A Day in the Life of an Elite Student-Triathlete: Justin Metzler

My name is Justin Metzler and I am a 19-year-old college sophomore pursuing a degree in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition. In addition to being a full time student, I am also an emerging elite-level triathlete with dreams of professional racing and Olympic glory. I have seen exponential growth in my development as an athlete and have taken on a training regimen that is preparing me to compete with the best in the world. In doing so, I make many sacrifices, putting certain areas of my life on hold in order to focus on the two aspects that are most important: school and triathlon.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “How hard could it be?” There are hundreds of student-athletes across the nation that seem to get by just fine and there are thousands of other triathletes who to balance full time jobs, family life and even have time to squeak in a swim, bike or run everyday. Well, here is the way I see it:

1.     Unlike a NCAA athlete, I have no support system while at school. No athletic trainers, no preference when it comes to class schedules, no lenience in missing exams/ homework assignments/ lectures for training. There are no mandatory study hours with expert tutors and most importantly, there are no free rides- my education is funded by the family of yours truly. As those jocks on the big-money teams obtain their “degrees” I am over here, working my butt off, without some brainiac-undergrad finishing my math homework so I can go train or race.  

2.     Unlike your typical weekend-worrier, my training alone is a full time job. What it takes to manage the training necessary to compete at the highest level, equates to what I have calculated to be a typical 40-hour workweek. Here is the breakdown:

Swimming	4 hours per week (15,000-20,000 yards)
Cycling	11 hours per week (200-250 miles)
Running	7 hours per week (~50-60 miles)
Strength training	1.5 hours per week
Foam rolling/ self massage treatments	5 hours per week
Stretching/ physical therapy work	2.5 hours per week
Organizing and tuning up gear	2 hours per week
Preparing pre-workout and post-workout meals (including food shopping)	3 hour per week
Logging and documenting training	1.5 hours per week
Laundry (only workout clothes)	1 hour per week
Triathlon business: race registration, organizing travel plans, situating funds, race scouting, blogging, sponsorship obligations	1.5 hour per week
Total	40 hours per week

So, in order to give the endurance community an inside look as to what it takes for me to be me…. Here is a typical day in the hectic, stressful, difficult, time-crunched but incredible life I live.

 Typical Thursday of a regular-heavy training week leading into a race roughly 3-4 weeks away

