Age: 25
Favorite food: Salad
Preferred racing distance:Olympic and 70.3 half Iron.
Number of years racing: This is my 9th season

How has training changed for you before and after having a child?
I certainly am not overtrained anymore! Besides spending less time on the bike and having to run in the heat of the day with a jogging stroller, not much has changed. That is, if I can get up at 5:30 a.m. and drag myself to the pool.

How did you maintain fitness during pregnancy and be able to come back on top and winning races?
I was running slowly until just a few weeks before the birth and swam slowly until the very end. The night before my son was born I was biking on the trainer in my living room. However, I still felt very much out of shape after post-partum. With much discipline, I slowly gained my endurance back and am still working on regaining speed.

What is your training schedule like?
I usually work out twice a day. I either run and bike or swim and run. I swim early in the morning, run with my son when he takes a nap, and bike when my husband gets home from work. If neither of us are racing and we can get a babysitter, my husband, Karl, and I go for a longer bike ride on Saturday.

Does it make it easier to have a spouse who is involved in the same sport?
I have been thinking about this for a while, and I am not sure what the answer is. If Karl was a couch potato and happy watching our son, Noah, when he gets home from work until he goes to bed, then I would
have a lot more time to train and we would not spend every weekend at a race. But it is certainly more fun to race/train with Karl, talk about the racing scene, and fight over who gets to read triathlon magazines first. We especially enjoy cross-training together. That is why I always knew I wanted to marry an athlete.

Popularity: 8% [?]

Age: 27
Favorite Food: Fruits, pasta, salmon, tomatoes
Preferred Race Distance: Olympic for now, but I have an inkling that I’ll really like the Half-Ironman.
Number of years racing: 5.5 (3 amateur, 2.5 pro)

How did you become involved in triathlon at such a young stage of life?
I grew up as a swimmer and it was just a natural transition to the sport of triathlon when my swimming career drew to a close. I first started dabbling in triathlon in the spring of my junior year of college as a member of the Purdue Tri Club.

When did it become apparent to you that you wanted to become pro?
I was invited to a national recruitment camp for developing athletes at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid in the summer of 2002. Before that I had no clue that there was anything beyond the local level of triathlon. The experience really opened my eyes to what was out there—national championships, world championships, draft-legal racing, the World Cup circuit, the Olympics. I was such a rookie. I bled more than anyone else at the camp; falls while trail running and practicing bike handling skills, luckily I didn’t embarass myself in the pool! The USAT Junior Development Coach at the time, Ric Rosenkranz, must have liked what he saw (despite my clumsiness) and he invited me to be part of a training squad at the USAT National Training Center in Clermont, FL. This is where I really learned how to train. I spent the summer of 2003 there, placed 4th overall at the USAT Age Group National Championships at the end of that season, and then applied for my pro card right after. My time spent training in Florida was really the stepping stone that gave me the confidence to turn pro.

Why have you chosen Utah for your headquarters?
I like the mountains and the high quality of an outdoor lifestyle that Utah has to offer. The altitude is nice, high enough to make a difference when you go down to sea level but not so high that you can’t put in a good effort in training. Of course, you can easily go up from here and it’s a convenient option to have. The terrain also allows for great cross-training opportunities like; hiking, nordic skiing, speedskating, snowshoeing, etc.

What is your favorite race that you have done?
Escape from Alcatraz. It is by far the coolest course I’ve ever done. Though, if I ever get into Xterra racing I might change my mind on that one.

Do you have a day job?
Yes, I work between 25-30 hours a week at 24 Hour Fitness in Sugarhouse as a personal trainer.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Age: 27
Preferred Race Distance: Trying to master the Half Iron- man distance.Favorite Food: Steak on the Braai (BBQ) and Coffee
Years doing Triathlon: This
is my 11th year; I started when I was 14 and still going.

Most memorable race?
Taking 2nd at the All African Triathlon Champs in Zimbabwe in 99 and Taking 2nd at the US Half Iron man Champs in 04.

