The Triathlete in Winter

The weather is getting colder and it’s excellent time build strength, get in the pool and let some of those nagging, annoying pains heal.

If you’re looking to improve your swimming, the Triton swim team run practices at the Boys and Girls Club in East Providence.  They post frequently on the SwimRI FaceBook page and you can see the schedule and details at this link: http://swimri.org/practice-schedules

Also, my friend Peter Russo is a triathlon coach and certified Swim Smooth instructor and he has a class at the Pods pool in East Providence.  His contact information is below.

website: www.r2tri.com/swim-smooth
phone: 401-286-2865
email: russo@r2tri.com

If you want to work on your biking, you can join me on Zwift.  I would not recommend fueling your ride with left over Halloween candy but…..well….yeah, it was fun.

I plan to ride 3 to 4 days a week with 1 race (probably Tuesdays) and a steady state ride on Sunday mornings starting around 10am so that I can burn some calories before watching football.   I will then fit in another ride or two as my life allows.

Let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Ron P.

Triathlon & Gear Shopping

I hope everyone had a great triathlon season!  Although October is here and the races behind us, Fall and Winter will be an excellent time to shop for new gear.  Just like everything else, you can always get a better deal in the offseason.  Everyone will soon want to get rid their 2019 inventory and there will some nice sales for aero helmets, new wheels, new shoes and even bikes.

I’m a big fan of offseason shopping.  For example, I got and excellent deal on a new Cycleops M2 smart indoor bike trainer (which I love!) in August for just $399.  I mean, who buys indoor bicycle trainers in the Summer.  Well, that would be me!!!  That same trainer is already up to $499.

Also, don’t forget, the holidays are just around the corner and your loved ones may be looking for gift ideas.  Don’t be afraid to drop some hints.  Everyone could use another pair of goggles or a swimsuit or bike shoes or……whatever it is you need.  Make it easy for them, make a list.  (-:

And one last shopping tip, check out the theproscloset.com  and slowtwitch.com for great deals on used products as well.  It’s possible to find some great steals if you don’t mind buying used.

Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Ron P.

Watts/Shaved Legs/Clipless Pedals/Tire Pressure

Even before I had a power meter I was obsessed with watts.  Everyone wants to produce more watts.  However, to be a good cyclist, it’s smart to ask, how can I save watts?

Now, if you don’t know, a watt is unit of energy.  It’s the measureable energy you produce when applying force on the pedals of your bike.  Depending on aerodynamics, wind speed and direction and elevation, your speed on the bike is a simple ratio of energy to weight, or watts per kilogram (W/Kg).  With this in mind, there are things one can do to save watts.  Now, this doesn’t mean you will work any less hard, as Greg LeMond is famous for saying, “It never gets easier, you just get faster.”

Here are some things to ponder.

First, should you shave your legs?  As a 52 year old man, I get a lot of funny looks when people notice my shaved legs.  However, before you judge check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZnrE17Jg3I

Second, should you get clipless pedals?  This is question I get all the time.  Usually by people who are nervous about clipping in.  If you want the answer check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkMCYYNTWUY

Lastly, tire pressure.  What’s the best tire pressure for you?  And yes, you should check your tire pressure before every ride!  Check out this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoABOk_8KH8

There’s a lot more to consider than these factors, but this is a great place to start.  Take some time to absorb this information and let me know if you have any questions (but please don’t ask me where I fall on the Chewbacca scale).

Thanks,
Ron P.