5:15am	Wake up	§ Shut off alarm § Sleepily stumble over a cumulating mound of dirty laundry
5:30am	Pre-swim fuel	§ 1 small cup of coffee § 1 rice cake with ample amounts of almond butter and jelly § 1 large glass of water
5:30-6:00am	Prep for the pool	§ Get my swim bag together § Log into TrainingPeaks § Copy down my workout for the day from my coach, Craig Strong, at Precision Multisport § Prepare post workout fuel
6:15-7:30am	Swim training	§ 1000 yards of warm up including drill work and some shorter efforts, 2000-3000 yards of very focused and intense intervals, 1000 yards of easy swimming to cool down (usually including some extra drill work in there)
7:30-8:00am	Refuel and wash up	§ Down some pre-shaken chocolate milk+ Endurox R4 on the pool deck § Hit the showers
8:00-9:15am	Breakfast and studying	§ Enjoy one bowl of steel cut oats with lots of fixings (berries, bananas, granola, nut butter) § Look over Human Anatomy notes § Set up gear for workout #2
9:30-10:45am	Class- Nutrition and Health	§ One of my favorite classes, on this particular day we learned all about lipids (consume those Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids!)
10:45-11:00am	High tail it on my moped	§ It isn’t a very far scoot, but when I have to gear up for winter, the ride from one class to the next can get quite chilly!
11:00-12:15pm	Class- Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology	§ Learning the in’s and out’s of what makes athletes and exercisers tick § Snack on an Accel Recovery Bar and a banana
12:15-1:00pm	More organizing and prep for bike workout	§ Moped back home § Throw on my Craft Elite Bib shorts § Fill up water bottles § Mentally prepare for workout #2
1:00-3:00pm	Bike training	§ 30:00 of warm up spinning, including accelerations to raise the heart rate § 90:00 of HARD, Time Trial effort intervals (AccelGel’s taken as needed, usually a 2nd Surge is thrown in there towards the end! Chocolate is my favorite flavor) § 15:00-30:00 of easy spinning to cool down § 15:00-20:00 of total body stretching
3:00-4:30pm	Get as much completed in this 90 minute window as possible	§ Prepare a post-second-workout/ pre-third-workout snack (depending on the workout, it is usually more AB+J rice cakes, some veggies and hummus or a vegetable, fruit and Vanilla Endurox smoothie) § Go over an online Anatomy, Nutrition or Chemistry lecture (45-75 minutes) § Respond to triathlon business (emails, sponsor details, workout logging, Strava uploading) § 5:00 power-shower
4:30-5:30pm	Run training	§ 7 mile hilly run at an aerobic effort § Include a few repeats of stair running on the way out and way back § Around the half way mark, stop over at the track and do ~15:00 of running technique drills
5:30-6:15pm	Stretching/ Core work/ Physical Therapy Exercises	§ While I am still warm from running, I go through a full stretching routine, hitting all major muscle groups § After stretching, 5-10 core exercises focusing on stability § Finish with Physical Therapy exercises to prevent future injuries and strengthen previous problem areas
6:15-7:00pm	Refuel!	§ Another quick shower (3rd of the day) § Cook dinner (I try to get in a LOT of high quality vegetables and protein to refuel from training and make up for primarily consuming carbohydrates throughout the day of training) § EAT! § Clean up dishes from dinner
7:15-8:15pm	Foam rolling and self massage	§ 30:00 foam rolling routine on my Trigger Point Grid 2.0 § 15:00 of work with the Trigger Point Ball and a yoga block hitting especially tight, hard to reach areas § 15:00 of work with the massage stick
8:30-9:00pm	Snack	§ Usually some Greek Yogurt, berries and granola
9:15pm	Bedtime	§ It all starts again at 5:15am tomorrow morning, I try and get in at least 8 hours a night!

So there you have it, a day in the life of Justin Metzler.

Triathlon has turned into my passion and over time, I have developed an uncontrollable drive for success. You only have one chance in your life to accomplish your dreams and I will not let this opportunity pass by. I will do whatever it takes to be the best and I am positive that my work ethic, commitment and focus will pay off.

If you have any questions, comments or want my opinion on all things life, food or triathlon, feel free to email me at justinmetzlertriathlete@aol.com!

Also, be sure to follow me on twitter @justin_metzler

I would HIGHLY suggest looking into some Pacific Health Labs nutrition products if you are interested in taking your training and racing to the next level. Use promo code METZLER15 for 15% off and free shipping on any order at www.pacifichealthlabs.com. Some of my favorites include Vanilla Endurox R4, Chocolate and Citrus Orange AccelGel's and any 2nd Surge AccelGel I can fit into my jersey pocket (caffeine= my friend!) 

Go for a swim, ride your bike or hit the road for a run, you will never regret it when you are finished!

-Justin

Winter Break/ Training Camp Recap

It is hard to believe that it has been 5 weeks already, but the break is officially over and tomorrow is the first day of the second semester! I have not shed too much light on what I have been up to over the past few weeks so I thought some may be interested in what I was up to over the 40+ days spent in a cold and snowy Midwest climate. Here is a run down of some of the key aspects of the 5 weeks that I liked to call my January training camp.