Strongest event?
Trying to make them all the strongest.

How did you get started? My dad is a road runner and I always went with him to his events. At all of his events there were 5k fun runs. I eventually started running them while he did his races. I had always swam for fun as a kid, although I was never fast enough to make a swim team. And I have a cousin that used to cycle. I would do a few fun cycle events with him, but was never good enough.I was real chubby as a kid. My mom used to call me her little blubber whale. My family moved from Johannesburg to Cape Town in 93’ I found a new swim team and the swim teacher was the South African female Triathlon champ. She got me to do my first tri at the age of 14…I did the Tri and took 14th.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Age: 35
Favorite Food: Anything from the Athletes Food Pyramid and chocolate chip cookies
Preferred Race Distance: To Be Decided
Number of years racing: 5
First Race you won:
Sprint-Bountiful
Oly-Spudman 2002

What has been one of the largest contributing factors to your success?
Always setting goals that would spark my passion and then falling in love with the journey.

How do you balance training, three boys, and work? Carefully scheduled quality based workouts, having plan B and C when plan A doesn’t fly, letting some workouts go, reminding myself that if I never raced again that I would always workout and that keeps me passionate without being obsessive.

What first inspired you to do a triathlon?
I saw it as a chance to rebuild my life on many levels. Triathlons have the ability to make you see the truth about yourself because it is you against yourself, no excuses or false claims allowed.

How do you stay continually motivated?
Like I said before, I am in love with the pursuit of self betterment and that is a quest that will never end and will always keep me motivated.

Are there days when you don’t want to train? And if so, how do you get through them?
First, I will try changing the workout to something that I feel I can get excited about. Then, if I really don’t want to go, I don’t. It usually means I need a break either physically, spiritually, or emotionally. Otherwise, with built rest days and rest weeks, I am usually ready to go.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Age: 39
Favorite Food: Lasagna or roasted red bell pepper sandwich with balsamic vinegar
Preferred Race Distance: I love the speed and intensity of Olympic distance. But nothing compares with feeling of completing an Ironman.

Is every day rigorously planned for you?
Yes. I train 6 days a week with each day having a theme of either speed or overdistance in one of the disciplines.

Have you considered getting a pro card?
No. I love age group status.

Do you ever have days when you don’t want to train?
Yes.

How do you work through them?
I have three coping mechanisms: 1) Don’t train 2) Slow down considerably to a very easy pace, forget about mileage or the clock and just exercisely easily at a low heart rate. I find this to be very refreshing mentally and physicially 3) Go to a new location, someplace you have never trained before. The new surroundings can really energize you.

What do your wife and children think about your love for triathlon?
(Answered by my wife Marilyn) A friend of Dave’s once told me that I was the reason he is such a good triathlete - I tell him he has one hour to do his 25 mile bike ride and then I start my stop watch. This isn’t true, but Dave has always been really good about making the most of his training time. We all enjoy triathlon, in fact, we have all completed triathlons ourselves. Triathlon has become a family hobbie. We like to make family vacations out of Dave’s races and Dave will often run while one of our kids bikes next to him. We are all really proud of him. (Dave’s Answer) I am sure the training takes its toll on those family members who don’t love triathlon quite like I do.

How do you mentally maintain consistency year after year?
Quite honestly, I do not struggle in this regard. I so enjoy endurance sports that I cannot imagine my life without it. Also, in the off-season I eliminate intensity almost completely and focus on slow, aerobic training at a low heart/respiration rate. I cannot overestimate how fundamental this training block is for me both physically and mentally.

What is your strongest tri discipline?
If the bike course is steep and hilly, it is cycling. Otherwise, running.

What is your most memorable race and why?
Ironman Lake Placid 2001
Because it was such an intensely romantic vacation. The race course itself is the most beautiful Ironman venue I have ever attended. And apart from the 9+ hours on the race course, I spent an entire week alone with my wife.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Age: 29
Favorite Food: Pasta
Preferred Race Distance: Ironman
Number of Years Racing: 6

Do you feel that being a Physical Therapist helps you in training/racing and staying injury free?

