project. Any MTC athlete interested in taking advantage of the 30-50% savings the deal offers should contact me at kwelsh1@gmail.com

Off to watch Ironman Louisville in a couple days - looking forward to riding the route and cheering the athletes on...

Some Congratulations are Due!

2008-08-26T10:55:00.004-05:00

Within the last few weeks an number of athletes I have the pleasure to work with have been doing some great things. I wanted to take a moment to recognize some of their performances -

Top Finishes -
Michelle Bales Woods & Cathy Wood finished 4th & 5th overall at the Shawnee Mission Long Course Tri.
Tim O'Donnell & Aaron Williams also placed in their respective age groups at that event. (my personal performance was nothing to write home about however...)
Jason Fitzhugh has been tearing it up including 2nd in AG and 7th overall at Jackson County; Heather Hull also placed 2nd in her AG and crushed her nemisis.

Some "Firsts" -
Todd Dicus completed his first Ironman distance race at the Vineman Full on August 2nd. Way to go Todd!
Rob & Bianca Sullivan completed their first triathlons ever at the Jackson County Tri. Rob did the long course and Bianca the short. Congratulations to them both.
Rachel Kraenow did her first Long Course triathlon AND placed in her age group for the first time! Who says she is only a "short course" athlete?
Joy Taylor did her first tri up in Smithville, had a great time and is looking forward to the next one.
Mike Malfer successfully completed his first 1/2 Iron distance race at Pigman in 5:20.

Best of luck to the following MTC athletes doing Ironman races in the coming weeks:
Tim O'Donnell, Troy Oliver & Maggie Bradley all toeing the line at Ironman Louisville (Tim is doing #3 while Troy and Maggie are IronVirgins)
Preston Williams & Rian Sanders (both Virgins) doing IM Wisconsin.
Also best wishes to Aimee Warnke as she races the ITU Long Course World Championship in Holland on August 31st.

Special congratulations to two MTC athletes who recently tied the knot - Matt Johnson & Deva Featherston. Now that the ceremony is over it is time to get back to training for 70.3 Cancun!

First Post

2008-08-01T14:13:00.001-05:00

This is the first post for the MTC blog. Idea is to provide interesting information and relevant announcements to MTC coached athletes and the greater triathlon community.