1.) TRAIN: Swim, Bike, Run, Lift and Repeat 

The primary focus of this five week block was to put in a good chunk of uninterrupted training. There was a good balance of endurance and intensity which resulted in quick improvements in my fitness, confidence and ability to take on training load. Here are some numbers for those who are interested in some totals: 

Total swim yardage: 64,562 (average of 11,327 yards/week) 

Total bike mileage: 973.67mi (average of 171 mi/week- all done on indoor trainer/ computrainer) 

Total run mileage: 263.56 (average of 46.24 mi/week) 

Total gym time: 9hr 57min 16sec 

Average weekly training time: 20 hours 38min 24sec 

Average TSS/ IF: 1130.9 TSS/ 0.71 IF (TSS- training stress score, IF- intensity factor) 

Hard at work

2.) FTP test 

I was really excited to see where my cycling fitness was after the off season and a few weeks of specific training. I usually do this type of test at the start of each season to determine my training zones and see where my fitness is after the previous season of training/ racing. I like to think that I am still on the exponential side of the improvement curve and these tests get me almost as excited as a race. After warming up, the test begins with a 5:00 ALL OUT effort. This is tough because it is a precursor for more pain that will come up very quickly. After putting it all on the line in the 5:00, a 15:00 endurance spin is taken and then the 20:00 ALL OUT effort begins. The purpose of the 5:00 effort is to fatigue the rider to the point that the 20:00 test properly reflects what threshold would be cycling for 1 hour. I did the same test at the start of the 2012 season and I averaged 330 watts for the 20:00 segment. This year, I averaged 371 watts (4.82 watts per kilogram) for the 20:00 segment for an improvement of 41 watts.

Graph from the test. Goal= consistency 

3.) Hit up MPT 

Being home, it was amazing to be able to walk downstairs and have a full gym at my disposal. I set up my bike for trainer workouts, used some of the cardio equipment to warm up for gym sessions and lifted weights 2-3x per week. I also had the incredible instruction of the best NASM Certified personal trainer in the area, Beth Metzler. If you are interested in working out visit Metzler Personal Training's Facebook page HERE. 

The MPT gym

5.) Tried out some new gear 

As I said before, the climate was not the most accommodating for the majority of the break. Therefore, it was crucial to have the warmest and highest quality gear to keep me warm and protected from the strong Chi-town winds. I was lucky enough to receive an amazing package from Craft with some new things to try out. If you are interested in staying warm this winter, check out the Elite Bike Longsleeve Jacket (I use it for cycling and running) and the Performance Run Thermal Tights. 

Beautiful outside, right?!

Additionally, all of my rides were done on the indoor trainer or computrainer so it was equally important for me to have the highest quality indoor training gear that allowed me to focus 100% on the effort, interval or set I was doing at the particular time. Without a doubt, the most comfortable pair of cycling shorts I have EVER personally put on my body are the Elite Body Control Bib shorts. 

I was also extremely excited because I got into my first pair of Karhu running shoes and they were absolutely great! Karhu is an is a Finish running company that designs shoes with Fulcrum Technology. The Fulcrum is a structural component of the shoe that promotes forward momentum upon striking with the ground. If you are a heel, mid foot or forefoot striker, Karhu shoes will assist you in the plane of motion you are striving for (closer to the finish line baby). Check out Karhu's line HERE. 

Karhu Flow3 Trainer

6.) Relied on Pacific Health Labs 

You can't out work a bad diet. I have always taken pride in the fact that I try to maintain a well-balanced, nutritious and healthy eating regimen. I have come to the realization that when training reaches the elite level, food must be thought of primarily as fuel. Each meal is though of as a stop to the gas station, filling up the tank for the next workout session or recovering from a previous session done earlier in the day. Additionally, "real food" can only go so far. In order to fuel directly before, during and after tough workout sessions, I have been heavily relying on Pacific Health Labs products. Pacific Health Labs is a sport nutrition company that focuses on producing all-natural drinks, shakes, gels and other products with an optimal 4:1 protein to carbohydrate ratio. My go to combination to crush hard and long bike/ run sessions is: 2 bottles of H20 each with 1/2 scoop of Lemon Lime Accelerade and 1/2 Key Lime AccelGel. 

Delicious.

7.) Trained at Precision Multisport 

I have to primarily thank my coach Craig Strong, for believing in me and putting together the training program that is going to facilitate my progression in this sport. He has been there from the start and continues to be an integral part of my success. Precision recently opened a new training facility in Evanston, IL where I did the majority of my training. They have computrainers, treadmills, a Vasa swim bench and a full gym. In addition to having incredible individualized coaching services, Precision offers group computrainer rides and personal training. Check out Precision Multisport's website if you are interested in running your first 5k, running a triathlon or tackling an endurance event of any distance or competition level! 