Yes, but it also makes me a bit of a hypochondriac since I overanalyze every ache and pain. For the most part though it helps me to be really in tune with my body which helps to avoid overtraining.

How has triathlon evolved for you over the years? (fun to competitive)

I did my first triathlon in St. George as a means to stay in shape and remain competitive after playing basketball in college. I fell in love with the sport immediately. I love the training as well as the racing. About one and a half years ago I signed up for the Coeu d’Alene Ironman and found a coach to help me train. This is when I started to be completitive. I’m still having fun through which is why I’m continuing to complete.

Favorite race you have done and why?

Ironman Coeur d’Alene. It was my first Ironman and it’s so beautiful up there. I had so much support from family and friends which made it really special.

What is your favorite/strongest tri discipline?

Cycling! Nothing beats the freedom I feel when I’m out on my bike with the wind in my face.

Popularity: 4% [?]

Every sport has associated expenses and triathlon is no exception. Financially speaking, the bike is the LARGEST expense for many new triathletes. While you’re trying out the sport to see if you’re going to like it, you can use a bike you already own, borrow a bike from a friend, or purchase a new (or used) bike. Biking options are listed below for people who are unsure which type of bike to use or purchase to race triathlons.

Mountain Bike – Mountain bikes are the least efficient for triathlon. However, if you already own a mountain bike, you can race your first, second or third race with a mountain bike. (Just keep in mind that you probably won’t take first place overall.) Using a mountain bike allows you to“test-drive” the sport before you spend money on a new road bike. If you race on a mountain bike, I suggest putting racing slicks on it because the knobby tires are not made for the road and will slow you down quite a bit. The cost for mountain bike slicks is about $50 for two. Luckily, this is a fairly small investment! I would recommend that you don’t invest any money into your mountain bike beyond slick tires. I’ve seen athletes throw on aero-bars, order skinnier rims, etc. In the long run, it’s simply not worth it.

Road Bike – In general, road bikes work just fine for the sport. Many novice and intermediate triathletes train with them and have been racing on them for years. One of the drawbacks of road bikes is that they are not really designed for the “bike-to-run” transition. This means that the road bike frame geometry is more “relaxed” than a tri-bike; thus it can sometimes hinder your performance on the run. Some athletes modify their road bikes by adding aero-bars and a fast-forward seat post, basically converting it into a tri-bike. However, when it comes down to it, the bike is still a road bike. One benefit of road bikes is that entry-level ones are a little less expensive than tri-bikes and are a little easier to get used to. Another benefit is that they can be used for road racing and recreational riding as well. If you are looking to buy a new bike for triathlon, a good entry-level road bike will cost you about $1,000.

Tri-Bike - Tri-bikes are designed specifically for triathlon. They force you into an aero position for better aerodynamics, and the frame geometry is a little more aggressive than a road bike’s frame. This allows you to use different muscle groups in your legs, so when you go from bike to run, the transition is a little more forgiving. It is important to note that tri-bikes are a little more difficult to learn to ride than a road bike. However, the learning curve isn’t that steep and if you haven’t ridden a road bike before, you won’t know the difference It is very common for newer triathletes to race their first season or two with a road bike then upgrade to a tri-bike later on. The cost of an entry-level tri-bike is about $1,500.

In review, here are your biking options. You can go the economical route and use your mountain bike, or dust off that old Schwinn 10-speed road bike for now, or, if your budget allows, you can buy a good road or tri-bike. If you buy, I suggest that you shop for your bike (and all your equipment) locally, instead of buying everything online. I am a big believer in supporting the local retail stores.

Happy Training
David Pruetz
Owner/Coach,InTraining, LLC
www.intraining.biz
davidp@intraining.biz

Popularity: 14% [?]

Click HERE for photographs of the 2006 Provo Triathlon.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Click HERE for pictures of the 2006 Team Telos Triathlon.

Popularity: 3% [?]