Precision Multisport Gym 

Precision Multisport Computrainer Studio/ Treadmills 

7.) Thanked my Mom and Dad 

Finally, I MUST thank my Mom and Dad. I appreciate how much they care and take pride in what I am trying to do here. Their support means everything to me. It also doesn't hurt when Mom volunteered to be chief of laundry, meals and evening-workout-motivator during the training camp ;). 

Hard boiled eggs + clementines= go to post workout snack. Mom hookin' me up with eggs ALLDAY. 

Obviously, my training will continue to build in intensity as I approach my first race of the season in March. I look forward to working harder than ever before and I am confident that I am exactly where I need to be in order to see success through the upcoming months of training and racing. 

I will make sure to keep you updated! Happy training. 

New year updates!

2013 is officially underway and big things are coming your way from Chi-towns most passionate young multisport enthusiast!

I realize that I have been a little bit MIA since the San Antonio High Performance Camp but DO NOT PANIC, I have been hard at work. I believe I mentioned that the Texas camp was the start to my 2013 campaign and I was not lying. After some much deserved off time and a little Thanksgiving splurging, I sat down with the boss Craig Strong at Precision Multisport and we hashed out the plans for the upcoming season of racing. I consulted my financial manager (Dad) and we have nailed down what I think is a pretty solid lineup of events. Although things are subject to change and move around slightly, here is what 2013 is going to look like for me: 

March 

1.) NBP Challenge (Sarasota, FL)- Draft Legal Elite Developmental Race 

April

2a.) USAT Collegiate National Championship (Tempe, AZ)- Olympic non-drafting event

2b.) USAT Collegiate Nationals Championship (Tempe, AZ)- Sprint draft legal event 

2c.) USAT Collegiate Nationals Championship (Tempe, AZ)- Mixed tem relay event
May

3.) Memphis in May Triathlon (Memphis, TN)
June

4.) Leon's Worlds Fastest Triathlon (Hammond, IN)

5.) 5150 Muskoka (Muskoka, Canada)
July

6.) Lifetime Minneapolis (Minneapolis, MN) 

7.) Racine 70.3 (Racine, WI)
August

8.) Age Group National Championship (Milwaukee, WI)

9.) Lifetime Chicago Triathlon (Chicago, IL)
September

10.) 5150 National Championship HyVee Triathlon (Des Moines, IA)

11.) 70.3 TBD (Augusta, Austin or Miami)

I am extremely excited to hit every single event on this calendar. I have three National Championship events, two 70.3's, some very competitive non-drafting Olympic distance races and some draft-legal racing thrown into the mix. This schedule gives me the ability to train hard for the longer distance races but still maintain some speed for the Olympic non-drafting events and sprint draft legal races.

Similar to the 2012 season, my main goal is to gain critical racing experience and improve individually as an all around triathlete. With that being said, I would not be surprised if podium finishes and pro-card qualifications are achieved in the process.

Something about this year has me more invigorated than ever before. I am driven, motivated and focused from sunrise to sunset, every day of the week. I have the support from my coaches, from my family and above all else, I believe in my own ability to achieve success.

Thanks to Brian at Running Away Multisport for hooking me up with a GFU fit! I bike-geeked so hard for like 2 days after this. 

As for what I have been up to over the last few weeks, it has pretty much been the life of a full-time pro! My winter break lasts nearly five weeks and this gave me the perfect opportunity to come home and have a long training camp of sorts. I have been able to really dial into my recovery, nutrition and training efficiency. This year has started off on the right foot and I intended to carry this momentum into the coming months of racing and intense training.

The perks of having a home gym and mom as a personal trainer. Not a bad setup...

Unfortunately due to the frigid temps of the Northern Chicago suburbs, a lot the hours I have been logging have been in the pool, on the trainer/ treadmill and in the gym. With all of that stationary movement, I have found it crucial to have the highest quality gear to ensure the focus is on my wattage numbers rather than the thickness of my chamois pad. Believe it or not, the Craft PB bib shorts are currently my favorite piece of training equipment. Want to put in a few hours on the trainer without any discomfort? Get a pair for yourself HERE.

Well, that's pretty much all I have for today! I will try to be more diligent about posting in the coming weeks as the racing and training season kicks up. If you have any questions, would like to train together, are interested in sponsoring me, want to meet up before/ after one of the races on the schedule, would like to chat about all things triathlon, want to learn some sweet foam rolling techniques (I consider myself a pro in that department) or want to find out the best ways to make oatmeal taste amazing, hit me up!

Justin

USAT Collegiate High Performance Camp

Happy 2013 triathlon season to all! After coming off a successful elite debut to end the 2012 season at the 5150 US Championship, I am back at it, beginning what I am expecting to be an even more exciting 2013 campaign. After some much needed rest, I kicked off the start of my training with a USAT Collegiate High Performance Camp in San Antonio, Texas this past weekend. I made the 18 hour drive down with two great teammates and friends, Alex Libin and Allison Kindig. Below is a full recap of what went down in the state where the size of your truck usually matches the size of the burrito in your hand.

Iowa City to San Antonio. After an outrageous week of organizing, studying, packing, exam taking, essay writing and easy training, we left at 10pm on Wednesday night after Allison's mechanical engineering exam.  Our plan was to leave Iowa City and drive two hours to Alex's house in Des Moines, sleep overnight and then wake up early Thursday morning to knock out the remaining 16 hours. We needed to be in San Antonio by Thursday night/ early Friday morning in order to make the start of the camp at 7am on Friday.  

So, we loaded up the cooler with the essential items (hummus, rice cakes, peanut butter, etc.) and hit the road. 

Alex Sr. giving Alex Jr. some helpful road trip tips before we head out. 

After about 2 hours, all was going as planned. Allison was sleeping peacefully in the back seat while Alex and I talked about something random as usual. Our plan was to simply rotate paying for gas. Alex and I did this when traveling to the East Coast in June and it seemed to even out the expenses pretty well. Alex offered to pay for the first fill up and got out of the car to pump the gas. After about 2 seconds of realizing a form of payment is needed in order to receive the gas, Alex could not seem to find his wallet. And in some sort of jaw dropping, stomach turning epiphany, Alex realized that he had left his phone and wallet on top of the car when we pulled out of his driveway in Des Moines. At the same time, Allison sleepily mentions that she saw a "leaf" fall off the roof of the car as we pulled onto the interstate and did not think anything of it. That leaf was an iPhone and a wallet full of cash, credit cards, ID's and race prize gift cards. 

Alex called his mom and she immediately rushed over to the on-ramp of the highway to look for his lost items. She ended up finding his phone right away but the wallet was still MIA. Alex canceled his credit cards and sulked into his chair as we forged onwards towards Texas. 

As the drive went on, everyone got over the bummed-out-ness that resulted from the cellphone/wallet snafu and the drive started to fly by as we talked about all things life and triathlon. Around 4pm Alex got a call that a man had found his wallet on the side of the highway and was going to drop it back off at his parents house! Success! Wallet and iPhone both safe and sound. (Still not with him on a 36 hour road trip but we would make due with sharing a phone and Steve fronting both mine and Alex's bills for now. (thanks dad) 

We got through the shit-storm that is Dallas rush hour traffic and made it to San Antonio around midnight on Thursday. We unloaded the car quickly, made it up to our rooms and crashed as soon as possible to get a few hours sleep before breakfast at 7am. 

USAT Collegiate High Performance Camp 

Friday: 

Breakfast in the hotel lobby, which actually had a pretty nice spread of oatmeal and fresh fruit. Of course, we brought down our large bag of necessary additional items like PB2 and granolas (notice the plural). We sat down, had a few cups of coffee and felt as good as one can after 6 hours of sleep and an 18 hour drive. 

Introductions in the hotel conference room and free swag collection. The camp was run by Shelly O'Brien, a USAT Level 3 and International Elite Development Coach who was literally the most knowledgeable triathlon-minded person I have ever met. Throughout the weekend she would come to teach us some invaluable lessons and skills as we each progress into elite and professional triathlon futures. 

I <3 FREE STUFF

Swim video and testing. We were staying at a hotel that was within walking distance of the University of Texas at San Antonio campus and aquatic facility. After introductions, we walked over for swim video filming and to complete the USAT standard 200-800 test. After suiting up in my new speedo and warming up, Alex and I lined up on the blocks to start the test. First, you dive in and swim a 200yd all out sprint, then take :60 seconds rest before completing an 800 all out swim. Your total time of the test is compared to standards and used as a baseline for future improvement. Shelly actually asked the group if we had all had experience diving off the blocks before. I had never really practiced diving off them in a competitive situation, but I figured diving from the edge of the pool every swim workout couldn't be much different. Well, I was VERY wrong. Diving off the blocks sucks if you have no idea what the hell is going on. So, I dove in, filled my goggles with water and struggled through the 200. Swimming the 50 in :28, the 100 in :60, the 150 in 1:34 and the 200 in 2:08. We took the :60 rest and then hit the 800 effort. I knew this would be my better test as I have always been stronger over longer distances (and there was no water in my goggles). Still, the pool is only six lanes and very warm on one side (there was literally a hot tub jet coming out of the deep end) which made me feel pretty terrible. I ended up swimming the 800 in 9:32. With splits of 1:06, 2:19, 3:31, 4:44, 5:56, 7:09, 8:21 and 9:32.

UTSA pool (Alex concurred, that test sucked) 

Walk back to the hotel. After the painful swim test, we walked back over to the hotel to grab a quick snack and get ready to do our bike threshold test. As we walked under the highway and past the van, I noticed something rather peculiar. The passenger side window was smashed in and my Dad's expensive cop-radar in addition to Alex's girlfriends Garmin GPS was stolen. We stood there in shock for a few moments before angrily walking back into the hotel to figure out what the heck to do.

A rather inconvenient problem. 

Problem solving. We spoke with Shelly and told her the situation. She completely understood the situation and urged us to take care of the window first thing so we could put that behind us before moving on with the camp. So, while the others reviewed their swim analysis, Alex and I broke out the cardboard and duck tape to construct a make-shift window.

Getting somewhere...

Lunch. After 3 hours of sun baking, hand cutting on glass and engineering, we finished the widow and grabbed a late lunch. 

SUCCESS!!!! You can even see our reflections. 

Swim video analysis. We came back from lunch and directly went into analyzing our swim strokes. Both Alex and I had some serious problems but nothing that was unfixable. With a few minor tweaks and some consistent drill work over the next few months, we both could become faster and more efficient swimmers. 

Bike threshold test. Around 5:30pm, we set up the computrainers and got ready for the step-threshold test. It is a brutal bike workout that pushes athletes to their max effort over a 20-30 minute period. We warmed up for around 10:00 and calibrated the trainers for accuracy. The test starts at a comfortable but working effort and builds by 10 watts every 2:00 until you literally can not go any harder. I warmed up around 200 watts and then started the test at 250 watts (comfortable but not easy spinning). The test began and Shelly came around to record our current wattage number, heart rate, cadence and rate of perceived exertion (1-10) . 

Below are my results from the bike test. 

Wattage	Heart Rate	Cadence	RPE
250	145	95	4
260	152	95	4.5
270	155	95	5.5
280	158	93	6
290	159	94	6.5
300	164	95	7
310	168	93	8
320	172	96	8.5
330	176	103	9
340	177	101	10
350	181	101	10
360	184	98	10
370	186	95	10

Forcing a smile after punishing myself on the bike. At least my shirt looks cool. 

Without a doubt, I crushed that test because I was wearing the Craft Mesh Superlight base layer. This shirt is unbelievable. The hotel conference room had no air conditioning and with a group of cyclists going all out, it got rather toasty in there. Happily, I stayed cool the whole time. 

Saturday: 

Bike to high school track. After waking up and having a lighter breakfast, we rode our bikes over to the local high school track for a full morning of activities. First up was the 2-mile all out threshold run test.

Rolling out to the track. 

Run test. After a 3 mile warm up with a few short efforts and a couple track drills to open up the hips, we got on the line to start the test. I focused on taking the test in four, 800m parts (similar to how I would run a 10k in a race). Going out steady, building into a pace, suffering and then working to take it home in the fastest time possible. My confidence was not all that high going into the test because I was coming off a complete 3 week stretch of no running at all. My goal was to put in as hard of an effort as I could possibly do but I also realized I was nowhere near full fitness. This was simply a baseline test and I was just going out to set a time that I will build upon. Also, the test gave Shelly a chance to film our run stride for later analysis. Below are my results from the run test. 

Meter	Time	Heart   Rate
400	1:24	176
800	2:47	180
1200	xx	xx
1600	5:37	185
2000	7:03	186
2400	8:30	188
2800	9:54	191
3200	11:14	191

B-E-A-UTIFUL 

Drills. After jog/ walking a 400 and somewhat catching my breath, we met up to start some basic track drills that worked on the common issues Shelly saw among the entire group. Some of the drills we did focused on dynamic hip flexion, glute integration and foot landing position. 

Transition practice. We finished up our drills and then rode over to an empty parking lot to work on some bike skills. We did drills that worked on bike handling in a group, cornering, mounting, dismounting, riding through traffic and quick bike/ run transitions. We even had a transition rack to do the drills and it got pretty competitive by the end. I fared pretty well except for the drills that required us to take off our wheels and then put them back on, that definitely needs some serious work! Also, I thought it would be pretty cool to capture the entire transition practice on my Garmin 910xt (you can check it out here).

Alex and Mason. It was 75 degrees and sunny (one positive among all the negative aspects that are Texas) 

Bike straight chillin' after being thrown around for an hour. 

Lunch/ Strength Training. We rolled back to the hotel after the AM workouts and headed straight to the Roadrunner Cafe (dining hall) for lunch. We actually ate all of our meals here which made it easy to please everyone. After eating large lunch, we went straight back to learn a few strength training exercises that focused on our specific running and swimming weaknesses.

Where I found my new love for cottage cheese.

Swim. After strength training, we grabbed our swim gear and walked over to the UTSA pool for one more swim session. Having analyzed our swim strokes on Dartfish (sport video analyzing program) the previous day, each of us had a pretty good idea of what our major problems were. For the most part, my swim stroke is very efficient and strong. Still, we found that I was entering the water with my thumb first rather than my pinky finger which was forcing me to cross over and not get the most out of my pull. Also, when I followed through with my pull, my elbow was totally straight and I was losing a ton of power in the process. With a simple bend of the elbow and alteration of the entry finger, I picked up speed and efficiency almost immediately.

Wrapping up Alex's battle wounds from the window building process. Kitkat wrappers from the locker room floor and rubber bands did the trick. Also, should there be some nudity warning on this picture?

Run video analysis. Feeling confident that my swimming abilities literally improved over the course of the past hour, we sat down to go over the video from the run test earlier in the day. All of us had our individual problems but again, nothing that could not be fixed and improved upon with hard work. My two main issues were 1.) pronation with my right foot and 2.) weak hip muscles. The pronation in my foot caused my entire leg to fall inwards and was inhibiting my ability to properly spring off the ground. Also, my weak hip muscles kept my right foot on the ground much longer than optimal causing a low cadence and hip injury susceptibility. With some single leg isolated hip exercises and a good pair of orthodics, I will be running faster and more efficient than ever.

Analyzing my run form on the big screen. 

Exactly whats going on. Picture A= good, picture B= bad. (nice a$$ dude) 

Sunday:
Bike skills. We woke up Sunday morning (extremely sore I might add) and rode over to another grassy field to do some bike skills work. Shelly set up cones and markers for us to weave in and out of, practicing our handling and cornering. We did some partner activities and played some skill games. We finished up with a 10:00 game of tag that got a little intense as Alex and I chased each other around.  Results from bike skills:
1.) Bruised forearm and cut hand from crashing with Allison multiple times (and I got off easy compared to some others!)
2.) Much improved bike handling and confidence

Shelly and myself after bike skills practice. 

San Antonio to Dallas. After bike skills, we made the quick ride back to the hotel. We did a quick camp wrap up where we went over some of the testing data and asked any final questions (pretty much picking Shelly's brain to the absolute max while also enjoying a second breakfast). We said our goodbyes, showered up and hit the road. Allison actually lucked out because she has family in Dallas and planned to spend a few days there on the way home. We made the 5 hour drive up, dropped Allison off and then continued onward while she planned to fly the rest of the way home later in the week.

Dropping Allison in Dallas. Yes, Alex and I are wearing matching USAT outfits (it gets you places, I swear) 

Dallas to Oklahoma City. After meeting Allison's uncle, learning how to actually do a pistol squat and grabbing some gas in a majorly sketchy area but still making friends with some random guy in the Quicky Mart, Alex and I were off to our final destination of the day, Oklahoma City. With the help of Mom, we were able to find an amazing Hampton Inn to crash in for $89.99 with free breakfast!

We couldn't leave Texas without some authentic TexMex. El Fenix hit the spot! Guac and fajitas all day. We're on vacation right?

Monday:
Oklahoma City to Des Moines. After a great nights sleep in OKC, we woke up to a delicious breakfast spread in the lobby. We made our way up I-35 and the time seemed to fly by without the need of loud music, podcasts or DVD's (our conversation is always entertaining enough). We made it Des Moines by 4:30pm and had plenty of time to catch up with Alex's mom and brother.

That carrot is going to need some guac on it. That guac is in Alex's crotchal region (as are the remaining carrots). Welcome to the driver/ car chef dynamic. 

Des Moines to Iowa City. We had some delicious Russian food before hitting the road one last time to finish up the remainder of our journey. The two hour drive was nothing in comparison but we were iching to get out of the car and move around. We got into Iowa City around 8:30pm and I was unpacked, relaxing and watching Dexter by 10:00pm. Successful day and successful trip all around.

The USAT Collegiate High Performance Camp served a number of purposes for me. First, it was the kick off to my 2013 season. I was able to set baseline test numbers that will determine my training zones and allow me to build upon as I continue to get back in shape. Also, the camp gave me my first introduction to draft legal racing. Through our informational meetings and simply speaking with Shelly, I have come to the realization that in order to be at the top of this sport, I need to have some draft legal experience. Among the top pros who are competitive on the national and world stage, having some draft legal racing and training experience is nearly a prerequisite. Finally, this camp gave me the opportunity to have a kick ass weekend with my friends doing the one thing that I love more than anything else in the world. It invigorated me to push forward and gave me the confidence that with the right steps, I can achieve all of the goals I have set out for myself.

Sup y'all. 

I am happy with how rapidly I have come up in triathlon over a short period of time and I am excited to see exactly what the future holds. Keep on the look out for a finalized 2013 race schedule, we are close to marking down the dates! I will let you know that I plan to continue focusing on the non-drafting Olympic distance while adding some Elite Developmental draft legal racing and you may even see some 70.3's on the calendar.

I would like to foremost thank my parents who have always been there supporting my goals and dreams. I know you will continue to do so in the future and I would be nowhere without my #1 fan's and sponsors!

Also, I would like to introduce my latest sponsors for the 2013 season! (I am very excited about this, word's do not do it justice!)

Craft Sport Clothing

Karhu Running Shoes

Look out for product reviews and feedback as I get the opportunity to work with these great companies.

I will be in the Chicagoland area for 5 weeks over winter break from December 14, 2012 to January 22, 2013. Shoot me a message, I would love to train with all of you while I am home! Otherwise, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays and Happy Training to all.